Meanes to get assurance of Gods favour 641 c. Wicked men Lâ—wd persons are a curse to the place they live in 124 Have no cause to stumble at this that God is so apt to passe by the sâ—ips of his children 361 363 Wicked men must pray and do other good duties and they may receive good theâ— by three wayes 363 364 We must love their persons and yet shew detestation to their vices 749 Works Good works the fruits of Gods sanctifying Spirit in us good grounds of hope and comfort 104 105 The maine foundation of any comfort in them is wholly in Gods mercy 106 Why no man can make them the maine ground of his comfort Ibid. God doth greatly respect the poore and imperfect services of his people and three reasons for that 357 361 Good works must be performed in a right manner 433 438 Word of God The Lord must be justified in whatsoever he hath spoken 238 We must believe it 239 Allow and approve of it as just 240 Take it to heart Ibid. The Word a speciall meanes to enable us to beare afflictions christianly 263 To mortifie our corruptions 321 322 Why so much is ascribed in Scripture to the Word it selâ—e and to the Ministry thereof 507 509 The least thing God hath appointed in his Word may not be neglected 577 579 Try our estate by the Word of God 624 625 The Word a speciall meanes to get comfortable assurance that Christ is ours an 〈◊〉 633 634 A singular good thing to love the Word 700 Worship of God We must depend upon the direction of the Word for 〈◊〉 581 Conscience to be made of the outward parts of Gods Worship and exercises of Râ—ligion 581 582 We must labour to understand every thing we do in the service of God 583 589 Els we shall receive no good by it 584 585 In every part of Gods Worship labour to find God with us in it 587 588 591 Foure motives to stirre up this â—are 591 Foure means to make Gods Ordinances effectuall 592 593 We must not neglect Gods Ordinances though we find no fruit 594 Gods solemne Worship and conscionable use of his Ordinances a meanes to worke 〈◊〉 and recover assurance that Christ is ours 632 True love of God will appeare towards his Worship 799 Z. Zeale EVery one that 〈◊〉 the Spirit of Christ must needs be zealous for God and his worship 799 FINIS Doct. 1. Reason 1 2. Vse 1. 2. The respect we owe even to those parts of the Word which we understaÌ„d not Doct. 2. Reason Vse Doct. 4. Reason 1 2. 3. Vse 1. 2. Doct. 5. Reason 1 2. 3. Vse Object Answ. Quest. Answ. Doct. 6. Reason Vse 1. Vse 2. Doct. 7. Reason Vse 1. Vse 2. 1. Sort. 2. 3. Vse 3. Object Answ. Applic. Applic. Applic. Applic. Applic. Applic. Applic. Applic Applic * So it is in the margent Applic. Applic. Applic. Applic. Applic. Applic. Applic. Applic. Doct. 8. Reason 1 2. 3. Vse Vse 2. Vse 3. Object 1 Answ. Object 2 Answ. 1. 2. Object 3. Answ. Object 4. Answ. Object 5 Answ. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Nota. Doct. 9. Reason 1 2. 3. 4. Vse Vse 2. Motive 1 2. Object 1 Answ. Object 2 Answ. Object 3. Answ. Reason 1 Aâ—sw Reason 2 Answ. Reason 4 Answ. Reason 4 Answ. Answ. 2. Nota Quest. 1 Answ. Quest. 2 Answ. Quest. 3 Answ. Quest. 4 Answ. Doct. 10 Reason Vse 1. Quest. 1 2. 3. Object 1 Answ. 1 Object 2 Answ. Applic. Object 3 Answ. Vse 2. 1 Sort of Motives 2 Sort of Motives Meanes Signes Applic Applic. Applic. Applic. Nota. Doct. 11 Object 1. Answ. Object 2 Answ. Reason Object Answ. Vse Vse 2. 1 Duty Object Answ. Applic. Object Answ. Object Answ. 2 Duty Applic. Applic. Object Answ. Object Answ. Applic. 1. Duty Object Answ. Duty 2. Vse 3. Object 1 Answ. Object 2 Answ. Object Answ. Object 1. Answ. 1. Answ 2. Object Answ. 1. Object Nota. Doct. 12. Branch 1 Branch 2 Reason 1. Reason 2 Reason 3 Vse 1. Three sorts of conâ—ession of sin Object Answ. Appli 1 Appli 2 Appli Quest. Answ. 1 2. Doctr. Proofe Reason Appli Object Answ. Object Answ. Answ. 2. Object Answ. Object Answ. Applic. Applic. Applic. Applic. Applic. Nota. Doct. 13 Object Answ. Object Answ. Reason Reason 2 Reason 3 Quest. Answ. Vse 1. Vse 2. Object 1 Answ. Object Answ. Object 3 Answ. Quest. Answ. Nota. Quest. 1 Answ. Quest. 2 Answ. Quest. 3 Answ. Quest 4 Answ. Doct. 14 Branc. 1 Branch 2 Reason Reason 2 Attribute 1 Attribute 2 Attribute 3 Attribute 4 Vse 1. Object Answ. Object Answ. Applic. Vse 2. Vse 3. Object Answ. Vse 4. Nota. Doct. 15 Quest. 1 Answ. Quest. 2 Answ. Reason 1. Reason 2. Vse Nota. Quest. 1 Answ. Quest. 2 Answ. Quest. 3 Answ. Quest. 4 Answ. Doct. 16 Reason 1 Reason 2. Vse 1. Vse 2. Applic. Applic. Applic. Object Answ. Applic. Applic. 1 Applic. Applic. Applic. Applic. Applic. Applic. Nota. Object 1 Answ. 1. 2. 3. 4. Quest. 2. Answ. Doct. 17 Object 1 Answ. Object 2. Answ. Object 3 Answ. Proofe 1. Proofe 2. Object Answ. Object 2 Answ. 1. Reason 1. Reason 2. Vse 1. Vse 2. Vse 3. Vse 4. Doct. 18 Reason 1 Reason 2 Vse 1. Vse 2. First sort of Motives Second sort of Motives The third sort of motives Meanes Quest. Answ. Applic. Means 2. Applic. Object 1. Answ. 1. 2. 3. Object 2. Answ. Means 3. Applic. Means 4. Applic. Means 5. Applic. Nota. Doct. 19 Branc. 1 Branc. 2 Reason Vse 1. Applic. Vse 2. Vse 3. Motives Means Means 1. Applic. Mans 2 Means 1 Means 2 Means 3 Object 1 Answ. Object 2 Ans. Meanes 4 Applic. Applic. Means 5 Applic. Meanâ— 6 Means 7 Applic. Applic. Quest. Answ. Applic. Object 1 Answ. 1 2. Object 2 Answ. 1. 2. 3. Object Answ. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Vse 4. 1 Restraining grace Applic. Object Applic. Applic. Object Answ Applic. 1 CoÌ„verting grace Applic. 3 Confirming grace Applic. Object Answ. TentatioÌ„ 1 Preservative 1. Object 1 Answ. Quest. Answ. Quest. Answ. Object 2 Answ. 1. 2. 3. Preservative 2. Quest. Answ. TentatioÌ„ 2. Preservative Quest. Answ. 4 Saving grace Applic. Object Answ. 1 2. Doct. 20 Reason 1 Reason 2 Reason 3 Reason 4 Vse 1. Motive 1. Motive 2. Motive 3 Applic. The first signe of uprightnesse of heart Applic. The second signe of uprightnes of heart Object Answ. The first property of obedience and true righteousnesse Applic. The second property of true goodnesse and righteousnesse Branch 1 Object Answ. 1 Answ. 2 Branch 2 Applic. Object Answ. Object Answ. Doct. Reason 1 Reason 2 Object Answ. Applic. Motives Motive 1 Motive 2 Motive 3 Motive 4. Motive 5. Motive 6. Mean 1 Mean 2. Means 3 Means 4. Means 5 Object Answ. Object Applic. The third property of true goodnesse and righteousnesse 1 The subject of sancâ—â—fying grace Caution 1â— Caution 2 Caution 3. Applic. The 〈…〉 Quest. 1 Answ. 1. Quest. 2 Answ. 1. Applic. Applic. Answ. 2. Applic. Applic. Applic. 2 The continuance of saving grace Applic. 1 Object Answ. 1. 2. 3. 4. The â—ourth property of true goodnesse and righteousnesse Applic. Applic. Applic. The third signe of uprightnesse of heart Answ. 1. 2. Applic. 1 Quest. Answ. 1 Answ. 2. Applic. Answ. 1. 2. 3. Quest. Answ. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Quest. Answ. 1. 2. 3. Applic. 2 Object Answ. Object Answ. Vse 2. Motive Quest. Answ. Applic. Means 1 Means 2 Means 3 Means 4 Means 5 Nota. Quest. 1. Answ. Quest. 2. Answ. Quest. 3. Answ. Doct. 21 Reason 1 Object Answ. Reason 2 Object Answ. Vse 1. Applic. The object of true knowledge The properties of saving knowledge The effects of saving knowledge Applic. Applic. Applic. Applic. Motive 1 Motive 2 Meanes to attaine to sound knowledge Means 1 Means 2 Means 3 Object Answ. Applic. Means 4 Means 5 Means 6 Means 7 Nota. Doct. 22 Branch 1 Applic. Applic. Applic. Quest. 1. Answ. 1. Answ. 2. Answ. 3. Quest. 2 Answ. 1. Answ. 2. Branch 2 Object 1 Answ. Object 2 Answ. Reason 1 Object Answ. Answ. 2. Reason 2 Object Answ. Object Answ. Quest. Answ. Vse 1. Applic. 1 Applic. 2 Vse 2. Caution 1 Caution 2 Applic. Nota. Doct. 23 Caution Object 2 Answ. Proofe Object Answ. Quest. Answ. Reason 1 Reason 2 Quest. Answ. Reason 3. Vse 1. Vse 2. Quest. Answ. 1. Answ. 2. Applic. Vse 3. Object Answ. Reason 1 Reason 2 Applic. Applic. Quest. 1 Answ. Quest. 2 Answ. Quâ—st 3 Answ. Nota. Doct. 24 CautioÌ„ 1 CautioÌ„ 2 Reason 1 Reason 2 Vse 1. Vse 2. Motive 1 Motive 2 Motive 3 Motive 4 Nota. Doct. 25 Branch 1 Reason Branch 2 Vse 1. Vse 2. Applic. Motive 1 Motive 2 Motive 3 Motive 4 Means 1 Means 2 Means 3 Means 4 Object Answ. Nota. Doct. 26 Branch 1 Branch 2 Reason 1 Reason 2 Quest. Answ. Vse 1. Applic. Motive 1 Motive 2 Means 1 Means 2 Means 3 Means 4 Means 5 Vse 2. Motive 1 Motive 2 Motive 3 Motive 4 Object Answ. Signe Meanes Nota. Doct. 27 Branch 1 Branch 2 Reason 1. Reason 2. Vse 1. Applic. Vse 2. Motive 1 Motive 2 Signe 1. Applic. Signe 2. Object 1 Answ. Object 2 Answ. 1. Answ. 2. Applic. Signe 3. Applic. Means 1 Applic. Applic. Applic. Applic. Object 1 Answ. Object 2. Answ. Object Answ. Object Answ. Applic. Object 1 Answ. Object 2 Answ. Applic. Vse 3. Object Answ. Quest. Applic. Object 1. Object 2 Answ. Object 3. Answ. 1. 2. Nota. Doct. 28 Quest. Answ. Reason 1 Reason 2 Reason 3. Vse 1. Applic. Errour 1 Object Answ. Object 2. Answ. Object Answ. Object 1 Answ. 1. Answ. 2. Object 2 Answ. Reason 1 Object Reason 2 Object Answ. 1. 2. Reason Object 1 Answ. Object 2 Answ. Object 3 Answ. Vse Applic. Object 1 Answ. Object 2. Answ. 1. 2. 3. Object 3. Answ. Vse 2. Motive 1 Contrâ— Motiv 2 Applic. Motive Applic. Object Answ. Applic. Object Answ. Answ. Object Answ. Object Answ. 1. Answ. 2. Answ. 3. Applic. Object Answ. Object Answ. 1. Object Answ. Applic. Motive 4 Signes Object Answ. Applic. Applic. Object Answ. Applic. Aplic Quest. 1. Answ. Quest. 2. Answ. Quest. 3. Answ. Proof 1 Proofe 2 Reason 1 Object Answ. Reason 2 Aplic Object Answ. Motive 1 Motive 2 Object Answ. Meanes Doct. Reason 1. Object Answ. Object Answ. Reason 2 Reason 3. Applic. 1 Object 1 Answ. 1. Answ. 2. Answ. 3. Object 2 Answ. Object 3 Answ. Object 4. Answ. 1. Answ. 2.
808. 3 The respect we have to the Lord and his honour ought to be dearer to us then any other thing And that 's no way so much advanced as by the liberty of the Gospell and the good successe of it p. 809. Lect. 152. It s a great error to thinke that much preaching is not now necessary for 1 though prayer be a chiefe worke of the Minister and part of Gods publike worship yet is it not the chiefe of all but preaching p. 810 811. 2 No man can pray till by preaching he bee made able to pray 3 Preaching is the best meanes to quicken and stirre up the Spirit of prayer in them that have it p 812. 2 Preaching is necessary for them that have longest enjoyed it for 1 in the best Congregations the greatest part are still ignorant 2 Such as have profited by it have still need of it for 1 the most are weake and unperfect in knowledge and grace 2 they that are of best growth in grace are apt to decay 3 most care must bee had of them that have most profited p. 813. 3 It s no good reason against the necessity of much preaching because men grow weary and are glutted with it for 1 much preaching is not the cause why men loath the Word 2 Its the best meanes to cure that disease p. 814. 4 It s no good reason against much preaching that it is said to do little good where its most used p. 815. Severall places of Scripture opened and applyed in this Booke Booke Chap. Verse Folio Geneses 2 2 701 Geneses  3 704 Geneses 4 7 209 Geneses 20 16 694 Geneses 33 10 645 Geneses 50 19 752 Exodus 9 16 16 Exodus 14 15 72 Exodus 23 5 119 Exodus 34 7 599 Leuit. 24 14 186 Leuit 26 42 159 Num. 15 35 231 Num. 23 21 659 Num. 25 12 631 Deut. 4 9 42 Deut. 6 7 Ibid Deut.  25 433 Deut. 7 9 719 Deut. 17 20 321 Deut. 26 13.14 724 Deut. 29 19.20 91 Deut. 30 â— 3 288 Deut.  6 390 Deut. 32 5 533 Deut. 3â— 4 49â— Iosh. 23 14 4â—8 1. Sam. 2 25 602 1. Sam. 14 â—8 148 1. Sam. 15 23 230 1. Sam. 2â— 30.31 209 2. Sam. 23 1 5 2. Sam. 24 24 25 1. King 8 13 104 601 1. King 23 33 544 1. King 15 14 369 1. King â—0 35.36 381 1. King 21 9.10 312 1. King  12 180 1. Cron. 23 30 4 2. Cron. 5 13 5 2. Cron. 11 16.17 807 2. Cron. 17 7 480 2. Cron. 30 19 593 2. Cron. 35 1 718 Iob. 1 22 246 Iob. 2 3 664 Iob. 8 13.14 â—18 Iob. 11 13.14 593 Iob. 13 23 665 Iob. 18 15 687 Iob. 21 14 424 Iob.  23 620 Iob. 23 11.12 770 Iob. 27 5 374 Iob.  6 209 Iob. 29 3 404 Iob.  14 678 Iob. 34 31.32 606 Iob. 36 89 685 Iob. 42 7.8 561 Psal. 4 6 402 Psal. 5 7 130 Psal. 9 12 735 Psal. 16 9 7 Psal. 18 21 533 Psal.  2â— 7â—6 Psal.  25 466 Psal. 19 7 408 Psal. 22 30 290 Psal. 26 3 627 741 Psal.  5 6 179 Psal. 27 4 13â— 632 Psal. 28 1 78 Psal. 31 23 154 Psal. 32 1 677 Psal.  2 161 Psal. 34 8 488 Psal. 36 6 247 Psal.  7 645 Psal. 37 23 360 Psal.  37 469 Psal. 42 4 801 Psal. 44 17 18 771 Psal. 51 8 99 153 Psal.  18 171 Psal. 56 3 4 146 268 653 Psal.  10 11 624 Psal.  13 798 Psal. 59 10 126 Psal. 62 8 194 Psal. 63 1 â—3 632 Psal. 67 1 2 3 478 Psal. 68 21 390 Psal. 69 9 695 Psal. 73 1 466 Psal. 76 10 338 Psal. 77 1 67 Psal.  6 643 Psal. 84 9 647 Psal.  11 467 Psal. 85 8 620 639 Psal. 88 15 392 Psal. 89 50 51 553 Psal. 101 6 7 630 Psal. 102 10 250 Psal. 106 4 401 Psal. 107 42 43 645 Psal. 111 10 490 Psal. 112 4 686 Psal. 116 16 454 Psal. 118 28 628 Psal. 119 16 38 Psal.  30 31 770 789 Psal.  33 776 Psal.  64 130 Psal.  66 424 Psal.  73 493 Psal.  92 263 Psal.  104 490 714 Psal.  113 36 Psal.  130 513 Psal.  147 637 Psal.  155 424 456 Psal. 130 3 4 365 451 Psal. 137 1 6 7 564 565 Psal. 143 5 6 644 Pro. 1 27 28 590 Pro. 4 12 497 Pro.  26 642 Pro. 5 12 590 Pro. 7 2 235 Pro.  14 721 Pro. 8 9 514 Pro.  17 391 Pro. 9 10 484 Pro. 10 22 688 Pro. 14 14 643 Pro.  16 371 620 Pro.  26 376 638 Pro. 19 27 497 784 Pro. 20 12 7â— 650 Pro. 21 2 372 727 Pro.  15 678 Pro. 21 27 721 Pro. 22 6 584 Pro.  12 497 Pro. 24 29 752 Pro. 25 12 49 707 Pro. 27 7 620 Pro. 28 4 749 Pro. 29 24 186 Pro. 30 2 3 484 Pro.  9 118 Eccl. 5 1 197 585 Eccl.  2 310 Eccl.  6 494 Eccl. 7 2 3 4 260 Eccl.  16 381 Eccl. 10 1 549 Eccl. 11 2 117 Eccl.  8 2â—0 Eccl. 12 9 10 482 Cant. 1 7 796 Cant. 3 1 4 143 Cant. 4 4 263 Cant. 5 2 32 355 Cant.  3 640 Isa. 6 5 282 347 Isa. 11 2 488 Isa.  9 476 734 Isa. 26 2 769 Isa. 27 9 323 Isa. 28 12 617 Isa. 29 9 211 Isa. 30 20 21 776 Isa. 31 9 543 Isa. 32 2 676 Isa. 32 17 638 Isa. 38 16 739 Isa.  18 289 Isa.  19 630 Isa. 42 23 650 Isa. 44 5 628 Isa. 48 10 258 Isa. 50 4 165 Isa.  10 653 Isa. 51 7 488 Isa. 52 15 614 Isa. 53 1 588 Isa. 55 1 648 691 Isa.  3 127 Isa. 57 1 561 Isa.  19 19 797 Isa. 58 1 45 707 Isa.  10 117 273 Isa. 59 21 634 Isa. 61 3 46 144 Ier. 2 10 11 706 Ier. 3 12 13 158 Ier. 4 2 585 Ier.  3 498 Ier. 9 7 237 546 666 Ier. 10 25 70 Ier. 13 11 809 Ier. 15 10 47 Ier. 17 1 2 299 Ier.  16 17 273 396 Ier. 22 16 490 Ier. 23 6 673 Ier. 32 23 419 Lam. 3 29 311 Ezek. 5 15 547 Ezek. 13 19 695 Ezek. 14 7 8 593 Ezek. 16 9 14 107 Ezek. 18 10 11 726 Ezek. 20 12 702 Ezek. 24 7 8 718 Ezek.  13 345 Ezek. 28 19 548 Ezek. 33 11 455 Ezek.  31 32 27 698 723 Ezek. 36 26 27 739 Ezek.  28 31 736 Dan. 1 8 382 Dan. 4 27 117 1â—8 364 Dan. 3 5 627 Dan. 6 3 497 Dan.  6 589 Dan. 8 12 2 493 Dan. 10 1 437 Dan. 12 7 8 210 Dan. 13 9 455 Dan. 14 7 535 Amos. 5 10 52 Micah 2 7 241 Micah 6 9 219 606 Micah  16 545 Zeph. 3 18 801 Zach. 9 11 615 Zach. 12 10 17 627 736 Mal. 2
unto the Lord and thy thoughts shall be established 3. They that pray not though they might be never so sure of these temporall blessings yet have they no just cause of comfort in them For they have them not with the blessing and favour of God 1. They come not rightly by them but like robbers breake into Gods storehouse and steale away his goods The richest man that is is bound to seeke even his bread of God every day Matth. 6.11 Give us this day our daily bread He hath no comfortable title to his food to his wealth that doth it not but is in Gods account a spirituall usurper and thiefe 2. Besides he can have no comfort in that he hath because it is not sanctified unto him it shall do him no good it shall do him much hurt rather A man may have these outward things without Gods blessing Hos. 13.11 I gave thee a king in mine anger and then they will be his bane it had beene much better for him to have beene without them Was not Goliahs strength 1 Sam. 17.9 Ahitophels wisdome 2 Sam. 17.23 and Herods eloquence Act. 12.23 so and yet all excellent gifts of God but they had them not with his blessing they were not sanctifyed unto them O that we had not too much experience of this daily in many that men may have abundance of these earthly blessings from God and have them with his curse as if God should have said as Pro. 1.32 The prosperity of fooles shall destroy them On the other side they that pray have just cause of comfort in these outward things be it little or much that they enjoy For 1. They have a blessed title to that they have they come honestly by it it is their owne they breake not into Gods treasury but by the key that God gave them they opened the doore and hold them by his gift 1 Cor. 3.22 All things are yours 2. That that they have is blessed and sanctified unto them 1 Tim. 4.4 5. Every creature of God is good to them that beleeve and know the truth for it is sanctifyed by the Word of God and prayer And thus have I answered the first reason Now to the second reason that it is needlesse to pray Because the good successe of all things depends upon and is to be ascribed not to prayer but to second causes and meanes God useth to work by and unto the reason will and endeavour of man The Lord say they hath set a constant course in nature and given a naturall force to sundry meanes and second causes to doe us good There is a covenant of God for the day and night mentioned Ier. 33.20 that they shall continue their courses which cannot faile So is therefore other ordinary meanes God hath given a naturall force to our meate to nourish us and to our cloathes to keepe us warme A good diet a good aire and exercise we see will keepe men in health though they never pray And as for wealth if men take paines in their calling and have also wisedome to order their affaires there is not one of a hundred but they prosper well enough In all labour saith Solomon Pro. 14.23 there is profit And Pro. 16.20 He that handleth a matter wisely shall find good Shall we thinke say some that the fasts that were kept so long and the prayers that were made were the cause why the plague ceased No no there is a naturall cause say they to be given of it till the aire was purged by the coldnesse of the season all your fasting and praying could do no good This reason and perswasion of the sufficiency that is in the meanes and in our owne endeavours hath in all ages marvellously prevailed to draw men from depending upon God and seeking unto him for helpe and comfort by prayer and doth certainly at this day And that not only with such as have beene infidells and openly wicked By the strength of mine hand have I done it saith the King of Assyria Esa. 10.13 and by my wisedome for I am prudent and Habac. 1.16 They sacrifice to their net and burne incense to their drag because by them their portion is fat and their meat plenteous But even such as have lived in Gods Church as we may see at large Esay 22.8 11 Yea Gods owne deare children have received much hurt by it as we may see in the example of Asa. 2. Chron. 16.12 In his disease he sought not to the Lord but to the Physitians For answer therefore unto it some things are first of all to be granted that is 1. That God useth not to helpe men without means as Iosh. 5.12 He fed them no longer with Manna from heaven when they came to Canaan where they might get corne So when God would deliver Peter out of the hand of Herod he caused the yron gate that lead unto the City to open of his owne accord and so he went out Acts 12.10 2. That God doth usually worke with and blesse the ordinary meanes Acts 9.19 When Paul had received meat he was strengthened And so are the places to be understood Prov. 14.23 In all labour there is profite and 16 20. He that handleth a matter wisely shall find good 3. That it is folly and sin for us to expect that God should helpe us when we neglect the ordinary meanes Matth. 4.7 Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God Exod. 14 15. The Lord said to Moses why cryest thou to mee Speake unto the children of Israel that they goe forward He blameth him for resting upon prayer with the neglect of the meanes Gods blessing may be confidently expected upon our endeavours in the use of lawfull meanes 1. Chr. 22.16 Arise and be doing saith David to his sonne and the Lord will be with thee But all this is no sufficient cause to keepe us from prayer For 1. God is the authour and giver of all meanes when he intends to helpe us and doe us good he will give us the ordinary meanes to receive good by when he intends the contrary he will withold the meanes Iob 38.28 29. Hath the raine a father or who hath begotten the drops of the dew Out of whose wombe came the Ice and the hoary frost who hath gendered it and Psal. 104.3 He walketh upon the wings of the wind It was he only that sent that goodly season in the beginning of winter which these men say was the cause why the plague ceased 2. The vertue that is in any meanes to doe us good commeth wholly from God He is the Lord of nature Though he have given to man the faculty of reason and freedome of will in civill and morall actions and to our food and other creatures a naturall vertue to do us good yet that we are able to use this faculty that we have or the creature to put forth that vertue that is in it to the good of man comes wholly of God He keepeth the raines
this originall corruption of nature did not reigne neither why were they so humbled for that neverthelesse And why must we in the daies of our humiliation when we are to renew our repentance remember and bewaile our originall sin Surely because First That was the cause of all the foule sins that ever we committed and consequently of all the sorrowes and miseries that ever we felt or stood in feare of Iam. 1.14 Every man is tempted when he is drawne away of his owne lust and enticed And Mar 7.21.23 from within out of the heart of men proceed evill thoughts adulteries fornications murders c. all these things come from within and these defile a man Secondly Because though all other sins that we have committed be repented of and done away yet this root of bitternesse remaineth still in us and is ever sprouting and putting us in danger to do as badly againe as ever we did And may fitly be resembled by that comparison of a tree that Iob useth Iob 14.8 9. Though the root thereof wax old in the earth and the stocke thereof die in the ground yet through the sent of water it will bud and bring forth boughs like a plant He therefore to conclude that bringeth unto God in the fast an heart humbled onely for some grosse actuall sins that he hath committed but was never humbled for the vile corruption of his nature could never feelingly confesse that unto God nor bewaile it before him hath just cause to suspect the truth of his repentance and humiliation for sin Shall Iob and David and Esay and Paul cry out so much of themselves for this and dost thou thinke thou art in a good case that art never troubled for that untowardnesse thou findest in thy heart to any thing that is good for those vile motions and inclinations thou findest in thy selfe unto all evill This God complaineth of as of a thing that did much provoke him against his people Ezek. 16.22 In all thine abominations and thy whordomes thou hast not remembred the dayes of thy youth when thou wast naked and bare and wast polluted in thy bloud Lecture LXIII On Psalme 51.5 Iuly 10. 1627. THe third use that this Doctrine serveth unto is for exhortation to stirre up in every one of us a care to be cured of this loathsome leprosy to be delivered from the danger of this poison this fountaine of all sin this root of all bitternesse that is in the nature of every one of us This use the blessed Apostle did make of this Doctrine Rom. 7.24 For having bewailed greatly this corruption he felt in his nature and professed that he was deepely humbled in himselfe for it which made him cry out O wretched man that I am As if he had said O what a wretch am I that have such a deale of corruption remaining in me which was the former use that I told you this Doctrine serveth unto and handled by me the last day immediately he bursteth forth into these words Who shall deliver me from the body of this death As if he should have said O how may I be rid of it and delivered from the danger of it Now for the better enforcing of this exhortation 1 I will give you certaine motives to provoke you unto this care to seeke to be freed from the danger of this sin 2 I will shew you the meanes whereby deliverance from the danger of this sin is to be obtained And for motives I shall not need to give you any other then such as you have already heard in the proofes and reasons of the Doctrine 1. This is the fountaine and cause of all other our sins and consequently of all our woe and misery as wee have heard out of Iames 1.14 And it is a point of wisedome in this case to lay the axe unto the root of the tree Matth. 3.10 2. This is an universall leprosie that is gone over the whole man the whole spirit and soule and body and is therefore called the old man Rom. 6.6 3. This is such a cursed root and fountain of all evill as will never cease sprouting boyling and bubling up one corruption or other Fitly resembled Esa. 57.20 to the troubled Sea that cannot rest whose waters cast up myre and dirt continually So as when we have repented and made our peace with God for our actuall sins that wee know by our selves yet this is still apt to defile us againe and cast filthy dirt upon our best actions yea to bring us into danger of falling againe into the same or fouler evils and so apt ever and anon to interrupt our peace with God and to minister unto us matter of new doubts and feares continually It therefore standeth us upon to enquire how and by what meanes wee may bee delivered from the danger of this sinne especially And this is the second thing I propounded for the inforcing of this exhortation to shew you the means how wee might bee delivered from it And those we may best learne of the blessed Apostle who when hee had professed this desire that I now exhort you to Rom. 7.24 Who shall deliver mee c. In the words following hee answereth himselfe and giveth full satisfaction to his owne conscience in this weightie question which is the answer also that I must give to every one of you in whom the Lord hath wrought that care and desire that was in Paul as doubtlesse hee hath in every good heart here that knoweth the viâ—enesse of his owne nature and doth remember and beleeve that which I have taught you at large touching originall sin he answereth himselfe I say by telling us who delivered him from the body of this death how hee was freed from the checks and accusations of his owne conscience for it 1. By Iesus Christ who delivered him from the guilt of it that it should never bee imputed to him unto condemnation verse 25. I thanke God through Iesus Christ our Lord. And 8.1 There is therefore now no condemnation to them that are in Christ Iesus 2. By the spirit of God who freed him from the power and dominion of his corruption and did mortifie it in him Rom. 8.12 They that are in Christ walke not after the flesh but after the spirit for the law the commanding power of the spirit of life which is in Christ Iesus hath freed me from the law the commanding power of sin and death The same answer he also giveth 1 Corinth 6.11 Yee are washed yee are sanctified yee are justified in the name of the Lord Iesus and by the spirit of our God Here are therefore beloved you see two wayes and other way then these two there is none whereby wee may bee delivered from all the hurt and danger that may come to us by the Originall corruption of our nature 1. By Iesus Christ that hath justified us and delivered us from the guilt and punishment of it 2. By the spirit of Christ
good part and delighteth in them yet will he take nothing in good part that thou doest What have I to doe saith the Lord Esa. 1.11 with the multitude of your sacrifices As if he had said What care I for them And ver 12. Who required this at your hands to tread in my courts As if he should say What doe you heere Any other place were fitter for you then this Certainely in doing any service to God thou doest but a thankelesse office thou doest but lose thy labour while thou art unconverted Thirdly and lastly Though the Lord will reward and doe good to his children for the poorest and weakest service they doe unto him yet doth he even abhorre such as thou art and the very service that thou dost presume to doe unto him As a Prince would doe him that having a plague sore running upon him should presume to come into his presence and wait at his table The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination unto the Lord saith Solomon Pro. 15.8 Incense is an abomination unto me saith the Lord Esa. 1.13 the new Mosnes and Sabbaths and calling of assemblies I cannot away with You see how small cause wicked men have to presume of Gods mercy or of any good thing they know by themselves O that God would be pleased to awaken them that they could see and consider aright of their wofull estate and labour to get out of it If any man shall object and say Would you not then have wicked men to come to Church Would you not have them to pray and read the Word Would you have no man to doe any good worke but such as are godly I answer Yes verily For first Though in doing this they doe not God any service that will please him yet is there a necessity laid upon them and wo be to them if they do it not These are duties of the morall law that all men stand bound unto The wickedest man in the world is strictly bound by the commandement of God to pray God blameth most wicked men for neglect of this Hos. 7.7 None among them calleth unto me and ver 14. They have not cryed unto me with their heart Yea he condemneth the very Atheist Psal. 14.4 for this because he doth not pray And will poure his wrath upon every family Ier. 10.25 and consequently upon every person that doth not call upon his name So is the wickedest man living bound to heare the Word For hee that turneth away his eare from hearing the law saith Solomon Pro. 28.9 his prayer shall be abominable So God requireth of every man Mic. 6.8 to doe justly and to love mercy and to walke humbly with him So that though he can neither pray nor heare nor give almes but he must needs sinne yet must he pray and heare and give almes for all that An indifferent thing a man is bound to forbeare if he cannot use it without sinne If he cannot use such or such a recreation without chasing or swearing or losing too much time he is bound to forbeare it But duties commanded of God he may not omit because he cannot use them without sin For there are degrees of sinne and he is guilty of a greater sin and sheweth greater contempt to God that doth not pray or heare or give almes at all and so disobeyeth him totally then he doth that doth pray and heare and give almes but not with an honest and good heart and so disobeyeth God but in part only Secondly Though no wicked man can have assurance to receive any reward from God for the best thing he doth because he hath no promise for all the promises of God belong onely to them that are in Christ 2 Cor. 1.20 and to the godly 1 Tim. 4.8 nay though he doe deserve further wrath from God by the best thing he doth yet by being carefull to abstaine from evill and to doe good even after his manner and as he is able hee may receive good three waies For 1. Though he should never find mercy with God unto salvation yet will this lessen his condemnation in hell where every man shall receive torment proportionable to his workes and to that dishonour he hath done to God heere Rom. 2.6 2. This may free him from many temporall judgements and bring upon him many temporall blessings in this life For the Lord out of the infinitenesse of his goodnesse hath oft shewed so much respect unto good things that have beene done even by wicked men though they have beene but the dead carcase and have wanted the life and soule of good workes as to reward them temporally The Lord that is said to feed the young ravens when they cry unto him Iob 38.41 hath oft had respect to the prayer that a man void of grace hath made unto him in his misery As profane a wretch as Ishmael was when he was cast out of his fathers house for his profanesse Gen. 21.9 10. yet when he cried to God in his misery it is twice said in one verse Gen. 21.17 that God heard the voice of the lad and relieved him And we know how much even Ahabs prayer that he made when he was humbled by feare prevailed with God 1 King 21.29 Therefore also Daniel exhorteth Nebuchadnezzar a most wicked man Dan. 4.27 to breake of his sins to cease from oppression and cruelty How By righteousnes that is by making restitution to them that he had wronged And how els By shewing mercy to the poore And why did he counsell a man so void of grace to do so good workes as these Was it not all one as if he should have bidden a dead man to walke Marke the reason and motive the Prophet useth to perswade him to this if it may be saith he a lengthening of thy tranquility As if he should have said It may be these good workes performed even as thou art able to do them will prevent the judgement which God by this dreame that thou hast had doth threaten to bring upon thee and prolong thy peace 3. He may by doing that that lieth in him to do further the eternall salvation of his owne soule For though no wicked nay no naturall man can use the meanes of grace aright nor so as to please God therein yet if the wickedest man that is frequent the ministery of the Word there is hope he may be converted and have grace wrought in him both because it is the meanes ordained of God to breed grace where none is Rom. 10.17 Faith commeth by hearing and because as wicked men as live have been woon to God by their hearing as appeareth not onely by daily experience but by those two notable examples that are recorded in the Word The one 1 Cor. 14.24 25. of the man that was an ignorant man and an infidell before And the other Iohn 7.45 46. of them that came to heare Christ with a most wicked heart to intrap and apprehend him And so much
Prophet telleth us Zach. 4.7 that when the temple which was a type of the spirituall house and Church of God should be built by Zerubbabel this should be the generall acclamation of al Gods people they should shout and cry grace grace unto it As though he had said They should praise God and ascribe the beginning the proceeding and the perfecting of Gods house this whole spirituall building to the grace of God alone and to nothing els By grace ye are saved saith the Apostle Ephes. 2.5 and not contenting himselfe to have said so once hee saith it againe and saith it most emphatically verse 8 9. By grace ye are saved through faith and that not of your selves it is the gâ—â—t of God not of workes lest any man should boast Marke three points in this Doctrine which the Apostle doth thus earnestly presse upon Gods people 1. Hee contenteth not himselfe to say Wee are saved by grace but he addeth not by workes What needed this superfluity of speech may some say O he knew there were then and ever would bee in the Church erroneous spirits that would seeme to ascribe much to grace in this worke of mans salvation and yet they wouâ—d give somewhat also unto workes somewhat unto that man himselfe being helped a little by Gods grace is able to do Now therefore he opposeth the one to the other the one quite excludeth the other If by grace then not by workes saith he Rom. 11.6 otherwise grace is no grace As if he had said ascribe never so little to workes to that that a man himselfe is able to doe as any cause of his salvation and ye renounce Gods grace utterly Whatsoever glorious words you give of Gods grace you doe indeed and effect denie you are saved by grace 2. Observe that he addeth Not of our selves Our selves have no hand at all in this worke as of our selves all is to be ascribed unto Gods grace 3. He giveth this for the reason why God would not have us to be saved by our workes but by faith onely why he so ordained that we our selves should have no hand at all in this worke but all should be of grace lest any man should boast The same reason he giveth of that marvellous liberty God is pleased to use in the calling and conversion of men in giving the meanes of conversion and grace to profit by them to such as are most unworthy and unlikely and denying it to others that are more worthy more likely men 1 Cor. 1.29 That no flesh should glory in his presence And verse 31. this is given for the reason why Christ is made unto us of God wisedome righteousnesse sanctification and redemption all in all that he that glorieth might glory in the Lord. God cannot abide that any flesh should glory in his presence that any matter of boasting or glorying should bee given unto man His maine drift in his Word and workes is to abase man to pull downe his pride to make him even to despaire in himselfe and on the other side to advance and magnifie the glory of his owne free grace Hee that glorieth let him glory in the Lord saith he and in him alone Wee are the circumcision saith the Apostle Phil. 3.3 that rejoyce in the Lord Iesus and have no confidence in the flesh They onely are the true Israel of God that make Christ the onely ground and matter of their joy and comfort and renounce all confidence all ground of hope and comfort in themselves or in any thing they are able to doe Thirdly and lastly This is the best rule and note to try all doctrines and religions by This is given by our blessed Saviour as a sure note and rule to try all teachers and doctrines by Iohn 7.18 Hee that speaketh of himselfe seeketh his owne glory humane doctrines doe all tend one way or other to the glory of man to the advancing of him but he that seeketh his glory that sent him is true and there is no unrighteousnesse in him As if hee should say That teacher that in his Doctrine giveth no glory to man at all but all unto God alone hee is the onely true teacher that is the onely true Doctrine and religion of God So the Apostle proveth the Doctrine of justification by works to be a false Doctrine and that of justification by faith onely to be a true doctrine by this argument Rom. â— 27 Where is boasting then It is excluded saith he By what law or Doctrine By workes No but by the law or Doctrine of faith As if he should have said That doctrine that doth excluâ—e and shut out all matter of boasting of rejoycing or comfort in himselfe but onely in the Lord that must needs bee the true doctrine of God that that leaveth unto man any matter of boasting at all that must needs bee an earthly and false Doctrine Let us now make some application of these three points 1. Vnto such erroneous and false teachers as trouble and oppose this doctrine 2. Vnto our selves For the first There are two sorts of false teachers that doe most oppose this doctrine the Papist I meane and the Pelagian Both these doe in their Doctrine derogate from the grace of God they give unto man some part of the glory of his own salvation they leave unto man some matter of boasting and glorying before God and therefore their Doctrine must needs be a false and damnable doctrine Of the Papist this will easily be beleeved their doctrine of justification by workes of merit of satisfaction to be made by our selves unto God for our sins either in this life or in purgatory their doctrine of works of supererogation proveth them so palpably to be adversaries of the grace of God thaâ— I shall not need to spend any more time in confuting of them But Pelagius and his followers of old do in words some times seeme to ascribe much to Gods grace in the work of mans conversion but it hath beene the ancient practise of most dangerous seducers as the Apostle teacheth us Rom 16.18 by good words and faire speeches to deceive the hearts of the simple If they that hold damnable opinions should not make some shew of truth and piety few would be deceived by them They shall speake lies in hypocrisie saith he 1 Tim. 4.2 But marke how they expresse themselves and you shall find that for all their good words and faire speeches they are indeed adversaries of the grace of God and hold and teach that that doth greatly derogate from the glory of Gods grace and doth give much matter of boasting and glorying unto man himselfe I will not stand to prove this from their other Doctrines touching our election our redemption our justification and perseverance to the end the maine grounds on which the hope of our salvation and comfort is built all which they have corrupted and poisoned and in all which they derogate from the glory of Gods grace and give too
bee with him and that hee might send them sorth to preach Christ sent mee saith the Apostle 1 Cor. 1.17 not to baptize that is not so much to baptize but to preach the Gospell For this worke chiefly is our maintenance due unto us not by the law of man onely but by the law of God too The Lord hath ordained saith the Apostle 1 Cor. 9.14 that they that preach the Gospell should live of the Gospell The Elders that labour in the Word and Doctrine specially above all others saith the Apostle 1 Timothy 5.17 are worthy of double honour by which hee meaneth maintenance as appeareth Verse 18. It should bee such maintenance so free so liberall as may testifie that you honour him in your hearts such as may keepe him from contempt it may not bee so base and niggardly as that the very meannesse of his estate may make him vile and contemptible yea this double honour this liberall maintenance hee is worthy of it it is no almes or meere gratuity hee is worthy of it hee deserveth it well And as this is the chiefe work that we are called of God to exercise our selves in and for which our maintenance is due to us from the people so is this the chiefe worke wee should exercise our selves in gladly taking all opportunities for doing this worke You heard afore Christ did so and we shall find Act. 5.42 that the Apostles did so daily in the temple and in every house they ceased not to teach and preach Iesus Christ. I know well we are not bound by these examples to preach every day as we have heard Christ and his Apostles did for they could preach without study and so cannot the best of us doe if wee desire to preach well but if wee were as able as they were certainely wee were bound to doe as they did and certainely wee are bound by their examples to preach as oft and as diligently as the abilities of our bodies and of our mindes will enable us to doe having alwayes respect to our people and their necessities And to conclude my first answer to this first objection made against the necessity of preaching I pray you observe that our Saviour and his holy Apostles ever were wont to take the opportunity of the Church assemblies on the Sabbath to preach then Of our Saviour this is plaine Marke 1.21.39 and 6.2 Luke 4.31 and 6.6 and 13.18 And it is as plaine that the Apostles were wont to doe so Acts 13 14 16 44 and 17.2 3 and 18.4 and 20.7 though the occasion of the Churches meeting at Treas upon the Lords Day was principally for the Sacrament of the Lords Supper yet because he knew that there was no better way either to sanctifie the Sabbath or to prepare mens hearts to the Sacrament then preaching it is said he spent the whole day in preaching And so much shall serve for my first answer to this first objection Secondly I answer That no man can pray aright till he be first by preaching made able and fit to pray This is evident by that of the Apostle Rom. 10.14 How shall they call upon him in whom they have not beleeved And how shall they beleeve on him of whom they have not heard And how shall they heare savingly he meaneth without a Preacher A people may be accustomed long enough to heare prayers read unto them and good prayers too but they shall bee little or nothing the better for them till first their hearts bee wrought upon by preaching and made able to pray All our prayers and what other services soever wee doe unto God will breed us small comfort till we have beene hearers first and beleevers till we have profited by our hearing till we have beene ready to heare till we have heard the word with desire delight and comfort Thirdly and lastly As preaching is the meanes to convey into our hearts the spirit of prayer at the first so it is also the best meanes to stirre it up and quicken it to set it on worke in them that have received it And that is the reason why Gods people at their solemne fasts the chiefe use whereof is to make our prayers more fervent to make us cry mightily unto God as it is said Ion. 3.8 did use preaching so much Two notable examples we have for this The first is Nehe. 9.3 The Levites stood up in their place and read in the booke of the Law of the Lord one fourth part of the day And how did they read Their manner of reading you shall finde Neh. 8.8 They gave the sense also and caused them to understand the reading Yea they applyed it also so effectually that it wrought marvellously upon the hearts of the people as appeareth Verse 9. The other example is that in Ier. 36.5 6. Ieremy would faine have gone into the house of the Lord to have preached there at the publike fast And because he was shut up and could not doe it he sendeth Baruch to read his Sermon there as he tooke it from his mouth But why did they use preaching thus at fasts seeing prayer is doubtlesse the chiefe duty that is to be performed at a fast Surely as a helpe to prayer to stirre up mens affections and make them able to pray more fervently And this reason Ieremy giveth why he would have preached at that fast and when he could not would needs have Baruch goe and read his Sermon unto them Ier. 36.7 It may be saith he they will present their supplication before the Lord. As if he should say it may be this Sermon will stirre them up to pray more fervently And this may serve for a full answer to the first objection But then they object secondly that though preaching were granted to be never so necessary for the first planting of a Church and bringing of men to the knowledge of the truth yet in such a Church as ours is that hath so long enjoyed it and wherein knowledge doth so much abound it might well be spared and instead thereof more time spent in prayer To which I answer That plentifull and profitable preaching is still as necessary in our Church as ever it was For first there is no congregation wherein there are not still many that are ignorant and unconverted yea it is to be feared the greatest part by farre in our best congregations are such And of them no question can be made but they have still need of preaching Those sheepe that are not yet of Christs fould not yet converted and of the number of true beleevers Christ must bring and they must beare his voice as our Saviour himselfe speaketh Ioh. 10.16 or they will never come into Christs fould and be converted And how shall they beare without a preacher saith the Apostle Rom. 10.14 Secondly even those that have profited most in grace and knowledge have need of preaching still even of the continuall Ministery of the word Three evident reasons there
loves his people and sheweth his love even in reprooving by reproving sin neither in rage nor in a merry and flouting manner nor so as to set a brand of infamy upon them Ibid. Therefore desire to live under such a Minister as will faithfully reprove sinne and the great sin of the people that cannot endure it p. 52. the reasons why men cannot endure such a ministery Ibid. p. 53. the folly and sin of these men discovered in foure points Ibid. Objections answered that are made against such a ministery 1 That they use to raile give bitter and opprobrious termes to men 2 they use in a most unseemely fashion to cry and stampe and beat the pulpit p. 54. 3 They are alwaies chiding and inveighing and shew no love to the people pag. 55. 4 They love noâ— to deale with then people in private but disgrace them publikely 5 They are given to hearken to â—ale-beareâ—s page 56. Lect 10. In all our distresses we must fly to God by prayer and seeke comfort that way p. 59. for 1 In all our afflictions God hath 2 chiefe hand 2 He is able to releeve us 3 himselfe hath prescribed this course to us pag 60. 4 The Lord is ready to be found this way p. 61. The meanes of comfort we all apt to neglect Ibid. Lect. 11. Impediments that keepe us from this remooved 1 Th'extreamity of my affliction overwhelmes me and the tokens of Gods anger upon me are such that I have no hope to speed p. 63 64. 2 I am so vile a sinner that I dare not pray Ibid. p. 65. Lect 12. 3 I cannot pray p. 66 67. Every faithfull man hath the spirit of prayer yea a man may pray most acceptably though he do not feele that he hath faith or the spirit of prayer Ib. Such must bewaile their case to God and strive to pray for all they cannot doe it with feeling and comfort p. 68 69. Lect. 13. 4 It is to no purpose for me to pray Ibid. Resolve this is but a tentation and resist it and how p. 70. Particular answer to Sathans reason in this tentation 1 They that never use to pray doe as well as those that are most given unto it ibid. 2 men use ordinary meanes for their comfort with discretion they may do well enough though they never pray p. 71. Though God usually helpe men by meanes and best by best meanes p. 72. Yet he is the giver of all meanes and the vertue that is in them to do us good commeth wholly from him and Gods servants have therefore in the use of all meanes and in all occaâ—sions of their life sought to him Ibid. p. 73. â— Lect. 14. 3 God knowes our necessities well enough and hath decreed what he will do for us and is of himself apt enough to do us good without our asking Ibid. 74. 4 I have long used to pray and finde no good by it Ibid. It may be God rewards our prayer though we obtaine not our suite presently p. 75. Foure reasons why God delayes his answer Ibid. By five things wee may know God answereth us though we obtaine not what we aske p. 76 77. Lect. 15. When we have prayed long and finde no audience this must trouble us p. 78. We should hearken after our prayers what answer God gives them Ibid. We must not give over praying though we receive no answer p. 79. Examine the cause why thy prayers speed no better p. 80. Six causes for which the Lord useth oft to put back the prayers of his people without a gracious answer p 81 c. Lect. 16. Pardon of sin is more to be desired then deliverance from the greatest judgement that can befall us p. 84. for 1 sin is the greatest evill p. 85 2 pardon of sin a sufficient ground of comfort in any distresse Ibid. 3 in this suit we should be more earnest with God then in any other p. 86. 4 he hath enough to make him happy that hath that Ibid for 1 sin is a debt p 86. 2 sin is filthinesse and uncleannesse p. 87. Lect 17. Most men seeke after many things more then the pardon of sin count not sin the greatest evill nay no evill or misery at all p 88 89. our sins not smaller then such as Gods people have beene greatly humbled for Ibid p. 90. The knowledge of Gods mercy should not cause us to be the lesse troubled for our sins p. 91. for 1 His mercy in pardoning of sinne is not common to all but shall be denied three sorts of sinners Ibid. 2 That will aggravate sin and not make it the lighter p. 92. Nor this conceit that others worse then wee have found mercy both in life and death yet were never humbled For 1 it may bee they found not mercy with God though they prospered Ibid. 2 We are bound in charity to judge the best of their estate Ibid. 3 They may have beene soundly humbled for sin though we know it not p. 93. It s no good argument a sinner dieth in Gods favour because he dieth quietly p. 93. Lect. 18. Seeke pardon of sinne above all things Seeke it without delay and earnestly Ibid. For 1 its possible to be gotten 2 in regard of the excellency of this pardon p. 94. Seeke it speedily 1 in regard of the continuall danger of death we are in 2 in respect we are daily liable to afflictions p. 95. 3 in respect of the present comfort of our life page 96. Meanes to obtaine it 1 Bring the heart to a sound sense of sin Ibid. 2 Pray beg pardon for even such as want assurance of pardon may pray pag. 97. 3 Confesse thy sinnes to God 4 Fly by faith to Christ for it pag. 98. A man may have his pardon and not know and perceive he hath it and the reasons of it Ibid. p. 99. Yet may a man in this life be assured that his sins are pardoned Ibid. We must not be our own judges in this case but this must be knowne by the Word viz. 1 if we came to it the right way viz. by the foure meanes mentioned 2 If we finde ouâ— hearts changed and sanctified p. 100 3 If the knowledge of Gods love hath bred in us a love to him 4 If the knowledge of Gods love maketh us willing to forgive men p. 1â—1 Lect. 19. The best of Gods servants have no other ground of hope to finde favour with God for the pardon of their sinnes but onely in the mercy of the Lord p. 102. For 1 Though Christ hath dearely purchased our pardon yet is it meerely of Gods free grace that wee receive any benefit by him p. 103. 2 Though good workes bee strong foundations of our hope and comfort yet the maine foundation of all the hope and comfort we have in our workes is the mercy and free grace of God p. 104 106. Lect. 20. The best man cannot rely on any goodnesse hee findeth in himselfe
The sixt meanes labour to bee willing to die Ibid. There is in the best great unwillingnesse and feare to die but for this cause we should be willing because till then wee shall never be rid of our corruption p. 324 325. Lect. 66. The seventh meanes Hie to Christ by faith for strength against it Till one have faith he can mortifie no corruption p. 326. True faith will mortifie sin Ibid and two reasons for that p. 327 c. Lect. 67. For the mortifying of sin faith a most be exercised we must put it forth and make use of it p. 330. Christ cured all that came to him for help and the cure is still ascribed to their faith Christ required nothing else of them to make them capable of cure p. 331. Goe to Christ likewise for helpe in all diseases of thy soule and with faith as they did Ibid foure grounds wee have for our faith in this 1 Christ is able to cure out soules as bodies 2 He is as willing 3 This is the chiefe work he came into the world to do p. 332. 4 Hee hath bound himselfe by promise for this We have his promise for curing us of 1 our ignorance 2 hardnesse of heart 3 profanesse 4 inconstancy p 333. 5 every other sin p. 334. We should stirre up our selves to lay hold on these promises Ibid. Objections against this answered 1 I am so unworthy I dare not go to Christ 2 my faith is so weake I cannot say hold of these promises 3 None of the godly though they have faith can thereby mortifie their corruptions p. 335. Lect. 68. The consideration of the vilenesse of our nature should cause us to admire Gods goodnesse towards us p. 336. Even in his restraining grace towards others that men being so lewd we live so safely and peaceably by them yea that many of them are so kinde to us p. 337 338. Secure thy heart in Gods providence in the worst times and places Ibid. But specially in his restraining grace towards our selves 1 many foule sins that we have the seeds of never shew themselves in us 2 Many foule sins we have felt our selves inclined to have not set upon us with their full force p. 339. 3 God lets us not know all the vilenesse that is in us but hideth a great part of it from us p. 340 341. How farre forth the discovery of sin to us is a blessing Ibid. Lect. 69. The wonderfull power and goodnesse of God is seene in our conversion p. 342. 1 that he sought us out and made us turne when we drew back 2 that he made love to us and sought reconciliation 3 that he should so change us and worke any goodnesse in such hearts as ours p. 343. Errors touching mans conversion p. 344. God hath set a just time for nations and particular persons and wee must count the present time to be that p. 345. Rejoyce if thou have any grace in truth though in the least measure p. 346. Lect. 70. It s an admirable worke of God that any of us should be able to persevere for any time in the state of grace viz. either 1 in the profession of the truth or 2 in the comfortable assurance of Gods favour or 3 in a Christian course of life p. 347. Considering 1 what a world age we live in 2 what the malice power and subtlety of Sathan is Ibid. 3 How fearefully others have fallen 4 what corrupt hearts we have p. 348. Our Perseverance to bee ascribed onely to God viz. 1 to his power 2 to his goodnesse p. 349. Therefore 1 Seeke saving grace its th' only durable riches 2 if thou have it blesse God for it and admire his power and goodnesse in it 3 be not proud of thy standing but ascribe it to God 4 Be not secure but watchfull and fearefull least thou fall p. 350 351. Lect. 71. The faithfull apt to thinke they have lost al grace because they have lost their first love delight and fervency in good duties 2 their faith and assurance of Gods favour 3 their strength to overcome tentations to sin Two preservatives against this tentation 1 The best of Gods servants have beene thus subject to variablenesse in their spirituall estate p. 352. God seeth it good they should bee so p 353. Object Wicked men will bee apt to stumble at this Ibid. 2 Though thou thinkest in this case thou hast lost all grace yet it is not so 1 if thou wouldst examine thine heart well thou wouldst finde grace in it still 2 though thou cannot another may 3 Though neither thy selfe nor another can discerne it yet certainely it is in thee for no elect childe of God called according to his purpose can so fall as utterly to loose all grace p. 354. This evident in all the three degrees of their spirituall decayes p. 355. Obj. But though I be now in the state of grace I feare when the fiery tryall shal come I shall fall I shall not be able to stand in the last and sharpest combat I shall have with Sathan at my death Answ. Certainely thou shalt not perish irrecoverably if there be the fruit of Gods eternall love and election in any truth of grace in thee two pillars thou hast to uphold thee 1 Gods power 2 his will p. 355 356. Lect. 72. Admirable it is that God should respect any service commeth from such as wee are that have so filthy and corrupt hearts considering 1 how corrupt we and our best services are a how pure and holy the Lord is p. 357. 3 Yet 1 he taketh notice of all the poore services we doe 2 winks at and passes by the staines and blemishes of them p. 358. 3 delights in them 4 rewards them p. 359. Reasons why he doth so 1 Because he seeth our hearts are good and upright in them 2 They are fruits of his owne Spirit 3. They are in Christ p. 360. Lect. 73. Carnall men have no just cause to stumble at this that God is so apt to winke at and passe by the slips of his children for 1 They are not his children p. 361. 2 If they were he would not beare with such faults as theirs no not in his children Ibid p. 362. 3 To theÌ„ that are wicked he will bee every whit as rigorous as he is indulgent to his children for 1 he will not beare with the least fault in them 2 he will take nothing in good part they do Ibid. 3 he liketh the worse of them even for the service they presume to doe unto him p. 363. Yet must the most wicked men pray and do other duties for all this and may receive good thereby three waies for 1 this will lessâ—n his condemnation 2 This will procure him temporall blessings and deliverances Ibid. 3 He may thus further his own salvation p 364. It s the fault of Gods people 1 that they of all other have the saddest hearts most subject to feare whereas they have three
hath given to them that cleave constantly to his truth p. 769. The faithfull themselves have found much comfort in this p. 770. Lect. 145. The Spirit of God wheresoever he dwellâ— will teach and effectually perswade the heart in the truth of religion p. 771. No man can grow to certainty in matters of religion by any other meanes but by the teaching of the Spirit and proportionable to the measure of the Spirit of sanctification that a man hath shall his certainty be p. 773 774 Yet is not this to be accounted every mans private Spirit p. 775. The Spirits teaching to be judged by the Word Ibid. The ministery of the Word is the meanes whereby the Spirit useth to teach men p. 776 They whom the Spirit hath once taught and perswaded will certainely persevere in the truth Ibid. Lect. 146. Th'exhortation to constancy in the truth is very needfull and that even in these daies p. 777. by reason 1 that Papists increase 2 the multitude of other erroneous spirits 3 the generall decay of the zealous love of religion and of the life power of it p. 778. 1 Motive to constancy Corruption in judgement is the most dangerous corruption of all other p. 779 780. 2 Motive He that falls from the truth and embraceth errour was never taught of the Spirit p. 780. Though in some things of smaller moment the faithfull may be subject to errour and errors of that nature should not alienate Christians one from another yea in fundamentall points for a time Ibid. 781. Lect. 147. Though our perseverance in the truth be to be ascribed to the Lord alone yet he worketh it by meanes and will have us to bee agents in this work our selves p. 782 783. 1 We must carefully shâ—n all things whereby we may be in danger to be corrupted and drawne from the truth viz. 1. We must shun the hearing and conferring with them that are hereticks and seducers and the reading of their books We should not long to heare what they can say for their errors or against the truth p. 784. 2 Wee must take heed of affecting the knowledge of intricate curious and unprofitable points p. 785. There is a desire of knowledge which is commendable and no Minister should mislike in his hearers p. 786. Yet is there a desire of knowledge that is most dangerous Ibid. 1 When wee desire to know more of Gods matters then hee hath pleased to reveale in his Word Ibid. 2 When neglecting other things we seeke the knowledge of those high points onely that are above our capacity to understand and busie our selves in matters of controversie p. 787. 3 When wee desire knowledge onely for knowledge saâ—e without respect to the use and profit we may make of it for our edification in faith and holinesse p 788. Lect. 148. He that desires to hold fast his profession must use the meanes whereby hee may bee established in the truth and preserved from falling away from it foure directions are given us in Gods booke for this p. 788. 1 Hee must ground himselfe well in the knowledge of the truth and labour to bee assured upon good grounds that it is indeed the truth he holdeth Ibid. 1 Hee must acquâ—â—nt himselfe with the maine principles of religion and seeke to be perfect in them p. 789. 2 examine by Scripture what ever hee heareth or readeth and labour to get good proofes of Scripture for whatsoever he holdeth p. 790. 2 He must labour to take to heart that which he knoweth love it and make conscience to practise it He that by reading or hearing seeketh knowledge with an honest and good heart shall hold fast that which he professeth and none but he p. 792 793. Lect. 149. 3 He must take heed of declining from or forsaking the least truth his conscience hath beene convinced in Two things there bee that deceive men in this case p. 793 794. Though some truths be of greater moment then others yet it s a dangerous sin to be willfully ignorant of any truth God hath revealed or forsake it when we know it upon conceit that it is but a trisâ—e for 1 nothing that God hath revealed is of small moment or lightly to be accounted of 2 a man may make himselfe abominable to God by forsaking wittingly the least truth or receiving the least errour p. 794. 3 the best way to keepe us from falling from the truth in the maine points is to make conscience of falling from the least truth p. 795. 4 He must be constant in a conscionable use of all Gods ordinances 1 the ministery of the Word p. 796. 2 the Sacrament of the Lords Supper 3 prayer p. 797 798. Lect. 150. Every one that hath the Spirit of Christ will take to heart the cause of God and his holy religion p. 798. 1 No man can have the Spirit of Christs unlesse he love God unfeignedly above all things els Ibid. 2 He that doth thus love God must needs be zealous for God grieved and troubled to see him dishonoured 3 He that hath any true zeale to God in him will shew and expresse it principally towards the house and worship of God p. 799. More particularly 1 He that hath the Spirit of Christ must needs rejoyce to see or heare that the true religion of God doth prosper and that the purity of it is restored or set up any where p. 800. 2 He that hath the Spirit of Christ will rejoyce in the frequencie and fullnesse of Church-assemblies 3 In the plentifull and free preaching of the Word p. 801. 4 Hee will rejoyce to see and heare that the ministery of the Word is fruitfull among them that enjoy it and powerfull to reforme their hearts and lives p. 802 803. Lect. 151. Three Reasons and grounds of the former doctrine 1 He that hath the Spirit of Christ cannot but love the persons of all men and we love no man unlesse wee love his soule and unfeignedly desire his salvation grieve to see his soule in danger of perishing p. 803. He that desires the salvation of all will joy in the plentifull and sound preaching of the Word p. 804. Though God can save men without preaching yet he doth not ordinarily without it and its a fearefull signe hee meaneth not to save them he denieth preaching unto Ibid. 805. Though all bee not saved that have preaching yet it s a cause of comfort to see sound preachers abound p. 805. A man that hath no truth of grace in himselfe may yet be a meanes of conversion to others Ibid. 2 The respect wee have to the state and Church wherein we live which we are bound to love p. 806. 1 Nothing will make the state and Church so honourable as the liberty of the Gospell 2 nor so strong and peaceable 3 nor so prosperous and plenteous in blessings p. 806 807. On the other side nothing will sooner deprive it of all blessings then the neglect and opposing of religion p.
remedy and preservative against this presumption besides that which you have heard in the reasons of the Doctrine of these foure things First besides thine owne daily experience how few there be that rise againe when they are fallen that truly repent though God use never so many and so mighty meanes to bring them to it David thou seest here that was a far stronger man then thou could not do it he that had mortified his corruption much more and had more grace then thou could not repent after he had sinned and wilt thou feed thy selfe with such vaine hopes Thus Nehemiah presseth the example of Solomons weaknesse Neh. 13.26 Did not Solomon King of Israel sin by these things yet among many nations was there no king like him who was beloved of his God and God made him king over all Israel neverthelesse even him did outlandish women cause to sin Secondly Repentance is the mighty worke of God alone whom thou by thy sin provokest yea a rare gift of his it is and therfore presume not but be afraid to sin Phil. 2.12 13. Worke out your own salvation with feare and trembling for it is God which worketh in you both to will and to doe of his good pleasure Thirdly the longer thou continuest in any sin the harder will thy heart be and the more unable wilt thou be to repent Ier. 13. â—3 They that are accustomed to do evill can as hardly be changed as the skin of a blacke-more or of a Leopard And the Apostle saith of them that were exercised in covetous practises they could not cease from sinne 2 Pet. 2.14 Fourthly the fouler the sinne is that thou committest and the more against the light of thy heart the harder will it be for thee to repent of it For smaller sinnes Davids heart was wont to smite him quickly â— Sam. 24.5 2 Sam. 24.10 But now he had fallen into these foule sins we see how senselesse and impenitent he grew So speaketh the Holy Ghost of whordome Pro. 2.19 None that goe unto her returne againe neither take they hold of the paths of life And of drunkennesse Pro. 23.35 They have beaten me and I felt it not when shall I awake I will seeke it againe The second use of the Doctrine is to teach us that seeing hardnesse of heart and impenitency doth usually follow the committing of sin specially presumptuous sins sins against knowledge even in Gods own children to esteeme this a judgement of God greatly to be feared and trembled at There be many men that have hearts like to Leviathan as the Lord speaketh Iob. 41.24 His heart is as firme as a stone yea as hard as a piece of the neither milstone That can commit grosse sins and live daily in them without all trouble of conscience feele no burden in them but esteeme them as light as a feather and can go away merrily with them And this they count their great happinesse that they are not like your professours alwaies troubled in their minds they thanke God they have quiet consciences Zach. 11.5 Their possessours slay them and hold themselves not guilty and they that sell them say Blessed be the Lord for I am rich O the state of these men is fearefull I advise thee that fearest God to take heed of this judgement to tremble at it and strive against it And to move thee unto it consider First this is the chiefe judgement and marke of Gods wrath in this life of all other Pharaoh of whom the Lord saith Exod. 9.16 For this cause I have raised thee up to shew on thee my power As if he had said what I can do against mine enemy was thus plagued Exod 9.12 Better it were a great deale to bee delivered up to Satan then to a mans owne lust For of that judgement the Apostle saith 1 Cor. 5 5. It serveth for the destruction of the flesh that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord. But this judgement tends to the destruction of the soule in the day of the Lord Ioh. 12.40 Hee hath blinded their eyes and hardned their hearts that they might not be converted and he should heale them Secondly this is the only thing that will barre thee from Gods mercy and make thee uncapable of it Not so much the committing of any sins as this that thy heart is hardned in it and thou canst not repent This is that that treasureth up wrath against the day of wrath Rom. 2.5 The foulest sin may be pardoned to him that can repent Matth. 12.31 All manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men but the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost And why cannot that be pardoned Because it cannot be repented of Heb. 6.6 It is impossible to renew them againe unto repentance Thirdly it useth to end in greatest terrour The man that hath beene most secure and senslesse in sin useth in the end to be most overwhelmed with horrour Hardnesse of heart useth to end in desperation Think not thy heart shall be thus quiet alwaies Pro. 1.27 When your feare commeth as a desolation and destruction as a whirlewinde when distresse and anguish commeth upon you And who are they that are thus threatned verse 22. Ye scorners that delight in scorning Labour therefore for a soft and tender heart that can easily feele and be humbled for sin as with a more in thine eye The meanes to attaine to this and to deliver and preserve thy selfe from hardnesse of heart are these First take heed thou harden not thine owne heart against the Word and corrections of God Heb. 3.7 8. To day if yee will heare his voice harden not your hearts Say not nor resolve with thy selfe as those wretched Iewes did Ier. 44.16 17. As for the word that thou hast spoken to us in the name of the Lord we will not hearken unto thee but we will certainely doe whatsoever thing goeth forth out of our owne mouth Say not in thine heart I can give them the hearing but let them say what they will I will be as I have beene O take heed the Lord take thee not at thy word as he did the Iewes Matth. 7.25 Why did God harden Pharaoh Exod. 9.12 Pharaoh had first hardned his owne heart Exod. 8.32 Secondly take heed of the least sins of the beginnings and occasions of sinne Labour to be in this respect as precise as Iob was who bound himselfe even from wanton lookes and thoughts Iob 31.1 And as David who was afraid not onely of every presumptuous sin but even of his most secret faults Psal. 19.12 13. Remember what our Saviour saith of him that gives liberty to himselfe in the least thing that he knoweth to be evill and holdeth it lawfull to do so Mat. 5.19 he shall be least in the kingdome of heaven And Luk. 16 10. He that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much It is in this case as it is with a breach in the sea banke Neither David nor
with purpose to cavill and oppose it hath it thus mightily subdued As wee shall see in those Officers that went with Commission from the Pharisees to apprehend Christ Iohn 7 32 46. and those that mocked Peter and the Apostles and said they were full of new wine Acts 2.13 37. And in Dionysius Areopagita Damaris and such others in Athens who by Pauls Sermon were wonne to cleave unto him Act. 17.3 though wheÌ„ they came to heare him they esteemed no better of him then of a babler as you may see verse 18. The like wee may see in the Princes and people spoken of Ier. 26. who being mortall enemies to the Prophet and such as thought him unworthy to live a little before as appeares verse 8. were by hearing him preach quite changed in their minds as you see verse 16. And not a marvell for so hath the Lord promised Esa. 29.24 They that erred in spirit shall come to understanding and they that murmured shall learne Doctrine And from whence hath the ministry of the word had this power to worke so mightily Surely from this only that the Lord hath wrought with this his owne ordinance This this was it that made Nathans ministry here to prevaile so farre with David though he were his Liege Lord and Master and though he were so deepe sunke in sin The weapons of our warfare are mightily through God 2. Cor. 10.4 This made the convert mentioned 1. Cor. 14.24.25 When hee had felt the piercing and searching power of the Word to cry of a truth God 〈◊〉 in you So is also the power that the Word hath to breed faith and comfort to bee ascribed to this Iohn 6.45 They shall all bee taught of God God is in this ministry Secondly If you aske me yet a reason of this why the Lord hath not rather wrought Grace in men immediatly by his spirit then thus to put them off to Preachers or why he should worke thus mightily by preaching rather then by any other meanes I answer he hath done this to grace and dignifie his owne ordinance A notable proofe whereof you may observe in this that even when visions and revelations were in use and God did oft immediatly speake unto his servants himselfe and by Angels yet would he not doe this worke with his owne voice or hand or by the ministry of Angels but by the voice and hand of his ministers As here in Davids case and in that case of Manasses 2. Chron. 33.18 and in the case of the noble Eunuch Acts 8.29 the spirit â—ad Philip go joyne himselfe unto his Chariot Nay when God himselfe had begunne as it were the worke yet would he not effect it himselfe but hath sent men over unto his ministers that the worke might be done by them So did he with Saul Acts 9 1â— he sent Ananias to him and with Cornelius hee bad him send for Peter Acts 10.5.6 Yea it hath pleased God to ascribe this mighty worke of saving soules and all the degrees of it unto his ministers Many of the children of Israel shall be convert to the Lord their God saith the Angel of Iohn Luk 1.16 I send thee saith the Lord to Paul Acts 26.17.18 to open their eyes and to turne them from darkenesse to light And 1. Tim. 4.16 In doing this thou shalt save thy selfe and them that heare thee Thirdly If you will not yet be satisfied but aske me further a reason why will not God aswell worke Grace by other meanes as by preaching Are there not other meanes as good as preaching that is reading of good bookes especially of the holy Scripture conference with good men prayer affliction and such like Is not God as likely to worke Grace in my heart by them as by preaching I answer they are yea the Word read is in it selfe a more divine and excellent thing freer from humane infirmities then any mans preaching that hath beene in the world since the Apostles dayes For â— Tim. 3.16 all Scripture is given by inspiration of God Yet though this be in itselfe a weaker means God hath chosen to worke Grace by it rather then by any of the other And if you would know the reason of it I can go no higher than this that the Apostle gives 1. Cor. 1.21 It hath pleased God by the foolishnesse of peaching to save all beleevers all his elect Matth 11.26 Even so Father for so it seemed good in thy sight Vnlesse I should adde this that the weaker the meane and instrument is whereby God doth worke the more is the power of God glorified and magnified in working so mightily by it According to that which the Lord saith to Paul 2 Cor. 12.9 My strength is made perfect in weakenesse What reason could be given why the waters of Damascus should not have as soveraigne vertue to heale Naamans leprosie as the waters of Iordan but only this that the Lord was pleased to sanctifie and appoint the one to this worke and not the other 2 Kingsâ— 12 13. and the like may be said in this case 1 Cor. 1.25 Because the foolishnesse of God is wiser then men and the weakenesse of God is stronger then men The use of this doctrine is great and manifold For it serveth for exhortation 2. For reproofe 3. For direction First it serveth to exhort and perswade us unto two duties And the first of them is this That we should learne to esteeme highly of and to reverence this ordinance of God in the ministry of the meanest of his faithfull servants It is the exhortation of the Apostle 1 Thess. 5.12 13. And wee beseech you brethren to know them which labour among you and are over you in the Lord and admonish you and to esteeme them very highly in love for their workes sake That ought to bee the speech of all Gods people which is mentioned Rom. 10.15 How beautifull are the feete of them which preach the Gospel of peace and marke how that is inferred upon the former words Surely whosoever beleeveth this Doctrine that they are the only men by whom God hath ordained to work every saving Grace in the hearts of his elect if either he have any Grace in him or desire to have any cannot choose but love and reverence Gods faithfull ministers 1. Cor 4 1. Let a man so account of us as of the ministers of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God If any man shall object in pressing this point you plead for your selves 1. First wee may answer him with the Apostle 2. Cor. 4.5 in pressing this point We preach not our selves but Christ Iesus the Lord. Secondly I plead not for Pharisaicall preheminence Let proud Pharisees do that who love the uppermost roomes at feasts and the chiefe seates in the Synagogues Matth. 23.6 but in inward reverence for their worke sake to which the Apostle exhorteth 1. Thess. 5.13 Thirdly Neither do I perswade you to esteeme highly of all that weare our cloth and to
exercise those small abilities that God hath given us in prayer and wee shall find that by using they will greatly increase Lecture XIII On Psal. 51.1 2. Ianuary 24. 1625. FOlloweth the fourth and last impediment that keepeth men from flying to God and seeking helpe and comfort from him by prayer in their distresses and that is a conceit that it is to no purpose for them to pray This conceit as it prevaileth with wicked men and castawayes and keepeth them in a continuall neglect of this duty What profit should we have say they if we pray to him Iob 21. â—â— So have Gods dearest servants beene oft troubled with it and for a time kept from this duty by it And have beene apt to resolve as David doth of all the duties of piety in generall Psal. 73.13 Verily I have cleansed my heart in vaine so of this duty in particular certainely it is but lost labour for me to pray And as Satan will alway pretend reason for whatsoever he suggesteth to us so did he with our first parents Gen. 3.5 God doth know that in the day yee eate thereof then your eyes shall be opened and ye shall be as Gods knowing good and evill And his chiefe strength still to keepe out Christ and his grace lyeth in the thoughts and imaginations in the reasons that he suggesteth unto men to object against goodnesse and to defend sinne as is plaine 2 Cor. 10.5 so hath he put foure reasons into the hearts of men to confirme them in this conceit that it is to no purpose for them to pray Let this short summe of the foure reasons suffice in the first propounding of them and the larger laying of them downe reserved to the place where they are to be answered particularly 1. That many doe well enough that never pray 2. That the use of the meanes with discretion will serve the turne without prayer 3. That God knoweth our necessities well enough and hath both decreed what to do for us and is apt enough of himselfe without seeking to 4. That themselves have used it long to no purpose Now before I come to answer these reasons in particular this I must say of them in generall that if any of Gods people such as I must judge all you to be that heare me now be troubled at any time with these thoughts as surely as I have already told you they may be they must resolve thus with themselves Certainely this is but a tentation this commeth of the evill one For it tendeth directly to atheisme and is high blasphemy against God Those thoughts that tend to the restraining of men from prayer tend directly to the casting off of all true feare of God Thou castest off feare saith Eliphâ—z Iob 15.4 and restrainest prayer before God The man that is once perswaded not to call upon God hath learned to say in his heart there is no God Psal. 14.1.4 And of them that said Mal. 3.14 It is in vaine to serve God the Lord saith verse 13. that their words had beene stout against the Lord. Poure out thy fury saith the Prophet Ier. 10.25 upon the heathen that know thee not and upon the families that call not on thy name 1. The persons the families that use not to pray know not God are no better then Atheists 2. God will poure out his fury upon such And seeing this is so what must they do that are troubled with this tentation Surely They must 1 Put on a resolution to resist it harden thy heart against it withstand it defie it Iam. 4.7 Resist the Divell and he will flee from you Say as our Saviour did when hee was tempted by Satan to such a foule sinne Mat. 4.10 Get thee hence avaunt Sathan Yea in a tentation farre lesse then this when Peter tempted him but to favour himselfe and shun the crosse Mat. 16.23 He turned and said to Peter get thee behind me Sathan thou art an offence unto me 2 By prayer and crying unto God for strength against it they must resist even this tentation against prayer For that is a chiefe remedy against all tentations Luk. 22.40 Pray that ye enter not into and be delivered into the power of temptation As Christ did for Iehoshuah when Satan stood at his right hand to resist him Zach. 3.2 The Lord rebuke thee ô Satan even the Lord that hath chosen Ierusalem rebuke thee 3 They must make use of the sword of the spirit whereby Christ our captaine did drive away the tempter Mat. 4.4 7.10 It is written by weighing with themselves how directly this tentation opposeth the whole tenour of the holy Scripture And say thus with themselves Shall I yeeld to this conceit that it is to no purpose to pray Why how oft hath God commanded us to pray Psal. 50.15 Call upon me in the day of trouble and Mat 7.7 Aske and it shall be given you and 1 Thess. 5.17 Pray without ceasing How frequent and constant have all the Saints even such as God hath given greatest testimony unto beene in prayer Even the wisest of them as Daniel who would not give over his constant course in prayer no not for the saving of his life Dan. 6.10 Nay our blessed Saviour was so himselfe even he was frequent in this duty Mar. 1.35 In the morning a great while before it was day he went out and departed into a solitary place and there prayed And shall I suffer Satan to perswade me that it is a needlesse thing to pray But let us now consider the reasons whereby Satan perswadeth men to this Atheisticall divellish conceit And to the first That they that never use to pray do as well as those that are most given unto it I answer that this is most false they do not so well For 1. The blessings they receive are but temporall and such as are no testimonies of Gods speciall love Mat. 5.45 He maketh his sunne to rise on the evill and on the good and sendeth raine on the just and on the unjust Whereas they that pray shall have better things then these Luk. 11.13 Your heavenly father will give the holy spirit to them that aske him 2. They that pray not can have no assurance to enjoy no not these temporall blessings neither to have them when they want them nor to hold them when they have them For they have no word nor promise of God for them Iob 21.16 Loe their good is not in their hand Whereas they that pray may be sure to have so much even of these things as shall be good for them For they have a promise that they may build upon Psal. 34.10 They that seeke the Lord shall not want any good thing This promise certainely to them that can beleeve it is more worth then a thousand pound land a yeere So that he that can pray may be secure for outward things and need not disquiet his heart with carking cares Pro. 16.3 Commit thy works thy labours and endeavours
in his owne hand Ephes. 1.11 He worketh all things See this 1. In the use of our reason and will Prov. 21.1 The Kings heart is in the hand of the Lord he turneth it whithersoever he will No King can incline his owne heart which way himselfe listeth Man hath reason indeed but he cannot use it to his owne benefit Prov. 3.5 Leane not to thine owne understanding 2. In the senses Prov. 20.12 The hearing eare and the seeing eye the Lord hath made even both of them As the faculty that is in the eare and eye is of God so the ability to use and exercise it is of him also 3. In our labors and endevours they are to no purpose further then God is pleased to blesse them 1. Cor. 3.7 Neither is he that planteth any thing neither he that watereth but God that giveth the increase Psal. 127.1 2. Except the Lord build the house they labour in vaine that build it except the Lord keepe the City the watch-man waketh but in vaine It is vaine for you to rise up early to sit up late to eate the bread of sorrowes 4. In our food Matth. 4.4 Man shall not live by bread alone but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God there is a secret word and commission God hath given it to nourish us or else it could doe us no good For the Lord can call in this commission when he will and restraine and with-hold the naturall force he hath given to the second causes when it pleaseth him as we see Hag. 16. Yee have sowen much and bring in little ye eate but ye have not enough ye drinke but ye are not filled ye cloath you but there is none warme Therefore all good successe is ascribed to God Ezra 7.6 7. The King granted him all his request according to the hand of the Lord his God upon him Nâ—he 2.8 The King granted me according to the good hand of my God upon me In these two respects we shall find that the servants of God have beene wont to depend wholly upon him and to seeke to him by prayer for his direction and blessing in all the actions and occasions of their life not in spirituall things only but even in such matters wherein all have freedome of will and wherein they wanted neither ordinary means to helpe themselves nor wisdome and understanding to use them well 1. In making of marriages Thus did Eleazar Abrahams steward though he were a wise man and was able to make such a report of his masters estate as he had small cause to doubt of good successe yet doth he most zealously seek to God for direction and successe by prayer Gen. 24.12 2. In taking of their journeyes then which what can be more in the power of mans will Rom. 1.10 Paul made request that he might have a prosperous journey by the will of God to come to the Romanes yea see how servent he is in prayer in this case 1. Thess. 3.11 Now God himselfe and our father and our Lord Iesus Christ direct our way unto you 3 In receiving of their food though there be therein a naturall vertue to nourish us For this we have the example of our blessed Saviour not only when he desired an extraordinary and miraculous blessing upon the creatures as when he sed about five thousand with fiue loaves and two fishes Matth 14. â—9 and foure thousand with seven loaves and a few little fishes Matth. 15.36 But even when he desired no more then that which was naturall and ordinary as Luke 24.30 As he sate at meate with them he tooke bread and blessed it Where it is also to be observed that by the prayer we use at our meales our meate is blessed unto us it is not blessed otherwise 4. In entring upon their houses and dwellings Ps. 30. title A Psalme and song at the dedication of the house of David But what need wee instance in more particulars and stand upon examples in this point seeing we have so expresse commandements for it Prov. 3.6 In all thy wayes acknowledge him his hand his providence and so depend upon him and he shall direct thy paths And Phil. 4.6 7. In every thing by prayer and supplication let your requests be made knowne unto God and the peace of God shall keepe your hearts and minds This is the way to true peace to depend upon God by prayer for direction successe and for a blessing in every thing that we take in hand Lecture XIIII On Psalme 51.1 2. Ianuary 3. 1625. THE third reason they give why it is to no purpose to pray is taken from the nature of the Lord unto whom we pray 1. God knoweth well enough what our wants are and needs not to have them made knowne unto him by us Matth. 6.8 Your father knoweth what things you have need of before yee aske him 2. He hath appointed in his eternall decree what shall befall every one of us and what he will do for us which all the prayers in the world cannot alter Ephes. 1.11 He worketh all things according to the counsell of his owne will 3. He is of so gracious a disposition that he is apt enough of himselfe to give us what he seeth to be good for us without asking or seeking unto Our Saviour we know when he was upon earth healed and helped many that never sought unto him as you may see in the man that had the withered hand Mark 3.3 and in the impotent man Iohn 5.6 and in many other places And the Lord is pleased to compare himselfe for this to the father of the prodigall who prevented his sonne and before ever he made any suite unto him when he was yet a great way off his father saw him and had compassion and ran and fell on his necke and kissed him as we read Lu 15.20 To this I answer that all these three things they speake of God are most true but that which they would inferre upon them is most weake and unsound and hath no coherence with them the premises or anticedent of their reason is good but the consequence is starke naught For 1. Though God know our wants full well yet his will is we should make them knowne and open them particularly unto him our selves Phil. 4.6 In every thing by prayer and supplication let your requests be made knowne unto God as when blind Bartimeus had cryed out earnestly and vehemently unto Christ Iesus thou sonne of David have mercy upon me he would have him speake and tell him in particular wherein he would have him to shew mercy on him Mar. 10.51 What wilt thou that I should doe unto thee Secondly As God hath determined in his owne counsell what he will doe for any of us so hath he also in his counsell determined that prayer shall be the meane whereby we shall obtaine it Ezek. 36.37 Thus saith the Lord God I will yet for thâ— be enquired of and sought unto
by the house of Israel to doe it for them Yea this is made a certaine signe God hath determined to doe us some great good when he stirreth up our hearts to be earnest with him in prayer Ier. 31.9 They shall come with weeping and with supplications will I lead them and 29.12 13. Then shall ye call upon me and ye shall goe and pray unto me and I will hearken unto you and ye shall seeke me and find me when ye shall search for me with all your hearts How earnest was Daniel with God in prayer for this immediatly before the returne from the captivity Dan. 9. Thirdly this doth nothing derogate from the glory of Gods goodnesse and graciousnesse that he will not doe us good till we seeke to him for it by prayer as may appeare in these three things 1. It is a sufficient demonstration of his goodnesse that he will give us all good things upon our asking when he saith to us Matth. 7.7 Ask and have Deut 4 7. What nation is so great who hath God so nigh unto them as the Lord our God is in all things that we call upon him for Esa. 30.19 He will be very gracious unto thee at the voice of thy cry when he shall heare it he will answer thee 2. It is he alone that stirres us up to pray to that end that he may doe us good Psal. 1â— 17 Thou wilt prepare their heart thou wilt cause thine eare to heare 3. The reason why he will have us pray first before he gives argues his exceeding love to us For it is 1. out of the delight he hath to heare this worke of his owne spirit in us which makes us thus to speake and cry unto him Cant. 2.14 Let me heare thy voice for it is sweet Even you that are parents delight much to heare your little ones speake but nothing so much as God doth to heare his children 2. Because he knowes his blessings will be sweeter to us when we have got them by prayer So we see how David joyed in the deliverances and favours hee had received because he had obtained them by prayer Psal. 30.1 2. I will extell thee ô Lord for thou hast lifted me up c. O Lord my God I cryed unto thee and thou hast healed me and 116.1 2. I love the Lord because he hath heard my voice and my supplications because he hath inclined his eare unto me therefore will I call upon him as long as I live The fourth last reason whereby Satan laboreth to perswade men that it is to no purpose to pray is from the experience themselves have had of the fruitlesnesse of their owne prayers That themselves have long used to pray and have found no comfort no benefit by it This reason hath greatly prevailed with wicked men they cannot abide to attend long upon God but though their prayers be indeed nothing worth yet are they apt to quarrell with God if they have not a present answer as Esa. 58.3 Wherefore have we fasted say they and thou seest it not Wherefore have we afflicted our soule and thou takest no knowledge of it And thereupon they resolve to leave praying Malac. 3.14 It is in vaine to serve God and what profite is it unto us and 2. King 6 3â— What should I wait on the Lord any longer Yea this hath also greatly troubled many of Gods dearest ones they have oft complained that they got no good by their praying Iob 30 20. I cry unto thee but thou dost not heare me I stand up and thou regardest me not Habac. 1.1 O Lord how long shall I cry and thou wilt not heare Yea they have thought that they were the worse for praying Ps. 80.4 O Lord how long wilt thou be angry against the prayer of thy people And thereupon they have even growne weary of praying and ready to resolve to give it over as you may perceive Psal. 69.3 I am weary of my crying Now for my answer to this reason it shall consist of two parts 1. I will shew you how we are to judge of this case when we pray and pray often and â—â—nd our selves never the better for it 2. What a Christian is to do in this case And for judging aright of this case two things you must understand First That it is no argument that God neglects us regards not us nor our prayers because we obtaine not presently nor of a long time that that we have begged of him It may be the Lord may do this out of his love First It may be he seeth it is better for thee to want it then to have it we are apt like children and sick-men to desire that that is hurtfull for us And the promise runs thus Psal. 34.10 They that seeke the Lord shall not want any good thing and Matth. 7.11 How much more shall your father which is in heaven give good things to them that aske him Secondly It may be he seeth it is not good for us to have it yet The Lord hath made every thing beautifull in his time Eccl. 3.11 He best knoweth which is the fittest time to doe any thing for us When he may have most honour by that which he doth for us Zachary had prayed for a child while he and his wife were young but God granted not his request till they were both old Luke 1.7.13 because he might have more glory by it then Christ would not comfort Martha and Mary by helping their brother Lazarus while he was sicke though he loved them dearely but delayed to helpe them of purpose Iohn 11.5 6. Why that he might have the more glory by that worke verse 15. I am glad for your sakes that I was not there to the intent that ye might believe And verse 4â— Said I not unto thee that if thou wouldest beleeve thou shouldest see the glory of God He best knoweth also when that he doth for us will doe us most good he watcheth the time and will not delay us one moment longer Esa. 30.18 The Lord will waite that he may be gracious unto you He seeth it good for us to be delayed a while and how long he only best doth know Acts 1.7 It is not for us to know the times or seasons the father hath put them in his owne power 1. to humble us further Let patience have her perfect worke saith the Apostle Iames 1.4 He meant to heale Miriam at Moses request but not so soone as he would have had it she must be better humbled first under the hand of God Numb 12.14 And the Lord said unto Moses If her father had but spit in her face should she not be ashamed seven daies Let her be shut out from the campe seven daies and after that let her be received in againe As if the Lord had said it is too soone for her to be healed yet So he meant to take from Paul that messenger of Satan that buffetted him but not so
and their back-slidings are increased As the sand being the least thing that is yet by number is made extreamely heavy My griefe saith Iob 6.3 would be heavier then the sand of the sea 2. David continued not in the filthy puddle of his sinne above one yeare and thou hast lyen snorting in such and such sins of thine a great many yeares How long is it since thou first began to be a blasphemer a drunkard an uncleane person and given to such other sins and in all this time thou wert never soundly humbled for them never madest thy peace with God I tell thee continuance in sinne unrepented of is a great aggravater of sinne the longer that sinne lyeth upon a man the fouler and more loathsome it will make him in Gods sight the deeper staine and die it will set upon his soule Ier. 4.14 O Ierusalem how long shall thy vaine thoughts lodge within thee Hos. 8.5 How long will it be ere they attaine to innocency 3. So that 1 If David became so filthy by these sinnes but once committed if his sins were so heavy upon his conscience what will thine appeare to be when God shall open thine eyes and restore to thee thy sight that hast made sin thy trade and practise all thy life long 2 If there must be so much a do to make David cleane who had been cleane many yeares before and now lay scarce one yeare in these sins if the Lord must bestow so much washing and rubbing and wringing upon him to get him cleane verse 2. Wash me throughly or multiply thy washings of me wilt thou thinke it a matter of no difficulty a matter not worth the troubling of thy mind about to be cleansed from all thy sinnes 3 If David cryed so earnestly and was so fervent and importunate in this suit and desired nothing but that his sinnes might be pardoned wilt thou be so mad to thinke that a cold cry God mercy and God forgive me will serve thy turne and that thou canst so easily get thy pardon when thou wilt thy selfe Thou wilt say againe Though my sinnes be many and great yet there is no cause I should be so troubled with them nor keepe such a doe for the pardon of them as you speake of for God is mercifull and very ready to forgive To this I answer that touching Gods mercy thou canst not say more then thou shalt heare mee acknowledge when I shall come to the next that is the third and last part of this Text. But for the present this I say First It is true indeed that Gods mercy is infinite When David had spoken of the goodnesse and mercy of God Psal. 106.1 he adds verse 2. Who can utter the mighty acts of the Lord Who can shew forth all his praise And there is a mercy of God that extendeth it selfe to all his creatures Psal. 145 9. The Lord is good to all and his tender mercies are over all his works And so I cannot denie but the leudest man that is may tast and doth daily tast of the mercy of God Iob 25.3 Vpon whom doth not his light arise and Luk 6.35 He is kind to the unthankefull and to the evill But this mercy that we now speake of the mercy of God that reacheth to the pardon of mens sinnes is not common to all this is restrained and limited to a certaine number It is peculiar to the Catholike Church as we are taught in our Creede and as the Prophet speaketh Esa. 33.24 The people that dwell therein shall be forgiven their iniquity It is restrained to them that feare God Luk. 1.50 His mercy is on them that feare him from generation to generation And Psal. 103.11 As the heaven is high above the earth so great is his mercy to them that feare him And verse 17 18. The mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that feare him to such as keepe his covenant and remember his commandements to doe them This mercy is restrained unto such sinners as are humbled and afflicted in heart for their sinnes Psal. 25.16 Turne thee unto me and have mercy upon me for I am desolate and afflicted This mercy God hath threatned to deny to some kinde of men that is 1. To the brutish ignorant Esa. 27.11 It is a people of no understanding therefore he that made them will not have mercy on them and he that formed them will shew them no favour 2. To them that despise and scorne the meanes of grace Pro. 1.27 28. When your feare commeth as a desolation then shall they call upon me but I will not answer they shall seeke me early but they shall not finde me Why what was the reason that is given verse 29 30. For they hated knowledge they would none of my counsell they despised all my reproofe 3. To him that sinneth presumptuously and upon hope of mercy and doth blesse himselfe in his heart saying I shall have peace though I doe walke in the stubbornesse of my heart to add drunkennesse to thirst that is sinne unto sinne or unsatiablenesse in sinne the Lord will not be mercifull unto him Deut 29.19 20. Now then thou that alleadgest this for the reason why thy sinnes shall not trouble thee because God is so mercifull consider with thy selfe how small cause thou hast to trust to that 1. Thou art not a member of the Catholike Church for that is holy and is a communion of Saints 2. Thou art none of them that feare to offend God 3. Thou keepest no covenant with him 4. Thou never remembrest his commandements to doe them 5. Thou art not humbled nor afflicted in heart for thy sinnes 6. Thou art void of understanding 7. Thou art a despiser and scorner of the meanes of grace 8. Thou incouragest and blessest thy selfe in thy sins upon hope of mercy And therefore as Iehu said to Amazias servants 2 King 9.18 19. What hast thou to doe with peace turne thee behind me So doth the Lord say unto thee what hast thou to doe with my mercy Iona 2.8 They that observe lying vanities forsake their owne mercy And this is the first answer I give to the second plea of these men Secondly I answer That the knowledge of the infinitenesse of Gods mercy will make no mans sin the lighter but cause it to lye much the heavier upon the conscience When he shall rightly consider that he hath despised and made so light account of offending so mercifull a God The knowledge of Gods goodnesse should lead men unto repentance it should breake their hearts and make them to mourne for their sins the more and this will heape up wrath unto a man against the day of wrath when a man shall despise the riches of Gods goodnesse and forbearance and long suffering Rom. 2.4 5. It is therefore said Revel 6.16 that wicked men shall cry to mountaines and rocks fall on us and hide us from the face of him that sitteth upon the
and say is not the Lord among us And on the other side many a good man hath his pardon knowes not nor can be assured that he hath it It was so with David here Nathan upon his repentance had told him 2 Sam 12.13 The Lord hath put away thy sin thou shalt not dye and yet could he not beleeve it nor be assured of it And therfore begs it here so earnestly The elect Apostles had obtained their pardon when Christ said to them Ioh 12.10 Ye are cleane And yet Christ taught them to pray daily Lu. 11.4 Forgive us our sins the best had need daily to seeke for more assurance that they have it Yea 2. It is a matter of great difficulty to be assured of it Therfore God bindeth this promise with an oath Esa 54.9 As I have sworne that the waters of Noah should no more go over the earth so have I sworn that I wil not be wroth with thee nor rebuke thee Therfore hath Christ annexed a reason to be a propâ—â— to our faith in the fift petition Mat. 6.12 and to none of the rest Many of Gods dearest servants find little assurance of the pardon of their sins and they that have had it in great measure yet have not had it at all times See how comfortable aâ—d confident David was at sometimes Psal 27.1 The Lord is my light and my salvation whom shall â—â—â—re At another time he was farre otherwise Psal. 88 1â— 15. Lord why â—â—stest thou off my soule Why hidest thou thy face from mee While I suffer thy terrors I am distracted So Paul somtimes was most assured Rom 8 38 39. I am perswaded that neither death nor life nor Angels nor principalities nor powers nor things present nor things to come nor hâ—ight nor depth nor any other creature shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Iesus Christ our Lord. Sometimes againe he had his inward terrours and feares 2. Chr. 7.5 and was perplexed greatly 2. Cor. 4.8 And this ariseth First From the weakenesse of faith that is in the best and slownesse to beliefe that is in us all by nature They were beleevers to whom Christ said Luke 24 25 O fooles and slow of heart to beleeve The greatnesse and strangenesse of the blessing doth even astonish and amaze them so as they cannot be perswaded God should shew mercy to such wretches as they know themselves to have beene As it is said of the Apostles when Christ appeared to them first after his resurrection Luke 24.41 They beleeved not for joy and wondered And Peter when hee was brought out of prison by the Angell Acts 12 9 Wist not that it was true that was done by the Angell but thought it was but a vision Secondly Sometimes from the violence of tentation For the faithfull are compared to bruised reedes Matth. 12.20 and tentations are compared to Winds and Tempests Matth 7 5. now a reede specially a bruise I reede is easily shaken with the Winde Matthew 11.7 and if we had not a gracious promise of Christ Matthew 17.25 A bruised reede shall hee not breake it were not possible but the strength and violence of the tentations the faithfull are subject to would quite overthrow their faith It was tentation that deprived â—ob of his assurance and made him cry Iob 16.9 He teareth mee in his wrath who hateth mee hee gnasheth upon me with his teeth mine enemy sharpeneth his eyes upon me It was tentation that deprived David of his assurance when he cryed Psal. 22.1 My God my God why hast thou forsaken me Thirdly Sometimes from this that they kept their pardon no better That whereas once they had it so faire written and in such Capitall letters that they could haue runne and read it now through their carelesnesse and sensuality they have so soiled it that they cannot reade it So did the Church loose her assurance Cant. 5 6. Her beloved had withdrawne himselfe and was gone Her sensualitie was the cause of it as you may see verse 3. In her answer unto Christ. I have put off my coat how shall I put it on I haue washed my feet how shall I defile them Yet as we haue shewed before that our pardon may be obtained so may we even in this life know and be assured that wee are pardoned aâ—d clensed from all our sinnes Iob was assured of his salvation and consequently that his sinnes were forgiven Iob 19.25 I know that my redeemer liveth whom I shall see for my selfe And Paul speaketh thus of all the faithfull Rom. 5.11 Not only so we are not onely reconciled to God and shall be saved but we also joy in God through our Lord Iesus Christ by whom wee have now received the atonement And indeed though our sins be pardoned yet unlesse we know they be pardoned we can have no sound comfort nor joy That maketh David cry thus to God Psalm 35.3 Say unto my soule I am thy salvation as if he had sayd Let mee know it Lord and Psalme 51.8 Make mee to heare joy and gladnesse As if hee had sayd Nathan hath told mee so but I cannot heare and believe what he saith Lord make thou me to heare it then I shall have joy aâ—d gladnesse and never till then This is therefore a matter worth the hearkening unto how we may know our sins are pardoned How may that be knowne I answer 1. Wee may not bee our owne judges in this case Prov. 28.26 Hee that trusteth in his owne heart is a foole Prov. 30.12 There is a generation that are pure in their owne eyes and yet they are not washed from their filthinesse 2. The Lord only by his word must be judge in this case that even as it was under the Law no man that had bin a Leper himselfe or whose house was infected with leprosie might judge himselfe or his house to be clean till the Priest who was a type of Christ by the mark God himselfe had given had pronounced them to be cleane Levit. 13.37 The Priest shall pronounce him cleane And therefore Christ when he had clensed the lepers bad them Lu 17 14. Goe shew your selves to the Priest Even so may no man judge himselfe to be cleane from his sins till he be such a one as God in his word hath pronounced to be cleane And these notes and markes are principally foure First If a man came by his pardon that way and by those foure meanes that you have heard of Examine therefore your hearts that thinke ye are sure your sins are forgiven How came you by this assurance Did God so prepare you by an effectuall sight and sense of sin and of your wretched and damnable condition by reason thereof Was thy heart thereby brought to cry fervently unto God for thy pardon Wert thou made able humbly and freely and particularly to confesse thy sins to accuse and condemne thy selfe before God Wert thou brought thereby to despaire of
your selves are precious in Gods sight and of high account with him above all the princes in the world Psal. 147.11 The Lord taketh pleasure in them that feare him He hath appointed the glorious Angels to be your servants Mat. 18.10 Take heed you despise not one of these little ones for I say unto you that in heaven their Angels do alway behold the face of my father You are more gracious with him and may prevaile more with him in prayer and a wise Christian had rather to have one of you to pray for him then all the learned and eloquent men in the world Psal. 145.19 He will fulfill the desire of them that feare him and 10.17 Lord thou hast heard the desire of the humble Your prayers and services how poore and unperfit soever they seeme to your selves he will take in good part Mal. 3.17 I will spare them as a man spareth his owne sonne that serveth him He will not be rigorous to observe what is amisse in your services Mic. 7.18 Who is a God like unto thee that pardoneth iniquity and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage And in this respect you have just cause to be comfortable Rom. 8.31 If God be for us who can be against us at least to hurt us 4. You are the people whom Christ as I told you before hath more care of then of all the world nay then of all his Church besides whom he graciously and earnestly inviteth to come unto him and promiseth ease unto Mat. 11.28 Come unto me all ye that are weary and heavy laden and I will give you rest And therefore you have cause to rejoyce And I may say to you as they did to Bartimeus Mar. 10.49 Be of good comfort arise he calleth thee 5. And lastly you are the people that have speciall interest in all Gods mercies If there be any goodnesse any mercy in the Lord as you have heard from this Text there is an infinite multitude of them they are all yours Luke 1.50 His mercy is on them that feare him from generation to generation You therefore that feare God know 1 that you ought to be comfortable that it is your sin that you are not learne to check your selves for it and say as Psal. 42.11 Why art thou cast downe ô my soule and why art thou disquieted within me 2 Pray to God that he would make thee cheerefull as David doth Ps. 51.8 Make me to heare joy and gladnesse that the bones that thou hast broken may rejoyce and 86.4 Rejoyce the soule of thy servant For he and he onely is able to comfort them that are cast down Esa. 51.12 I even I am he that comforteth you Lecture XXVII On Psalme 51.1 2. May 30. 1626. THe fourth and last thing that I am to say to these poore servants of God that are afflicted in Conscience is That the objections they make against themselves and the reasons whereby they use to conclude against themselves that they have just cause to be thus heavy and uncomfortable are weake and insufficient to inferre any such thing upon The first and chiefe objection they make against themselves is this Alas I cannot be assured of the favour of God or that I have any part in Christ or in his speciall mercy but am rather perswaded God hath rejected me and maketh no other reckoning of me then of an enemy and a castaway and how can I then be comfortable and cheerefull Now my answer unto this so dangerous an objection shall consist of two parts For I will shew you 1 how they that are in this case must stay and comfort themselves while they continue in this tentation that they may not faint and sinke under it and 2 how and by what meanes they may recover themselves out of it and get the victory over it For the first There be five considerations that are of great force to support Gods poore servants that are in this case First Thou must consider that thou hast no cause to give credit unto this perswasion For it is but a tentation of Satan as thou maist know by this because it is so directly opposite to the Word of God The spirit of God saith 1 Tim. 1.15 that this is a true saying and by all meanes worthy to be received that Christ Iesus came into the world to save sinners That above all others such as thou art that are heavy laden are invited by Christ to come to him and promiseth that he will give them rest Mat. 11.28 That this is Gods commandement that wee should beleeve on the name of his son 1 Ioh. 3.23 That Gods mercy belongeth to them that feare him throughout all generations Luk. 1.50 And what spirit then must that needs be that would perswade thee that thou hast no part in Christ nor in the mercy of God Certainely it must needs be the spirit of Satan who is called our adversary 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Pet. 5.8 an enemy and a slanderer a lyer and the father of lies â—oh 8 44. And wilt thou beleeve him 2. But thou sayst thine owne heart perswadeth thee so I answer thy estate is not to be judged of as thou speakest and thinkest of thy selfe For as there is that maketh himselfe rich Pro. 13.7 full of peace and joy from assurance of his salvation and of Gods favour to him that hath nothing not one jot of true peace and joy no favour at all with God so there is that maketh himselfe poore perswadeth himselfe to be in a most wretched estate and hath great riches is highly in Gods favour and hath great store of saving grace It is not therefore safe for a man to judge of his owne estate according to the perswasion he hath of himselfe specially for a Christian that is in this tentation that is in the case of spirituall desertion to judge of his estate towards God according to the perswasion he hath of himselfe As in time past there was much infidelity malice covetousnesse in thee and yet thou didst not thinke so nor couldst be induced to beleeve it so there may be now much grace in thee and yet in this astonishment of thy soule thou canst not see it to be so Thy estate is not to be judged of according to that that thou speakest and thinkest of thy selfe being in this case For thou art now sicke and sicke of such a disease as deadneth and distempereth thine understanding Matth. 9.12 Have yee not knowne many that in burning feavers and such like diseases have had such thoughts and speaches as in their health they would have abhorred And of such a one we are apt to say alas it is not he but his disease that maketh him speake and think so and so shouldst thou say of thy selfe now as Asaph did being in this very case Psal. 77.10 I said this is mine infirmity God forbid he should judge of thee as thou dost of thy selfe in this case No no
face and I was troubled This consideration is forcible to quiet the heart that hath grace in any affliction and to keep us from murmuring and till we can humbly acknowledge this soveraignty of the Lord and stoupe unto it our heart can never find rest in any specially not in this inward affliction till we can say with Ely 1 Sam. 3.18 It is the Lord let him do what seemeth him good Why dost thou strive against him saith Elihu to Iob 33.13 for he giveth not account of any of his matters God is not bound to give thee a reason of his proceeding why hee dealeth thus with thee rather then with such and such but thou art bound to submit thy selfe to his will because hee can doe thee no wrong and may doe with his owne what pleaseth him Who hath enjoyned him his way saith Elihu Iob 36.23 or who can say thou hast wrought iniquity thou hast done wrong If therefore the Lord should bee pleased all the dayes of our life to hide from any of us the light of his countenance though this were indeed a most heavy affliction nay if hee should indeed not in our feeling only cast us away for ever yet doth it become us to beare it patiently and not to murmure against him for it but to put on Davids resolution and to say as hee doth 2 Samuel 15.26 If he doe thus say I have no delight in thee behold here am I let him doe to me as seemeth good to him Fourthly Thou must consider that the Lord in hiding his face from thee in with-holding for a time the comforter from thee intendeth to doe thee good by this meanes He chastiseth us for our profit saith the Apostle Heb. 12.10 And of thy infirmity I may say as our Saviour did of Lazarus his disease Ioh. 11.4 This sicknesse is not unto death But even as thou seest the wise and carefull Physitian maketh his patient by some vomits and potions much more sick in his own apprehension then he was before and the surgeon lanceth and maketh deep wounds of purpose to cure him of the mortall disease and sore he seeth him in danger of So doth thy heavenly Physician and Surgeon deale with thee he maketh thy heart sicke and woundeth thee thus of purpose that he may save thy soule and work a perfect cure upon it and make it more sound and healthfull then ever it was before Sundry are the benefits that God procureth to his children by this kind of affliction six of them I will shew you which may serve for so many reasons why he doth deale thus with them First by this meanes he correcteth them and maketh them to repent for their drowsinesse and carnall security Christ doth not use to withdraw himselfe from his people but when they grow drowsy and sleepy and neglect their watch This you shall see Cant. 3.1 5.2 3. Secondly he giveth them these thornes in their flesh these messengers of Satan to buffet them that by humbling them thus he may prevent and keepe them from sin that he seeth them in danger to fall into and thus did he deale with the Apostle 2 Cor. 12.7 Thirdly by this meanes the Lord prepareth his people for comfort and maketh them more capable of it and none have ever attained to that abundance of spirituall comfort as those that have most deeply tasted of this cup of spirituall affliction As the sufferings of Christ abound in us saith the Apostle 2 Cor. 1.5 so our consolations also abound in Christ. For the Lord our God delighteth for to work by contraries As in the worke of creation he caused light to shine out of darknesse as the Apostle speaketh 2 Cor. 4.6 and in the worke of redemption by Christs death he brought us to life by his extreame shame and ignominy he bringeth us to glory by his stripes he healeth us as the Prophet speaketh Esa. 53.5 and in that miracle that Christ wrought by anointing the blind mans eyes with clay he restored him to sight Ioh. 9.6 So in the work of grace he useth to bring his servants by hell to heaven by doubting to faith by much inward anguish and terror to abundance of peace and consolation in Christ. By what meanes did the Lord bring Mr. Bradford Mr. Glover and sundry other of the blessed Martyrs to that strength of faith inward comfort as even quenched the violence of the fire as the Apostle speaketh Heb. 11.34 for though the Apostles words be there happily to be understood literally yet may the phrase be fitly applyed to this also surely they were men that had bin much exercised with inward affliction of mind as we may read in their story And how did the Lord make Iacob so strong in faith that whereas before he was afraid of his brother Esau as he complaineth in his prayer to God Gen. 32.11 I feare him lest he will come and smite me and the mother with the children now he became bold as a lion and met him without feare going on to meet him before the rest Gen. 33.3 Nay he was so full of confidence and comfort in God that he gloried and boasted he had seene God face to face and therefore called the name of the place Penuel the face of God Gen. 32.30 Surely before he came to this comfort God had wrestled with him as an enemy Gen. 32.24 and made him out of the sense he had of Gods displeasure to pray and weep bitterly he wept and made supplication to him saith the Prophet Hos. 12.4 And few there be that ever came to see God face to face to behold the light of his countenance cleerely and manifestly as Iacob did with whom God hath not beene wont to wrestle sometimes as he did with Iacob Lecture XXVIII On Psal. 51.1 2. Iune 13. 1626. FOurthly By this meanes God weaneth his children from the love of this world and maketh them thinke of home and of their fathers house As you know affliction and nothing but affliction made the prodigall to do Luke 15.16 17. If we should alwaies possesse that outward peace those sweet joyes and comforts which the light of the Lords countenance and sense of his favour worketh in our hearts we should have our heaven upon earth and be too ready to say and thinke as Peter did when he was ravished with joy in beholding the light of Christs countenance shining as the sun Mat. 17.4 Lord it is good for us to be heere and to abide heere still These vicissitudes and changes these interruptions of our peace and spirituall desertions we meet with heere are a most effectuall meane to make us thinke of home where we shall be out of the reach of Satan and all his tentations where we shall never weepe more nor be troubled with these terrours and sorrowes that so much disquiet us where all teares shall be wiped from our eyes and there shall be no more sorrow nor crying nor paine as Iohn speaketh Revel 21.4 These
onely evill continually When we have by faith and repentance mortified one sin and cleansed our selves of it another will rise out of the ashes of it this vile nature of ours will cast up some other mire and dirt some wretched motion or other to defile us withall 3. And what are the motions and lusts it will stirre up in us Surely there is no sin so foule and unnaturall but we shall find it will be ready to stirre up motions and incliâ—ations unto it even in the best of Gods children motions of atheisme and blasphemy motions of desparation and of every other foule sin Sin wrought in me saith the Apostle Rom. 7 â— all mannâ—r of concupiscence Thirdly It is an universall corruption and leprosie that goeth over the whole man the understanding and conscience and memory and will and affections all are corrupted by it It is a leaven that sowreth the whole lump as the Apostle speaketh 1 Cor. 5.6 Fourthly and lastly We can never be rid of it while we live It dwelleth in us as the Apostle speaketh Rom. 7.17 It is an inmate that will never be gotten out till the house be pulled downe It is an hereditary disease as we have heard which no Physician can cure that that is bred in the bone will never out of the flesh Lecture LXI On Psalme 51.5 Iune 19. 1627. THe uses that this doctrine serveth unto are foure principally 1 To informe and settle our judgements 2 To humble and abate the pride of our hearts 3 To exhort us to seeke the cure of this dangerous leprosy 4 and lastly To breed thankfullnesse in our hearts towards God and admiration of his goodnes to such vile wretches as we are For the first This Doctrine serveth notably to confirme us against popery by discovering to us the grosse errour of the Papists in their doctrine of originall sin And yet would I according to my custome content my selfe to ground and confirme you in the truth and not trouble you with confuting their errours were it not for three reasons that move me to it 1. That by confirming you against the errour of the Papists in this point I shall also preserve you from the errour of the Semi-Pelagians who as in sundry other maine articles of our Christian religion so in this agree to well with the Papists 2. That the errour of the Papists in the Doctrine of originall sin is maintained by them as a prop and stay to many other of their damnable doctrines which doe depend upon this Take away their errour in the doctrine of originall sin and then their doctrines of 1 freewill of 2 preparatory works of 3 the regenerate mans ability to keepe the whole law of 4 justification by works of 5 merit cannot stand but must needs fall to the ground 3. Because I discerne strong inclinations in many now adayes to thinke better of Popery then they were wont to do And yet was popery never worse then it is now neither was there ever Church or nation that had more cause to detest it then our Church and nation hath neither had our Church and nation ever more cause to detest it then at this time Now for our entrance into this use of confutation two generall rules I will give you whereby you may try all doctrines in religion whether they bee of God or no. First That Doctrine and religion that ascribeth any thing to man in the matter of his salvation that giveth unto man any the least cause of boasting or confidence in himselfe that doth not give all the glory to God and ascribe the whole praise of mans salvation to the free grace of God alone that doctrine certainely is not of God For the maine drift of the holy Scripture is to abase and pull downe the pride of man to make him even to despaire of himselfe and to advance and set up the glory of Gods free grace 1 Cor. 1.29 That no flâ—sh may rejoyce in his presence and verse 31. He that rejoyceth let him rejoyce in the Lord. And Rom. 3.27 Where is boasting then It is excluded By what law or doctrine Of works Nay but by the law or doctrine of faith Where we see the Doctrine of justification by works proved a false doctrine and the Doctrine of Iustification by faith onely proved a true Doctrine by this argument because the one leaveth unto man some matter of boasting the other doth not So Eph. 2.8 9. By grace ye are saved through faith and that not of your selves it is the gift of God not of works lest any man should rejoyce This note our Saviour giveth of a true teacher Iohn 7.18 He that speaketh of himselfe seeketh his owne glory but he that seeketh his glory that sent him the same is true and no unrighteousnes is in him The true teacher doth in his Doctrine and ministery ascribe all glory unto God And this note Paul giveth of the true Church and religion Phil. 3.3 We are the circumcision which rejoyce in Christ Iesus and have no confidence in the flesh And this is the first rule I said I would give you to try all doctrines and religions by The true religion giveth all glory to God and none at all to man The second rule is this That doctrine and religion that is most agreeable to naturall reason and groundeth it selfe upon it and not upon the holy Scripture onely that doctrine and religion certainely is not of God This rule we find given us Esa. 8.20 To the law and to the testimony if they speake not according to this word it is because there it no light in them And Iam. 3.15 This wisdome descendeth not from above but is earthly naturall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and divellish That wisdome that is naturall agreeable unto grounded upon naturall reason is not from above but it is earthly and divelish For naturall reason is blind as a beetle in these matters 1 Cor. 2.14 The naturall man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the very same word that Iames useth receiveth not the things of the spirit of God for they are foolishnesse unto him neither can he know them because they are spiritually discerned Whereas on the other side the holy Scriptures are a perfect direction able as the Apostle saith 2 Tim. 3.15 to make a man wise unto salvation and a sure direction therefore can never deceive us Thy testimonies saith the Prophet Psal. 93.5 are very sure For they were all given by divine inspiration of God 2 Tim. 3.16 It is Gods Word 2 Pet. 1.21 The prophesy of the Scripture came not by the will of man but holy men of God spake and wrote too as they were moved by the Holy Ghost So that he that contradicteth the Scripture in any point contradicteth God himselfe And therefore when the great Antichrist is discribed 2 Thess. 2.4 this is one chiefe note that is given us to know him by hee is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one that opposeth himselfe unto
in those torments where the worme shall never dye and the fire shall bee never quenched as our Saviour speaketh oft Marke 9.44.46.48 2. Though the ignorance of that man that wanted either meanes or capacity may find some mitigation of torments in hell yet is there no hope that thy ignorance that is willfull should doe so Secondly Knowledge I meane sanctified knowledge such as you heard described unto you the last day is a certaine signe a man is the elect child of God and in the state of grace To speake distinctly of this point 1. It is a signe of a mans election So Ananias speaketh of it as of an high favour of God unto Paul and signe of his election Actes 22.14 The God of our fathers hath chosen thee that thou shouldst know his will And so doth our blessed Saviour also unto his disciples Matthew 13.11 To you it is given to know the mysteries of the Kingdome of heaven but to them it is not given As if hee had said It is a speciall favour and gift of God And verse 16. Blessed are your eyes for they see and your â—ares for they heare Surely it is a great blessing of God or else Christ would not have said so Yea hee rejoyceth in his spirit on their behalfe for this and said Luke 10.21 I thanke thee ô father Lord of heaven and earth that thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent and hast reveiled them unto babes even so ô father for so it seemed good in thy sight Certainely it is a singular favour and blessing of God that our blessed Saviour made such high reckoning and account of 2. It is a signe a man is in covenant with God reconciled to him in Christ. So wee shall find it promised as a favour peculiar to them that are in covenant with God Ieremy 24.7 I will give them an heart to know mee that I am the Lord and they shall bee my people and I will bee their God And 31.34 They shall teach no more every man his neighbour and every man his brother saying know the Lord. As if hee had sayd They shall not bee taught of men onely nor rest upon this outward and ordinary meanes of knowledge I will bee their teacher my selfe for they shall all know mee from the least of them to the greatest of them saith the Lord for I will forgive their iniquity and will remember their sinnes no more It is a signe that God hath received thee into covenant that he hath forgiven thee thy sinnes and is reconciled to thee in Christ when hee hath given thee an heart to know him to understand what thou hearest and readest in the matters that concerne God and their owne salvation 3. It is a speciall signe of an honest and good heart a false and naughty heart cannot attaine to this What man is hee that feareth the Lord saith David Psalme 25 1â— him shall hee teach in the way that hee shall choose So speaketh the wisedome of God likewise Proverbs 28.5 Evill men understand not judgement they have no judgement in the things that belong to God and their owne salvation but they that seeke the Lord desire nothing so much as his favour and to know how they may best please him understand all things So that if God have given thee an heart to understand his word to carry away what thou hearest to profit in knowledge and to have a cleare and setled judgement in religion it may bee a comfortable testimony to thy conscience that thy heart is upright and that thou dost indeed seeke the Lord and feare him in truth On the other side 1. It is a great judgement of God and signe of his reprobation when having the meanes of knowledge hee can learne nothing nor profit by them This our Saviour giveth for the reason why many of the Iewes profited not either by his miracles or ministery Iohn 12.40 God hath blinded their eyes and hardened their heart that they should not see with their eyes nor understand with their heart and bee converted and I should heale them A signe it is God never decreed to save them whom hee so blindeth that they cannot understand and learne nothing 2. This is a signe of a man that remaineth still under Satans government and is in his power to bee led which way pleaseth him For hee is the ruler of the darkenesse of the world as the Apostle calleth him Ephes. 6.12 Therefore the Lord telleth Paul he sent him to open the eyes of the blind and to turne them from darkenesse to light and from the power of Satan unto God Acts 26. â—8 Therefore also you shall find in the parable of the sower Mat. 13.19 that of all the three sort of bad hearers hee that understandeth and learneth nothing is the worst and most under the power of Satan The wicked one commeth and catcheth away that that was sowen in his heart 3. Lastly This is a signe of an ungracious and wicked heart when a man under good meanes can learne nothing nor get any knowledge None of the wicked shall understand saith the Prophet Daniel 12.10 hee meaneth feelingly and savingly And the Apostle speaking of certaine women 2. Timothy 3.7 that were ever learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth giveth this for the reason of it verse 6. that thâ—y were laden with sinnes and led away with divers lusts A wicked and naughty heart is certainely the chiefe cause why many enjoying excellent meanes and frequenting them also diligently yet can never attaine to any cleare and certaine and savoury knowledge of the truth Thirdly He that hath knowledge and a well grounded and setled judgement will bee constant in religion and not wavering hee will hold fast the truth and not hearken unto or bee seduced by new opinions and doctrines of men The Apostle having prayed for the Collossians Col. 2.2 that God would give them all riches of the full assurance of understanding giveth this for the reason of it verse 4. This I say thus I pray for you lest any man should beguile you with entising words As if hee had said The onely meanes to preserve you from being beguiled by false teachers that will seeke to draw you from the sincerity of Gods religion and worship is to get knowledge and to ground your selves well that way On the other side They are children in understanding are apt to bee tossed too and fro as the Apostle speaketh Ephesians 4.14 and carried about with every wind of Doctrine And what kind of persons have the seducers in all ages beene wont most to prevaile withall and to lead captive That the Apostle will tell you 2 Tim. 3.6 7. silly women that were never able to come to the knowledge of the truth Such as are ignorant and have not grounds in themselves for that which they hold and professe in religion will bee apt to pinne their conscience upon other mens sleeves and to bee carried
faith of the son of God And Heb. 10.38 The just shall live by saith And in respect of this want of all spirituall life the naturall man is truly said to be dead in trespasses and sinnes and the man that is converted is truly said by the Apostle Rom. 6.13 to be made alive from the dead And this shall suffice to be spoken of the first reason and ground of the Doctrine The conversion of a man is to bee ascribed wholly unto God there is nothing in man himselfe to further or helpe forward this worke but that which the Scripture speaketh to abase and vilifie man may be applied to this case principally Cease ye from man whose breath is in his nostrills saith the Prophet Esa. 2.22 talke no more of his abilities put no confidence in any thing that is in him for wherein it he to be accounted of And 40.17 All nations before him in this case especially are as nothing and they are counted to him lesse then nothing and vanity Now the second reason and ground of the Doctrine respecteth the Lord himselfe For if we will consider the hand that the Lord hath in the worke of mans conversion we shall easily discerne good reason why this work must needs bee wholly ascribed unto the Lord and neither in whole nor in part unto man himselfe For first If any man shall say It is absurd and against all reason to say that the grace of God in mans conversion is so powerfull as it admits no other resistance I will answer him It is not absurd it is most agreeable to reason because the power of God who is the doer of this mighty worke is such as no man can withstand If God be pleased to shew his power in this worke who shall resist it I will worke and who shall let it saith the Lord Esa. 43.13 Hee doth according to his will saith the Prophet Daniel 4.35 in the army of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth and none can stay his hand Yes say they it is not to be doubted but the power of God is irresistible but God is not pleased to shew his almighty power in the conversion of a man but to worke it onely by his Word and by the sweet motives and perswasions that are contained in it But to this I answer Yes God sheweth and exerciseth his omnipotent power in the conversion of a man as much as ever he did in any other of his most mighty and miraculous workes When a strong man armed keepeth his pallace saith our Saviour Luke 11.21 22. his goods are in peace till a stronger then hee come upon him and overcome him Certainely while we were in our naturall estate Satan like a strong and armed man had us in his possession if a stronger then he had not come if the Lord himselfe had not shewed his almighty power in delivering us wee had never beene converted any of us Therefore the Apostle saith 2 Pet. 1.3 that God by his divine power hath given us all things that pertainâ— to life and godlinesse True grace was never wrought in any but by a divine power Yea the Apostle plainely telleth us Ephesiansâ— 19 20. that no man is brought unto true faith but by the working of Gods mighty power yea hee calleth it the exceeding greatnesse of Gods power that worketh faith in a man yea he saith God sheweth and exerciseth no lesse power in this worke then hee did in raising Christ from the dead And therefore the grace of God in mans conversion must needs bee most powerfull there is great reason you see for it why it should bee so Secondly If any man shall aske me a reason for this Why God should give the meanes of grace to one and deny them unto another why to one that enjoyeth the meanes hee should give effectuall grace to profit and bee converted by them and not unto another why hee should give the meanes and grace to such as have beene worse men and denie it to such as have beene nothing so bad I answer That if we would but consider who it is that doth thus and why he doth it we shall find great reason for it For first The Lord that doth this is a most absolute soveraigne and hath a supreame and independant power to dispose of his owne gift as seemeth best unto himselfe Is it not lawfull for me to doe what I will with mine owne saith the Lord of the vineyard Mat. 20.15 In respect of this his sovereignty it is that Elihu speaketh thus to Iob Iob 33.13 Why dost thou strive against him for hee giveth not account of any of his matters As if he had said Hee is not bound to give a reason of any thing that he doth and therefore it is madnesse for man to wrangle or murmur against any of his doings In respect of this his sovereignty it is not possible the Lord should do wrong unto any of his creatures Who hath enjoyned him his way or prescribed him a law and rule to worke by saith Elihu Iob 36.23 or who can say thou hast wrought iniquity If God should have denied the meanes of grace or in giving the meanes should have denied grace to profit by them to all men he had done them no wrong at all For who hath deserved that hee should doe this for him Nay who hath not deserved the contrary Who hath first given unto him and it shall bee recompensed to him againe saith the Apostle Romanes 11.35 In respect of this absolute sovereignty of the Lord he hath no other rule to guide him nothing at all to move him to give the meanes of conversion or the grace of conversion unto any but onely his owne holy will and good pleasure according to that of the Apostle Romanes 9.18 Hee hath mercy on whom hee will have mercy and whom hee will hee hardeneth Secondly Consider why God doth thus why hee doth not give this effectuall grace to profit by the meanes of grace to all men but to a few in comparison why hee denieth this mercy to such as may seeme most worthy of it and vouchsafeth it to them that are most unworthy and you shall see great reason in it Surely the Lord doth this that hee might make that free grace and mercy of his towards his elect the more glorious and the more admirable For as it is certaine that the maine end the Lord hath aimed at in all his counsels and in all his workes is his owne glory The Lord hath made all things for himselfe saith Solomon Proverbs 16.4 All things were created by him and for him saith the Apostle Col. 1.16 So a secundary end the Lord hath aimed at in all his counsels and workes is the happinesse and glory of his elect All things are for your sakes to further and increase your happinesse saith the Apostle to the faithfull 2 Cor. 4.15 And as the glory that God hath principally sought and aimed
us to judge surely for these and these sins God hath thus and thus plagued them Thus David saith Psalme 52.6 7. that when the righteous should see the strange judgements of God that should fall upon Doeg and his posterity they should say Loâ— this is the man that made not God his strength but trusted in the abundance of his riches and strengthened himselfe in his wickednes As if they should say He thought that so long as he was in such place and authority and favour with Saul he need not care what he did against David or against the Lords Priests but see now the end of this persecuting wretch The judgement of God that followed him kept his sin in their remembrance and made them oft to talke of it And doubtlesse so should the judgements of God that we see upon such as have bin notoriously wicked for whoredome for oppression for hatred of religion the judgements I say that we see upon them and their families should keepe their sins in our remembrance and cause us oft to thinke and speake of them Nay for as much as those poore Churches of Christ in the Palatinate and Germany and Rochel have bin notoriously knowne to offend generally in the ordinary profanation of the Sabbath the sin that God saith was a chiefe cause of the Iewes captivity Ezekiel 20.13 In the contempt of the ministery of whom the Lord hath said Deut. 12.19 Take heed to thy selfe that thou forsake not the Levite as long as thou livest upon the earth Forasmuch as I say they have bin notoriously knowne to offend generally this way besides the loosenesse of their lives in drunkennesse and lasciviousnesse professing outwardly religion having a forme of godlinesse as the Apostle spreaketh 1 Tim. 3.5 but denying the power thereof it is not unlawfull for us to impute all this marvailous severity of God towards them unto these their sins But then I answer secondly that there be two wayes whereby wee may offend greatly in this case First When only for the afflictions that they endure and the judgements of God that we see upon any we judge them guilty of some great sin though we know no sin by them nor can justly taxe their conversation any way As it was in Iobs case This I say is a great sin For it is evident by the scripture that the holiest of all Gods servants have bin most sharpely afflicted Such as of whom the world was not worthy as the Apostle speaketh Hebr. 11 37 38. were stoned and sawne asunder were tempted were slaine with the sword they wandered about in sheep-skins and goat-skins being destitute afflicted and tormented And God doth not alwayes in afflicting his children correct them for sin but he doth it sometimes only to try their faith patience and to make them examples of faith and patience unto others You are in heavinesse saith the Apostle 1 Peter 1.6 7. through manifold temptations that the tryall of your faith being much more precious then gold that perisheth though it be tryed with fire might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Iesus Christ. And sometimes he doth it for other causes which he keepeth secret unto himselfe and which the wisest and holiest men under heaven have not beene able to conceive yea this maketh much for his glory that he doth so as we read Prov. 25.2 That the Lord is righteous in all his wayes and holy in all his workes every faithfull man hath ever beene ready to acknowledge Psalme 145.17 Ieremy 12.1 But the wisest and holiest of Gods servants have oft beene astonished at the beholding of his judgements and unable to discerne his meaning in them but have beene constrained in a holy reverence and admiration to cry out as Esa. 45.15 Verily thou art a God that hidest thy selfe And Romanes 11.33 O the depth of the riches both of the wisedome and knowledge of God how unsearchable are his judgements and his wayes past finding out As if he had said His judgements are so deepe and unsearchable that no man is able to found them to find out the ground and reason of them The second way wherby we may much offend in this case is when though we know sins and great sins too in them whom God thus afflicteth we do by reason of the greatnesse and strangenesse of their afflictions judge them to be no better then hypocrites or greater sinners then our selves or other men whom the Lord doth not so plague as he hath done them For we have heard in the Doctrine God doth use to affliâ—t his owne deare children for sin more sharply in this life then he doth any other It was a strange judgement that fell upon old Ely that he should with a fall breake his necke and dye 1 Sam. 4.18 and doubtlesse his sin in bearing too much with his children in their profanesse was the cause of it yet he were a mad-man that would doubt whether he were a good man and dyed in Gods favour for all that or that would thinke he was a greater sinner then any other in Israel because of that So it was a strange judgement that befell the young Prophet 1 Kings 13 24. and certainely his sin was the cause of it And yet the old Prophet by his mourning for him and charging his sons verse â—9 31. that when he dyed they should bury him in his grave declared that he was undoubtedly assured that he was Gods deare child dyed in his favour for all that O take heed therfore of judging of those poore Churches that have so strangely perished or of any other persons to have beene hypocrites and void of true grace or to have bin greater sinners either then our selves because of the miseries that they have endured Take heed of despising or thinking the worse of any for their afflictions and miseries This is a corruption too strong in all men by nature Prov. 14.20 and 19.17 Eccles. 9.15 16. This is the first sin that is taxed and reproved by the Doctrine that we have heard And there be three things that may discover to us both the folly and the wickednesse and danger also of this humour First That God hath expresly said in his word that we may not judge them the greatest sinners that are most afflicted No man saith the holy Ghost Eccl. 9.1 knoweth either love or hatred by all that is before him that is by any outward thing that doth befall men as he expresseth himselfe verse 2. Suppose ye saith our Saviour Luk. 13.2 3. and to shew the certainty and necessity of this truth he repeateth it againe and giveth another instance of it verse 4 â— Suppose yee that those Galileans were sinners above all the Galileans because they endured such things They were murdered by Pilate even while they were sacrificing and serving God a strange judgement and yet heare what Christ saith I tell you Nay As if he should say you may not judge so you sin
all his haire and wash himselfe in water that hee may bee cleane Yea he that had but touched a dead body or but beene in the tent where any man was dead which was one of the least pollutions that one under the law could be subject unto could not be cleansed till he had washed himselfe in water He shall purifie himselfe saith the law Numb 19.19 and wash his cloathes and bath himselfe in water and shall be cleane at even No man could be purged from any legal uncleannesse were it greater or smaller unlesse hee were washed Secondly A bunch of hysope was also used for the cleansing of them that were any way defiled under the law The bloud and water whereby the Leper was to be purified must be sprinkled upon him with hysope or els it could doe him no good as you shall see Levit. 14.6 7. Yea in the least pollutions the party that was to be cleansed must have the water of separation sprinkled upon him with a bunch of hysope as you shall find Num. 19.18 19. But then it is secondly to be demanded what reason David had to beg this of God to purge him with hysope and to wash him seeiâ—g he might easily have beene thus purged and washed when he would himselfe To this I answer That he did not here beg of God the benefit and use of the outward ceremony but of that inward and spirituall grace that was signified by it These ceremonies were but shadowes and figures the substance and body of them as of our Sacraments now was Christ and his merits They are a shadow of things to come saith the Apostle Col 2.17 but the body is of Christ. The water of separation and all other waters wheâ—â—y the uncleane were purified under the law as well as that we use in baptisme now was a type and figure of the bloud of Christ which is said by the Prophet Zach. 13.1 to bee a fountaine opened to the house of David and to the inhabitants of Ierusalem to all the faithfull for sinne and for uncleannesse And the sprinkling of the water with hysope was a type and figure of the sprinkling and applying of the bloud of Christ to all them that are to have benefit by it Which is therefore called by the Apostle Heb. 12 24. The bloud of sprinkling So that when David prayeth here Purge me with hysope c. his meaning is as if he should have said thus Lord wash me from the filthinesse of my sinnes in thy sonnes bloud Lord sprinkle and apply that unto my conscience by thy holy spirit and then I shall bee cleane in thy sight yea not cleane onely but whiter then any snow But then yet a third Question remaineth Why did not David expresse his request in such plaine termes but thus darkly under the shaddow and veile of these legall ceremonies I answer That he did so out of these two respects 1. Out of the reverend esteeme he had of the ceremony it selfe because it was the ordinance of God 2. Because the remembrance and thinking of that ceremony was an helpe to his faith and made him the better able to conceive of the benefit he desired to receive by the bloud of Christ Namely that it was as water able to cleanse his soule from all her filthinesse and that before ever he could have benefit by it it must bee sprinkled upon his soule by the spirit of Christ as that water was wont by the priest to bee sprinkled upon the bodies of them that were to bee cleansed under the law The words being thus opened doe yeeld unto us sundry very profitable instructions Consider the verse first in the lump altogether and there be two things to be observed in it 1. The reverend account that David a great Prophet maketh of a small ceremony used under the law and the use he made of it the helpe he received by it by the washings and by the bunch of hysope they used in the sprinkling of them that were to be cleansed 2. That he understood the spirituall meaning of it and rested not in the outward ceremony in that which hee might receive from man but seeketh to God to doe his worke upon him and to bestow upon him that inward grace that was signified by this ceremony Secondly Consider this verse particularly in the severall branches of it and there be three other points to be observed in it 1. That the meanes whereby he desired and hoped to be cleansed from his sins was by washing him with water which signified the bloud of Christ. 2. That the meanes whereby this water this bloud of Christ was to be made effectuall to him was by the Lords sprinkling it upon him as with a bunch of hysope 3. The benefit he was assured he should receive by this washing and purging he should be cleane yea he should be whiter then the snow Of these points I will speake in order And first mark here That David a great Prophet esteemed reverently of and received helpe to his faith by a small ceremony appointed of God by the washings used under the law and the sprinkling with hysope that was then in use Which teacheth us That the outward helps that God hath appointed us in his worship yea the least ceremony or circumstance of his worship that he hath ordained seeme it in it selfe never so meane and of little worth may not be neglected but is reverently to bee esteemed of and observed by us Before I come to the proofe of the Doctrine two things I must premise to prevent the mistaking of it First These are not the chiefe things that God standeth upon or requireth at our hands Thou desirest not sacrifices saith David here verse 16. thou delightest not in burnt offering that is in comparison of other duties thou carest not for these things There are weightier matters in Gods law then these as our Saviour teacheth us Matth. 23.23 The piety of a Christian doth not consist chiefly in these outward things The kingdome of God is not meat and drinke saith the Apostle Rom. 14.17 18. about which much of the ceremoniall law is spent as the Apostle teacheth us Heb. 9.10 but righteousnesse and peace and joy in the Holy Ghost For he that in these things serveth Christ it acceptable unto God and approved of men Secondly If these outward things be performed never so constantly without the inward and spirituall worship of the heart they cannot please God nor doe us any good as we shall heare in the next Doctrine Nay they are most loathsome unto God as the body that hath beene most beautifull is unto a man when the life and soule is departed from it Incense is an abomination unto me saith the Lord Esa. 1.13 the new Moones and Sabbaths the calling of assemblies I cannot away with it is iniquitie even the solemne meeting as at your generall fasts and such like But though this be so yet is the Doctrine
Saviour taxeth to bee no better then grosse hypocrisy Matthew 23.23 24. 3. Lastly Such as out of ignorance and blind devotion denie unto themselves the liberties and comforts of this life that God hath allowed them To these Solomon speaketh Eccl. 7.16 Bee not righteous overmuch neither make thy selfe over wise why shouldst thou destroy thy selfe But so long as a man keepeth himselfe to the direction of the Word take heed how thou scorne him take heed how thou blame him for such precisenesse for wee are all commanded of God to bee strict and precise this way What thing soever I command you bee it great or small saith the Lord Deut. 12.32 observe to doe it thou shalt not add thereto nor diminish from it And Exod. 23.13 In all things that I have said unto you be circumspect And he instanceth in a point of strange precisenesse Make no mention of the names of other Gods neither let it be heard out of thy mouth The second use that the Doctrine serveth unto is for exhortation to perswade every one of us to a more reverent esteeme and conscionable use of the whole outward worship of God of all those exercises of religion that the Lord hath in his Word commanded or commended unto us that is to say the observation of the Sabbath hearing the Word and reading of it receiving the Sacrament singing of Psalmes all manner of prayer both publique and with our families and in secret also Of never a one of these any man can doubt but they are ordained of God and commended to his in his Word Marke how this exhortation riseth from the Doctrine If the ceremoniall worship that was to endure for a time was so much to bee regarded how much more is the morall and perpetuall worship of God to bee accounted of It is the Apostles reason 2 Corinthians 3.11 If that which is done away was glorious much more that which remaineth is glorious If wee may not neglect the least circumstance of Gods worship that hee hath given us direction for in his Word how much lesse the substanciall parts of his worship and service If I may not neglect the gesture of kneeling in prayer when I can conveniently use it then much lesse may I neglect the duty of prayer it selfe If I may not neglect the benefit of mine eye in the Sacrament but I must desire to behold and looke upon the bread and wine the breaking of it and powring of it out then much lesse may I neglect the benefit of receiving the Sacrament it selfe Foure motives I will use to enforce this exhortation upon your hearts First These duties these parts of Gods out ward worship are enjoyned us by that commandement which our Saviour Matth. 22.38 calleth the first and the great commandement 1. It is the first commandement here you must begin thou canst not make conscience aright of any of the commandements following till thou begin here and make conscience even of the outward worship of God In which respect the Lord calleth them in the reason of the second commandement Exod. 20.6 that make conscience of that commandement such as keepe his commandements 2. It is the great commandement Wee can in nothing better shew our obedience and doe our homage to God then by the diligent and conscionable use of his outward worship Secondly The Lord esteemeth of the love we beare him according to the conscience we make of the second commandement according to the account we make of his outward worship and our dependance upon his direction in it This is plaine in the reason of the second commandement Exod. 20.5 6. He calleth them that make conscience of this commandement such as love him and those that do not such as hate him Thirdly The best of us have need of every one of them Adam even in his innocency had need of the Sabbath Gen. 2.3 The King saith the Lord Deut. 17.19 must read the Word daily and had need so to do as appeareth by the reason of that commandement there Daniel had need to pray every day Dan. 6.10 And how much more then have we Fourthly Thou shalt certainely receive good by them if thou use them conscionably 1. Good in thy soule for which they were chiefly ordained 1 by keeping the Sabbath Esa. 58.13 14. 2 by hearing Esa. 55.3 3 by reading Deut. 17.19 4 by receiving 1 Cor. 10.16 5 by prayer Phil. 4.6.7 6 by singing of Psalmes Ephes. 5.19 20. 2. Good even in thine outward estate The arke brought a blessing upon the house of Obed-Edom 2 Sam. 6.11 12. The true worship of God used in it strengthened Rehoboams kingdome 2 Chron. 11.17 The Sabbath shall be a blessing to all that keepe it conscionably and no curse Exod. 20.11 See what a promise God maketh to watch over their families that worship him Exodus 34.24 On the other side thou hast no cause to expect his blessing but his curse upon all thou hast if thou neglect his outward worship Exod. 5.3 Let us sacrifice lest he fall upon us with pestilence or with the sword Lecture CXVI On Psalme 51.7 April 21. 1629. IT followeth now that wee proceed unto the second of those generall points that I told you were to bee observed out of the whole verse that is to say That David did understand the meaning of these legall washings and sprinklings that hee alludeth to and mentioneth here hee knew what was signified by them and knowing that in those ceremoniall washings there was not only an outward and materiall element of water used but also an inward and spirituall grace represented and signified by it and that in those ceremoniall sprinklings with hysope there was not only an outward action and worke to be done by man but an inward worke also to be done by the Lord himselfe he rested not in that which was outward and touched the body onely but seeketh for that inward grace that was signified by it as appeareth by this that he beggeth of God that he would purge and wash him that he would do that worke upon his soule which was signified by this ceremony Purge thou mee with hysope saith he and I shall be cleane wash thou me and I shall be whiter then the snow And from this point thus observed in the Text this Doctrine ariseth for our instruction That Gods people must labour to understand what they doe in every part of Gods worship and not rest in the outward worke but strive to feele the inward vertue and power of it and to find God doing his worke upon them in every one of his ordinances Two branches you see there are of this Doctrine which we wil handle distinctly and in order First We must labour to understand every thing that wee doe in the service of God This God required of his people even under the Law Though that were a time of farre lesse light then the Gospell the law had but a shadow of good things
to come as the Apostle speaketh Hebrewes 10.1 yet even then God would have his people to understand what they did in his service even in his ceremoniall worship Therefore he did not onely command the Levites to teach the children of Israel all his statutes and to instruct them in the meaning of them Levit. 10.11 but he laid this charge also upon every parent to teach their children the meaning of the whole service of the passeover and of all the rites and ceremonies used in it Exodus 12.26 27. and of the law of offering unto God the first borne of every thing Exodus 13.14 and generally the meaning of all other the ceremoniall lawes as well as of the morall and judiciall Deut. 6.20 The children should aske and the parents should teach them the reason and the meaning of every thing that was done in Gods service But this is much more required of Gods people in the morall worship that wee understand what wee doe in it specially now under the Gospell wherein the Lord requireth more knowledge of his people then hee did under the law and of which times hee did foretell Esa. 11.9 That the earth should bee filled with the knowledge of God Therefore the Apostle alluding to the ceremoniall worship which consisted chiefly in sacrifices and burnt offerings and opposing the morall worship of God under the Gospell unto it Rom. 12.1 teacheth us that the onely sacrifice and service that is now acceptable unto God is our reasonable service that is such service as is done unto him with reason and understanding See the necessity of this in six severall parts of Gods morall worship First The reading of the Word will doe us no good though wee use it never so constantly if we doe it as a stinted taske that wee have set to our selves unlesse we be carefull to mark and understand what we read True it is no man must be discouraged from reading the Scriptures because he cannot understand every thing that he readeth For 1 even little children are to bee trained up in the reading of them as is plaine in the example of Timothy of whom it is said 2 Tim. 3.15 that from a child he had knowne the holy Scriptures And 2 that which wee read though wee understand it not for the present yet the very acquainting of our selves with the letter of the Scriptures by continuall reading or hearing of them read unto us may be of great use to us hereafter as it is plaine by the Apostles putting him in mind of it in that place that Timothies reading of the Word in his child-hood was a great meanes to further him in the knowledge of the Word afterward and to confirme him in the truth But yet this is certaine our reading of the Word will doe us no good unlesse wee endeavour to marke and understand what wee read Even children should bee taught according as their capacity serveth to marke and understand what they read Traine up a child saith the wisedome of God Proverbs 22.6 in his way that is in his kind and according to his capacity and when hee is old hee will not depart from it As if shee had said Hee will be the better for it while he liveth This necessity of understanding what we read if we would please God in this duty of his service or doe our selves any good by it is plaine by two places of the holy Scriptures 1. By that which is said Neh. 8. â— 3. of them to whom Ezra was carefull to read the law He brought the law before the congregation both of men and women and all that could heare with understanding and read therein before the men and the women and all that could understand Marke how he repeateth this twice He judged that their comming together to the publique reading of the Word would neither please God nor doe themselves any good unlesse they could understand what was read The second place is that speach of Philip to the noble Eunuch Acts 8.30 when hee heard him reading in private a Chapter of the Prophet Esay Vnderstandest thou what thou readest saith he As if he should say To what purpose readest thou if thou be not carefull to understand what thou readest Secondly The hearing of the Word preached though wee seeme to love it never so well though we take never so much paines for it will doe us no good unlesse we heare with understanding Hearken unto me every one of you and understand saith our Saviour to his hearers Mar. 7.14 And after he had preached his manner was to examine his Disciples whether they understood that which he had taught Matth. 13.51 Have ye understood all these things Yea hee had so pressed upon them the necessity of this to seeke to understand whatsoever they had heard him teach that if they had heard anything that seemed harsh unto them or that they could not understand they durst not murmur or take offence at it running away with their owne sense and leave hearing of him as a teacher of absurd things as some other of his hearers did Iohn 6.66 and as many doe now a daies but held themselves bound if they could not be resolved by conference among themselves to goe unto him and desire him to make his meaning plainer unto them And this wee shall find they did oftentimes Matth. 13.36.17.10.19.10 and in other places They knew well as our Saviour had taught them in the parable of the sower Matth. 13.19 that of all kind of hearers those senslesse wretches that are like to the high way and understand not what they heare are most uncapable of receiving good by the Word and that Satan of all others hath most power over them Thirdly The Sacraments can doe us no good unlesse wee come to them and use them with understanding I speake not now of infants to whom the Sacrament belongs though void of understanding for the present but of men of ripe yeeres Therefore it is Gods ordinance that before the Sacraments bee administred unto any people they should first be instructed by the ministery of the Word Goe and teach all nations saith our Saviour Matth. 28.19 baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Sonne and of the Holy Ghost As if he had said First teach them before you doe administer the Sacraments unto them Therefore also we shall find that Iohn the Baptist before he baptized any first preaâ—hed unto them He preached the baptisme of repentace as the Evaâ—gelist saith Mar. 1.4 And when the Disciples came together at Troaâ— upon the first day of the weeke the Lords day of purpose to breake bread to administer the communion Acts 20.7 yet did not Paul administer the communion till he â—e had first preached unto them Fourthly We cannot please God in our prayers nor receive any good by them unlesse we be first instructed how to pray unlesse we can pray with understanding As no man can receive good by joyning with me in prayer
as the Holy Ghost witnesseth Mar. 6 5. how can I ever hope to obtaine mercy and assurance of favour from God this way To this I answer First Thou maist notwithstanding thine infidelity so long as the infidelity that is in thee raigneth not but thou discernest bewailest and strivest against it David had doubting and feare and infidelity in him when he cryed Psal. 13.1 How long wilt thou forget me O Lord For ever How long wilt thou hide thy face from me And yet even then he trusted in Gods mercy and hoped to recover assurance of his favour that way as appeareth by his words in the fift verse And when I am afraid saith he Psal. 56 â— when I am disquieted with feares and doubts of any kind I will trust in thee So Psal. 143.7 8. he professeth that when his spirit faâ—led when his spirit was overwhelmed and his heart within him was desolate as he had said before Verse 4. and consequently when he had much infidelity in him yet even then he did trust in God anâ— lifted up his soule unto him And was not the poore woman that had the bloudy issue Luke 8.47 troubled much with doubts and feares and infidelity when yet notwithstanding she did trust and looke to receive mercy and helpe through the free goodnesse of God in Christ. Secondly Though thou feele thy selfe never so unable through thy infidelity to cast thy selfe upon the free grace and mercy of God in Christ yet if thou can bewaile and be soundly humbled for thy infidelity God will make thee able to do it For he hath promised to give grace even this as well as any other to the humble Iam. 4.6 He will keep thee from sinking under and being overcome of thy infidelity And Gods people have never found him readier to shew them mercy this way that when they have felt most weakenesse and infidelity in themselves When the Apostle had been pressed out of measure above his strength as he speaketh 2 Cor. 1.8 9 and had the sentence of death in himselfe God sustained and delivered him and that for this very cause as he saith to teach us that we should not trust in our selves but in God which raiseth the dead which causeth him to professe 2 Cor. 12.10 When I am weak then am I strong He never felt Gods strength more in supporting him and keeping him from sinking under the burden of any tentation than when he found his own weaknesse and readinesse to sink most of all Now to make some application of this we shall find that many of Gods people do greatly offend in this point For they make that inherent grace which they find in themselves the onely ground of all their comfort and assurance of Gods favour while they discerne that in themselves they are quiet and comfortable when they cannot they are utterly out of hope Two evills they commit in this one against themselves another against the Lord. First resting upon that grace they find in themselves and so trusting in their owne heart they leane upon a bruised reed that may and will deceive them Their owne spirit may faile them and be overwhelmed as we have heard David complained that it was with him Psal. 143.4 7. Though that grace that is in them if ever it were in them in truth do not utterly faile yet their heart and spirit the knowledge and feeling of that grace they have may quite faile them for a time This made David say as he doth Psal. 73.26 My flesh and my heart faileth but God is the strength of my heart and my portion for ever Make God himselfe thy rock and portion the onely ground of all thy hope and comfort and he will never faile though thine own flesh and heart do Secondly In doing thus we make an idoll of that inherent grace that is in us and putting that trust in it which we should repose in the Lord alone we commit idolatry we go a whoring after our owne hearts as the Lord speaketh Num. 15.39 For no inherent grace that is in us is God but the gift of God only and therefore cannot be fully trusted in without sinne Let us therefore learne to praise God for any grace he hath wrought in us by his holy Spirit yea let us take comfort in it as in a fruit of his eternall and unchangeable love but let us not so rest upon it as to make it the onely or chiefe ground of our hope and comfort but learne to renounce our selves and all confidence in any goodnesse that is in us and with humbled soules cast our selves wholly upon the free grace and mercy of God in Christ and say with the Apostle Phil. 3.3 We are the circumcision which rejoyce in the Lord Iesus and have no confidence in the flesh Lecture CXXVII On Psalme 51.7 Septem 1. 1629. NOw the third and last use that this Doctrine serveth unto is as I said for the comfort of such of Gods people as though they feare God unfainedly and are carefull in all their wayes to please him yet complaine greatly of this that they cannot feele that the bloud of Christ is by the Spirit of God sprinkled upon their hearts they cannot attaine unto this sensible assurance of the favour of God in Christ. And though 1 I know well that in this profane and loose age few have need of this use of comfort because most men are confident enough of their salvation they are not troubled at all with any doubts or feares his way and the whole have no need of a Physician Matth. 9.12 Doctrine of humiliation and terrour were fitter for most of our hearers than Doctrine of comfort The fat and strong among Gods sheepe should be fed with judgement as the Lord speaketh Ezek. 34.16 Yea 2 I know well that some will be more likely to receive hurt than good by that which you shall now heare For Christ and the Doctrine of Gods mercy in him is a stumbling stone and rock of offence to disobedient and wicked men as the Apostle teacheth us 1 Pet. 2.8 And 3. though in handling of the meanes whereby true assurance may be obtained I have spoken much already for the comfort of such persons Yet have I two reasons why I dare not omit this use of comfort First Because I doubt not but there are some of you that heare me have present need of it And if there were but two or three such among you all I am bound in my ministery to have more respect unto them then to all the rest For to such principally are we sent to preach Hee hath sent me saith our Saviour Esa. 61 1 2. and that which hee that is the great Shepheard of the sheepe said it becommeth us all that are under him tâ— say likewise hee hath sent mee saith he to bind up the broken hearted and to comfort all that mourne in Sion Secondly Because though there be many of you that have not present need
second commandement Exodus 20.5 6. Where the Lord calleth them that will observe that commandement and will worship him onely according to his owne direction and not after the will and inventions of men which is indeed the very summe of all that that God requireth of us in that commandement he calleth them I say such as love him and promiseth to shew mercy unto them even unto the thousand generation And on the other side he calleth the transgressours of that commandement such as dote on will-worship and on that service that is done unto him according to the inventions of men he calleth them I say such as hate him and threatneth to visit that sinne of the fathers upon the children to the third and fourth generation Yea the Lord hath so farre forth liked this sticking to the purity of his worship and refusing to admit any mixture of humane corruptions with it in any man where he hath seene it that he hath beene wont to reward it even in them that have beene no better than hypocrites For this we have a plaine proofe in two notable examples first of Rehoboam and then in his sonne Abijah after him Of Rehoboam we read 2 Chronicles 11.17 that so long as hee walked in the wayes of David and Salomon that is maintained the purity of Gods worship and received no mixture of idolatry with it he was strong and prospered And of Abijah it is said 2 Chron. 13.9 1â— that in the great battell hee fought against Ieroboam hee grounded his hope of victory on nothing so much as this that Ieroboam had corrupted Gods worship so had not be but he had maintained the pure worship of God which he had in his Word prescribed without any mixture or corruption at all And accordingly God gave him a wonderfull victory and the kingdome prospered under him all his dayes as you shall find from Vers. 17. to the end of that Chapter And yet if you look into 1 King 15.3 you shall see that neither of these two men was any better than an hypocrite And on the other side for a man to hate all idolatry and every thing that belongeth to it or proceedeth from it is not to be blamed as a fault in any man nay it is a very good thing and highly pleasing unto God You shall see this made evident unto you out of Gods Word in foure particulars First Sundry worthy men are highly commended of God for it Three onely I will name unto you of whom no doubt can bee made but they were all most worthy and holy men The first is Moses of whom wee read Exodus 32.20 that hee tooke the golden calfe which Aaron and the people had made and burnt it in the fire and ground it to powder and strawed it upon the water and made the Israelites to drinke it The second is of Iosiah of whom we read 2 King 23.4 6. that he burnt the very vessels that were made for Baal and the grove and stamped it to powder and cast the powder thereof upon the graves of the idolaters And this zealous hatred he shewed not against the monuments of that idolatry onely that had beene committed in the worship of false gods but even against the monuments also of Ieroboams idolatry which was committed in the false worship of the true God as you shall see Ver. 15. Moreover the altar that was at Bethel c. And thirdly of Hezekiah we read 2 King 18.4 that he did more than so and is highly commended of God for it For he did not only remove the high places and break the images and cut down the groves but he brake also in peeces the brazen serpent which Moses had made and called it in scorne and contempt Nehushtan a piece of brasse and all because the people had burnt incense unto it they had abused it unto idolatry And why did they thus Might not these goodly images have beene retained still for the adorning and beautifying of the Temple Might not the matter of them and of the vessels that were used in the service of idols being doubtlesse many of them of gold and silver as is plaine Deut. 7.25 and the wood and timber of the groves have beene reserved and put to some good use must they needs thus be burnt and stamped into powder Alas what hurt was there would a naturall man say in the images or groves specially in the gold or silver or wood of them All the hurt was in them that did abuse them to idolatry in the things themselves there was no hurt at all But specially what reason had Hezechiah to use the brasen Serpent so that was first of divine institution and might have beene profitably retained one would have thought for historicall use to keepe in remembrance the better that wonderfull worke of God in curing his people that had been stung with fiery Serpents by looking up unto it Surely besides other reasons that concerned them especially both Moses Iosiah and Hezekiah did this to shew their detestation to idolatry and thought they could never have shewed their detestation to it sufficiently if they had not done thus And see how highly the Holy Ghost commendeth Hezekiah upon this very occasion and for this thing Vers. 5 6 of that Chapter Why but you will say may things that are of divine institution as the brazen Serpent was be rejected by us because Idolaters have abused them I answer No if by divine institution they be to continue and remaine We may like never the worse of the Word or Sacraments because Popish Idolaters do abuse them both While that divine cure was to be done upon Gods people that were stung with fiery serpents the brazen serpent was by divine institution a holy and sacred thing After that time there was not by divine institution any holinesse in it at all If God had after that ordained that it should be kept though but for historicall use as he did for the pot of Mannah Exodus 16.33 and for Aarons rod Numbers 17.10 Hezekiah would not have broken it to peeces though the people had abused it to superstition and idolatry never so much he would have shewed his detestation to their Idolatry some other way It had beene indeed long retained in the Church even from the dayes of Moses untill Hezekiaâ—s time as a monument of Gods mercy to his people but without any such commandement of God as the other were and therefore when it became a stumbling block and occasion of idolatry it was lawfully removed Secondly God hath in his Word commanded his people to shew this detestation unto idolatry This commandement we have Deut. 7.25 26. where the Lord not onely commandeth his people to burne the silver and golden images of their gods and chargeth them to take heed of desiring any of that silver or of that gold or of bringing any of it into their houses but he giveth this for the reason Thou shalt utterly detest
see What for all men May we pray for professed idolaters and enemies to the religion of God Yes even for idolaters and enemies to the Gospell and for worse than them too if worse can be We may pray for any wicked man excepting him onely that hath committed the sinne against the Holy Ghost There is a sinne unto death saith the Apostle 1 Ioh. 5.16 I do not say that any man shall pray for it that is for the pardon of that sinne But that sinne no blinde idolater certainely specially none that hath beene borne and bred in idolatry can possibly have committed Moses being required so to do prayed even for Pharaoh yea he prayed oft for him as we may read Exodus 8.12.30 9.33 10.18 So did the man of God also for Ieroboam a grosse idolater 1 Kings 13.6 And Stephen of his owne accord though he were not required to doe it prayed for them that stoned him Acts 7.60 Said I we may pray for idolaters Nay we must pray for them specially if they be such as God hath placed in any degree of preheminence over us we sinne if we doe it not See two expresse commandements of God for this one in the Old Testament another in the New What more grosse idolaters were there ever in the world both for Prince and subjects than the Babylonians were at that time when Gods people lived in captivity under them Yet were they expresly commanded to pray even for them Ier. 29.7 Seeke the peace of the city saith the Lord whither I have caused you to be carried away captives and pray unto the Lord for it And were there ever more foule idolaters than the Roman Emperours were in the dayes of the Apostles And yet God giveth an expresse commandement 1 Timothy 2.1 that in all Church-meetings there should be first and principall care taken for this that supplications prayers intercessions and giving of thankes might bee made as for all other men so specially for kings and all that are in authority Three things are to be observed in this commandement First That whereas the former commandement seemeth to reach no further than unto temporall blessings that Gods people were to begge of God for Babylon as did also Moses his prayer for Pharaoh and that of the man of God for Ieroboam in this wee are charged to pray for the conversion of idolatrous Princes and for the salvation of them Secondly That this is given for a reason why we should pray for them That wee may live a quiet and a peaceable life in all godlinesse and honesty As if hee had said If Gods people can by their prayers prevaile for the conversion of such as are in authority these three benefits will bee obtained by it First The Church shall enjoy more peace by this meanes Secondly Honesty that is justice and equity and fidelity in the civill conversation of men wil be the better preserved Thirdly Godlinesse true piety and religion will prosper the better by this means When Kings and Queens are converted they will become nursing fathers and nursing mothers to the Church as the Lord promiseth Esa. 49.23 And therefore we are bound first of all and above all others to pray heartily to God for their conversion Thirdly Lastly Another reason is to be observed which the Apostle giveth for this Vers. 3 4. For this is good and acceptable saith he in the sight of God our Saviour who will have all men that is of all sorts of men Gentiles as well as Iewes Kings and Princes as well as men of meaner condition though this may seeme never so unlikely a thing unto you because ye see none such converted hitherto yet be not out of hope of it God will have of them also some to be saved and to come unto the knowledge of the truth As if he should say These Princes as bad as they be now may belong to Gods election for ought you know and certainly some such as they are heathen and idolatrous Princes are in Gods eternall counsell ordained to salvation And who knoweth whether you prayers be not also ordained to be the meanes whereby it shall be procured Therefore pray for them saith he And out of doubt there is great cause to hope that our superiours who are yet in errour might be sooner reclaimâ—d and such of them also that do professe the truth might become more religious and zealous than they are if Gods people could according to their bounden duty pray more fervently unto God for them than they do And thus must we try the truth of our charity by the love we beare unto all men If we beare not such a love as this is unto all men certainly our charity is not such as it ought to be Secondly We must make tryall of our charity by the love we beare unto them that have wronged us and are our enemies Know this therefore beloved that thou art bound to love thine enemy yea every enemy of thiâ—e how much soever or in what kind soever he hath wronged thee thou art bound to love him and if thou canst not doe this thou hast no true charity and consequently thou hast not the Spirit of Christ in thee I say unto you saith our Saviour speaking of and describing true love Mat. 5.44 45. love your enemies that you may be that is that you may know your selves to be the children of your father which is in heaven As if he had said you can never be assured that you are Gods children till you can do this Now that we may the better understand and be affected with this point I will shew you more particularly what a manner of love God requireth of us towards our enemies in these eight degrees First We may not revenge nor so much as purpose with our selves or desire to be revenged of any enemy we have for any wrong that he hath done unto us Dearely beloved saith the Apostle Rom. 12.19 avenge not your selves but rather give place unto wrath As if he had said Let God alone with that for it is written Vengeance is mine I will repay saith the Lord. Say not saith Salomon Prov. 24.29 that is purpose not nor resolve with thy selfe thus I will do so to him as he hath done unto me As if he should say I will do him no wrong and so long as I do him no wrong I hope I cannot be blamed I will render to the man according to his worke Why what wrong is there in that Is not this a most just and equall thing to render to every man according to his worke I answer That in the Lord himselfe it is indeed so and in the Magistrate which is Gods deputy it is so too but in a private man it is not so it is a wrong it is wickednesse for him to doe it because he usurpeth Gods office Nay it were unjustice even in a Magistrate to revenge his owne private wrong Feare not saith Ioseph to his brethren Genes
build thy faith and Religion upon this foundation thou art sure enough But yet there is another doubt apt to rise in your mindes and you will aske me this third and last question How can I be certaine that that which I hold in Religion is grounded upon the holy Scripture rightly understood The Scripture is obscure and hard to be understood and all religions Papists and Pelagians and Anabaptists all do alledge Scripture for that that they hold To this I answer First that there are indeed some things in the holy scriptures hard to be understood as the Apostle saith 2 Pet. 3.16 there are in that Epistle that Paul wrote unto the Hebrewes Secondly there is nothing no one Article of faith so plainly set downe in the holy Scripture but wrangling and prophane wits have beene apt to pervert and wrest the words to a quite contrary sense unto that that the Holy Ghost intended You shall see the Prophet Ieremy 23.36 charge the Prophets and Priests of his time with this and I pray you marke how emphatically he expresseth the heinousnesse of this their sinne Ye have perverted saith he the words of the living God of the Lord of hosts our God But yet for all this every point of Religion the knowledge whereof is necessary to the salvation of Gods people is so plainly expressed and taught in the holy Scripture in one place or other that not only learned men but the simpliest Christian may clearely understand it and be undoubtedly certaine that it is indeed the infallible truth of God I pray you marke the proofe of this point in five dgrees First in all these necessary points of Religion the Scripture is in it selfe most cleare and lightsome The Commandement is a lamp saith Salomon Prov. 6.23 and the law is light Yea the Apostle calls the very Scripture of the old Testament which yet was much darker then the new is 2 Pet. 1.19 a light that shineth in a darke place Secondly It is not only lightsome in it selfe as you know the Sun is though they that are blinde have no benefit by it but it doth also give light unto us and make us who are all of us blinde by nature able to see clearely the true meaning of it This is therefore noted to expresse the divine excellency of it Psal. 19.8 The Commandement of the Lord is pure enlightning the eyes It giveth light and sight to the eyes of Gods people that were dimme and blind before Thirdly It is not only lightsome and cleere in all these necessary points of Religion to Schollers and learned men but even to the simpliest Christian that brings a good heart to the reading and hearing of it Psal. 119.130 The entrance into the word giveth light Marke it is not only light but it giveth light yea so soone as a man with a good heart is entred into it he shall receive that light by it But to whom gives it this light It giveth understanding to the simple Fourthly what kinde and measure of understanding will the Scriptures give to them that with honest hearts will exercise themselves in it Surely a cleere a certaine and undoubted knowledge My people they that belong to me my elect saith the Lord Esa. 52.6 shall know my name my word and will they shall know in that day that I am he that doth speake behold it is I. The sheepe of Christ know his voice Ioh. 10.4 they understand his language well and understand his meaning too You know the truth saith the Apostle 1 Ioh. 2.21 not to the clergy but even to the meanest Christian such as Verse 18. he had called little children you know the truth saith he and that no lye is of the truth The meanest Christian being one of Gods elect and having a good heart may clearely understand the Scriptures in those points that are necessary unto salvation and attaine to a certaine knowledge of them as the Apostle saith of the Thessalonians 1 Thes. 1.5 that the word came unto them and was received by them in much assurance Fifthly and lastly The Lord hath so revealed his will in his holy Word that an unlearned man that feareth God and hath a good heart may in these necessary points understand the Scriptures better more feelingly and effectually and attaine to more certainty of knowledge in them then the greatest Schollar in the world with all the helpes of art and learning and interpreters that he hath shall doe if hee want grace For so stands the promise Psal. 25.12 What man is hee that feareth the Lord Him shall hee teach in the way that he shall choose If any man will doe his will and resolve to practice what he knoweth saith our Saviour Ioh. 7.17 he shall know of the doctrine concerning the Doctrine which I teach whether it be of God or whether I speake of my selfe So that to conclude my answer to this third and last question let no man pretend for his profane ignorance and unsetlednesse in the matters of religion the obscurity of the holy Scriptures or say thus in his heart I meane well and I will do well and I will hope well but I will never trouble my braines with the matter of religion to that side that I see to be strongest and that the times shall favour most I will most incline but to attaine to any setled judgement in these matters I need not I cannot Our Preachers and learned men cannot agree about points of religion and I am glad with all my heart that it is so for that will be a good excuse for me I hope Let no man I say please himselfe in these conceits For thou hast heard that the Scripture is not so obscure in these necessary points as thou wouldst faine have it to be but if thou hadst any true feare of God in thee if thou didst belong to God thou mightest clearely and certainly know the truth And it is a more fearefull signe against thee than thou art aware of that the Word of God is so obscure to thee that thou canst attaine to no certainty of knowledge in the matters of religion by it To them that are without that belong not to Gods kingdome saith our Saviour Mar. 4.11 all these things are done in parables All the Doctrines of Gods Word are parables and hidden mysteries to them that are without and shall never go to heaven And now having removed these doubts and taken away these stumbling blocks out of your way I will come to the proofe and confirmation of the Doctrine that I propounded That he that hath the Spirit of Christ will be constant in the religion of Christ he will firmly cleave to the truth that he hath learned out of Gods Word Two evident proofes I will give you for this and then I will shew the reason and ground of it for so must I lay the foundation of that application and use that we must make of this so necessary a truth to be insisted
true Religion is a sure argument that he hath indeed the Spirit of Christ and that that may give him great comfort in his estate Lecture CXLV On Psalme 51.7 August 16. 1631. IT followeth now that we proceed to the reasons and grounds of this point shew you why it must needs be so that he that hath the Spirit of Christ is constant in his religion he cannot be like the reed shaken with the wind variable and wavering in his religion nor apt to be drawn away by any means from the truth that he hath learned and received from the Word of God Two evident reasons there be for this 1. The Spirit of Christ wheresoever it dwels will teach and perswade the conscience effectually in the truth of God 2. He that is taught his religion by the Spirit of God will certainly be constant in it The first reason because it is of great importance and concernes the maine ground of that certainty that any of Gods people have in their faith and religion I will distinctly and plainely for the helpe of your understanding and memory declare and confirme unto you in six severall propositions and then I will answer the maine objection that is made against it First the Lord hath promised that he will by his holy Spirit instruct and teach his people in the way to life See this promise Ioh. 14.26 The comforter which is the Holy Ghost saith our blessed Saviour whom my father will send in my name through my merit and mediation he shall teach you all things All things he meanes that are necessary unto your salvation for you to know and to be perswaded of And if any man shall say as the Papist doth tush this promise was made to the Apostles onely who represented the whole Church of Christ and that therefore from hence it may be well concluded indeed that to the whole representative Church in a generall Councell lawfully assembled the Spirit is promised to teach and guide them infallibly in all things but can every private man or woman conclude from hence that the Spirit of God will teach them all things I answer That though these words were spoken to the Apostles onely for they were spoken in that Sermon our Saviour made at his last Supper where none were present but they yet doth it not follow from thence that they were spoken of the Apostles onely as not concerning any other but them for there were many things spoken in that Sermon that do undoubtedly concerne all the faithfull as much as them viz. that which is in Chap. 13.34 â—5 14.21 23 24. 15.1 10. 16.23 24. But for further answer unto this I add this second proposition That the promise is made not unto the Apostles and Teachers of the Church onely but unto all the faithfull All thy children saith the Lord to his Church to his Catholique Church the whole company of his elect and called ones Esa. 54.13 all thy children shall be taught of the Lord. And our Saviour citing this place Iohn 6.45 delivers the promise in these generall termes It is written in the Prophets saith he and they shall be all taught of God He is then no member of the Catholike Church out of which as out of Noahs Ark there can be no salvation hee is none of Gods elect that in the matters of his religion hath no other teacher then man that is not therein taught of God and instructed by his holy spirit Ye have an unction saith the Apostle in his generall Epistle that he wrote to all the faithfull 1 Iohn 2.20 Yea even to such among them as verse 18. he calls little children the weakest and meanest of all the faithfull ye have an unction from that holy one saith he even unto them and know all things that is ye have received from Christ the Holy Ghost the Comforter and hee hath taught you and instructed you in all things that are necessary to the salvation of your soules for you to know and to be instructed in Thirdly Of all the workes of the spirit of God in the soule of man this is the first and principall to inlighten the mind and to give a man a good understanding and judgement in those things that concerne his salvation As light was the first of all Gods workes in the Creation of the world Gen. 1.3 so is it also in the new creation Be ye transformed saith the Apostle Romanes 12. â— by the renewing of your mind So soone as a man is transformed and hath that blessed change wrought in him his minde will bee renewed and his judgement cleered in spirituall things When their heart turneth unto the Lord saith hee 2 Cor. 3 16. so soone as a man is once converted by the spirit of God the vaile that darkned the understanding and kept a man from seeing and discerning the things of God shall bee taken away That man whom Gods spirit hath not enlightned to see the truth in some comfortable measure in the matter of religion that is ignorant therein or hath no knowledge but such as he hath received by tradition from men had never any other teacher then man holds nothing in religion but humanafide upon that credit that hee gives unto man it is the religion of the time of the state and countrey hee lives in it is that which he knowes many learned and good men doe teach and hold and therefore hee holdeth and professeth it but he was never inwardly and firmely perswaded in his conscience of these things that man certainely never had the spirit of Christ It cannot be idle wheresoever it is it will be working and if it have not renewed thy mind and judgement if it have not taught instructed thee which is the right way to heaven which is the true religion it never had any work in thy heart at all thou hast certainely no one work of saving and sanctifying grace wrought in thy soule Fourthly The knowledge that this heavenly teacher worketh in us is a cleare and certaine knowledge And even as Gods people when the spirit of God spake unto them in visions and dreames and other extraordinary revelations were undoubtedly certaine of that that he revealed unto them they needed not the testimony of the Church to assure them that it was indeed the will of God that was so revealed unto them If Abraham had not beene undoubtedly certaine of that he would never have beene so ready as hee was Gen. 22.2 3. to sacrifice his own sonne Neither would Ioseph being a just man have taken Mary his wife after she was found with child as he did Matth. 1.20 24. nor would he have taken her and our blessed Lord immediatly after he arose by night and have fled into Egypt as he did Mat. 2.13 14. if hee had not been certainely assured that that was the will of God that was so revealed to him the spirit spake expresly in those cases as the Apostle teacheth us 1 Tim. 4.1 So
gives to know his Elect by Iohn 10.5 a stranger one that brings new and strange Doctrine other Doctrine then such as their shepheard doth teach they will not follow but will flee from him Lest they should follow him and bee mislead by him they will flee from him if they should not flee from him they feare they might bee seduced by him Yea though Timothy was himselfe a preacher and a man of rare and excellent gifts too yet the Apostle forbids him to reason much with wrangling spirits and such as would use their wits to dispute against the truth Perverse disputings saith hee 1 Timothy 6.5 of men of corrupt mindes and destitute of the truth From such withdraw thy selfe And if such a man might not bee allowed to reason much with heretickes nor to delight to heare what they could say against the truth and for their errours how much lesse may a private Christian bee allowed to doe thus Say not I shall by hearing and reading what they say discerne the absurdity of their opinions the better and bee confirmed in the truth For first This is not the meane that God hath sanctified to confirme his people in the truth but expressely forbidden it as you have heard heare them not saith hee avoid them flee from them Secondly The way that God hath sanctified to confirme thee in the truth sufficiently and abundantly is the sound ministery of his Word Paul and Barnabas by their preaching confirmed the soules of the Disciples Act. 14 21 22. And Paul sent Timothy by his ministery and preaching to establish the Thessalonians 1 Thess. 3.2 Thirdly This will be a meane to weaken thee rather and breed doubts in thee and pervert thee then to confirme thee in the truth Remember what Eve got by giving her selfe liberty to conferre and reason with the Serpent specially when she was alone yet was she then in the state of innocency Gen. 3.1 2. If thou wilt needs heare and read what such men can say bee sure thou have some with thee that is able to detect and confirme thee against their errours Neither say secondly But I know my selfe to bee so setled in the truth that nothing they can say against it shall bee able to move mee but I shall bee rather able to convince them For first Many that oppose the truth and teach errour are full of sleight and cunning craftinesse as the Apostle speaketh Ephes. 4.14 and will speake with farre greater probability and shew of reason then thou art aware of Secondly Heresies are workes of the flesh as the Apostle teacheth us Galathians 5.20 and therefore wee are all by nature much more apt and enclined to receive any heresy then the truth No tow no tinder is apter to take the fire then wee are to receive errour Thirdly Of the Minister of God it is indeed required that hee should bee able by sound Doctrine to convince the gainesayers Titus 1.9 hee hath a calling unto it and therefore hee may safely so farre as the necessity of the Church shall require it heare and read what they can say for themselves For while we walke in any of our waies that God hath appointed us to walke in wee have a promise of protection from God Psalme 91.11 Hee will give his Angels charge over us to keepe us in all our waies But of every private Christian God requireth not this that hee should bee able to convince the gaine-sayer and answer all his cavills they have no calling unto it and therefore cannot expect the like protection from God to bee kept from taking hurt by it Fourthly and lastly Thou hast just cause to feare that because thou presuming upon thine owne strength dost willfully disobey his commandement who hath forbidden thee to heare them commanded thee to avoid them to flee from them God will leave thee and suffer thee either to bee corrupted or unsetled in thy judgement by them Take Salomon for an example of this who because hee did contrary to the commandement of God presume upon his owne understanding and strength hee was so forsaken of God that every one of his strange wives corrupted him in his judgement and drew him to approve of and practise their severall idolatries 1 Kings 11.8 And certainely many now adaies are daily either altogether corrupted or made unsetled in religion by their voluntary and needlesse reasoning with and reading the bookes of Papists and other hereticks To conclude therefore this first direction Bee not so desirous to heare what such men can say but rather as our Saviour Matth. 10.16 commands us to be wise as Serpents learne that wisedome of the Serpent which the Prophet speaketh of Psalme 58.4 5. Stop thine eare and hearken not to the voice of these charmers charme they never so wisely The second direction of the first kind is this If thou do desire to be constant in thy religiō to keep thy self from being corrupted in thy judgemēt that way take heed of affecting in religiō the knowledge of intricate curious unprofitable things There is a desire of knowledg that is most necessary such as al Gods people are to be exhorted unto and there is a desire of knowledge that is most dangerous and which we must warne you all to beware of Concerning the former First It is certaine that whatsoever God hath hath revealed in his Word as it doth concerne all so all Gods people may and should desire to attaine unto the knowledge of it Nay there is not a Chapter not a verse in all the holy Bible but every one of Gods people might make a profitable use of it if the fault or defect were not in himselfe The things revealed saith Moses Deut. 29.29 belong unto us and to our children for ever that we may doe all the words of this law There is no part of Gods revealed will but it would further us in our obedience to God if we understood it as we ought to doe Rom. 15.4 Whatsoever things were written aforetime in the Old Testament and then much more in the New were written for our learning that we through patience and comfort in the Scriptures might have hope Whatsoever is written in the holy Scriptures would further us in our faith and increase our patience and comfort and hope in all our afflictions if we did understand it aright Secondly No man ought to envy unto the people of God any measure or degree of knowledge in the holy Scriptures that they are able to attaine unto but desire and rejoyce in it rather Wee doe not cease to pray for you saith the Apostle Col. 1.9 and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will Nay though any of our people should equall our selves who are their teachers in the knowledge of the Word and be able to discerne when any of us teach unsoundly or mistake the meaning of the Scripture or play the trevants study not for our Sermons but doe the worke of the Lord
faithfull Iewes that had beene before much offended with Peter for going unto Cornelius heard of the fruit and successe of his Ministery there it is said Acts 11.18 That they hâ—ld their peace and glorified God saying then hath God also to the Gentiles granted repentance unto life Though we know that the Iewes naturally fretted at nothing so much as this to heare that the Gentiles should become Gods people as every naturall man doth to see others more Religious then him selfe yet the Iewes that were converted joyed greatly in this When Paul and Barnabas Acts 15.3 declared to them the conversion of the Gentiles they caused great joy unto all the brethren He that hath any grace in his owne heart will joy in the conversion of others And on the other side he that hath the spirit of Christ in him cannot choose but grieve to see how unfruitful the Gospel is in most places how little power it hath in the hearts of men This the Prophet foretold Esa. 53.1 should be the complaint and lamentation of the Ministers of the Gospell and daily experience proves it to be so Who hath beleeved our report and to whom is the arme of the Lord revealed And of our blessed Saviour it is said Mar. 8.12 that when he saw the infidelity and hardnesse of heart that was in the Pharisees and Iewes who though they had seene so many miracles of his and heard so many of his gracious and powerfull Sermons could not beleeve but asked still for a signe from heaven that he sighed deepely in his spirit to see and thinke of this And so will every one in some measure doe that hath the spirit of Christ in him when hee seeth the marvellous senselessenesse of most men under the powerfull and excellent meanes of grace that they doe enjoy The reasons of this point and the application of it I must deferre till the next day Lecture CLI On Psalme 51.7 November 29. 1631. IT followeth now that we proceed to give you the grounds and reasons of this point and then make some application of it unto our selves The reasons then why we should thus take to heart the cause of God and of his holy Religion why we should joy in the liberty of the Gospell and in the fruitfulnesse and good successe of it and mourne for the contrary are three principally according to the respect we ought to have unto three severall persons that are interested in it in respect had 1. Vnto other men 2. Vnto our selves 3. And principally unto the Lord. The first reason I will for the helpe of your understanding and memory deliver distinctly unto you in three degrees First we are bound in conscience to love the persons of all men and we can have no comfort in our owne estate unlesse our hearts can beare us witnesse we doe so The Lord make you saith the Apostle 1 Thes. 3.12 to increase and abound in love one towards another and towards all men Secondly If we do not love their soules unfeignedly desire their salvation there is no true love to them in our hearts I know well the most of you thinke otherwise you thinke you love your neighbours your friends your Wives your children well and dearely though you have no care at all of their soules but leave the care of them to God alone Nay they are of all others accounted the most loving and kind natured men that have least care of all either of other mens or of their owne soules whose kindnesse and good fellowship shewes it selfe in nothing more then in poysoning and destroying one anothers soules But be not deceived beloved the holy Word of God by which thou must be judged at the day of thy appearing before the judgement seat of Christ defineth love otherwise then thou doest and saith thou bearest no true love at all to the person whose soule thou hast no care of Thus Paul expressed and proved his unfeigned love to the Iewes his country men Rom. 10.1 Brethren my hearts desire and prayer to GOD for Israel is that they might be saved Because we are bound to love all men we are bound to desire the salvation of all men that God would give to all places to all people the meanes of their salvation and make them effectuall in their hearts This is plaine by that prayer of the Church Psalm 67.2 3. That thy way may be knowne upon earth thy saving health among all nations let the people praise thee O God let all the people praise thee If we doe not grieve to see how people lye in ignorance and infidelity and profanenesse and so under the power of Satan we beare no true love to them at all The Apostle professeth his love this way also unto his country men Rom. 9.1 2. his conscience did beare him witnesse in the Holy Ghost that he had great heavinesse and continuall sorrow in his heart for their blindnesse and obstinacy Nay he hateth them in his heart that cannot grieve to see them live in this estate Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thy heart saith the Lord Levit. 19.17 thou shalt in any wise rebuke thy neighbour and not suffer sinne upon him If we suffer men to live in any sinne were it in our power to helpe it if we be utterly carelesse of it and it never trouble us to see it the Lord you see saith plainly that we hate them in our hearts And whosoever hateth his brother is a murtherer saith the Apostle 1 Ioh. 3.15 and ye know that no murtherer hath eternall life abiding in him or is in the state of grace If this be so as doubtlesse it is alas how hainous a sin are we all guilty of that neither doe any thing to bring them out of this misery they lye in nor are at all grieved and troubled for it Thirdly If we doe truly desire the salvation of men and grieve to see them perish in ignorance and profanenesse then will we desire that sound preaching may abound and will grieve to see the preaching of the word hindred any way Because the meanes whereby the soules of men must be saved is preaching It hath pleased God by the foolishnesse of preaching to save them that beleeve saith the Apostle 1 Cor. 1.21 that is first by preaching hee workes faith in men according to that faith commeth by hearing Romans 10.17 and then by faith hee saveth them But why doth hee call it the foolishnesse of preaching Not that it is so indeed but that carnall men doe account it so for so he expoundeth himselfe Verse 18. The peeaching of the crosse is to them that perish foolishnesse they that perish and shall goe to hell account so of it But you will object and say cannot men be saved without preaching I answer that preaching is the meanes that he hath appointed to doe this worke by ordinarily Other sheepe I have saith our Saviour Iob. 10.16 which are not of this fould are not yet come
suffering and doctrine The fourth and last objection is this that though preaching hath beene in time past necessary and of good use yet it may be well spared now for we see it doth little or no good now a dayes looke into such places where it is most used and see how few are bettered by it To which I answer first that this is too true indeed and in this two fearefull evidences of Gods wrath are to be observed both mentioned in that speech of our Saviour Matth. 18.7 Woe unto the world because of offences for it must needs bee that offences come but woe to the man by whom the offence commeth First Woe to the world because of offences It is a fearefull signe of Gods wrath upon thee and such as thou art that thou hast such stumbling blocks laid before thee to worke thy ruine and sinke thee deepe in hell that thou hadst such occasions given thee to mislike Religion and this ordinance of God Secondly Woe be to the man by whom the offence commeth woe be to you all that by your ignorance profanenesse drunkennesse filthines backsliding cause this ordinance of God to be derided and hated The name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles through you as the Apostle speaketh Rom. 2.24 Certainly you will one day wish that you had lived rather among the Indians and Canibals then in such a place where you have so long enjoyed such a ministery and so much dishonoured it But then secondly I answer that the preaching of the word is not blessed be God altogether without fruit at this day in any place that doth enjoy it It doth good daily the Church is increased by it God addeth to the Church daily such as shall be saved as it was said in those first times Act. 2.47 though not so many nor so eminent persons as he did then Yet even those few young folke and meane persons that are woone to God daily by the preaching of the word will rise up in judgment against thee one day and confound thee so as thou shalt have nothing to say for thy selfe that they who have lesse helpe by nature then thou have profited so much and beene drawne on forward by it and thou profitest not but growest more backward and backward every day For so saith the Apostle 1 Cor. 1.27 God hath chosen the weake things of this world to conâ—ound the things that are mighty So that to conclude my answer to this last objection I will say to these men as the Apostle doth in a case not much differing from this Rom. 11.7 What then Israel hath not obtained that that hee seeketh for the most of our hearers obtaine not that good by our preaching which they seeme to seeke for but the election hath obtained it and the rest were hardned The elect of God are made the better and the rest the worse by it and God will be glorified in them both FINIS An Alphabeticall Index of the principall matters contained in this Booke A. Affections THe necessâ—y of good affections 489 Affliction In all distresses 〈◊〉 to God by prayer and seeke comfort that way 59 In all afflictions we must cleare and acquit God of all rigour and injustice 245 Every child of God must looke for affliction 253 God hath a speciall hand in all afflictions 256 God afflicts his people in love 257 c. Think of affliction 〈…〉 260 Willing bearing of affliction is a means to mortifiâ— corruption 322 We may in two respects judge of mens sinnes ly their afflâ—ction 559 We may therein offend two wayes Ibid 560 Though the afflictions men indure be in their owne nature punishments yet are they not so to all men 664 665 Afflictions inflicted upon the godly for sinne are not properly punishments but chastisements 665 In extreame affliction our case will be wofull without Christ. 684 Six remarkable things concerning affliction Ibid. 685 He that hath Christ may be safe and comfortable in any affliction 686 Almsdeeds Motives to them 116 117 c. How to be performed Ibid. How faulty men are this way 119 c. Anabaptists Confutation of their errours touching infants 281 Application Hearers must apply the Word to themselves 39 Ministers must apply the Word particularly to the people 44. c Every man must labour to have Christs blood sprinkled upon his heart and applyed to him 614 c. Assurance Labour to get assurance that Christs blood was shed for us 617 618 Many deceive themselves in this and the danger of this deceit 620 Signes of false assurance 628 629 Signes of true assurance 621 c. Every Christian hath the Word to assure him in particular that he is in the state of grace 623 Means to get true assurance 632 c. Attention We must diligently attend to what we heare 36 37 Beneficence Gods children are ready and carefull to do good and to be usefull to others 121 125 Birth No cause to be proud of parentage or birth 28â— Blessinge of God The godly have beene often confirmed in assurance of Gods love by the experience of Gods favour to them in temporall blessings 645 689 True believers may take great comfort even in these outward blessings 688 Such things as are blessings in themselves are not so to wicked men 686 They have no spirituall title to them 687 To them they are fruits of Gods common love not of his speciall Ibid. Catechising A speciall meanes to breed sound knowledge 789 Censoriousnesse Men are apt to thinke them greatest sinners whom they see most afflicted 557 The folly and wickednesse of it 560 561 Charity The knowledge of Gods love in pardoning us should provoke us to forgive those that have wronged us 111 Signes whether we have indeed forgiven such as have wronged us 114 115 Charity is a speciall fruit of the Spirit 747 748 Signes of it 748 c. Towards all men 748 752 Towards our enemies 752 753 To them that feare God 754 755 We love no man unlesse we love his soule and unfeignedly desire his salvation 803 804 Children To honour and reverence their parents 284 Parents should do their uttermost to breed grace in their children 287 Children owe honour and subjection to their parents be they never so poore 291 Correction necessary for children 293 Christ. The riches of Gods grace appeares to his people in Christ in five regards 103 104 No mercy to be hoped for from God but in and through Christ. 596 Though salvation were not free to Christ but he paid deaâ—â— for it yet is it to us free 600 601 Every one should labour to know that Christ is his 607 Motives to that 608 609 Signes that Christ is ours 610 611 Meanes to get this assurance 611 613 Esteeme of Christ above all and labour to be found in him 683 c. All men shall not have benefit by Christ but few in comparison 744 c. The reason of that 745 Church We should be
from wicked men two wayes by the Examples of his severity towards his owne children 547 548 Iustification By Christ we are fully and perfectly delivered and freed from all our sinnes 315 316 All true believers are perfectly cleansed from their sinneâ— and pure in Gods eyes 655 The reasons of it 660 661 Foure maine differences betweene justification and sanctification 656 659 How perfectly a true believer is discharged of all his sinnes appeares in 5 points 659 We cannot be justified by inherent righteousnesse 669 670 Reasons of it 670 671 We are justified by Christs righteousnesse imputed to us 672 Objections answered 674 The knowledge of this that Christ hath purchased for us the pardon of our sinnes a sufficient ground of comfort 677. and so is the knowledge of this that Christs perfect obedience is imputed to us Ibid. K. Knowledge A Good signe to desire to know the whole will of God in all things that concerne us 423 786 794 Saving knowledge is the principall worke of Gods grace in the conversion of man 472 It is the foundation of other graces 473 It is the seed of other graces 475 All Gods people must seeke for saving knowledge 483 Signes of sanctified knowledge 485 c 1 The Word the onely object of it 2. Specially such parts of it as are most usefull and profitable for our selves 485. 3. It is cleare and certaine 4. There 's no fulnesse nor satiety in it 486 It works 1 humilitie 487. 2. Good affections 488. 3. Reformation of hearts and liâ—e 489 490. 4. Strengtheneth against tentations 491 Motives to seek knowledge 1. It concernes one as well as another to have knowledge in Religion and in the Scriptures 492 493. 2. It is a duty required of God Ibid. 494 3 It is a comfortable signe of Election and uprightnesse oâ— heart 495 4. It keepeth us constant in Religion and from danger of seducers 490 788 5. It makes us walke boldly and comfortably 497 Meanes 1. Be sensible of ignorance 2. Be truly humbled or sin 498. 3. Depend upon an ordinary and sound ministry 499. 4. Read the Word 5. Meditate 6. Conferre 7. Pray 501. Receive the Word with an honest heart 792 No man by naturall abilities can attaine saving knowledge without supernaturall grace 512 This cure not perfected in this life nor so perfectly in some as others but shall be perfected in heaven 514 Naturall mens knowledge not sufficient to salvation 515 The work of grace enlightning the understanding is extraordinarie and rare 516 This workes most free no reason of it but only Gods good pleasure Ibid. â—abour to understand every thing we do in Gods service 583 Danger of them that make light account of knowledge 598 L. Labour WE cannot performe any spirituall service unto God without labour 34 Love of God The love of God is the root of all true obedience 386 The true love of God a certaine signe of an upright heart 388 389 No wicked man doth indeed love God 390 c. There may bee true love of God in them that are much exercised with slavish feares 394 Love that is wrought in men towards God by his common savours is unsound 398 399 Faith the root of it 742 Every one that hath the Spirit of Christ loves God above all 798 Gods honour must be dearer unto us than any thing 809 M. Magistrates HAve great opportunity to honour God in their places 631 Maliciousnesse True faith will subdue it 733 734 Meanes God is the giver of all meanes and of the vertue in them to do us good 72 Meditation Meditate on that we heare 40 Memory We should be carefull to remember what we heare 39 And to keepe Gods favours in remembrance 646 Mercy of God The onely ground the best can have for hope of pardon is Gods mercy 102 c. Gods mercy most free 107 In him bowels of mercy 107 108 We must not rest in this to know that God is mercifull but labour to know that his mercy yea a speciall mercy belongs to us 126 Five differences between it and common mercies 126 127 Five notes to know whether it belong to us 127 128 Five notable effects that the assurance of Gods speciall mercy worketh in the conscience 129 130 The vilest sinner if he feele his sin and desire to turne to God need not doubt of finding mercy with him 130 c. Gods mercy to us in the things that concerne this life 224 225 In things that concerne our soules 225 c. Learne to be mercifull by example of Gods mercy 115 Ministers Why the faithfullest Ministers are so hated 46 47 What properties should be in the Minister that desires to do good specially in reproving sin 48 52 Ministers should not be given to suits and contentions 51 What manner of men Ministers had need to be 166.167 Ministers must chiefly labour to bring the people to knowledge to ground and stablish them in it 481 By what means he may do that 482 Ministers have great opportunity to honour God 631 Ministers teaching by warrant of Gods Word are to be obyed 724 A man that hath no truth of grace in himselfe may be a meanes to converâ— others 805 Ministry of the Word The means which God hath sanctified and by which he hath been wont to worke repentance and grace 18. and knowledge 499. and constancy in the truth 796 What mighty works it hath wrought and the reason it hath done so 18 21 We should resolve to live under it and why 23 24 48 To be accounted a chiefe blessing 25 478 800 804 That the best that applyeth the Word particularly and reproveth sin boldly 44 A principall work of mercy to procure or provide that for a people 479 It is Gods speciall and free favour that any of us enjoy the sound Ministry of the Word 503 507 That the Ministry of the Word is effectuall to conversion is to be ascribed onely to the Spirit 507 509 They are in a fearefull estate that enjoy not the Ministry of the Word 526 527 And also they that enjoy it and cannot profit by it 528 A great mercy to enjoy the Ministry of the Word but specially when we profit by it 531 532 We should rejoyce in this 802 803 Modesty The people of God dare not speake boldly nor immodestly of filthy actions 6 Mortification Seven meanes of it 317 c. We may with confidence go to Christ for helpe against our spirituall infirmities 331 Objections against that answered 335 Faith the onely means of mortification 732 Musicke Three things to be observed concerning the Musicke they had in the worship of God under the Law 3 N. Neighbours HOw we came to make our selves guilty of the sinnes of others 179 c. 219 We are bound to desire and procure so farre as in us lieth that all men may have the means of knowledge 477 478 O. Oath GReat care to be had in taking an oath and keeping it 183 The common sinne in taking an oath
so carelesly and making so little conscience in keeping it 184 Occasions of evill to be shunned 318 Officers Bound to present infamous and scandalous persons 182 They sin that keep men from publike pennance 187 188 Obedience Be willing to yeeld passive obedience unto God 245 249 Conscionable care to please God a sure note of uprightnesse 378 True obedience is universall 419 c. 724 726 Yet speciall care to be had of those things God hath given us speciall charge of 422 The onely rule of true righteousnesse is the Word 380 c. How the upright man sheweth equall respect to all the commandements 423 c. Forth the root of it 737 741 Five notes of Evangelicall obedience 754 Obedience must be done in a right manner 433 c. Oppression Against such as are undoers of others 124 Originall sinne Is derived from the parents and why 282 283 For this sinne above all others God may justly abâ—orre us and we have most cause to bee humbled in our selves 301 303 Three motives to perswade us to seek deliverance from it and two meanes 313 317 Consider Gods mercy and goodnesse towards us in that regard 336 P. Papists THeir errours touching originall sinne 305 c. Touching justification 662 c. Parents To be humbled for the corruption and sinne that appeares in their children 286 Parents should use their utmost indeavour to breed grace in their children 287 c. Diverse motives Ibid. Means Parents must use to save their childrens soules 291 c Parents must maintaine their authority over their children 291 How they come to lose it 292 Their sin in neglecting to keep them in awe 293 294 They must instruct their children 1. Instilling betimes the beginnings of knowledge 294. 2. Acquainting them with the practice of Religion 295. 3. Bringing them to the publike worship 4. Examining them how they profit Ibid. They must be carefull to give them good example 298 They must take heed how they place them at schoole in service in mariage 299 They must pray for them Ibid. Parents using these meanes need not doubt they shall lose their labour 300 Patience We have need of it 250 Seven notes of it 251 c. Motives to it 253 c. Meanes 260 c. Perseverance Study to persevere unto the end 12 The marvellous mercy of God to bee acknowledged in the perseverance of any in the state of grace 347 352 Take heed of declining and falling fâ—om grace 431 432 The regenerate elect child of God caâ—â—ot sin so hainously as every unregenerate man may do 533 c. Constancy in the true Religion is a signe a man hath the Spirit of Christ. 766 c. God hath given great testimony to this 76â— The faithfull have found much comfort in â—t 〈◊〉 They whom the Spirit hath taught 〈…〉 persevere in the truth 〈◊〉 Motives to constancy in the truth 7â—â— 7â—2 Meanes to it 782 Though it be ascribed to the Lord alone yet he worketh it by meanes and will have us to bee agents in this worke 783 Predestination Gods decree of Predestination is most righteous 248 249 Prayer Gods people in all distresse must seeke for comfort from God by prayer 59. c. Extremity of affliction should not keepe us from it 63 64 Nor sense of our owne vilenesse 64 65 Nor inability to pray 68 69 c Nor a conceit that it 's to no purpose to pray 69 c. Prescript and set formes of Prayer may bee used 68 Why God delayes to answer the prayers of his servants 75 76 What we must then do 78 c. God gives often a gracious answer to the prayers of his servants though they perceive it not 76 Five severall wayes God shewes respect unto and gives a gracious answer to his peoples prayers 76 77 Six principall faults that use to blemish and weaken our prayers 81 c. 637 Five notable encouragements to prayer specially in inward afflictions 153 Prayer a speciall meanes to get grace to beare afflictions comfortably and patiently 273 Long prayers not unlawfull so it be with foure cautions 310 Prayer a meanes to conquer corruptions 322 And to get assurance of Gods favour in Christ. 636 A singular good thing to keep a constant course in prayer 700 Faith eâ—ableth us to pray well 743 Practice Presently set upon the practice of what wee have learned 43 Making conscience to practise what we have learned meanes to establish us in the truth 792 Preaching of the Word Is a meanes to bring men to Christ. 19 The godly man will rejoyce in the plentifulnesse of it 801 for three reasons 803 809 Preaching necessary now 813 Obiections against it answered 810 c. Preparation To the hearing of the Word wherein it consists 30 c. Presumption Take heed we sin not presuming that we shall repent before we die 15 The vanity of those conceits which keepe many from being troubled with their 〈◊〉 89 93 Hypocrites use to be confident 377 Presume not to sin because of the fals of Gods people 554 c. The danger of Presumption 620 625 744 Signes of it 628 629 Private duties Secret confession of sinne most necessary convenient and beneficiall 193 195 Psalmes The titles of them not to be omitted as superfluous and impertinent 1 Why committed to the chiefe Musitian 4 Singing of Psalmes an ancient and excellent ordinance of God 4 How Psalmes should be sung 6 Punishment The consideration of punishment may cause a faithfull man to mourne and grieve for sinne and to be afraid of it 218 Christ hath satisfied as well for the temporall as eternall punishment due to our sinnes 662 663 Though the afflictions men induce be in their owne nature punishments yet are they not so to all men 664 665 Profanenesse In some respects the open profane persons case is worse than the hypocrites 718 Profession Live so as men may be witnesses of thy goodnesse 418 He that hath assurance that Christ is his will proâ—esse and declare himselfe openly to bee Gods servant 627 We may hate the sinnes of professors but not hate them for any goodnesse they professe Three notes whereby we may see many hate professors for their goodnesse 716 717 Prosperity He that hath not Christ can have no comfort in his prosperity 686 Great is their folly that preferre worldly things before Christ. 690 R. Regenerate THe sinnes the regenerate fall into are in sundry respects greater than the sinnes of others 539 542 548 552 God will plague sinne as much in them as in any other in the world 540 541 In this life he sheweth more hatred to the sinnes of such than to the sinnes of other men 542 c. The goodnesse in the regenerate man in three respects surpasseth the goodnesse in the morall man or hypocrite 729 730 Religion That 's the true Religion that gives the whole glory of mans salvation to the free grace and mercy of God 110 523 The truth we have received by warrant of
the Word and teaching of the Spirit we should be constant in 525 c. 766 767 A grievous sinne to insult against Religion for the faults of the professours of it 553 554 True Religion grounded on the Word 767 No certainty in Religion but by the teaching of the Spirit 773 774 True Religion brings great blessings to the Church and State 806 807 Repentance A great comfort that thou hast repented 17 The sin of such as keep men from publike pennance 187 188 The sin of such as sin and refuse publike profession of their repentance 189 191 They that have truly repented them of their sinnes cannot easily forget them but are apt to think of them 203 c. The chief thing that should make us hate sin and mourne for it is the offence and dishonour done to God 219 220 The sinning against so good a God should humble us 227 Notes of sincere repentance 232 Five things required in true repentance 605 Faith the root of repentance 740 Reproofe The Minister must plainely and particularly reprove sin 44 c. 707 The reasons for the necessity of reproofe 46 In foure things the Ministers wisdome in reproving sinne must appeare 49 50 And his love in three 51 Reasons why men cannot indure reproofe 52 Their folly appeares in â—oure things 53 Five Obiections answered against such Ministers 54 57 Dangerous not to indure the Word of reproofe 244 Righteousnesse Five things to be granted touching inherent righteousnesse 667 668 Yet cannot a man be iustified by that 669 Inherent righteousnesse a great ground of comfort 677 678 S. Sabbath THough the outward observation of the Sabbath be the least yet God is highly pleased with it and promiseth to reward it 701 705 The things required for the right observation of it 708 710 Sacriledge Is a great sinne 724 Sadnesse Christians should beware of sadnesse and feare 137 Salvation The whole glory of mans salvation is due to the Lord alone and his free grace 521 522 Though it be free to us Christ paid deare for it 600 601 Sanctification Whom the Lord iustifies he sanctifieth though this be not so perfect as the former yet is it more sensible to us because we are agents in it our selves 316 Foure maine differences betweene sanctification and iustification 656 659 Sanctification is not in the same measure in all true believers 657 Nor perfected in this life 658 None can be sanctified till he be iustified 730 Faith the inward instrument whereby God sanctifieth the heart 731 Reasons of it 738 739 Scandalous sinners We should do our best indeavor to bring scandalous sinners to open shame and punishment 182 c. Officers chiefly Ibid. How â—arre private Christians may go in this 185 c. Scripture We must esteeme reverently of every part of Scripture though we cannot at first reading or hearing profit by it 2 The duty we owe to those parts of the Word we cannot understand standeth in six points 2 3 The holy Scripture of the Old Testament was kept in the Sanctuary and Temple 4 It is the onely rule of true righteousnesse 380 c. The absolute perfection of the Scriptures appeares in six particulars 381 384 All Gods people have equall interest in the holy Scriptures 493 All truths necessary to salvation are plainely and clearely set â—â—wne in the Scriptures 512 513 768 Security Against secure sinners 209 214 Selfe-denyall To renounce our selves and with humbled soules to cast our selves upon the â—ree mercy of God in Christ is the way to obtaine comfort 647 Service of God Their solly which reâ—use Gods service because it is an heavy bondage 444 c. Reasons why men reâ—reâ—use Gods service 445 c. Gods service the most comfortable life 448 Foure things to be considered in the gracious disposition of our Master that maketh us chearfull in his service 451 Sight of sinne How far forth the discovering of sin to us is a blessing 340 How far forth a judgement 341 Sincerity The Lord desireth and highly esteems truth and sincerity of â—eart and â—oure reasoâ—s for that 368 371 It stands us all upon to 〈◊〉 diligently whether our hearts 〈◊〉 upâ—ight and thâ—ee motives to that 372 376 466 He that hath any one sâ—ving and sanctifying grace hath certainly an upright heart 376 Even the aptnesse that is in us to suspect our selves least our hearts should be unsound is a good signe of uprightnesse 376 719 So is the conscience we make of Gods commandements and to lead a godly life 378 Meanes to attaine sincerity and uprightnesse of heart 469 470 Care to keep our selves unâ—potted of every sin is a signe of sincerity 726 So is this when our maine intent and aime is to please God 728 Sinne. One sin drawes on another 14 Pardon of sin is more to be desired than deliverance from any outward misery 84 c. Sin the greatest evill 85 Sinnes are debts 86 Sin is filthenesse 87 Motives to seek pardon of sin 94 95 Pray daily for it though we be justified 666 Comfort from the pardon of sin 677 Meanes to obtaine it 96 97 98 Notes whereby to know sin is pardoned 100 101 How the assurance of pardon is lost 99 The godly man remembreth his sin with griefe 203 c. Three great mischiefs of scandalous sinnes that abound where the Gospell is preached 175 178 Learne to be afraid of sin 207 569 Every sin is a transgression of Gods Law 220 A contempt done unto God 221 Foure attributes of God by which it appeares that we are chiefly to mourne for our sinnes because God iâ— offended 22 c. No sin veniall or lightly to be accounted of 228 229 233 234 Yet are some greater than others 230 c. 549 552 Three causes of actuall sinnes 282 The godly man hath most cause to be afraid of sin 571 Foure things to be observed in the passion of Christ that do notably set forth the odiousnesse of sin 601 604 Five meanes to make us esteeme sin as it ought to be esteemed of 605 606 Speech Filthy speech becommeth not Christians 6 7 Spirit of God Five notes of the holy Spirit dwelling in us 150 151 The Spirit is the mark on Christs sheep whereby they may know they are his 747 By the fruits of the Spirit they may know they have the Spirit Ibid. Where the Spirit dwels it perswades them in the truth of religion 771 This no private Spirit 775 Strictnesse Maketh not Christs yoke intolerable 235 All precisenesse and strictnesse in small matters is not hypocrisie 236 581 714 Answer to them that blame professours for their scrupulousnesse 715 T. Trouble of mind Diverse obiections of men in that case answered 139 c. Take heed of seeking helpe in this case by false wayes 144 145 Tentations to despaire to be resisted and how 145 146 How to recover our selves and to overcome such tentations 148 c. Truth When a thing is said to bee done or spoken in truth 368 W. Watchfulnesse A