truth as they call it that goes with prosperity But whatsoever is on the other side is error if it bring not gaine But these men I may say they be friends to the world and enemies to God and they are not worthy to be called Christs Disciples God will one day interpret his own word And there will be a time when God will come to interpret and expound his own word You shall all be judged by the word of God and you shall be judged as God interprets that word therefore you that follow truth now on that fashion I say to you as learned Mr Dyke said it is an observable speech when he was speaking of non-residents or pluralists hee brings him answering for himself before the Lord as it were at the last day There God will tell thee if thou haddest loved me thou wouldest have fed my flock thou wilt say I fed them by my selfe or by my Curate but saith hee What if that be not the meaning of the place when thou commest there So you take any thing for truth if it hold with gaine and prosperity you will wrest any Scripture but when God shall interpret his owne Scriptures and you shal be judged by them what if that be not the meaning of those Scriptures as your Pamphlets and carnall Sermons say Looke to it Godly men think that truth that goeth with persecution But one the other side there is a devout jealousie in a godly man that he thinks that that is alway truth that goeth with persecution and that error goeth with peace and herein the honest heart oftner misseth the will of God than the other way As honest Jehoshaphat when foure-hundred Prophets bid them goe to Ramath Gilead and prosper he thought this too good to be true he suspected it was not the way of God it was so smooth there was too much peace hee would have Micajah tell them the truth So when the Saints of God see peace and prosperity goe along with a way they are jealous that it is not the way of God As for instance if you tell a man that the way to Canterbury or York is a rough dirty way if a man be going thether and find a peice of faire way he is jealous he is out of his way because he was told it was a rough foule way So Christ saith that wee must suffer persecutions and through many tribulations we shall enter into heaven now when a Saint findes a little peice of faire way he thinks he is out of the way it cannot be peace and prosperitie that is the portion of the wicked herein an honest heart is ofter deceived than in the other Therefore to direct you know that peace and prosperitie are not alway companions of the truth yet sometimes riches and honour and prosperity are with the truth Peace and prosperity sometimes goe with truth as I might prove out of the Proverbs Riches and honour are in the right hand of wisdome Many times there is honour though not ordinarily the ordinarie way is persecution but sometimes there is honour and wealth with truth and righteousnesse when there is persecution and trouble to the wicked therefore though it be a good rule generally yet it is not absolute Therefore let me speak to you poor lambes and weak souls that I am six times more jealous of you that you should be out in this devotion that you should be carried aside to the right hand or to the left I feare not you that are drunkards and swearers and cozeners c. But you poore creatures you will finde some course that hath more persecution and that must be the truth and so you run and misse the will of God In Exod 23.1 the Lord saith Thou shalt not follow a multitude to doe evil And what followes in the next verse thou shalt not favour a poore man in his cause If he had said thou shalt not favour a rich man it had been no wonder for men are apt to favour them but he saith favour not a poore man many times a man in judgement out of a kind of devotion and charity and mercy may stick to a poore man against a rich man and yet pervert justice therefore thou shalt favour neither rich nor poore in justice but as Solomon saith Pro. 4. Let thine eyes look straight before thee and thine eyelides right on turne not to the right hand nor to the left remove thy feet from evil Look straight on saith he I know the ordinary way to heaven is persecution and afflictions but sometimes it is otherwise therefore let me keep the way of God whether it bring peace or trouble 4. Carnall wisdome The fourth thing that we must beware of is carnall wisdome for by this that I have said those that are carnally wise will lay hold of this latitude that I have spoken of and be glad of the Doctrine and think now I have found a way to escape persecution Take heed of carnall wisdome wherein is it In a word carnall wisdome will make things absolutely commanded and forbidden to be expedient or inexpedient or else it will call those things expedient that make for a mans owne lust and not for the honour of God Fiftly take heed of selâ— for thou wilt never be able to walk by this rule till thou love thy brother as thy selfe Therefore in the verse next after the text 5. Selfe Let every man not look on his owne good but on his neighbours wealth not to please himself but to please all men in all things Take heed of self love for then you will judge all expedient that is for your own lust 6. Hypocresie Lastly beware of hypocresie endeavour to be sincere An Hypocrite will never come to this mold while the world standeth beware of Hypocricie that is as a godly man saith we should soone end the controversie if every one would labour for an upright soule and to honour Religion before the world There be the hindrances Helps to walk expediently Now I will name those few meanes to help us in our conversation they are but three or foure at the most that I would have you take notice of 1. Spirituall wisdome The first is spirituall wisdome endeavour after this to be filled with it for you may have zeale and you may have no knowledge and you may have knowledge zeale and yet have no wisdome therefore to some God hath given knowledge saith the Apostle and to some wisdome Therefore labour for spirituall wisdome What is that Wisdome to be able to discerne what is convenient and expedient how to fit circumstances to make an honourable and profitable action I mean not carnall wisdome and discretion but spirituall For without that all your zeale will be as water out of the channell as fire out of the chimney onely to rent the Churches and to trouble the Nation That is one 2. Sobriety Secondly begg of the
passion Thus of the 1. generall head Things indifferent Next of the morall Law 2. For the morall law of the ten Commandements whose injunctions and prohibitions directly determine the question what things are necessary viz. must be done or must not be done and consequentially what it leaves out it resolves us to be indifferent the licentious of this age lay aside thereby to attain a vaster liberty to make more things indifferent then ever God made and so to doe even what they please And their pretended reason is because they conclude it to be of the Covenant of works And I wish they have not learnt it from Pulpits unskilfully handling it and putting it wrongfully under that notion For the morall law of the to Commandements is cleerly an appendix or part of the Covenant of Grace For as Love answers to faith in the New Testament so did the ten Commandements answer to the Ceremoniall law in the Old Testament Will any man that is in his wits according to Scripture deny that either love in the New Testament or the Ceremoniall Law in the Old Testament were of the Covenant of Grace The text is plain Gal. 5.6 In Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth any thing that is then or at any time in the outside nor uncircumcision but faith which worketh by love And the Lord Christ and the Apostles have this often up The law is fulfilled in this one word LOVE And saith Christ of the Ceremoniall law John 5.48 Had ye believed Moses yee would have believed me for he wrote of mee I need say no more to mind men that love in the N. T. and the Ceremoniall Law in the O. T. were of the Covenant of Grace and that love in the N. T. answers to the ten Commandements in the O. T. And is there any thing in the ten Commandements to bespeake them a place in the Covenant of workes Doth commanding Why then doth Christ so often say to believers John 14 c. If you love me keepe my Commandements It 's farre more suitable to a Gospel way and a gracious Covenanting Spirit rather to be commanded by the authority of his Saviour then to pinne all obedience upon the power of his own uncertain love Luther hints notably to this Lord saith hee thou commandest me to pray I cannot pray as I would but I will obey Though my prayer be not acceptable yet thine owne Commandement is acceptable to thee And if ever any man Luther was of a most pure high Gospel-spirit deny it who can that hath read his Commentary on the Epistle to the Galatians now common in English On the other side what meanes the preface to the ten Commandements viz. I am the Lord Hebr. JEHOVAH Thy God which have brought thee out of the LAND of AEGYPT out of the house of bondage Doe not these words usher in the Commandements and set them down amidst the Covenant of Grace For here God as our God upon new tearms of redemption freely offering himselfe to us not upon the old namely doe this and thou shalt live We are brought out of Aegypt in Christ Mat. 2.15 That is we are brought out of sprituall Aegypt the wicked world as John expounds it Revel 11.8 An hint of these things is enough to them that will understand And doe not severall promises annexed to severall Commandements as to the 2d 4th 5th sound of Gospel-grace to the same tune with the preface I am importuned to be short for the accommodation of the Printer therefore I can but touch things It were strange if God many hundred yeares after his Govenant of Grace which he promised and plighted with man Gen. 3. Expounded and further confirmed Gen. 17. Compare Rom. 4. Should at Sinai make a Covenant of workes Learned and pious Polanus renowned for both is bold to speak higher It were very unreasonable saith hee to imagine that God should make a Covenant of workes with man after Adams fall and so unable to doe any spirituall thing having made THAT only ONCE viz. in Paradise when man was in a CAPACITIE to enter into SUCH a Covenant Object The Apostle Paul often in his Epistles opposeth the Law to faith and seemes to understand both the Ceremoniall and morall Answ The Apostle doth not oppose the Law to faith as the Law is considered in it selfe but as it is misconceived and misemployed by the Justiciary Selfe-justifier Cleer enough the morall law is not opposite to faith Jam. 2.21 to the end of the Chapter study the place For the least thou canst make of it will be thus much that a working faith is the only living justifying faith Working must justifie faith to be true faith as faith justifies us to be true Saints But the justiciary that would justifie himselfe by working he lookes upon all law both morall and Ceremoniall yea and upon the law of FAITH too as the Apostle cals it as on works Those of the Jewes that were such justiciaries obeyed the morall law not out of faith working by love Gal. 5. but out of selfe-love to justifie themselves by selfe-wrought righteousnesse Mark 10.20 Luk. 10.29 And they sacrificed and used other things of the Ceremoniall law not as an expiation and attonement including Christ as the kernel but as on workes by them performed to their cost and labour and so rested in the deede done Jer. 7.4 And so the Prophet cals Ceremonies there then lying vanities And forbids them Isa 1. Upon this consideration the Apostle speaks acuratly and precisely to the false notion of these Jewish justiciaries Rom. 9.31 32. They attained not to righteousnesse because they sought it not by faith but AS IT WERE by the workes of the Law meaning that the law morall or Ceremoniall was not in themselves of the Covenant of works but by the false notion of justiciaries they were to them tanquam WORKES they were as so to them to this Luther speaks notably to this effect Men saith he looke on the law asquint they looke on the law given by Moses as MOSES MOSISSIMUS that is MEER MOSAIGALL MOSES i. e. upon the Outward things and performances abstracted by themselves and so the Law saith he kills And not on the Law as given by Moses AARONICUS that is AARONICALL MOSES i. e. as Aaron the High Priest joyned with Moses typifying Christs Priestly office as Moses did his Propheticall and Kingly whereby attonement is signified for our persons and for the sins of our imperfect obeying the commands of either law and so our soules are saved alive So that as faith and love cannot be separated nor may they be confoūded in the New Testament Not confounded to make the law of faith a worke as the Papists and others doe whiles they adore it as a quality in us without its object Christ grasped in the hand thereof and so looke upon it as love viz. as a working thing in us or to make love as faith as if love were the forme of faith perfecting
Cor. 10. the same Chapter where the text is Every thing is lawfull but every thing is not expedient What is that expediency Let no man seek his own but anothers wealth It is somewhat that brings gaine what gaine If any of them that believe not bid you to a feast and yee be disposed to goe whatsoever is set before you that eat asking no question for conscience sake but if any man say unto you this is offered in sacrifice unto Idols eat not for his sake that shewed it and for conscience sake not thine own conscience but his You may understand that when a Christian was invited to a feast and meat that was offered to an Idol was upon the Table he might eat but if an unbeliever did say this was offered to an Idol and will you that are a professor eat of it for conscience sake eat not not for thine but his conscience that shewed thee but mark the reason for why is my liberty judged of another mans conscience and he expostulates For if I by grace be a partaker why am I evil spoken of for that for which I give thanks He seems to bustle never talk of it is it not lawfull And I give thanks and it is sanctified by the word and prayer saith the Apostle whether yee eat or drink or whatsoever you doe doe all to the glory of God You are so brisk and it is lawfull and every creature is sanctified it is true but take this rule see the action conduce something to the glory of God or else leave it there whether ye eat or drink or whatsoever you doe let it be something whereby the name of God and the wayes of God and Religion may be honoured by your doing of it It is not for the glory of God for thee to use meat offered to an Idol at an unbelievers Table he having told thee of it for hee will say here is a sweet profession this is their religion he cares not what he doth When a man doth things dishonourable to religion or to God for otherwise wee cannot glorifie or unglorifie God wee cannot reach him but when we dishonour religion or make God evil spoken of we doe that which is inconvenient and though the thing be lawfull if it doe not honour God we must not doe it That is one thing The second thing is 2. To the good of our brethren 3 wayes you must see if it be an action that is expedient as it must bring honour to God so it must bring gaine and good to my brother also next to God I must looke to my brother O! there is little looking to that you must not only looke what is lawfull or unlawful but have a care what issue this hath towards thy brother seek not every man his owne but one an others wealth how is that The good of our brethren is laid downe in scripture three wayes Either that it increase love betweene you and your brethren Or else that it helpe on the edification of your brethren Or increase and nourish peace betweene you and your brethren Either at least or all these three must bee in it or else you must not meddle with it For the first in 1 Cor. 8. when they proposed the question whether they might eat meat offred to Idols 1. To increase love between us them saith the Apostle yee all have knowledge you are brisk and say wee know what is lawfull and what is not saith he but love edifieth As if he should say you looke not whether it tend to love or no have a regard to that So in Rom. 14.14.15 I know saith the Apostle and am perswaded by the Lord Iesus that nothing is uncleane of it selfe but to him that esteemeth any thing uncleane to him it is uncleane I know every thing is lawfull to the saints but if thy brother be grived with thy meate thou walkest not charitably that is thou dost not walke in love I know it is lawfull but if it greive thy brother thou walkest not in love and thou shouldest regard that or else thou wilt not walke wisely So in 1 Cor. 16.14 Let all your things be done in love whatsoever thou dost see that it conduce to nourish increase love among the people of God If it be a thing that cooles the love of my brother to me be a thing that is not commanded nor forbidden I must not do it Then secondly see whether it conduce to bring any thing to the peace of the saints and people of God 2. To the peace of the Sts. and if it bring love it will bring peace for the fruit of the Spirit is love joy peace peace alway goes with love and wee are taught Philip. 2.3 that wee should doe nothing with strife and contention but though it be a thing that is lawfull yet if I must strive and breed contention I must leave that lawfull thing out In the common-wealth with us it is one of the greatest things to keep the peace As for instance if a man be in debt and owe a man mony c. if the other breake the peace fight with him the other shall answer at the Court day for his debt but the magistrate will clap him up presently And so to break the peace among the saints it is not a little thing you may please your selves by it but the Lord is wonderously offended with those that break the peace We must fellow peace with all men To avoid strife contention prosecute it that is get the same disposition to peace as men have to persecute Religion We must have peace with all men much more with the brethren This is a time that we live in when men take toyes in their heads right or wrong indifferent or unlawfull and they looke not to the issue of those toyes for ought thou knowest it may overthrow the Nation and divide the Churches and rend the Saints and thou carest not for peace If I love Christ I must keep his commandements Even in things commanded we must respect peace much more in things that are not absolutely cōmanded therfore we see in 1. Cor. 14.33 there was a great deale of stir and contention about prophesying and praying and speaking with strange tongues mark the counsell that the Apostle gives The spirits of the prophets are subiect to the prophets for God is not the author of confusion but of peace as it is in all the Churches of the saints you shall finde in the margine God is not the author of tumults or unquiet but of peace One would say I have Gods will and command and I doe that which is right saith he that spake in an unknown tongue and another prophesied and another sang and every one thought he did well you are mistaken saith the Apostle God is not the author of unquiet that is a disposition that will hurrie you to the confusion of the Churches therfore it is not of God
have warrant we agree in all the maine things let us walk so till we come to that one that they differ in and a hundred to one if ever we come to it the strife among Gods people of Presbytery and Independencie would cease take away those that strive to make bate It is as if you and I should strive who should goe into the gates of Venice first and a hundred to one if any of us come there Let us goe along in the substantiall things wherein we agree And what shall we doe then I tell you as for the matter of appeale the Presbytery truly called as they cannot fully prove that there is an absolute rule that they should doe so so the other cannot prove that they may not What is to be done then This that when all things come to that that they cannot agree in a Church it may be expedient and convenient that we appeale to others to end our busines if this were done downe would goe the difference between Presbytery and Independents This is the way to peace and union and agreement among the Saints But you will say Sir this is the way to confusion for there being but a few things lawfull and abundance of things that are not expedient now who shall judge what is expedient and what is not shall every particular man determine of his owne head then there will be a confusion worse than ever for so many men so many minds therefore surely this is not the way to peace To answer that to take in some obiections as I passe to cleare the truth I must tell you foure or five things The first is 1. Take heed of vaine feares in Gods wayes that if this be the way of God which I hope I have proved to you then take heed of your wisedome that runns and sees inconveniences in Gods wayes Feare it not if it be Gods way God can perserve it and blesse it feare not inconveniences in your vaine thoughts leave the event to the Lord. As you know that unhappie man Uzzah when he saw the Arke shake he must goe and hold it When you are sure that this is the will of God set not your wits on work as people doe they reason from intricacies and absurdities and this and that that may follow It is good to be sober and not to be curious when we see clearly that this is the will of God leave it to the Lord to direct them and guide them and blesse them as he pleaseth That is one answer 2. Christ hath done the maine already concerning worship Secondly you say it will be all confusion who shall judge shall every particular man This is the second answer It is very probable if every man shall goe and set up what government he will and worship God as he pleaseth if all the worship of God were to be determined according to every mans humour or every nation and custome and fashion then it would breed confusion but Christ hath done that for the maine the substance is done and the matter nay the manner and forme in a great measure nay it may be some circumstances But if all were to be done againe that we were to shape a Religion and customes and lawes wholly and as a Godly Ancient saith if we were to frame the house to the curtaine and not the curtaine to the house If we were to frame Religion to every countrie where we come this would breed confusion But Christ hath done the maine only there are somethings that fall out in Worship and Doctrine and Discipline that must be mannaged by the rules of expediency that I gave you before I answer 3. To study spirituall things it is probable that in case wee should goe on thus according to the rules agreeing in the cleare generall rules and goe accordingly in particulars as is expedient yet it is to be doubted that according to the spirit we have now and our temper wee shall goe to greater confusion and so wee shall as long as wee have carnall sleight spirits as generally Christians have they will lead us to confusion What shall wee doe then Every one set his soule about the studie of spirituall things The more carnal the more busie about outward things endeavour to see the beautie and excellency of them and to feed more upon them that will avoide that stir and contention 1 Cor. 3. Are yee not carnal Why so one said I am for Paul another I am for Peter I am for Presbytery and I am for Jndependency are yee not carnall as if he had said I warrant you spirituall things grow not in your soules I never saw a spirituall excellent Christian following curiosities about externall things I will tell you a mystery from your experience you observe sometimes your soules are in better temper than at others sometimes you see the things of the Kingdome of God the riches of Christ and the opperations of the Holy Ghost more clearly and you shall finde that according as your soules are screwed up in the sweetness and contemplation of spirituall things so you are lesse and lesse disposed to make chrotchets knots in outward things therefore the way is labour to be spirituall If wee were full of faith and peace and joy in believing and full of the Holy Ghost there would be no confusion about these things Especially get love in your soules 4. To get love for that is the reason wee are in a lovelesse condition therefore wee run to confusion and so we shall goe which way we will unlesse wee get love in our soules John hath a cleare place for it 1. Jo. 2.9 He that saith he is in the light and hates his brother he is in darknes untill now he that loves his brother abides in the light and there is no occasion of stumbling in him A man that loves his brother and is full of love there is no occasion of stumbling in him Mark those people take a man that is full of love he hath not crotchets and fancies to make bate and strife between men there is no occasion of stumbling in him But hee that hates his brother is in darknesse he walks in darknesse and knows not whether he goes because the darknesse hath blinded his eyes When people hate their brethren and doe not love them as they should they are in darknesse and goe they know not whether and so love growes lesse and lesse and darknes more and more among us and we are groping daily and going to confusion Therefore the Saints and the Ministers should joyne to get spirituall things especially love and then there would be no such confusion In 1 Cor. 13. Love doth nothing unseemly the word is dirived from the Latine word indecore Love doth nothing amisse but doth every thing seemly if we were full of love we should be able to answer a hundred questions that now wee are not able to doe But we want love
use for salvation A second instance is this that the Gospel holds forth to sinners all the wrong wayes that they goe and all the wrong meanes that they use to save their soules this is by the light of the Gospel Man naturally is either dead in sin or asleep or if he be a little awaked he takes a thousand wayes to goe to heaven and none of them Gods way none of them the right way Every carnall man sometime or other hath some designe in his head to save his soule one man thinks to doe it by his equity and justice in his dealing and trading another by his hospitality and charity to the poore another by hearing of Sermons and performing of duties as in the time of Poperie how many yeares did they spend spent their strength and time and their money and when all came to all all was lost all their ways were the wrong way to Heaven Now the light of the Gospel discovers all these false wayes and shewes that you will come short of the glory of God and the salvation of your soules and will convince you that There is no Name under heaven by which you can be saved but only the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ Consider is not this good newes that God should come first by the Ministery of the Gospel and shew thee thy wretched condition and then when thou hast spent thy time and strength in false wayes to be reconciled to God and to save thy soule the Gospel comes and discovers all these that thou maiest go seek the true way 3. It holds forth Gods love to sinners Thridly the Gospel holds forth to poore sinners that there is a love an eternall love an infinite love in Gods breast to poore sinners before ever the world was made You know in reason a man would think that God should hate such a one as I am God foresaw what a creature I would be when I was borne and how I have lived and reason would think that love should proceed from something amiable in the object that should produce love some beautie or bountie as wee say but God sees me to be wicked and sinfull and therefore reason would think God must damne me world without end Now the Gospel comes to such a sinner and tells him the case is otherwise it is not so poore sinfull man or woman and though God hate sin above all things in heaven or hell yet God loved thee knowing what thou wouldest be God knows the reason of it we doe not it is as it is said in Deutrenomie I loved thee because I loved thee God hath an infinite speciall love to thy poore soule yet hates thy fin from before the world was made and the Mountaines were brought forth So God loved the world that he gave his Son c. There was a love in God out of which he gave his Son Jesus Christ to die for us This the Gospel and the Spirit of God in it reveales to the poore soule that when I was an enemie to God hee was my friend when I hated him he loved me nay before I was God had thoughts of an infinite eternall love to me 4. Gods love fruitful Then fourthly the Gospel holds forth to a sinner that as God had an infinite love towards him so it was not a cold love that ended in nothing but out of this love God would send his Son Jesus Christ into the world to save sinners This is one maine principle of the Gospel that the Father out of his love sent his own Son that was the Image of his person the Son of his love and delight into this world to lay downe his life and to die for sinners Were it not for the Ministery of the Gospel we could never know this how could we know but by the Gospel that the Lord Jesus Christ did come to die to save sinners So God loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son that hee that believes in him should not perish but have everlasting life Fiftly 5. Christ came to work redemption breifly for I doe but give you a few touches of instances it holds out to us that as the Father out of his love seat his Son so that Jesus Christ actually and really is come into the world and took our nature upon him soule and body and the infirmities of both and sanctified our nature that he took and in that nature became our Surety a Publick person for us our Advocate a second Adam That he was conceived and born of the Virgen and that he lived here and so did the will of God and fulfilled his Law and conversed many yeares among men and that therein while he did so he gave us many blessed experiments of his love and mercy to poore sinners in healing the sick in giving sight to the blinde in raising the dead And while he conversed among men he taught and discovered in a great measure the mysteryes of his Fathers counsells to us that else we could never have known and gave us a holy patterne and example of life in humility and patience and delligence and prayer and thankfulnesse All these things are good newes and glad tidings to poore sinners every part of them Then the Gospel tells us that this Lord Jesus Christ after he had walked among men for many yeares together that then as a Publicke person 6. Christ died for us and second Adam and our Surety he did lay downe his life and die for our sins But you will say Where is the good newes from that Hence it is that poore sinners are reconciled to God they are made friends with God Hence it is that poore sinners are redeemed from all their enemies sin and death and wrath and curse and hell all these by the death of the Lord Jesus are removed Then the Gospel tells you that Jesus Christ as hee died for our sins so he rose againe for our justification he rose againe from the dead the third day 7. He roase from death whereby poor sinners are assured that they are justified and freed from all their sins and whereby they shall rise to grace here and their soules and bodies shall rise to glory hereafter with Christ and whereby they shall rise out of all afflictions also in due time For the resurrection of Christ is the ground of our resurrection out of afflictions in this world and every tittle of this is glad tidings and good newes to poore sinners Then the Gospel tells you that after his resurrection he conversed with his Disciples 8. Conversed with his discipls and not with the world and that he met with his Disciples from one mountaine to another from one Towne to another for a few dayes after and there he made many precious Prayers to his Father for them and for all that should believe in him and there he gave them instructions and directions how they should order the Churches of God
Whether it be Paul or Apollo or Cephas or life or death Death what is death Afflictions are called death In death oft that is afflictions they are but little deathes and one great death ends all the greatest death is a priviledge your afflictions and povertie and reproaches will be a priviledge How is that You have it in Ro. 8. They all work for good to them that love God For your good here and your glory hereafter for faith the Apostle 2 Cor. 4. These light afflictions that are but for a moment they work for us an exceeding exceeding weight of glory The English word cannot expresse it compare it with Rom. 8. The afflictions that wee suffer are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed The Spirit of glory riseth on you The Lord doth you good by it for the present and it works for a Crowne of glory hereafter For this is a true saying if we suffer with Christ we shall reigne with him Therefore though the Gospel bring sufferings with it yet take them as the Gospel expresseth them they are sweet and good tidings they are priviledges to you and will turne for your good here and your glory hereafter 2. They are moderated The Gospel moreover tells you for your fuller satisfaction that the Lord will lay no more upon you than you are able to beare And he will be in the affliction with you in the fire and in the water the Lord Jesus will be with you there and in due time he will make you a way to get out Beloved put all together that the Gospel speakes of afflictions and sufferings construe them together you shall see that there is nothing in all that but glad tidings and good newes I but saith another the Gospel if it be Gospel that we use to heare from our Ministers it is not good newes Object for our Ministers preach against Drunkards The Gospel requires men to forsake sin and Swearers and Whoremongers and when I sweare the Minister saith I shall never goe to Heaven And he saith the Gospel will have a man forsake his sins and repent and the like this is not good newes it is good newes that God will save me but it is not good newes that I must leave my sins and all my wayes of pleasure that I am in It is good newes that the Gospel will have me saved but it is not good newes that the Gospel will have me a Puritan and be purified and purged from my sins Concerning that it is very true that though the Gospel speak not properly against drunkards Answ and whoremongers and Swearers yet the Gospel saith that drunkards must leave their drunkennesse and Swearers must leave their swearing and the Gospel calls every man to repentance from every sin yet notwithstanding that it is no bad newes First take Christs Argument Mat. 5. Doth thy right eye offend thee pul it out and cast it from thee 1. Leaving of sin profitable doth thy right hand offend thee cut it off and cast it from thee That is as some interpret it there are some sins that are as pleasant as the right eye as profitable as the right hand and thou wer 't better to cut them off why so It is better to goe to heaven with one eye than with two eyes to go to hell and it is better to goe to heaven with one hand than with two to goe to hell Is it not good tidings when a man is taught to make a good bargaine is' t not good tidings when the Gospel tells a man he must throw away his sinnes and it is better to crosse himself a little in his lusts and goe to heaven than to goe lusts and soul and body and all to hell Is it not good newes when a mans house is on fire if one come and shew him how to save a peice It is better than to have all burned Now the Gospel teacheth you to leave sin and it is good newes Why I will tel you because when the Gospel bids thee leave sin it puts in thee a new nature that is contrarie to sin to hate it more than hell and the Devill himself and then if God bid thee leave thy sins The Gospel teacheth to hate sinne it is the best newes in the world as for instance there are many men and weomen I believe here that if the Lord should say to them as he did to Solomon I will give thee whatsoever thou wouldest have in heaven or earth there are some in this place that would say O Lord I would leave my pride I would have a humble heart and a heart that should not love worldly things and a heart that should not be froward and waspish If the Gospel should leave the heart as the Law did and bid you throw away your sinnes and give no strength to doe it it were bad newes but if the Gospel give you a new nature to hate sin and when it bids you leave it gives you power to take it away it is sweet and pleasant newes Another objection that others may make is Object The Gospel requireth dutie that the Gospel brings tidings that when we receive Christ as wee must leave sin so we must set on the doing of good I must not be my owne Master as the Minister saith one while I must fast and another while I must pray and teach my Children and my Familie and this is a hard task an endlesse work I cannot beare it to pray every morning and evening c. I answer Answ 1 Not on paine of damnation this is good newes Why because in the first place when the Gospel tells you any such thing the Gospel doth not bid you doe them or else you shall be damned as the Law did but the Gospel saith thus thou poore drunkard or thou proud woman here is a gracious God that hath loved thee and out of love hath sent Jesus Christ to die for thee and hath appointed his Ministers to make it known to thee and here is everlasting redemption and salvation by him only because thou art a sinner there is no other reason in the world now thou art safe free from damnation and hell feare not that that is gone Christ hath died to reconcile thee to God and Christ hath loved thee therefore obey him if not thou shalt not be damned that is done away alreadie Indeed the Law saith thou shalt be damned for not doing it but saith Christ in the Gospel I have died and have forgiven thee thy sins and if thou wilt be a Villane not respect my Father that hath loved thee and I that have died for thee so it is but if thou wilt obey me thou shalt be a good childe Thus the Gospel speaks now there is no bad newes for me to heare of my dutie to heare that the Lord Jesus Christ commands me when I see my salvation sure I worke not for
that make lawes to tie themselves Part. 1. Page 46 Those that make lawes to binde others Part. 1. Page 47 Danger to take away any of Gods lawes Part. 1. Page 59 Not to make lawes where God hath not Part. 1. Page 158 Mens lawes forced on people Part. 2. Page 28 Law and Gospel not to be mingled Part. 2. Page 52 see example Gospel Things lawfull now that were not of old Part. 1. Page 5 Lawfull what meant by it Part. 1. 6. Page â—2 Sin in doing lawful things Ibid Saints now their liberty in point of lawfulnesse Part. 1. Page 8 Christians troubled in the use of lawfull things Part. 1. Page 74 Men reproved that regard only lawfull things Part. 1. Page 89 see expedient rule submit heart Learning not to be disparaged Part. 2. Page 51 Errors on the left hand Part. 1. Page 40 Liberty of Saints in the new-Testament Part. 1. Page 14 Why Christ hath left that liberty Part. 1. Page 17 To understand our Christian liberty Part. 1. Page 51 Knowledge of Christian liberty safe Ibid Christian liberty not to be infringed Part. 1. Page 55 Christian liberty not to be abused Part. 1. Page 59 Christian liberty to be held fast Part. 1. Page 160 see others contention Gospel Life see salvation New light discovered Part. 2. Page 49 Expedient actions increase love Part. 1. Page 70 Love to be practised by Saints Part. 1. Page 106 Love to a mans selfe natures law Part. 1. Page 119 Love a help to expedient walking Part. 1. Page 179 Gods love in the Gospel to sinners Part. 2. Page 13 Things lovely what Part. 1. Page 85 M MAgistrates how far they may determine concerning Worship Part. 1. Page 107 Cautions for Magistrates in determining Part. 1. Page 109 see time place Malignants cause of the present contentions Part. 1. Page 132 Many see all Masters of families how they may determine concerning worship Part. 1. Page 109 Meanes see dutie Members of Christ who Part. 1. Page 35 Saints in the new Testament growne men Part. 1. Page 18 Excellent Christians have Christs minde Part. 1. Page 153 Ministers forced on people Part. 2. Page 28 Gospel Ministers to be imbraced Part. 2. Page 45 see stumbling-blocks Afflictions moderated to the Saints Part. 2. Page 20 Modestie a law of nature Part. 1. Page 119 Common multitude cause of the present contentions Part. 1. Page 134 N Nature THe law of nature to be looked too Part. 1. Page 118 Gods ordinary commands agree with the law of nature Part. 1. Page 119 Contrary names put upon men and things Part. 1. Page 101 Names of persons and things changed by the Devill Part. 1. Page 131 Service of naturall men hard Part. 1. Page 33 Magistrates may determine in necessary indifferent things Part. 1. Page 109 The Ministery of the Gospel nothing but good news Part. 2. Page 6 Latitude of Saints in the new Testament Part. 1. Page 12 see grace liberty O Offended see law OFfices and officers in the new Testament Part. 1. Page 17. Saints tyed more strictly of old Part. 1. Page 8 see lawfull grace Punctuall lawes in the old Testament Part. 1. Page 15. Old Testament spirit what Part. 1. Page 45 Sign of an old testament-spirit Part. 1. Page 91 How men deprive themselves of opportunities Part. 1. Page 147 Christians must walk orderly Part. 1 Page 86 Things done disorderly how Part. 1. Page 87 What hinders men from winning others Part. 1. Page 53 see law P Papists HArdnesse of Papists service Part. 1. Page 33 Men offended that their party is spoken against Part. 1. Page 163. see engagement Posseover strictly observed Part. 1. Page 16 What actiins tend to Peace Part. 1. Page 71 The way to peace Part. 1. Page 100.122 No peace to the wicked how Part. 2. Page 34. see selfe prosperity Some men thinke truth alway goes with persecution Part. 1. Page 175 Persecution of Saints a previledge Part. 2. Page 19 Decency in respect of a Christians person Part. 1. Page 78 Place of meeting to worship how to be determined Part. 1. Page 108 Pope his practise Part. 1. Page 48 Power given in the Gospel to doe what is required Part. 2. Page 23 Practise see Pope Bishops Things worthy praise what Part. 1. Page 85 Praise only to God Part. 1. Page 86 Of preaching Part. 1. Page 116 Precepts of severall sorts Part. 1. Page 56 see rule Prejudice inconvenient Part. 1. Page 172 Of Presbytery Part. 1. Page 49 False Presbytery Part. 1. Page 101 True Presbytery Part. 1. Page 102 Presbytery and Independents wherein they differ Ibid Presbyterians judgments Part. 1. Page 124 Contention from carnall Presbyterians Part. 1. Page 129 Principles and ends of carnall Presbyterians Part. 1. Page 136 see contention Principles see Presbytery Priviledge see persecution Outward prophanenesse by whome allowed Part. 1. Page 43 Decency in respect of profession Part. 1. Page 80 Profit meant by expediency Part. 1. Page 66 Profit how brought by actions expedient Part. 1. Page 68 profitable see sin Truth goes not alway with prosperity Part. 1. Page 173 Prosperity sometimes goes with truth Part. 1. Page 75 Of singing Psalmes Part. 1. Page 115 Things pure what Part. 1. Page 85 Q Christians full of Questions why Part. 1. Page 140 R THe Saints must be dealt with rationally Part. 1. Page 110 Reason of three sorts Part. 1. Page 117 Right reason what Ibid Rediculous to tie the Saints where Christ hath not Part. 1. Page 50 Religion presented by some as rediculous Part. 1. Page 146 Christ come to work redemption Part. 2. Page 14 Decency in regard of a Christians relation Part. 1. Page 79 Religion see endlesse burthen Things of good report what Part. 1. Page 85. Benefit by Gospel reproofe Part. 2. Page 31 Right hand errours Part. 1. Page 44 Rigour not to be used in determining things Part. 1. Page 111 The Law the outward and the Spirit the inward rule Part. 1. Page 13 What precepts or examples make a rule Part. 1. Page 58 To walke all by the same rule Part. 1. Page 103 Every thing in Scripture not a rule Part. 1. Page 166 see Scripture S SAlvation to be accepted of from Christ Part. 1. Page 37 Wrong wayes to salvation Part. 2. Page 12 Rules mis-drawen from Scripture Part. 1. Page 168 Heed in drawing rules from Scripture Part. 1. Page 169 see Canon Rule Decency in regard of season Part. 1. Page 82 The way to peace in a mans self Part. 1. Page 138 Self a hindrance to expedient walking Part. 1. Page 177 Ministers not to run before they be sent Part. 2. Page 51 The Saints under the old Testament servants Part. 1. Page 17 Decency in regard of sex Part. 1. Page 80 Engagement to sinners to come to Christ Part. 1. Page 26 Leaving of sin profitable Part. 2. Page 21 God makes no peace with sinne Part. 2. Page 35 Salvation offered to sinners as sinners Part. 2. Page 36 see lawfull singing see Psalmes Difference small between Indedependents and Presbyterians Part. 1. Page 125 Sobriety a help to expedient walking Part. 1. Page 177 Saints in the new Testament sonnes Part. 1. Page 17 Expedient actions for the good of the soul Part. 1. Page 74 The service of the devil will one day be soure Part. 1. Page 34 Saints in the new Testament have more of the Spirit Part. 1. Page 19 Christs Kingdom spiritual Part. 1. Page 20 The Spirit enables to doe what is required Part. 1. Page 35 Spirituall things to be studied Part. 1. Page 105 Spiritual Christians their carriage Part. 1. Page 141 Spirituall things by whom relished Part. 1. Page 155 Spirit by whom restrained Part. 2. Page 29 see rule Ministers to woe men as spouses for Christ Part. 1. Page 28 Strength not given to keepe lawes of our owne making Part. 1. Page 139 Men strive about unlikely things Part. 1. Page 126 Men strive about that they cannot proue Part. 1. Page 127 Doctrine not to be abused to strife Part. 1. Page 165 Gospel way a strict way Part. 1. Page 94 To be strict in point of expediency Part. 1. Page 98 Stumbling-blocks keep men from Christ Part. 1. Page 27 Stumbling-blocks removed Part. 1. Page 162 Saints now tied chiefely to the substance of things Part. 1. Page 23 see supper To submit to Christs laws Part. 1. Page 38 To look to our principles against times of suffering Part. 1. Page 176 Supper of the Lord how ordained Part. 1. Page 16 Substance of the Lords Supper set downe Part. 1. Page 24 Sweetnesse in the Devils service whence it is Part. 1. Page 34 Sweetnesse in Christs service not tasted Ibid T EVery thing in the Gospel glad tidings Part. 2. Page 11 Gospel tidings great and true Part. 2. Page 48 Gospel tidings to be spread abroad Ibid Tie see ridiculous Time of publique worship by whom to be determined Part. 1. Page 107 Comforts against troubles Part. 2. Page 51 Things true what Part. 1. Page 84 Saints of old as children under tutours Part. 1. Page 18 V Signe of unbeliefe Part. 2. Page 36 understand see liberty Unsetlednesse in Religion whence Part. 2. Page 57 W VVatchfulnesse a help to expedient walking Part. 1. Page 179 Weak Christians cause contentions Part. 1. Page 129 Nothing commanded by God to be weakened Part. 1. Page 165 Some make the way wider than Christ hath made it Part. 1. Page 40 Expedient actions tend to the winning of others Part. 1. Page 73 see others Carnall wisdome a hindrance Part. 1. Page 176 Spirituall wisdome a help to expedient walking Part. 1. Page 177 God wil interpret his own word Part. 1. Page 174 Fancy to be subjected to the word Part. 1. Page 178 Notions to be followed as they agree with the word The maine work of salvation done already Part. 1. Page 29 Liberty in the externalls of Gods worship Part. 1. Page 15 No liberty in the substance of Gods worship Ibid The maine work done concerning worship Part. 1. Page 104 Y Yoake of Christ what Part. 1. Page 9. READER THe number of the Pages in the latter three Sermons beginning with 1 2 3 c. For thy ease in the use of the Table I have set down what is contained in the nine former Sermons as Part 1. In the three latter as Part 2. Whereby with ease may be found any head in either T. S.