fragments and superficiall beginnings of true sanctification and grace may fall quite away and lose them Heb. 6. 4 5. Such as haue beene inlightened and tasted of Christ and of the good word of God and powers of the world to come and haue beene partakers of the Holy Ghost may fall away 2. Pet. 2. 20. 22. Such as had escaped from the filthinesse of the world through the acknowledgement of the Lord and of the Sauiour may be intangled therein againe and ouercome so as that their latter end may become worse then euer their beginning was But he that hath not onely tasted but drunke a sound draught of this water of life and let it downe can neuer lose it neuer cast it vp againe 4. A man that hath not only tasted but drunk of this water of life and truly receiued the Spirit of sanctification may seeme to haue lost it somtime for he may decay for a time in the measure of grace and lose the heate and feruency of the spirit that once he had as Christ complaines of the Angell of the Church of Ephesus he had left his first loue Apoc. 2. 4. 2. He may for a time lose the comfortable feeling assurance of grace and be in his owne sense as a man vtterly void of grace This was the case of the Spouse of Christ Cant. 3. 1. 2. and 5 6. Her well-beloued was gone 3. Hee may lose for a time the power and eâ—…icacie and operation of grace and fall into as grosse sinnes as any other man Dauid and Peter may be examples of this yea the best are in great and continuall danger to fall thus if they take not great heed vnto themselues Nay it is a very hard thing for any of Gods children to keepe themselues from these decayes Therefore are those exhortations so often vsed 1. Cor. 10. 12. Wherefore let him that thinketh hee standeth take heed least hee fall Heb. 12. 15. Looking diligently least any man faile of the grace of God least any roote of bitternesse springing vp trouble you and thereby many bee defiled Phil. 2. 12 13. Wherefore my beloued as ye haue alwaies obeyed not as in my presence onely but now much more in my absence worke out your saluation with feare and trembling For it is God that worketh in you both to will and to doe of his owne good pleasure You see then how euen they that haue indeed drunke of this water of life may seeme to haue it quite dryed vp in them But yet though this seeme so it is not so indeed for in all those three cases I haue mentioned ye shall see the children of God that had drunke of this Water of life they had in themselues this Well of water they had grace in them euen then when they seemed to haue lost it There is soundnes of grace in many a one that is much decaied in zeale as is plaine in the case of that Angell of Ephesus Apoc. 2. 2 3. Notwithstanding this his delay in his first loue the Lord knew approued of his workes and commendeth him for his labour and his patience and for this that he could not beare with them that were euill and that he tryed them that said they were Apostles and were not that he had borne and had patience and for his names sake had laboured and had not fainted 2. There is much grace in many a one that haue lost for a time their feeling as is plaine in the example of the Spouse Cant. 5. 6. She grieues and neuer giues ouer seeking till she had found her beloued 3. There remaineth grace in the regenerate euen then when they haue falne most fearefully Whosoeuer is borne of God saith the Apostle 1 Ioh. 3. 9. doth not commit sin for his seede remaineth in him and he cannot sin because he is borne of God the seede of God remaineth in him and therefore he cannot sinne as other men doe he cannot sin with the full consent of his will with the full sway of his soule as before he did This is euident in the example of Dauid for when he complaines as if he had quite lost the spirit Psal. 51. 11 12. Euen then he prayeth and prayeth so as he could neuer haue done if he had not had the spirit of grace in him For how can men call vpon him in whom they haue not beleeued saith the Apostle Rom. 10. 14. and Rom. 8. 26. it is the spirit it selfe that maketh intercession for vs and makes vs able to pray Hauing thus cleared the Doctrine let vs heare how it may be confirmed Let vs hearken vnto some plaine and pregnant testimones of holy Scripture to prooue this that whosoeuer hath truely receiued the Spirit of grace can neuer lose it Psal. 15. When Dauid had spoken of sundry fruits of regeneration hee concludes the Psalme thus verse 5. Hee that doth these things shall neuer be moued Psalme 19. 9. The feare of the Lord is cleane and endureth for euer Psal. 23. 6. Surely goodnesse and mercy shall follow me all the daies of my life So he that heares the Word and doth it is compared to a house that is built vpon a rocke which no raine nor flouds nor windes nor tentations how strong soeuer can ouerthrow Matth. 7. 24. 25. And Luke 8. 13. 15. Though the other hearers beleeue but for a time yet he that with an honest and good heart heares the Word shall keepe it Iohn 6. 56. Hee that eateth my flesh and drinketh my bloud abideth in mee In which respect sauing grace is called The good part that shall not bee taken away Luk. 10. 42. The immortall seede 1. Peter 1. 23. and was fitly resembled by that fire that came downe from heauen that neuer went out Leuit. 6. 12. The Reasons of this are principally three 1. The vnchangeablenesse of Gods loue and decree No man hath receiued the Spirit but onely such as God hath elected to saluation and loued in Christ before all worlds Rom. 8. 30. Whom hee predestinated them he called and none but them Acts 13. 48. So many as were ordained to eternall life beleeued Therefore true faith is called Titus 1. 1. The faith of Gods Elect. A man may make his election sure this way 2. Pet. 1. 10. Now such as are elected cannot possibly fall away this our Sauiour speakes of as of a thing vtterly impossible The false Christs and false Prophets shall shew so great signes and wonders that they shall deceiue if it were possible the very elect faith lie Matth. 24. 24. The loue of God in Christ is vnchangeable Ier. 31. 3. I haue loued thee with an euerlasting loue saith the Lord therefore in mercy haue I drawne thee Whom Christ loues Iohn 13. 2. he loues vnto the end And those that come to him that is which beleeue in him Iohn 6. 35. he will neuer cast away Iohn 6. 37. The gifts and calling of God saith the Apostle Rom 11. 29. that is such
gifts of God as accompany an effectuall calling are without repentance Euery good and perfect gift saith the Apostle I am 1. 17. and what he meanes by the perfect gift hee expounds verse 18. viz. the grace of regeneration is from aboue and commeth downe from the Father of lights in whom is no variablenesse neither shadâ—…w of changing Though wee be wonderfully vnconstant and changeable yet is there not so much as a shadow of changeablenesse in the Lord in this case Insomuch as we may conclude this first reason with the words of the Psalmist in Psalme 118. 2 3 4. Let Israel now say that his mercy endureth for euer Let the house of Aaron now say that his mercy endureth for euer Let them now that feare the Lord say that his mercy endureth for euer 2. The power that is in God to performe what hee hath promised 1. Peter 1. 5. Wee are kept by the power of God through faith vnto saluation And this reason our Sauiour giueth in Iohn 10. 28. They shall neuer perish neither shall any plucke them out of my hands verse 29. My Father which gaue them me is greater then all and no man is able to plucke them out of my Fathers hands For any strength that is in vs alas we might fall quite away euery day considering the temptations that wee are subiect to but this power of God is that that keepes vs from falling irrecouerably Psal. 37. 24. Though hee fall hee shall not bee cast off for the Lord putteth vnder his hand Wee our selues are apt enough alas to lose that grace wee haue receiued but the power of God preserueth vs and the weaker we are the more is Gods power glorified in preseruing vs. To which purpose that may bee applyed 2. Cor. 4. 7. But wee haue this treasure in earthen vessels that the excellency of the power may bee of God and not of vs and 2. Cor. 12. 9. My grace is sufficient for thee for my strength is made perfect in weakenesse 3. The prayer and continuall intercession that Christ maketh for vs. For as he prayed for Peter and that was the cause why he though he fell grieuously yet he lost not all grace Luke 22. 31 32. so he hath prayed for all the faithfull Iohn 17. 20. Neither pray I for these alone but for them also which shall beleeue on me through their word And this is a principall part of the prayer that he made for them verse 11. Keepe them in thy name euen them whom thou hast giuen mee verse 15. I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world but that thou keepe them from euill And this intercession is continuall Heb. 7. 28. Hee is able perfectly to saue such as come to God by him seeing he euer liueth to make intercession for them And these are the Reasons why though we fall we cannot loose quite that grace that we haue receiued The Vse that this Doctrine serueth vnto is 1. To worke in vs a loue and desire of grace and the meanes of grace In worldly things we loue certainties and perpetuities therefore though there be more vse of ready money for the present yet men rather desire land then money Behold there is no certainty nor durablenesse in any blessing but this Our Sauiour cals all the profits of this life another mans goods because we haue no certainty but they may we know not how soone be taken from vs and bestowed on another but grace he cals our owne Luke 16. 12. Therefore nothing but grace onely can be called durable riches Prou. 8. 18. Therefore our Sauiour saith Ioh. 6. 27. Labour not for the meate which perisheth but for the meate which endureth vnto euerlasting life Indeed if it were true as the Papists and some others say that grace may be lost there were the lesse cause to desire it for what inward peace or ioy could wee haue in this case without certainety but this ministers vnspeakeable comfort to the soule that when we once know we haue grace we may be sure we shall neuer loose it And as I said this should make vs in loue with grace so should it with the meanes of grace euen the ministery of the Word which is called the ministration of the spirit 2. Cor. 3. 8. We reade of the foolish Virgins when they came to their fellowes to aske some oyle they receiued this answer Matth. 25. 9. Goe yee to them that sell and buy for your selues Behold we are they that fell this oyle there is no man here so void of grace but may conceiue assured hope to obtaine it if he can submit himselfe as he ought to the meanes of grace Esay 55. 3. Heare and your soules shall liue And therefore if God shall begin now or at any time to touch and draw thine heart struggle not against this worke of his as many doe Heb. 3. 7 8. To day if ye will heare his voice harden not your hearts as in the prouocation in the day of temptation in the wildernesse Stand not our against God but yeeld thy selfe and say to him as Cant. 1. 4. Draw me and we will runne after thee 2. To exhort euery man to try the good things that are in him whether they be of nature or grace This duty we are oft exhorted to 2. Cor. 13. 5. examine your selues saith he whether ye be in the faith proue your selues especially when we are to renew our Couenant with God in the Sacrament 1. Cor. 11. 29. To perswade thee to this duty Consider 1. There may be good things in a naturall man Say not with thy selfe I haue some good things in me and therefore I haue the Spirit of God because the Scripture saith of them that are meere naturall men that of them there is not one that doth good no not one Rom. 3. 12. that we are not sufficient of our selues to thinke a good thought 2. Cor. 3. 5. And the Apostle saith of himselfe that he knew that in him that is in his flesh in his vnregeneratc part and so farre forth as he was a naturall man there dwelleth no good thing Rom. 7. 18. Deceiue not thy selfe by the mis-vnderstanding of these places For though it be true that no naturall man can doe any thing that is truely good pleasing vnto God a corrupt tree cannot bring forth good fruit saith our Sauiour Matth. 7. 18. yet may there be in a meere naturall and carnall man such things as are naturally and in themselues good things and commanded of God I tell thee there may be good things in a naturall man who besides the corruption of nature hath also some remnants of Gods Image in him Euery man that commeth into the world hath some light in him Iohn 1. 9. Euery man is made after the similitude of God Iam. 3. 9. 2. It will yeeld thee vnspeakeable comfort if thou canst finde by due triall that thou hast indeed receiued the Spirit of God Gal. 6.
the heauier they will be â—…hen they come the longer he is fetching his blow the deeper will he cut when he smites Rom. 9. 22. The cause why God suffers with long patience the vessels of wrath prepared for destruction is that he might shew his wrath and make his power knowne vpon them the more 2. Thou mayst bee plagued of God with a plague that is of all others most grieuous and neuer feele it thou maist be plagued in thy soule and conscience Pro. 6. 32. Hee that doth it destroyeth his owne soule When God would punish Pharaoh so as hee might make his power seene vpon him Rom. 9. 17. Hee punished him with hardnesse of heart Exod. 9. 12. which was a greater plague then all the rest of the plagues of Egypt So this is spoken of as of the most fearefull punishment Rom. 1. 28. When God giues a man vp to a Reprobate minde 3. If thou wert altogether spared in this life and neither punished in thy body nor in thy soule yet is there another place prepared for thee where thou shalt be sure to be punished with farre more fearefull punishments then any can be felt here Thou shalt neuer be able continuing in thy sin to escape the damnation of hell which is in a speciall sort threatned against this sin whoremongers shall be sure to haue their part in the lake that burneth with fire and brimstone which is the second death Apoc. 21. 8. That makes Salomon say they are as neere to hell as they that haue one foot there already Pro. 5. 5. Her feet goe downe to death her steps take hold on hell And Pro. 9. 18. Her guests are in the depth of hell And as the Lords forbearing wicked men in this life and causing them to prosper is a certaine argument he hath determined to reserue their full punishment for hell it is an euidence token of a righteous iudgement to come saith the Apostle 〈◊〉 Thess. 1. 〈◊〉 6 when wicked men are spared here So is it said that of all sinners the Lord hath chiefly reserued the vncleane persons to be punished there 2. Pet. 1. 9. 10. And by how much the more they haue beene spared here by how much the more patience and bounty the Lord hath shewed them here by so much the more grieuous and fearefull shall their torment be there Luke 16. 25. Sonne remember saith Abraham to Diues That thou in thy life time receiuedst thy good things and likewise Lazarus euill thing but now hee is comforted and thou art tormented And Rom. 2. 4 5. Despisest thâ—…n the riches of his goodnesse and forbearance and long suffering not knowing that the goodnesse of God leadeth thee to repentance But after thy hardnesse and impenitent heart treasurest vp vnto thy selfe wrath against the day of wrath and reuelation of the righteous iudgement of God So that if thou wert wise thou wouldst thinke it no aduantage to thee that thou hast so well escaped all the plagues which God hath threatned against thy sinne in this life but desire rather that the Lord would punish thee here where he alwaies vseth in wrath to remember mercy and not reserue thy whole punishment for the life to come where there shall bee iudgement without mercy his punishments there shall haue no mixture of mercy in them Lecture the eighteenth Iune 27. 1609. THe fourth and last error of mind whereby Sathan draweth men to vncleannesse and hardneth them in it is the hope of repentance and so of pardon For there are very many whom hee cannot so farre blind but they know it is a sinne and a hainous sinne and a sinne that they are sure they shall bee damned for if they should not repent of it But such he encourageth to this sinne by perswading them 1. Thou knowest by the Scripture that whensoeuer thou shalt repent thee of it though it be not before thy death God will surely pardon it Ezek. 18. 21. 2. Thou hast no cause to doubt but thou shalt be able to repent and dye in Gods fauour For 1. Thou seest many that haue liued in this sinne that yet haue now left it 2. Many that although they neuer left it before yet on their death beds haue repented and dyed as well as any And thirdly thine owne experience will tell thee what thou art able to doe For hast thou not oft felt that thou hast repented and beene sorry for this sinne after thou hast committed it 3. And if thou mayst but dye well dye in Gods fauour what needest thou care for more No matter how thou liuest so thou mayst dye well Thus seemed he to haue perswaded Balaam Let mee die the death of the righteous and let my last end be like his saith he Num. 23. 10. And with this deceit doubtlesse he perswadeth many and preuailes more with men then by any other of his tentations and subtilties whatsoeuer For what is the cause why you shall finde men much more carefull to conceale this sinne from men then from God Yea they will not sticke to commit periury and murder which are farre more hainous offences against God that they may hide their whoredomes from men Surely they thinke they may be bold with God it is no matter how they prouoke him they can deale well enough with him he is more mercifull and ready to forgiue then man is and if they doe but repent and say they are sorrie for their sin he will forgiue them straight Now the preseruatiue and remedy against this so dangerous a deceit of Sathan consisteth of three points 1. The true knowledge of God and of his disposition toward such sinners 2. The true knowledge of ourselues and of that state we cast our selues into when once we fall into such sinnes 3. The true knowledge of the danger we haue brought the party vnto with whom we haue committed this sin First It cannot be denyed but the Lord to them whom he loueth in Christ is infinitely more mercifull then any man can be to them whom he loueth most dearely That made Dauid say 2. Sam. 24. 14. Let me now fall into the hand of the Lord for his mercies are great and let mee not fall into the hand of man And when the Lord had spoken of his great mercy Hee will haue mercy vpon him our God is very ready to forgiue He amplifieth it verse 8. by comparing his mercy with the mercies of man My thoughts are not your thoughts neither are your waies my waies but verse 9. As the heauens are higher then the earth So are my waies higher then your wayes and my thoughts then your thoughts But as he is more mercifull then any man so hee hates sinne more then any man can doe Hab. 1. 13. He cannot see hee cannot beheld it Psal. 11. 5. The wicked and him that loueth iniquity doth his soule hate verse 6. Upon the wicked he shall raine snares fire and brimstone and stormy tempest this is the portion of their cup. Yea
that we may truely say that though we our selues are bound to account the corruption that remaineth in vs an intolerable burden which we must be continually humbled for and groane vnder and striue to lessen and desire to be eased of as the Apostle did Rom. 7. 24. because our most holy and heauenly Father is grieued and offended by it and because it is euer budding and bringing forth in vs such fruits as are most bitter vnto vs and breed vs much woe yet the infinite wisedome and power and goodnesse of our God maketh this a great benefit to vs that we are not in this life perfectly regenerated but that the Lord suffers sinne to dwell in vs so long as we abide in this tabernacle If any man shall demand of me the reasons of this Doctrine the cause why the Lord should thus loue his Elect and be so partiall towards them that though he hates sinne in all and hates the Reprobate and damnes them for their sinne yet he hates not his Elect for their sinnes but loues them euen before there is any grace in them at all euen before they haue repented of their sinnes I can giue no other reason of it but his own good will and pleasure onely he hath mercy on whom he will haue mery saith the Apostle Rom. 9. 18. and Ephes. 1. 11. He worketh all things after the counsell of his owne will And in this it becommeth euery mortall man to rest without inquiry any further and to say with the holy Apostle Rom. 9. 21 22. Hath not the Potter power ouer the clay What if God will doe thus 2. The respect God hath to the Sonne of his loue to whom he gaue them before the world was He hath chosen vs in him saith the Apostle Ephes. 1. 4. before the foundation of the world and verse 6. He hath made vs accepted in his beloued Now of this Doctrine I may say as the Prophet doth in another case Esay 28. 9. To whom shall we teach this Doctrine Who is fit to heare and receiue it The Apostle speakes of some that stumble at the Word 1. Pet. 2. 8. and such there haue euer beene in the Church But there is no part of the Word no truth of God that so many doe stumble at as at this Doctrine of the infinite mercy of God vnto sinners For where shall we finde a man almost that doth not abuse this Doctrine to the incouraging of himselfe to sin and to the hardening of his heart against all checke of conscience for sin yet must this doctrine so cleerely and plentifully deliuered in the holy Scripture and tending so much to the comfort of Gods people be taught though there be neuer so many wicked men that will take hurt by it The childrens bread must not be kept from them because of the dogges that will be ready to snatch it out of our hands when we breake it to them Yet before I giue the children their bread and apply this Doctrine to them vnto whom it onely belongeth I will endeauour to driue away the dogges by shewing that the profane and impenitent sinner that turnes Gods grace into wantonnesse and encourageth himselfe to sinne by the knowledge of Gods mercy hath nothing to doe with this Doctrine nor any cause at all to take comfort in it For 1. All this that is spoken in the Word of Gods mercy belongs onely to the Elect which are therfore called Uessels of mercy not to the Reprobates which are called Vessels of wrath Rom. 9. 22. 23. If thou say I may be one of Gods Elect too I answer thou mayest indeed but till thou knowest thy selfe to be so and canst finde the markes of Election in thy selfe thou canst take no comfort in this Doctrine Therefore euery where in Scripture this mercy of God is restrained to them that feare him the Scripture euery where teacheth that none else haue cause to glory in it or trust to it Psal. 118. 4. Let them that feare the Lord now say that his mercy endureth for euer And 115. 11. Ye that feare the Lord trust in the Lord. 2. This is noted by the Holy Ghost to be a fearefull signe of reprobation and that thou shalt neuer tast of Gods mercy because thou stumblest and takest occasion of being more wicked euen from the pure and holy Word of God and from the doctrine of his mercy 1. Pet. 2. 8. 3. This God whose mercy thou so much gloryest in and the doctrine of whose mercy thou dost so much abuse and Christ Iesus through whom thou trustest to finde him so mercifull will appeare vnto thee one day so terrible as thou shalt cry to the hils and rocks to fall vpon thee to hide thee from his presence Apoc. 6. 15 16. Yea this shall increase thy horrour at that day that thou hast sinned against so mercifull a God and when thou shalt discerne that he that is so infinite in mercy toward others yea haply toward such as were more notorious sinners then thy selfe hath no mercy for thee at all Luk. 13. 28. There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth when ye shall see Abraham and Isaac and Iacob and all the Prophets in the Kingdome of God and you your selues thrust out But to let them passe and to apply this Doctrine to such as to whom indeed it onely belongeth First it serueth for the vnspeakeable comfort of all such as can finde in themselues the assured tokens that they are the Elect of God And indeed this Doctrine is to such the foundation of all true comfort If thy sinne cannot hurt thee nothing can hurt thee neither prosperity nor aduersity life nor death the world nor the diuell For as sinne is the sting of death 1. Cor. 15. 56. So is it of euery other thing that thou hast cause to feare Now if thou be Gods Elect thou mayest be thus secure that though thy sins may make thee subiect to many a correction and scourge in this life yet shall they neuer bee able to separate thee from the loue of God or hinder thy eternall happinesse Euery man therefore that desireth to enioy this comfort must labour to make his election certaine to himselfe and that shall he doe by making his effectuall calling certaine to himselfe 2. Pet. 1. 10. And this is an argument of an effectuall calling when hee findes that through Gods grace he is able vnfainedly to repent of all his sinnes that is so to grieue for offending God by them that he can hate and forsake them For this grace of vnfained repentance is giuen to none but them that are of the Israel of God the Elect of God Acts 5. 31. And the departing from iniquity is made a certaine note of Election 2. Timothie 2. 19. So that if thou finde thy selfe able through Gods grace to repent of thy sinnes there is no cause thou shouldest feare damnation for thy sins or the losse of Gods fauour For if
which seemes to be the cause of the meeting together vnto prayer of those good women we read of Acts 16. 13. As a little spark will keep heat while it is on the hearth with the rest of the fire but pluck it from the rest and it will die straight so hath experience proued it to be in this case Secondly because they know that the more of Gods people meet and ioyne together the more publike and solemne the assembly is the more acceptable will their seruice be vnto God and the more auaileable to their comfort And that is the reason why when Gods people haue shewed more than ordinary desire to preuaile with God in prayer they haue shewed more than ordinary care to assemble as many of them together as possibly they could Ioel 2. 15 16. Blow a trumpet in Zion sanctifie a fast call a solemne assembly gather the Elders assemble the children let the Bridegroome go sorth of his chamber and the Bride out of her Bride-chamber as if he should say Leaue none out That was the reason why Hezekiah was so carefull to gather together such a solemne assembly to the Passeouer 2 Chron. 30. 1. 5. 3 The third reason is the promise that God hath made of his speciall first Presence secondly Protection and thirdly Blessing to the publike assemblies more than to any other people vpon the earth First in respect of this speciall presence of God the Prophet calleth Sion the habitation of Gods house and the place where his honour dwelleth Psalme 26. 8. In this respect also the place of Gods publike Worshippe is called the face of God Psalme 105. 4. Seeke the Lord and his strength seeke his face continually And Cain could complaine when hee was banished from his fathers house the onely place where Gods publike Worshippe was to be had then that hee should bee hid from Gods face Genes 4. 14. and Verse 16. Hee â—…t out from the presence of the Lord. And least we should thinke this wâ—… peculiar to the Temple or Tabernacle or place of Gods ceremonial or ship which had indeed some priuiledges aboue our Temples you shall find that this is spoken also of the Synagogues Psalme 83. 12. They also are called the Habitations of God Yea to our assemblies also is this promise made as well as to theirs Matthew 18. 20. Where two or three are gathered together in my Name there am I in the midst of them Reuelation 2. 1. Christ walkes in the midst of the seuen golden Candlestickes Secondly Now for the promise of speciall protection it is certaine that the Church-assemblies where God is purely worshipped according to his Word are meanes to preserue such as doe frequent them and the places where they are kept from many iudgements that would otherwise fall vpon them This was figured by that Ceremony The wals of the Temple were carued round about with figures of Cherubins 1 Kings 6. 29. And this we haue partly found in our owne experience both in the preseruation of our Land in generall from forraigne inuasion and domestique treasons and in the safety sundry Congregations haue enioyed And we should certainly find it more than we do if our infidelity and other our grieuous sinnes hindered it not See the promise for this Esay 33. 20 21. Looke vpon Sion the City of our solemne Feasts thine eyes shall see Ierusalem a quiet habitation a Tabernacle that cannot be remoued and the stakes thereof can neuer be taken away neither shall any of the cords thereof be broken for surely the mighty Lord will be vnto vs a place of floods and broad riuers whereby shall passe no ship with oares neither shall great ship passe thereby This is alledged for one reason why Dauid did so esteeme of Gods Tabernacles Psalme 84. 11. For the Lord God is the sunne and shield vnto vs. and 27. 5. For in time of trouble he shall hide vs in his pauilion In this respect they that are separated from the Church-assemblies are said to be deliuered vp to Sathan vnto his power and will as men that are vnder Gods protection no longer 1 Corinth 5. 5. Thirdly and lastly in speaking of the Promise of a speciall blessing that God hath made vnto the Church-assemblies I will not stand vpon the temporall blessings that God hath promised to such as do loue and frequent them which yet Dauid maketh one reason of his loue to Gods Tabernacles Psalme 84. 11. No good thing will he with-hold from them that walke vprightly And certainly if men with vpright hearts do frequent them they shall be sure of Gods blessing in outward things euen the rather for this But this is the speciall blessing I will desire you to obserue That God hath promised to giue a greater blessing to that seruice that is done to him at Church than to that that is done in any other place The same Prayers you may vse at home that are vsed there the same Psalmes you may sing the same Word you may read and meditate of and haue it also expounded to you yea the same Sacraments you may haue vpon necessity administred to you in your chambers and parlours that are administred there but you may not expect that blessing vpon any of these Ordinances of God in any place as you may finde in the Church assemblies This Dauid alleadgeth for another chiefe reason why he so esteemed Gods Tabernacles Psalme 84. 11. The Lord will giue grace and glory And 133. 3. For there in Sion orin the place where Brethren dwell euen together ioyne together in Gods worship The Lord appointed the blessing and life for euer The fourth and last Reason that should mooue vs to esteeme the Church-assemblies and frequent them diligently is for profession sake Say that neither the exercises of Religion that are vsed there nor the fellowshippe of Gods people which we may enioy there nor the speciall presence protection and blessing of God that may be found there could mooue vs to esteeme of them yet this should mooue vs. The best way we haue to professe our Religion our Homage and Obedience to God our loue and thankfulnesse to him for his mercies is to frequent diligently the publike and most solemne Assemblies of his Church So the Lord hauing in the former Verse forbidden his People the profession of a false religion Leuit. 26. 2. prescribeth them two things whereby they should professe themselues to be of the true Religion Ye shall keepâ—…â—…y Sabbaths and reuerence my Sanctuary And Psal. 29. 1 〈◊〉 exhorting great men to professe their homage and subiection vnto the Lord he telleth them this is the best way to do it And speaking how he himselfe will professe his thankfulnesse to God for all his mercies he saith Psal. 35. 18. I will giue thankes to thee in a great Congregation I will praise thee among much people The vse of this Doctrine is first for exhortation secondly for reproofe And the exhortation concerneth first our selues secondly a
many miracles declared my selfe euidently to be the Sonne of God which also you haue heard of yet that will not serue the turne but vnlesse you may see with your owne eyes you will not beleeue Nay you haue many of you seene my miracles yet will not that serue neither but vnlesse ye may see signes and wonders that is many miracles miracles of all sorts you will not beleeue Marke how roughly hee deales with him and yet for all this he intended not to reiect him but he loued him dearely euen when he did thus vpbraid and disgrace him he purposed to helpe him and to grant his request yea he purposed to conuert and saue his soule as appeares by that which followeth in the story And therefore euen in seeming thus to neglect him in rebuking him after this manner he sought his good From hence then this Doctrine ariseth for our instruction That the Lord oft times seeth it to be good for his dearest children to put them off for a time and seeme to neglect them and their prayers Before I confirme the Doctrine let me intreate you to consider well of the matter and you will see cause to wonder at it and so you will be the better stirred vp to attend vnto the proofe and confirmation of it First he hath bound himselfe by promise to heare his seruants when they call vpon him and to grant what they aske according to his will Iohn 15. 7. If yee abide in me and my Words abide in you aske what you will and it shall be done vnto you Secondly and specially hath he bound himselfe to heare them in those prayers that they make vnto him in their afflictions Psalme 50. 15. Call vpon mee in the day of trouble and I will deliuer thee and thou shalt glorifie mee Thirdly yea this hath beene the chiefe meanes whereby Gods people haue sought comfort in all their afflictions euen to poure out their hearts to God in prayer Psalme 109. 3 4. They compassed me about saith Dauid with words of hatred and fought against mee without a cause for my friendship they were mine enemies but I gaue my selfe to prayer And fourthly the thing that hath encouraged them and giuen them heart in prayer hath beene this hope and assurance that they should finde audience and respect with God Psalme 65. 2. Because thou hearest prayer vnto thee shall all flesh come And 86. 7. In the day of my trouble I will call vpon thee for thou hearest mee Fifthly therefore aboue all their afflictions this hath most afflicted them this hath gone nearest their heart when they haue prayed and could not perceiue that God hath heard them or hath had any respect vnto their prayers Psalme 28. 1. O my God my strength be not deafe towards mee lest if thou answer mee not I be like them that goe downe into the pit And yet for all this the Lord hath seemed oft vnto his dearest children to faile in this his promise to neglect them altogether and to haue had no respect vnto their prayers they haue made vnto him in their affliction See the proofe of this in foure degrees First when they haue prayed vnto him and that also according to his will he hath long forborne to grant them their requests he hath made them waite and attend so long till they haue beene almost weary with waiting as here he holds off the Ruler Psalme 69. 3. Dauid complaines thus I am weary with crying my throate is dry mine eyes faile while I waite for my God And 119. 8. Mine eyes faile for thy promise saying When wilt thou comfort mee And verse 123. Mine eyes haue failed in waiting for thy saluation and for thy iust promise Secondly hee hath not onely thus forborne long to grant them their requests but hath euen refused for a time to giue them any answer at all or to shew any respect that he hath had vnto their prayers As here he makes no answer at all to the Rulers suit nor shewes any compassion on him This we shall finde the faithfull oft complaining of that they could finde no comfort in their prayers they could not perceiue they were euer the better for them Lament 3. 8. When I cry and shout hee shutteth out my prayer And verse 44. Thou hast couered thy selfe with a cloud that our prayers should not passe through Iob 30. 20. When I cry to thee thou doest not heare mee neither regardest when I stand vp And Psalme 22. 2. O my God I cry by day but thou hearest not and by night but haue not audience Thirdly he hath not onely forborne to grant their requests and refused to giue them any comfortable answer but he hath seemed to frowne and hide himselfe from them and euen to shake them off in anget to be more offended with them for praying to him than he was before So dealt he here with this Ruler that came to him in his misery and besought him for helpe and succour he checkes and chides him as you haue heard So dealt he also with the poore woman of Canaan Matth. 15. First when the poore woman cried to him verse 22. Haue mercy on me O Lord the sonne of Dauid my daughter is miserably vexed with a Diuell it is said verse 23. that hee answered her not a word Secondly when his Disciples became suiters to him for her verse 24. He answered and said that hee was not sent but to the lost sheepe of the house of Israel Thirdly when the poore woman came verse 25. 26. for all this and worshipped him saying Lord helpe me He answered and said it is not good to â—…ake the childrens bread and cast it vnto whelpes And thus hath it falne out with Gods deare children they haue beene so farre from finding comfort in their prayers and obtaining a gracious answer from God that their discomforts and terrours haue seemed to increase much thereby they haue beene further perswaded of Gods anger against them than they were before This the Church complaineth of Psal. 80. 4. O Lord of hosts how long wilt thou be angry against the prayers of thy people Fourthly neither hath he seemed thus to refuse to grant their requests onely when they haue begged temporall blessings of him as the Ruler in this place but euen in those prayers they haue made vnto him for spirituall blessings 2. Cor. 12. 8. Paul besought the Lord thrice that the pricke in his flesh the messenger of Sathan that was sent to buffet him might depart from him But could not obtaine it Let vs now come to consider of the Reasons why the Lord hath beene wont to deale in this sort with his children To humble them the more deeply for their sinnes and so to make them more capable of his grace he seemes for a time to turne away from them ' and to stoppe his eares at their cries We are apt to thinke that a little sorrow for sinne is enough and that we should be
face and worship God and say plainely God is in them indeed He makes the consent and agreement that is among the Prophets in their Ministry to be one chiefe cause of it 1. Cor. 14. 25. He is rebuked of all he is iudged of all And on the contrary side the disagreement and dissention that is amongst the Ministers cannot chuse but be a great stumbling blocke to the people and meanes to hinder their profiting by the Word No engine that Sathan or Antichrist haue doth endanger the Church more than this and therefore nothing that by their instruments they labour more in than to blow the coales amongst vs and encrease the heate of our contentions Paul alledgeth this for the reason why he went vp to Ierusalem to visit the chiefe Apostles to acquaint himselfe and to conferre with them lest by any meanes saith he I should run or had run in vaine Gal. 2. 2. This is the cause of that strange earnestnesse and importunity that Paul vseth in this matter Phil. 2. 1 2. If there be any consolation in Christ if any comfort in loue if any fellowship of the Spirit if any compassion and mercy fulfill my ioy that yee be like minded hauing the same loue being of one accord And Phil. 4. 2. he speakes thus to two women who though they were no Ministers yet laboured with him in the Gospell as he saith verse 3. I pray Euodias and beseech Syntiche that they be of one accord in the Lord. This Doctrine is of great Vse both to vs that are Ministers of God and to you that are his people for we are all ioyntly to be exhorted by this Doctrine first to pray earnestly vnto God who onely is the God of peace and loue 2. Cor. 13. 11. that he would at length compound the dissentions that are in his Church and worke a holy concord amongst all his seruants This is euery mans duty neither may any looke to prosper that cannot doe this pray for the peace of Ierusalem which is by this meanes best procured they shall prosper that loue thee Psal. 122. 6. Secondly that euery one of vs would endeauour in our places to procure it as much as in vslyeth Matth. 5. 9. Blessed are the peace-makers But beside this generall there is a particular vse to be made of this Doctrine both by vs that are Ministers and by all you that are Gods people but in this I desire to be more large than the time will now permit me to be and therefore I will deferre it vntill the next day Lecture the sixty fifth September 11. 1610. IOHN IIII. XXXVI XXXVIII THere is particular Vse to be made of this Doctrine first by the Ministers of the Gospell and secondly by all the people of God All that are faithfull Ministers are to be exhorted by this Doctrine that notwithstanding all excellency of gifts or difference in iudgement or practice that may be amongst any of them yet they would seeke to keepe the vnity of the Spirit in the bond of peace to loue and esteeme one of another That we may all of vs receiue the more good by this exhortation I will speake of it distinctly and shew you first how farre forth the Ministers of the Gospell must agree together secondly the reasons that may moue vs to seeke this agreement thirdly the meanes whereby we may attaine vnto this agreement For the first we must know there is nothing spoken in the handling of this Doctrine in fauour of such Ministers as are ignorant and vngodly men None of vs are bound to loue and esteeme of all Ministers But though in respect of their coate and function they be accounted our brethren yet if they be Idols or wicked and vngodly men we are not bound to esteeme of them Nay the more high and excellent the function and calling is which they haue taken vpon them the more vilely and contemptibly should all good men esteeme of them Matth. 5. 13. If the salt be vnsauory it is fit to bee troden vnder foote of all men If we cannot be familiar with such if we can shew no respect to such let no man account vs proud or malicious we doe no more than we are bound to doe The Ioue and agreement that should be betweene Ministers bindes vs not to like of or winke at the faults that are in Ministers I know some men count it a breach of the Churches peace and an argument of a contentiâ—… and vnquiet spirit in a Minister if he speake against carelesse non-resâ—…ncy if he reprooue the idlenesse and pride or couetousnesse or 〈◊〉 life of any Minister But these men are much deceiued No mâ—…ns 〈◊〉 deserue so sharply to be reprooued as these sins of Ministers for theâ—… are indeed the chiefe causes of all other sins committed in the land 〈◊〉 2â—… 15. From the Prophets of Ierusalem is wickeanesse gone forth into thâ—… 〈◊〉 And in this respect when Gods people in their publike fast made 〈◊〉 confession of those sinnes whereby God had beene most prouoked â—…gainst them they make confession chiefly of the sinnes of their Magistâ—…s and Ministers as the principall causes of all their plagues Neh. 9. 〈◊〉 Our Kings and our Princes our Priests and our Fathers haue not done thy law nor regarded thy commandements nor thy protestations Obiect And whereas some are ready to say this makes the ministry contemptible among the people Answ. I answer First the Holy Ghost saith the quite contrary These sinnes that some Ministers doe commit and the rest winke at and will not reprooue are the true cause of that contempt the ministry is growne vnto Mal. 2. 9. I haue made you to be despised and vile before all the people because yee kept not my waies and haue beene partiall in the law Secondly it is not vnlawfull to bring disgrace and contempt vpon such Ministers They were Preachers whom both Iohn Baptist Matth. 3. 7. and our Sauiour Matth. 12. 24. cals generations of Vipers and that in the hearing of them that were their ordinary hearers And see what strange termes of disgrace Peter giues vnto certaine Preachers in his time 2. Pet. 2. 12. They are bruit beasts led with sensuality And verse 4. Hauing eyes full of adultery and that cannot cease to sinne they haue hearts exercised with couetousnesse and are cursed children Obiect Why but the Pharises sate in Moses chaire and taught some good Doctrine and held many truths in which respect Paul euen after his conuersion cals himselfe a Pharisee Acts 23. 6. so that there was great danger lest our Sauiour so disgracing their persons might worke in their hearers a contempt of their Doctrine Answ. I answer He saw that though they taught some truths yet by their life and other Doctrines they did more hurt than good and that the more credit they had with the people the more hurt they were likely to doe and therefore he disgraceth them thus But though we be not bound to esteeme well of
had an example before in the Galileans Verse 45. So that is to be vnderstood Iohn 2. 23. Many belieued in his Name when they saw the miracles which he did viz. they had receiued some preparations vnto Faith they began to conceiue reuerently of his Doctrine and were willing to heare him and this was all as appeares Verse 24. But Iesus did not commit himselfe to them because he knew them all So the good life that they haue seene Gods seruants to lead hath beene a meanes to draw many a one to the Faith The Apostle vseth this as a reason to perswade Christians to an honest life That the Gentiles by their good works which they should behold might haue cause to glorifie God in the day of their visitation 1 Pet. 2. 12. That they that obeyed not the Word might without the word be wonne by the conuersation of their wiues 1 Pet. 3. 1. So the corrections of God which they haue seene and felt vpon themselues haue been the meane to open many a mans eare and to make him willing to heare Iob 33. 16. So the wonderfull deliuerances that men haue seene God giue to his Church and ouerthrowes to the aduersaries thereof haue wonne many a man to the liking of Religion Hest. 8. 17. Many of the people of the land became Iewes As I nothing doubt but the wonderfull deliuerance God gaue vs from the Powder-Treason hath drawn many a one from Popery to the loue of the Gospell 3 It is certaine also that the Faith of the best Christians may be much confirmed by the workes of God which they see So the Faith of Gods children was greatly confirmed by the miracles of Christ and of his Apostles Iohn 2. 11. This beginning of miracles did Iesus and shewed forth his glory and his Disciples belieued in him So are the faithfull greatly confirmed by Gods corrections on themselues when they are soundly humbled thereby Iob 42. 5. I haue heard of thee by the hearing of the eare but noâ—…ine eye seeth thee So by the sensible experiments they haue had of Gods mercy in themselues they are greatly confirmed in the Faith of Gods promises 2 Corinth 1. 10. Who hath deliuered vs from so great a death and doth deliuer vs in whom we trust that yet hereafter he will deliuer vs yea the beholding of Gods iudgements on wicked men and his mercies towards his faithfull seruants hath greatly confirmed their Faith in the Word of God when they can say As we haue heard so haue we seene Psalme 48. 8. and 58. 10. The righteous shall reioyce when they see the vengeance and why so Verse 11. And men shall say Verily there is a reward for the righteous doubtlesse there is a God that iudgeth the earth And in this respect men ought carefully to marke and obserue the workes of God how God makes good his Word by his workes A principall point this is of Christian wisdome and piety and great good might euery man receiue by it Psal. 107. 43. Who is wise that he may obserue these things for they shall vnderstand the louing kindnesse of the Lord. Yea say a man be neuer so diligent in the reading and hearing of Gods Word yet if he do not likewise obserue the works of God he is guilty of a great sinne Psal. 28. 5. They regard not the works of the Lord nor the operation of his hands therefore breake them downe and build them not vp 4 It is not simply vnlawfull or a signe of infidelity for a man euen to desire these sensible helps to confirme his Faith Hezekiah was a true Belieuer yet desired a signe 2 Kings 20. 8. Gedeon was a true Belieuer yet he asked a signe of God Iudges 6. 17. And when God had giuen him one he asked another Verse 38 And when God had giuen him that he asked yet another Verse 39. and God was neuer a whit offended with him When a man that doth in any measure truly belieue and giue credit to the Word shall desire that God would sensibly confirme to him the truth of his promises by deliuering him from any affliction he is in by blessing him in his body in his estate in his children especially by giuing him the inward feeling of his fauour he doth no more than he may well do Psal. 86. 17. Shew a token of thy goodnesse towards me that they which hate me may be ashamed because thou O Lord hast helped me and comforted me And Psal. 90. 16. Let thy works be seene towards thy seruants and thy glory vpon their children Now though all this be so as you haue heard in all these foure points yet remaines the Doctrine firme That true faith is not grounded vpon any thing we see vpon sense and experience but onely vpon the Word of God Whatsoeuer the faithfull man belieues he belieues it because God hath said it in his Word This the Apostle makes the ground of Abrahams faith Rom 4. 18. He belieued that he should be the Father of many Nations according to that that was spoken vnto him This was the ground of the Apostles faith not all the miracles they had seene Iohn 〈◊〉 22. They belieued the Scriptures and the Word which Iesus had said This was the ground of the Ephesians faith Ephes. 1. 1â—… 2 Insomuch as though there be sundry truths in Gods Word as I shewed you which the Lord doth vse to giue vs sensible proofes and demonstrations of in the world yet he that hath true faith belieues those very things not so much for any thing that he seeth as for that he knoweth God in his Word hath said so So that he is able to say I belieue that Goods vniustly gotten will certainly come to nought that Whore-mongers and Adulterers God will iudge that God will smite through the loynes of them that rise against Leui and of them that hate him and that not so much because I see this confirmed in such and such examples indeed I belieue it the more for this but not so much for this as because God in his Word hath said it Rom. 10. 17. Faith comes not by sight but by hearing 2 Cor. 5. 7. We walk by faith and not by sight He that walks by sight walks not by faith 3 The true belieuer giues credit to the Word though he see nothing to confirme it The bare Word of God is of sufficient credit with him and he belieues as verily those truths which his sense nor reason can discerne any proofe of such as are all the Articles of our Faith onely for the Words sake as he doth those truths that are most confirmed vnto his sense or reason Heb. 11. 1. It is the euidence of things not seene Ioh. 20. 29. Thomas because thou hast seene me thou belieuest blessed are they that haue not seene and haue belieued 1 Pet. 1. 8. Whom ye haue not seene and yet ye loue him in whom now though you see him not yet do you belieue and reioyce with
secondly so soone as he was called he shewed strange diligence and zeale in executing on Ahabs house and friends the commandement he had receiued 2. Kings 9. 7. compared with verse 14 18. 24. 33. 2. Kings 10. 6. 11. 14. 17. thirdly he destroyed Baals Priests and Images and purged the land of that Idolatry 2. Kings 10. 21 28. fourthly he did all this in a zeale for God 2. Kings 10. 16. in so much as the Lord himselfe commended him for it 2. Kings 10. 30. fifthly he bore a notable hatred to the foule sinnes of Iezabel 2. King 9. 22. sixthly he bore a reuerend regard to Gods Word which he shewed by remembring it so long and acknowledging the certainety and righteousnesse of it and his care to see it performed and by doing that he did by direction of it and in obedience vnto it 2. King 9. 25 â—…6 36 37. and perswading others to acknowledge the certainty and righteousnesse of it 2. King 10. 10. seuenthly he had a reuerend respect to good men 2. King 9. 36. and 10. 10. he mentioneth not Eliah's name without title of reuerence he shewes great respect to Iehonadab 2. Kings 10. 15 16. yet this man was no better than an hypocrite his heart was not sound Iehu tooke no heed to walke in the Law of the Lord God of Israel with all his heart 2. King 10. 31. and therefore God esteemed no better of all that he did than of murder I will auenge the blood of Iezreel vpon the house of Iehu Hos. 1. 4. And the principall if not the onely thing whereby his hypocrisie was discouered was this He did not in all points follow the direction of Gods Law nor make conscience of it though he hated some Idolatry as that of Baal yet he hated not all Idolatry he departed not from the Idolatry of Ieroboam 2. Kings 10. 29. 31. So Herod went very far Mar. 6. 20. but in this his hypocrisie was discouered he could not make conscience of all that Iohn taught him nor forsake all his knowne sins The third note of difference is this The regenerate man though he make conscience of euery duty God hath enioyned him yet makes he most conscience of and is most carefull to obserue the greatest commandements and such duties as God hath most straitly enioyned This note we shall finde giuen by our Sauiour Matth. 23. 24. he makes it a propertie of hypocrites to straine at a Gnat and swallow a Camell this is oft noted for a property of the hypocrite The Pharisees were exceeding precise for the externall rest of the Sabbath euen more than any Law of God required them to be Luk. 13. 14 15. They tithed Mint and Annise and Cummin but they neglected the waightiest matters of the Law Matth. 23. 23. If you aske me which be those waightier matters of the Law I answer They be chiefly of three kinds first the inward worship of God thou shalt shalt loue the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soule and with all thy minde this is the first and great commandement Matt. 22. 37 38. secondly iudgement mercy and fidelitie towards men Matth. 23. 23. thirdly the duties of our particular and speciall callings this may appeare Esay 1. 17. Learne to do well seeke iudgement relieue the oppressed iudge the fatherlesse pleade for the widow Who must do this Verse 10. Ye rulers of Sodome yee people of Gomorrah And by the Apostles oft beating vpon this point in all their Epistles the duties of Masters Seruants Husbands Wiues Parents Children Subiects Pastor Flocke and by that conclusion Paul makes to this Doctrine Tit. 2. 15. These things speake and exhort and rebuke with all authority On the contrarie side the hypocrite is more carefull and busie about other mens duties and the reformation of other mens faults than his own he can see the least mote in his brothers eye but cannot discerne a beame in his own he seemes very carefull to reforme the least fault he sees in another but hath no care of reforming himselfe Matth. 7. 3 5. He bindes heauy burdens and grieuous to be borne and laies them on other mens shoulders but himselfe will not mooue them with one of his fingers Matth. 23. 4. Herein then I pray you make tryall of your selues if you desire to know the soundnesse of your owne hearts Lecture the hundred and three October 1. 1611. IOHN IIII. L. IT followeth that we come now to shew you the difference betwixt the good works of the regenerate and naturall man in the manner of their doing and performing of them And indeed this is a principall thing we must haue respect vnto if we desire to know whether the good duties we do proceed from true grace yea or no. See this in that direction the Apostle giues he that giueth let him doe it with simplicity he that ruleth with diligence he that sheweth mercy with cheerefulnesse Rom. 12. 8. For the Lord hath oft noted the false and counterfeit obedience of the hypocrite by this property that though he haue done such workes as for the matter of them haue beene right and good yet he hath neuer done them in a right manner not with a right affection as it is said of Amazia 2. Chron. 25. 2. He did vprightly in the eyes of the Lord but not with a perfect heart And on the other side it is noted for a property of true and sauing obedience when there is care not only to doe the thing God commandeth but to doe it also in that manner and with that affection of heart that God hath commanded as we shall see in the example of the children of Israel Exod. 39. 42 43. According to all that the Lord commanded Moses so the children of Israel made all the worke And Moses looked vpon all the worke and behold they had done it as the Lord had commanded And in the speech and example of our Sauiour Iohn 14. 31. That the world may know that I loue the Father as the Father hath commanded me so I doe not onely what the Father hath commanded that I do but I do as he hath commanded I finde therefore in Gods Word foure euident notes of difference betweene the good duties that are performed by the naturall man and by him that hath a sound and sanctified heart euen in the manner of doing of them The regenerate man intends and the end he aimes at in doing good duties is to please and honour God he hath a single and sincere respect to God and nothing else he doth that which he doth because he knowes God hath commanded it he is pleased with he is honoured by that which he doth The notice he knowes God will take of it his allowance and reward contents him and he seeke no more The regenerate man serues God euen in those duties he performes to men euen in the duties of his calling Rom. 12. 11. Not sloathfull to doe seruice he meanes one