his eyes and let him see his owne estate he found himselfe to be a most wretched man for all his morall righteousnesse O saith he there was not a viler wretch in the world than I was for all that Of all the sinners in the world saith he 1 Tim. 1.15 I was the chiefe He esteemed no better of all his civill righteousnesse than of dung that he might win Christ which he knew he could never do so long as he put any confidence in that till he renounced and loathed that And so will it be with every one of you beloved when God shall be pleased to open your eyes as he did his servant Pauls you will see then your case is most wretched for all your civill honesty you will see that you that tooke your selves to be such honest and just men are the chiefe of sinners you will see that though as you have heard your just dealing with men your fidelity your kindnesse and mercifulnesse are in themselves good things and pleasing to God yet God is never a whit the better pleased with you for them They that are in the flesh in their naturall estate unregenerated unconverted by the Word and Spirit saith the Apostle Rom. 8.8 cannot please God Nothing that is in them nothing that they do can please God And Heb. 11.6 Without faith it is impossible to please God Till by a lively faith thou knowest thy selfe to be in Christ thou canst have no hope that any thing thou dost doth please God Two evident reasons there be for this First because Christ is the onely fountaine of all true goodnesse As the branch saith our Saviour himselfe Ioh. 15.4 cannot heare fruit unlesse it abide in the vinâ— no more can ye except ye abide in me And Vers. 5. Without me ye can do nothing Till by faith we are ingrafted into Christ we can beare no good fruit Secondly Because whatsoever the naturall man doth though it be for the substance of the action good as I have shewed you it is because it is commanded of God yet he doth it not well that is with a good heart and therefore cannot please God in his doing of it For the Lord is pleased with nothing that we do unlesse it be done with a good heart The Lord looketh to the heart saith he 1 Sam. 16.7 Give to every man saith Salomon in his prayer at the dedication of the temple 1 King 8 39. according to his wayes whose heart thou knowest As if he had said As thou seest his heart to be for thou even thou onely knowest the hearts of all the children of men Now no naturall man no man that is out of Christ can possibly do any good thing with a good heart For it is faith that purifieth the heart Acts 15.9 And nothing is done with a good heart that is not done out of love to God and care to please him By this we know saith the Apostle 1 Ioh. 5.2 that we love the children of God when we love God and keepe his commandements Observe two things in these words 1. That we can never love our neighbour aright unlesse we first love God and the love we beare to our neighbour doth proceed and grow from the love we beare to God 2. That we can never do any thing that God hath commanded us well and with a good heart till we first love God and do it out of love unto him Now no naturall man can do that that he doth in love to God and care to please him but out of selfe-love and by-respects For if he did he would love Gods Word he would make conscience of one commandement of God aswell as of another specially of the commandements of the first Table which are the greatest commandements Mat. 21.38 Nay it is not possible for any man truly to love the Lord till he be first by faith perswaded of Gods love to him in Christ. It is faith that worketh by love saith the Apostle Galat. 5.6 We love him saith the Apostle 1 Ioh. 4 19. because he loved us first And what love of God to us is it that breedeth in us a true love to him againe Surely not his common love but when we once know by faith that he so loved us that he gave his Sonne for us then we shall truly love him and out of love keepe his commandements and never till then Herein is love saith the Apostle 1 Iob. 4.10 not that we loved God but that he loved us and sent his Sonne to be the propitiation for our sinnes And thus you see no naturall man can find sound comfort in any goodnesse that is in him or done by him Lecture CXXXIV On Psalme 51.7 Decemb. 8. 1629. IT followeth now that we shew the truth of this third Motive in that goodnesse also that is to be found in many an hypocrite And in the handling of this we will observe the same method that we did in the former First It cannot be denied but there is some goodnesse to be found in many an hypocrite yea much more goodnesse is to be found in him than in the meere naturall man This will evidently appeare unto you in three points First The goodnesse of the civill and morall man is seene onely in the duties of the second Table and exercised towards man he is all for man just kind mercifull unblameable towards man but he is nothing for God carelesse of that service that is done directly and immediately unto him But the hypocrites goodnesse is seene most in the duties of the first Table and shewed in such things as do more directly and immediately concern the Lord himselfe And these are doubtlesse the chiefe duties The first Table is the first and the great commandement as our Saviour himselfe calleth it Matth. 22.38 Secondly The civill mans goodnesse is moved and guided onely by the dimme light of nature or by the opinion and custome and example of men But the hypocrite is directed and moved by a farre more cleare and excellent light even by the light of the Word The Word and the Ministery thereof hath wrought a change in him and drawne him to do that that he doth As it is said of Herod Marke 6.20 that when he heard Iohn he did many things Yea he is in some sort made partaker of the Holy Ghost as the Apostle speaketh Heb. 6.4 And from hence ariseth a third difference That the goodnesse that is in many an hypocrite doth more nearely resemble the goodnesse that is in the regenerate man and is more hardly distinguished and differenced from it than the goodnesse of the civill man doth as is evident by the daily complaints of many a good foule I will instance but in five particulars wherein you may see how much goodnesse there may be in the man that is but an hypocrite above that that there is in the meere naturall man be he never so civill and morall a man The first is his affection to the Word of
the Spirit of Christ may be known which I will not therefore now make any mention of I will instance onely in foure effects of the Spirit whereby you may be able to judge whether you have received not the spirit of the world but the Spirit which is of God as the Apostle speaketh 1 Corinth 2.12 The first is your Charity the second is your Constancy in cleaving to the truth which you have received the third is your Taking to heart the cause of God and religion the fourth and last is your Sympathizing with the fellow-members of Christs mysticall body For the first of these There is no one grace whereby the Spirit of Christ may be better and more sensibly known to dwell in us than charity and meeknesse of spirit Iohn Baptist saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove and it abode upon Christ as we read Iohn 1.32 I beseech you saith the Apostle 2 Corinthians 10.1 by the meekenesse and gentlenesse of Christ. As if he had said Of all the graces of the Spirit that did abound in Christ his meekenesse and gentlenesse did most excell And we shall finde that this is oft mentioned for a certaine signe of a man that is in Christ. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples saith our Saviour Iohn 13.35 if ye have love one to another As if hee should say This is so evident and conspicuous a marke of one that is in Christ as not themselves onely but others also all men may know them by this Beloved let us love one another saith the Apostle 1 Iohn 4.7 for love is of God and every one that loveth is borne of God and knoweth God He that loveth not knoweth not God for God is love saith he Vers. 8. And Vers. 12. If wee love one another God dwelleth in us and his love is perfected in us And Ver. 16. He that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God and God in him My little children saith he againe 1 Iohn 3.18 19. let us not love in word neither in tongue but in deed and in truth And hereby we know that we are of the truth and shall assure our hearts before him As if he had said A man may confidently assure himselfe that hee is in Christ and that hee hath the Spirit of Christ in him if hee love his neighbour unfeignedly not in word onely but in deed if hee unfeignedly desire to doe him what good he can O that we would impartially examine our selves in this first point beloved now especially that we are to prepare our selves to the Lords Table If thou be not in charity certainely thou hast not the Spirit of Christ and consequently thou art none of his I know well that many that have not Gods Spirit but are meere carnall men use to glory much in their charity and thinke they farre excell any that professe religion in this vertue But if there could ever have beene any true love to man and such as God approveth of in any soule that is not regenerated and sanctified by the Spirit of God certainely neither our Saviour himselfe nor his holy Apostle would have spoâ—ken so of love as you heare they have done No no the holy Scripture is most plaine in this point that no man hath any true charity in him but he only that is truly regenerate By this we know that we love the children of God saith the Apostle 1 Ioh. 5.2 when we love God and keepe his commandements As if he should say All true love to men proceedeth from the love we beare to God as from the root and fountain This is love saith he 2 Ioh. 6. that we walk after his commandements As if he had said We cannot love our neighbour as we ought unlesse we love him out of conscience towards God and in obedience to his commandement The end of the commandement is love saith the Apostle 1 Tim. 1.5 out of a pure heart and of a good conscience and of faith unfeigned As though he should have said No man can have true love till he have first a pure heart and a good conscience and faith unfeigned I will therfore shew you how true Charity is to be tryed how you may discern and know whether you love your neighbour as you ought to love him and as no man that hath not the Spirit of Christ was ever able to do Try this First By the love thou bearest to all men Secondly By the loue thou bearest to them that have wronged thee and are thine enemies Thirdly By the love thou bearest to them that feare God especially Lecture CXLIII On Psalme 51.7 March 23. 1629. NO man hath true charity in him First that doth not love all men Secondly that doth not love his enemy Thirdly that doth not love such as feare God especially For the first They that have the Spirit of Christ in them do unfeignedly love all men See this plainely in that prayer of the Apostle 1 Thes. 3 12. The Lord make you to increase and abound in love saith he one toward another and towards all men How can this bee will you say Must wee love such as are wicked men Doth not the Holy Ghost make this a speciall note of a lewd and gracelesse man to love them that are wicked They hate the good saith the Prophet Mica 3.2 and love the evill Was not Iehosophat though otherwise so good a man greatly blamed for this Shouldst thou love them saith the Prophet Iehu to him 2 Chron. 19.2 that hate the Lord Therefore is wrath upon thee from before the Lord. Doth not David glory in this as in one principall evidence of the truth of his heart that he did hate wicked men I have hated them saith he Psal. 31.6 that regard lying vanities that is I have hated all idolaters And 139.21 22. he appealeth to the Lord concerning this and glorieth of this even before the Lord Do not I hate them O Lord saith he that hate thee I hate them with a perfect hatred I count them mine enemies I answer That in all these places there is no more meant but this First That wee must hate their sinne and that that is evill in them And that we are bound to hate even in the best men and in those persons whose persons we are most bound to love Ye that love the Lord saith the Psalmist Psalme 97.10 hate that that is evill There is no love of God in that man that hateth not sinne wheresoever hee seeth it even in his owne child in them whom he doth most dearely love Secondly that we must shew our dislike even to the persons also of scaâ—dalous and lewd men For first we may give them no countenance but shew our dislike by shunning all voluntary familiarity and kindnesse unto them while they continue such Have no company with him saith the Apostle 2 Thes. 3.4 that he may be ashamed I have hated the congregation of evill doers saith David Psalme
loves his people and sheweth his love even in reprooving by reproving sin neither in rage nor in a merry and flouting manner nor so as to set a brand of infamy upon them Ibid. Therefore desire to live under such a Minister as will faithfully reprove sinne and the great sin of the people that cannot endure it p. 52. the reasons why men cannot endure such a ministery Ibid. p. 53. the folly and sin of these men discovered in foure points Ibid. Objections answered that are made against such a ministery 1 That they use to raile give bitter and opprobrious termes to men 2 they use in a most unseemely fashion to cry and stampe and beat the pulpit p. 54. 3 They are alwaies chiding and inveighing and shew no love to the people pag. 55. 4 They love noâ— to deale with then people in private but disgrace them publikely 5 They are given to hearken to â—ale-beareâ—s page 56. Lect 10. In all our distresses we must fly to God by prayer and seeke comfort that way p. 59. for 1 In all our afflictions God hath 2 chiefe hand 2 He is able to releeve us 3 himselfe hath prescribed this course to us pag 60. 4 The Lord is ready to be found this way p. 61. The meanes of comfort we all apt to neglect Ibid. Lect. 11. Impediments that keepe us from this remooved 1 Th'extreamity of my affliction overwhelmes me and the tokens of Gods anger upon me are such that I have no hope to speed p. 63 64. 2 I am so vile a sinner that I dare not pray Ibid. p. 65. Lect 12. 3 I cannot pray p. 66 67. Every faithfull man hath the spirit of prayer yea a man may pray most acceptably though he do not feele that he hath faith or the spirit of prayer Ib. Such must bewaile their case to God and strive to pray for all they cannot doe it with feeling and comfort p. 68 69. Lect. 13. 4 It is to no purpose for me to pray Ibid. Resolve this is but a tentation and resist it and how p. 70. Particular answer to Sathans reason in this tentation 1 They that never use to pray doe as well as those that are most given unto it ibid. 2 men use ordinary meanes for their comfort with discretion they may do well enough though they never pray p. 71. Though God usually helpe men by meanes and best by best meanes p. 72. Yet he is the giver of all meanes and the vertue that is in them to do us good commeth wholly from him and Gods servants have therefore in the use of all meanes and in all occaâ—sions of their life sought to him Ibid. p. 73. â— Lect. 14. 3 God knowes our necessities well enough and hath decreed what he will do for us and is of himself apt enough to do us good without our asking Ibid. 74. 4 I have long used to pray and finde no good by it Ibid. It may be God rewards our prayer though we obtaine not our suite presently p. 75. Foure reasons why God delayes his answer Ibid. By five things wee may know God answereth us though we obtaine not what we aske p. 76 77. Lect. 15. When we have prayed long and finde no audience this must trouble us p. 78. We should hearken after our prayers what answer God gives them Ibid. We must not give over praying though we receive no answer p. 79. Examine the cause why thy prayers speed no better p. 80. Six causes for which the Lord useth oft to put back the prayers of his people without a gracious answer p 81 c. Lect. 16. Pardon of sin is more to be desired then deliverance from the greatest judgement that can befall us p. 84. for 1 sin is the greatest evill p. 85 2 pardon of sin a sufficient ground of comfort in any distresse Ibid. 3 in this suit we should be more earnest with God then in any other p. 86. 4 he hath enough to make him happy that hath that Ibid for 1 sin is a debt p 86. 2 sin is filthinesse and uncleannesse p. 87. Lect 17. Most men seeke after many things more then the pardon of sin count not sin the greatest evill nay no evill or misery at all p 88 89. our sins not smaller then such as Gods people have beene greatly humbled for Ibid p. 90. The knowledge of Gods mercy should not cause us to be the lesse troubled for our sins p. 91. for 1 His mercy in pardoning of sinne is not common to all but shall be denied three sorts of sinners Ibid. 2 That will aggravate sin and not make it the lighter p. 92. Nor this conceit that others worse then wee have found mercy both in life and death yet were never humbled For 1 it may bee they found not mercy with God though they prospered Ibid. 2 We are bound in charity to judge the best of their estate Ibid. 3 They may have beene soundly humbled for sin though we know it not p. 93. It s no good argument a sinner dieth in Gods favour because he dieth quietly p. 93. Lect. 18. Seeke pardon of sinne above all things Seeke it without delay and earnestly Ibid. For 1 its possible to be gotten 2 in regard of the excellency of this pardon p. 94. Seeke it speedily 1 in regard of the continuall danger of death we are in 2 in respect we are daily liable to afflictions p. 95. 3 in respect of the present comfort of our life page 96. Meanes to obtaine it 1 Bring the heart to a sound sense of sin Ibid. 2 Pray beg pardon for even such as want assurance of pardon may pray pag. 97. 3 Confesse thy sinnes to God 4 Fly by faith to Christ for it pag. 98. A man may have his pardon and not know and perceive he hath it and the reasons of it Ibid. p. 99. Yet may a man in this life be assured that his sins are pardoned Ibid. We must not be our own judges in this case but this must be knowne by the Word viz. 1 if we came to it the right way viz. by the foure meanes mentioned 2 If we finde ouâ— hearts changed and sanctified p. 100 3 If the knowledge of Gods love hath bred in us a love to him 4 If the knowledge of Gods love maketh us willing to forgive men p. 1â—1 Lect. 19. The best of Gods servants have no other ground of hope to finde favour with God for the pardon of their sinnes but onely in the mercy of the Lord p. 102. For 1 Though Christ hath dearely purchased our pardon yet is it meerely of Gods free grace that wee receive any benefit by him p. 103. 2 Though good workes bee strong foundations of our hope and comfort yet the maine foundation of all the hope and comfort we have in our workes is the mercy and free grace of God p. 104 106. Lect. 20. The best man cannot rely on any goodnesse hee findeth in himselfe
causes to be comfortable Ibid. 2 that they serve God without alacrity because they cannot do it so well as they would p. 365. Five things to be observed in the disposition of our master that should cause us to serve him cheerefully Ibid. 366. Lect 74. The heart is the seate of truth and when a thing may be said to be done or spoken in truth and sincerity p. 363. The Lord highly esteemes of the truth uprightnesse of the heart for 1 The Lord cannot abide we should halt with him but lookes for and desires uprightnesse in every service we do unto him Ibid. 2 This he delights in 3 This is all he requires 4 He valueth all our actions according to this hee esteemes highly of a little grace where hee seeth this and will beare with many frailties and taketh nothing in good part where this is wanting p. 369 5 He accounts him a perfect man that hath this p. 370. Foure reasons for this p. 371. Lect 75. Necessary we should diligently examine whether our heart be upright for 1 This is an hard thing to be knowne as appeares 1 by experience both of good and bad men 2 by the testimonie of God himselfe p. 372. 3 By reason because many things are like to true grace p. 373. Yet 2 this is possible to bee knowne a man may get assurance of this that his heart is upright this is proved three wayes Ibid. 374. 3 To be certaine of this will yeeld us unspeakable comfort p. 375. Lect. 76. He that hath any one saving grace in him is no hypocrite but hath an upright heart p. 376. He is no hypocrite that is apt to suspect himselfe and fearefull to be deceived in this point Ibid. The hypocrite useth to be confident p. 377. God beares most tender affection to his weake ones p. 378. Our conscionable care to obey God and leade an holy life is a sure note of uprightnesse and more sure and sensible then the former p 378. Obj. Many hypocrites and naturall men hath done sundry good workes Answ. These no good workes indeed p. 379. Lect. 77. The first property of a good worke and of true goodnesse is this it must be materially good Nothing is truly good that wee doe unlesse it be done by the direction and warrant of the Word p. 380. The Word is an absolute patterne and rule for 1 In it we may have cleere and perfect direction for every duty of holinesse and righteousnesse 2 Nothing can be a sin that God hath commanded p. 381. 3 The least thing he hath appointed us to do is a good worke p 382. 4 Nothing wee doe can bee a good worke unlesse done by direction of the Word 5 Though it be commanded of God yet if in the least circumstance we swerve from the direction of the Word the worke is not good in Gods strict account Yea 6 God is highly provoked with it though never so good in shew if not done by direction of his Word p. 383. They make the Word onely the rule of our life and cleaving to it a note of an upright heart p. 384. Therefore 1 Exercise thy selfe in the study and meditation of it Ibid 2 take heed of will-worship and making conscience of and being religiously strict in the observation of such things as God hath given us no direction for in his Word p 385. 3 Take comfort in thy estate if thou love and delight in the Word of God and depend upon it p. 386. Lect 78. The love of God is the root of all true obedience and righteousnesse p. 386. That may be well done that 's done out of feare of Gods judgements 387. but it must be out of such a feare is mixed with love p. 388. The true love of God is a certaine signe of an upright heart Ibid. 389. No wicked man doth indeed love the Lord p. 390 391. Lect. 79. One may bee subject to slavish feares yet truly love the Lord p. 392. The reasons therefore 1 Their owne weaknesse both naturall and sinfull p. 393. 2 The hand of God who seeth this good for his servants Ibid and that in three respects p. 394. Yet its evident the faithfull notwithstanding these feares do indeed love God by six notes Ibid. p. 395. The faithfull must strive against these feares Ibid. Six meanes whereby they may do this p. 396. Lect. 80. All true love to God all true piery and uprightnesse of heart proceeds from faith for 1 that onely knits us to Christ 2 That onely perswadeth us of that love of God to us as is able to breed in us the true love of God p. 397. Though many that have no faith are perswaded God loves them and God doth indeed love such p. 398. But that love that 's wrought in men towards God by his common favours appeares to be unfound in three points Ibid. 399 400. True faith assures of such a love of God to us as cannot but kindle in us an unfeigned love to God p. 400 401. Lect. 81. Rest not in the common favours of God and fruits of his love till thou have got assurance that he loveth thee with his speciall love p. 401 402. In this point three sorts offend much Ibid. Motives to this 1 This love of God is an everlasting love 2 This would free the heart from vexing feares 3 Bring with it unto us all good things p. 403 404. 4 This would make Gods commandements and every duty easy to us Ibid. 5 This would cure the stone in the heart and make our hearts soft p. 405 Lect. 82. Five meanes to be used to get assurance of Gods love to us in Christ p. 406. 1 Be perswaded that it s not impossible to get this assurance Ibid. 2 Binde thy selfe to a conâ—stant and conscionable use of the Word the Lords Supper and prayer Ibid. p. 407. 3 Seek to be more humbled in the apprehension of thine owne wretchednesse seeke the Lords favour with a more humbled soule p. 408. Lect. 83. Fourthly nourish in thy heart a feare to offend God and a care to please him in all things p. 409. None but such can have any true assurance of Gods favour and all such shall have it Ibid. p. 410. Fiftly rest by faith upon Christ and cleave to him Ibid. There may be true faith where there is no assurance of salvation p. 411. The nature of true faith consists in foure acts of the soule viz. 1 True knowledge of Christ and of that which the Gospell revealeth concerning him viz. that Christ is an all-sufficient Saviour that hee is offered in the Gospell to me as well as to any other Ibid. and how and upon what termes hee is offered to me in the Gospell viz. If I will receive him in a matrimoniall covenant pag. 412. 2 The assent and credit the minde gives to all this that the Gospell hath revealed concerning Christ 3 The consent that the will gives to this blessed offer
them that blame professors for their scrupulousnesse in indifferent and lawfull things 1 Oâ—e may see that to bee a sin which another more godly or learned then he cannot see neither should we judge one another for difference in judgement 2 Some good men may be more scrupulous then they ought to be and yet not to be despised 3 No cause we should judge one another for using or not using our liberty in indifferent things p. 715. Though we may hate the sins of professors yet its a dangerous thing to hate them for the goodnesse they professe Many hate professors not for their faults but for their goodnesse and three notes to discerne that by p. 716 717. Lect 138. The state of every hypocrite is most wofull and dangerous neither can he have any sound peace or comfort p. 718. Though in some respects the open profane sinner bee in worse case then he both in this life and in that to come Ibid. yet is the hypocrite also and every thing he does most odious unto God yea in some other respects his case is more wofull both in this life and in that to come then the open profane mans p. 719. It s a good signe in a Christian to doubt and suspect himselfe of hypocrisie Ibid. 1 He that lives in grosse sins and yet maketh a good profession is a grosse and palpable hypocrite p. 720. 2 Much more hee that maketh a good profession for this end chiefly that he may thereby the better hide and cloake his foule sins p 721. 3 He is also an hypocrite that maketh never so good a shew of godlinesse if he deny the power of it if hee obey not and practise what he heares Many of the best professors faile much in this p. 722. Even to our ministery so farre forth as we teach nothing but by good warrant of the Word obedience is due as well as to the ministery of the Prophets and Apostles p. 723 724. Lect. 139. He that lives in any one sinne though hee forsaketh all the rest and whose obedience is not universall is no better then an hypocrite p. 724. Sacriledge is a great sin Ibid. The care to keepe our selves unspotted of every sin is a sure signe of an upright heart p. 726. No hypocrite doth any thing with a good heart but upon some by respect or other p. 727. The true Christian even the poorest and weakest of them doth whatsoever he doth unto the Lord as a service to him his maine intent is to please and approve himselfe to him p. 728. Though he may have some respect to himselfe also in it Ibid. None can please God in any thing he doth unlesse he do it out of love to God neither can any love the Lord aright till hee know Christ is his p. 729. The goodnesse that is in the regenerate doth surpasse that that is in any morall man or hypocrite in three respect Ibid p. 730. Yet can no man have any true comfort in it till he know himselfe to be in Christ p. 730. Lect. 140. No man can be sanctified till he be justified p. 730. The only sure way to get strength against any corruption and obtaine any saving grace is first to get assurance by faith that our sins are pardoned and we reconciled to God in Christ Ibid. 1 faith is th' only inward instrument whereby the Spirit of God sanctifieth the heart p. 731. and th' outward instrument whereby the Spirit worketh sanctification in the heart of man is the preaching not of the law but of the Gospell p. 732. Th' only meanes to worke true mortification of sin is a justifying faith Ibid. Great is the force of faith to subdue and mortifie 1 covetousnesse 2 maliciousnesse 3 slâ—vish feare and 4 hardnesse of heart p. 733 736. Lect. 141. When a man is once by faith assured of Gods love then will he be renewed and become fruitfull in holinesse and righteousnesse and never till then p 737. For 1 faith receiveth Christ and maketh him our owne and they that have Christ must needs have his sanctifying Spirit also 2 Faith exerciseth it selfe in the meditation of Gods love to us in Christ and in apprehending the promises whereby God hath bound himselfe to give us sanctifying grace p. 738 739. Faith is the roâ—te and cause of all true 1 repentance 2 feare of God 3 obedience 4 love to God p. 740 742. It only enables a man 1 to heare well p. 742. 2 to pray well p. 743. Lect. 142. Necessary we should have signes given us in the Word whereby they to whom Christ merits belong may be knowne for many are apt to think they have title to him that have not yea a chiefe thing that keepes many from hungring after Christ is this conceit that he dyed for all men and therefore they shall have benefit by him p. 744. But this is a dangerous delusion for all shall not have benefit by him but few in comparison viz. 1. onely the true Church of Christ and that is but a very little flocke 2 Not all that live within the Church and professe the true religion but a few even of them Ibid. 3 Many that professe the true religion are so far from receiving benefit as they receive much hurt by him p. 745. The reason why so few shall have benefit by Christ is because how sufficient soever Christs death was to save all mankinde yet true beleevers onely shall receive benefit by it all men have not faith but a few onely Ibid. 1 al men by nature unable to beleeve 2 Some for their sins are smitten with a supernaturall inability to beleeve p. 746. It stands us therefore upon to know whether our selves are of that small number Ibid. Christ hath set a marke on his sheepe viz. his holy Spirit whereby themselves may know they are his p. 747. By certaine fruits and effects of the Spirit the faithfull may certainely know they have the spirit of Christ Ibid. Specially if they can finde in themselves true charity Ibid. 748. Lect. 143. Wee must love the persons of all men and expresse it in nine duties p. 748 751. We may pray for the worst even for Idolaters p. 751. We must love our enemies and expresse it in eight duties p. 752 753. This he that hath the Spirit of Christ is able to do Evangelically and that appeares in five things p. 754. We must beare a speciall love to all that feare God though they differ from us in judgement and practise about things indifferent p. 754 766. Lect. 144. He that hath the Spirit of Christ will bee constant in the religion of Christ p. 766. Yet is not all constancy in religion but constancy in the true religion a signe of the Spirit p. 767 True religion is that that 's grounded onely upon the Word Ibid. Every necessary truth in religion is so plainely set downe in the Word as the simplest Christian may clearely understand it p. 768. The testimony God
hath given to them that cleave constantly to his truth p. 769. The faithfull themselves have found much comfort in this p. 770. Lect. 145. The Spirit of God wheresoever he dwellâ— will teach and effectually perswade the heart in the truth of religion p. 771. No man can grow to certainty in matters of religion by any other meanes but by the teaching of the Spirit and proportionable to the measure of the Spirit of sanctification that a man hath shall his certainty be p. 773 774 Yet is not this to be accounted every mans private Spirit p. 775. The Spirits teaching to be judged by the Word Ibid. The ministery of the Word is the meanes whereby the Spirit useth to teach men p. 776 They whom the Spirit hath once taught and perswaded will certainely persevere in the truth Ibid. Lect. 146. Th'exhortation to constancy in the truth is very needfull and that even in these daies p. 777. by reason 1 that Papists increase 2 the multitude of other erroneous spirits 3 the generall decay of the zealous love of religion and of the life power of it p. 778. 1 Motive to constancy Corruption in judgement is the most dangerous corruption of all other p. 779 780. 2 Motive He that falls from the truth and embraceth errour was never taught of the Spirit p. 780. Though in some things of smaller moment the faithfull may be subject to errour and errors of that nature should not alienate Christians one from another yea in fundamentall points for a time Ibid. 781. Lect. 147. Though our perseverance in the truth be to be ascribed to the Lord alone yet he worketh it by meanes and will have us to bee agents in this work our selves p. 782 783. 1 We must carefully shâ—n all things whereby we may be in danger to be corrupted and drawne from the truth viz. 1. We must shun the hearing and conferring with them that are hereticks and seducers and the reading of their books We should not long to heare what they can say for their errors or against the truth p. 784. 2 Wee must take heed of affecting the knowledge of intricate curious and unprofitable points p. 785. There is a desire of knowledge which is commendable and no Minister should mislike in his hearers p. 786. Yet is there a desire of knowledge that is most dangerous Ibid. 1 When wee desire to know more of Gods matters then hee hath pleased to reveale in his Word Ibid. 2 When neglecting other things we seeke the knowledge of those high points onely that are above our capacity to understand and busie our selves in matters of controversie p. 787. 3 When wee desire knowledge onely for knowledge saâ—e without respect to the use and profit we may make of it for our edification in faith and holinesse p 788. Lect. 148. He that desires to hold fast his profession must use the meanes whereby hee may bee established in the truth and preserved from falling away from it foure directions are given us in Gods booke for this p. 788. 1 Hee must ground himselfe well in the knowledge of the truth and labour to bee assured upon good grounds that it is indeed the truth he holdeth Ibid. 1 Hee must acquâ—â—nt himselfe with the maine principles of religion and seeke to be perfect in them p. 789. 2 examine by Scripture what ever hee heareth or readeth and labour to get good proofes of Scripture for whatsoever he holdeth p. 790. 2 He must labour to take to heart that which he knoweth love it and make conscience to practise it He that by reading or hearing seeketh knowledge with an honest and good heart shall hold fast that which he professeth and none but he p. 792 793. Lect. 149. 3 He must take heed of declining from or forsaking the least truth his conscience hath beene convinced in Two things there bee that deceive men in this case p. 793 794. Though some truths be of greater moment then others yet it s a dangerous sin to be willfully ignorant of any truth God hath revealed or forsake it when we know it upon conceit that it is but a trisâ—e for 1 nothing that God hath revealed is of small moment or lightly to be accounted of 2 a man may make himselfe abominable to God by forsaking wittingly the least truth or receiving the least errour p. 794. 3 the best way to keepe us from falling from the truth in the maine points is to make conscience of falling from the least truth p. 795. 4 He must be constant in a conscionable use of all Gods ordinances 1 the ministery of the Word p. 796. 2 the Sacrament of the Lords Supper 3 prayer p. 797 798. Lect. 150. Every one that hath the Spirit of Christ will take to heart the cause of God and his holy religion p. 798. 1 No man can have the Spirit of Christs unlesse he love God unfeignedly above all things els Ibid. 2 He that doth thus love God must needs be zealous for God grieved and troubled to see him dishonoured 3 He that hath any true zeale to God in him will shew and expresse it principally towards the house and worship of God p. 799. More particularly 1 He that hath the Spirit of Christ must needs rejoyce to see or heare that the true religion of God doth prosper and that the purity of it is restored or set up any where p. 800. 2 He that hath the Spirit of Christ will rejoyce in the frequencie and fullnesse of Church-assemblies 3 In the plentifull and free preaching of the Word p. 801. 4 Hee will rejoyce to see and heare that the ministery of the Word is fruitfull among them that enjoy it and powerfull to reforme their hearts and lives p. 802 803. Lect. 151. Three Reasons and grounds of the former doctrine 1 He that hath the Spirit of Christ cannot but love the persons of all men and we love no man unlesse wee love his soule and unfeignedly desire his salvation grieve to see his soule in danger of perishing p. 803. He that desires the salvation of all will joy in the plentifull and sound preaching of the Word p. 804. Though God can save men without preaching yet he doth not ordinarily without it and its a fearefull signe hee meaneth not to save them he denieth preaching unto Ibid. 805. Though all bee not saved that have preaching yet it s a cause of comfort to see sound preachers abound p. 805. A man that hath no truth of grace in himselfe may yet be a meanes of conversion to others Ibid. 2 The respect wee have to the state and Church wherein we live which we are bound to love p. 806. 1 Nothing will make the state and Church so honourable as the liberty of the Gospell 2 nor so strong and peaceable 3 nor so prosperous and plenteous in blessings p. 806 807. On the other side nothing will sooner deprive it of all blessings then the neglect and opposing of religion p.
forbeare the reproving and inveighing against some corruptions that are either in the Church or Common-wealth even when his text gives him just occasion to doe it It is sometimes his wisedome to doe it when 1. there is either danger of doing more hurt and dishonour to God by speaking against them then by holding his peace or 2. wheâ— hee can see no hope of prevailing or doing good by his reproofe For the first of these respects we have the example of our blessed Saviour who did oft forbeare the publishing of certaine truths even because he would not give advantage thereby to the malicious adversaries to raise persecution against him How oft doth he charge them upon whom he had wrought his miracles not to speake of it to any man and one cause was this because he knew it would incrâ—ase the rage of his enemies and so interrupt the liberty of his ministery this is plaiâ—e 〈◊〉 1.44 45. How wary and carefull was hee alwayes both in the manner of his preaching by parables and in his answeres he gave to their questions 〈◊〉 the adversary from taking advantage at any thing that he said And we are expresly forbidden to give the holy things of God to such doggs as will be ready to turne againe upon us and read and bite us for our labor Mat. 9.6 When the times are so evill as they will not beare such matters to be touched the prudent servants of God will keepe silence or so deliver the truth as Gods people may be edified and not advantage given to the adversary Amos. 5 13. Therefore the prudent shall keepe silence in that time for it is an evill time And for the second respect for which a faithfull minister may forbeare to reprove sinne that is when he can see no hope of prevailing or doing good by it wee have also the example of our blessed Saviour to warrant it He did utterly dislike the foolish ceremony and custome the Iewes had to parisie and wash themselves so oft and yet at the marriage feast in Cana of Galilee where he saw six great water-pots containing two or three sirkins a piece set for that purpose Iohn 2.6 he found no fault with it Why He saw no hope that his speech in that place and at that time would doe any good And for both these respects we have a notable example in Paul who when he was in Ephesus where Diana was worshipped and many got great wealth by that Idolatry yet was he never heard in his ministery to exclaime against Diana nor against that Idolatry as the towne-clearke himselfe witnesseth Acts 19.37 Why had he no zeale against so shamefull idolatry yes certainly no man more as you may see Acts 17.16 His spirit was stirred in him when he saw the City of Athâ—â—ns wholly given to idolatry Why then was he so silent at Ephesus Surely 1. he saw such an invective would have done no good 2. that it would have presently abridged his liberty and raised bitteâ— persecution against him And thus we have seene what wisedome a minister should use in reproving of sinne Even the badnesse of the times may warrant the ministers silence this way Amos. 5.13 Fourthly The minister had neede bee a peaceable man not given to suits and contentions with his people Certainely it is not unlawfull for a minister to require his due and even to seeke it by Law if hee cannot otherwise come by it For 1. he is bound to have a care of his family and hee were worse then an Infidell if he had not 1. Tim. 5.8 2 The Law and the magistrates helpe for righting men in their wrongs is Gods ordinance which a godly minister may lawfully seeke unto as is plaine in Pauls example who Acts 25 11. who appealed unto Caesar. But the minister of God should not be a man given unto suits and contentions with his people he ought to shun it as much as in him lyeth All men should so doe Rom. 12.18 If it be possible as much as lieth in you be peaceable with all men but specially a minister 1. Tim. 3.3 he must be a patient man and no brawler When he reproveth the sinnes of the people he shall never have hope to prevaile or doe good unlesse he can say with Paul 2. Cor. 12.14 I seeke not yours but you and as he doth in another place when he had sharpely reproved them Galat. 4.12 Brethren I beseech you be as I am for I am as ye are ye have not injured me at all As if hee should have said thinke not I am so vehement against you because of any personall wrong ye have done unto mee Moses that was so fierce and hote in Gods quarrell as you may see Exod. 32 19 â—0 29. was in his owne quarrels and wrongs done to himselfe the meekest man in the world Numb 12.3 Fiftly and lastly He had need to love his people well and approve by his whole carriage and conversation that he loveth them else will his reproofe never doe them good Rom 15.14 I am perswaded ye are full of goodnesse able to admonish one another nothing fits a man better to this duty then goodnesse doth No man will take a reproofe well from him that he thinks loves him not Prov. 27.6 Faithfull are the wounds of a friend Yea even in reproving of sinne the minister that would do good must be carefull to expresse his love unto them And therefore 1. He must not reprove siâ— in rage and distemper of passion The good Surgeon when he is to cut off a member is carefull to be at that time most free from passion When Nehemiah had heard of the shamefull extortion and oppression used by the rulers and rich men he was very angry but he would not reprove them in a sudden heate and passion but paused and consulted with himselfe before he would do it Nehe. 5.6 7. And great reason is given for this Iames 1.20 The wrath of man worketh not the righteousnesse of God Secondly he must not reprove sinne merrily or in a flouting and girding manner as one that tooke a pride to shew his wit in breaking jests upon the offendor but with griefe and compassion See Christs example for this Mar. 3.5 he was angry with them but he was also grieved for the hardnesse of their hearts and Paul who speaking 2. Cor. 12.21 of his comming to reprove the sinnes of that people saith that the seeing of them would humble him and he should bewaile their state And Phil. 3.18 speaking of many among them who were enemies to the crosse of Christ he saith he told it them weeping he tooke no pleasure in it Thirdly He must so reprove his peoples sin as if it be possible he may set no brand of reproach upon the persons of the offendors Indeed this cannot alwayes be done but so farre as in him lyeth he must in reproving sin shew his love to the sinner in tendring of his credite and good name Private faults
must alwaies give place to edification and to further the edification of Gods people it well becomes Gods servant even to forget himselfe in a matter of decency For this we have the example of our blessed Saviour not onely in making a scourge and whipping the buyers and sellers out of the the temple where the zeale of Gods house did even eate him up Ioh. 2.15 but even in this very case of preaching Ioh. 7.37 In the last and great day of the feast he stood up and cried And if this make us contemptible in the eyes of any as Davids dancing and leaping in a zealous joy before the Arke did him in the eyes of Michal 2 Sam. 6.16 we must answer such as he did her 2 Sam. 6.21 22. It is unto the Lord that we doe thus and we will be yet more vile then thus and will be base in our owne sight and Gods people will esteeme of us never the lesse for this though such as Michal was do despise us in their hearts for it Thirdly but such of you as are alwaies chiding of us and inveighing against us shew plainely you beare no love to us nor thinke well of us but count us as reprobates or as men profane and void of all religion and how can we love or esteeme well of you that thinke no better of us or how can we profit by your ministery when we are perswaded you love us not I answer that men are greatly deceived in judging thus Gal. 4.16 Am I therefore become your enemy because I tell you the truth Certainely there is no greater argument a Minister loves his people well then this when hee doth plainely reprove their sinnes Levit. 19.17 Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thy heart then shalt in any wise rebuke thy neighbour and not suffer sin upon him For 1. Though we do thinke ill of you and are perswaded you are not yet in the state of grace but profane and void of religion for how can we thinke otherwise of a great many yet may we love you unfainedly for all that if we pittie your case and pray for you and use the best meanes we can to win you to God Our Saviour did not think well of Ierusalem that killed the Prophets and stoned them that were sent unto her and yet he loved Ierusalem dearely as appeares by his pittying her case and weeping over her Luk. 19.41 He did not think well of the Iewes that crucified him and judged them to be in a fearefull state and yet he loved them for all that as appeares by his praying for them Luk. 23.34 Father forgive them for they know not what they doe The Thessalonians that might not keepe company with them that would not obey the doctrine of the Apostles declared by that that they did not thinke well of them yet so long as they did admonish them and use meanes to bring them unto repentance they did not count them as enemies but loved them as brethren 2 Thess. 3.14 15. 2. We may not onely love you well but also thinke well of you and judge you to bee in the state of grace as well as ourselves and yet sharply reprove that that wee see to be a misse in you Our Saviour loved dearely his elect Apostles and thoughtfull well of them and oft pronounceth them to be in a blessed estate Luk 6.20 Blessed are ye poore c. and Mat. 13.16 Blessed are your eyes for ye see c. And of Peter Mat. 16.17 Blessed art thou Simon Barjona Yet did he reprove them often for that that was amisse in them and that very sharply and bitterly Mat. 16.8 O yee of little faith and 17.17 O faithlesse and perverse generation And to Peter he saith Mat. 16.23 Get thee behinde me Satan for thou art an offence unto me for thou savourest not the things that be of God Fourthly I grant this is true that you say a Minister may love his people and thinke well of them too though he doe reprove their sinnes But then hee should deale with them in private if he knew ought to be amisse in them but when he will cry out against them and disgrace them publickly what love is there in that Who can take that well I answer 1. No faithfull Minister dare publickly reprove or note or disgrace any person for any sin that is private For he knoweth he is bound by the commandement of Christ Mat. 18.15 to tender the credit of the offendors but if any mans sinne be publickly notorious and scandalous he must not take it ill to be reproved publickly he must not from this argue that the Minister loves him not You doubt not I dare say but Paul loved Peter well at all times yet when he saw that he sinned scandalously and by his example drew Barnabas and others to dissemble he reproved Peter not secretly but before them all Gal. 2.14 And we have a plaine commandement for this 1 Tim. 5.20 Them that sinne he meanes openly and with scandall rebuke before all that others also may feare 2. To have any sin that thou art given unto to be sharply and publickly reproved so that thy person be not noted nor the fault that was private before made publicke and notorious by the manner of reproving it in the publick ministery is no wrong or disgrace to thee at all Yea if wee knew all the sins that any of you are given unto and did in every Sermon that we make meet with them and sharply reprove them this were a great argument of our love to you and care of your soules and would be a great benefit unto you Or els David was deceived when he prayed Psal. 141.5 Let the righteous smite me for that is a benefit and Solomon when he said Pro. 6.23 Reproofes of instruction are the way of life 3. O that men were so willing as they pretend to be admonished privately Alas few are so most men will be ready as those dogs that our Saviour speakes of Mat. 7.6 to turne againe and bite and rent them that shall offer to performe this office of love unto them But if you were so willing as you pretend yet is it not alwaies fit that we should in private admonish or charge you with the faults we heare and suspect to be in you because in personall reproofes we must be able to convince you not only that it is a sin we heare to be in you but also that you are guilty of it In personall reproofe of sin we must have better proofes then heare-say and strive to be like unto Christ our Master of whom it is said Esa. 11.3 He shall not reprove after the hearing of his eares Fiftly admit all this be so yet many of you that are Ministers blemish your selves much and loose the hearts of your people by this that you are so apt to hearken to tale-bearers and pickethankes and then to broach in the pulpit whatsoever you heare So
that can expresse the desires of their hearts God 〈◊〉 way for God maketh precious account of their 〈◊〉 of his children 〈◊〉 one of them shall fall to the ground Psal. 56.8 〈…〉 are they not in thy 〈◊〉 And this is the first part of mine answer to this 〈◊〉 objection Now 〈◊〉 show you what they must do that we in this case that finde their spirits so 〈…〉 with sorrow and their hearts so deadred as they are utterly indisposed and unable to pray Two things we must doe when we are in this case First we must bewaile it and mourne for it If the one side of thy body or thy tongue were taken with a dead palsy so as thou couldst not goe or speake to thy friend thou wouldst think thy case to be very heavie and thou wouldst much bewaile it But this is a farre heavier case and more to be bewailed when such a deadnesse hath taken thy soule that thou canst not goe nor speake unto thy God Complaine to God and crave helpe of him against it as David doth Psal. 119.25 My soule cleaveth to the dust quicken thou me according to thy Word and verse 159. Quicken me ô Lord according to thy loving kindnesse Complaine to Christ the heavenly Physitian of this thy disease he is able to helpe thee For 1 Cor. 15.45 the last Adam is made a quickning spirit Cry to him when thou art most indisposed and unable to pray as his Disciples did Luk. 11.1 Lord teach me to pray Nourish in thy heart the feeling and sense of this thy disease so as thou canst mourne for it and bewaile it to God and thou art safe Mat. 5.4 Blessed are they that can mourne for this for certainely they shall be comforted Secondly seeing thou hast heard that when thou feelest thy selfe most unable to pray yet thou hast even then in thee the spirit of prayer therefore stirre up that grace that excellent grace of God which is in thee I dare not denie but a weake Christian may use the helpe of a good prayer booke in this case better to pray on a booke then not to pray at all Certainely it is a spirit of errour that hath taught the world otherwise 1. Our blessed Saviour prescribed to his Disciples a forme of prayer not onely to be to them and his whole Church a rule and sampler according to which all our prayers should be framed as appeares when he saith Mat. 6.9 after this manner pray ye but even for them and to say tying themselves to the very words of it as appeareth Luk. 11.2 When ye pray say our father c. By which answer of our Saviour to his Disciples it may also appeare that Iohn taught his Disciples to pray by giving them formes of prayer to say yea even in secret prayer Mat. 6.6 2. All the best reformed Churches do now and ever have used even in publicke Leiturgies and prescript formes of prayer and have judged them of great use and necessity for the edification of the Church And surely this argument is not to be contemned by any sober Christian as appeareth by the Apostles speech 1 Cor. 11.16 If any man seeme to be contentious we have no such custome neither the Churches of God So doth he againe presse the example and practice of all the Churches of the Saints 1 Cor. 14.33 3. This is no stinting nor hinderance to the spirit of prayer in any of Gods people no more then the singing of praise to the Lord in the words of David is now and was in Hezechia's time 2 Chron. 29.30 or the joyning in heart with the words that another uttereth in conceived prayer which yet is Gods ordinance 1 Cor. 14.16 Though this I say be lawfull and may be used for a helpe yet seeing every Christian even the meanest and weakest hath the gift and spirit of prayer I may say to every one of you in this case as the Apostle doth in another to Timothy 1 Tim. 4.14 Neglect not the gift that is in thee and 2 Tim. 1.6 Stirre up the gift of God that is in thee When thou feelest thy selfe most indisposed to prayer yeeld not to it but strive and indeavour to pray even then when thou thinkest thou canst not pray If we should never pray but when we feele our selves apt to it alas how seldome should many of us pray Therefore when thou feelest thy selfe most indisposed to prayer yeeld not to this cursed humour but strive and endeavour to pray even then when thou thinkest thou canst not pray The Church complaineth Esa. 64.7 that no man stirred up himselfe to take hold of God we should stirre up our selves to this worke For I we must take notice of this that Satan hath a chiefe hand in hindering us from prayer in causing this deadnesse and indisposition of our hearts unto it When Iehoshua stood before the Angel of the Lord Satan stood at his right hand to resist him Zach. 3.1 And which of Gods servants find not this to bee true in their owne experience This I say we should take notice of that he get not advantage of us by our yeelding unto him as Paul saith 2 Cor. 2.11 Lest Sathan should get an advantage of us for we are not ignorant of his devices The more Satan hateth this duty the better we should love it the more basie he is to hinder and interrupt us in it the more earnestly should we bend and set our hearts unto it Iam. 4.7 Resist the Divell and hee will flee from you 2. Consider how much God is delighted in the labour of our love Heb. 6.10 God is not unrighteous that he should forget your worke and labour of love that is those duties which out of love to him we performe with labour and striving Thinke not beloved that those prayers onely are pleasing to God wherein we please our selves best or which we performe with most facility and aptnesse of mind and speach No no when we can performe this duty in obedience unto God even against our owne disposition and the mighty conflicts and oppositions that we find in our own hearts against it these are the prayers that are most acceptable to God As Abrahams obedience was in offering up his sonne of which the Lord saith Gen. 22.12 Now I know that thou fearest God seeing thou hast not withheld thy sonne thine onely sonne from me 3. By using and exercising that little grace that small ability to pray that thou hast thou shalt increase it and grow more able to do it with comfort For so runneth the promise Mat. 25 29. To every one that hath that is by imploying and exercising of it doth shew that he hath for otherwise the unprofitable servant had a talent also shall be given and he shall have abundance Let us therefore do as they that through sicknesse and weaknesse have lost their appetite yet by eating provoke and recover their appetite one morsell drawing downe another so let us carefully and conscionably
5. That these grievous plagues should be upon him not for a day or a weeke or a moneth or a yeare but all the dayes of his life The sword shall never depart from thine house Yet in this whole prayer of his ye shall not find one petition one word for the removall or putting by of these judgements all his suit is only for the pardon of his sin Why may you say might he not lawfully have prayed against these temporall judgements I answer yes verily he might For so did Abraham when God had threatned destruction to worse people then these yet he prayed against it Gen. 18.32 Yea so did David himselfe for the life of the child that was begotten in adultery 2. Sam. 12.16.22 And at another time Psal. 39.10 Remove thy stroke away from me for I am consumed by the blow of thine hand What then will you say made he no reckoning of these judgements in his wives and children so long as himselfe was spared I answer yes doubtlesse for he was as tender hearted and good natured a man as ever lived He loved his wives dearely as may appeare by the care he had to provide for them even after they had bin ravished 2. Sam. 10.3 He loved his children dearely as may appeare by the extreame passions he was in for the death of two of them though they had bin both of them extreamely lewd and unworthy of his love For Amnon first 2. Sam. 13.36 he wept very sore and then for Absalom 2. Sam. 18 33. He was much moved and went up to the chamber over the gate and wept and as he went thus he said O my sonne Absalom my sonne my sonne Absalom would God I had dyed for thee O Absalom my sonne my sonne If ye aske me yet further why then prayed he not against these judgements Had he not hope to have prevailed in such a suite Had God reveiled to him that his decree concerning these things was irrecoverable Had he sayd of them as Ezek. 14.18 Though these three men Noah Daniel and Iob were in it as I live saith the Lord God they shall neither deliver sons nor daughters I answer that I cannot say so neither For there is hope in Israel and among Gods people concerning this as Shechaniah speaketh Ezr. 10.2 Temporall judgements that have bin as peremptorily denounced as these were have yet by the repentance and prayers of the parties beene kept of as we see in the case of Hezechia Esa. 38.5 I have heard thy prayer behold I will adde unto thy dayes fifteene yeares But why prayeth not he against these judgements will you say I answer Surely his sinnes now tooke up all his thoughts and affections he could now thinke of nothing else he counted these judgements nothing in comparison of his sins he thought himselfe a happy man if his sins might be pardoned though all these judgements did light upon his house And this is the first thing is to be observed in this suit But then observe secondly how earnest he is with God in begging this suit 1. He oft repeateth this suit and hath never done with it in these two verses thrice blot out my transgressions wash me from mine iniquitie clense me from my sin And then verse 7. againe Purge me with Hysope wash me and I shall be whiter then snow And againe ver 9. Hide thy face from my sinnes blot out mine iniquities 2. It is not his whoredome and murder only that troubled him or that he desired pardon of that would not serve his turne Wash me throughly or multiply thy washings upon me and vers 9. Blot out all mine iniquities as if he should say Let not one spot of any of mine iniquities abide on me Now from these things thus observed 1. That he desireth not so much the removall of so heavy judgements as the pardon of his sins 2. That he maketh no suit for that but for this alone 3. That hee presseth God in this suit with such importunity and earnestnesse we have this Doctrine to learne That pardon of sinne is more to be desired then deliverance from the greatest judgements that can befall us Observe the proofe of this doctrine in foure points all exemplified here in the person and practise of David a man after Gods owne heart First The man that truly knoweth what sinne is whose heart is rightly touched with the sense of it counteth his sin the greatest evill and misery that he can fall into it troubleth him more he is more afraid of it then of any other David now was in great perplexity and anguish of soule which he compareth to that anguish a body is in that hath all his bones broken verse 8. If Nathan should have come to him now and asked him why where is thy paine David Where art thou sicke What is it that troubleth thee so Is it the feare of that open shame I told thee God will bring upon thee in thy wives Is it the feare of the sword I told thee God would bring into thy house Is it any such matter His answer would have bin No no Nathan it is nothing but my sin that paineth and troubleth my soule those things trouble me nothing so much Nothing is so much to be feared nothing will so trouble and humble the heart as sin will doe when once God shall charge it upon a man it will bite like a Serpent and sting like an adder as Solomon speaketh Prov. 23.32 When the poore man that had an incurable palsie was brought to Christ the first word that Christ spake to him was this Markâ— 2.5 Sonne thy sins be forgiven thee He saw that the poore mans sins troubled him much more then his palsie did All bodily diseases are but as flea-bitings in comparison of that anguish that sin will put the heart unto The spirit of a man will sustaine his infirmity saith Solomon Prov. 18.4 but a wounded spirit who can beare When the Angel telleth Ioseph that Christ should be called Iesus a Saviour a deliverer and Redeemer of his people he giveth this for the reason of that name Matth. 1.21 For he shall save his people From what not from poverty nor sicknesse nor shame nor persecution but from their sinnes Sin is the greatest misery and evill that a man can be saved or delivered from Secondly That man that truly knoweth what sin is accounteth the pardon of his sin to be sufficient ground and cause of comfort in any distresse David was now in great anguish of soule as I told you he stood in great need of inward comfort that was his earnest desire as you may see ver 8.12 Make me to heare joy and gladnesse restore to me the joy of thy salvation Which way sought he to come to comfort what made he the maine ground of all his comfort surely the pardon of his sin If once he might obtaine that he knew he should have comfort enough without
all helpe and comfort any way els but only in Christ and so to flye to him to obtaine thy pardon Then mayest thou have good hope that thy sins are pardoned Secondly If a man feele himselfe to be sanctified and changed by the spirit of Christ then may he be sure he is justified and washed from his sins by the bloud of Christ. Where God pardoneth sin there he subdueth and destroyeth the power of it Micah 7.18 19. When he had said Who is a God like unto thee that pardoneth iniquity he addeth hee will have compassion upon us he will subdue our iniquities Rom. 6.14 Sin shall not have dominion over you for you are not under the Law but under grace When Christ hath once procured for a man the pardon of his sin he turneth the heart quite from it and worketh in him such a change as he becommeth another man Acts 3.26 God hath sent his Sonne to blesse you in turning every one of you from your iniquities See some examples and experiments of this What a marvellous change was wrought in those converts of Ephesus that had used curious arts after God had pardoned their sins they did so hate that sin that they had lived in that they burnt the books that had bin the meanes and instruments of that sin though they came to the value of 15000 pieces of silver which was at the least eight hundred pounds sterling Acts 19.19 So after Peters sin of denying Christ for feare was pardodoned what a change was wrought in him None of all the Apostles so bold in confessing Christ afterwards as he was Acts 2.14.3.12.4.8 So when Pauls sin of hating and persecuting of the Saints was pardoned never did any of Gods servants shew that love to the Saints that hee did See how many hee sends speciall salutations to and in how kind a manner Rom. 16. See in what termes hee expresseth his affections to the Saints oft times Phil. 4.1 My brethren dearely beloved and longed for my joy and Crowne And Philem. 12. He calls Onesimus a poore servant his owne bowells Yea where sinne is pardoned not the outward man onely but the very heart is changed Ezechiel 36.25 27. Then will I sprinckle cleane water upon you and yee shall bee cleane from all your filthinesse A new heart also will I give you and I will put my spirit within you and cause you to walke in my statutes Thou therefore that art perswaded thy foule sinnes are pardoned try it by this note Is thy heart now quite turned from these sinnes that above all other thou now hatest them most art most afraid of them shunnest the beginnings and occasions of them Yea thou that hast beene the civilest man dost thou find a change wrought in thee a new heart given thee Then thou mayst have a comfortable assurance that thou hast indeed obtained thy pardon Thirdly if a man feele that the knowledge of Gods love in pardoning his sin hath wrought in his heart a true love to God and that the change I told you of proceedeth from his love to God This note thou shalt find given by our Saviour Luke 7.47 Her sinnes which are many are forgiven her for shee loved much This property of a man whose sinnes are pardoned you shall see in David Psal. 116.1 I love the Lord because he hath heard my voice and my supplication And what was his supplication Even for pardon of his sinne as you shall see ver 3 4. The sorrowes of death compassed me the paines of bell gat hold on me I found trouble and sorrow then called I upon the name of the Lord O Lord deliver my soule And in Peter whom when Christ would comfort and assure that his sin was pardoned by what note doth he labour to assure him of it Iob. 21 15. Simon thou sonne of Iona lovest thou me more then these For indeed no man can love the Lord and obey him out of love but he that first is perswaded of Gods love to him in the pardon of his sinnes 1 Ioh. 4.10 Herein is love not that we loved God but that hee loved us and sent his Sonne to be the propitiation for our sins Hast thou no love to God to his Word and servants Dost thou all that thou dost in his service out of by-respects Flatter not thy selfe thy sinnes are not pardoned Fourthly If the love that we beare to God for the pardoning of our sinnes can make us unfainedly willing to forgive all men even those that have most wronged us This note is given with great earnestnesse and asseveration by our blessed Saviour not onely in the fift petition Mat. 6.12 but immediately after the end of the whole prayer Mat. 6.14 15. For if yee forgive men your heavenly father will forgive you if ye forgive not men neither will your father forgive you Canst thou not forgive thy greatest enemies Strivest thou not against the motions to revenge and malice Art thou not humbled for them Certainely thy sinnes are not yet pardoned thou art still in thy sinnes An hypocrite can give much and doe many kindnesses to them that never wronged him A man may bestow all his goods to feed the poore and yet not have charity 1 Cor. 13.3 Luke 6.32 33. If you love them that love you and doe good to them that doe good to you what thanke have ye For sinners also do the same But out of love to God to forgive them that have wronged us and love our enemies that argueth a mans sins are pardoned Lecture XIX On Psal. 51.1 2. March 21. 1625. WE have already heard that in these words there were three things principally to be observed 1. That David in the great distresse he was now in flyeth unto God by prayer and seeketh helpe and comfort that way 2. That in this prayer wherein he seeketh helpe and comfort from God he begs nothing but the pardon of his sinnes 3. That the onely ground of his hope to speed well in this prayer and to obtaine the pardon of his sinnes was the knowledge he had of the mercy of God The two first of these wee have already finished it followeth now that we proceed to the third and last of them It is therefore here to be observed 1. That seeking pardon of his sinnes at the hands of God he pleadeth nothing but mercy hopeth to obtaine it no other way maketh that the onely ground of his hope in this suit and cryeth Have mercy on me ô Lord. 2. That the thing that made him hope he should find this mercy with God was nothing he found in himselfe but onely the knowledge he had of the Lords gracious disposition Have mercy upon mee ô God according to thy loving kindnesse according to the multitude of thy tender mercies As if he had said ô Lord there is nothing els to move thee to have mercy upon me but onely thine owne gracious and mercifull disposition 3. Yet had David before his fall done
many good workes Suffered great wrongs from Saul with wonderfull patience and freedome from desire of revenge 1 Sam. 24.5 6. Shewed marvellous zeale for God in fighting his battells 1 Sam. 25.28 Shewed marvellous love to the Word and worship of God Psal. 27.4 One thing have I desired of the Lord and that will I seek after that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the daies of my life and 84.1 How amiable are thy tabernacles O Lord of hosts And even at this instant when he maketh this prayer to God there was a great deale of goodnesse and grace in him 1. He confesseth freely his sinne unto God verse 3 4. 2. He was wonderfully humbled for it and grieved and broken hearted verse 8.17 3. His heart was quite changed and turned from his sinne unto God he loved him unfainedly and desired his glory verse 13 14. 4 And all this he did in uprightnesse of heart verse 6. Yet now comming to beg pardon of his sins he groundeth his hope to obtaine it upon none of his former good workes upon none of the goodnesse that he found now in himselfe but onely upon the mercy of God Now from these three points thus observed in the Text this Doctrine ariseth for our instruction That the best of Gods servants have no other ground of hope to find favour with God for the pardon of their sins but onely in the mercy of the Lord. Vpon this Gods choicest Saints have builded alwaies and in seeking pardon of their sins have pleaded nothing but this So doth David heere and so doth he in many other Psalmes Psal. 6 2 4. Have mercy upon me O Lord for I am weake returne ô Lord deliver my soule ô save me for thy mercies sake and 25.6 7. Remember ô Lord thy tender mercies and thy loving kindnesses for they have beene ever of old according to thy mercy remember thou me for thy goodnesse sake ô Lord. So doth Daniel in his prayer Dan. 9.9 To the Lord our God belong mercies and forgivenesses All pardons are mercies and are obtained by mercy onely Yea in all their prayers wherein they have sued to him for any blessing this hath ever beene in their eye and that which they have built all their confidence upon Psal. 5.7 As for me I will come into thy house in the multitude of thy mercy This shall ever draw me and incourage me to come unto thee And 69.13 O God in the multitude of thy mercy heare me And 115.1 Not unto us Lord not unto us but unto thy name give glory for thy mercy and for thy truths sake But what should I heape up testimonies in so plaine a case And yet because it is so usefull and comfortable a point I will not passe over it too sleightly but insist a while upon it so farre as I shall judge necessary for your edification And before I come to the reasons and grounds of the Doctrine I will answer two maine objections that the heart of man wil be apt to make against this Doctrine First How can our hope to finde favour with God be grounded onely upon the mercy of God How can the pardon of our sins bee ascribed to the meere mercy of God and to his free grace when wee obtaine not this favour of God till it was dearely bought and purchased 1 Cor. 6.20 Ye are bought with a price Yea sucha price as was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fully answerable in worth to the soules of all Gods elect and to that which God hath given us 1 Tim. 2.6 He gave himselfe a ransome for all The Lord forgave not one farthing of that summe wherein we stood indebted to him till he was fully satisfied for it First hee exacted and received by Christs passive obedience the whole forfeiture of our obligation hee had against us and so came wee to the pardon of our sins In which respect it may be said as Esa. 40.2 Wee have in our surety received at the Lords hand double for all our sinnes Secondly hee exacted and received also in Christs active obedience the whole debt of obedience to his Law that wee did owe unto him For Christ our surety not for himselfe but for us fulfilled all righteousnesse Matth. 3.15 And so came we to the title and right wee have to the Kingdome of Heaven So that it may seeme not the meere mercy and free grace of God but Christ is the only ground of our hope as he is called 1. Tim. 1.1 The Lord Iesus Christ is our hope And 1. Iohn 2.2 He is the propitiation for our sins To this I answer That the foundation of all our hope and comfort we have in Christ is in the mercy and free grace of God only For although the pardon of our sins and salvation of our soules in respect of Christ our surety was no free gift but a deare purchase and the Lord shewed no mercy at all to him but justice only yea rigour of justice Rom. 8.32 He spared not his owne sonne but delivered him up for us all Gal. 3.13 Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the Law being made a curse for us Looke upon him when he was in his agony and passion paying our forfeiture and there was nothing to bee seene from top to toe soule and body but the curse of God he was all curse made a curse Yet do we obtaine this pardon and the salvation of our soules not by purchase but by the free gift of God Esa 9. ◠Vnto us a Sonne is given Ioh. 4.10 If thou knewest the gift of God And the mercy and free grace of God never appeared so much to us-ward in all the works that ever he did as in this worke of redeeming us from our sins by the bloud of Christ. For thus speaketh the Apostle Ephes. 1 7. In whom we have redemption through his bloud the forgivenesse of sins according to the riches of his grace the riches of Gods grace appeared in this Observe this I pray you in five points First It was the wonderfull mercy of God to us and nothing else that moved him to find out and appoint the meanes to satisfie his owne justice by It was the Lord himselfe that did fore-ordaine his owne Son to be our propitiation Rom. 3 27. He purposed this in himselfe Ephes. 1.9 And so the Lord indeed made satisfaction unto himselfe 2. Cor. 5.19 God was in Christ reconciling the world to himselfe His love and mercy appeared more unto us in this then if by his absolute prerogative he had forgiven us without exacting any satisfaction at all Iohn 3.16 God so loved the world that he gave his onely begotten Sonne And Iohn 4.10 Herein is love not that we loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins Secondly It was the wonderfull mercy of God to us and nothing else that moved him to give any of us to Christ and to appoint
in him I will go no further for the setting of this forth unto you then to those three things which David heere in my Text speaketh of and which he observed in the Lords gracious disposition and on which he grounded his hope 1. There is in the Lord loving kindnesse 2. There are in the Lord tender mercies 3. There is in the Lord a multitude of tender mercies For the first The Lord is of a gracious and kind and liberall disposition Ioel 2.13 The Lord is gracious and of great kindnesse The love he sheweth the good he doth to any of his people is most free and hath no cause no ground at all but in himselfe alone The love we beare to any useth to have some ground in the party that we do love we see somewhat in the party that moveth us to it at first But the love the Lord beareth to us had no ground at all in us but in his owne goodnesse and loving kindnesse alone The Apostle therefore calleth it 2 Thess. 1.11 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The good pleasure of his goodnesse He set his love upon us as Moses saith Deut 7 7 8 because he loved us He even resteth in his owne love as the Prophet speaketh Zeph. 3.1 and seeketh no further So speaketh the Lord Exod. 3 â—â— I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious and I will shew mercy on whom I will shew mercy Nothing moved him to be gracious and mercifull unto us but onely his owne good will and pleasure So Esa. 43.25 I even I am he that blâ—â—â—eth ouâ— thy transgressions for mine owne sake So 2 Sam. 7. â—1 For thy words sake and according to thine owne heart thou hast done all these great things True it is that after the Lord hath set his love upon us he worketh that in us by his grace that maketh us amiable and beautifull in his sight and so causeth him to love us the more This is excellently set forth Ezek. 16.9 14. He anointed his beloved one with oyle cloathed her with broidered work covered her with silke deâ—ked her with ornaments put bracelets upon her hands and a chaine about her necke decked her with gold and silver made her exceeding beautifull marke how grace and piety doth beautifie the soule in Gods eye But when he first set his love upon us he saw nothing in us that did move him to love us as is also notably set forth in that 16. of Ezek. When the Lord first passed by his beloved as it is said verse 8 and looked upon her and her time was the time of love when he first loved her what was there in her to move him to it See that verse 6. When I passed by thee and saw thee polluted in thine owne bloud I said unto thee when thou wast in thy bloud live yea I said unto thee when thou wast in thy bloud live Marke how earnest the Lord is to perswade us of the freenesse of his love to us and how it grew not at all from any respect he had to any goodnesse was or should be in us but from his owne loving kindnesse and goodnesse alone And this is the first thing that Daviâ— here considered in the mercy and goodnesse of the Lord that made him to hope he should find mercy with him for the pardon of his sin Secondly In the Lord there are tender mercies bowels of mercy as the word racham which is heere used doth properly signifie For thus it hath pleased the Lord to condescend unto our capacity and to make knowne unto us in his Word his gracious disposition by comparing himselfe unto a most tender hearted man or woman and attributing bowells unto himselfe Esay 63.15 Where is the multitude of thy bowells and of thy mercies towards me are they restrained Luke 1.78 Through the bowells of the mercies of our God whereby the day spring from an high hath visited us And this comparison standeth in two points 1. As a tender-hearted man or woman when they see any to bee in misery cannot choose but pitty them and grieve for them and feele their bowells within moved and pained with it and this is the very nature of man humanity and not the corruption of nature As it is sayd of our Saviour Mat. 9.36 When he saw the multitude fainting and scattered abroad as shâ—epe having no shepheard 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his bowells yearned or were moved towards them ô that the beholding of men in that misery could move us so and Hebr. 4.15 that hee is touched with the feeling of all our infirmities hee doth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 condole and grieve and suffer with us when we do grieve and suffer So the Lord when hee seeth any of his people to bee in misery hee cannot but pitty them and be moved with it and grieve with them Iam. 5.11 He is pitifull and of tender mercy Exod. 22.27 When he cryeth unto me I will heare for I am gracious So it is said Iudg. 10.16 His soule was grieved for the misery of Israel And Esa. 63.9 In all their affliction he was afflicted How can that bee will you say seing himselfe was the author of all their affliction Amos 3.6 Shall there be evill in a City and the Lord hath not done it How is it possible that the Lord would so sharpely correct his people and bring them to that misery if it did so grieve him to see them in misery I answer 1. that this is possible enough Did you never heare of a Iudge that did shed teares even in giving of sentence of death upon a malefactor and shewed a fatherly affection towards the poore wretch even at that time like Ioshua to Achan Iosh. 7.19 My sonne I pray thee give glory to the Lord God of Israel Did you never know any father so tender-hearted as when he hath whipped his child hee hath done it with teares in his eyes yea he could not containe but must needs let his teares fall hee hath smitten and wept and beene as apt to cry even as the child it selfe Surely so it is with the Lord. Psalm 103.13 As a father pitieth his children so doth the Lord pitie them that feare him Even when he correcteth us he pitieth and his bowells yearne towards us 2. He never afflicteth us nor bringeth us unto misery but when his love constraineth him to doe it hee must needs doe it unlesse he would see us perish and that his love to us will not suffer him to doe The Lords love to his children is not fondnesse like the love of many foolish parents his pitie is not like the pitty that is in many men of which wee have a proverb foolish pitty marrs the City that may be called well Crudelis misericordia But the Lords love is guided by his infinite wisedome and judgement hee will correct the dearest of his children and that sharply too rather then hee will see them spoiled 1. Cor. 11.32 When wee are judged
of the bodies of wicked men is it possible hee should delight in the destruction and damnation of their soules No no hearken how deepely he protesteth against this Ezekiel 33.11 Say unto them as I live saith the Lord I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked Yea he protesteth this so deepely even for this very purpose that hee might encourage every poore sinner to turne unto him I have no pleasure in the death of him that dyeth saith the Lord God Ezekiel 18.32 wherefore turne your selves and live yee Secondly God hath reveiled in his Word that he doth earnestly desire the repentance and salvation of the most wicked man and taketh great pleasure in it and therefore earnestly seeketh to reclaime them Ezek. 33.11 As I live saith the Lord I have no pleasure in his death but that he turne from his way and live turne yee turne yee from your evill wayes for why will yee dye ô house of Israel And this thou hadst heretofore and hast this day experience of in thy selfe How earnestly and how mightily hath God laboured with thee this way Yea he beseecheth thee and prayeth thee to be reconciled to him 2. Cor. 5.20 Yea there is nothing would so much delight him as to see thee repent as is set forth in the father of the prodigall ô what mirth and joy made he when he returned to him Luke 15.23 24. Thirdly God hath reveiled in his Word that Christ with all his merits should be in the ministery of the Gospell offered unto all that feele themselves to be sinners as the brazen serpent was listed up for all to looke upon that were stung Num. 21.9 unto thee as well as unto any other is he offered and thou art commanded to beleeve he dyed for thee Mar. 16.15 Preach the Gospel to every creature And what is it to preach the Gospel to him Surely to say to him as Lu. 2.11 Vnto you is borne this day in the city of David a Saviour which is Christ the Lord. So Christ inviteth all Ioh. 7.37 Iesus cryed saying if any man thirst let him come unto me and drinke And of his invitation of sinners in this sort the Lord saith Esa. 45.19 I said not in vaine seek ye me I the Lord speake righteousnesse If a poore sinner being thus invited should come to Christ for grace would he reject him No in no wise Ioh. 6.37 All that the father giveth mee shall come unto me and him that commeth unto me I will in no wise cast out Fourthly God hath not in words only but really given thee cause to feele by manifold experiments that he loveth thee and wisheth thee well Even this is an argument of his love that he hath preserved thee from so many dangers Ps. 41.11 By this I know that thou favourest me because mine enemy doth not triumph over me that he feedeth and cloatheth thee Deut. 10.18 He loveth the stranger in giving him food and raiment that thou sleepest so safely and quietly on nights Psal. 127.2 He giveth his beloved sleep Thou wilt say these are but common mercies I answer True yet concerning them observe foure things 1. That to the faithfull these are pledges of his speciall love as these places have proved 2. That they are arguments of his goodnesse even towards all men that enjoy them For so saith the Apostle Rom. 2.4 And if any man should have done this for thee saved thy life but once when thou wert in danger to have lost it delivered thee out of debt and danger maintained thee with food and raiment all thy life thou wouldest not doubt but he loved thee unfainedly Thou wouldest count it a foule sin to suspect or doubt of his love or to entertaine such a thought ô but for all that he hath done this for me I doubt I have not his heart I doubt hee hath purposed in himselfe to be my destroyer in the end And is it nothing for thee to suspect this of God 3. Though these be but common mercies yet it is a great sin to despise or set light by them Rom. 2.4 Despisest thou the riches of his goodnesse and forbearance and long suffering 4. Thou depisest them if thou be not by them led and encouraged to repent and turne unto God Rom. ◠4 Lecture XXVI on Psalme 51.1 ◠May 23. 1626. NOw it followeth that we proceed to the second sort of those to whom the consideration of the loving kindnesse tender mercies and the multitude of tender mercies that are in the Lord doth minister cause of comfort and encouragement and those are such as are regenerate and in the state of Grace and have truly repented yet are subject oft to inward feares and trouble by doubting of the mercy and love of God For it is evident by the Word and by daily experience also that many of Gods dearest and choicest servants such as above all other have most title to these speciall mercies of God that wee have heard of are yet much subject to trouble of mind much given to inward heavinesse and feare yea many of them are in that case that David complaineth he was in Psalme 88.15 While I suffer thy terrours I am distracted Yea 2. many of them continue a long time in this case as David complaineth Psal 38.6 I am troubled I am bowed downe greatly I goe mourning all the day long and Heman Psal. 88.15 I am afflicted and ready to dye from my youth up while I suffer thy terrours And upon this ground groweth all this trouble of mind and terrour that they are subject unto that they cannot be perswaded that they are in the favour of God and that his speciall mercy and loving kindnesse belongeth unto them This Heman expresseth to have beene the cause of all his trouble Psalme 88.14 Lord why castest thou off my soule why hidest thou thy face from mee Now before I speake any thing to the comfort of these poore soules I thinke it necessary to give you some reasons why I insist upon this use For I know well that many of you will thinke this a needlesse labour and be little or not at all affected with this Sermon Pro. 27.7 The full soule loatheth the honie combe 1. I know well the most of you stand in no need of comfort you have much more need of humbling then of comfort a great deale The secure sinner that never felt yet what it was to bee troubled in mind for sin hath more need to heare of the terrors of the Law then of the comforts of the Gospell The Law was made saith the Apostle 1. Tim. 1.9 that is appointed and ordained of God for the lawlesse and disobedient for the ungodly and for sinners These comforts that I am to speake of are the childrens bread and it is not meete to take the childrens bread and to cast it to doggs as our Saviour speaketh Matthew 15.26 I know well that such kind of men will bee likely to take hurt by
receive their comfort And these directions are six principally First They must enquire into and labour to find out in themselves the cause of this affliction that by unfained repentance they may remove it Thou must examine what sin it is that is in thee or hath beene in thee that hath thus provoked God to with-draw the comfort of his spirit from thee This is the wisest course to be taken in any affliction David took this course in a grievous famine 2. Sam. 21.1 David enquired of the Lord. What he did enquire may appeare by Gods answer that is to say what the speciall sinne was that he or his people had committed that provoked God to this It is for Saul saith the Lord and his bloudy house because he slew the Gibeonite But in this kind of affliction of mind this course is specially to bee taken This course Saul before hee fell away from that goodnesse hee had learned by being brought up in Gods Church tooke when hee had sought unto God and could receive no answer from him 1. Sam. 14.37 38. Draw ye neare hither all ye chiefe of the people and know and see wherein this sinne hath bin this day As if hee should say Certainly some sin of ours is the cause why the Lord refuseth to answer us let us find it out and remove it Thus did Iob when he was in this case we now speake of when hee had lost the feeling of Gods favour for that was doubtlesse his chiefe affliction he beseecheth God to helpe him to find out the cause of it in himselfe Iob 10.2 Shew me wherefore thou contendest with me And 13.23 Make me to know my transgression and my sinne For 1. though not alway yet usually this is the cause even of this affliction either some sin they have fallen into as in this case of David or some secret corruption they nourish in themselves that choketh their peace and comfort and like a thicke fog or filthy vapour rising up in their soules keepeth the light of Gods countenance from shining on them according to that Esay 59.2 Your iniquities have separated betweene you and your God and your sinnes have hid his face from you Now this this speciall sin must be found out Lam. 3.40 Let us search and try our waies and turne againe unto the Lord. 2. This is a sure way to recover our comfort when wee can mourne more for this that by sin we have departed from God then that God hath by this spirituall desertion departed from us and so by repentance returne to him againe hee will certainly returne then to us and restore to us our comfort For this is his promise Mal. 3.7 Returne unto me and I will returne unto you saith the Lord of hosts The second direction is this Thou must call to mind the times that are past how it hath bin with thee formerly Hadst thou never any comfortable feeling of Gods favour and of the worke of Gods grace in thy heart Didst thou never heare in thy selfe that sweete voice of the spirit of adoption witnessing to thy heart that thou wert Gods child enabling thee to cry Abba Father of which the Apostle speaketh Rom. 8.15 16. Examine thy selfe well rub thy memory and call this to mind This direction the Apostle giveth the faithfull Hebrewes when hee would perswade them to hold fast their confidence and not to cast it away Hebrewes 10.35 Call to remembrance saith hee verse 32. the former dayes in which after ye were illuminated ye endured a great sight of affections and what joy you found in your selves then verse 34. Ye tooke joyfully the spoyling of your goods This course David tooke in this very case Psalme 77.5 6. I have considered the dayes of old the yeares of ancient times I call to remembrance my songs in the night I commune with mine owne heart and my spirit made diligent search and verse 10. And â— said this is mine infirmity but I will remember the yeares of the right hand of the most High By remembring the yeares of the right hand of the most High that is of the comforts hee had found in the assurance of Gods favour hee came to perceive that it was but his infirmitie to bee thus dejected now This course hee also tooke at another time when hee was in this case Psalme 143.45 My spirit is overwhelmed within mee my heart within mee is desolate I remember the dayes of old Observe beloved and take notice therefore I pray you of the working of Gods grace in your selves of the sweete comforts you finde at any time in the light of Gods countenance and assurance of his favour in the hearing or reading of his Word in receiving the Sacrament in your prayers and specially in your afflictions Yea doe as David did Psal. 85 8. I will hearken what the Lord God will speake for hee will certainely at one time or other speake peace to his people and to his Saints Keepe a Register of these times because the remembrance of them may stand you in stead when a change shall come For you may write as wee say and build upon this if ever thou wert in Gods favour thou art still if ever God by the spirit of adoption did say unto thy soule I am thy salvation thy God thy father Christ is thy Saviour his body was broken for thee his bloud was shed for thee he is so still The spirit of God in the holy Scripture teacheth this expressely Iohn 5.14 Verily verily I say unto you He that heareth my word and beleeveth on him that sent me hath everlasting life and shall not come into condemnation but is passed from death unto life And Romans 11.29 The gifts and calling of God are without repentance that is such gifts and such a calling as God vouchsafed to the fathers Abraham Isaac and Iacob for of those the Apostle had spoken the gifts of Election justification santification effectuall calling God never repented him of This the Apostle Iames also teacheth Iames 1.17.18 that in those gifts of God that are good indeed and perfect gifts perfectly good such as hee instanceth in the next verse the gift of regeneration to bee there is no variablenesse nor shadow of turning in the Lord. Thus the Lord answereth his people that were in this very tentation Ieremy 31.3 The Lord hath appeared to mee of old say they so it is to bee read as in the Geneva As if they had sayd but now hee hideth himselfe and hath forsaken mee Yea saith the Lord I have loved thee with an everlasting love therefore with loving kindnesse have I drawne thee As if hee should have sayd I would never have drawne and effectually called thee to bee my people If I had not loved thee with an everlasting love If I had meant ever to cast thee off againe So that 1. this should make us all in love with Grace Wisedome is the principall thing saith Solomon Pro. 4.7 therefore get wisedome and with
all thy getting get understanding For riches and honor are with her yea durable riches and righteousnesse Pro. 8.18 and 2. thou that hast ever felt the worke of grace comfort of Gods spirit in thy selfe mayest boldly from thy former experience conclude as David doth Psalme 23. â— Surely goodnes and mercy shall follow mee all the dayes of my life and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord for ever Iohn 8.35 The servant abideth not in the house for ever but the sonne doth Though my love to God be changeable yet Gods love to me is not Esa. 64.5 In those is continuance and we shall be saved Though therefore the comforter have withdrawne himselfe from thee for a time be sure he will returne againe and therefore wait for him And that which the Prophet saith of his vision may fitly be applyed to this purpose Hab. 2.3 Though it tarry wait for it for it will surely come it will not tarry hee meaneth one moment longer then the appointed time the fittest time Resolve with thy selfe as the Prophet doth Esay 8.17 I will wait upon the Lord that hideth his face from the house of Iacob even from his owne chosen people sometimes and I will looke for him Certainely of this sicknesse of thy soule I may say to thee as Christ did of Lazarus Iohn 11.4 this sicknesse is not unto death thou shalt surely recover it thy sorrow shall be turned into joy as our Saviour hath promised Iohn 16.20 The third direction is this Thou must well examine thy present estate and thou shalt find that though the spirit of adoption seeme to be gone and thou canst not find that worke of the spirit in thy selfe yet the spirit of sanctification abideth still in thee and if thou wilt well examine thy selfe thou shalt find that worke of the spirit in thee 1 Iohn 2.17 The annointing which ye hâ—ve received of him abideth in you and 3.9 Whosoever is borne of God doth not commit sinne that is as other men doe or as himselfe did before for his seed remaineth in him Examine thy heart well and thou shalt find evident notes of this First Thou art afraid to doe anything that thou knowest would offend God and whence commeth that from flesh and bloud No no of every naturall man the Apostle pronounceth Rom. 3.18 There is no feare of God before his eyes Secondly Thou lovest all that feare God and this is a certaine signe Gods spirit abideth in thee 1 Iohn 3.13 14. Marveâ— not my â—rethren though the world hate you wee know that wee have passed from death to life because wee love the Brethren Thirdly even in this case wherein now thou art thou prayest still and darest not neglect that duty as David did Psalme 31.22 I said in my hast I am cut off from before thine eyes neverthelesse thou heardest the voice of my supplications when I cryed unto thee Even then I plyed thee with supplications and 61.2 From the end of the earth will I cry unto thee when my heart is overwhelmed And whence commeth this I pray you Surely these prayers of all others proceed from the spirit as the Apostle teacheth Romans 8.26 The spirit helpeth our infirmities for wee know not what wee should pray for as wee ought but the spirit it selfe maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot bee uttered Fourthly thou lovest God though he doe hide his face and frowne on thee yea this very sorrow and anguish thou art in is a certaine Symptome and signe of thy love to God that is the cause that is the roote of it thou couldest not bee troubled as thou art with this that thou wantest the sense of Gods love if thou didst not dearely love him Certainely thou art sicke of love as the Church was Canticles 2.5 When Christ withdrew himselfe a while from her and shee sought him so carefully shee bewrayeth and could not conceale this to be the cause of her griefe Cant 3.1 2 3. I â—ought him whom my soule loveth I will go into the city and seeke him whom my soule loveth I said unto the watch-men saw ye him whom my soule loveth And whence came it that Mary wept so Luke 7.47 She loved much And whence commeth this I pray thee that thou so lovest the Lord From flesh and bloud No no this can come from nothing but from Gods spirit saving grace as is plaine by that question thrice moved to Peter Ioh. 21.15 17. Dost thou love me And by that of the Apostle 1 Cor. 8.3 If any man love God the same is knowne of him Fiftly and lastly Thou dost at the least unfainedly desire to feare God and to love him and to call upon him and to love his children and it is a great griefe and trouble to thy heart that thou canst not doe it better To will is present with thee as the Apostle speaketh Rom. 7.18 Certainely this change that is wrought in thy will these unfained desires of grace doe prove evidently that the spirit of God dwelleth in thee Phil. 2.13 It is God that worketh in you both to will and to doe of his good pleasure And Nehe. 1.11 Nehemiah proveth himselfe to be Gods servant even by this note because hee desired to feare Gods name Now from these five notes of Gods spirit dwelling in thee thou mayest infallibly inferre these conclusions for the recovering of thy comfort 1. That thou hast faith and art thereby united unto Christ. 1 Iohn 3.24 Hereby we know that hee abideth in us by the spirit which he hath given us And 4.13 Hereby wee know that wee dwell in him and he in us because hee hath given us of his spirit As the naturall spirit is in no member that is not united to the head so can the spirit of sanctification bee in none that is not by faith knit unto Christ our head as the Apostle applyeth this comparison Ephesians 4.16 And our Saviour Iohn 15.4 As the branch cannot beare fruit of it selfe unlesse it abide in the Vine no more can yee except ye abide in me 2. That thou hast just cause to bee comfortable thou hast the roote and ground of sound comfort in thy selfe Psalme 32.11 Bee glad in the Lord and rejoyce ye righteous and shout for joy all ye that are upright in heart 3. That it is thy great sin for which thou hast just cause to checke and blame thy selfe that thou art not more thankefull that thou rejoycest no more in thine estate Is it thinkest thou 〈◊〉 blessing or a common blessing to have Christ to have Gods spirit dwelling in thee to have this blessed change wrought in thy soule Paul giveth thankes for this Romans 6.17 God bee thanked that ye were the servants of sinne but ye have obeyed from the heart that forme of Doctrine that was delivered unto you And 1 Thessal 3.9 What thankes can we render to God againe for you for all the joy wherewith we rejoyce for your sakes before our
Nathan came to him and knocketh at his heart though he had lyen asleepe so long yet his conscience wakeneth presently and he crieth out 2 Sam. 12.13 I have sinned So soone as Gad came to him with a message from God about the numbring of the people his conscience awakened presently and smote him for it 2 Sam. 24.10 And so was it with Peter the very looke of Christ wakened his conscience Luke 22.60 61. And as the regenerate mans conscience is wakefull so it is quicke sighted and tender also and can see and bee troubled with that another man will not as we see also in David 1 Sam. 24 5. The second cause of it is that they are more subject to affliction then other men and it is an usuall effect of affliction to bring mens sins into their remembrance that they had forgotten before As we see in the brethren of Ioseph whose troubles in Egypt brought the sin which they had committed against him twenty yeeres before as fresh into their remembrance as if it had beene but newly committed as you shall finde Gen. 42.21 So it appeareth by our Saviours speech to the sicke of the palsie Mat. 9.2 Sonne be of good cheere thy sins bee forgiven theee that his sicknesse brought his sins to his remembrance The third and last cause of this is the Lord himselfe he hath the chiefe hand in this it is he that keepeth the sins of his people ever in their eye and remembrance and will not suffer them to forget them It was the Lord that awakened the conscience of David hereby sending Nathan unto him 2 Sam. 12.1 It was the Lord that awakened the conscience of Peter by looking backe upon him Luke 22.61 It was the Lord that made Iob to possesse the sins of his youth Iob 13.26 And why dealeth the Lord thus with those whom he most dearely loveth that of all the people in the world they see most sins in themselves and are most troubled with them he setteth their sins ever in their sight and putteth them in minde of them Surely he doth this in much love Psal. 25.10 All the pathes of the Lord are mercy and truth unto his owne people He seeth this to be good and profitable for them many wayes Sixe principall benefits there are that Gods people receive by it First It reneweth and encrreaseth their repentance David did unfainedly repent of his adulterie and murder so soone as ever Nathan had dealt plainly with him as wee have heard 2 Sam. 12.13 and yet after that for many yeeres God followed him with many grievous judgements as he threatned 2 Sam. 12.10 11. and thereby did ever and anon bring those sins into his remembrance and put him in mind of them that he might repent better and more deeply for them This reason the Lord giveth Ezek. 20.43 There shall yee remember your wayes and all your doings wherein yee have beene defiled and ye shall loath your selves in your owne sight for all your evils you have committed And this is certainely one great benefit that commeth to us by the remembring of our old sins For wee are all farre short in repenting of them in that measure as we ought and according to the measure of our repentance shall our comfort and the assurance of the pardon of our sins be in the end As they that sow in teares shall reape in joy Psal. 126.5 Sound repentance and sorrow for sin will bring sound joy so proportionable to a mans seednes shall his harvest be plentifull repentance will bring plentifull joy a scant repentance scantnesse of comfort Secondly By this meanes God keepeth us humble and low in our owne eyes and preserveth us from pride and too good a conceit of our selves Thus dealt the Lord with blessed Paul 2 Cor. 12.7 Left I should bee exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations there was given unto mee a thorne in the flesh the messenger of Satan to buffet me lest I should bee exalted above measure And what was this thorne in the flesh the messenger of Satan Surely some inward corruption that Paul felt in his owne heart which Satan stirred up in him And why did God discover this corruption of his heart vnto him why did God keepe him so long in the sight and sence of this his corruption he prayed thrice that is many times to get it removed and could not He telleth us and repeateth it twice in that verse as a thing worthy to be observed Lest I should be exalted above measure This use the Church professeth she made of it Lam. 2.19 20. Remembring mine affliction and my rebellions as Montanus and Leo Iudae render the word the wormewood and the gall that is the bitternesse and sorrow that I found in it my soule hath them still in remembrance and is humbled in mee And surely this is no small benefit we get by being well acquainted with our sins and thinking much of our owne corruptions We are all to apt if we be a little better in birth or in gifts or in riches or in beauty or in knowledge or in profession then others to be proud of it O what Lucifers would we be if the Lord should not now and then cast our owne dung into our faces and effectually discover to us our sins Surely God doth us in this a great favour as he did unto Paul for nothing would make our soules more odious unto God then pride nothing more amiable in his eyes then humilty will doe according to that of the Apostle Iames 4.6 God resisteth the proud and giveth grace to the humble Thirdly By this meanes God maketh his servants flye to the throne of grace and breedeth and nourisheth in them an appetite â—n hunger and thirst after Christ in the word and Sacraments and maketh them to prize his favour in Christ above any thing in the world The proofe of this we see heere in David what made him heere to flye to God and to cry to him so earnestly for mercy Why hee telleth us heere in the text his sin was ever before him This effect had the knowledge and sence of sin in Paul at his first conversion when Christ had discovered his sin unto him though it were in a most terrible manner it drave him to seeke mercy of God by prayer as Christ told Ananias Acts 9.11 Goe to him for behold he prayeth And indeed none but they that have an effectuall knowledge and sence of sin will goe to God with any constancy or fervency of spirit How few and how cold and formall will our prayers be if we have no sence of our sins When David had said Psal. â—4 17 The righteous crie and the Lord heareth them he telleth in the next words ver 18. who be those righteous ones that use thus to cry unto God in their prayers that is to say those that are of a broken heart and contrite spirit This hunger and thirst after righteousnesse our
us good at our latter end as Moses speaketh Deut. 8.16 In which respect it may be said by the Lord to every child of his whom he doth correct as it was said by Christ unto Peter when he would wash his feet Ioh. 13.7 What I do thou knowest not now but thou shalt know hereafter Let the Lord alone till he have done his worke upon thee and thou shalt know it will be for thy good that he doth thus afflict thee 3. Admit thou couldst never bee able to discerne how thy afflictions have done thee any good yet is it enough for thee that the holy Ghost so oft hath said that the afflictions of the faithfull shall certainly do them good Iob. 5.17 Behold happy is the man whom the Lord correcteth therefore despise not thou the chastening of the almighty And Psal. 94.12 Blessed is the man whom thou chastenest O Lord. And Iam. 1.12 Blessed is the man that endureth tentation And 5.11 Behold wee count them happy that endure Object not thou then that thou canst perceive no such thing learne thou to walke by faith and not by sense 2 Cor. 5.7 And know assuredly the Lord by afflicting thee intendeth to do thee good if thou be his and will do thee good in the end certainly This way of teaching us and bringing us to grace glory is of such necessity as few or none ever attained to it any other way Who teacheth like him saith Eliphaz Iob 36.22 There can be no good expected when there are no rods walking This is noted to be a cause of the ungraciousnes of many that they have had no affliction Ps. 55.19 Because they have no changes therfore they feare not God And on the other side of the faithfull it is said Esa. 43.10 I have chosen thee that is approved declared thee to be one of my chosen in the fornace of affliction And of David himselfe it is said that though he had bin well taught from his youth Ps 71.17 O God thou hast taught me from my youth yet had even he need of affliction and learned by it much better to know God and himselfe then he could have done without it as he professeth Ps. 119.71 It is good for me that I have bin afflicted that I might learne thy statutes And this is the second point wherin the Lords love in afflicting us doth appeare he afflicteth us for our own good And who would not willingly endure some paine for his owne good The third point wherin the love of God in afflicting his people doth appeare is this that whatsoever losse they have sustained by the afflictioÌ„ he hath laid upon them he useth to recompense it unto them so as in the end they shall no way be loosers by it This the Lord doth principally performe in those losses that his servants have sustained for his sake and the Gospels but not in that case only See the promise that God doth make unto his people upon their repentance Ioel 2.25 I will restore unto you the yeeres that the locust hath eaten Hereupon the Church grounded that prayer Psal 90.15 Make us glad according to the dayes wherein thou hast afflicted us and the yeares wherein we have seene evill And so speaketh David 2. Sam. 16.12 It may bee the Lord will looke on mine affliction and that the Lord will requite good for his cursing this day God hath beene wont in this kind of restitution to keepe a just proportion to pay them againe in good measure Luke 6.38 Insomuch as he hath used to recompense extraordinary afflictions with extraordinary comforts and blessings in the end See two examples of this in the case of the people of Israel Great was their oppression in Aegypt but observe the manner of their deliverance and you shall find it was recompensed to the full 1. They went out like conquerours in a triumphant manner Exod. 14.8 and 13.18 2. They went away with the â—poiles of their enemies laden with their silver and gold and principall jewells Exod. 12.35 36. 3. Their oppressors sued to them requested and urged them to be gone Exod 12.33 4. They grew to be in great credit and high favour with their enemies before they went Exod. 11.3 5. They saw all their enemies lie dead upon the sea shore Exod. 14.30 31. whereas there was not one sicke or feeble person in all their tribes Psal. 105.37 So likewise great was the feare and perplexity that all Gods people were brought â—nto by the decree that Haman had procured against them but marke their deliverance and you will say that the Lord made them full restitution and satisfaction for it 1. By the strange honour and advancement that Mordecai was raised up unto Est. 6.11 8.2.15 2. In the shamfull end God brought Haman their proud enemy unto Est. 7.10 3. In the hand they had over all the rest of their enemies Est 9.2 3. 4. In the abundant joy and comfort that God gave to all his people Est 9.18 19. Yea the Lord hath beene wont to restore with great advantage all such losses as they have sustained by the afflictions that he hath laid upon them For your shame you shall have double saith the Lord to his people Esa. 61.7 And thus dealt he with Iob 42.10 The Lord gave Iob twice as much as he had before And upon this promise did David ground his prayer Psal. 71.20 21. Thou which hast shewed me great and sore troubles shalt quicken mee againe and shalt bring me up againe from the depths of the earth thou shalt increase my greatnesse and comfort me on every side And this is the third point wherein Gods love in afflicting his people doth appeare And who would not be willing to endure the losse of any comfort from the hand of such a God as is both able and willing so abundantly to recompense whatsoever losse wee sustaine from his hand as the Prophet told Amaziah the King of Iudah which took thought how he should do for the hundred talents he had disbursed upon the Israelites 2 Chron. 25.9 The Lord is able to give thee much more then this The fourth point wherein God sheweth his love in afflicting his people is this that he doth moderate all their troubles both for the time how long they shall endure Ye shall have tribulation ten daies Rev. 2.10 Yea he hath set the very houre both for the beginning and ending of them Iohn 7.30 His houre was not yet come As also for the measure and quantity of them The cup is in the Lords hand Psal. 75.8 He correcteth them not in his anger but in judgement and discretion Ier. 10.24 Proportioning his corrections by the strength of the party that he doth correct laying greatest tryals upon them whom he hath made strongest to beare them 1 Cor. 10.13 For he knoweth the weakenesse of any of his servants Psal. 78.38 39. He did not stirre up all his wrath for hee remembred that they were but flesh And 103.13 14.
conscience to confesse all their sinnes to the Priest and they had directions given them to helpe them in calling to mind their sins I know God required no such thing at their hands and it was but a counterfeit humiliation and repentance that was wrought that way But surely they did not so much offend in superstition then as we do in profanesse now No man holdeth himselfe bound now to call his sinnes to remembrance and make a particular confession of them unto the Lord before he goeth to the Sacrament and that is the cause why we find no more comfort in it I therefore heartily pray every one of you that desire to receive Christ in the Sacrament to the comfort of your soules that you would hearken unto and make conscience to do as the Apostle chargeth you to do 1 Cor. 11.28 Let every man examine himselfe And verse 31. If we would judge our selves we should not be judged of the Lord. If you would receive comfort by it you must examine your selves and finde out your speciall sinnes you must judge and afflict your owne soules for your sinnes if you will not doe this you shall be so farre from receiving comfort by the Sacrament as you shall become the worse by it God will judge and afflict you for comming unworthily unto it Lecture LIII On Psal. 51.4 April 3. 1627. FIftly He that would attaine unto this grace of true patience and be able to cleare the Lord as David doth heere when he shall judge him to beare patiently and comfortably whatsoever troubles and afflictions God shall bee pleased to exercise him withall must before that time commeth get a true and a lively faith even a comfortable assurance of his reconciliation with God through Iesus Christ. This power that there is in faith to make a man able patiently and comfortably to beare afflictions of what kind or degree soever they be is plentifully taught in the holy Scriptures and confirmed to us by the experience of the Saints of God The holy Apostle speaking of all the parts of the Christian armour and among the rest of that whereby the feet and legs are to be defended he calleth it Ephes. 6.15 The preparation of the Gospell of peace His meaning is that when once we are assured of our peace and reconciliation with God which is wrought by the Gospell then are we prepared to follow Christ through thicke and thin through the most hard and stony the most sharp and thorny way of any persecution and trouble whatsoever Being justified by faith saith the same Apostle Rom. 5.1 we have peace with God through our Lord Iesus And what followeth upon that Why when once we are justified from our sinnes and have peace with God then verse 3. We glory in tribulations And so doth the Apostle make this the ground of the strange patience of the Saints in the daies of the Maccabees when they were tortured and were tried with mockings and scourgings with bonds and imprisonment when they were some stoned and some sawne in sunder What made them able to endure such things and not to accept of deliverance when it was offered unto them if they would have yeelded a little Surely their faith as you shall find Heb. 11. 33.37 by faith they attained to this strength to this measure of patience I shewed you in the handling of the Doctrine that Gods servants and Martyrs could not be overcome nor made to yeeld unto adversaries when they endured such torments as were impossible for flesh and bloud to endure but became conquerours yea more then conquerours in them all as the Apostle speaketh Rom 8.37 But would you know how they came to this valour to this admirable strength to heare and to overcome such intollerable torments Surely it was their faith whereby they were assured of their peace with God that made them able to doe it as the Apostle speaketh in the same place and in the very next words For I am perswaded saith he verse 38 39. that neither death nor life nor Angels nor principalities nor any other creature shall bee able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Iesus our Lord. He that is so confidently perswaded of Gods unchangeable and everlasting love towards him in Christ no marvell though no affliction be ever able to overcome him though he become more then a conquerour in the greatest tribulations that can befall him So when it is said of the holy Martyrs Rev. 12.11 that they overcame the great Dragon in all the bloudy and extreame persecutions that he raised up against them under the cruell Emperours and Popes of Rome the meanes is also mentioned whereby they got such strength and patience to endure and overcome him They overcame him saith the holy Ghost by the bloud of the Lambe The faith they had in the bloud of Christ which was sprinkled upon their hearts made them able to beare and overcome so bitter torments as they did endure and so will it certainely doe any of us in the like case This is the victory that overcommeth the world even our faith saith the Apostle 1 Iohn 5.4 And this is the promise of God wee shall find Psal. 91.9 Because thou hast made the Lord which is my refuge thy habitation marke what followeth ver 13. thou shalt tread upon the Lyon and adder the yong Lyon and the Dragon thou shalt trample under thy feete You see what testimony the holy Scripture giveth to this fift meanes that is to say that faith will worke patience and make a man able to endure any thing consider also three effects of it and you will easily discerne it must needs â—ee so For first Faith worketh in the heart that hath it a light esteeme of all worldly things and he that is brought to that once will be easily able to suffer yea even to dye it is the over-much love we beare to these earthly things that maketh us so unwilling to dye or to endure any trouble By Christ saith the Apostle Galat. 6.14 the world is crucified unto mee They in whose hearts Christ dwelleth by faith the World becommeth base and contemptible unto them they feele the love and high esteeme of worldly things decayed in them Secondly Faith certifieth the heart that hath it of Gods love and he that is sure of that will bee able to endure any thing with patience from Gods hand Thus doth Iob stop the mouth of his impatient and foolish wife Iob. 2.10 What saith he shall we receive good at the hand of God and shall we not receive evill Shall we that have enjoyed so many moneths and yeeres of great prosperity and comfort thinke much to endure affliction and trouble for a few dayes We that have received so many demonstrations of Gods fatherly and unchangeable love shall we thinke much to receive correction from him Thus did our blessed Saviour confirme his owne heart in patience against those intollerable sufferings he was to
his mother and 17.25 A foolish son is a griefe to his father and bitternesse to her that bare him Yea certainely it ought to be so we should bewaile it before God 1. In respect to our children themselves For the root from whence all this their lewdnesse springeth they had it from us We were they that first infected and poisoned them If any parents should see their child loathsomely consumed with the French disease which he had received from them in his birth would it not thinke you be a matter of much shame and humbling to them to behold it If any of us in the time of the great plague should at unawares have brought the infection into our house and set it upon all our children would not this have beene a marvellous affliction unto us And yet we have all done worse to our children then so we have set upon them a farre worse more dangerous more deadly infection we know then either the French disease or the pestilence They endanger but the body and this mortall life these the soules of our children everlastingly And shall not this then be a matter of shame and humbling before God 2. In respect unto God The Lord was angry with the Serpent and laid his curse upon it because it was but an instrument used by Satan for the corrupting of our first parents though it were no cause at all of it Gen. 3.14 And may not the Lord much more be angry with us and lay his curse upon us that have not onely beene the instruments to convey this cursed poison and corruption of nature into our children but the principall agents and causes of it Lecture LVIII On Psalme 51.5 May 22. 1627. FOlloweth the second use that this Doctrine serveth unto which is the use of exhortation to exhort and stirre us up that are parents to do the uttermost of our endeavour to worke grace in our children and so to cure that deadly wound that we have given them and to preserve them from perishing by that poison and infection that we have conveyed into them Now for the better enforcing of this so necessary an exhortation 1. I will give you certaine motives that may provoke us all to this care 2 I will shew you the meanes that we must use to this purpose And for the motives they are of three sorts 1. Some of them respect our children and our duty towards them 2. Some of them our selves and our owne comfort 3. Some of them concerne our duty towards God and the respect we should have unto his glory Of the first sort of motives there are two principally First Our love to our children bindeth us to it Nature moveth us to love them and hath given bowels of pity and compassion towards them when we see them in any misery Insomuch as the Lord hath beene pleased to set forth his mercy and compassion towards his children by this By the compassion of a mother Esa. 49.15 Can a woman forget her sucking child that she should not have compassion on the son of her wombe And by the compassion of a father Psal. 103.13 Like as a father pittieth his children so the Lord pittieth them that feare him He is worse then a beast that loveth not his children and grieveth not to see them in misery Lam. 4.3 Even the sea monsters draw out the breast they give sucke to their young ones And the Apostle teacheth us Rom. 1.31 that they that are without this naturall affection have extinguished in themselves the very light of nature and are in Gods just judgement given up unto a reprobate mind And what love can we beare to our children if we have no care of their soules the nature of true Christianity is to seeke the good of their soules whom we love Charity edifieth 1 Cor. 8.1 See how Abraham expressed his love to Ishmael Gen. 17.18 O that Ishmael might live in thy sight Thus did Solomons parents Pro. 4.3 4. I was my fathers sonne tender and onely beloved in the sight of my mother He taught me and said unto me Let thine heart retaine my words keepe my commandements and live Nay this is the onely way to expresse true love to their bodies and their outward estate also No lands or possessions we can leave thâ—â— can give us that assurance that they shall live comfortably even in this life as this will do if we can be a mean to breed saving grace in their hearts For 1 Tim. 4.8 Godlinesse hath the promises even of this life Secondly Admit we were not bound to love them above others yet are we bound in justice to make them amends for the wrong we have done them There is no man whom we have hurt in his body or goods or good name but we are bound in conscience to do what we can to make him satisfaction See the equity of Gods law in this point Exod. 21.19 He that smote him shall pay for the losse of his time and shall cause him to be throughly healed How much more are we bound to take care that our owne children may be throughly healed of that wound that we have given them in their soules of that filthy disease that wee have infected them with Now for the motives that concerne our selves and our owne comfort they are three principally First It will be a matter of singular comfort unto us to see the corruption of their nature healed and saving grace wrought in them specially if it be by our meanes A great comfort it is to a Minister to see any of his people reformed and woon to God by his labours Ye are our glory and joy saith Paul 1 Thess. 2 20. I have not greater joy saith the Apostle 3 Ioh. 4. then to heare that my children walke in the truth But this must needs be much more comfort to a parent to see this in his owne child A wise son saith Solomon Prov. 10.1 maketh a glad father And 23.24 25. The father of the righteous shall greatly rejoyce and he that begetteth a wise child shall have joy of him thy father and thy mother shall be glad and she that bare thee shall rejoyce Secondly When grace is wrought in them specially if it be by our meanes they will be farre more loving and dutifull unto us then otherwise they can be A wise son saith Solomon Prov. 15.20 maketh a glad father How by his dutifull and respectfull carriage towards him this is his meaning there as appeareth by the last words of the verse but a foolish man despiseth his mother Se this in the sons of Isaack Esau cared not for grieving his parents by matching with the daughters of Heth but Iacob did Gen. 26.34 35. and 27.46 See it also in the sons of Iacob of all his sons Ioseph that had most grace was also the most loving and dutifull child unto him Genesis 45.11 This will make a man love him dearely that otherwise was a meere stranger unto him if hee
parents Ephes. 6.4 Colos. 3.21 Ye fathers provoke not your children to wrath exasperate them not But this is also certaine that the best children when they are young are of a servile disposition more moved with feare then love The best mans heire as long as hee is a child saith the Apostle Gal. 4.1 differeth nothing from a servant though he be Lord of all And Solomon observeth Prov. 29.19 that a servant will not be corrected by words No parent may hope to weaken and destroy the corruption that is in his childs heart though he teach him never so well and use all the allurements he can to draw him to goodnesse if he doe not also correct him and use the rod sometimes The Lord himselfe who is both the wisest and the best father and who loveth his children a thousand times more then any of us can love ours he taketh this course with his children yea resembleth himselfe therein unto all wise parents Deut 8.5 Consider in thine heart that as a father chasteneth his sonne so the Lord God chasteneth thee And Heb. 12.6 7. Whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth and scourgeth every sonne whom hee receiveth If you endure chastening God dealeth with you as with sons for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not This is a speciall meanes commended to us by the holy Ghost and sanctified to this end even to abate the strength of naturall corruption in children and to make them capable of saving grace And therefore it is to be observed in the law that no child was to be reputed gracelesse and past hope till he had shewed himselfe not only unteachable but incorrigible also till his parents had used meanes to reforme him not onely by counsell instruction and reproofe but by correction and chastisement also and all in vaine That would not obey the voice of his father nor the voice of his mother and that when they have chastened him will not hearken unto them Deut. 21.18 Hee that spareth the rod saith Solomon Prov. 13.24 hateth his son but he that loveth him chasteneth him betimes Thou sayest it is nothing but love that maketh thee to beare with thy child and would you not have me love my child sayest thou Alas who could find in their heart to beat so sweet a child But the holy Ghost saith thou lyest it is not love indeed it is hatred We love not our children we hate them if wee correct them not nay wee love them not wee hate them if we correct them not betimes while they are such pretty ones Againe Prov. 19.18 Chasten thy son while there is hope that is while he is young then there is great hope of doing him good by it and small hope afterward if it bee neglected then O but thou wilt say I cannot endure to heare him cry But what saith the holy Ghost in the next words and let not thy soule spare for his crying It is a strange thing to observe how the holy Ghost speaketh of the efficacy and fruits of this and how hee meeteth with all excuses that foolish parents are wont to pretend for the neglect of it Foolishnesse is bound in the heart of a child saith Solomon Prov. 22.15 but the rod of correction will drive it farre from him But would you have me cruell to mine owne child sayest thou Nay saith the holy Ghost this is no cruelty thou art unmercifull to thy child if thou do not correct him Prov. 23.13 With-hold not correction from thy child for if thou beatest him with the rod he shall not dye He will dye he will perish if thou correct him not and art not thou cruell if thou wilt not doe what thou canst to keepe thy child from perishing O but thou wilt say alas childrens faults are nothing their stubbornnesse lying cursing swearing profanesâ—e But what saith the holy Ghost Prov. 23.14 Thou shalt beat him with the rod and deliver his soule from hell He will goe to hell if thou let him doe what hee list thou mayest keepe him from hell by correcting him O but this were the way to make my child hate me yea and to make him a dullard so as I should never have comfort of him No saith the holy Ghost there is no such danger in it Prov. 29 17. Correct thy son and he shall give thee rest yea hee shall give delight unto thy soule To conclude this first meanes O that parents would see their sin in the neglect of this 1. They loose that inward honour reverence and subjection also that their children owne unto them 2. They spoile and undoe their children and make themselves the authors of all their ungraciousnesse For the best natured child in the World if he bee not kept in awe if hee bee suffered to doe what he list must needs run ryot Prov. 29.15 A child left to himselfe bringeth his mother to shame yea and his father too though the mother bee there only named because she usually is most too blame in this kind 3. They dishonour God and quite pervert his ordinance For whereas by Gods ordinance their children should honour them they honour their children as the Lord told Ely 1 Sam. 2.29 Thou honourest thy sons above mee And whereas by Gods ordinance their children should feare them and be afraid to displease them they are afraid to displease their children as the holy Ghost saith of David 1 Kin. 1.6 hee durst not displease his son Adoniah no not so much as by a crosse word or by saying unto him why hast thou done so Lecture LX. On Psalme 51.5 Iune 12. 1627. THe second meanes all parents must use to destroy corruption of nature in their children and to breed grace in them is Instruction We heard in the motives that parents are as expressely and as often and as straitly charged by God to teach their children as any minister is to teach his flocke Yea this domesticall and parently instruction God hath appointed and sanctified for a speciall meanes to propagate religion and to restraine and weaken the corruption of nature and to prepare the heart and make it more capable of grace According as we heard from that speech of Hezekiah Esa. 38.19 The living the living be shall praise thee as I doe this day the father to the children shall make knowne thy truth Foure wayes there be whereby you that are parents may yea must do this First Betimes while they are very young as soone as they discover any capacity or understanding as that they will doe if you would observe it very soone teach them to know God to know what is good and what is evill teach them some few of the first and easiest principles of religion Solomon saith when he was young and tender his father taught him Pro. 4.3.4 Yea that his mother did so too Pro. 31.1 And he oft putteth Gods people in minde not onely of the instruction and charge they received from their fathers but also of the law or
carefull to give good example unto your children cause it to appeare unto them in your whole conversation that your selves doe unfainedly feare God and love good things See three notable presidents and examples of this care 1. In Abraham of whom God giveth this testimony Gene. 18.19 that hee knew him that he would command his sons and his house after him to keep the way of the Lord hee would goe before them himselfe in that way 2. In Ioshua I and my house saith he Iosh. 24.15 will serve the Lord. 3. In David Ps. 101.2 I will walke in the uprightnesse of mine heart in the midst of mine house Without this neither your commandements nor correction nor instruction will doe them any good Therefore Paul requireth this even of Timothy and Titus men of such rare and extraordinary gifts to see they gave good example as well as teach well 1 Timothy 4.12 Bee thou the example of the beleevers And Titus 2 7. In all things shew thy selfe a patterne of good workes As if hee had said you shall hardly doe good upon the people by your doctrine if they shall not discerne in your lives that your selves do beleeve and make conscience of that which you teach and perswade them unto On the otherside there is great force in example to draw others either to good or evill See the force of a good example even in an inferiour specially such a one as we love They that obey not the word saith the Apostle 1 Pet. 3.1 may without the word be wonne by the good conversation of the wives And the example of a superiour of one whom we not only love but reverence in our hearts is of more force then any inferiours can be The Apostle saith Galat. 2.14 that Peter by his example compelled the Gentiles to doe as the Iewes did But domesticall examples specially the example of parents is of more force with their children to do them either good or hurt then all other examples are See the force it hath to draw our children to goodnesse at least in outward conformity in three notable examples It is said of Amazia King of Iuda 2 Kin 14.3 He did that which was right in the sight of the Lord yet not like David his father he did according to all things as Ioash his father did And of Azaria or Vzziah his son â— Kin. 15 3. Hee did that which was right in the sight of the Lord according to all that Amaziah his father had done And of Iotham his son 2 Kings 15.34 Hee did that which was right in the sight of the Lord he did according to all that his father Vzziah had done And on the other side see the force that the parents example hath to corrupt their children in three other examples The first of Zacharia the King of Israel of whom it is said 2 Kings 15.9 Hee did evill in the sight of the Lord as his fathers had done he departed not from the sins of Ieroboam hee would be of his fathers religion The second is of the Samaritans of whom it is said 2 King 17 41. These nations feared the Lord made some kind of profession of the true religion as the ten tribes had done and served their graven Images too both their children and their childrens children did thus as did their fathers so doe they unto this day The example of their fathers drew them unto that idolatry and rooted them in it The third is of the kingdome and Church of Iudah of which wee read Iere. 17.1 2. that the maine reason why they were so setled in their idolatry that there was no hope of reclaiming them it was graven upon the table of their heart as with a pen of Iron or with the point of a Diamond the reason of it I say is rendered to bee this that their children remembred their altars and their groves by the greene trees upon the high hills And certainly so it is also in these dayes A chiefe cause why profanesse and impiety doth so cleave to the hearts of most men that no meanes are powerfull enough to reclaime them is the evill example of parents O thinke of this you that are parents and if nothing els will reclaime you from lewdnesse and make you carefull to take heed to your wayes yet let your love to your children doe it that you may not corrupt them by your evill example Is it not wrong enough that you have done unto them in conveying into them so corrupt and cursed a nature but will you also by your evill example make them two-fold more the children of hell then they were by nature The fourth meanes parents must use for the saving of their childrens soules is this They must take heed how they dispose of them when they place them abroad from them And as every true Christian will bee carefull of placing of himselfe that however he do for other commodities and conveniences he will not live where hee shall want the meanes of grace but resolveth with David Psal. 23.6 I will dwell in the house of the Lord all the dayes of my life So will hee in placing of his children be carefull that they may doe so too They must take heed what schoole-masters and tutors they send them to what services and what marriages they place them in 1. The Apostle Paul reporteth Act. 22 3 that he was sent by his parents to Ierusalem the best schoole the best Vniversity the best colledge to Gamaliel the best teacher the best tutour there where he was was taught according to the perfect manner of the law of the fathers and learned to bee to zealous towards God 2. As for services it is threatned as a great curse to Gods people that their children should serve the greatest Noble man yea the greatest Prince in the world if he be a wicked man and enemy to God yea though they serve him in the highest offices that may be Thy sons that shall issue from thee saith the Lord to Hezechiah Esa. 39.7 shall be Eunuches in the palace of the King of Babylon 3. For marriages we see the care of Abraham first Gen. 24.3 4. and of Rebecca after Gen. 27 46. that their children might by no meanes match with the Canaanites Certainly in this point most parents do evidently bewray they have no care at all of their childrens soules In placing of their children any of these three wayes they aime at nothing but this that they may get that that may make them able to live and to live in credit but as for living under the meanes of grace for living so as they may live eternally that they have no respect at all unto Whereby they shew themselves to be wholy sensuall not having the spirit as the Apostle speaketh Iude 19. The fift and last meanes without which all the former are to no purpose is prayer Parents must be earnest with God in prayer for their children Solomons mother calleth him
esteemed him not And yet all this was nothing in comparison of his inward miseries and sufferings his soule was exceeding sorrowfull even unto death Matth. 26.38 He was so overwhelmed with terror and feare of that death he was to endure that in his prayer he uttered strong cries and roared and shed teares abundantly Heb. 5.7 He sweat drops of blood through the extreamity of his sorrow and anguish so abundantly that they fell upon the ground Luk. 22.44 Being on the crosse he could not containe himselfe but though he knew who were by to heare him Mat. 27.39 44. yet cryed with a loud voice My God my God why hast thou forsaken me verse 46. In a word he was made a curse as the Apostle speaketh Gal. 3.13 The curse of God and the torments due to all the elect were laid on his blessed body and soule to the full Now true faith as I said applieth all this that Christ hath suffered particularly to every beleever and perswadeth his soule that out of his love to him he endured all this It maketh him able to say with blessed Paul Gal. 2.20 He loved me and gave himselfe for me And as Esa 53.4 He hath borne our griefes and carried our sorrowes These sorrowes and terrours and torments were mine and I should have endured them everlastingly if hee had not endured them for me And verse 5. He was wounded for our transgressions and bruised for our iniquities they were my sins that put him to all these torments Now he that is thus perswaded Christ hath so loved him hath had this respect unto him in particular he cannot choose but he must needs out of love to Christ hate and renounce his sins If the spirit of Christ have perswaded us once that Christ hath so dearely loved us we cannot choose but love him againe We love him saith the Apostle 1 Ioâ— 4.19 because he loved us first The bloud of bulls and goats saith the Apostle Heb. 9 13 14. sprinkling the uncleane sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh that is served the turne to cleanse a man from legall and ceremoniall pollutions How much more shall the bloud of Christ if it be sprinkled and by faith particularly applyed to you purge your consciences from dead workes to serve the living God O there is great force in this particular application of the bloud of Christ and assurance it was shed for thee to mortifie sin in thee The love of Christ saith the Apostle 2 Cor. 5.14 constraineth us Nothing hath that force to curb corruption in Gods childe and to compell him to live in Gods feare as this hath They shall feare the Lord and his goodnesse in the latter daies that is under the Gospell saith the Prophet Hos. 3.5 When the Apostle had prayed for the Ephesians 3.16 that they might be strengthened with might by the spirit of God in the inner man He prayeth further verse 18 19 that to that end they may be able to comprehend with all Saints what is the length and breadth and depth and height and to know the love of Christ which passeth knowledge that yee might be filled with all the fulnesse of God If thou didst indeed know the love of Christ aright that out of his love to thee he endured such torments even to save thee from hell thou couldst not choose but be strengthened with might by his spirit in the inner man to withstand and overcome thine owne corruptions I know the Papists prate much against and blaspheme this doctrine of particular application of Christ by faith of the assurance it giveth to a man of Gods speciall love to him in Christ they say it layeth reines on mens necks and openeth a gap to all licentiousnesse But these two things I confidently affirme concerning this Doctrine by warrant of Gods Word First That as a Christian can have no sound comfort without it neither in life nor death so is there no doctrine hath that force in a good heart to make it study and practise mortification as this hath Indeed with hypocrites wrath judgement will do more as David saith Psal. 78.34 When he shew them then they sought him and returned and inquired early after God but it is farre otherwise with Gods child The knowledge even of this more generall love and goodnesse of the Lord to poore sinners that he is ready upon their repentance and turning to him to forgive their sins how great soever they have beene that he offereth Christ unto all men in the ministery of the Gospell and proclaimeth his pardon in the most generall tearmes that can be Ioh. 3.16 and commandeth all to beleeve that Christ died for them Even the consideration of this generall love to all that live in the Church is a most strong and effectuall argument to perswade a man to forsake his sins and turne unto God Nay till a man can be perswaded of that love and goodnesse of God he can never have an heart to repent and to turne unto him This is plaine by that speach of the Evangelicall Prophet Esay 55.7 Let the wicked forsake his way and the unrighteous man his thoughts and let him returne unto the Lord and he will have mercy upon him and to our God for hee will abundantly pardon Having these promises saith the Apostle 2 Cor. 7.1 And what promises meaneth hee Surely those mentioned Cap. 6.16.18 let us cleanse our selves from all filthinesse of the flesh and spirit Secondly That hee that truly knoweth that Christ loved him and gave himselfe for him cannot possibly grow licentious by it He that hath gotten a conceit and perswasion of heart that Christ dyed for him onely out of a carnall and naturall knowledge of the Doctrine of the Gospel may abuse this perswasion I grant and grow the worse by it such a one I know may turne the grace of God into wantonnesse But he that hath beene taught this of God and brought to this perswasion by the word and spirit of God cannot possibly abuse it but it must needs mortifie sin in him See a plaine proofe of this Ephe. 4.20 But ye have not so learned Christ so hee meaneth as to live licentiously still what followeth verse 21 if so bee that yee have heard him and have beene taught by him as the truth is in Iesus As if hee should have said Many live in the Church and make a profession of Christ by vertue onely of an outward calling they have heard and beene taught by many excellent ministers of Christ and by hearing them have attained the knowledge of Christ but they never heard Christ himselfe speaking to their heart in the ministery of his word they were never taught of him as the truth is in Iesus And what is it to be taught by him as the truth is in Iesus To know Christ aright That hee telleth verse 22. That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man which is corrupt according to the deceitfull lusts The man that truly
knoweth Christ to have dyed for him cannot but cast off and renounce his lusts and corruptions This is that also which the Prophet teacheth Zach. 12.10 I will powre upon them the spirit of grace and they shall looke upon mee whom they have pierced and they shall mourne aboundantly It is the spirit of grace onely that maketh a man able to know and beleeve aright that his sins pierced Christ that Christ in all that hee suffered had speciall respect unto him nothing but the spirit of grace maketh a man able to looke upon Christ whom he hath pierced to consider it to be moved with admiration and astonishment at this wonderfull love of his But when once the spirit of grace hath made a man to know and beleeve and consider this it must needs affect the heart much and make him mourne for his sins aboundantly it must needs worke in him a loathing of his sins and a resolution to set himselfe against them O that all wee that say wee know and beleeve that Christ loved us and dyed for us would thinke seriously of this Certainely thou that sayest so and findest no force in this assurance to mortifie sin in thee and to strengthen thee against thy corruptions deceivest thine owne soule and hast no true assurance that Christ bare such love to thee as to endure so much for thy sake Hereby wee know that wee know him to bee a propitiation for our sins saith the Apostle 1 Iohn 2.3 4. if wee keepe his commandements He that saith I know him to bee a propitiation for my sins for that is the knowledge of Christ he speaketh of as appeareth verse 2. and keepeth not his commandements is a lyar and the truth is not in him Hee is a ranke hypocrite and void of all truth of grace how faire a shew soever hee make in the Church of God O fearefull sentence against the most of such as say they have faith And so much shall suffice to have bin spoken of the first reason why true faith must needs mortifie corruption wheresoever it dwelleth it applyeth Christ particularly to every one that hath it The second reason of it is this because true faith joyneth and uniteth us unto Christ. This union that faith maketh betweene us and Christ is indeed mysticall and spirituall Yea this is a great mistery as the Apostle calleth it Ephes. 5.32 But though it bee mysticall and supernaturall yet it is most true and reall a most neere and unspeakeable union that faith maketh betweene Christ and every beleeving soule as neere as betweene husband and wife Ephes. 5.23 as betweene the head and the members Ephes. 1.22 23. as betweene the vine and the branches Iohn 15.5 By faith we receive him and make him our owne Iohn 1.12 Nay we feed upon him and make him our owne as the meat we eate which is turned into our substance is made our owne Iohn 6.35 By faith hee dwelleth in us Ephes. 3.17 By faith wee are grafted into him Rom. 11.23 Now if faith do so joyne us unto Christ and make such an union betweene us and him it is not possible but it must needs mortifie and kill sin in us Wee cannot bee thus joyned unto Christ but wee must needs receive vertue and power from him his spirit must needs bee derived from him unto us He that is joyned unto the Lord saith the Apostle 1 Cor. 6.17 is one spirit The law of the spirit of life in Christ Iesus saith the Apostle Rom. 8.2 hath made me free from the law of sin and of death The spirit of Christ must needs free him from the dominion of sinne that is thus by faith united to him And therefore to conclude this second point Certainly that man in whom sin reigneth still in whom the strength of his naturall corruption is not at all abated is not united unto Christ and consequently hath no true faith in him If wee say we have fellowship with him saith the Apostle 1 Iohn 1.6 and walke in darkenes we lye and do not the truth Lecture LXVII on Psalme 51.5 Aug. 14. 1627. THE third and last point which hath beene propounded for the more distinct handling of the last means of mortification is this He that desireth to get strength against any corruption must not content himselfe to have faith but hee must exercise and make use of his faith in this worke The most of us loose much of the benefit and comfort wee might find in our faith because wee doe not make use of it nay the cause why wee find it so weake and feeble to stand us in any stead when wee have most need of it for our comfort is because wee have not beene wont to exercise it and put it into action We have an old proverbe Vse legs and have legs and experience teacheth that the neglect of exercising the body is a great meanes to weaken it much This may every whit as truly bee said of the graces of Gods spirit exercise them by practise and they will increase neglect to exercise them and they will decay in thee To every one that hath saith our Saviour in the parable of the talents Mat. 25.29 that is that by making use of it and imploying it doth shew that hee hath grace more shall bee given and bee shall have aboundance but from him that hath not shall bee taken away even that which hee hath The Apostle commending the Thessalonians saith 1 Thess. 1.3 hee remembred their worke of faith their faith was ever in action ever exercising it selfe And what is the proper worke and act wherein faith exerciseth it selfe Surely in taking hold of the promises that God hath made unto us in Christ in applying them unto our selves and resting upon them Thus must wee exercise our faith if we would have it grow if wee would have the comfort of it The Apostle saith of all the faithfull 2 Cor. 5.7 that they walke by faith In our whole conversation we may and ought to make use of our faith And of himselfe he saith that hee did live by his faith The life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God saith he Galat. 2.20 In all the occasions of our life we may and should exercise our faith and we loose a great deale of sweetnesse and comfort because we doe not so But in no occasion of our life can we have more use of our faith then when wee are troubled with any strong corruption which wee would faine overcome and get the mastery of Let us come then to Christ and stirre up our selves to take hold of him and confidently expect and looke for helpe and strength from him against it and wee may bee sure to bee delivered from the dominion of it Through God wee shall doe valiantly saith David Psal. 108.13 for hee it is that shall tread downe our enemies And Phil 4.13 I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me Wee read
thy God to wrath in the wildernesse And to this end Moses spendeth a whole chapter Deut. 9. in calling to the peoples minds and bringing into their remembrance their old sins which he would never have done if he had not knowne this profitable and needfull for them that their repentance for them might bee oft renewed But further then the knowledge of our sins serveth for one of these foure ends it is no benefit it is a judgement and correction of God upon us Therefore it is threatned as a judgement to wicked men Psal. 50.21 I will reproove thee and set thy sins in order before thee Therefore Iob complaineth of it as of a judgement Iob 13.26 Thou writest bitter things against me and makest me to possesse the sins of my youth And Paul prayeth against it 2 Cor. 12.8 I grant indeed it is such a judgement and correction as God useth most to exercise them by that are dearest to him and seeth it to bee most necessary for them as is plaine by the example of Iob 13.26 and of Paul 2 Cor. 12.7 But herein his mercy appeareth that as it is said of all other corrections upon his Church Esa 27.8 In measure thou wilt debate with it so it is in this 1. The Lord doth not let any of us see all our sins but so many of them as he seeth will be sufficicient for us to see for our saving humiliation and repentance Dealing with us in this case as Balak did with Balaam Num. 23.13 Thou shalt see but the utmost part of them thou shalt not see them all And 2. those that he is pleased to discover to us he doth not let us feele the full weight of them nor let us fully see the loathsomnesse of them Oh if the Lord should breake up the sinke that is in every one of our hearts and let us fully discerne and feele how much filth is in them we were never able to abide our selves but should every one of us become a Magormissahib as Ieremy calleth Pashur Ier. 20.3 4. a terrour to our selves If the Lord should let us feele the full weight of our sins certainely we were never able to beare it but should be overwhelmed by it See this not only in the sin of Cain and Iudas that were castawayes Gen. 4.13 Mat. 27.5 but in the sins also of Gods own people Heare what David saith of his sin Ps. 38.4 It is a heavy burden too heavy for me to beare And heare what Paul saith of the incestuous person 2 Cor 2.7 he was in danger to bee swallowed up with overmuch sorrow 1. Thinke of this thou wretched man to whom many foule sins seeme as light as a feather drunkennesse swearing whoring c. when the Lord shall but let thee throughly to see what thou hast done when he shall lay but any one of these sins unto thy charge and cause thee to feele the full weight of it hee shall need to inflict no other punishment upon thee but even to let thee see feele what thou hast done Ier. 2 19. Thine owne wickednes shall correct thee and thy back-slidings shall reprove thee Wickednes will burne like the fire Esa. 9.18 Hell it selfe hath no greater torment then that And this thou hast cause to looke for and knowest not how soone Num. 32.23 Thou hast sinned against the Lord and be thou sure thy sin will find thee out 2. Let us therfore beloved acknowledge it for a mercy of God that he doth give us the sight and sense of our sins so farre forth as is necessary to our saving humiliation and repentance but let us acknowledge it for as great a mercy that hee doth not let us see and feele our sins to the full so as we should be overwhelmed by it Lecture LXIX On Psalme 51.5 Septemb 18. 1627. THe second thing wherein the admirable goodnes of God appeareth unto us is this If we could rightly weigh what we were by nature we would see just cause to wonder at the power and goodnesse of God in this that there should bee any truth of grace in any of us Let us consider this first in generall in the whole worke of our conversion and of that change that is wrought in our hearts by the grace and spirit of God Secondly In every particular act of grace that we do discerne in our selves And for the first wee shall find the Apostle maketh this use of the Doctrine of originall sinne Ephes. 2.4 5. God who is rich in mercy for his great love wherewith hee loved us even when wee were dead in sinnes hath quickened us together with Christ by grace yee are saved As if hee had said this was nothing but meere grace this argued the riches of Gods mercy the greatnesse of his love to doe this When the people beheld the mighty workes that Christ wrought in giving sight to the blind and hearing to the deafe and speech to the dumbe and life to the dead it is said they were all amazed at the mighty power of God Luke 9.43 and as it is said Matth. 9.8 they marvelled and glorified God And the party himselfe whom Christ had restored to sight admired the worke of God upon himselfe and said Iohn 9.32 Since the world began was it not heard that any man opened the eyes of one that was borne blind But the worke that God hath wrought upon our hearts whom he hath converted and begun saving grace in is though not so sensible yet a farre greater demonstration of his power and goodnesse then any of those was and such as wee have much more cause to admire and glorifie God for Certainely it is as possible for a blackmore to change his skinne or a leopard his spots as the Prophet speaketh Ieremy 13.23 for a Camell to goe through the eye of a needle as our Saviour saith Luke 18.25 as for us to have a change wrought in our hearts But blessed bee God that the thing which is impossible with men hath beene possible with God as our Saviour there speaketh Luke 18.27 This admirable power of God is sensible and apparant in the conversion of some men of such I meane as have beene prepared for their conversion with legall terrours such as having beene notorious sinners before have beene by some strong hand of God changed suddenly In the conversion of such as Paul was that of a bloudy persecutour was of a sudden made not onely a disciple but a zealous preacher also Where hee that was even now a Wolfe and a Leopard was so chaunged that hee dwelt with the Lambes and lay downe with the Kids as the Prophet speaketh Esa. 11.6 All men will bee apt to take notice of and to admire the power of God in the conversion of such a man as Paul saith of himselfe Galathians 1.24 that the Churches glorified God in him But the worke of Gods power in the conversion of most men of such as have beene bred in the Church and
who by the restraining grace of God have bin ever kept from grosse sins is not so sensible but more secret a great deale The most Christians though they bee able to say with the blind man Iohn 9.25 One thing I know whereas I was blind now I see they know well and feele there is a blessed change wrought in their hearts yet when it was wrought or how it was wrought that they know not That which Solomon saith of other of Gods works Ecclesi 11.5 is verified in this especially As thou knowest not what is the way of the spirit nor how the bones doe grow in the wombe of her that is with child even so knowest thou not the workes of God who worketh all And as our Saviour speaketh Marke 4.27 When the seed is sowen in the heart it worketh and springeth and groweth no man knoweth how And yet even in this conversion of such men though the worke of God bee more secret and insensible yet is the almighty power of God to be acknowledged as much in it as in the other As the omnipotency of Christ was as well shewed in the turning of the water into wine Iob. 2.11 and the curing of the woman that had the bloudy issue Mar. 5.29 as in the helping of him that was from his childhood possessed with a dumbe and deafe spirit Marke 9.25 26. O that wee could see and take notice of this admirable power of God in the change that he hath beene pleased to worke in our hearts O that God would bee pleased according to the prayer of the Apostle for the Ephes. 1.18 19. to inlighten the eyes of our understanding that wee may know what is the exceeding greatnesse of his power to us-ward who beleeve according to the working of his mighty power That we may accordingly admire and magnifie it and give him the glory of it And yet his goodnesse and mercy will appeare to bee no lesse admirable in this worke of our conversion then his power was if wee rightly consider what wee were by nature Observe this I pray you in three degrees First That God should seeke out any of us that like a poore lost sheepe was gone astray from him some of us in one evill way some in another according to that parable Luke 15.4 wee being so farre from seeking him from doing any thing to further our owne conversion that we desired nothing lesse but opposed and resisted it and were in our hearts ready to say with the man that had the uncleane spirit Luke 4 34. Let us alone what have wee to doe with thee thou Iesus of Nazareth That hee would take no nay at our hands but by his most effectuall grace overcame us as hee saith Revelation 3.9 Behold I will make them that are of the Synagogue of Satan which say they are Iewes and are not but doe lye behold I will make them to come and worship before thy feete He made us to turne hee made us to obey and follow his call This gracious favour I say that the Lord hath done us in the worke of our conversion ô it was his admirable mercy unto us Secondly That the Lord should seeke reconciliation with us when we were his enemies as the Apostle speaketh 2 Corinth 5.20 and make love to us when wee were such loathsome creatures that passing by us when wee were in our bloud even when wee were in our bloud as hee saith Ezek. 16.6.8 hee should looke upon us and that that should bee the time of his love as hee there speaketh That hee should never give over making love unto us till hee had wonne our hearts and made us able to affect and love him and to seeke him and his love unfeinedly who were by nature much more alienated from him then hee was from us even hated him in our hearts much more then ever hee did us this was I say his admirable mercy toward us And so the Apostle speaketh of it Colos. 1.21 And you that were sometimes alienated and enemies in your minds yet now hath hee reconciled And the Lord by the Prophet Esay 65.1 I am sought of them that asked not for me Even this that such as we were by nature should have the grace to love the Lord and to seeke his favour which we could never have done if he had not bin first reconciled unto us 1 Iohn 4.19 is the admirable goodnesse of God unto us Thirdly That God should thus change and convert our hearts unto him and give us any measure of grace to desire unfeinedly to feare and please him that hee should pull us out of our naturall estate and leave others in it that are farre our betters not onely in birth and wealth and wisedome and learning but even in the unblameablenesse of their conversation also that were never in their lives guilty of so foule sinnes as wee have beene That he should deny this grace to such as the young Noble man was that had lived so civilly and had so many good things in him Mar. 10.20 21. and grant it to such as that infamous harlot was Lu. 7.37 This is certainly the admirable and unspeakeable mercy of God to such a one And as the infinite power and goodnesse of God is to bee acknowledged and admired in the worke of our conversion in generall so is it also in every particular act of Gods grace in us That any of us should bee able to delight in the law of God in the inner man Rom. 7.22 to love the brethren 1 Iohn 3.14 to weepe and shed teares for our sins 2 King 22.19 to make any one prayer Psalme 17.1 to give any almes Matth. 10.42 in truth and uprightnesse of heart considering what we are by nature is to bee ascribed to the marvellous power and goodnesse of God toward us When David and his people had offered toward the building of Gods house it is said 1 Chron. 29.9 They rejoyced with great joy because with a perfect and upright heart they had offered willingly unto the Lord. And David himselfe burst out into words of strange admiration verse 14. But who am I Lord and what is my people that we should be able to offer so willingly after this sort For all things come of thee Now let me apply this that hath bin said in three points and so lay it somewhat neerer to our hearts First If this be so Then let no man hearken to those that reach 1. That God hath no such powerfull hand in the worke of mans conversion but that it lyeth in every mans power and will when God hath done all his worke to turne or not to turne 2. That which God doth in the conversion of any man he doth to all men For the spirit speaketh expressely in the Scriptures 1. That the Lord is not onely a perswader but the worker and mighty doer of this worke of our change and conversion It is God that worketh in us both the will and the deed Phil. 2.13
and powers and against the rulers of the darknesse of this world against spirituall wickednesse in high places Nothing but a divine power could keepe grace alive in such hearts as ours are Wee are kept saith the Apostle 1 Peter 1.5 by the power of God unto salvation Secondly His admirable goodnesse is the cause of this and the unchangablenesse of his love to them whom he hath once effectually called called according to his purpose and eternall counsell as the Apostle speaketh Rom. 8.28 Hee never loved any thus farre as to call them effectually and to worke truth of grace in their hearts but he loved them to the end Having loved his owne which were in the world saith the Evangelist of our blessed Saviour Iohn 13.1 he loved them to the end I have loved thee saith the Lord to his Church Ier. 31.3 with an everlasting love therefore with loving kindnesse have I drawne thee Them whom he hath shewed such loving kindnesse unto as to draw them to himselfe by an effectuall calling he loveth with an everlasting love The Lord advanced Saul to be King over his people and gave him his spirit that is such gifts of his spirit as might fit him for that calling As soone as Samuel had anointed him the spirit of the Lord came upon him as the Text saith 1 Sam. 10.6 9 and he was turned into another man God gave him another heart But this favour and love God shewed to Saul was not an unchangable and everlasting love It repenteth me saith the Lord 1 Sam. 15.11 that I have set up Saul to be King And 1 Sam. 16.14 The spirit of the Lord departed from Saul hee had received excellent gifts of Gods spirit and lost them quite againe But if God have advanced any of us to this dignity to be a true Convert to be effectually called Ioh. 1.12 he never repenteth him of it this favour and love of God is unchangable and everlasting The gifts and calling of God are without repentance as the Apostle speaketh Rom. 11.29 In respect of this good and perfect gift the Apostle calleth the Lord Iam. 1.17 the father of lights in whom is no variablenesse neither shadow of turning And were it not for this that Gods love to such as he hath once regenerated and given saving grace to is constant and everlasting if any thing could have changed or altered him alas there is none of us all but we have done enough a thousand times to have lost him for ever and to have caused him to depart quite from us and to have stripped us of all grace long ago Before we passe from this point let us apply it to our selves in a few words that is in five First Seeing sanctifying grace is of such constancie and a fruit of Gods everlasting and unchangable love ô how carefull should we be to get grace if wee want it and to get assurance that we have it in truth if we thinke we have it 1. All other blessings and good things wealth and pleasure and honour and health are of no continuance And that that Paul saith of Riches 1 Tim 6.17 may be said of them all they are uncertaine riches uncertaine good things But true grace is durable riches as Solomon calleth it Pro. 8.18 These are the sure mercies of David as the Holy Ghost calleth them Esa. 55.3 2. No other good thing we can enjoy is any certaine argument of Gods speciall love and favour No man knoweth either love or hatred by any thing that is before him saith Solomon Eccle. 9.1 Esau of whom it is said God hated him Mal. 1.3 yet did enjoy all worldly blessings in greater measure then Iacob did as is plaine by that speech of Moses Gen. 36.31 But true grace is a certaine argument of Gods love yea of his speciall and everlasting love According to that speech of the Lord Ier. 31.3 I have loved thee with an everlasting love therefore with loving kindnesse have I drawne thee Secondly So many of us as have by the mercy of God beene preserved any time in the state of grace let us blesse God for it let us admire and magnifie the power and goodnesse of God towards us in this behalfe It hath ever beene esteemed in Gods Church a great honour to a man to be an old Disciple The Holy Ghost maketh an honourable mention of Mnason of Cyprus for this Act. 21.16 And Paul saith of Andronicus and Iunia Rom. 16.7 that they were of note among the Apostles and honoureth them for this that they were in Christ before him If any of us have found mercy with God to be old Disciples Nay if we be of any standing in Christianity and keepe our standing let us give God the glory of it thinke of it often and never thinke we can be sufficiently thankfull to God for it O blesse our God ye people saith David Psal. 66.8 9. and make the voice of his praise to be heard which holdeth our soule in life and suffreth not our feet to be moved Praise God for keeping and preserving the life of grace in thy soule all this while Say with David Psal. 116.7 8. The Lord hath dealt bountifully with thee for thou hast delivered my soule from death mine eyes from teares and my feet from falling Praise God for keeping thee fom deadly and irrecoverable falls Yea take thou up that thanksgiving which of all the formes of thanksgiving that we read of in Scripture hath been most in use with Gods Saints as if it were not for spending of time I could give you many instances of I meane that Psal. 106.1 Praise ye the Lord ô give thanks unto the Lord for he is good for his mercy endureth for ever God is more to be praised by us for the unchangeablenesse and constancy of his love to such wretches as wee are then for any other of his mercies how great so ever they bee Thirdly Let none of us be proud of our standing in the state of grace but let us give God all the glory of it Let us all say with the Apostle 1 Cor. 15.10 By the grace of God I am that I am And that which the Apostle there speaketh of his labours we must say in this case It is not I that have held out all this while not I but the grace of God which was with me It is the Lord as Annah speaketh 1 Sam. 2.9 that keepeth the â—eet of his Saints for in his owne might shall no man be strong It is not by any strength of our owne that we have stood all this while but by the strength and free grace of God onely Fourthly Seeing our perseverance in grace dependeth wholly upon the power and goodnesse of God let none of us be secure but watchfull and wary and fearfull to offend God who if he do but let go his hold and withdraw his hand we cannot stand one moment longer no more then a child of a yeare old or the staffe ye walke
with can do when ye leave holding of it In which respect the Lord compareth himselfe to a nurse that dadeth a child Hos. 11.3 I taught Ephraim to goe taking them by their armes We can neither goe nor stand any longer then the Lord doth uphold us This is the inference that the Apostle himselfe maketh Phil. 2.12 13. Worke out your owne salvation with feare and trembling for it is God that worketh in you both to will and to do even of his good pleasure Because we have no ability to preserve our selves in the state of grace but all dependeth upon the power and goodnesse of God therfore we must feare Continue in his goodnesse as the same Apostle speaketh Rom. 11.12 keepe in favour with him otherwise thou also shalt bee cut off But you will say that is not possible whom God once loveth in this kind he loveth for ever I answer First Whom God doth love in this kind them he maketh fearefull to offend him fearefull to fall and to decay in grace and this feare is a principall meanes whereby he doth preserve them from falling away This is plaine Ier. 32.40 I will make an everlasting covenant with them and I will not turne away from them to doe them good but I will put my feare into their hearts that they shall not depart from me So that by this thou shalt know whether thou be indeed converted whether there be any truth of grace in thee if God have put this feare into thy heart there is otherwise there is none at all Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed least he fall 1 Cor. 10.12 Secondly Though those whom God loveth according to his good purpose he loveth to the end and therefore will never disinherit them nor utterly cast them off yet if they be not fearefull to offend him though he love them yea because he loveth them he will chasten them as the Apostle speaketh Heb. 12.6 and he scourgeth every sonne whom he receiveth And in what kind he will scourge them how long his scourge shall lie upon them how deepely he will wound them with the lashes that he will give them with his scourge that the Lord onely doth know Admit that if ever we had the spirit of God and truth of grace in us it will never depart from us we can never loose it utterly but yet if we grow secure and neglect the meanes whereby we may preserve grace in our selves and keepe it alive whereby wee may preserve our selves from falling away we may quench the spirit in our selves This is plaine by the Apostles speech 1 Thess. 5.19 20. Quench not the spirit despise not prophesyings Even the despising of hearing the Word will quench the spirit that is deprive us of the operation of the feeling of the comfort of Gods grace in us Be it he that is once in the state of grace shall be preserved by God from falling totally from taking such falls as should break his neck and quite deprive him of the life of grace and from falling finally from falling into such pits as he should never be able to get out of againe from taking such falls as the Apostle speaketh of Heb. 6.6 which they that take them can never after be renewed againe by repentance Yet if he grow secure and looke not well to his feet if he nourish not in his heart the feare of the Lord he may fall fearefully he may take such falls as may breake his bones as may put him to such anguish of soule as if he had a kingdome he would give it to be eased of it This is plaine by the words of David in the 8. verse of this Psalme Make me to heare joy and gladnesse that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoyce His fall into adultery and murder had broken his bones that is had put him to more anguish and griefe then ever man felt that had his bones broken in his body Lecture LXXI On Psalme 51.5 October 9. 1627. THe fift and last point of application is to comfort and strengthen those poore soules that being indeed in the state of grace are yet much perplexed that either they are already or shall and may hereafter fall fearefully from it Two tentations there be whereby the best of Gods servants are often troubled greatly in this point of their perseverance in grace First Some of them are apt to conclude that they are already quite fallen from grace because 1 They have lost their first love that delight and fervency wherewith they were wont to serve God 2 They have lost their faith and cannot be assured of Gods favour as once they were 3 They slip ever and anon into the sins they have repented of and find no strength to overcome them Against this first tentation there is notable comfort and strength ministred to Gods people in the Word of God and even in that which we heard the last day of the admirable worke of God in the perseverance of his Saints And for the comfort and strength of Gods people against this tentation the Scripture giveth us two notable preservatives First The choisest of Gods servants and such as unto whom the Lord hath given the best testimony in his Word have beene in this case that thou art in subject to this variablenesse to these alterations in their spirituall estate They have not stood alwaies steady in one state but have beene of and on with the Lord. 1. For their delight and fervencie in good duties You shall read of David that sometimes hee did service unto God with marvellous alacrity and cheerefullnesse of spirit When hee contributed to the building of Gods house he did it with exceeding joy 1 Chron. 29.9 David the King rejoyced with great joy You shall also read of his going to the house of God with the voice of joy and praise as one that were going to a feast Psalme 42.4 And sometimes againe you shall heare him complaining of the deadnesse of his heart that he could serve God with no life or cheerefullnesse at all Psalme 119 25. My soule cleaveth to the dust quicken thou mee according to thy Word 2. So it is with them for their faith and confident assurance of Gods favour David that one while glorieth The Lord is my light and my salvation whom shall I feare Psalme 27.1 At another time you shall finde him quite void of this assurance Psalme 31.22 I said in my hast I am cut off from before thine eyes You shall heare him complaining Psalme 88.15 While I suffer thy terrours I am distracted And blessed Paul who at one time speaketh so triumphantly Romanes 8.35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ At another time 2 Cor. 7.5 you shall heare him complaine of inward feares and terrours 3. For their conscionable care to please God in all their waies they have shewed great inconstancy in that also 1. Abraham was sometimes so obedient unto God so carefull to
and blind devotion in both these yet what great hurt was ther in them Had they not a shew of holinesse and mortification Surely if you weigh the matter well for as much as you may bee sure that neither Christ nor the Apostle could be thus vehement without just cause you will find that to be strict and precise in the observation of any thing as a part of Gods worship that God in his Word hath given us no direction for though it seeme to tend never so much unto holinesse and mortification is a most heinous sinne For 1 it is grosse Idolatry and high-Treason against God to give to our selves or to any creature this divine authority as to make him a law-giver to our conscience For this is the Lords royall prerogative in which he will endure no partner There is one law-giver who is able to save and to destroy saith the Apostle Iam. 4.12 I am the Lord saith he Esa 42.8 that is my name and I will not give my glory to another 2 This will quite steale and turne away the heart from God and his Word and breed a light account of the Word of the commandements and ordinances of God This is one reason our Saviour giveth for his vehemency against the Pharisaicall purifyings Mat. 15.6 Ye have made the commandement of God of none effect by your traditions And Mar. 7.9 Full well ye reject the commandement of God that ye may keepe your owne tradition Ahaz we know 1 brought his altar into Gods house and offered on it 2 King 16.12 13. 2 He set it cheeke by jowle as we say by the Lords owne altar verse 14. 3 He brought it in further and placed it above Gods altar verse 14. 4 He used it onely in the ordinary offerings and sacrifices with neglect of Gods altar verse 15. The more zealous any are for the religious observation of such things as God never commanded the lesse conscience we shall find they make of any commandement of God the lesse account they make of Gods Word When Ephraim had multiplied altars in a will worship being more abundant in sacrifices then God required Hos. 8.11 12. the great things of Gods written law were counted by him as a strange thing not belonging unto him Yea this will-worship will breed in the heart a hatred of God and his ordinances which is the cause why the Lord calleth the transgressours of the second commandement such as hate him Exod. â—0 5 And the Apostle saith Tit. 1.14 that the giving heed to the commandements of men in this case will turne men from the truth This experience hath proved most true not only in the Papists but in too many other fondly superstitious 2 Can any of you find in your selves a high and reverend esteeme of Gods Word doe you love it and delight in it do you depend upon it onely for direction in all your waies despising and rejecting all other rules besides it Canst thou say with David Psal. 119 113. I hate vaine inventions but thy law doe I love Certainely how ever thou maist be slouted and hated for this in the world this will one day even when thou shalt have most need of it yeeld a comfortable testimony to thee that thy heart is upright with God Remember as thou hast now heard what comfort Iob found in this Iob 33 10-12 Remember how oft David calleth him a blessed man that can doe thus Ps. 1. â— 112 1.128.1 Remember that our blessed Saviour accounteth such Luke 8.21 in respect of his deare and tender affection and respect unto them as his brethren and sisters and mother And that for this cause he professeth of Mary Luke 10.42 that she had chosen the good part which should not bee taken away from her Lecture LXXVIII On Psalme 51.6 Ianuary 22. 1627. IT followeth now that wee proceed unto the second property that is necessarily required in true goodnesse and righteousnesse it must have a good root We must therefore know that nothing that we can do is truly good and pleasing unto God unlesse the inward principle the root that produceth it and moveth us to doe it be good We read of holy Iob. 9 28. that he comforteth himselfe against the censures of his friends that judged him to be an hypocrite by this that the root of the matter was found in him he knew he had in him the root of true righteousnesse and goodnesse and therefore he was no hypocrite therefore his heart was upright And on the other side in the parable of the sower our Saviour giveth this for the reason why the hearer that is resembled to the stony ground fell quite away and so shewed himselfe to bee an hypocrite and that his heart was never upright Matth. 13.21 because hee had no root in himselfe Now if you aske me what is this root of true righteousnesse and goodnesse that a man must have in himselfe or els his heart cannot be upright I answer it is that which the Apostle speaketh of Gal. 5.6 In Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing nor uncircumcision but faith that worketh by love Faith that worketh by love is that root from whence all true goodnesse and righteousnesse doth spring Here are you see two graces grow together in this root faith and love 1. Nothing that we doe is truly good and pleasing unto God neither will the doing of it argue the uprightnesse of our hearts unlesse we doe it out of love to God 2. The love that wee beare to God is not sound nor such as will argue the uprightnesse of our hearts unlesse it proceed from faith that assureth us of Gods speciall love to us in Christ. For the first The love of God is the root of all true obedience and that heart that truly loveth God is certainely an upright and true heart Two branches you see there are of this point which I will severally and distinctly consider of 1. The love of God is the root of all true obedience 2. The heart that truly loveth God is an upright heart First Nothing that we do is good in Gods sight unlesse we do it out of love unto him This is the root of all true obedience God hath chosen us saith the Apostle Ephes. 1.4 in Christ before the foundation of the world that we should be holy and without blame before him in love When our Saviour giveth the summe of all the foure commandements of the first table he giveth it us in these termes Matth. 22.37 Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy soule and with all thy soule and with all thy minde Then onely wee pray well and and heare well and preach well and receive the Sacrament well and keepe the Sabbath well yea then onely we put our trust in him aright and serve him aright when we doe all this out of love to the Lord our God So for the duties of the second table then onely we performe the duties of righteousnesse and love
and mercy towards men aright when the thing that moveth us to do them is the love we beare unto God So speaketh the Apostle of the workes of mercy Heb. 6.10 God is not unrighteous to forget your worke and labour of love which you have shewed towards his name in that yee have ministred to the Saints and doe minister It was their love to God that moved them to minister to the Saints and such workes of mercy as proceed from that root God will never forget to reward So speaketh the Apostle Iohn likewise 1 Iohn 5.2 By this wee know wee love the children of God when we love God Before we can love the children of God wee must first love God and for that cause love his children In a word to conclude the confirmation of this first branch this is made the root of all obedience in generall to any commandement of God of all good workes Deut. 7.9 He keepeth covenant and mercy with them that love him and keepe his commandements First We must love him before we can keepe any of his commandements well In which respect the Apostle Rom. 13.10 calleth love the fulfilling of the law Hee that hath not this love can keepe no part of Gods law well he cannot fulfill it he that hath it keepeth the whole law yea fulfilleth it keepeth it so as God in Christ accepteth of it as if he had perfectly kept it Now before I passe from this branch an objection must here be answered Is nothing well done unlesse it bee done out of love to God Is nothing well done that is done out of feare of Gods judgements If a man abstaine from sinne and performe good duties out of feare of wrath even out of the feare of hell will God in no case be pleased with this I answer First Yes verily The feare of Gods wrath kept Iob from sundry sinnes It kept him from uncleannesse For hee professing Iob 31.1 that he durst not give himselfe liberty in wanton looks nor in wanton thoughts he telleth us verse 3. what moved him to it Is not destruction saith he to the wicked and a strange punishment to the workers of iniquity And professing verse 21. that he durst not oppresse or wrong any poore man hee giveth this for the reason whereby he was kept from it verse 23. For destruction from God was a terrour to me saith he and by reason of his highnesse I could not endure As though he should say I was not able to beare the wrath and fury of that high and mighty God And the Apostle speaking of Noahs obedience unto that strange commandement that God gave him to prepare the arke one hundred and twenty yeares before the floud came wherein doubtlesse hee made himselfe a scorne and laughing stocke to all that knew him telleth us Heb. 11.7 that he was moved by feare to doe it And the same Apostle professeth of himselfe 2 Cor. 5.11 that he had not beene so diligent and conscionable in his ministery as he was if the feare of Gods wrath against all idle and unconscionable and unprofitable Ministers had not moved him unto it Knowing saith he the terrours of the Lord we perswade men So that it is certainly lawfull and pleasing unto God that we should both thinke oft of Gods wrath due to sinne yea even of the torments prepared in hell for sinners where the worme never dieth and the fire never goeth out and to abstaine and restraine our selves from evill even out of that feare Nay our Saviour commandeth us so to doe Luke 12.5 Feare him that after he hath killed and taken away your life hath power to cast you into hell yea I say unto you feare him But then I answer secondly That no godly man doth abstaine from sinne or doe good duties onely out of this feare of Gods wrath but out of the love hee beareth to God for his goodnesse as well nay more out of that then out of the feare of his wrath This is evident in the Apostle even in that very Chapter 2 Cor. 5. wherein as we have heard he professed what force there was in the terrours of the Lord to move him unto his duty hee telleth us of this other motive verse 14. and saith it was more forcible with him then feare For the love of Christ constraineth us saith he And of Noah it is said Heb. â—1 7 By faith he prepared an Arke There is in the obedience of the godly a holy mixture of feare and love As their love to God is not a fellow-like familiarity as is among equalls but is out of an apprehension of his greatnes and holinesse and justice tempered with feare and a dreadfull awe of him so neither is that feare of God that is in them a servile feare like that of the slave that hath nothing to move him unto duty but the feare of the whip but is out of an apprehension and assurance of his goodnesse mixed with love Like the feare that ought to be in every good child towards his parents Lev. 9.3 Yee shall feare every man his mother and his father Yea the love they beare to God for his goodnesse is the chiefe root of that feare they have of him according to that Hos. 3.5 They shall feare the Lord and his goodnesse in the latter daies The feare they have of God is not such a tormenting feare as wicked men have but there is joy and comfort mixed with their feare They rejoyce even in their trembling as David speaketh Psal. 2.11 Yea they have confidence in their feare Psal. 56.3 What time I am afraid I will trust in thee The feare of wicked men is like that of the souldiers that kept Christ Sepulcher when the Angell that rolled away the stone appeared unto them For feare of him saith the Text Matth. 28.4 the keepers did shake and became as dead men they had no comfort no hope But the feare of the godly is like that of the two Maryes of whom we read verse 8. that when they had both seene the Angell and heard his glorious voice also they departed from the Sepulchre with feare and great joy And thus have I finished the first branch of the Doctrine and shewed you that we can do nothing well we cannot please God in any thing we doe unlesse it proceed from the love we beare to God unlesse it grow from that root Cant. 1.4 The upright love thee Now let us proceed unto the second branch That the true love of God wheresoever it is is an infallible signe of a true and upright heart This you shall heare confirmed unto you by three sorts of proofes First This is oft made in the Word a proper note and character of the elect and upright hearted man that he is such a one as loveth the Lord. Yea these two properties are made convertible termes every good man every upright hearted man loveth the Lord Cant. 1.4 The upright love thee And every one
that loveth the Lord is a good man a sound elect Christian an upright hearted man Let them that love thy name all good men all sound hearted men saith David Psal. 5.11 be joyfull in thee So Psal. 119.132 Looke thou upon me and be mercifull unto me as thou usest to doe to those that love thy name If any man love God saith the Apostle 1 Cor. 8.3 the same is knowne of him As if he had said Whatsoever men may thinke of such howsoever men may account many of such to be no better then hypocrites yea howsoever they may oft times thinke so of themselves also yet God approveth and highly esteemeth of them Secondly All Gods promises are appropriated unto such as love the Lord and therfore all such must needs be upright in heart See this first in heavenly and eternall blessings Iames 1.12 He shall receive the crowne of liâ—â— which the Lord hath promised to them that love him and 2.5 Hath not God chosen the poore of this world rich in faith and heires of the kingdome which hee hath promised to them that love him All that love the Lord shall goe to heaven and none but they See this secondly in spirituall blessings All the comforts of the Gospell righteousnesse peace and joy in the Holy Ghost the fatnesse of Gods house comfort in the Word and Sacraments are promised to them that love the Lord and to none but them 1 Cor. 2.9 Eye hath not seene eare hath not heard neither have entred into the heart of man the things which God hath prepared for them that love him See this thirdly in temporall blessings Because he hath set his love upon me saith the Lord Psal. 91.14 therefore will I deliver him Rom. 8.28 We know that all things worke together for the good of such as love God They that love God may be sure to be made the better by their prosperity and by their adversity by their sicknesse and by their health everything that befalleth them shall be sanctified unto them and to none but such And on the other side he that loveth not the Lord hath no right to any blessing of God no promise of God belongeth unto him but a certaine looking for of judgement and fiery indignation which shall devoure the adversaries as the Apostle speaketh Heb. 10.27 If any man love not the Lord Iesus saith the Apostle 1 Corinthians 16.22 let him bee Anathema Maranatha as if hee had said let him bee accursed even unto the comming of Christ to judgement Thirdly and lastly See this confirmed by a practicall experiment When Peter was so dejected in the sense of his fearefull sinne that hee thought himselfe unworthy ever to be imployed or to meddle any more in the worke of his Apostleship and ministery see how and by what argument our Saviour seeketh to raise him and comfort him Iohn 21.15 Simon thou sonne of Ionas lovest thou me As if he had said If this bee in thee be of good comfort thou art not quite fallen from God thy heart is upright for all thy fall And thus may we comfort any poore Christian in their greatest distresse of Conscience You see then that that we doe out of true love to God will give us a comfortable testimony that our hearts are upright so will not that doe that is done meerely out of such a feare of Gods wrath as hath no mixture of love in it See an instance for this in those false hearted Iewes that perished in the wildernesse as wee shall find it set downe Psal. 78.34 36 37. When he slew them sometimes by fiery serpents sometimes by strange pestilence and other judgements then they sought him and returned and enquired early after God They made great shewes of repentance great protestations of amendment as you have knowne many lewd men in extreame sicknesses doe But what came all these shewes unto That you shall find verse 36 37. They did but flatter him with their mouth and they lied to him with their tongues for their hearts were not right with him There is no truth of heart in those shewes of repentance and goodnesse that are extorted from us onely by the judgements of God and sense of his wrath that grow out of that feare that hath no mixture of love in it Now let us make some application of this that we have heard And seeing whatsoever good thing we doe out of love to God is pleasing to him and nothing els if we truly love the Lord our hearts are upright if the love of God be not in us there is no truth in our hearts but we shall be sure to have our portion with hypocrites Let us therefore try our owne hearts by this note Let us every one of us seriously bethinke our selves if the Lord should speake to every one of us particularly and by name and aske us that question that he did Peter Iohn 21.15 Simon thou sonne of Ionas lovest thou me what answer wee would be able to make unto him Certainely your answer to this question would be very indifferent Some of you that have no love of God in you at all but hate him in your hearts would be ready to answer him most confidently and some others of you that doe indeed intirely and unfeignedly love him would make a very doubtfull and fearefull answer unto this question Let mee direct my speech to you both severally and apart For the first of you I know you will be ready to say Is there any man so ungracious so lewd that he doth not love the Lord that he doth hate the Lord Yes yes alas there be many such in the world and in the Church too They hate the Lord not as he is their Creatour and preserver for in those respects they will seeme to love him but as he is a law-giver and hath given them such lawes as do curbe them and are most crosse and contrary to their nature as he is their Soveraigne Lord and King that requireth obedience of them unto those lawes as he is God the avenger as the Prophet calleth him Psal. 94.1 that will take vengeance of them for their sinnes in these respects they hate him His Citizens hated him saith our Saviour in the Parable Luke 19.14 we will not have him to reigne over us Yea they hate him with a mortall hatred Their soule abhorred me saith the Lord Zach. 11.8 and wish with all their hearts as to their most mortall enemy a fearefull thing to be spoken or thought that he had no being that he were quite rid out of the world Many such wretches I say there be in the world and even in the Church too and if thou knewest thy selfe well thou wouldst find thy selfe to be of that wretched number But though thou knowest not thy selfe the Lord knoweth thee well and will one day say to thee as he said to a great number that were members of the true Church as thou art professours of the true religion as thou
art Iohn 5.42 But I know you that ye have not the love of God in you 1. If thou be a profane person and goest on in a course of sinne thou canst not leave thy drinking nor thy swearing nor thy whoring then the Holy Ghost pronounceth of thee that thou lovest not God thou hatest him and art an enemy unto him Psal. 68.21 God shall wound the head of his enemies hath God any enemies So it appeareth Why who are they That he telleth you in the next words and the hairy scalpe of such a one as goeth on still in his trespasses 2. If thou be a superstitious person and such a one as dotest upon any will worship that is of thine owne or of any other mans devising whatsoever thou thinkest of thy selfe then the Holy Ghost pronounceth of thee that thou lovest not God but thou hatest him in thy heart For so the Lord speaketh of the transgressours of the second commandement Exod. 20.5 Visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children to the third and fourth generation of them that hate me 3. Nay if thou be but a meere naturall man unregenerated unconverted there is no love of God in thee but thou hatest him in thy heart For so saith our Saviour Iohn 15.18 of the whole world of all men in their naturall estate Yee know that the world hated me before it hated you And verse 23. He that hateth me hateth my father also Neither is this the state of the reprobate in the world onely but even of Gods elect also while they are of the world before they be regenerated they cannot love the Lord but hate him in their hearts This is plaine by that promise God maketh to his elect Deut. 30.6 The Lord thy God will circumcise thine heart and the heart of thy seed to love the Lord thy God with all thy heart Till God circumcise our hearts and take away the hard fore-skin that is upon them we can never love the Lord with all our heart that is unfeignedly And the Apostle speaking to the elect Colosians putteth them in mind of this Col. 1.21 You were sometimes alienated and enemies in your mindes As if he had said you were not onely void of the love of God but you were quite alienated from him and enemies in your mind you hated him in your hearts Six evident demonstrations there be that may convince every naturall man that there is no true love of God in his heart First He loveth not God because he loveth other things more then God For so speaketh the spirit of God expressely 1 Iohn 2.15 If any man love the world the love of the father is not in him Secondly He loveth not God because he doth not desire to enjoy him to be where he is to have any communion with him neither in heaven nor in the assembly of his Saints and use of his ordinances For this hath beene the voice of such as have loved God 2 Cor. 5.8 We are willing rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord. And Psal. 42.1 2. As the hart panteth after the water brookes so panteth my soule after thee ô God my soule thirsteth for God for the living God when shall I come and appeare before God And 26.8 Lord I have loved the habitation of thy houses and the place where thine honour dwelleth And can he then have any love to God that cannot abide to thinke of death that if he might have his will would never go to God Can he have any love to God that careth not how seldome he commeth to Gods Sanctuary where of all places in the world the Lord sheweth himselfe to be present with his people in the most gracious and comfortable manner Thirdly He loveth not God because hee hath no delight to doe that that might please him nor feareth to doe that that he knoweth will offend and displease and dishonour him The carnall mind is enmity against God saith the Apostle Rom. 8.7 For it is not subject to the law of God neither indeed can be He that hath my commandements and keepeth them saith our Saviour Ioh. 14.21 is he that loveth me and none but he Fourthly He loveth not God because when he knoweth he hath offended him and lost his favour hee is not troubled with it nor seeketh in any good earnest to be reconciled to him againe I love them that love me saith the Lord Pro. 8.17 But how shall that be knowne That he telleth you in the next words and those that seeke me early shall find me As if he had said Those that love me will seeke peace with me when they have offended me yea they will doe it early they cannot rest they cannot sleepe till they have made their peace with me and thus will I shew my love to them againe I will be found of them I will be easie to be intreated by them Fiftly They love not God because they love not them that feare God Every one that loveth him that begat saith the Apostle 1 John 5.1 loveth him also that is begotten of him Nay there is a certaine signe they hate God because they beare a mortall hatred to all such as in whom they see any life or power of religion for that cause onely because they beare the image of God they reproach them nickname them slander them use them with all the despite they can He that is upright in the way is an abomination to the wicked saith Solomon Pro. 29.27 Like the Leopard and Tiger of whom we read that they doe so hate man that they will expresse their hatred to the very picture of a man wheresoever they see it Sixtly and lastly They love not God because they have no assurance of his love to them in Christ and of the forgivenesse of their sinnes We love him saith the Apostle 1 Iohn 4.19 because he loved us first And it is no more possible there should be any true love in the heart of man towards God till then then it is possible there should bee heate in the pavement before the sunne in his strength have showne upon it Now then to conclude this first part of my application let no man bee too confident that he loveth the Lord but let every one examine himselfe by these sixe arguments and if thou find by them as I dare say many of you may that there is no love of God in thee but that thou bearest in thy breast such a canckered and malicious heart against God 1 Bewaile thine estate 2 Thinke not so well of thy selfe as thou hast done but loath and abhorre thy selfe for it 3 Admire the patience and goodnesse of God towards thee 4 Let this drive thee to Christ who is our onely peace as the Apostle calleth him Ephes. 2.14 and who by his crosse hath slaine the enmity that was betweene God and us as hee saith verse 16. 5 Let This patience and bountifullnesse of his move thee to turne to
him and cry to him that is the God of love 2 Cor. 13.11 that by that blessed spirit of his which is the spirit of love 2 Tim. 1.7 hee would give thee an heart to love him And if thou canst seeke to him this way thou hast no cause to despaire For he that commandeth us Matth. 5.44 45. Love your enemies blesse them that curse you c. will doubtlesse love thee if in truth of heart thou desire to love him Lecture LXXIX On Psalme 51.6 Ianuary 29. 1627. NOw it followeth that we proceed unto the second part of this application and so unto the second grace whereof the right root of all true righteousnesse and goodnesse doth consist namely a lively faith I told you the last day that if God should move to every one of you particularly that that was moved unto Peter Iohn 21.15 as who knoweth how soone it may be moved to us either by the Lord himselfe when he shall wrestle with us as he did with Iacob Gen. â—2 or by Satan our adversary there is many a one among you that doe unfeignedly love the Lord would make a very doubtfull and fearefull answer unto this question because though you doe indeed love him yet you doe not feele or perceive in your selves that you doe so But you are ready upon the hearing of the former Doctrine to say Have none upright hearts but such onely as doe love the Lord Alas then I feare I am no better then an hypocrite for I am exceedingly subject unto slavish feare I cannot thinke of death but I tremble I cannot heare of any danger of an invasion or such like troubles but I am ready to quake for feare I cannot heare or see any great thunder or lightning but I am exceedingly distempered with slavish feare And can there be any true love of God in such a heart Now to these poore soules that object thus against themselves I have three things to say 1. Thou maist have the true love of God in thy heart though thou be subject unto these feares 2. Thou hast in thee evident signes that thou hast the true love of God in thy heart though thou bee so subject unto these feares 3. Yet thou must strive against these feares and labour to rid thy heart of them For the first I say It is possible for one that truly loveth the Lord and that hath an upright heart to be much subject to these feares This I will make evident to you 1 by some instances and examples that will make it plaine unto you that it may be so 2 by certaine reasons that will shew you why it may be and is so For examples we read Iob was subject to these feares even before the time of his great affliction while he enjoyed much prosperity and outward peace For whereas he saith of himselfe Iob 3.26 that in those daies I was not in peace neither had I rest neither was I quiet he telleth us in the former verse 25. that it was feare that did thus disquiet him David also oft complaineth of this Psal. 119.120 My flesh trembleth for feare of thee and I am afraid of thy judgements This may seeme to bee more then a child-like feare to offend God that he could not see nor heare of any strange judgements of God but his flesh trembled at it And Psal. â—â— 4 â— My heart is â—ore pained within me with what with feare as appeareth by the next words and the terrours of death are fallen upon me fearefullnesse and trembling are come upon me and horrour hath overwhelmed mee What poore Christian is there in the world can say more of his feares And yet Heman the Prophet goeth further Psal. 88.15 While I suffer thy terrours I am distracted and verse 16. Thy terrours have cut me off As if he had said For feare and terrour I know not what to doe I have no use of my understanding I am become even as a dead man Take another example for this in the Apostle Paul who professeth of himselfe 2 Cor. 7.5 that while he was in Macedonia he found no rest in his flesh but that as he had fightings without much opposition and trouble raised against him by men so he had terrours within Certainely he was much subject to these feares we speake of But what speake I of particular examples this is the condition of most Christians that at one time or other they are subject unto them Yea they are more subject unto them a great deale then the lewdest men are who have much more just cause to feare then they have as wee see the trees that have life and sap in them are shaken too and fro with the winds when those that are dry and dead are not moved at all but strand stone-still In which respect the Lord speaking to them to whom the promises of the Gospell do belong calleth them Esa. 35.4 such as are of a fearefull heart and chideth them for this Esa. 51.13 Thou hast feared continually every day because of the fury of the oppressour Now if you would know the reasons why Gods most faithfull and upright-hearted seruants may be so subject to these feares and why they are so I find two principall causes of this First Their owne weaknesse When the Apostle speaketh of those feares he was subject to among the Corinthians he imputeth them to his owne weaknesse I was with you saith he 1 Cor. 2.3 in weakenesse and in feare and in much trembling And there is a double weakenesse in the best of Gods servants a naturall weakenesse and a sinfull weakenesse and so there is a naturall feare and a sinfull feare in them Our blessed Saviour that had no sin in him yet when he was in the garden was sore afraid and being to pray durst not be alone but got three of his Disciples to be by him yea charged them to keepe themselves awake too as you shall find Mar. 14.32 34. Through this naturall weakenesse it is that the best man that is may feele in himselfe some feare of death and when he seriously thinketh of his appearing before God or when the Lord doth by any extraordinary worke as thundring and lightning and earth-quakes c. manifest unto him his glorious power he cannot choose but feare and tremble I remembred God and was troubled saith the Prophet Psal. 77.3 and that hath oft beene the case of many a good soule When God shewed his glory in the delivering of the law by darknesse and tempest by thunder and lightning it is said by the Apostle Heb. 12.21 that the sight was so terrible that Moses himselfe said I exceedingly feare and quake Yea when Christ did shew his divine and glorious power even in goodnesse by bringing such a multitude of fish to the net that it brake withall it is said Luk. 5.8 9. that Peter was so astonished with feare that he fell downe at Iesus knees saying depart from me for I am a sinfull man O Lord. But besides
this naturall weakenesse there is a sinfull weakenesse also in the best of Gods children even weaknesse of faith which maketh them subject not to naturall feares onely but to sinfull feares also There is much lacking in their faith as the Apostle said of the Thessalonians 1 Thess. 3.10 And this is a chiefe cause of all their feares Why are ye fearefull ô ye of little faith saith our Saviour to his Disciples Mat. 8.16 pointing at the chiefe cause of all our feare When are apt to doubt of Gods favour and of the pardon of our sinnes and who can choose but bee much disquieted in his heart with â—eare when he doubteth of Gods favour When the Prophet complained Psal. 88.15 While I suffer thy terrours I am distracted he telleth us verse 14. what was the cause of those terrours he felt in himselfe Lord why castest thou off my soule why hidest thou thy face from me Hee could not be perswaded of Gods love hee thought God had cast him of And can you wonder then though his heart were full of terrour The second cause of these feares is the Lord himselfe Certainely his holy hand is to be acknowledged in this kinde of affliction as well as in any other These feares are therefore called the Lords terrours Psal. 88.15 and 2 Cor. 5.11 because they come from him And the Lord seeth it to bee good and profitable many waies for sundry of his servants to bee much exercised by them 1. This maketh them carefull by repentance to purge themselves from all their knowne sinnes So the Lord speaketh of the feare which they that travell by sea are in when they see the strange breaches which the whale by his rising doth make in the sea Iob 4â— 25 When he raiseth up himselfe the mighty and most stout hearted are afraid by reason of his breakings they purifie themselves As wee see the mariners that carryed Ionah did Ionah 1.5 The mariners were afraid and cryed every man to his God Every one sought to make his peace with God in the best manner that he could This effect wee know feare usually hath even in all men but much more certainely in Gods children 2. This keepeth them humble fearefull to sinne tractable and willing to obey God in all things This is also a naturall effect of feare to abate the pride of mans heart and to make it humble and tractible Put them in feare ô Lord saith David Psal. 9.20 that the nations may know themselves to bee but men Certainely if the Lord should not now and then visit them with inward terrours and gripes there be many in the world would even forget themselves to be men But this effect it hath in Gods children especially O that there were such a heart in them saith the Lord of his people Deut. 5.29 that they would feare me keepe my commandements alwaies As if he had said Now they are fearefull to offend me in any thing now they are willing to doe any thing I would have them as they protested verse 27. But when was that Surely when by seeing the law delivered in that terrible manner they were brought into a wonderfull feare 3. Lastly This prepareth them and maketh them fit to receive comfort from God Thus the Lord hath beene wont to prepare his servants whom he meant to give most comfort unto Before the Lord delivevered that large and comfortable promise unto Abram Gen. 15.13 21. it is said verse 12. Loe an horrour of great darknesse fell upon him Before Elijah could heare that still and small voice that spake so much comfort unto him concerning himselfe and the whole Church the Lord first affrighted him with a great and strong wind that rent the mountaines and brake the rockes in pieces and then by an earthquake and after that by a fire 1 King 19.11 12. hee deepely humbled him by feare and terrour first that he might prepare and make him fit to receive that comfort You see then that this may bee the case of them that are most upright hearted and such as truly love the Lord they may bee much subject to these feares And this is the first thing I told you I had to say for the comfort of such poore soules The second is this That it is not onely possible that thou maist love God unfeignedly though thou be so subject to these terrours but even while thou art in this case thou hast evident signes in thee that thou dost so and if thou couldst observe thine owne heart well thou wouldst be able to discerne that thou dost love God indeed For First Thou desirest Gods favour above all things in the world and no crosse afflicteth thy heart so much as this that thou thinkest thou hast lost it thou canst not be assured of it this is a certaine signe thou lovest him When the Churches diligence in seeking after Christ when she had lost him is described Cant. 2.1 4. she expresseth the cause that moved her so to seeke after him by calling him him whom her soule loved and this title she repeateth in every one of those verses Certainely if her soule had not dearely loved him she could not in that manner have sought after him So that this griefe and trouble thy heart is in because thou canst not be assured of Gods favour argueth plainely that thou art sicke of love as the Church saith she was Cant. 2.5 and 5.8 Thy love to God is the cause of thy sicknesse and griefe O how happy a thing would it be with many if they were sicke of this disease Secondly Thou darest not doe any thing that thou thinkest would offend God but makest conscience to doe his will therefore thou lovest God Hee that hath my commandements and keepeth them saith our Saviour Ioh. 14.21 is hee that loveth me And 1 Iohn 5.3 This is the love of God that we keepe his commandements we could not els do it constantly nor conscionably Thirdly When thou hast through infirmity done any thing to offend God thou grievest unfeignedly and art troubled with it This argueth that thou lovest the Lord. It was love that made Mary Magdalen to weepe so abundantly for her sinnes as our Saviour testifieth of her Luke 7.47 And this was the onely thing whereby Peter did expresse that though he haâ— so shamefully denied Christ yet he loved him above all things when he had so offended hee went out and wept bitterly Mat. 26.75 Fourthly Thou lovest the Word and ordinances of God and the sincerity of his worship Therefore thou lovest God For the Lord calleth them that keepe the second commandement specially and above all others such as love him Exod. 20.6 And David professing himself Psal. 119 132. to be one of those that did love Gods name declareth it by no argument so much as by this throughout that Psalme even by that love hee bare unto and that delight hee tooke in the Word of God Fiftly thou lovest the children of God even because of the
goodnesse thou seest in them therefore thou lovest God If we love one another saith the Apostle 1 Iohn 4.12 God dwelleth in us and his love is perfected in us As if he had said That is a signe of a sound and perfect love of God So Christ will acknowledge at the last day that the love that was shewed to the least of his brethren was shewed unto him Matth. 25.40 If thou lovest the brethren thou lovest the Lord. Sixtly and lastly Thou dost unfeignedly desire to love the Lord and strivest against these feares that trouble thee and wouldst faine doe God service out of love and not out of feare Therefore thou lovest him For even as hee that doth unfeignedly desire to feare God doth feare God Neh. 1.11 And hee that mourneth for his infidelity and striveth against it hath true faith as it appeareth in that example of the poore man mentioned Mar. 9.24 So hath hee the true love of God in his heart that doth unfeignedly desire to love the Lord. But how can this be will you say Could I be so afrraid of God as I am if I did truly love him Is it possible for a man to be so afraid of him whom hee doth love Doth not the Apostle say 1 Iohn 4.18 That there is no feare in love but perfect love casteth out feare I answer 1. It is true that in love there is no such feare nothing is more contrary unto the nature of love then these feares are But in the person that hath true love these feares may be As though there is no infidelity or doubting of Gods favour in faith nothing more contrary unto faith then doubting and infidelity yet in the person of a true beleever there may be much infidelity as we have heard out of Mar. 9.24 2. Perfect love will cast out all these feares and the perfecter our love to God is the more it will cast out these feares and deliver us from them But the love of the best of Gods servants is imperfect and will be till we come to heaven for there and there onely are the spirits of just men made perfect as the Apostle speaketh Heb. 12.23 The third and last thing I have to say unto these poore soules that are so much disquieted with feare is this They must strive against these feares and labour to rid their hearts of them as David did Psal. 56.3 What time I am afraid I will trust in thee For 1 A trembling heart is in it selfe a judgement of God and part of that curse that God hath threatned in his law against sinne as you shall find Deut. 28.65 And Iob 18.11 Terrours shall make him afraid on every side Yea it is the greatest tormentour of the heart and enemy to the peace and tranquillity of it that can be Feare hath torment saith the Apostle 1 Iohn 4.18 He that is afraid to die must needs live in continuall and extreame bondage as the Apostle speaketh Heb. 2.15 2. It is not onely a judgement but a sinne also For it is oft forbidden and condemned in the Word Esa 8.12 Feare not their feare nor be afraid And Matth. 8.26 Why are ye fearefull ô ye of little faith Yea it is a cause of many other sinnes The feare of man bringeth a snare saith Solomon Pro. 29.25 1. It maketh a man apt to hide himselfe from God and run away from him I was afraid saith Adam Gen. 3.10 because I was naked and I hid my selfe 2. It maketh a man unprofitable and heartlesse to every good duty I was afraid saith the unprofitable servant Matth. 25.25 and went and hid thy talent in the earth 3. It keepeth a man from loving God as he should The more servile feare of God is in the heart the lesse love of God must needs be in it These are so contrary that they doe mutually diminish and expell one another as the Apostle hath taught us 1 Iohn 4.18 All this is true will you say but by what meanes may I rid my heart of this servile feare I answer These be the meanes First Consider wherein thou hast offended him and seeke peace with him seeke his favour seeing thou canst not flee nor hide thy selfe from him It is the course Solomon would have us take when a great man is offended with us Eccle. 8.3 Be not hasty to goe out of his sight It is good for me saith David Psal. 73.28 to draw neare unto God to get within him when he is most angry and to fall downe at his feet If thou returne to the Almighty saith Eliphaz Ioh 22.23.26 then shalt thou have thy delight in the Almighty and shalt lift up thy face unto God Secondly Nourish in thy heart a child-like feare to offend God and it will banish out of it these slavish feares Feare not their feare nor be afraid saith the Lord Esa. 8.12 13 Alas how should wee helpe that might they say He answereth Sanctifie the Lord of â—osts himselfe and let him be your feare and let him be your dread In the feare of the Lord saith Solomon Pro. 14.26 is strong confidence Thirdly Pray earnestly unto God against these feares This was Davids practise Psal. 34.4 I sought the Lord and he heard me and delivered me from all my feares Pray as Ier. 17.17 Be not thou a terrour unto me thou art my hope in the day of evill As if he had said If I be afraid of thee what hope can I have in the evill day Fourthly Frequent Gods Sanctuary and in his ordinances there behold oft and meditate of the beauty of the Lord how amiable he is and worthy to be loved One thing have I desired of the Lord that will I seeke after that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the daies of my life to behold the beauty of the Lord saith David Psal. 27.4 Fiftly Seeke assurance by faith that Christ is thine and give thy selfe no rest till thou canst be able to say as Psal. 48.14 This God is my God for ever and ever he will be my guide even unto death In him saith the Apostle Ephes. 3.12 wee have boldnesse and accesse with confidence by faith in him Sixtly and lastly Acquaint thy selfe with the promises God hath so oft made his people to free them from these feares Iob 11.15 Thou shalt lift up thy face without spot yea thou shalt be steadfast and shalt not feare Psal. 112.7 8. He shall not be afraid of evill ridings his heart is fixed his heart is established he shall not be afraid And Pro. 1.33 Who so hearkneth unto me shall dwelt safely and shall be quiet from feare of evill These and such promises thou shouldst by faith give undoubted credit unto and apply them to thy selfe and rest upon them and make claime and challenge unto them Remembring how able the Lord is to performe them how faithfull also and true of his word Lecture LXXX On Psalme 51.6 February 5. 1627. IT followeth now that
we proceed unto the second grace whereof the right root of all true righteousnesse and goodnesse doth consist and that is a lively faith The point then that we are now to learne is this That all true love unto God and consequently all true godlinesse and uprightnesse of heart springeth from a lively faith even such a faith as maketh knowne to a man Gods love to him in Christ and maketh him able to receive Christ and to rest upon him See the proofe of this in foure degrees First Without faith it is not possible for a man to repent and forsake sinne in a right manner Sin shall not have dominion over you saith the Apostle Rom. 6.14 for ye are not under the law but under grace As if he had said Till you be under grace till by faith ye be assured of Gods gracious disposition towards you sinne will have dominion over you ye cannot helpe it ye cannot avoid it It is the bloud of Christ only applied by faith that purgeth the conscience from dead workes as the Apostle teacheth Heb. 9.14 Secondly Without faith it is not possible for a man to leade a godly life or to do anything that may please God Heb. 1â— 6 Without saith it is impossible to please God The life that I now live saith the Apostle Gal. 2.20 that is my spirituall life I live by the faith of the sonne of God Thirdly Without faith it is not possible for a man to have an honest and upright heart all he doth will be in hypocrisie till he have a lively faith For it is faith that purifieth the heart Acts 15.9 and that sanctifieth it Acts 26. â—8 Fourthly and lastly Without a lively faith it is impossible to love the Lord. It is saith that worketh by love saith the Apostle Gal. 5.6 As if he had said faith is that that setteth love on working that giveth life and motion unto it This is that which the Apostle also teacheth 1 Tim. 1.5 The end of the commandement is love out of a pure heart and a good conscience and faith unfeigned As if he had said The true love of God which is the very end and perfection the fulfilling of every commandement of God which maketh us able to keepe the commandements and to account them no burden nothing grievous to us which giveth the price and valew in Gods sight to all our obedience springeth from a pure and upright heart and that from a good conscience and that from faith yea from faith unfeigned So that is the maine root of all The reasons hereof are two First Because faith is the onely thing that knitteth us to Christ and maketh him ours Christ dwelleth in our hearts by saith Ephes. 3.17 And till we bee knit to him and he be made ours there can be no goodnesse in us Of his fullnesse have we all received Ioh. 1.16 Without me ye can do nothing saith our Saviour Iohn 15.4 Secondly Because faith and faith onely maketh knowne to us that love of God as is effectuall to to breed in us a true love unto God It is an old and true proverbe and the truth of it is not so certaine in any case as in this magnes omoris amor Love is of an attractive nature like the load-stone to draw love unto it We love God saith the Apostle 1 Iohn 4.19 because he loved us first We can never love him till we be first perswaded of his love to us When the Sun in his full strength heate hath shined much upon it the stony pavement it self will reflect and send up an heate towards the sunne yea a greater heate then either the softer earth or the aire will but till the sun hath shined and shined much upon it it can send up no heate nor have any in it at all And even so it is with our cold and stony hearts when the knowledge and sense of Gods love hath warmed them then will they reflect love to God againe but till then they cannot But to handle this second reason more plainely and profitably two things are to be observed which I will distinctly speake of 1. Nothing but a lively faith can so assure us of Gods love to us as to kindle in our hearts a true love to God 2. A lively faith is able to doe this For the first It may bee objected that a man may bee sufficiently perswaded of Gods love to him though hee have not a lively faith For 1 Experience doth now and in all ages hath proved that many a most wicked man that is utterly void of true faith is fully perswaded that God loveth him and glorieth in nothing more then in that Hee maketh his boast of God as the Apostle speaketh of the wicked Iewes Rom. 2.17 The Lord speaking of some that did both in word and deed commit as much wickednes as they were able Ier. 3.5 yet saith of them ver 4. that these men would cry unto him My God thou art the guide of my youth And our Saviour saith that those cursed Iewes of whom hee pronounceth that the devill was their father Iohn 8.44 yet were themselves fully perswaded of Gods fatherly love unto them and could say of themselves verse 41 Wee have one father even God And what child of God know you upon earth that hath this word I thanke my God so much in his mouth as many a most wicked man hath 2 A man that hath no faith may yet have just cause to bee perswaded of Gods love towards him for God doth indeed love him and sheweth it many wayes that hee doth love him The Lord is good to all saith David Ps. 145.9 and his tender mercies are over all his works He is kind to the unthankefull and to the evill saith our Saviour Luke 6.25 Loe hee is good and kind and tenderly mercifull unto all even unto the worst men And upon whom doth not his light arise saith Bildad Iob 25.3 What man is there in the world that hath not sensible and comfortable experience of Gods love every day And why should not all men then be perswaded that God loveth them Now to this objection I have foure things to answer First It is very true that even these outward and common favours of God that all men enjoy are evident testimonies of Gods love and goodnesse In that hee giveth life and health and seasonable times in that hee causeth us to prosper yea in that hee feedeth us and cloatheth us it is a signe hee loveth us God loveth the stranger saith Moses Deutere 10.18 in giving him food and raiment Secondly To them that are in Christ these temporall and common favours of God are signes and pledges of his speciall love even by them the faithfull are confirmed in the assurance of his eternall love When Iacob saw that God had changed Esaus heart so that he looked and spake kindly to him hee saw Gods face and loving countenance toward him even in that I
have seene thy face saith hee Genes 33.10 as though I had seene the face of God By this I know saith David Psal. 41.11 that thou favourest me because mine enemy doth not triumph over me Thirdly These common favours and fruits of Gods love may worke in all men even in them that have no faith a kind of love unto God a common and an ordinary and a superficiall love But then I say fourthly A sound and true love to God can never bee wrought in any mans heart that hath not faith by these outward and temporall blessings of God nor by any knowledge hee can have by them of Gods love to him The unsoundnesse of that love that is wrought in men towards God by these common favours of his will appeare in three points First It is but a mercenary love they love the gifts of God rather then the Lord himselfe and when God giveth over giving to them they give over loving of him This is like the love that harlots beare to their lovers When the Prodigall had to give and spend upon those harlots upon whom it is sayd hee wiâ—tâ—d his goods Luke 15.30 no doubt but they shewed a great deale of kindnesse unto him but when hee could give them no more their love was at an end Satan knew well that this is the love of most men unto God though hee falsely and maliciously charged Iob with it Iob 1.10 11. While God mâ—â—â—th in hedge about them and about all that they have while hee blesseth the worke of their hands and their substance is increased they will love the Lord but let thâ— Lord put forth his hand and touch all that they have they will be ready to curse him to his face Whereas hee that soundly and truly loveth the Lord loveth him for himselfe and those perfections and excellencies that are in him and not for his gifts nor for his owne advantage onely Hee loveth him as a good child doth his parents 1 Tim. 5 4 though they bee poore and have nothing to give him And as Paul declaring the truth of his love to the Corinthians professeth 2 Cor. 12.14 hee sought not theirs but them so doth hee that truly loveth the Lord desire to enjoy him and his favour more then hee doth desire any of Gods blessings any thing that the Lord can doe for him His soule saith unto God as David did Psal. 119.57 Thou art my portion ô Lord. If I have thee I have enough I desire no more There are many will say saith David Psalm 4.6 7. who will shew us any good Gods goods and benefits every man desireth every man is enamored with But Lord saith hee lift up the light of thy countenance upon us As if hee had said Wee have enough if wee have thee and thy favour And so speaketh hee also Psalm 73.25 There is nothing upon earth that I desire besides thee And from hence also it commeth that as hee that truly and intirely loveth any man will love him at all times even then when his friend doth not nor can requite his love yea therein principally the truth of his love appeareth as Solomon saith Prov. 17.17 A friend loveth at all times and a brother is borne for adversity And as our Saviour teacheth us that no man hath any true charity in him towards his neighbour that loveth him onely while hee dealeth kindly with him but caâ— love no man that hath dealt unkindly with him or done him wrong If you doe good to them that doe good to you saith he Luk. 6.33 what thankes hâ—â—e you for sinners also will doe so much So hee that truly loveth the Lord will love him at all times even when hee with-holdeth his hand and with-draweth his bounty when he carrieth himselfe towards him even as if he were his enemy Though he slay me saith Iob 13 15. yet will â—trust in him which he could never have done if he had not loved him Secondly The love that is bred in men towards God by his temporall blessings without faith is no sound or true love because there bee many other things that all such men love as much or more then God He that loveth father or mother more then mee saith our Saviour Matth. 10.37 hee that to please them dare offend mee hee that loveth sunne or daughter more then mee hee that to scrapâ— and provide for them dare sinne against mee or through fondnesse like Ely can beare with any profanenesse or lewdnesse in them is not worthy of me his love is of no worth at all in my account If a man bee a lover of pleasures more then a lover of God as the Apostle telleth us 2 Tim. 3.4 many in these last dayes shall be if a man love any lust of his better then God and rather then hee will forsake it he will adventure the loste of Gods favour certainely hee hath no true love of God in him Hee that truly loveth God giveth him the highest seate in his heart loveth him more then any thing else in the world and can say with Paul Phil. â— 8 For Christ I have suffered that is in will and affection the losse of all things and doe count them but dung that I may win Christ. And this Christ required in Peters love Iohn 21.15 he saith not onely Simon thou sonne of Ionas lovest thou me that had not beene enough to prove his love true and sincere but lovest thou mee more then these then thy nets then thy fish then thy friends that are here about thee And though Peter in the depth of his humilitie saith nothing in his answer to that terme of comparison yet is it evident by Christs question that he knew his love was so unfeined towards him that there was nothing in the world that he loved more or so much as him Thirdly and lastly The love that is bred in men towards God by that generall bounty and goodnesse that all men tast of is no true love because it hath no force and strength to restraine them from sinne and draw them unto obedience The Apostle speaking of a commandement that hath some difficultie in it that is the parting with our goods for the reliefe of our brother whom wee see in necessitie saith of him that sticketh at this 1 Ioh 3.17 How dwelleth the love of God in him And thereupon inferreth in the next words verse 18. My little children let us not love he meaneth let us not love God in word nor in tongue but in deed and in truth As if hee had said no man doth love God in deed and in truth if his love to God will not make him willing to doe any thing that hee would have him to doe and that may please him True love we know is a most forcible thing to make one serviceable and willing to doe any thing for such as they love What paines will the mother take what offices will shee performe to her little infant yea how wilâ—ingly and cheerefully
The seven yeeres wherein Iacob did service to Laban a very hard master seemed to him but a very few dâ—yes saith Moses Genes 29.20 because hee loved Rachel And surely our love to God is no lesse forcible this way if it be true it will make us willing to obey him even in his hardest commandements Of this her love to God it is that the Church speaketh when shee saith Cant. 8.6 Love is strong and irresistable as death And this is that which the Apostle meaneth 1 Iohn 5.3 4. This is the love of God that we keepe his commandements and his commandements are not grievous As if hee had said the love of God will make us carefull to keepe Gods commandements yea it will make those commandements easie to us that are most crosse to our nature they will bee nothing grievous to us if we love the Lord. And thus have I finished the first point I propounded Nothing but faith can so assure us of Gods love to us as may kindle in our hearts a true love to God The second followeth A lively faith is able to do this Faith assureth us of such a love that God hath borne to us so speciall so marvellous a love above that that hee hath done to the greatest part of the world as wee cannot choose but love him againe and love him unfeinedly that is love him for himselfe love him better then any thing else love him so as wee can bee content to goe through thicke and thin to please him Observe the proofe of this in three degrees First There is a marvellous love of God that far surpasseth all other of his loves If you aske me wherin God hath declared this his speciall and marvellous love to his people I answer in giving them his only Son to ransome them from hell and to purchase heaven for them Herein is love saith the Apostle 1 Iohn 4.10 that God loved us and sent his sonne to bee the propitiation for our sinnes And Rom. 5.8 God commendeth his love towards us in this that while wee were yet sinners Christ dyed for us This was a marvellous love of God all the fruits of Gods favour that worldlings doe enjoy are but shels and husks in comparison of this Secondly Whereas this love of God is not alike to all men but peculiar to a few in comparison Feare not little flocke saith our Saviour Luke 12.32 Wheras God in sending his son had not such respect to the greatest part of the world I pray not for the world saith Christ. Iohn 17.9 Faith assureth every true beleever that this wonderfull love of God belongeth to him That God in speciall love to him sent his Sonne to doe and endure all that hee did It maketh him able to say with the Apostle Galat. 2.20 Hee loved me and gave himselfe for me And with David Ps. 31.21 Blessed bee the Lord for he hath shewed me his marvellous kindnesse He hath made me able to see that this marvellous love of his belongeth to me Thirdly and lastly When the heart of a man is once by faith assured that God hath so loved him as to send his Sonne to dye for him this must needs breed in him a love unfeined unto God and care to please him and proportionable to the assurance wee have of this love of God shall our love to God bee Mary Magdalene because shee knew by faith that Gods love to her had beene so aboundant as to forgive her so many sinnes therefore did shee love Christ aboundantly Luk 7.47 Thus David professeth of himselfe Psal. 116.1 I love the Lord because he hath heard my voice and my supplications And what was the prayer that he had made for hearing of which hee did so love the Lord He telleth us ver 3.4 The sorrowes of death compassed me and the pains of hell got hold upon me I found trouble and sorrow then called I upon the name of the Lord. Hee was in anguish of conscience and feare of damnation and God upon his prayer spake peace to his heart and assured him of his favour in Christ therefore did hee so love the Lord. Therefore the Apostle praying for the Ephesians 3.17 19. that they might bee rooted and grounded in love to God he meaneth and to men for his sake hee desireth to that end that God would make them able fully to comprehend and know in all the dimensions of it the love of Christ that passeth knowledge As if hee should say If men did well know this love of God to us in Christ they could not choose but be so settled and rooted in love to God as nothing could bee able to draw their hearts from him Lecture LXXXI On Psalme 51.6 Febru 19. 1627. LET us now apply this that wee have heard to our selves And that that I will say for the application of this point shall bee by way of exhortation onely even to stirre up and perswade my selfe and every one of you not to rest contented with the fruits of Gods common and generall love bee not satisfied in thy selfe till thou be assured by faith that God loveth thee with his speciall and particular love that thou art one of the world of Gods Elect whom God so loved that hee gave his onely begotten sonne for thee that thou beleeving in him mightest not perish but have life everlasting as our Saviour speaketh Iohn 3.16 That God so loveth thee that hee spared not his owne sonne but delivered him up for thee as Rom. 8.32 Till thou canst say with Paul Gal. 2.20 Christ Iesus the Sonne of God loved mee and gave himselfe for mee And with Iohn Revel 1.5 Hee loved us and washed us from our sinnes in his owne blood Till thou bee assured that God loveth thee with this more then common with this marvellous love nothing should content thee but thou shouldst still cry with David Psal. 17.7 Shew me thy marvellous loving kindnesse make mee able to see and know that thou lovest me with this marvellous love And 106.4 Remember me ô Lord with the favour that thou bearest to thy people ò visit mee with thy salvation To bee beloved of God with that love that hee beareth to strangers or to his hired servants should not content us but that love onely that hee beareth to his owne people to his deare children None of his gifts should satisfie us without his salvation those good things that accompany salvation but wee should still cry ô visit mee with thy salvation as if hee had sayd give mee a comfortable sense and assurance of that It is said of the faithfull Bereans Acts 17.11 that they were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 better borne and bred more noble then others And as those that are nobly borne aspire after higher estates and conditions of life then other men doe they scorne to live upon a base and mechanicall trade So saith our Saviour Matth. 6.31 33. that all wee that are his Disciples should doe After all these things saith hee
that is meat and drinke and clothes doe the Gentiles that are borne to no better hope seeke that is onely or chiefely but seeke ye first the kingdome of God and his righteousnesse And certainely if wee bee borne of God wee shall not bee so base minded as other men are but find in our selves such high and generous spirits as nothing but the reward of the inheritance as the Apostle calleth it Colos. 3.24 nothing but the kingdome of heaven will content us And thus are all they that shall bee saved described Rom. 2.7 They seeke for glory and honour and immortality And this is that Holy ambition that I desire to stirre up in my selfe and in every one of you that wee would strive to bring our hearts to this that wee may bee able to say life is sweete and a good blessing of God and so is health and so is peace and so is a plentifull estate and so is credite and so is mirth but all these things are nothing unto mee without the assurance of Gods speciall love unto mee in Christ. Rejoyce not in this that the spirits are subject unto you saith our Saviour to his Disciples Luke 10.20 and yet that was a great and a rare gift of God but rather rejoyce because your names are written in heaven That even as Absalom 2 Sam. 14.32 thought it nothing to bee restored from his banishment and to bee admitted to live in Ierusalem unlesse hee might see the Kings face so should we esteeme all other comforts and contentments whatsoever as nothing unlesse wee may see the light of Gods countenance see him looke cheerefully upon us and shew himselfe to bee reconciled unto us This is that that David preferred before all the World Psalm 4.6 Many say who will shew us any good who will shew us how wee may get wealth and credite and pleasure and such things but As if hee should say but I am not of their mind Lord lift up the light of thy countenance upon us upon mee and upon thy people this is all in all unto mee This this is that I desire to perswade you unto to get assurance that God loveth you with this speciall love Get assurance of it I say unto your selves Make your casting and election sure saith the Apostle 2 Peter 1.10 Content not your selves with an uncertaine hope in this case but seeke to bee sure of this Yea hee that is most sure of this let him seeke to bee more sure still as the Church doth Canticles 1.2 Let him kisse mee with the kisses of his mouth as if shee had sayd Let him still give mee more evidences of his love for thy love is better then wine Now for the better enforcing of this exhortation 1. I will give you some motives that may provoke you to seeke this assurance of the speciall love of God 2. I will shew you the meanes how you may attaine unto it Wee have all need of motives yea of strong motives to perswade us a strange thing to consider of to seeke Gods favour to seeke assurance that hee loveth us For 1. The most men are like the prodigall of whom wee read Luke 15.16 17. who so long as hee could have enough to fill his belly though it were but the huskes that the swine fed on never thought of his father nor sought for his favour And like profane Esau that despised his birthright Genesis 25.34 If God will but love them so farre as to let them live in wealth and peace and credit and mirth heere his speciall love that reacheth to the forgivenesse of their sinnes and life everlasting they care not for they seeke not after 2. Many that are possessed with the spirit of bondage and often vexed with terrible doubts and feares about this matter yet never seeke for this certainty 3. Many that thinke they have faith content themselves with an uncertaine opinion and wavering hope of Gods favour and never seeke to make this certaine unto themselves Hearken therefore unto sixe Motives I will give you out of Gods word to stirre you up to this First This love of God is an everlasting love I have loved thee saith God to his people to his elect in Christ Ier. 31.3 with an everlasting love And of Christs love the Evangelist saith Ioh. 13.1 Having loved his owne that is such as his father gave him such as beleeved in him unto the end he loved them I am perswaded saith the Apostle Rom. 8.38 39. that neither death nor life nor Angels nor principalities nor powers nor things present nor things to come nor height nor depth nor any other creature shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Iesus our Lord. Then get once the assurance of this love of God in Christ and thou maist bee certaine thou shalt never loose it Thy assurance of it I grant thou mayest loose for a time through thy owne folly but this love of God canst thou never loose if ever thou hadst it The Moone is subject to change and so are all things that are under it but the Sunne though through the interposition of somewhat betweene it and us it doe not alwayes shine upon us yet doth it never change So though our sinnes may raise up a thicke cloud as the Prophet speaketh Esay 44 22. betweene the Lord and us that keepeth the light of his countenance from shining upon us yet is there in this father of lights as the Apostle saith Iames 1.17 no variablenesse at all nor so much as a shadow of turning or changing his affection towards us This is a love therefore worth the having worth the seeking even the seeking to bee sure of it This property of Gods love hath made Gods people highly to esteeme of it O give thanks to the Lord saith David Psalm 118.1 for he is good because his mercy endureth for ever Yea see how the Prophet followeth this and insisteth upon it verse 2.4 This speciall love of God to us in Christ is called Esa. 55.3 The sure mercies of David All the other mercies of God and fruits of his love without Christ which yet men so much dote upon are transitory and such as wee can have no certainty of these only are sure mercies this only is an everlasting and unchangeable love Secondly This would free the heart from those feares that doe so vex and torment us if wee were once sure of this speciall love of God to us That even as when Christ was come into the ship where his Disciples were Marke 6 5â— the wind ceased presently and there was a â—alme so will it bee with thy heart get Christ once into it and it will bee quiet So David professeth that when he had seene the light of Gods countenance and rejoyced in it Psalme 4 8. I will both lay mee downe in peace and sleepe saith he And indeed what need wee to feare if wee have Gods favour If God bee for
us saith Paul Rom. 8.31 who can bee against us To hurt us hee meaneth The Lord is my light and my salvation saith David Psalme 27.1 whom shall I feare And 49.5 Wherefore should I feare in the dayes of evill when the iniquitie of my heeles shall compasse mee about Why David what maketh thee so secure in the midst of danger Hee telleth you verse 15. God will redeeme my soule from the power of the grave for hee shall receive mee On the other side hee that doubteth of Gods love to him in Christ must needes bee vexed with continuall feares feare of death and feare of troubles It is Christ only saith the Apostle Heb. 2.15 that delivereth them who through the feare of death were all their life time subject to bondage Thirdly This bringeth with it unto us all good things Seeke ye first the kingdome of God and his righteousnesse saith our Saviour Matth. 6.33 As if he had said Make your salvation sure make this sure unto your selves that God is reconciled unto you that you are in his favour and all these things shall be added unto you O that men could beleeve Christ in this that this is the best way to be certaine of all earthly comforts so farre as they shall bee good for us He that spared not his own son saith the Apostle Rom. 8.32 but delivered him up for us all how shall he not with him also freely give us all things Yea this sweetneth all Gods blessings to us and giveth a pleasant relish unto them when we can tast in them Gods love unto us in Christ. When Iob speaketh Iob 29.1 7. of the comfort he tooke in all Gods blessings in the time of his prosperity in his children and riches in that honour and esteeme God gave him among all men he giveth this for the reason of it verse 3. His candle his light the comfortable assurance of his savour shined upon my head Yea this will not onely susteine and keepe us from fainting in times of common trouble and calamity as Iob saith there Iob 29.3 By his light I walked through darknesse While the light of his countenance shined upon me I could walke cheerefully in the darkest and saddest times But it will also sweeten the bitterest afflictions that can befall our selves in particular when we know they are but the chastisements of our father that loveth us dearely though hee thus correct us The cup which my father hath given me saith our Saviour Iohn 18.11 shall I not drinke it All hope of deliverance and comfort in danger and distresse groweth from the assurance of Gods favour Vpon this David grounded his hope Psal. 42.5 Why art thou cast downe ô my soule c. Hope thou in God for I shall yet praise him for the helpe of his countenance To this he ascribeth all the deliverances the Church had received from the Lords right hand Psalme 44.3 They got not the land in possession by their owne sword neither did their own arme save them but thy right hand and thine arme and the light of thy countenance because thou hadst a favour unto them The sting of death saith the Apostle 1 Cor. 15.56 and if of death then of all other afflictions sure is sin and if the sting of them be once gone certainely there can be no deadly paine in them And thus Christ comforteth a poore man that was sicke of a dead palsy a disease that dulleth the spirits and maketh the heart as heavie as any disease can Matth. 9.2 Sonne be of good cheere thy sinnes be forgiven thee On the other side he that doubteth of Gods love to him in Christ what comfort can hee have in life or in death in prosperity or in adversity specially if God shall be pleased to awaken his conscience What sweetnesse can a man find in all his wealth or pleasure or good cheere when it hath this bitter tang and loose with it that his heart shall say to him I may be a vessell of wrath for all that Alas Cain had as much as all this commeth to and Esau and Dives who are all now firebrands in hell Must not the joy that all such men seeme to take in their prosperity be such as the Apostle speaketh of 2 Cor. 5.12 in the face onely and not in the heart And if this be their condition in their greatest prosperity then what comfort can they have in their affliction and in their death thinke you What is the hope of the hypocrite saith Iob 27.8 though he hath gained when God taketh away his soule Fourthly If we were once assured of Gods speciall love to us in Christ this would make us yeeld obedience unto God and do his service not grudgingly or as of necessity but as out of love and willingly and cheerefully For a good man a bountifull a kind man saith the Apostle Rom. 5.7 some will even dare to die And if the goodnesse and bounty of a man have such force with us that we thinke we can never do too much for him will not the assurance of this marvellous bounty and goodnesse of God to us in Christ make us to say with David Psal. 116.12 What shall I render unto the Lord for all his benefits towards me what might I doe to please and honour him that hath so dearely loved me This will make us pray with boldnesse and zeale O God thou art my God saith David Psal. 63.1 early will I seeke thee When our Saviour taught his Disciples and in them us all to pray Matth. 6.9 he biddeth us begin thus Our father which art in heaven Till our hearts doe thus conceive of God that he is our father that he loveth us with a fatherly love we can never pray aright We may say a prayer and that is all that the most of us doe but we can never pray with our hearts till then Therefore also the Apostle teacheth us Rom. 8.15 16. that the spirit that maketh us able to cry in our prayers unto God that is to pray fervently and earnestly is the spirit of adoption that spirit which witnesseth with our spirits that wee are the sonnes and daughters of God that assureth us God is our father and maketh us able to call him father yea to cry to him Abba father And as this will make us able to pray with comfort so will this also make us able to heare and reade and meditate in the Word with cheerefullnesse and a good appetite As new borne babes saith the Apostle 1 Pet. 2.2 3. desire the sincere milke of the Word if so be that yee have tasted that the Lord is gracious This will make us keepe the Sabbaths even whole Sabbaths without wearisomenesse Yee shall keepe every man my Sabbaths saith the Lord Levit. 19.3 Why so What may move us to doe this willingly and cheerefully I am the Lord your God saith he In a word this will make us walke cheerefully in every duty of obedience in every way of
God Thy loving kindnesse is before mine eyes saith David Psal. 26.3 therefore have I walked in thy truth If wee would set that oftner before our eyes meditate more seriously of that certainely it would make all Gods waies more easie and pleasant to us then they are On the other side he that hath no assurance of Gods love in Christ can never pray or heare or receive with any delight or comfort Wouldst thou know the true cause why it is so irksome a thing for thee to pray or to reade or to heare or to keepe the Sabbath that thou sayest of all these duties in thy heart as they did Mal. 1.13 O what a wearinesse is it Certainely thou hast in thee an evill heart of unbeliefe as the Apostle calleth it Heb. 3.12 Thou art not assured of Gods fatherly love to thee in Christ. Nor thou seekest not to be sure of it Get more faith and more assurance of Gods love and it will seeme no bondage to thee to serve God thou wilt finde ease and pleasure it Fiftly This and this only will cure us of that stone that is in our hearts and make them soft and fleshy make us able kindly to mourne for offending God by our sinnes When God once maketh thee able by the spirit of grace to see that Christ endured so much for thee that thy sinnes pierced Christ so then wilt thou bee able to mourne for thy sinnes saith the Prophet Zach. 12.10 as a man would mourne for the losse of his onely sonne When Mary was once assured by faith that her sinnes were forgiven yea how many sinnes God had forgiven unto her Luke 7.38.47 ô how she wept for her sinnes If thou wert indeed assured of the forgivenesse of thy sinnes and of Gods favour in Christ thou couldst never thinke of thy sinnes without griefe of heart And if thou desirest to grow more soft hearted labour to increase thy faith and to get more assurance of this speciall love of God to thee in Christ. Sixtly and lastly As no grace can grow in thy heart till thou have faith so as the measure of thy assurance of Gods love shall increase in thee so shall every saving grace increase and abound in thy soule Therefore the Apostle praying for the Ephesians Ephes. 3.19 that God would make them able to know the love of Christ which passeth knowledge he giveth this for the reason of it that ye might be filled saith he with all the fullnesse of God And these are Motives strong enough if God be pleased to work with them to perswade our hearts to seek to be assured of Gods love in Christ to make our calling and election sure It followeth now I should shew you the Meanes how this may be attained but those I must I see leave till the next day Lecture LXXXII On Psalme 51.6 February 26. 1627. NOw then there be five things principally to be done by them that would get and preserve in themselves this assurance of Gods favour First If thou desire to get assurance of Gods speciall love to thee in Christ assurance that Christ is thine assurance of thy salvation thou must first settle this perswasion in thy heart that it is possible to be attained By harbouring this conceit in thy heart that it is presumption for any man to say he is sure of his salvation I hope well but it is not possible for me or any man to be sure of this thou makest thy selfe uncapable of this comfortable assurance Know therefore that though 1. It be a very difficult thing to get and keepe this assurance 2. Few attaine unto it 3. Though this assurance be not perfect in any while they live here but they that have it best have it with some mixture of doubting and unbeliefe 4. They that have had it in the greatest measure have not had it at all times Yet every true beleever may attaine unto it if the fault be not in himselfe â—or 1. God hath commanded the faithfull to make their calling and election sure 2 Pet. 1.10 2. God hath promised that he will certifie and assure his people of this Ezek. 34.30 They shall know that I the Lord their God am with them and that they even the house of Israel are my people saith the Lord God 3. God hath given his people in all ages experience of the truth of this his promise in themselves Rom. 8.15 16. Ye have not received the spirit of bondage againe to feare as if he should say once ye had it but yee have received the spirit of adoption whereby we cry Abba father This could not be without assurance of Gods favour and this he saith not of himselfe onely but of all the faithfull of all Gods children Gal. 4.6 Because ye are sonnes God hatâ— sent forth the spirit of his sonne into your hearts This spirit witnesseth with our spiritâ— saith the Apostle Rom. 8.16 that wee are the sonnes of God We know saith the Apostle 1 Iohn 3.2 not of himselfe but of all Gods children that when Christ shall appeare we shall be like him And againe verse 14. We know we are translated from death to life And againe Chap 4.16 We have knowne and beleeved the love that God hath to us Nay I say more It is not onely possible for thee if thou be Gods child to have this assurance of Gods love in some measure but it is in some manner necessary thou shouldst have it thou must get it the hope thou talkest of is to little purpose without it Know ye not your owne selves saith the Apostle 2 Cor. 13.5 how that Iesus Christ is in you except ye be reprobates that is except ye be unsound and counterfait in the profession of the faith His house we are Heb. 3.6 if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoycing of the hope firme unto the end That hope that hath no confidence nor rejoycing in it is little worth Hope must bee as an anker of the soule both sure and stedfast as the Apostle speaketh Heb. 6.19 Well then seeing we both may and must get this assurance it standeth us upon to enquire how and by what meanes we may get it What is then next to bee done I answer Secondly We must bind our selves to a diligent and conscionable use of Gods ordinances which he hath sanctified to be the meanes whereby he will worke and increase all saving grace and consequently this in our hearts I will instance but in three and that briefly too First There is great force in the Word to worke in our hearts not onely faith Rom. 10.17 Faith commeth by hearing but this blessed fruit of faith also the assurance of Gods favour The Scriptures were written to this end to breed in us this assurance These things have I written to you 1 Iohn 5.12 that ye may know that ye have eternall life And 1.4 These things write we unto you that your joy may be full that you may have sound
savoury knowledge This light of sanctified knowledge is not like the light of a gloworme or like the light that the Moone giveth which glittereth and shineth but hath no heate in it at all but it is like that of the Sunne yea of the spring or summer sunne which doth not onely give light unto the world but it warmeth also and quickneth every thing Therefore is this light called the light of life Ioh. 8.12 No man knoweth God aright with a saving and sanctified knowledge but he must needs feare him and love him and put his trust in him The spirit of knowledge is called Esa. 11.2 The spirit of the feare of the Lord. These graces goe alwaies together So speaketh the Apostle likewise of love 1 Iohn 4.8 He that loveth not knoweth not God for God is love So Psal. 9.10 They that know thy name will put their trust in thee for thou Lord hast not forsaken them that seeke thee No man knoweth himselfe or his owne sins both of nature and practise aright with a knowledge of the holy spirits working but he must needs loath himselfe in his owne sight as the Prophet speaketh Ezek. 36 31. No man can know Christ aright know him to be his Saviour but hee must needs be affected with it and joy more in it then in any thing in the world besides So speaketh the Apostle 1 Pet. 1.8 In whom though now ye see him not yet beleeving in him knowing that he loved you and gave himselfe for you ye rejoyce with joy unspeakable and full of glory To conclude this second effect of saving knowledge No man can have any knowledge in the Scriptures of Gods teaching but he must needs affect the Word love it and delight in it So David in that very octonary and part of Psal. 119. that is to say part 13. wherein he speaketh of the knowledge and understanding he had gotten by studying the Scriptures professeth how he was affected to the Word verse 97. O how love I thy law And verse 103. How sweet are thy words unto my tast Yea sweeter then hony unto my mouth And verse 50. Thy Word hath quickned me As if he should say It hath not beene a dead and senslesse knowledge that I have gotten by it but such as hath enlightned me and bred holy affections in me Now if we would examine our selves by this note we should find that many of us that make a goodly shew in the Church of God after all these meanes of knowledge we have enjoyed have little or no saving knowledge in us Of a number of us it may be said as the Apostle speaketh 1 Cor. 8.1 We know that we have all knowledge and a great deale of it many of us But we are not affected with that we know it worketh not upon our hearts we have a great deale of light in our understanding but it is but like as the Moone-shine or the glittering of the glo-worme it warmeth not our hearts at all but they remaine still as cold and dead as any stone We have the knowledge of God and of all his attributes his holinesse his justice his omniscience his power his goodnesse but what affections doth this knowledge worke in our hearts What reverence what feare to offend him what desire to be reconciled unto him what love unto his name We know well enough what sin is and what the curse of God is that is due unto sin yea that our selves are sinners and that if we be not still yet certainely we were under this curse yet all this that wee know never maketh our hearts to quake worketh no feare nor sorrow nor humiliation in them We say we know Christ not onely to be an all sufficient Saviour to the elect but that he hath redeemed us from the curse of the law his body was broken for us and his bloud was shed for us but we are not affected with this at all we tast no more sweetnesse in Christ then in a chip wee rejoyce not in him In a word wee have knowledge in the Scriptures and increase in it daily by reading and hearing we learne more and more but nothing we read or heare or learne affecteth or moveth us or if it worke any motions in us they are but sudden flashes that vanish quickly and can this be saving knowledge No no beloved deceive not your owne soules the knowledge that Gods spirit worketh resteth not in the braine but sinketh and soaketh into the heart and worketh kindly upon the affections of a man Labour therefore for good affections and make much of them mourne for this that thy heart is so senslesse and dead Know that as good affections without knowledge will yeeld thee no comfort no more will knowledge without good affections It will doe you no good to know God unlesse you feare him and love him If any man love God saith the Apostle 1 Cor. 8.3 and that that he saith of love may be said of feare the same is knowne and approved of him It will doe you no good to know your selves to be sinners and to be able to make large confessions of them unlesse you can mourne and be humbled for them When Christ had said Matth. 5.3 Blessed are the poore in spirit he addeth verse 4. Blessed are they that mourne As if he had said Without this the other will never make us happy It will doe us no good to know Christ unlesse we can rejoyce in him We are the circumcision saith Paul Phil. 3.3 the true people of God which worship God in the spirit and rejoyce in Christ Iesus It will doe us no good to read and heare much and so to increase in the knowledge of the Word unlesse we be affected with that we heare and learne These words which I command thee this day saith the Lord Deut. 6.6 shall bee in thine heart If ye will not heare saith the Prophet Mal. 2.2 and if ye will not lay it to heart As if he had said As good not heare at all as not lay that to heart and not to be affected with that we heare The third effect of saving and sanctified knowledge is this It will reforme the heart and life of him that hath it it is an operative a powerfull and effectuall knowledge It will make the man that hath it a godly man In physick and law and other sciences a man may attaine to a good understanding and sound judgement in them though he never practise them himselfe But in Divinity it is otherwise a man knoweth nothing aright in religion till he become a practiser of that he knoweth This the Apostle teacheth us notably Ephes. 4.20 24. But ye have not so learned Christ saith he that is to say to professe your selves to bee Christians and yet to live lewdly still if so bee that ye have heard him and have beene taught by him as the truth is in Iesus Why What is it to be taught by Christ as the truth is
saving and sanctified knowledge must first see and be truly humbled for his sins Till men have a true sight and sense of their owne sins they can never attaine unto any cleare and certaine and comfortable knowledge in the matters of God That which is said in generall of all grace Iames 4.6 God giveth grace to the humble must needs be true of this God useth to give the saving knowledge of himselfe and of his will unto the humbled soule and unto it only God will teach sinners in the way saith David Psalme 25.8 that is such as know and feele themselves to bee sinners And in the next words verse 9. The meeke that is such as by sight and sorrow for sins are made meeke and humble as our Saviour also describeth the meeke Matth. 5.5 will hee guide in judgement As if he had said Vnto such God will give a good and sound judgment to guide them by in their whole conversation As the earth cannot receive the seed till it be plowed up no more can the heart of man receive the seede of the Word till the Lords plough have first bin in it It is the comparison that the Lord useth Ier. 4.3 Breake up your fallow ground and sow not among thornes Marke two things in this speech of the Prophet 1. It is to no purpose to sow good seed among thornes to heare and read and use the best meanes of knowledge while our sinnes remaine in us unrepented of 2. That these thornes will never be gotten out till our hearts be plowed and broken up by an effectuall sense and sorrow of heart for sin A kind of knowledge I will not denie may be in many a man that liveth securely in sin and never knew what true sorrow of heart and trouble of mind for sin doth meane but a cleare and setled a sanctified and comfortable knowledge of religion was never knowne to bee in any such man See an example of this in the woman of Samaria mentioned in the fourth of Iohn verse 10 29. How ignorant did she shew her selfe yea how blockish and uncapable of any thing Christ had said till Christ did effectually discover unto her the foule sin she had so long lived in Yea the maine cause why she was so blockish and unable to understand the words of Christ was because she lived securely in so grosse a sinne But after Christ had once touched her conscience with sight and sense of her sin see how the scales fell from her eyes presently how desirous she was of knowledge how savoury and profitable questions she propounded to our Saviour yea how capable and apt to understand and beleeve whatsoever Christ taught her And certainely this is a chiefe cause at this day why most men are so ignorant and unsetled in religion because there are so few to whom the Lord did ever yet effectually discover their sins and give them hearts to bee truly humbled for them The soft and tender heart is the onely teachable heart the heart that is secure and senslesse can never be capable of heavenly and sanctified knowledge Perceive yee not neither understand saith our Saviour to his owne Disciples Marke 8 17. have ye your heart yet hardned As if hee had said Even Gods owne children unlesse they be carefull to keepe their hearts soft and tender shall never be able to understand well what they read and heare nor to profit by the best meanes of knowledge that they do enjoy Thirdly He that would attaine unto sanctified and saving knowledge must attend diligently and conscionably upon the sound ministery of the Word preached He that loveth instruction saith Solomon Pro. 1â— 1 loveth knowledge As if he should say He and none but he hath any love to knowledge or desire to attaine unto it that loveth instruction which is the meanes to bring him to it Therefore the Holy Ghost having earnestly exhorted Gods people Pro. 4.5 12. to get understanding and heavenly wisdome addeth this as the chiefe meanes of it verse 13. Take fast hold of instruction let her not goe keepe her for she is thy life As if he had said Forsake not in any case be not drawne away neglect not this meanes of knowledge And Chap. 15.32 He that refuseth instruction despiseth his owne soule As if he had said He hath no care of his owne soule but neglecteth and despiseth it careth not what becommeth of it that careth not for instruction As there is no art and science that a man can get knowledge and skill in unlesse he have some to teach him so may no man hope without teachers and instructours to attaine to this knowledge this heavenly and supernaturall knowledge especially But though he have never so good capacity and naturall parts in him and use his best endeavour by reading and study to get it he shall still have cause to say with the Noble Eunuch Acts. 8.31 How can I understand what I read in the holy Scriptures except I had some to guide me But what is this may some say to prove the necessity of depending on the ministery of the Word preached May not a man have helpe enough in good Commentaries and printed Sermons to guide and instruct him in the meaning of the holy Scriptures though he heare no Sermons I answer It is very true that God giveth his people in this age especially much helpe that way But the instruction the Holy Ghost sendeth us to and calleth upon us to regard so much is that that is gotten not by reading but by hearing Heare instruction saith the Holy Ghost Pro. 8.33 and be wise and refuse it not yea by hearing and attending constantly upon the publique ministery of the Word as appeareth in the next words verse 34. Blessed is the man that heareth me saith Christ the wisedome of God watching daily at my gates and giving attendance at the posts of my dores The frequenting of the house of God to heare Christ in his ordinances there is the instruction that the Lord so much commendeth to us promiseth such a blessing unto God revealeth his will and teacheth his people no where so clearely and effectually as he doth in his house in the publique ministery Thy way O God is in thy Sanctuary saith David Psal. 77 1â— As if he should say It is no where so clearely and comfortably seene and learned as there There David learned to know and understand aright the doctrine of Gods providence of his wisedome and righteousnesse in ordering all things that fall out in the world when he could learne it no where els nor by any other meanes When I thought to know this saith he Psal. 73.16 17. it was too painefull for me untill I went into the Sanctuary of God then understood I their end And there it is that God saith Esa. 2.3 his people should exhort and stirre up one another to seeke the true knowledge of God and of his wayes Many people shall goe and say Come ye
much unto man But I will insist onely upon that which they teach touching the worke of Gods grace in the conversion of man which concerneth the present Doctrine I have now in hand And in three points they teach concerning that you shall find that whatsoever they pretend they do indeed impeach the grace of God and give either all or almost all the glory of this great worke unto man himselfe For first They teach that all that God doth upon the will of man in the worke of his conversion is no more but this He doth by his Word offâ—r Christ unto us and shew us what obedience he requireth of us and he doth also by his Word with most strong and effectuall arguments perswade us unto faith and obedience but he doth not conferre or inspire any such grace into the will whereby it is actually inclined and caused to receive Christ and to yeeld obedience unto God but leaveth it absolutely unto it owne liberty whether it will receive Christ and yeeld obedience unto God or not Whereas the Scripture expressely teacheth that God by his grace doth much more then so he actually enclineth reneweth and changeth our wills or we could never be converted This was that worke of Gods grace that David prayed for Psal. 119 36. Encline my heart unto thy testimonies And Solomon in the dedication of the Temple 1 King 8 58 The Lord our God incline our hearts unto him to walke in all his waies This is that which God promiseth to worke by his grace in them whom he will convert and save Ezek 36.26 A new heart will I give you and a new spirit will I put within you Secondly They teach that all that God doth in the worke of mans conversion he doth it for one as well and as much as for another for the reprobate as well as for the elect he did as much for Iudas and for them that are now damned in hell as for Peter or any of the Saints that are now in heaven hee loved all men before their conversion with an equall love his grace is universall and he giveth it to one as well as to another Whereas as you have heard it 〈◊〉 in the Doctrine the Scripture expressely teacheth That hee doth more for them that are converted then he doth for any other he did more for Peter then he did for Iudaâ— that the Lord doth not give the grace of conversion to all 〈◊〉 Psal. 147.20 He hath not dealt so with every nation neither have they knowne his judgements To you it is given saith our Saviour Matth. 13 â—1 to know the mysteries of the kingdome of God to them it is not given That this is a fruit not of the common love he beareth to all men but of his speciaâ—l love The Apostle speaking of that love of God whereby he was moved to qâ—icken and convert his people Ephes. 2 4 calleth it his great love â—e saith he shewed himselfe therein to be rich in mercy yea he saith ver 7. he did it to â—hew the exceeding riches of his grace in this his kindnesse towards us This is a fruit of that love which is in a speciall manner borne unto his elect As many as were ordained to eternall life beleeved Acts 13.48 Whom he predestinated them he called Rom. 8.30 All that the father giveth me saith our Saviour Ioh 6.37 shall come unto me that is beleeve in me as he had expounded himselfe ver 35. None but those that are given to Christ can beleeve in him and all such shall certainely beleeve Ye beleeve not because ye are not of my sheepe saith our Saviour Iohn 10.26 27. my sheepe heare my voice Thirdly and lastly they teach That as no man can convert himselfe without the helpe of Gods grace so Gods grace doth not convert any man without his owne helpe that when God hath done his part and given most sufficient grace unto any man for his conversion it lieth in the power of a mans own will whether the grace of God shall be effectuall to his conversion or â—o he is able of himselfe either to accept of it or to reject it so that in very deed they doe ascribe more to man himselfe in the work of his conversion then unto the grace of God God say they doth offer us his grace he perswadeth and stirreth up our stupid will to receive it but man of himselfe whereas he could reject it if he list doth not reject it God maketh us able to beleeve to turne unto God to repent and obey if we will but man doth of himselfe a 〈◊〉 convert and beleeve and repent and obey which is more Wherâ—as the Scripture expressely teacheth that man in the first act of his conversion is a meere patient no agent at all God in the worke of our conversion doth not onely offer his grace but cause us to accept of it doth not onely make us able to convert to beleeve to obey if we will but he doth cause us actually to convert to beleeve to obey hee doth all in all in this worke Turne thou me and I shall bee turned saith Ephraim Ier. 31.18 Christ turneth every one of us from our iniquities saith the Apostle Acts 3.6 He giveth repentance unto Israel Actes 5.31 I will cause you to walke in my statutes and ye shall keepe my judgements and doe thâ—m saith the Lord Ezek. 36.27 It is God that worketh in you both to will and to doe Pâ—al 2 1â— By the grace of God I am what I am saith the Apostle 1 Cor. 15. â—0 And thus have I made application of these three points I delivered unto you in the use of instruction unto such as are erroneous teachers Now let mee make some application of it to our selves in a word or two And herein I will conclude my speech unto you as the Apostle Peter did his first Epistle 1 Peter 5 1â— he made application of the doctrine he had taught them by exhorting and testifying unto them 1. By testifying and earnestly protesting to them And what did hee thus testifie Surely that that was the true grace of God wherein they did then stand And so doe I testifie and confidently avouch and protest unto you that that Doctrine and religion which hath through the marvellous goodnesse of God beene taught in this famous and Orthodox Church of England now by the space of these seventy yeares and in the profession whereof wee all now stand is the onely true Doctrine and religion of Christ. Because it onely giveth the whole glory of mans salvation unto Gods free grace in Christ but it abaseth man and giveth him no matter of boasting or glorying at all 2. The Apostle in his application of his Doctrine exhorted them And what was his exhortation That is not expressed but it was doubtlesse the same that Paul and Barnabas used Acts 13. â—3 They perswaded them to continue in the grace of God that is in the Doctrine of grace which they had
Lords garner and who are chaffe that shall be cast into the unquenchable fire Oh consider this I pray you and lay it to heart ye that doe enjoy the ministery of the word And if you have beene unprofitable hearers hitherto thinke seriously of the danger of your estate and use your utmost endeavour to come out of it which is the second thing that I told you I must exhort you unto And if you desire this you must doe these three things First Neglect not the meanes though you have beene hearers thus long and got no good by it God hath not beene pleased to worke with his word in your hearts yet you must bee hearers still If ever God purpose to worke grace in thy heart he will worke it by this meanes Doe therefore as those poore impotent persons did Iohn 5.3 Come to the poole of Bethesda and lye there waiting for the moving of the water Vse the meanes and wait for the good houre when God shall be pleased to worke with his word in thy heart That which Solomon saith of the workes of mercy Eccle. 11.6 In the morning sow thy seed and in the evening with-hold not thy hand for thou knowest not whether shall prosper either this or that As if hee had said Whether shall do most good that may be fitly applyed to this case Heare the word in the morning in thy youth and with-hold not thy selfe from it in the evening in thine age for what knowest thou which is the time God hath determined to convert thee in or which is the sermon that hee will doe it by Though hee have shewed no signe of his eternall love toward thee all this while but of his wrath rather yet I may say to thee as the Prophet doth in another case Ioel 2.14 Who knoweth whether he will returne and repent and leave a blessing behind him for as he saith ver â—3 he is gracious and mercifull slow to anger and of great kindnesse and repenteth him of the evill Secondly Seeing it is so dangerous a signe to remaine blockish and senselesse and a non-proficient under the meanes of grace therefore content not thy selfe to heare but as our Saviour saith to his hearers Luke 8.18 so say I to you Take heed how you heare Hearken diligently unto mee saith the Lord Esay 55.2 Prepare thy selfe before keepe thine eye and eare and mind attentive when thou hearest meditate conferre use all the meanes thou canst to make thy hearing profitable unto thee Thirdly and lastly Rest not in nor ascribe too much to the meanes nor to any thing thy selfe can doe to make them profitable to thee It is not of him that willeth nor of him that runneth but of God that sheweth mercy saith the Apostle Rom. 9.16 Thinke not thou canst receive and profit by the Word when thou listest thou canst repent when thou listest Say not ô if I lived under such a mans ministery how should I profit No no remember who it is that saith Esa. 48.17 Thus saith the Lord thy redeemer the holy one of Israel I am the Lord thy God that teacheth thee to profit I have planted saith Paul 1 Cor. 3.6 and Apollo watered but God gave the increase And therefore thou must joyne prayer with thy hearing and beg earnestly of God that he would worke with his word in thy heart If thou cryest after knowledge saith Solomon Prov. 2.3.5 and listest up thy voyce cryest heartily and earnestly for understanding then shalt thou understand the feare of the Lord and find the knowledge of God The third and last sort of people which I told you this use of exhortation doth concerne are such as have obtained of God not onely the meanes of grace the ministery of his Word but grace also to profit by them Such of you for I doubt not but many of you are such must know that you can never bee sufficiently thankefull unto God for this singular mercy First It is a great mercy a great signe of his speciall and eternall love that hee giveth thee the sound ministery of his Word And I may say to thee as they did to blind Markeâ—0 â—0 49 Bee of good comfort arise hâ—e calleth thee Even this outward calling on thee by his Word is a great signe hee loveth thee and would have thee to bee saved it is a just cause of hope and comfort unto thee Looke abroad in the world and thou shalt find it is no common mercy hee hath not dealt so with every nation Psal. 147. â—0 That the place where thou livest should bee as Goshen enjoy the light Exod. 10.21 23. when as so many other places remaine in palpable darkenesse as all the rest of Egypt did this is surely to be acknowledged as a singular mercy of God unto thee Surely I may say unto you as our Saviour doth to his disciples Matth. 13.17 Many righteous men many good people desire to heare that that you heare would count it their happinesse to enjoy the meanes that you do where you dwell and cannot This is a great mercy that you enjoy the meanes But secondly it is yet a farre greater mercy if you have felt the power of God in them to your conversion if God have given you hearts to savour them and profit by them If God have done this for thee beloved know thou hast cause to doe as that poore convert did when he had felt this power of God in his ordinance 1 Cor 14.25 even to fall downe upon thy face and to worship and praise God for it From hence thou mayest conclude infallibly and so canst thou noâ— from al the outward blessings that ever thou receivest from him that God loveth thee with an everlasting love and hath chosen thee to life before the world was I have loved thee saith the Lord Iere. 31.3 with an everlasting love therefore in loving kindnesse have I drawne thee If God have shewed thee that mercy that loving kindnesse as to draw thee by his word and spirit certainly he hath loved thee with an everlasting love Admit God hath done no more for thee but this admit he exercise thee with never so many afflictions outward or inward admit thou find thy selfe to be so much the more subject to scorne and contempt in the world yet art thou an happy soule We know saith the Apostle Rom. 8.28 that all things worke together for good to them that love God to them that are called according to his purpose If thou find thy selfe to be thus effectually and inwardly called certainly every thing that befalleth thee shall tend to the increase of thy happinesse O looke about thee I beseech thee looke upon many of thy neighbours yea looke upon sundry that are neerer unto thee who all enjoy the same meanes that thou dost and yet never felt any sweetnesse never felt any power in them Let the hardnesse of heart and profanenesse that thou seest in others draw thee to an admiration of this goodnesse and
of Gods servants their very sins that they have fallen into have made them better servants unto God then ever they were before or then ever they would have beene if they had not so fallen Because Mary Magdalene had bin so great a sinner therefore she shewed more love to Christ then any other did who had not fallen so grievously as she had done Her sinnes which were many are forgiven saith our Saviour Luke 7.47 for shee loved much As if he had said Shee could not love me so much if shee had not had so many and so foule sinnes forgiven her Certainely it was so with Peter whose fall by denying Christ made him to love Christ more dearely then any other of the Apostles did as is plaine by Christs asking of him Iohn 21.15 not onely whether he loved him but whether he loved him more then his fellowes did And therefore also we shall find that hee was more bold and zealous ever after more void of feare in the confession of Christ then any other of the Apostles were Thirdly and lastly By this meanes the Lord maketh his children more meeke and humble and compassionate towards others more free from despising and insulting over others for their frailties and infirmities This is a disease that is hardly cured by any other medicine When the Apostle chargeth Titus to put his hearers in mind to speake evill of no man to bee no brawlers but gentle shewing all meekenesse unto all men Titus 3.2 He prescribeth that as a preservative against that corruption verse 3. For wee our selves also were sometimes foolish disobedient deceived serving divers lusts and pleasures living in malice and envy hatefull and hating one another If God had not let Paul feele the thorne that was in his owne flesh whereby as by a messenger of Satan hee was buffeted and abased he was in danger to have beene exalted above measure and to have growne proud and insolent with the aboundance of revelations he had received and therefore twice in one verse 2 Cor. 12.7 he saith this thorne in the flesh was given him least hee should bee exalted above measure And this good Peter also got by his fearefull fall that whereas before he was conceited and proud and stood upon tearmes of comparison Matth. 26.33 Though all men shall be offended because of thee yet will I never bee offended He thought better of himselfe then of any other man After his fall he was of another temper For when Christ asked him Iohn 21.15 Simon sonne of Ionas lovest thou mee more then chese which Christ knew well that he did hee durst not answere Yes Lord unto that demand but onely thus Lord thou knowest that I love thee As if he had said I dare not say more then any other not more then the meanest of thy servants but yet Lord thou knowest that I love thee though it bee poorely and wearkely yet I love thee And thus have I shewed you that the sins of the regenerate are not nor can bee in all respects either so hainous in themselves or so dangerous in respect of the consequents and punishment of them as the sinnes of wicked and unregenerate men are or may be Now should I come to the confirmation of the Doctrine and shew you that the sinnes that a man committeth who is truly regenerate are in sundry respects much more hainous and dangerous then the same sinnes are being committed by another man But this because the time is past I must deferre till the next day Lecture CVIII On Psalme 51.6 Ianu. 20. 1628. IT followeth now that we proceed unto the proofe and confirmation of the Doctrine and shew you That the sins of a man that is truly regenerat are in sundry respects much more hainous and dangerous then the same sins are being committed by another man Two sorts of witnesses there are to confirme this 1. The conscience of the regenerate themselves 2. The Lord who is greater then the conscience of any man For the first David and Peter may serve in stead of a thousand For as it is evident they were truly regenerated before they fell so is it as evident that they judged their sins to be so much the more hainous and damnable even for this cause because they were regenerate and in the state of grace before they committed them How David judged of his sin you may see in these words wherein he aggravateth his sinne by this argument And in the hidden part thou hadst made me to know wisedome As if he had said This this is that that maketh my sinnes intollerably heavy to my conscience that thou hadst given me saving knowledge I was in the state of grace when I yeelded to these tentations when I fell into these sins And see how neere hee was unto despaire how much adoe hee had to get assurance of pardon and to receive his comfort in God how oft he repeateth his suit and petition for pardon verse 1.2.7 8 9.12.14 And how Peter judged of his sin so soone as the violence of the tentation was past and God was pleased to open his eyes and let him see what he had done how deepe he sanke in sorrow how neere he was unto despaire how much a doe he had to recover his comfort and assurance of Gods favour it is evident not only by his weeping so bitterly for it Matth. 26.75 but specially by that great care Christ had to raise him up againe to comfort him more then for all the rest of the Apostles He appointed an Angell to send word to Peter by name of his resurrection Marke 16.7 Tell his disciples and Peter And he shewed himselfe first to him 1 Cor. 15.5 He was seene of Cephas then of the twelve And by encouraging him so earnestly and so pathetically Iohn 21.15.17 not to give over his ministery but to feed his lambs to feed his sheepe for all that But to these two I will adde one example more and that is of that poore Corinthian that fell into incest For as we have no cause to doubt but that he was a regenerate man before he fell into that sinne for he was a member of that Church of whom the Apostle saith 1 Cor. 1.2 that they were sanctified in Iesus Christ they were called to bee Saints so it is evident that when he came to see what he had done he judged his sinne to be so hainous and intolerable that he was brought even to the brinke of desperation Insomuch as the Apostle was faine to write unto the Church earnestly 2 Cor 2.7 8. that they would comfort him and confirme their love toward him for feare he were even swallowed up with over-much sorrow See by these three examples how the regenerate themselves have judged of their falls Now least any man should object against the strength of this proofe and say Alas it was the weakenesse of these men to grieve as they did and to be so troubled in their minds for their falls
not wont to winke at in them he is wont to correct them sharply for such sins Shall I instance in some few examples for this And indeed how should I spend the time more profitably in so secure an age as this First I will not stand upon the example of David how sharply God scourged him for those sins which he bewaileth in this Psalme with what changes and armies of sorrowes and plagues as Iob speaketh cap. 10.17 he followed him ever after all the dayes of his life For you may say his were most presumptuous and notorious sins such as few that were ever truly regenerate have fallen into I will therefore come to the second example wherein I will couple him and good Hezechiah together What say you to that foolish pride they shewed the one in numbring the people the other in shewing all his treasures to the Embassadours of the King of Babell O how severe was God in his judgments against them both even for this sin Of David it is said 1 Chron 21.14 that God slew of his subjects for that seventy thousand men And of Hezechiah it is said â— Chron 32.25 that for that sinne there was wrath upon him and upon Iudah and Ierusalem But you will say also that this was a presumptuous sin O that we would learne yet from this example how unable God is to brooke or beare with presumptuous sinne though it be but in heart in his deerest children But let us come to a third example What say you then to the sin of Aaron and Moses when they being bidden to speake onely to the rocke and promised that it should yeeld water enough for all the campe did but doubt a little and stagger at that promise and instead of speaking onely to the rocke smote it twice you shall see the story Numb 20.8 1â— and Moses in a passion spake unadvisedly with his lips as the Psalmist speaketh Psalme 106.33 Certainly this was but a frailtie in them no presumptuous sin and therefore you shall find the Prophet there Psalme 136.32 33. layeth that fault on the people rather then on them and so doth Moses himselfe also Deut 1.37 And yet see how angry the Lord was with them even for this sin Because of this he would by no meanes be intreated to let them goe into the land of promise though Moses earnestly besought him he would not heare him The Lord was wroth with mee saith he Deut. 3.26 and would not heare me but charged him to speake no more unto him of that matter O but you will say though this was but a sin of frailtie yet it was a scandalous sin True it was so indeed And the Lord alledgeth that for the cause why he was so provoked by it because it was done openly to the scandall of the people Numb 20.12 Then learne by this example how severe God will be in his judgements upon his people for scandalous sins But what say you then to Moses his delaying of the circumcision of his sonne to old Elyes bearing too much with his lewd sonnes and the faithfull Corinthians going to the Communion without care to prepare and examine themselves before Certainly these were but sins of carelesnesse and negligence And yet see how severe God was in his judgements against them even for these sins The Lord met Moses in the Inne and sought to kill him saith the text Exod. 4.24 The Lord did not only bring old Ely to a violent and strange death he brake his necke 1 Sam. 4 18. but he plagued his whole house and posteritie for ever for that sin in a most fearefull manner 1 Sam. 2.31 33 and cap. 3.11.14 The Lord sent a pestilence and mortality among the faithfull Corinthians even for this sin For this cause many are weake and sickly among you and many sleepe saith the Apostle 1 Cor. 11.30 Behold how God hateth and will punish his owne people even for their negligences and carelesnesse if they judge not themselves for it and make conscience of it But yet there is a third degree that sheweth much more how odious the sins of his owne people are unto the Lord. For of the regenerate of Gods owne people it is said that they may so sin as they may make their very persons odious and hatefull unto God they may make their God their enemy They rebelled and vexed his holy spirit saith the Prophet Esa. 6â— 10 speaking of the Church of God in the wildernesse therefore hee was turned to bee their enemy When God heard this that is when he understood this that they fell into idolatry for that was the sin that so provoked him then as you may see vers 58. hee was wroth saith the Psalmist Psalme 78.59 and greatly abhorred Israel Though the Lord can beare with many sins in his people or though he beare not with them yet can correct them only for them and love them never the worse as you know parents oft-times doe yet may Gods children fall into such sins as will even make them odious unto their father These are things which defile a man and will make him loathsome saith our Saviour Mat. 15.20 What are those things That he telleth us verse 19. Murders adulteries fornications thefts false witnesse blasphemies How can that be will you say Whom the Lord once loveth in Christ he loveth for ever I have loved thee saith the Lord to his people Ier. 31.3 with an everlasting love I answer That is most true Yet may his children so provoke him that though he doe not quite disinherite them or cease to be a father to them yet will he shew them no countenance or fatherly affection at all As David so loathed Absalom for murthering his brother that though he continued a fatherly affection towards him still yea and after that too when he had done far worse yet he could not abide to see him Let him turne to his owne house and let him not see my face saith he 2 Sam. 14 â—4 A Christian may by his sin cause his father so to loath him as it may be he shall never have good countenance of him againe he shall never see his face with comfort while he liveth His adoption the right and title he hath thereby to the word and Sacraments to Christ and vnto heaven the comfort I say of all these and of all the priviledges the 〈◊〉 he might make of them he shall loose As Vzzia when he fell into a leprosie lost not his kingdome the right title he had unto it therby but he lost the use and execution of his regall authoritie to the very day of his death as we read â— Chron. 26.21 Of Asa we read that though he dyed the child of God as appeareth both by that which is said of him in his life time 1 Kin. 15.14 that his heart was perfect with the Lord all his dayes and also by the testimonie is given of him twice after his death 2 Chron. 20.32 and 21.12
points it appeareth what pleasure lewd men take in the falls and sins of Gods people But ô that thou wouldest see thy sin and danger that art of this humour First This argueth that there is no love in thee to Gods people nay this argueth the height of malice against them to rejoyce in their sins Charity rejoyceth not in iniquity saith the Apostle 1 Cor. 13.6 And what comfort canst thou have either in life or death what hope canst thou have in God if thou be void of charity if thou nourish malice in thy heart specially toward them thou art most bound to love He that loveth not his brother saith the Apostle 1 Iohn 3.14 abideth in death in the state of damnation And verse 10. In this are the children of God manifest and the children of the divell whosoever doth not righteousnesse is not of God neither he that loveth not his brother And so he proceedeth to shew to the end of verse 15. that the chiefe fruit of righteousnesse that manifesteth a man to be Gods child is the love of the brethren and the chiefe sinne that manifesteth a man to bee the child of the divell is the hatred of the brethren But secondly which is worse this argueth that thou rejoycest in the dishonour that is done to God and in the shame that is cast upon his holy name For the Lord is more dishonoured as we have heard in the Doctrine by the sinnes of his owne people then by the sinnes of any other men And if thou canst rejoyce in the shame and dishonour that redoundeth to God be thou sure God will also rejoyce in thy confusion I will also laugh at your calamity saith the Lord to such men Pro. 1.26 and mocke when your feare commeth But let us leave them to God Let us that feare God learne That it is our duty out of these two respects to mourne when we see or heare of the falls of any of Gods people Paul blameth the Corinthians 1 Cor. 5.2 because they did not all mourne for the incest that one of that Church had fallen into See how himselfe was affected with it 2 Cor. 2.4 Out of much affliction and anguish of heart saith he I wrote unto you with many teares Nay we should bee grieved at the heart to heare the slanders to heare of the faults that Gods people are even unjustly charged with Remember Lord the reproach of thy servants saith the Psalmist Psal. 89.50 51. how I beare in my bosome the reproach of all the mighty people wherewith thine enemies have reproached ô Lord wherewith they have reproached the footsteps of thine Anointed Observe five points in the words 1. The mighty men men of chiefe place and power in the country were wont to reproach and slander and cast odious aspersions upon Gods servants Gods anointed ones nay all the mighty people did so he was not counted worthy the name of a Gentleman if he could not doe this Princes did sit and speake against me saith David Psal. 119.23 2. They that did so were Gods enemies though they pretended to dislike onely a sort of precise fooles that will needs be holier then all their neighbours and not for their holinesse neither but for their hypocrisie yet in very deed they that take such pleasure in reproaching Gods servants beare more spite to God then they doe to them they are Gods enemies Ye shall be hated of all men for my names sake saith our Saviour Matth. 10.22 The name of Christ the religion of Christ the spirit of Christ that is in them is the true cause of this hatred whatsoever els is pretended 3. Remember Lord saith he the reproach of thy servants The Lord taketh notice of he will remember he will not forget the slanders and reproaches that are cast upon his servants 4. The Prophet did beare the reproaches of Gods servants in his bosome he tooke them to heart he was much affected and troubled with them 5. Lastly he desireth the Lord to remember him for this hee tooke comfort in this even before the Lord that hee could doe so and doubted not but God would take notice of it and reward him for it And this is the first sort that are to bee reproved by this Doctrine The second are worse then these And those are they that impute all the sins of Gods people to their religion and take occasion thereby to insult against religion and to hate it the more If the weakest the meanest person that professeth religion doe but swerve from their duty any way though but a woman though but a servant as I shewed you the last day out of 1 Tim. 6.1 and Tit. 2.5 the name of God and his doctrine shall straight-way bee blasphemed by these men These are your professours will they cry this is their religion there is none of them any better they are all such kind of persons fie upon such a religion as this is Three things there be that may discover unto these men their sin and their danger too First If malice had not blinded thee thou wouldst never impute the faults of professours unto their religion nor blame their religion for it For 1. All professours are not such persons But there are many thankes bee to God yea and many that thou knowest that shine as lights in the world as Paul saith of the Philippians 2.15 2. Admit all professours were naught yet is the religion that they professe pure and undefiled it alloweth of none of those faults that thou usest to blame them for For it hath no other rule or ground but Gods Word and that alloweth of no sin All the words of my mouth are in righteousnesse saith the Lord Pro. 8.8 there is nothing froward or perverse in them If any professour be covetous or malicious or proud or censorious or unfaithfull or idle blame not his religion for it it teacheth him no such thing it teacheth him the contrary it teacheth him as the Apostle saith Tit. 1.12 To denie all ungodlinesse and worldly lusts and to live soberly and righteously and godly in this present world No professour of the Gospell dares justifie himselfe in the least of his corruptions much lesse in grosse crimes by the rules of his religion but will bee ready to cleare his religion and lay all the blame upon himselfe as the Apostle doth Rom. 7.12 The law is holy and the commandement is holy and just and good And verse 14. Wee know that the law is spirituall but I am carnall sold under sin Secondly I must say to thee that railest thus against religion that hatest it thus for the sinnes of them that professe it as Gamaliel spake to the Councell Acts 5.39 take heed wha◠thou dost for if this way be of God in hating it in railing on it thou wilt be found a fighter against God And as the Lord saith to Sennacharih Esa. 37.23 Whom hast thou reproached and blasphemed and against whom hast thou lifted up thy voice Even
a slavish feare of Gods wrath is indeed a great bondage Feare hath torment saith the Apostle 1 Iohn 4.18 That which the Apostle saith of worldly and carnall sorrow 2 Cor. 7.10 may bee said also of worldly and carnall feare The feare of the world worketh death And from this feare the faithfull are freed But it is no bondage no enemy to the comfort of a mans life to live in a continuall feare of sinning of offending and angring our heavenly father The Churches walking in the feare of the Lord Actes 9.31 and in the comfort of the holy Ghost were multiplied As if the Evangelist had said This feare is no opposite but a great helpe and furtherance unto true comfort Happy is the man that feareth alwayes saith the holy Ghost Prov. 28.14 As if he should say It is an happines to a man to feare thus But what reason can be given will you say why the child of God should be more afraid to sin then any other man Which is the second generall point I propounded to handle in this first exhortation To this I answer There be two principall reasons of it First Because God will beare lesse with them when they sin and deale more severely and sharply with them then with any other in this life Beware of him saith the Lord of the Angel of his Covenant whom he sent to conduct his people to the land of promise Exod. 23.21 and obey his voice provoke him not for hee will not pardon nor winke at your transgressions Such sins as carnall men go cleare away withall in this life and never sinart for if Gods child commit them he may not hope to do so You only have I knowne that is chosen to be mine owne and loved with a speciall love saith the Lord to his people Amos 3.2 of all the families of the earth therefore will I punish you for all your iniquities Them whom he knoweth best and loveth best can have least hope of all other men to escape his correcting hand when they sin against him The Lord thy God is a jealous God among you saith Moses Deut. 6.15 And a small thing you know will much offend a jealous husband he cannot abide the least shew of neglect from his wife A sharp and heavy judgement we know fell upon the faithfull Corinthians even for going carelesly and unpreparedly to the Communion For this cause saith the Apostle 1 Cor. 11.30 many are sicke and weake among you and many sleepe O how often shall I put you in mind of this place before you will beleeve it and be moved by it And as the Lord is sooner provoked to anger by the sins of his owne children then of any other men so is his anger wont to be hotter and his corrections sharper on them then on any other When the Lord saw it saith Moses Deut. 32.19 that is to say that his own people fell to idolatry and other their grosse sins he abhorred them because of the provoking of his sons and of his daughters As who would not take the contempt and indignities that are done to him by his owne children a great deale worse then from any other man Secondly The child of God hath more cause to be afraid of sinning then any other because as we know the more any man hath the more fearefull he is to runne into the danger of the law so the child of God having more to loose then any man in the world hath besides hath even in this respect more cause to bee afraid of offending God then any other man hath Why will you say unto me what meane you by this What hath he to loose more then any other man I answer Every child of God hath received above all other men three inestimable jewels from God which by sinning against God he is in danger to loose First He hath the spirit of adoption which assureth him of his peace with God and that he hath his favour which maketh him able to call God father to go to him with boldnes in all his necessities We have received the spirit of adoption saith the Apostle Rom. 8.15 wherby we cry Abba father In Christ we have â—oldnes and accesse with confidence saith he Eph. 3.12 Now this is such a jewell as he would not loose for al the world Thy loving kindnes is better then life saith David Psal. 63.3 And this he knoweth he is in danger to loose if he give himself liberty to sin Indeed his adoption and son-ship and birth-right is of a stronger tenure The servant saith our Saviour Ioh. 8.35 abideth not in the house for ever but the son abideth ever Yet may he by his sin utterly loose this fruit and operation of the spirit of adoption he may loose the assurance of his fathers love his peace his joy his accesse with boldnesse and that not only by grosse and scandalous sins but even by his carelesnesse and negligence and carnall security as we see in that example of the Church My well-beloved had with-drawne himselfe and was gone saith she Cant. 5.6 And of this uncomparable losse the Church hath ever had many wofull examples Secondly He hath received the spirit of sanctification whereby there is an holy change wrought in his whole spirit and soule and body as the Apostle speaketh 1 Thess. 5.23 whereby he is made a vessell unto honour sanctified and meet as the Apostle speaketh 2 Tim. 2.21 for his masters use and prepared unto every good work Now he setteth as much store by this jewell as his life Psal. 51.11 Cast me not away from thy presence take not thy holy spirit from me and he may loose the comfortable sense and the vigour and operation of it and bee strucken with such a dead palsy in his soule as he shall have little or no use of that life of grace that is in him And this losse he may come to not onely by giving liberty to himselfe in grosse and scandalous sins but even by his carnall security and carelesse neglect of the meanes whereby he might grow and increase in grace Quench not the spirit saith the Apostle 1 Thess. 5.19 despise not prophesyings even by despising of prophesyings the spirit may be quenched Thirdly and lastly He hath received a greater Iewell then either of these he beareth Gods owne name And as it is said of the Apostle Act. 9.15 that God had appointed him to beare his name before the Gentiles So it is said of all the faithfull also Phil. 2.16 that they hold forth unto men by their profession and example the word of life The Lord hath committed unto us that are his children his holy name and religion to keepe and that with a charge that we should so hold it out to the world by our holy example that we may gaine honour to it And that charge which the Apostle giveth to Timothy 2 Tim. 1.14 though it be chiefly given to us Ministers yet it is given of God
of a scorpion when he stingeth a manâ— so intolerable as men shall seeke death and shall not find it shall desire to dye and death shall flyâ— from them Marke but foure Doctrines which they teach and this will be evident unto you 1. Their Doctrine of justification that a man must be justified in Gods sight by a righteousnesse inherent in himselfe and by his good workes a broken reed God knoweth for a weary and fainting soule to rest upon 2 Their Doctrine of purgatory that when men dye there is a fire prepared for them in purgatory that their soules must goe to and remaine in no man knoweth how many hundred yeares which fire is no lesse painful intolerable then the fire of hell is 3. Their Doctrine of doubting that no man can be in this life certain that he is in the state of grace hope well he may but sure he can never be that his sins are so forgiven that they shal never be laid to his charge againe he must be in doubt continually nay it is sin and blasphemy say they for any man to say he is certain of his salvation 4. Lastly Their Doctrine of saving justifying faith that it is nothing but a perswasion of the mind that whatsoever God hath revealed is undoubtedly true which we have learned out of the Apostle is in the devils themselves That speciall faith that applyeth Christ and his merits particularly to every beleever that hath in it an affiance of the heart a resting upon Christ for a mans owne salvation this bloud of sprinkling that you have now heard of that they disdaine and scoffe at and persecute as vaine presumption Alas how can these poore wretches that receive these teachers that beleeve these Doctrines have any comfort in death How can they chuse but be then in intolerable terrour and torment of conscience certainly many Papists are so and all would bee were it not that they are made drunke with a wine of spirituall fornication which the whoore of Babylon hath made them to drink of as the spirit of God in Rev. 17. â— hath fore-told it should be And who would wonder to see senslesnesse and stupidity in a drunken man O therefore beloved 1. Pity your friends and kinsmen that are seduced by these wretched teachers do what you can to reclame them 2. Consider how small cause there is that we have so long enjoyed professed the Gospel which is the only way of peace as Zachary calleth it Lu. 1.79 And of which the Lord hath so oft spoken by his spirit to our hearts as he did Esa. 28.12 This is the rest wherwith yâ— mâ—y cause the wâ—ary to rest this is the refreshing As if he had said this is the Doctrine wherin the weariest faintest and most afflicted soule may find rest and refreshing How small cause is there I say that wee should now grow weary of the Gospel entertaine thoughts with those rebels Num. 14.4 of returning into that Egypt againe that house of bondage Exod. 13.3 where no true rest or comfort is to be found for the conscience Nay consider 3. how just cause of feare we have lest the Lord because we have lost our first love to him his blessed Gospel will remove our candlesticke deprive us of it as he threatneth Ephesus Rev. 2.4 5. And take heed we grow not weary of him as he chargeth Israel Esa. 43.22 and loath his Gospel lest he loath us and grow weary of us and spew us out as he threatneth the Laodiceaus that had lost their zeale Rev. 3.16 And let us take heed of doting upon antichrist his altars and his images his apish ceremonies or any part of his damnable doctrines left the Lord let antichrist enter and prevaile againe in this land that we may know by wofull experience the difference of his service the service of Christ the difference betweene popery and the Gospell as the Lord threatned his people 2. Chr. 1â— 8 The second use that this Doctrine serveth unto is to exhort us that seeing none can have comfort in the blood of Christ till it be sprinkled upon him and applyed to him till the spirit of God have made him to know it belongeth unto him that therfore every one of us would labour to find that it is so with himselfe that we would give no rest to our selves till wee find we have our part in this blood of sprinkling till the spirit of God have applyed it unto us assured us that it all the vertue and merit of it belongeth unto us O beloved 1. Content not thy selfe to know that God loveth thee so far as he giveth thee life and health he letteth thee live in peace and wealth and credit here alas hee loved Cain and Dives and many more that now fry in hell so far but labour to know that he loved thee so farre as that he gave his sonne to dye for thee let no fruit of Gods love so satisfie thee but that In this was manifested the love of God towards us saith the Apostle 1 Ioh 4 9 10. because that God sent his only begotten son into the world that wee might live through him herein is love No fruit of Gods love is worth the having is worth the speaking of in comparison of this Neither content thy selfe to know this in generall that God so loved the world that he gave his Sonne to redeeme all that can beleeve in him but labour to know in particular that which Paul knew Gal. 2.20 that he loved thee and gave himselfe for thee 3. Neither content thy selfe to thinke and hope well that Christ died for thee Go not by thinking in this case but make this sure to thy heart upon good grounds Give diligence to make thy calling and election sure saith the Apostle 2 Pet. 1.10 Neither 4 content thy selfe to say carelesly though not yet sure of this I hope I shall be before I die I hope God will purge mee with hysope one day and sprinkle this bloud of his Son upon my heart but labour speedily and without delay to get this assurance and cry with the Church unto God Psal. 90.14 O satisfie us early with thy mercy that wee may rejoyce and be glad all our daies But to inforce this so necessary an exhortation both upon my selfe and you I will 1 give you some Motives to perswade you to seeke this assurance 2 I will give you some signes whereby you may discerne whether you have yet obtained it or no. 3 I will shew the meanes that must be used for the attaining to it And for Motives I will give you but two the one taken from the possibility of attaining in this life to this assurance and the other from the necessity and benefit of it For the first Know this beloved that though 1 It be a very difficult thing to get this assurance and few attaine to it 2 They that have attained
bond-slaves that is to say To them that by the spirit of bondage are troubled with feares and terrours in their hearts And as he useth not to sprinkle Christs bloud upon any heart that was not first troubled with these feares and terrours so they whom he hath thus besprinkled are never perfectly freed from these doubts while they live here The flesh lusteth against the spirit as the Apostle speaketh Gal. 5.17 And they have in them a combat oft times betweene faith and infidelity The spirits indeed of just men that are translated into heaven are made perfect as the Apostle teacheth us Heb. 12.23 But the regeneration of the justest man while he is upon earth is not so perfected but that even after the spirit of God hath sprinkled the bloud of Christ upon him and given him a comfortable assurance of Gods speciall love to him in Christ yet there will be doubting and infidelity remaining in him still Yea hee is subject also oft to such spirituall desertions that he looseth the sense of his assurance and is visited ever and anon with his old feares and terrours and troubled with them againe David was so when he cryed Psal. â—2 1 that God had forsaken him And Heman was so when he complained Psal. 88.15 that by suffering these terrâ—urs he was even distracted And Paul was so when he said 2 Cor. 7.5 Without were fightings that is strong and violent oppositions of persecuters and hereticks and within were feares through the doubting and infidelity that he found in his own heart Finally the Church the deare Spouse of Christ was so more then once when Cant. 3.1 She sought him whom hee soule loved she sought him but she found him not and againe when Cant 5.6 Her beloved had with drawne himselfe shee sought him but shee could not find him Let us then make application of this and try our assurance by this first note Many men there bee that never doubted of their salvation in their lives were never acquainted with these feares and terrours that you have heard of They are and ever were most confident that God is their God they are in his favour they wonder to see many Christians so full of doubts and feares this way and are apt to conclude from thence that certainely they are hypocrites and guilty of some grosse sinnes according to that complaint of Iob 12.5 Hee that is ready to slip with his feet is as a lamp despised in the thought of him that is at ease To such men I may fitly say of their freedome from all doubtings and feares as the Apostle speaketh to them that are free from all affliction Hebrewes 12 8. If yee bee and ever have beene without doubtings and feares whereof all are partakers thou are yee bastards and not sonnes If thy assurance of thy salvation was bred and borne with thee and thou wert never without it if it bee so perfect that thou hast no doubts no motions of infidelity this way then thou hast just cause to judge thy assurance not of Gods making it is but a counterfait assurance and a very delusion of the divell and I will apply to thee that saying of Eliphaz Iob 15.31 Let not him that is deceived trust in vanity for vanity shall be his recompence Secondly By the grounds upon which our assurance is built wee may judge whether it be sound or no. That assurance of Gods favour which the spirit of God worketh in any heart as it is wrought by the Word so it is grounded onely upon the most sure and infallible testimony of Gods holy Word The testimony that a false and erronious spirit giveth is to bee discerned from that which the spirit of God giveth by this note If they speake not according to this Word saith the Lord Esay 8.20 it is because there is no light in them Whatsoever is wrought in us by Gods spirit is agreeable to Gods Word The spirit and the Word goe alwaies together My spirit which is upon thee and my words which I have put into thy mouth saith the Lord Esa. 59.21 shall not depart out of thy mouth nor out of the mouth of thy seed So that that assurance of Gods favour that is wrought in any heart by the spirit of God is grounded upon the Word of God onely In which respect the Apostle calleth it the Word of faith Romanes 10 8 because all true faith is grounded upon it and upon it alone I trust in thy Word saith David Psalme 119.42 As if hee had said Vpon that doe I build that confidence that I have in thy mercy The Papists tell us that no man can bee sure certitudine fidei with the assurance of faith of his owne particular estate of grace Because faith must have the Word to ground it selfe upon and no particular man hath any Word of God to assure him that hee is in Christ. And indeed if this were true that they doe assume that no particular man hath any Word of God to assure him that he is in Gods favour their argument were unanswerable But blessed be God that every true Christian hath Gods expresse Word to assure him in particular that he is in the state of salvation I cannot now stand upon all those grounds that he hath in the word to build this assurance upon I will mention but foure onely First The Scripture expresly saith that whosoever hath truly repented and leadeth a new life how lewd soever he was before he shall certainly be saved If the wicked will turne from all his sinnes that he hath committed saith the Lord Ezek. 18.21 and keepe all my statutes and do that which is lawfull and right he shall surely live he shall not die Secondly the Scripture expresly speaketh that whosoever loveth the Lord obeyeth and serveth him out of love shall certainly be saved If any man love God saith the Apostle 1 Cor. 8.3 the same is knowne that is approved and beloved of him Thirdly the Scripture expresly saith that whosoever loveth the godly because they are godly shall certainly be saved Hereby we know that we are of the truth â—aith the Apostle 1 Ioh. 3.19 and shall assure our hearts before him Fourthly and lastly The Scripture expresly saith that whosoever with an humbled soule that despaireth of all helpe by any other meanes believeth and putteth his affiance in Christ alone resteth and relyeth wholly upon him shall certainly be saved Whosoever belieueth in him saith our Saviour Iohn 3.16 shall not perish but have everlasting life Two things I know are objected against this First That these are generall speeches and here is no word of God brought to assure such and such a particular of his personall estate I answer That because these speeches are so generall therefore every particular man that findeth himselfe thus qualified may assure himselfe even by the certainty of faith that he shall be saved as verily as if God should have said to him by name as once Christ did
also but not els 3. Lastly the Lord himselfe will judge thee at the last day by his Word and by that onely The word that I have spoken saith our Saviour Ioâ— 12.48 the same shall judge him at the last day And therefore it standeth thee upon to judge thy selfe by that too Secondly Now alas most men though they say they be undoubtedly assured of their salvation have no ground at all in Gods Word for this assurance they boast of Nay though the Word give most expresse and direct evidence against them yet are they most confident that they shall be saved for all that Though Gods Word say expresly Psal. 119.155 Salvation is farre from the wicked for they seeke not thy statutes Yet many a one that never seeketh after Gods Statutes taketh no paines for the Word nay shunneth it all that ever he can and though he may enjoy it without any labour or charge at all will not stirre out of his doores for it nay that counteth you all arrant fooles and hypocrites that take so much paines for it as many of you do yet is this man I say as sure of his owne salvation as any of you can be Though the Scripture say expresly yea though he that must judge us all at the last day say expresly Matth. 5.37 Whatsoever is more than yea and nay the least oath that is in our ordinary communication commeth of that evill one 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from the Divell And though the Apostle say Iam. 5.12 Above all things my brethren sweare not by any oath least ye fall into condemnation least ye be damned yet have we many a one that sweare ordinarily not by faith and troth onely but by fowler oathes a great deale that yet never doubted of their salvation but are confident Christ died for them his blood hath been sprinkled upon their hearts Though the Scripture say expresly 1 Cor. 6.9 10. Neither fornicators nor wantons nor theeves nor drunkards nor raylors nor extortioners shall inherit the kingdome of God yet where have you any in Gods Church that are more confidently assured that have lesse doubt of their salvation than these men have But let God be true saith the Apostle Rom. 3.4 and every man a lyar Thou wilt one day find that the Lords testimonies against thee are very sure as the Psalmist calleth them Psal. 93.5 and that thine owne heart hath prophesied a lie unto thee that thou mightest perish as the Lord saith of them that prophesied peace unto the Iewes Ier. 27.10 I know thou art apt to alledge that thou hast repented and that thou dost believe in Christ and therefore thou hast the Word to build thy assurance upon But because neither thy faith nor thy repentance are according to the patterne according to the Word I may say of thy confidence thou reposest therein as Bildad doth of the hope of all hypocrites Iob 8.14 Thy hope shall be cut off and thy trust shall be as the spiders webb Lecture CXXIII On Psalme 51.7 Iuly 21. 1629. THE third and last signe whereby we may judge of our assurance and discerne whether God by his holy spirit hath sprinkled upon our hearts the bloud of his sonne and certified us that it was shed for us whether that assurance we seeme to have be of God or no is to be taken from the effects that this assurance hath wrought in us It is not possible for any man that knew before his owne wretchednesse by nature to be assured by Gods spirit that God hath so dearely loved him as to send his owne sonne to shed his bloud for him but this must needes worke a great change and alteration in him It must needs kindle in his heart an unfeined love to God Faith worketh by love saith the Apostle Galat. 5 6. As if he should say It cannot be idle but it is operative and full of vertue and the hand and instrument it worketh by is love It must needes make him that hath it desirous and studious to expresse his love to God by all meanes he can and to say with David Psalme 116.12 What shall I render unto the Lord Yea the deeper sense a man hath had of his owne sinne and wretchednesse before the more will his heart be inflamed with love to God when once hee feeleth the bloud of Christ sprinkled upon his heart by Gods spirit the more studious will he be to expresse his love by any duty hee is able to performe Mary had had many sins forgiven unto her and therefore she loved much as our Saviour saith Luke 7 47. she thought no service too base too much for her to doe unto Christ who had so dearely loved her Shee waâ—hed his feet with her teares and wiped them with the haires of her head as you may see verse 38. of that chapter The Papists blaspheme our Doctrine touching this certainty a man may have of Gods favour and say it tendeth to loosenesse of life and liberty But they speake of it by heare-say as strangers doe of a thing that they never knew or had experience of in themselves For the true assurance of salvation which the spirit of God hath wrought in any heart hath that force to restraine him from loosenesse of life and to knit his heart in love and obedience to God as nothing else hath in all the world It is certainly either the want of faith and assurance of Gods love or a false and carnall assurance of it that is the true cause of all that licentiousnesse and lewdnesse that raigneth in the world But to speake distinctly yet briefly of this point you shall see the effects that true assurance will worke both in the inward and outward man First True faith whereby wee receive and apply Christ unto our selves will purifie the heart as the Apostle speaketh Actes 15.9 It will worke a thorow change and reformation even in the hidden part This difference the Apostle observeth Hebr. 9.13 74. betweene the sprinkling of the bloud of the sacrifices upon the people by the Priest under the law and the sprinkling of Christs blood upon the heart by the spirit of God that sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh saith he that is that made a man legally in the judgement of men cleane from all outward pollutions but Christs bloud being sprinkled by the spirit of God upon any heart will purge the conscience from dead works that is from all sins which as they deserve so will they certainly bring death eternall upon all that are not purged from them this saith he will purge the conscience from dead works to serve the living God There is certainly an admirable vertue in the bloud of Christ when it is once by the spirit of God sprinkled and applyed to the heart of any man it will purge and heale it from all the corruptions that were in it before Vnto you that feare my name saith the Lord Malachi 4.2 shall the sunne of righteousnesse arise with
unfruitfull in the knowledge of our Lord Iesus Christ as the Apostle speaketh 2 Pet. 1.8 They say they know him to be their Lord and Saviour but this knowledge is no way effectuall in them to the reformation either of their hearts or lives Nay this their assurance hath wrought in them quite contrary effects unto those that I have proved unto you to be the kindly fruits of that assurance which the spirit of God worketh in the heart of any man Nothing doth so evidently discover the falshood of this their assurance as the fruits that it doth produce in them In which respects a man may fitly say of them as our Saviour doth of the false Prophets Matth. 7.20 By their fruits yee shall know them This will the better appeare if the confidence of these men be examined particularly according to those six severall effects of true assurance which we have heard of First Though they say they are assured that Christ so dearely loved them as that he shed his most precious bloud for their sinnes yet the knowledge of this love of God to them never made them to mourne or bee troubled in themselves ever a whit the more for their sinnes Nay this very thing maketh them go merrily away with them all and keepeth them from being grieved or troubled for any sinne that ever they committed because they say they know that Christ shed his bloud for their sins hath made their peace with God Seeing Christs soule was heavy Mat. 26.38 to the death for my sins saith he what need I be heavy for them my selfe Thus turning the grace of God into lasciviousnes as the Apostle speaketh Iude 4. As if he should say The very knowledge of this marvellous grace and mercy of God maketh them so lascivious as they are maketh them so joviall in their sins so void of all remorse and sorrow for sin as they are Secondly They are not the more fearefull to offend God in any thing because of his goodnesse towards them which they say they are so sure of nay this very thing maketh them bold to commit any sinne because the devill hath perswaded them as he would faine have perswaded our blessed Saviour Mat. 4.6 that though they do cast themselves headlong into any sin yet Gods mercy and love to them is such as hee will never suffer them to perish by it Tush saith hee I know God will give mee grace to repent of it before I dye and therefore what need I be so scrupulous or fearefull to enjoy the pleasure or profit of this sinne Hee besseth himselfe in his owne heart as Moses speaketh Deut. 29.19 saying I shall have peace though I walke in the imagination of my heart Thirdly They say they have tasted that the Lord is gracious and that they would not loose the sweetnesse and comfort of the assurance they have of Gods love and of their salvation for all the world and yet they love the word never the better for this Nay this is the very cause why they care not for the word have no desire to it no delight in it because they are sure enough already of their salvation and that Christ dyed for their sins They are like unto that faction in Corinth of whom the Apostle speaketh 1 Cor. 1.12 that gloried they were neither followers of Paul nor of Apollo nor of Cephas but of Christ onely They did so depend upon Christ that they cared for never a preacher in the world nor regarded to heare them Fourthly Though they speake and glory much of the Lords mercy and loving kindnes and though they be such as seeme to beare some love to his word to heare it gladly yet they practise nothing that they heare the assurance they have of Gods love maketh them never a whit the more carefull to walke in his truth Yea this very thing maketh them carelesse of doing or practising any thing they heare because they know that they are not under the law but under grace as Paul bringeth in wicked men objecting Rom. 6.15 Because they know Christ dyed for their sins and that we must not be saved by our works but by faith in him onely therefore they thinke it folly in them to be precise in their practise or to doe any good works at all Fiftly They say they are the Lords and have received his spirit which witnesseth with their spirits that they are his children that the Lord hath set his seale and marke upon them though there is no such thing to be seene upon their foreheads which is the place we have heard God setteth his seale upon None that live by them behold them daily converse with them can discerne any grace in them at all Nay men hold it now a dayes an high point of wisedome to conceale their love to religion to shun carefully every thing that may cause them to be noted for it They had rather bee counted any thing then a strict Christian they hold it no advantage no honour at all to have Gods seale on their foreheads but a matter of disgrace rather And yet these men are confident for all that that Christs bloud was shed for them that Gods spirit hath sprinkled it upon them though he have not set Gods marke upon their foreheads yet he hath set it upon their hearts certainly But if no man be so unwise as to light a candle and set it under a bushell as our Saviour speaketh Mat. 5.15 shall we thinke that the most wise God will set the light of his grace so in any mans heart as that none that are in the house with him are able to discerne it Sixtly and lastly They say confidently the Lord is their father and they are his children yet have they no care at all to honour God or to advance his glory any way If I be your father saith the Lord Malachi 1.6 where is mine honour Such as are by the spirit of adoption assured indeed that God is their father cannot but desire with all their hearts to honour him what they may Ye are bought with a price saith the Apostle 1 Cor. 6.20 therefore glorifie God in your body and in your spirit which are Gods And they that know indeed that they are not their own as the Apostle there saith but bought with such a price cannot choose but endeavour to do so Whether we live saith he Rom. 14.8 we live unto the Lord or whether we die we die unto the Lord whether we live therefore or die we are the Lords He that liveth so as God hath honour by his life and he that dyeth so as that God hath honour by his death may be sure he is the Lords and none but he And surely this proveth demonstratively that most men whatsoever they pretend have no true assurance that they are the Lords because it is neither any trouble at all to them to see God dishonoured by others neither have they any care at all to gaine any
righteousnesse shall bee peace saith the Prophet Esay 32.17 and the effect of righteousnesse quietnesse and assurance for ever As if hee had said A righteous and godly life will certainely worke peace in the heart and no marvell for it will worke assurance of Gods favour yea assurance for ever a constant assurance of it an assurance that wee shall have it for ever and shall never loose it In the feare of the Lord saith Solomon Pro. 14.26 is strong confidence As if he should say Feare God be carefull not to offend him in any thing and thou shalt be confident of his favour yea strongly confident of it Yea this care to please God in all our wayes and feare to offend him will preserve in the heart of a man the assurance of Gods favour even in the time of the greatest tryall and tentations that hee can fall into Whosoever heareth these sayings of mine and doth them saith our Saviour Matth 7.24.25 whosoever hee bee that is not a hearer of the word only but maketh conscience to practise whatsoever he heareth I will liken him unto a wiseman that built his house upon a rocke and the raine descended and the winds blew end the flouds beat upon that house and it fell not because it was founded upon a rocke In which respect the Apostle 1 Tim. 6.19 calleth good workes a good foundation for the time to come whereupon men may lay hold upon eternall life As if he should have said A man may in the time to come that is in the time of sicknesse and triall build a well grounded assurance of eternall life even upon them I know well that experience seemeth to make much against this Many that are most carefull to please God in all their wayes and fearefull to offend him are of all other people in most doubt of their salvation are furthest off from confident assurance of it And on the other side they that live most licentiously are of all men freest from these doubts most confident of Gods love and of their owne salvation But to this I answer Let God be true and every mâ—n a lyâ—r Rom. 3.4 Certainly a constant care to please God in all our wayes will bring us to a comfortable assurance of Gods favour sooner or later in one measure and degree or other and without this it is not possible to â—â—taine unto it Two things there bee that may undoubtedly assure us of this 1. The promise of God that cannot lye 2. The nature of God First See what rich and precious promises we have from God concerning this To him that ordereth his conversation aright saith the Lord. Psal. 50.23 will I shew the salvation of God As if he had said I will cause him to see and know that he shall be saved And againe Mal. 4.2 To you that feare my name shall the sunne of righteousnesse arise with healing in his wings To every soule among you that truly feareth God I may boldly say that though it bee night with thee now thou seest no light no comfort thou art continually disguiâ—ted with feares and doubts of thy salvation yet certainly the sunne of righteousnesse will arise upon thee one day with healing in his wings thou shalt see the comfortable light of Gods countenance and have a sweet and full assurance of his favour Light is sowen for the righteous as the Prophet speaketh Psal. 97.11 and gladnesse for the upright in heart There is not a soule that unfeinedly feareth God but he hath in him the seed of true comfort and assurance and he shall certainly one day both see it spring and tast of the fruit of it If ye love me keep my commandements saith our Saviour Iohn 14. â—5 16. and I will pray the father â—nd hee shall give you another comforter that hee may abide with you for ever If any man keepe his commandements keepe them Evangelically that is out of love to God endeavour to keepe them let him not doubt of comfort certainly the comforter will come vnto that man and abide with him for ever But you will say When will the comforter come I have long desired to feare God and endeavoured to please him yet could I never attaine to this comfort hitherto I answer Doe so still and the comforter will certainly come For Christ whom his father alwayes heareth Iohn 11.42 hath prayed that it may be so Yea it will not be long too Yet a little while saith the Apostle Heb 10.37 and he that shall come will come and will not tary And for this also we have a promise Psalme 8â— 8 9. For when the Prophet had said God will speake peace unto his people and to his Saints God will certainly speake peace to the heart of every godly man he addeth Surely his salvation is nigh unto them that feare him As if hee had said Certainely it will not bee long before God giveth to every soule that truly feareth him a comfortable assurance of his favour though he doe delay it for a time surely hee will doe it ere long The second evidence for this is from the nature of God It must needs bee so for The righteous Lord loveth righteousnesse saith David Psal 11.7 his countenance doth behold the upright And Prov. 15.9 The Lord loveth him that followeth after righteousnesse Hee must needs have the love and favour of the holy God that leadeth an holy life Thus speaketh our blessed Saviour Iohn 14.21 He that hath my commandements and keepeth them is hee that loveth me And hee that loveth me shall bee beloved of my father and I will love him and will manifest my selfe unto him As if he should say As I and my father both cannot but love him that out of love to me maketh conscience of all my commandements so he shall know it and feele it and hide the assurance of it in himselfe I will manifest my selfe unto him saith he On the other side It is not possible for any man to have true assurance of his salvation and of Gods favour that doth not feare God and is not carefull in all his wayes to please him And certainely the want of assurance that is in any of us is chiefly to be imputed unto this that wee have not beene so fearefull to offend God so carefull to please him as we ought to have bene I speake not onely of such as are wicked men There is no peace saith my God to the wicked Esay 57.21 that is no true and sound peace But I speake of Gods dearest children Let a man that hath the strongest faith the most comfortable assurance of Gods favour once give himselfe liberty unto any grosse sin though hee loose not his faith utterly thereby Christ prayed for Peter that his faith should not faile in that his most fearefull fall Luk 22 3â— and the same prayer that hee made for Peter he made for all that truly beleeve in his name as you may read Iohn 17.20 yet shall that man
7.25 and the flouds came and the winds blew and beat upon that house and it fell not because it was founded upon a rocke As if hee should say Nothing can overthrow or hurt him that is built upon the rocke In all these things saith the Apostle Romans 8.37 And what were those things See verse 35. In tribulation distresse persecution in famine nakednesse perill sword And what greater evills then these can befall a man In all these things saith hee wee are more then conquerours through him that loved us that is through Christ. Yea the faithfull have never found so much true comfort in all their lives as they have done in their greatest and most extreame afflictions This hath beene evident in the experience of the blessed Martyrs and this God hath made an expresse promise for Vnto the righteous saith the Psalmist 112 4. ariseth light in darkenesse As if hee had sayd In times of darkenesse and affliction then hath their light beene wont to rise most Thy light shall rise in obscurity saith the Lord Esay 58.10 and thy darkenesse shall bee as the noone-day And if there were nothing else to make us in love with Christ to long after him to strive to make him sure to us this were enough to doe it even the sweetenesse that wee shall find in him in the time of affliction A friend loveth at all times saith Salomon Proverbs 17.17 and a brother is borne for adversity As if hee had said There is the tryall of a true friend and of a kind brother indeed when they will stieke close to a man in his adversity Surely there is not such a friend such a brother in the world for this as Christ is wee shall feele the sweetnesse of his love to us most in our greatest affliction Secondly Admit a man had never so good assurance to be exempted from all trouble and affliction to spend all his dayes in peace and prosperity as much as his heart can wish yet can hee have no true comfort in any blessing that hee doth enjoy till hee bee in Christ. Two evident reasons there bee for this 1. They will do him no good at all but much hurt 2. God giveth them not to him in love For the first Though thy health and wealth bee in themselves good things even the good blessings of God Every creature of God is good saith the Apostle 1 Timothy 4.4 yet to thee that hast not Christ they are not good things they can doe thee no good it had beene much better for thee to have beene without them To the unbeleeving nothing is pure saith the Apostle Titus 1.15 That which the Lord saith of some wicked men Malachi 2.2 I will curse your blessings may bee understood as spoken to all that are without Christ though these things bee blessings in themselves yet to thee they will prove curses There is a sore evill which I have seene under the sunne saith Salomon Ecclesiast 5.13 namely riches kept to the owners thereof to their hurt The prosperity of fooles shall destroy them saith hee Proverbs 1.32 Yea the more thou hast of them if thou have not Christ withall the more hurt they will doe thee The meate that is in their boweâ—â—s saith Zophar of wicked men Iob 20.14 shall bee as the gaâ—â— of aspes which verse 16. hee calleth the poison of aspes within him And you know the more poison any man taketh the more it will torment him And how is impossible that the riches of such as are out of Christ should doe them any good how can they choose but doe them much hurt Daily experience proveth that men seldome have good of that that they come unjustly by that they have no just title to that is not their owne If a rich man that hath his grounds never so well stockt with cattell bring but one bullocke that he hath stollen and put among them will it doe him any good Will it not consume all the rest and undoe him Gods curse shall dwell in the tabernacle of the oppressour said Bildad Iob 18.15 because it is none of his hee hath no just title to it hee came not justly by it On the other side That is onely a mans owne that hee commeth rightly by and that that is thus his owne hee may enjoy with comfort Let them worke with quietnesse saith the Apostle 2 Thess. 3.12 and eat their own bread Now none of all the comforts of this life that we possesse are our owne neither have we just title to them a just civill title unto them I know a wicked man may have so as no man may justly take them from them but a spirituall a sanctified a comfortable title to them can we never have till we be Christs I pray consider the reason of this and you will find it to be a most evident truth The Lord when hee made man gave all his creatures unto him and made him Lord over them all Thou madest him saith David Psalme 8.6 to have dominion over the worke of thy hands thou didst put all things under his feet But wee by our fall in Adam forfeited all this title and right wee had to any thing that God hath made and made the good creatures of God accursed unto us Cursed bee the earth for thy sake saith the Lord to man after his fall Genesis 3.17 Now this title which wee had forfeited in the first Adam is restored to us in the second and this curse which wee had brought upon the creatures by our sinne is taken away by Christ and by him onely For God hath made him heire of all things and given them all to him as the Apostle teacheth us Hebrewes 1.2 and through him onely wee come to have this blessed title unto them And how then can a man have any comfort in any thing that hee possesseth How can they be good to him that is not in Christ Secondly God giveth none of these things in love to the man that is not in Christ. True it is all these outward blessings bee in themselves fruits of Gods love and mercy unto men It is an argument of his love to the stranger saith Moses Deut. 10.18 that he giueth him food and raiment And a man may safely conclude God is good to mee and loveth me or els hee would never preserve me and provide for mee as hee doth Yet this love of God that appeareth in any of these outward things is such as a man can take no sound comfort in till he be in Christ. For alas that is but a common love extended to the bruit beasts as well as to thee O Lord thou preservest man and beast saith David Psalme 36.6 There is many a bruit beast that liveth longer and in better health more fully provided for of all things fit for the preservation of this life and that with lesse care and trouble then any man is Yea this love God extendeth unto his very enemies and such as he hath ordained
to everlasting confusion Cain had a greater portion of them then Seth and Esau then Iacob And what comfort can a man have in such fruits of Gods love as these are What comfort can the traitour take in that goodnesse of the King that being apprehended hee giveth order that hee may have a faire and good lodging in the tower and a good diet too till matters be ripe and ready for his arraignement and execution No no he taketh small comfort in all this nothing will assure him of the Kings mercy and love till his pardon bee brought him So may I say of all these outward blessings thou canst have no sound comfort in them till thou have Christ and hast through him gotten the pardon of thy sinnes These are indeed fruits of Gods common love but these are no fruits or signes of Gods speciall or everlasting love of that love that he beareth to them whom he meaneth to save eternally No man knoweth either love or hatred by any thing that is before him saith Salomon Eccl. ◠1 A man cannot argue God loveth him with his speciall love because he enjoyeth these things nor that God hateth him because he wanteth them And it is not that common but this speciall and everlasting love of God onely that we are to make reckoning of and to take comfort in In this was manifested the love of God towards us saith the Apostle 1 Ioh. 4.9 10. because that God sent his onely begotten Sonne into the world that we might live through him Herein is love not that we loved God but that he loved us and sent his Sonne to be the propitiation for our sinnes If thou canst say God hath given Christ unto thee and to thee an heart to receive him then thou maist be bold to say God loveth thee indeed But thou canst never say God loveth thee indeed till thou be in Christ. He is called the Sonne of his love 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Col. 1.13 He hath made us accepted in the beloved saith the Apostle Eph. 1.6 As if he had said He loveth us for his sake and he loveth none but for his sake and with respect unto him onely And what good will it do thee to have all the world if thou have not Gods love What comfort canst thou take in any thing thou hast if God have not given it thee in his love Now on the other side that this Motive may have the more force in thy heart consider what a happinesse it is for a man to be in Christ even in respect of these outward things The true believer and he that knoweth Christ is his may take great comfort even in these outward and common blessings of God God giveth to him saith Salomon speaking of these things Eccles. 2.26 that is good in his sight reconciled to him in Christ and justified before him wisdome and knowledge and joy He joyeth even in these outward blessings he useth them with joy and comfort In which respect it is said by David Psal. 37.16 that a little that a righteous man hath is better than the riches of many wicked men Have he little or have he much he hath more comfort in that he hath than any wicked man in the world can possibly have For First That that he hath is his owne he hath the highest title unto it All things are yours saith the Apostle 1 Cor. 3.21 23. and ye are Christs In giving Christ unto us how shall he not with him also freely give us all things saith the Apostle Rom. 8.32 Secondly He shall have good of that he hath it shall do him good and no hurt it shall not hinder his happinesse it is sanctified unto him The blessing of the Lord it maketh rich saith Salomon Proverb 10.22 and he addeth no sorrow with it As if he had said He that hath wealth with Gods blessing shall have no cause to repent him another day that he lived so prosperously Thus God promiseth his people that are in covenant with him Deut. 30.9 The Lord thy God will make thee plenteous in every worke of thine hand in the fruit of thy body and in the fruit of thy cattell and in the fruit of thy land for good for the Lord will rejoyce over thee for good as he rejoyced over thy fathers Marke how the Lord doth not onely promise unto his people these outward things that he would increase them in their children and in their estates but that he promiseth them also and repeateth this promise twice in this one Verse that he would give them these things for their good they should have good of them they should receive good and no hurt by them To have the things is nothing unlesse we have them with the blessing unlesse God give us good of them When the Apostle had said 1 Tim. 4.3 5. that God hath created all meat to be received with thankesgiving of them that believe and know the truth he addeth in the next words that every creature of God is good As if he had said To the believer all Gods creatures are good and to none but him and he giveth this reason For it is sanctified saith he by the word and prayer As though he should say When Gods creatures are sanctified unto us when we have a holy use of them and are made the better by them then are they good to us and not els and to the true believer they are sanctified and to none but him Thirdly and lastly Whatsoever the true believer he that is in Christ hath in these outward things he hath it in Gods love and therefore he may well take comfort in it We are wont to say that an hearty welcome is the best cheere that any friend can make us Though our fare be but meane yet if we can find we have it with a good will and that our friend is glad of us and thereby we discerne that he doth unfeignedly love us this we esteeme of more worth than the best cheere in the world this maketh the homelyest fare most sweet and acceptable unto us And certainely it is much more so in this case When a man once knoweth he hath Gods love and that that which God hath given him be it little or much is given to him in love O this giveth a most sweet and pleasant relish to all Gods blessings that we do enjoy this maketh a man to take true and solid comfort in them Thus Iacob speaketh of his children Genesis 33.5 These are the children that God of his grace hath given unto thy servant and Verse 11. of his cattell Because God hath dealt graciously with mee and because I have enough Hee tasted Gods speciall love unto him even in these things I told you even now that no unbeliever can take any sound comfort in any of Gods outward blessings because hee cannot conclude from thence that God loveth him with a speciall love but though he cannot he that is in Christ may These common
after Sermons these holy brethren that stand so much upon sincerity and can abide nothing that savours of Popery these precise fooles that must be singular forsooth that dare not sweare by small oathes were all well taxed to day We see they are no better than hypocrites all these things have beene found in hypocrites we heare Let no man I say say so For though these things have beene found in some hypocrites yet are they no signes to know an hypocrite by neither are they all hypocrites that do thus neither is an hypocrite that doth thus an hypocrite for that cause because he doth thus But thou in scorning any man for this very thing because he maketh profession of religion because he goeth to Sermons because he useth prayer and so seemeth more holy than his neighbours because he is scrupulous in the smallest thing that he thinketh to be a sinne bewrayest the profanenesse of thine owne heart and openest thy mouth against heaven as the Prophet speaketh Psal. 73.9 All these five things that I have instanced in are such things as God is highly pleased with and hath promised great reward unto as I will shew you particularly First It is a singular good thing to love and delight in the sound Ministery of the Word and such a thing as a Christian may take much comfort in Great peace have they saith David Psal. 119.165 that love thy Law And by the Law and Word of God the same thing is meant throughout that Psalme and nothing shall offend them And on the other side That man can have no true goodnesse in him that hath no love to the Word that careth not for it For faith commeth by hearing of the Word as the Apostle saith Rom. 10.17 Yea he must needs be in a most wofull estate though he feele it not For He that turneth away his eare from hearing the Law saith the Holy Ghost Prov. 28.9 even his prayer shall be abomination And what shall other his actions be if his prayer be so Secondly It is a singular good thing also to use prayer constantly The Holy Ghost praiseth Cornelius for this Acts 10.2 that he prayed unto God alway As if he should have said He kept a constant course in prayer He that useth it must needs receive a blessing from God by it This is so ordinary a thing with God to blesse them much that pray much that our Saviour saith Matth. 7.8 Every one that asketh receiveth It is said of Obed-Edom 2 Sam. 6.11 that while the Arke of God continued in his house the Lord blessed him and all his houshold And the blessing that he received by it was so sensible and apparent that others were able to take notice and to tell David of it It was told to David saith the holy story 2 Sam. 6.12 that the Lord had blessed the house of Obed-Edom and all that pertained unto him because of the arke of God And certainly there is no family where prayer and Gods Worship is constantly used morning and evening but the whole family useth to receive a blessing by it Yea God hath been wont to shew such respect unto this duty that he hath oft rewarded it and given a blessing unto it a temporall blessing I meane not onely when it hath beene performed by his owne faithfull servants with a good heart but even when it hath been used also by such as have had no truth of grace in them at all As appeareth in the example both of Iehoabaz the King of Israel 2 King 13.4 5 and of the mariners Ion. 1.14 15. And on the other side as they can have no true goodnesse in them but are Atheists in heart that use not to pray Psal. 14.14 The foole hath said in his heart there is no God He calleth not upon God so the many houses where no prayer is used seeme to prosper as well as any other doe yet certainly God hath given sentence already against them in that Propheticall prayer which we read Ier. 10.25 Powre out thy fury upon the heathen that know thee not and upon the families that call not on thy Name There wanteth nothing but that God give order for the execution of this sentence which he hath already given against them which how soone and in what manner he will doe it is knowne onely to himselfe no man can tell Lecture CXXXV On Psalme 51.7 Decemb. 22. 1629. IT followeth now that we confirme the same unto you in the other three particulars And for the third Although there be as I shewed you some hypocrites that seeme to be strict observers of the Sabbath Day yet is that no signe of an hypocrite neither is the conscionable and precise observation of the Sabbath to be misliked ever a whit the more for that For it is a singular good thing to be strict in the observation of the Sabbath and such a thing as God is highly pleased with and hath been wont to reward wheresoever he findeth it I will give you a full proofe of this in one particular To keepe a bodily rest upon that day from all our owne workes is but one particular that is required of us in the observation of the Sabbath Nay that is as I may say but the outside of the commandement and concerneth onely the outward man the outward and bodily observation of it Of the fourth commandement as well as of all the rest that may truely bee said which the Apostle speaketh Rom. 7.14 of the whole Law We know saith he that the law is spirituall The spirituall observation of it by the inward man when wee call the Sabbath a delight the holy of the Lord honourable as the Prophet speaketh Esa 58.13 That is When wee can joy in that day as in the Lords owne holy Day and esteeme it in our heart a farre greater and more honourable Day than any other day keeping the rest and performing the duties of the Day cheerefully reverently conscionably spiritually This spirituall observation of it I say by the inward man is the chiefe thing that God requireth of us in the fourth commandement The outward and bodily observation of it which may bee performed by a man that hath no truth of grace in him at all is nothing in Gods account in comparison of this And yet of this bodily observation of the Sabbath by the outward man the resting from our owne workes is but the least part The exercising of our selves upon that day in doing of the Lords worke the spending of it in such holy duties both publike and private as may breed and increase grace and sanctification in us is a greater matter and more pleasing to God a great deale than that is No man may think hee hath kept the Sabbath well because hee resteth from all the labours of his calling upon that Day So farre forth the bruit beast thy oxe and thy horse keepeth the Sabbath as well as thou For so is the expresse commandement Deuteronomie 5.14 Neither thy
singing of Psalmes we must looke to this wee must sing unto the Lord Ephesians 5.19 Wee must make a melody in our hearts to the Lord. As if hee had said Wee seeke in that duty not to please our selves or others but the Lord. And that which hath beene said of the Sacrament and of preaching and of singing of Psalmes must bee understood likewise of hearing the Word and of prayer and of every other good duty wee performe either of the first or second table if our hearts bee upright wee must doe it as unto the Lord the maine intent and purpose of our heart in doing of it must bee to please the Lord and approve our selves unto him So the Apostle telleth servants that in doing their service unto their masters Ephesians 6.5 7. they must doe it as to Christ as unto the Lord. And verse 9. hee telleth masters they must doe the same things unto their servants a strange speech but the meaning is that they also in their carriage towards their servants in doing the duties of masters must doe it as unto the Lord that is both the servants and masters care in their mutuall duties one to another must chiefly bee this to please and approve themselves unto God In a word The Apostle speaking of himselfe and of all the faithfull 2 Corinthians 5.9 Wherefore wee labour saith he that whether present or absent wee may bee accepted of him As if hee should say This is our maine study and endeavour that while wee live and when wee die wee may please and bee accepted of him Hee that can find this in himselfe may bee certaine that hee is no hypocrite that his heart is upright within him This is the reason the Apostle giveth Romanes 14.6 why the faithfull should not judge one another for indifferent things Hee that regardeth a day regardeth it unto the Lord and hee that regardeth not a day to the Lord hee doth not regard it As if hee should say Both hee that observeth the ceremoniall law in that point and hee that observeth it not doth it not out of any carnall or worldly respect but out of a care hee hath to please God and feare to offend him therefore you may not judge him to bee an hypocrite therefore hee hath an upright heart Hee that findeth this in himselfe may have comfort in his owne estate and none but hee Neither can any man find this in himselfe that the maine end hee aimeth at in every good thing hee doth is to please God unlesse he doth that which hee doth out of love unto God If any man love God saith the Apostle 1 Corinthians 8.3 the same is knowne of him As if hee had said The Lord approveth and highly esteemeth of that man No good thing that we doe can please God unlesse it proceed from the love wee doe beare in our hearts unto him He keepeth covenant and mercy saith Moses Deut. 7.9 with them that love him and keepe his commandements First wee must love him before wee can keepe any of his commandements so as wee may please him therein Neither can any man truly love the Lord nor doe any good thing out of love to him till hee first know that God loveth him in Christ. Herein is love saith the Apostle 1 Iohn 4.10 not that wee loved God but that hee loved us and sent his sonne to bee the propitiation for our sinnes And thus you have heard it sufficiently confirmed unto you that though there bee many good things in some hypocrites yet because they are not in Christ they have no assurance of their reconciliation with God through his bloud therefore they can have no true comfort in them Let us now come to the third part I instanced in that is to say the regenerate themselves In every regenerate man there is true goodnesse indeed and that that farre surpasseth any goodnesse that ever was found in any morall man or in an hypocrite Three notable differences you may observe betweene them First Though they may do many good things in themselves yet of them it could never be said that they were good men But of the regenerate though they themselves be apt to think they are no better then hypocrites and meere naturall men nor so good neither as some of them yet the Holy Ghost giveth testimony of them that they are good men Of Barnabas it is said Act. 11.24 that he was a good man Do good saith David Ps. 125.4 ô Lord unto them that are good and to them that are upright in their hearts As if he had said Every upright hearted man is a good man Secondly Though the other two may do such things as are good in themselves and such as God is pleased with and oft rewardeth them for yet is he never a whit the better pleased with them for them But the Lord is not onely well pleased with the goodnesse that is in the regenerate but he is pleased with them and loveth them the better for it The Lord taketh pleasure in them that feare him Psal. 147.11 Such as are upright in their way are his delight saith Solomon Pro. 11.20 Thirdly Whereas the other two though they may doe many good things yet can take no sound comfort in any of them as wee have heard the regenerate may take much comfort in that goodnesse that truth of grace that they find in themselves So did Paul in his greatest afflictions Our rejoycing is this saith he 2 Cor. 1.12 even the testimony of our conscience So did Hezekiah even then when he thought he should die Esa. 38.3 Remember now ô Lord God I beseech thee saith he how I have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart and have done that which is good in thy sight But though all this be so Yet could not the best of Gods servants take any comfort at all in any goodnesse that is in them were it not for this that they know themselves to bee in Christ and reconciled unto God by his bloud God forbid saith the Apostle Gal. 6.14 that I should glory save in the crosse of the Lord Iesus Christ. Make this sure to thy selfe beloved that Christ is thine and then maist thou find sound comfort in that goodnesse that God hath wrought in thee But it is but cold comfort thou canst have in any good thing that is in thee or done by thee till thou know thy selfe to bee reconciled unto God by Christ rest not in it trust not to it For alas all our righteousnesses are as filthy ragge as the Prophet speaketh Esa. 64.6 And if our high-priest did not beare the iniquity of our holy things as Aaron did Exodus 28.38 our holyest duties could never bee accepted of God but would be most loathsome unto him All our most spirituall sacrifices are acceptable to God by Iesus Christ as the Apostle speaketh 1 Pet. 2.5 and through him alone Lecture CXL On Psalme 51.7 February 16. 1629. IT followeth now that we
Apostle Galat. 2.20 The life that I now live As if hee had said The reformed religious and holy life that I now live since my conversion and calling I liue by the faith of the Sonne of God that faith I have in Christ who loved me and gave himselfe for me As if he had said This faith that assureth me of that speciall interest that I have in Christ of that speciall love that Christ hath borne to mee is the onely cause of whatsoever goodnesse is in me And for the second that nothing but faith will breed true goodnesse and grace in the heart we have as plaine a proofe Hebrewes 11.5 6. Enoch had this testimony given of him that he pleased God but without faith it is impossible to please God As if he should have said A man cannot please God in any thing that he doth till he have faith till he be justified by faith and reconciled unto God through Christ. Though the habit of faith and all sanctifying graces which the Apostle 1 Iohn 3.9 calleth the seed of God be by the Spirit of God infused into the heart of man altogether and at one time yet the act and exercise of faith is the first of all and that that setteth every other grace on worke As the earth though it be made soft by those showers that fall upon it in the winter-time and bring forth some blade of the seed that is cast into it yet is it not thereby made fruitfull unto man it never yeeldeth any good and perfect fruit till it have received the sweet heat of the Sun into the bowels of it in the spring time even so is it with the heart of man It may bee and is oft softened by the judgements of God and terrours of the Law God maketh my heart soft saith Iob 23.16 and the Almighty troubleth mee Even by the trouble of his mind and terrours that God disquieted him with his heart was softened And some beginnings also of reformation and goodnesse have beene thereby wrought in it such was that confession of sinne and goodly words that God oft wrung from Pharaoh by his judgements Exodus 9.27 I have sinned the Lord is righteous and I and my people are wicked and 10.16 Hee cryeth unto Moses to this effect Good Moses forgive me and pray to the Lord for me Such was that repentance and reformation of the wicked Israelites that the Prophet speaketh on Psal. 78.34 When he slew them then they sought him and they returned and enquired early after God And such is the repentance and goodly words that many a wretched man in his sicknesse is wont to utter thus farre forth the winter-showers and stormes of Gods judgements and terrours may work upon mans heart But till Christ Iesus the Sun of righteousnesse as the Prophet calleth him Mal. 4.2 like the comfortable and quickning heat of the Sunne in the spring doe shine upon a man and bee by faith received into his heart it can never bring forth any fruit that is good indeed and acceptable unto God And the true cause why some are fruitfull in grace and goodnesse and some other though they enjoy the same or greater meanes yet no grace will grow in their hearts nor come unto any perfection is this which the Apostle giveth 2 Thes. 3.2 All men have not faith But though the Lord let this visible Sunne shine upon all men indifferently upon the reprobate as well as upon the elect he maketh his Sunne saith our Saviour Matth. 5.45 to rise on the evill and on the good yet doth he not let the Sunne of righteousnesse to shine into every heart but to his elect and peculiar people onely The Lord God is a Sunne and shield saith David Psal. 84.11 but to whom To them that walke uprightly Vnto you that feare my name saith the Lord Mal. 4.2 shall the Sun of righteousnesse arise with healing in his wings Not that their walking uprightly and fearing of his name was the cause that moved God to be as the Sun unto them but because it was a marke and note of them whom God would vouchsafe this mercy unto Now if any man shall aske me how faith commeth to be the breeder and worker and increaser of all true goodnesse in a man I answer you two wayes First By receiving Christ into his heart by making Christ his by uniting him unto Christ as nearely and as truely as the members of the body are united unto the head and as the branch is unto the vine By faith we receive Christ and make him our owne as the Evangelist teacheth us Iohn 1.12 By faith hee dwelleth in our hearts as the Apostle speaketh Ephesians 3.17 And as it is not possible but that heart in which Christ dwelleth must needs be renewed and have saving grace bred in it He that abideth in me and I in him saith our Saviour Iohn 15.5 the same bringeth forth much fruit If any man bee in Christ saith the Apostle 2 Corinthians 5.17 hee is a new creature As the living members must needs receive sense and motion from the head and the scion sap from the slocke it is ingrafted into And this is that which the Apostle teacheth 1 Corinthians 6.17 He that is joyned to the Lord is one spirit As if he had said No man can by faith receive Christ and be united unto him but he must needs together with Christ receive the Spirit of Christ also So till we be thus united unto Christ it is not possible for us to have any true goodnesse in us As the branch cannot beare fruit of it selfe saith our Saviour Iohn 15.4 except it abide in the vine no more can ye except ye abide in me And 6.53 Verily verily I say unto you except ye eat the flesh of the Sonne of man and drinke his bloud ye have no life in you I know well that this union that faith maketh betweene Christ and the soule is mysticall and such as the reason of man is not able to comprehend And so the Apostle speaketh of it This is a great mystery saith he Ephesians 5.32 But yet you see this is clearely taught us in the holy Scripture and this every faithfull soule doth in some measure feele to be true in his owne experience So soone as ever thou dost truely believe in Christ and renouncing all other confidence dost wholly rest and put thine affiance in him thou hast received Christ and made him thine owne and so soone as thou hast received him thou hast also with him received into thine heart his holy Spirit the Spirit of grace and sanctification whereby thou art made a new man Hee that hath the Sonne saith the Apostle 1 Iohn 5.12 hath life that is the life of grace here which is the beginning and pledge of that life of glory which he shall be sure to have in heaven and he that hath not the Sonne hath not life Secondly The faithfull soule by exercising and making use of his faith
hee hath offended him As the thing that made the servants of Benhadad seeke unto Ahab 1 Kings 20.31 with sackcloth upon their loines and ropes about their necks whereby they professed their sorrow for offending him and that they were worthy to die for it was this onely thing that they had heard the kings of Israel were mercifull kings This is the Motive that good Hezekiah used to perswade Israel unto repentance 2 Chron. 30.6 Turne againe unto the Lord God of Abraham Isaac and Israel hee putteth them in mind of the covenant God had made with their fathers and hee will returne unto you And that also which the Prophet useth to the same purpose Esa. 55.7 Let the wicked forsake his way and the unrighteous man the man of iniquity the worst man that is his thoughts and returne unto the Lord and hee will have mercy upon him and to our God for hee will abundantly pardon Thus doth the Apostle likewise Iames 4.8 perswade unto repentance Draw nigh to God and hee will draw nigh unto you And to conclude this was the maine thing that drew the prodigall unto repentance even the consideration of the fatherly affection that hee knew remained in his father towards him though he had so hainously offended him as we may perceive by his words Luke 15.18 I will arise saith he and go to my father and say to him father I have sinned against heaven and before thee and am no more worthy to be called thy sonne And certainely if the vilest sinner among you all could thus be perswaded of Gods mercifull disposition and readinesse to forgive you upon your repentance you would come in and not stand out in rebellion against him as you doe The second grace wherein the force of faith appeareth is the true feare of God What is it that hath most force to make Gods child when he is once reconciled to God affraid to offend him againe I know well that the consideration of Gods severity and power hath and ought to have great force and power in the heart to restraine a man from sin For so our Saviour teacheth Luk. 12.5 Feâ—re him which after he hath killed hath power to cast into hell yea I say unto you feare him But the apprehension and perswasion a man hath of Gods mercy and goodnesse toward him in Christ is much more effectuall to make a man afraid to offend God and all feare that is wrought without this is but a slavish tormenting feare Feare hath torment saith the Apostle 1 Ioh. 4.18 It is not a child-like and saving feare There is forgivenesse with thee saith David Ps. 130.4 that thou maist be feared And Hos. 3.5 They shall feare the Lord and his goodnesse in the latter dayes And certainely beloved if you were any of you by a lively faith assured of the forgivenes of your sins and of Gods marvellous goodnesse towards you in Christ you would be much more fearefull to offend him then the most of you are Thirdly The third grace wherein this power of faith appeareth is Obedience Nothing is able to make a man willing and ready to be ruled by God in all things to yeeld hearty and constant obedience unto him till he by faith be assured of Gods love to him in Christ. The terrours of the law may like that hedge of thornes that the Prophet speaketh of Hos. 2.6 be able to stop a man from going on in an evill way but a willing obedience shall a man never bee able to yeeld unto God till he have faith When David Psal. 26.1 2. maketh profession of his integrity even unto God and comforteth himselfe against the malice of his enemies by that testimony that his conscience gave him that hee had walked in his integrity hee had walked in Gods truth his honest and good meaning hee knew would have yeelded him small comfort 〈◊〉 had not guided his saith by the direction of Gods Word nay he 〈◊〉 God to examine and try him whether it were not so he giveth verse 3. this for the reason and cause of this care hee had to walke uprightly and to follow the direction of the Word in all things For thy loving kindnesse saith hee is before mine eyes Nothing hath that force to make a man upright and constant in a Christian course as the knowledge and consideration of the mercy and loving kindnesse of God towards him in Iesus Christ. I delight to doe thy will ô my God saith David Psalme 40.8 and thy law is within my heart Till a man know God to bee his God reconciled unto him in Christ hee will never delight to doe his will his law will not bee in his heart hee will never heartily affect it It was the love of Christ that constrained Paul to doe him so diligent and faithfull service in his ministery as hee did 2 Corinthinas 5.14 the assurance hee had of Christs marvellous love to him in dying for him made him force himselfe to doe him the uttermost service hee was able and to thinke hee could never doe him service enough And where the Apostle speaketh of the marvellous obedience of Abraham to every thing that God commanded when God bad him get him out of his owne countrey and from his kindred and come into a land which hee would shew him hee left all presently when God â—ad him circumcise himselfe and every male that was in his family hee did presently upon the selfe-same day though himselfe were then ninety nine yeeres old Gen. 17.23 24. and hee had in his house three hundred and eighteene valiant men at that time Gen. 14.14 when God bad him cast out him sonne Ishmael out of his house though hee loved him dearely yet hee did immediately Gen. 21.14 Nay when God bad him sacrifice with his owne hands his sonne Isaac of whom it was said in Isaac shall thy seed bee called as the Apostle speaketh Hebrewes 11.18 yet hee was ready to doe it and that presently too as you may see Gen 22.3 But what was it that made Abraham so obedient to God in all things even in such hard commandements as these were Surely saith the Apostle Hebrewes 11.8 17. he did all these by faith He knew God was his God and his exceeding great reward as hee promised to bee Gen. 15.1 Hee was strong in faith as the Apostle saith Romanes 4.20 and therefore was so ready and cheerefull in his obedience unto God Certainely it is our want of faith beloved that maketh every commandement of God so grievous unto us if we had more faith and assurance of Gods favour in Christ we could not be so slack and backward in our obedience as we are The fourth and last grace that I will instance in is our love unto God No man can truly love the Lord till hee bee first by faith assured of Gods love to him in Christ. Wee love him saith the Apostle 1 Iohn 4.19 because hee first love us And when once a man is assured by
faith that God hath so loved him hee cannot choose but love him againe and serve him out of love and not out of feare onely Faith worketh by love saith the Apostle Galathians 5.6 As if hee had said The first and chiefe fruit that it putteth forth and whereby it sheweth that life and efficacy that is in it is this it breedeth in the heart that hath it an unfained love unto God Yea proportionable to our faith and the assurance wee have of Gods love to us will our love unto God bee Many sinnes are forgiven her saith our Saviour Luke 7.47 for shee loved much but to whom little is forgiven the same loveth but a little Certainely beloved the true cause why the most of us beare no more love to God and goodnesse then wee doe is this that either wee have no faith no assurance of Gods love to us in the pardon of our sinnes or els wee have knowne but few sinnes by our selves and have beene but a little humbled for sinne and therefore we are not much affected with the mercy and love that God hath shewed to us in the pardon of our sinnes Now for the force that is in justifying faith to quicken and enable us unto every good duty which is the second particular that I promised to speake of I might be large in the handling of it There is no good duty either towards God or man that thou findest thy selfe most backward in but if thou hadst faith to assure thee of Gods love to thee in Christ and to beleeve the promises that God hath made unto that duty and if thou wouldst also stirre up and exercise thy faith in meditating of Gods mercy and love and of those particular promises thou shouldst find thy selfe thereby made farre more able to performe that duty and to performe it in a holy and comfortable manner then thou art This is that whereby David was wont to prepare himselfe to Gods publique worship I will goe to thine house saith hee Psalme 5.7 in the multitude of thy mercies But I will instance and that briefly too but in two particular duties that is to say the hearing of the word and prayer For the first No man can heare the Word with any affection and fruit till he have faith and be thereby perswaded of Gods love to him in Christ. As new borne babes desire the sincere milke of the Word saith the Apostle 1 Pet. 2.2 3. that you may grow thereby if so bee yee have tasted that the Lord is gracious As if he should say Then and not till then you shall be able to doe it God hath made many promises to such as heare his Word Generall promises 1. Hee will ever assist this ordinance and worke with it Matthew 28.20 Goe teach all nations and loe I am with you to the end of the world 2. That hee will save the soules of his people by this ordinance Iames 1.21 Esa. 55.3 3. That by this ordinance hee will begin grace and convert the soule Psalme 19.7 4. That by this ordinance hee will increase and perfect grace where hee hath begun it Vnto you that heare shall more bee given saith our Saviour Marke 4.24 And Acts 20.32 I commend you to God and to the Word of his grace which is able to build you up And particular promises God hath also made to them that attend upon this ordinance 1. That hee will by this ordinance give them strength to overcome their strongest corruptions Even a young man may cleanse his way thereby Ps. 119.9 2. That he will by this ordinance worke peace in their consciences Esa. 57.19 How falleth it out then that many of us heare constantly and find no such thing Surely the cause is rendred Hebrewes 4.2 The Word preached did not profit them not being mixed with faith in them that heard it In our hearing wee make not use of our faith to make claime to these promises and expect the performance of them unto us Secondly For prayer Till a man have some assurance by faith of the pardon of his sinnes and of Gods favour hee can never pray aright nor with any heart and affection Romanes 10 14. How shall they call on him in whom they have not beleeved It is the spirit of grace that is the spirit of supplications Zach. 12.10 He that goeth to God must apprehend him and conceive of him as of his father Matthew 6.9 And on the other side hee that is by faith perswaded that God is his gracious father cannot choose but resort much to him in hearty prayer Galathians 4.6 O God thou art my God saith David Psalme 63.1 early will I seeke thee And 86.4 5. Vnto the Lord doe I lift up my soule for thou Lord art good and ready to forgive and plenteous in mercy to all that call upon thy name Many are the promises that God hath made unto prayer Generall promises that he will heare and answer us Esa. 30.19 Hee will be very gracious unto thee at the voice of thy cry when hee shall heare it he will answer thee And Iohn 16.23 Whatsoever ye shall aske the father in my name hee will give it unto you And particular promises 1. Deliverance from any trouble and affliction Psalme 50.15 Call upon me in the day of trouble I will deliver thee Or strength and patience to beare it Iames 1.5 If any of you lack wisdome let him aske of God and it shall be given him 2. Whatsoever spirituall grace we stand in need of Luke 11.13 Your heavenly father will give his holy spirit to them that aske him 3. Inward joy and peace of conscience Iob 33.26 Hee shall pray to God and hee will bee favourable unto him and hee shall see his face with joy Aske and ye shall receive that your joy may be full Iohn 16.24 Why then have wee no more heart to prayer Why receive wee no more good by it Surely wee doe not make use of our faith in thinking of and trusting to these promises of God when we goe to prayer and that is a maine cause of it And let not that man thinke saith the Apostle Iames 1.7 that hee shall receive any thing from the Lord. And thus have I finished those foure Motives I promised to give for the enforcing of this exhortation Lecture CXLII On Psalme 51.7 March 2. 1629. IT followeth now that we proceed unto those signes and notes that I promised to give you whereby they that have received Christ and are justified by him may be knowne And surely there is great need that we should have signes and notes given us in Gods Word whereby this may be discerned and judged of For we finde by experience of all ages that many doe verily thinke that Christ and all his merits doe belong to them who yet did never receive him nor have any title to him at all Many will say to me in that day saith our Saviour Matth. 7.22 23. Lord Lord have we not prophesied in
see What for all men May we pray for professed idolaters and enemies to the religion of God Yes even for idolaters and enemies to the Gospell and for worse than them too if worse can be We may pray for any wicked man excepting him onely that hath committed the sinne against the Holy Ghost There is a sinne unto death saith the Apostle 1 Ioh. 5.16 I do not say that any man shall pray for it that is for the pardon of that sinne But that sinne no blinde idolater certainely specially none that hath beene borne and bred in idolatry can possibly have committed Moses being required so to do prayed even for Pharaoh yea he prayed oft for him as we may read Exodus 8.12.30 9.33 10.18 So did the man of God also for Ieroboam a grosse idolater 1 Kings 13.6 And Stephen of his owne accord though he were not required to doe it prayed for them that stoned him Acts 7.60 Said I we may pray for idolaters Nay we must pray for them specially if they be such as God hath placed in any degree of preheminence over us we sinne if we doe it not See two expresse commandements of God for this one in the Old Testament another in the New What more grosse idolaters were there ever in the world both for Prince and subjects than the Babylonians were at that time when Gods people lived in captivity under them Yet were they expresly commanded to pray even for them Ier. 29.7 Seeke the peace of the city saith the Lord whither I have caused you to be carried away captives and pray unto the Lord for it And were there ever more foule idolaters than the Roman Emperours were in the dayes of the Apostles And yet God giveth an expresse commandement 1 Timothy 2.1 that in all Church-meetings there should be first and principall care taken for this that supplications prayers intercessions and giving of thankes might bee made as for all other men so specially for kings and all that are in authority Three things are to be observed in this commandement First That whereas the former commandement seemeth to reach no further than unto temporall blessings that Gods people were to begge of God for Babylon as did also Moses his prayer for Pharaoh and that of the man of God for Ieroboam in this wee are charged to pray for the conversion of idolatrous Princes and for the salvation of them Secondly That this is given for a reason why we should pray for them That wee may live a quiet and a peaceable life in all godlinesse and honesty As if hee had said If Gods people can by their prayers prevaile for the conversion of such as are in authority these three benefits will bee obtained by it First The Church shall enjoy more peace by this meanes Secondly Honesty that is justice and equity and fidelity in the civill conversation of men wil be the better preserved Thirdly Godlinesse true piety and religion will prosper the better by this means When Kings and Queens are converted they will become nursing fathers and nursing mothers to the Church as the Lord promiseth Esa. 49.23 And therefore we are bound first of all and above all others to pray heartily to God for their conversion Thirdly Lastly Another reason is to be observed which the Apostle giveth for this Vers. 3 4. For this is good and acceptable saith he in the sight of God our Saviour who will have all men that is of all sorts of men Gentiles as well as Iewes Kings and Princes as well as men of meaner condition though this may seeme never so unlikely a thing unto you because ye see none such converted hitherto yet be not out of hope of it God will have of them also some to be saved and to come unto the knowledge of the truth As if he should say These Princes as bad as they be now may belong to Gods election for ought you know and certainly some such as they are heathen and idolatrous Princes are in Gods eternall counsell ordained to salvation And who knoweth whether you prayers be not also ordained to be the meanes whereby it shall be procured Therefore pray for them saith he And out of doubt there is great cause to hope that our superiours who are yet in errour might be sooner reclaimâ—d and such of them also that do professe the truth might become more religious and zealous than they are if Gods people could according to their bounden duty pray more fervently unto God for them than they do And thus must we try the truth of our charity by the love we beare unto all men If we beare not such a love as this is unto all men certainly our charity is not such as it ought to be Secondly We must make tryall of our charity by the love we beare unto them that have wronged us and are our enemies Know this therefore beloved that thou art bound to love thine enemy yea every enemy of thiâ—e how much soever or in what kind soever he hath wronged thee thou art bound to love him and if thou canst not doe this thou hast no true charity and consequently thou hast not the Spirit of Christ in thee I say unto you saith our Saviour speaking of and describing true love Mat. 5.44 45. love your enemies that you may be that is that you may know your selves to be the children of your father which is in heaven As if he had said you can never be assured that you are Gods children till you can do this Now that we may the better understand and be affected with this point I will shew you more particularly what a manner of love God requireth of us towards our enemies in these eight degrees First We may not revenge nor so much as purpose with our selves or desire to be revenged of any enemy we have for any wrong that he hath done unto us Dearely beloved saith the Apostle Rom. 12.19 avenge not your selves but rather give place unto wrath As if he had said Let God alone with that for it is written Vengeance is mine I will repay saith the Lord. Say not saith Salomon Prov. 24.29 that is purpose not nor resolve with thy selfe thus I will do so to him as he hath done unto me As if he should say I will do him no wrong and so long as I do him no wrong I hope I cannot be blamed I will render to the man according to his worke Why what wrong is there in that Is not this a most just and equall thing to render to every man according to his worke I answer That in the Lord himselfe it is indeed so and in the Magistrate which is Gods deputy it is so too but in a private man it is not so it is a wrong it is wickednesse for him to doe it because he usurpeth Gods office Nay it were unjustice even in a Magistrate to revenge his owne private wrong Feare not saith Ioseph to his brethren Genes
our faith 5. Lastly thou wilt now when thou renewest thy covenant with God at his Table vow and binde thy selfe by promise unto God that though thou hast beene heretofore malicious and given to revenge thou wilt be so no more but thou wilt through his grace strive thus to forgive and love all men even them that have done thee most wrong Wee reade 2 Cron. 34.31 32. compared with 35.1 that Iosiah and his people before they celebrated the passeover bound themselves unto the Lord by solemne covenant that they would keepe his Commandements and his testimonies and his statutes with all their heart And it is said Chap 35.18 that that was such a Passeover as was never kept in Israel from the dayes of Samuel to that time And certainely if we would also thus prepare our selves to the Sacrament afer our examination of our selves by binding our selves to God in solemne vowes and promises to forsake our speciall corruptions and walke more circumspectly we might finde much more comfort in the Sacrament then we are wont to doe And thus much shall serve for the triall of our charity by that love we beare to our enemyes The third and last way to try it is by the love we beare to them that feare God especially To them we are bound to beare speciall love above all other men Above all things saith the Apostle 1 Pet. 4.8 have fervent charity among your selves No love that we beare to any man will give us that assurance that we are in the state of grace that the spirit of Christ dwelleth in us as when we can finde that we love a godly man more for the Image of God we discerne in him then either a wordly friend for our commodity sake or a kinsman for the nearenesse of bloud that is betweene us For this we have Christs owne example Matth. 12.50 Whosoever shall doe the will of my Father which is in heaven the same is my brother and sister and mother He that receiveth a righteous man in the name of a righteous man and for no other respect saith he Matth. 10.41 shall receive a righteous mans reward that is shall be undoubtedly saved Wee know that wee have passed from death to life saith the Apostle 1 Ioh. 3.14 because wee love the brethren And on the other side there is no more certaine signe of a man that is void of all grace and abideth in the state of death and damnation then this is when hee cannot love such as feare God Hee that loveth not his brother saith the Apostle 1 Ioh. 3.14 abideth in death For their can be no love of God in that man that loveth not such as feare God Every one saith the Apostle 1 Ioh. 5.1 That loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him But how may we that have so false and deceitfull hearts in us know that we doe indeed love a Christian in the name of a Christian I answer that the surest proofe of that is this when we can finde that though wee love them most in whom we see most grace yet we doe unfeignedly love all in whom we see the true feare of God howsoever they differ in judgement from us in some things yea what weakenesses soever we discerne in them other wayes By this note the Apostle oft describeth that love to the brethren which is true and unfeigned Eph. 1.15 Col. 1.4 Philem. 5. that is to say that it extendeth it selfe to all the Saints to all the brethren And Rom. 14.1 6. he giveth a particular example for this by directing the faithfull how they should stand affected towards those brethren that were weake in faith that is in judgement and in the knowledge of the truth It was certainely a weakenesse in judgement that made any Christian to thinke those things to be unlawfull that were indeed in their owne nature indifferent and lawfull as those which hee instanceth in Verse 2. And so it was a weakenesse in judgement on the other side that made any to thinke those things necessary and fit to be observed which indeed were not so as those he instanceth in Verse 5. But how should the faithfull stand affected towards them that were thus weake in faith and did so differ from them in judgement about these things First he telleth them Verse 3,4 they should not judge nor despise one another for this they should not esteeme one another to be void of true and saving grace because of this Secondly Verse 1. They should receive him that is thus weake in faith that is esteeme well of him love him bee not strange to him keepe him company for all this For God hath received him saith he Verse 3. And how darest thou despise or judge or thinke hardly of or be strange unto him whom God hath received Let me make some application of this beloved unto you all And I am sorry that the time enforceth mee to bee so briefe as I must bee in applying of it It is utterly a fault amongst you that the difference in judgement and practice about the ceremonies of our Church hath caused such strangenesse and allienation of minde and affection betweene such as doe truly feare God both Ministers and people We are so farre from receiving esteeming loving and maintaining society one with another neverthelesse for this difference in judgment about these things that we are apt to despise and judge one another for it and to doubt whither there be any truth of grace in them that differ from us in these things Surely saith the one side the differency and lawfulnesse of these things is now so cleerely manifested as these men must needs bee wilfully blind that doe not see it Nay certainely they cannot choose but see it well enough and were it not for a carnall respect to their credit with the people among whom they have gotten a great name and applause for their standing out so long they would doubtlesse conforme themselves And surely saith the other side the utter unlawfulnesse of these ceremonyes is now so clearely reveiled that these men must needs be wilfully blinde that see it not Nay they doe see it well enough and were it not for a carnall respect they have unto their worldly peace and estate they would neve use them certainly they sinne against their conscience in observing of them And what truth of grace can there be in them that are wilfully blind and for carnall respects doe thus sinne against their owne conscience And thus doe both sides grossely and dangerously erre and sinne against their brethren And when yee sin so against the brethren saith the Apostle 1 Cor. 8.12 yea sinne against Christ. For the experience of all times and of this present age proveth evidently that there be of both sides that feare God unfeignedly and in the whole tenour and course of whose conversation the life and power of true godlinesse doth manifestly appeare And if thou doe not see this whosoever
so much the more and to take up Davids cry and resolution Psal. 119.126 128. It is time for thee Lord to worke and to shew thy power for the maintaining of thy truth and Gospell for they have made void thy law thy word and truth is of no reckoning and account with men therefore even for this very cause Oh happy man that can say so therefore love I thy Commandements above gold yea above fine gold therefore I esteeme all thy precepts concerning all things to bee right and I hate every false way And now that I have thus shewed you how much need we have of this exhortation to constancy in our Religion I will for the better enforcing of it first give you some motives to perswade and provoke you to it and then shew you the meanes how it may be obtained And the Motives I will give you shall be but two First take heed how you suffer your selves to be corrupted in judgement how you approve in your judgement of any erroneous Doctrine for corruption in judgement is the most dangerous corruption of all others worse then corruption in manners is specially in a man that hath beene formerly inlightned with the knowledge of the truth To allow of any evill we doe in our judgement and to defend it as lawfull is a greater sin and argues a man to be more under the power and dominion of sinne then the committing of sinne doth Therefore the Apostle in the person not of a naturall but of a regenerate man comforts himselfe in this Rom. 7.15 That which I doe I allow not and Verse 16. I consent to the Law that it is good and Verse 25. With my minde I serve the Law of God The Leprosie in the head was of all kinde of Leprosies most dangerous The Priest shall pronounce him utterly uncleane saith the Lord Leviticus 13.44 his plague is in his head As the soule is the excellency of a man so is the spirit and judgement the excellency of the soule and that that God hath set in a man to guide and governe all other the powers and facultyes of it The spirit of man is the candle of the Lord saith Salomon Prov. 20.27 a divine light set in the soule to direct the whole man And if the light that is in thee be darkenesse saith our Saviour Matth. 6.23 if thy minde and judgement be once corrupted how great how dangerous is that darkenesse Take heed therefore saith he Luke 11.35 that the light that is in thee be not darkenesse take heed that thy judgement be not corrupted Most men are of opinion that if a mans life and conversation be honest and good it is no great matter what his opinion in Religion be But they are much deceived An unsound and corrupt judgement in Religion will make a man more odious unto God then many foule corruptions in life and conversation will doe To the unbeleeving saith the Apostle Tit. 1.15 Nothing is pure for even their minde and conscience is defiled Even their minde is defiled saith he The corruption of the minde is the highest degree of corruption that can be Nay it is not only an high degree of corruption to be corrupt in judgement but it is also a grievous punishment of God when a man through want of judgement to discerne betweene truth and falshood shall receive errour and forsake the truth This is said to be the judgement that God did make choice of to punish the Gentiles for their most hainous sins God gave them over saith the Apostle Rom. 1.28 to a reprobate minde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to a minde void of judgement as your margin well renders it When thou once losest thy judgement that thou canst not discerne betweene truth and errour in the matters of thy faith and salvation know that thou art under a most heavy curse of God Secondly If any of you shall change your judgement in Religion and be apt to embrace errour and forsake the truth you shall thereby declare your selves never to have beene taught of God never to have had any truth of grace or goodnesse in you What will you say is every one that holdeth any errour in Religion utterly void of all grace For answer unto this you must understand that there is great difference in the errours that men hold and in the manner of their holding them also As in the law of God which is the rule of our practice there are some more weighty matters as our Saviour speaketh Matth. 23.23 and some that are lesse weighty So among those truths in Religion that are to be knowne and beleeved there are some that are more fundamentall of more absolute necessity to salvation to be knowne and beleeved then some others are As in the body of man some wounds are mortall Viz. such as touch the braine or heart or other vitall parts some others though they be very deepe and grievous yet are not mortall so it is in the errours of the minde some of them touch the head not holding the head saith the Apostle Col. 2.19 and destroy the faith as he speaketh 2 Tim. 2.18 they overthrow the Doctrine of justification only by faith in Christ which is the very life of a Christians soule but some of them doe not so To answer therefore more distinctly unto the question I say That errours of this latter kinde that doe not touch upon the foundation may doubtlesse be in the man that is in the state of grace He that held himselfe bound in conscience in the Apostles time to observe all those dayes that God in Moses dayes had made holy and to abstaine from all those meates that by that law were made uncleane did out of doubt hold an arrour in Religion and yet the Apostle Rom. 14.1 6. speakes of such a man as of the deare child of God and saith plainly of him Verse 3. That God had received him into favour yea hee shall bee holden up saith he Verse 4. he shall persevere in the state of grace for all the errour that he holds Yea he forbids Gods people that were sounder in judgement than he to despise him or judge him to be void of grace nay he commands them to receive him converse with him think well of him love him notwithstanding this errour of his As every errour of judgement doth not separate a man from Christ so neither should it separate the members of Christ in love and affection one from another When any two of us differ in judgement in any matter of religion whatsoever the one of us certainly must needs be in an errour And he that is in the errour so it be but an errour of this kind may be every whit as holy a man yea and holier too than he that holdeth the truth For the dearest of Gods children in this life may be subject unto such errours The best may say of themselves as the Apostle doth 1 Cor. 13.9 We know but in part And
judgement or practise Give thy strength unto thy servant saith David Psal. 86.16 and 119.117 Hold thou me up and I shall be safe So Cornelius when his mind was much perplexed and troubled with the great difference of opinion and doctrine which he found among the teachers in his time took this course to settle himselfe in the truth hee gave himselfe much to fasting and prayer as you may read Acts 10.30 31. Yea see what confidence and boldnesse they have used in their prayers in this case You heard even now out of Cant. 1.7 how familiarly and boldly the Spouse of Christ finding her selfe to be in danger to be seduced expostulateth with him and teacheth us by her example that we may and should doe so in the like case O thou whom my soule loveth saith she why should I be as one that turneth aside by the flockes of thy companions As if shee had said Why shouldst thou suffer me to be mislead by any false teacher or seducer whatsoever The like familiar expostulation you shall find David using in this case Psalme 56.13 Thou hast delivered my soule from death wilt not thou deliver my feet from falling that I may walke before God in the light of the living As if hee should say Thou hast redeemed me and effectually called mee and justified and sanctified mee in some measure and wilt not thou keepe mee from falling from thy truth into any damnable errour And thus have I finished that which I have to say touching this second fruit and effect whereby a man may know himselfe to have the spirit of Christ that is Constancy in the true religion of Christ. Lecture CL. On Psalme 51.7 Novemb. 15. 1631. IT followeth now that wee proceed to the third principall effect and fruit whereby a man may know that he hath the spirit of Christ. The point then that we have now to handle is this Hee that hath indeed the spirit of Christ in him and is in the state of grace will take to heart the cause of God and of his holy religion nay he cannot choose but doe so I will give you both the explication and the proofe of the point together that is I will both shew you what it is to take to heart the cause of God and religion and also prove that he that hath the spirit of Christ in him cannot choose but doe it And this I will doe first generally and then more particularly And my generall proofes shall be an introduction unto the particulars In my generall proofes I will observe three degrees First then he that hath the spirit of Christ in him cannot choose but love the Lord unfeignedly yea love him above all other things even better then his owne selfe This is made the summe of the first Table of all the duty and worship we owe unto God Mar. 12.30 Thou shalt love the Lord thy God c. If any man come to me saith our Saviour Luk. 14.26 and â—ate not that is love not lesse then me as it is to be interpreted out of Mat. 10.37 his father and mother and wife and children and brethren and sisters yea and his owne life also hee cannot be my Disciple He cannot be in the state of grace he cannot have the spirit of Christ that doth not thus love the Lord. And on the other side he that can find in himselfe that he doth thus love the Lord though he have otherwise many defects in himselfe may be assured that he is in the state of grace that he hath the spirit of Christ in him If any man love God 1 Cor. 8.3 the same is knowne of him hee is approved and beloved of God Therefore when Christ would comfort Peter after his grievous fall he examineth him thrice and by his examining of him so provokes him to examine himselfe about this Ioh. 21.15 Simon sonne of Ionas lovest thou me As if he had said then all is well be of good comfort thou art in a happy state Secondly No man can thus love God but he must needs have the zeale of God in him he cannot but be zealous for God grieved and troubled in himselfe to see God dishonoured When David had said Psal. 119.158 I beheld the transgressours and was grieved because they kept not thy word He gives in the next words the reason of it verse 159. Consider how I love thy precepts Because he loved God and his Word he could not but grieve to see him dishonoured See an example of this in Eliah I have beene very zealous for the Lord of hoasts saith he 1 King 19.10 He was so troubled for the dishonour he saw done to God under the governement of Ahab and Iezabel that it made him weary of his life as you may see verse 4. See it also in David Psal. 69.9 His zeale had even eaten him up he saith and the reproaches of them that reproached thee are fallen upon me as an intollerable burden that I cannot beare See lastly an example of this in Hezekiah and his Nobles 2 King 19.1 4. We read that Hezekiah rent his cloathes and clad himselfe in sackcloth and so did his Princes too they were in great griefe and trouble of mind And what was the cause of it Not the extreame danger they were in of the sword of Sennacherib who had proclaimed warre against them and had already taken all the defensed cities of Iuda Chap. 18.13 and was so potent an enemy that he was able to besiege Ierusalem with an army of above an hundred fourescore and five thousand Chap. 19.35 No no the blasphemy that Rabshakeh had belched out against God and the reproach and dishonour he had cast upon him troubled them more then all the danger they were in In craving the Prophets prayer he mentioneth this more then the other This is a day of trouble and of rebuke and of blasphemy saith he ver 3. and ver 4. It may be the Lord thy God will heare all the words of Rabshakeh whom his master hath sent to reproach the living God And in his prayer unto God verse 16. he complaines most of this Heare the words of Sennacherib who hath sent him to reproach the living God Thirdly and lastly He that hath any true zeale of God in him will shew and expresse it towards his house and worship especially Thus did David shew his zeale for God The zeale of thy house saith hee Psalme 69.9 hath eaten mee up And so did Iehojada 2 Chron. 24.16 the cause of that great honour that was done him after his death is said to be this Because hee had done good in Israel towards God and towards his house hee had restored and established the pure worship of God in Iudah And so did Nehemiah expresse his zeale for God and tooke great comfort in expectation of reward from God for it Remember me saith he Neh. 13.14 ô my God concerning this thing and wipe not out my good deeds that I have done for the house of
my God and â—or the offices thereof And indeed there is no way whereby we can expresse our love to God so well as by loving and delighting in and taking care for the house and pure worship of God Therefore in the reason of the second commandement as I told you the last day they that make conscience of that commandement that use and love that worship onely that he hath in his Word appointed are called such as love God Exodus 20.6 and they that are addicted to will-worship and care not for the true worship of God are called ver 5. haters of God Thus did David expresse his love to God Psal. 26.8 Lord I have loved the habitation of thy house and the place where thine honour dwelleth He that careth not for the house and worship of God whether it be maintained in purity or be corrupted whether it prosper or no certainely hath no love of God no zeale of Gods glory in his heart And this shall serve for my first sort of proofes which I told you should be more generall Now you shall see the point opened and confirmed unto you in foure particulars First He that hath the spirit of Christ will rejoyce to see religion prosper to see the purity and sincerity of Gods worship restored and set up See what Ioy there was in Ierusalem in the daies of David when the Arke of God was brought to Ierusalem 1 Chron. 15.28 And in the daies of Hezekiah when the Sacrament had beene celebrated according to the first institution of it which it had not beene of a long time before in such sort as it was written saith the Text 2 Chron. 30.5 and verse 26. from Salomons raigne to that time there had not beene such a Passeover kept it is said ver 25 26. All Gods people did marvellously rejoyce in it So when Nehemiah had reformed and purged the house and worship of God from sundry corruptions and restored it to the primitive purity and sincerity thereof It is said Neh 12.43 That Gods people did rejoyce for God had made them to rejoyce with great joy their wives also and their children rejoyced so that the joy of Ierusalem was heard even a farre off Nay he that hath the spirit of God in him will rejoyce to see any beginnings of reformation in places that were rude before to see religion get any entrance or footing any beginnings of a Church in such places It is said Ezra 3.11 that all Gods people shouted with a great shout when they praised the Lord because the foundation of the house of the Lord was laid On the other side he that hath the spirit of God in him cannot chuse but grieve to see or heare that the true religion and worship of God is banished from any place and that Idolatry and a false worship is set up in it Old Ely is noted by the Holy Ghost 1 Sam. 4.17 18. to have grieved much more deepely for the taking away of the Arke of God then either for Israels flying from before the Philistines or for the great slaughter that had beene made of Gods people or for the death of his two sonnes Hophâ—i and Phineas It came to passe saith the Text that when the messenger made mention of the Arke of God hee fell from of his seate backward and his necke brake and hee died And this is also noted to have beene the chiefe griefe of his daughter in law and maine cause of her death too verse 22. this would never out of her mouth in all the extreamity of her paine and anguish while breath was in her body the glory is departed from Israel for the Arke of God is taken away And this was that that troubled that zealous man of God Eliah and made him even weary of his life through griefe and discontentment 1 King 19.10 The children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant saith he they are fallen from thy holy religion they have throwne downe thine altars that is they have abolished and shewed contempt and hatred to thy true worship and why should I desire to live any longer in such a time Hee that hath any love or zeale of God in him cannot but grieve to see or heare that idolatry is set up in any place that it groweth and increaseth any where specially in any place where God was truly worshipped before We read of blessed Paul Acts 17.16 that when hee saw even the city of Athens where God had never beene truly worshipped wholly given unto idolatry his spirit was stirred in him he was incensed with zealous griefe and indignation to see it O how would it have troubled the good man to have seene or heard of such a thing in Corinth or Galatia or Ephesus that were true Churches of Christ where the Gospell had beene and still was faithfully and plentifully preached Nay hee that hath any true love or zeale of God in him cannot but grieve at the least Eclipse that religion suffers in any place though the substance of it doth still remaine yet if it have lost any thing of that luster of that purity sincerity and power that once it had even that is sufficient cause of griefe to every good man Wee read that when in the dayes of Zerubbabel the foundation of the second Temple was laid and Gods people that had seene no better did greatly rejoyce in it Ezra 3.12 Many of the Priests and Levites and chiefe of the fathers who were ancient men that had seene the first house wept with a loud voice even when the rest shouted for joy and the noise of their weeping was as great every whit as the noise of the others rejoycing And why did they so Surely it grieved their hearts to see how farre the house that God was now to have in Ierusalem was short in beauty and glory of that that God had had before in that place Secondly He that hath the spirit of Christ in him will joy in the frequency and fullnesse of the Church-assemblies When David to aggravate the misery of his present estate Ps. 42.4 speakes of the joy and comfort that he had formerly taken in going to the house of God he names this twice in that verse as a maine cause of that great joy he tooke in going to the house of God that there went such a multitude with him And this is noted for one cause of that great joy the people of God expressed at the celebration of that Passeover in Hezekiahs time 2 Chron. 30.26 that the number of the communicants was so great as it is said verse 13. There assembled to Ierusalem much people to keepe the Passeover a very great Congregation On the other side even this hath grieved Gods people to see the Church-assemblies neglected and unfrequented to see the Congregations much thinner then they had wont to be I wil gather them saith the Lord Zeph. 3.18 that are sorrowfull for the solemne assembly who are of thee to whom the reproach of it was
faithfull Iewes that had beene before much offended with Peter for going unto Cornelius heard of the fruit and successe of his Ministery there it is said Acts 11.18 That they hâ—ld their peace and glorified God saying then hath God also to the Gentiles granted repentance unto life Though we know that the Iewes naturally fretted at nothing so much as this to heare that the Gentiles should become Gods people as every naturall man doth to see others more Religious then him selfe yet the Iewes that were converted joyed greatly in this When Paul and Barnabas Acts 15.3 declared to them the conversion of the Gentiles they caused great joy unto all the brethren He that hath any grace in his owne heart will joy in the conversion of others And on the other side he that hath the spirit of Christ in him cannot choose but grieve to see how unfruitful the Gospel is in most places how little power it hath in the hearts of men This the Prophet foretold Esa. 53.1 should be the complaint and lamentation of the Ministers of the Gospell and daily experience proves it to be so Who hath beleeved our report and to whom is the arme of the Lord revealed And of our blessed Saviour it is said Mar. 8.12 that when he saw the infidelity and hardnesse of heart that was in the Pharisees and Iewes who though they had seene so many miracles of his and heard so many of his gracious and powerfull Sermons could not beleeve but asked still for a signe from heaven that he sighed deepely in his spirit to see and thinke of this And so will every one in some measure doe that hath the spirit of Christ in him when hee seeth the marvellous senselessenesse of most men under the powerfull and excellent meanes of grace that they doe enjoy The reasons of this point and the application of it I must deferre till the next day Lecture CLI On Psalme 51.7 November 29. 1631. IT followeth now that we proceed to give you the grounds and reasons of this point and then make some application of it unto our selves The reasons then why we should thus take to heart the cause of God and of his holy Religion why we should joy in the liberty of the Gospell and in the fruitfulnesse and good successe of it and mourne for the contrary are three principally according to the respect we ought to have unto three severall persons that are interested in it in respect had 1. Vnto other men 2. Vnto our selves 3. And principally unto the Lord. The first reason I will for the helpe of your understanding and memory deliver distinctly unto you in three degrees First we are bound in conscience to love the persons of all men and we can have no comfort in our owne estate unlesse our hearts can beare us witnesse we doe so The Lord make you saith the Apostle 1 Thes. 3.12 to increase and abound in love one towards another and towards all men Secondly If we do not love their soules unfeignedly desire their salvation there is no true love to them in our hearts I know well the most of you thinke otherwise you thinke you love your neighbours your friends your Wives your children well and dearely though you have no care at all of their soules but leave the care of them to God alone Nay they are of all others accounted the most loving and kind natured men that have least care of all either of other mens or of their owne soules whose kindnesse and good fellowship shewes it selfe in nothing more then in poysoning and destroying one anothers soules But be not deceived beloved the holy Word of God by which thou must be judged at the day of thy appearing before the judgement seat of Christ defineth love otherwise then thou doest and saith thou bearest no true love at all to the person whose soule thou hast no care of Thus Paul expressed and proved his unfeigned love to the Iewes his country men Rom. 10.1 Brethren my hearts desire and prayer to GOD for Israel is that they might be saved Because we are bound to love all men we are bound to desire the salvation of all men that God would give to all places to all people the meanes of their salvation and make them effectuall in their hearts This is plaine by that prayer of the Church Psalm 67.2 3. That thy way may be knowne upon earth thy saving health among all nations let the people praise thee O God let all the people praise thee If we doe not grieve to see how people lye in ignorance and infidelity and profanenesse and so under the power of Satan we beare no true love to them at all The Apostle professeth his love this way also unto his country men Rom. 9.1 2. his conscience did beare him witnesse in the Holy Ghost that he had great heavinesse and continuall sorrow in his heart for their blindnesse and obstinacy Nay he hateth them in his heart that cannot grieve to see them live in this estate Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thy heart saith the Lord Levit. 19.17 thou shalt in any wise rebuke thy neighbour and not suffer sinne upon him If we suffer men to live in any sinne were it in our power to helpe it if we be utterly carelesse of it and it never trouble us to see it the Lord you see saith plainly that we hate them in our hearts And whosoever hateth his brother is a murtherer saith the Apostle 1 Ioh. 3.15 and ye know that no murtherer hath eternall life abiding in him or is in the state of grace If this be so as doubtlesse it is alas how hainous a sin are we all guilty of that neither doe any thing to bring them out of this misery they lye in nor are at all grieved and troubled for it Thirdly If we doe truly desire the salvation of men and grieve to see them perish in ignorance and profanenesse then will we desire that sound preaching may abound and will grieve to see the preaching of the word hindred any way Because the meanes whereby the soules of men must be saved is preaching It hath pleased God by the foolishnesse of preaching to save them that beleeve saith the Apostle 1 Cor. 1.21 that is first by preaching hee workes faith in men according to that faith commeth by hearing Romans 10.17 and then by faith hee saveth them But why doth hee call it the foolishnesse of preaching Not that it is so indeed but that carnall men doe account it so for so he expoundeth himselfe Verse 18. The peeaching of the crosse is to them that perish foolishnesse they that perish and shall goe to hell account so of it But you will object and say cannot men be saved without preaching I answer that preaching is the meanes that he hath appointed to doe this worke by ordinarily Other sheepe I have saith our Saviour Iob. 10.16 which are not of this fould are not yet come
may fall fearefully into odious sinnes 8 Why the Lord suffers his people to fall 9 10 The best have therefore great cause to feare 10 11 Means to keep us from falling 11 Take heed of declining in the least matters 795 When they are fallen they cannot rise up again of themselves 13 Comfort against tentations of falling away 352 357 Differences between the falls of the elect and others 355 556 Their sinne is great that rejoyce to heare and speak of them 552 And theirs that embolden themselves to sin by them 554 557 Why the falls of the godly are recorded in the Word 555 Family True converts will have a care to reforme their families 288 630 Such as have children and families are charged with the soules of them 289 481 Must answer for their open proâ—anenesse and contempt of religion 711 Fast. Humiliation necessary in every fast and for what causes we should be humbled 311 313 Feeling A man may be in the state of grace and highly in Gods favour though be feele is not nor have the comfort of it 140 141 Feare of God That may be well done that is done cut of feare of Gods judgements 387 But it must be such a feare as is mixed with love 388 A man may be subject to slavish feares and yet truly love God 392 Reasons of it 393 394 We must strive against these feares 395 6 Means to overcome them 396 734 735 He that is in the state of grace must be affraid to sin 569 570 Must feare every degree of sin must continue in this feare Ibid Faith the root of it 741 Freedome of will How dead we are by nature 305 517 518 Wicked men have no true desire nor wiâ—l tâ— have grace and to be saved 454 455 Wicked men may forbeare many sinnes and doe much more good than they do 457 He that doth what lieth in him is nearer to salvation than another naturall man 458 The naturall man is able to â—â—ve to men and to himselfe but not to God 518 G. God HIs omnipresence and omniscience 221 222 His holinesse 222 His Maiesty 223 His goodnesse and bounty 224 Gods love Wicked men are perswaded God loveth them and hee doth indeed with a common love 398 Faith assures us of Gods speciall love 400 Rest not in common favours but get assurance of Gods speciall love 401 402 687 688 Motives to seeke for assurance of Gods speciall love 402 406 Meanes to get it 406 c Grace We are bound to give God thanks for his restraining grace in others 337. In our selves 339 Saving grace is of a permanent and durable nature 428 Gospell The preaching of the Gospell is the outward instrument whereby the Spirit workes sanctification 732 H. Hearers TO love and reverence Gods Ministers 22 167 What Ministry they should most prize 22 23 Yet must they esteeme reverently of the meanest faithfull Minister 23 Reprooâ—e of hearers that love not their Ministers person 24 That discourage their Ministers 480 That regard not his Ministry 24 169 The danger of such as neglect to heare 26 That heare without profit 27 528 Many complaine without cause they cannot profit by the Word 528 What the true causes are men profit not by the Word 529 What they must do that have long enjoyed the Ministry of the Word and cannot profit by it 530 Hearers must examine what they heare 790 How wee may heare with profit 30 c. 742 1. What we must do before 30 35 792 2. What in hearing 35 39 3. What after 39 44 Resort to Ministers for resolution 43 Heart Grosse sinnes harden the heart 14 15 16 Hardnesse of heart a â—earefull judgement 16 Meanes to deliver and preserve us from it 16 17 735 Make conscience of the first stirâ—ings of thy corruption there 317 When God hath a mans heart it is a signe of uprightnesse 438 c. 463 Signes that the purpose and desire of the heart is right 465 Honour Whom God accounts truly honourable 286 Hope A sound hope that when wee shall die wee shall goe to heaven a speciall meanes of patience 270 Signes of a true hope 271 Humiliation The knowledge of our naturall corruption is of great force to humble us 308 We have cause to be humbled when wee have performed our best duties 309 When we go before God in prayer Ibid. Specially at fasts 311 And at the Sacrament 574 Seeking assurance of Gods favour with an humbled soule is a speciall meanes to obtaine it 408 647 Humiliation for sinne a speciall meanes to obtaine sanctified knowledge 498 He that is in the state of grace â—ath more cause to be humbled for his grosse sinnes than any other man 573 Foure benefits of â—ound humiliation 574 The humbled soule most capable of mercy 647 648 None fit to receive Christ but the humble and such as find themselves utterly void of all grace 691 Hypocrisie The best are apt to suspect themselves to be hypocrites 460 Comfort for such 461 Many things in an hypocrite better than in any meere naturall man 697 An hypocrite may go farre 698 c. The good things in them not to be misliked and scorned 699 In some respects the hypocrite is worse and in worse case than the open profane person 719 Signes of an hypocrite 720 c I. Idlenesse A Great sinne for any man to live idly and un-profitably 125 Idolatry It is a good thing and pleasing to God to hate Idolatry 712 714 Ignorance Is a sinne that much provokes God 494 It is a signe one is under Sathans power 496 Such a one easily seduced Ibid. Such an one is full of doubts and feares 497 Infants Every Infant so soone as it is borne or conceived is guilty of sin in the sight of God and deserveth to be damned 277 In what respects called Innocents Ibid. And said to be holy 278 How severe God hath beene in his judgements towards some Infants 279 280 The originall corruption of Infants consists in three things Ibid Observe Gods judgements on them 281 The sin that is in Infants is derived to them from their parents 282 Infidelity The hainousnesse of that sin 146 147 Notwithstanding Infidelity discerned and bewailed a man may trust in Gods mercy 648 682 Infirmities Foure notes to discerne a sin of infirmity from a reigning sin 709 Ioy. The humble-hearted man hath great cause of Ioy. 138 Gods children have cause to be comfortable and to serve God with alacrity 364 365 He that truly believeth he is justified by Christ must needs rejoyce in him 675 c. Their great sin that do not 680 Iudgements of God The Lord sheweth his severity more in this life against the sinnes of his owne people than of the wicked 1. He afflicts all them 2. Begins with them 542 543. 3. He usually makes them examples 544. 4. His judgements are wont to be heavier and sharper on them 545 This be doth to keep them from sin and perdition 546 He getteth himselfe glory from
for carrying his Arke in a cart which by his ordinance should have beene carried on the Priests shoulders only Was Vzza the worst man in all the company No verily we have rather cause to judge he was a good man though he transgressed Gods law in that point Was God displeased with Vzza onely or had he respect to his sin only in that judgement No verily For because yee did not carry the Arke at the first saith David to the Priests 1 Chron. 15.13 because yee set it on a cart the Lord our God made a breach upon us All the congregation were as deepe in that sinne as Vzza the Lord was as much displeased with them all as with him onely he made him an example to them all that they might see what was due to them all in the judgement that fell upon him and David made that use of it as you may see 1 Chron. 13.11.12 David was displeased that is grieved and troubled in mind because the Lord had made a breach upon Vzza and David was afraid of God that day In like manner did the Lord deale with the yong Prophet that we read of 1 Kings 13 24. he made him an example to Ierohoam and to all Israel Alas may you say was there never a greater sinner in Bethel nor in all Israel never a fitter man to be made an example of Gods severity then this poore man I answer Greater sinners there were many wee may not doubt but that Prophet was a good man and Gods deare child though being deceived by the old Prophet hee did eate and drinke in Bethel contrary to Gods commandement and so did justly deserve to dye Neither had the Lord in that judgement so much respect to the sinne of that good man as to the sin of Ierohoam and all Israel that by his severity toward his owne servant for so small a sin they might either learne how much more was due to them for their grosse idolatry and so feare and repent or else by the fall and inconstancy of the Prophet be brought to esteeme the lesse of his prophesie against them and so be further hardened in their sin And that the Lord had this respect in his judgement on the Prophet may appeare by that which the holy Ghost saith verse 33. of that chapter After this thing that is to say After the Prophet had so sinned and was so plagued of God for it Ieroboam returned not from his evill way but made againe of the lowest of the people Priests of the high places As if he had said thus He received no good by this example as he should have done but became the worse by it And certainely thus are we to judge of the marvellous severity God hath of late shewed towards his people in the Palatinate and other parts of Germany and towards the poore Rochellers thinke not beloved that they were greater sinners then any other or then we are Onely the Lord hath made them examples of his severity to us and to all men and we may say of them as the Apostle doth 1 Cor. 10.11 All these things happened unto them for ensamples And thus it hath seemed good unto God onely wise who is righteous in all his wayes and holy in all his workes as the Prophet speaketh Psalme 145.17 to make his deare servants spectacles and examples of his severity against sin rather and oftner then he doth the lewdest men that live though sometimes he bring them upon the stage also as he did Korah and his company Numb 16. and 26.10 The fourth and last way whereby God doth in this life shew more hatred to the sins of his owne people then of any other men is this That though hee doth in this life execute his judgements also upon some wicked men as well as upon his owne God is angry with the wicked saith the Prophet Psalme 7.11 and plaâ—ueth one or other of them every day Yet are not his judgements usually when they doe fall so heavy so sharpe and extreame upon them as they are upon his owne people God is very terrible in the assembly of his Saints in his true Church among his owne people saith the Prophet Psalme 89.7 And of his judgements that he executeth upon wicked men in this life if they be compared with those whereby he scourgeth his owne people it may be said as it is of the misery and oppression the people endured vnder Solomon compared with that they should suffer under Rehoboam 1 Kin. 1â— 11 Hee chasteneth them with whipâ— but his owne people with Scorpions Therefore when the Lord threatneth extreame affliction he expresseth it thus Micab 6.16 Yee shall beare the reproach of my people As if hee should say I will so afflict you as I use to afflict my people when they provoke mee See an experiment of this in both the destructions of Ierusalem Never did any people in the world endure so great miseries as Gods people did there in both of them Of the first the Church thus complaineth Lamenta 1.12 Behold and see if there be any sorrow like unto my sorrow which is done unto me wherewith the Lord hath afflicted me in the day of his fierce anger Vnder the whole heaven it hath not beene done saith Daniel 9 12. as both beene done upon Ierusalem And such a destruction the Lord himselfe foretold it should be as never came upon any other people such as all other nations should even wonder to see and heare of and be astonished at it This house which I have sanctified for my name saith the Lord 2 Chron. 7.20.21 will I cast out of my sight and will make it to be a proverbe and a by-word among all nations and this house which is high shall be an astonishment to every one that passeth by it And Ezek. 5.9 I will doe in thee that which I have not done and whereunto I will not doe any more the like And of the latter destruction of Ierusalem our Saviour prophesieth Mar. 13.19 In those dayes shall bee affliction such as was not from the beginning of the creation which God made unto this time neither shall be And thus have we heard the Doctrine confirmed sufficiently That the sins of the regenerate are in sundry respects more hainous and dangerous then the same sins are being committed by other men And this we have had proved both by the testimony of the regenerate themselves and by the Lords owne testimony he can as ill abide sin in his owne people as in any other yea he hath shewed more hatred in this life to their sins then to the sins of any other men Let us now come to enquire into the reasons of this And first let us enquire what should be the reason why the Lord is so severe against them above all other men For it may seeme strange that having freely pardoned the sins of his people and being fully reconciled to them in Christ and loving them dearely with an everlasting
love God should yet deale more severely and sharply with them in this life then with any other And indeed the Lord himselfe telleth us that this should be a matter of wonder and astonishment unto all men to see it All nations shall say saith the Lord Deut. 29.24 wherefore hath the Lord done thus unto this land What meaneth the heate of this great anger Yea Gods owne choise servants have stood amazed at it and beene troubled exceedingly because they could not discerne any reason for it Even when I remember it I am afraid saith Iob 21.6 and trembling taketh hold on my flesh And David Psal. 73.16 17. When I sought to know this it was too painfull for me untill I went into the sanctuary of God Let us therefore go into the sanctuary of God and enquire there into the reason of this And we shall find it may be referred unto three principall heads For the Lord doth this out of a respect he hath 1. Vnto the regenerate themselves whom he doth thus correct 2. Vnto other men whom he maketh them an example unto 3. Lastly Vnto the quality and degree of his peoples sin whom he doth deale thus sharply with First The Lord is thus sharpe and severe in correcting his dearest children out of the respect he hath to their persons out of that eternall and unchangeable love he beareth unto them Because he would keepe them from sinning as others doe and from perishing as others shall therefore he correcteth them so sharply as he doth He medleth not with the thornes and bryars but letteth them grow till they be fit for the fire but his Vines he will cut and prune ever and anon Many lewd men because he careth not for them he letteth alone till they have filled up the measure of their sin Fill yee up saith our Saviour Matth. 23.32 the measure of your fathers He loveth them not so well as to correct them alwayes when they offend I will not punish your daughters when they commit whoredome nor your spouses when they commit adultery saith the Lord Hosea 4.14 He reserveth wrath for his enemies saith the Prophet Nahum 1.2 But his owne people because he loveth them he will be sure to correct them when they doe amisse You onely have I kowne saith he Amos 3.2 that is loved and made choise of to be my peculiar people of all the families of the earth therefore I will punish you for all your iniquities Iob admired the goodnesse of God in this What is man saith he Iob 7.17 18 19. that thou shouldst magnifie him and that thou shouldst set shine heart upon him and that thou shouldst visit him every morning and try him every moment As if hee should say It is a signe God maketh great reckoning of a man and setteth his heart upon him when he thus visiteth him with his corrections ever when he offendeth Certainly the Lord doth not this willingly He doth not afflict willingly saith the Church Lam. 3.33 If he saw any other way so fit as this to keepe them from sinning outragiously and so from perishing eternally he would never deale thus with them Behold I will melt them and try them that is correct them and correct them sharply saith the Lord Ieremy 9.7 for how shall I doe for the daughter of my people As though he should have said How should I keepe them from perdition if I should not cast them into the fornace of affliction So the Apostle giveth this for the reason why the Lord so sharply corrected his people in Corinth with pestilence and mortality even for going unpreparedly to the Lords table When we are judged saith he 1. Cor. 11.32 we are chastened of the Lord that we should not be condemned with the world As if he should say The Lord seeth that if he should not scourge us and scourge us thus sharply even for these negligences of ours for our loosenes and carelesnes in his service we would be apt to grow as profane and lewd as other men and so cast our selves into everlasting perdition And thus have the faithfull themselves judged of the Lords severity towards them It is good for me saith David Psal. 119.71 that I have beene afflicted and verse 75. I know that thou in faithfullnesse hast afflicted me Lecture CX On Psalme 51.6 February 17. 1628. IT followeth now that wee proceed unto the second reason of this severity of God towards his owne people of his correcting them in this life more sharply then the lewdest men The Lord doth this secondly out of the respect he hath unto other men even unto those wicked men among whom his people do live In his corrections upon them he hath sometimes not so much respect unto them and their sins as he hath unto other men For the Lord doth nor only give unto his dearest servants such privy pinches and gripes as themselves onely or some of their neerest friends are sensible of but hee bringeth them oft upon the stage he whippeth them openly and publikely of purpose that other men yea that wicked men may take notice of it He striketh them as wicked men as Elihu speaketh Iob 34.26 in the open sight of others As if he should say One would thinke they must needs be very wicked and lewd men whom the Lord thus maketh examples of and whippeth so openly And yet thus hath the Lord dealt with his owne people not only when their sins have beene publike and scandalous As in the case of Iudah of which the Lord speaketh Ezek. 5.14 I will make thee wast and a reproach among the nations that are round about thee in the sight of all that passe by But even when the sins of his people have bin secret and closely committed Thou didst it secretly saith the Lord unto David 2 Sam. 12 1â— but I will doe this thing before all Israel and before the Sunne Yea such of his people as have so lived that neither others could note them nor they have beene privy to themselves of any enormious crime yet even them also hath the Lord oft brought upon the stage and made them examples of his marvellous severity unto the world Ye were made a gazing stocke saith the Apostle to the faithfull Hebr. 10.33 both by reproaches and afflictions Now if any man shall aske alas why doth the Lord so Were it not more for his glory when his children doe offend him to take them into a corner and to whip them in secret then to doe it thus in the market place and in the sight of all men Wicked men will but rejoyce at this and insult the more against religion for it And that made David wish with all his heart that the judgement of God upon Israel when Saul was slaine had not beene so publique that it had beene concealed from the Philistines Tell it not in Gath saith he 2 Sam. 1.20 publish it not in the streets of Ashkelon lest the daughters of the Philistines rejoyce lest