saith he Matth. 11. 19. yea he was wont to take the benefit of Gods creatures not of such onely as serue for mans necessity but of such also as God hath giuen vs for our delight It was noted of him by his carping enemies that he was wont to drinke wine Luke 7. 34. And it is said of him twice that he suffered his feet to be annointed with very precious oyntment Luke 7. 38. and Iohn 12. 3. 5. neither refused he to goe to feasts when he was bidden no not vpon the Sabbath day Luke 14. 1. And for his Disciples we know there was offence taken at him because he did not teach them to fast Luke 5. 33. Why then doth he forbeare his meate at this time surely because he would not let slip a notable occasion and opportunity of winning soules to God which he knew was now to be offered vnto him Hee had another matter in hand which he calls his meat which he did as earnestly desire as any hungry man can desire meat and which he knew would delight refresh and comfort him as much as any meat can doe him that stands most in need of it and that was to winne and conuert soules vnto God Why but may some say he might haue eaten somewhat in the meane while in the space wherein the woman was going to fetch her neighbours and they in comming out of the City vnto him So that his eating of somewhat need haue beene no hinderance to that good worke he so much desired to do but a furtherance rather vnto it I answer it is true he might haue done so but his heart was so taken vp either in secret prayer to God for them or in meditation of that he was to teach them when they should come or with the ioyfull expectation of their comming and of the good he knew he should haue occasion to doe as it made him quite to forget all hunger and thirst Now that we may receiue our instruction from this notable example of our Sauiours zeale which is here set forth for our imitation let vs obserue these three points in it 1. That he is so carefull to take the occasion and opportunity that is here offered of inlarging his Fathers Kingdome that though he was hungry he neglects his meat for it 2. That he calls this his meate to doe the will of his Father in instructing and conuerting of men 3. That though he had time to eate without any hinderance vnto that worke yet the care he had of this businesse and ioy he conceiued in the expectation of the good hee was to doe made him forget his hunger And from hence this Doctrine will arise for our instruction That he that will be a true Disciple of Christ must be zealous in the Lords businesse zealous in seruing God and seeking to honour him It is not sufficient to a mans comfort that he hath professed the truth serued God in his calling done the duties God hath required of him vnlesse he haue done it with a zealous heart and earnest affection This is required of vs that would approoue our selues to God in preaching of his Word Apollos is commended for this Acts 18. 25. that being feruent in the spirit hee taught diligently the things of the Lord This is required in them that heare the Word Luke 24. 32. Did not our hearts burne within vs when hee opened to vs the Scriptures This is required of them that would pray with comfort Iames 5. 16. The effectuall feruent prayer of a righteous man auaileth much This is required in euery part of that seruice that we doe vnto God we must be Rom. 12. 11. Feruent in spirit seruing the Lord. Yea this is in generall required of vs in our whole profession and practise of Religion Tit. 2. 14 Christ gaue himselfe for vs to purifie to himselfe a peculiar people zealous of good workes Therefore it is noted to the praise of Iehosaphat that hee lift vp his heart to the waies of the Lord 2. Chron. 17. 6. And of Hezechia it is said that in all the workes he began for the seruice of the house of God to seeke his god hee did it with all his heart and prospered 2. Chron. 31. 31. And of Iosiah that he turned to the Lord with all his heart and with all his soule and with all his might 2. King 23. 25. They maintained and held out the profession and practise of Gods pure Religion with great zeale and earnestnesse of affection The Reasons and grounds of the Doctrine are principally three 1. Euery one that lookes to be saued by Christ must be a follower of Christ He that saith he abideth in him saith the Apostle 1. Iohn 2. 6. must himselfe walke also euen as he walked The best euidence that we can haue that we remaine in him is when we are conformed vnto his example and by his spirit made like vnto him 2. The Lord cannot abide such as serue him without zeale This is plaine by that speech of Christ to the Laodiceans Reu. 3. 16. 1. He professeth that he liketh not so ill of him that is cold that is an Idolater or a worldling a man of no Religion as he doth of the Christian that is lukewarme 2. That he will spue such a one out of his mouth yea he threatneth the Church of Ephesus that because she had lost her first loue her zeale that once she had he would come against her shortly and remooue her candlesticke if she did not repent and amend this fault Reu. 2. 5. 3. The Spirit of God is said to be like vnto fire in all them that haue receiued it and from thence comes that speech quench not the spirit 1. Thess. 5. 19. And all that are regenerated by the Spirit of Christ are said to be baptized with the Holy Ghost and with fire Matth. 3. 11. and where fire is there must needes be some heate The Vse of this Doctrine is 1. To conuince a great error in iudgement that is common in the world We see this is held as a perfect definition of a good Protestant that he is a man found in iudgement and in the knowledge of the truth but not forward nor zealous either in the profession or practise of it yea it is counted the wisedome of a Christian and euen of a Minister too to be a moderate man in Religion not forward nor hot nor zealous in it Whereas we haue heard that such as are regenerate and haue Gods Spirit cannot be without this heate and zeale 2. That in Gods account neither Papist nor Turke is in so bad an estate in some respect as the Gospeller is that is void of zeale 3. That God hath threatned to depriue them of the Gospell that professe it without zealous loue vnto it 2. To exhort vs to examine our selues well whether there be any true zeale in vs yea or no that if we want it we may be humbled and seeke
haue an eye to and watch our hearts well they will be rouing And as this is needfull in all our prayers so especially in prescript and set formes of prayer which we haue oft accustomed our selues vnto 2. To set our selues as in Gods presence and bring our hearts to a reuerent feare of Gods Maiesty before whom we appeare Serue the Lord with feare Psal. 2. 11. in thy feare will I worship toward thine holy temple Psal. 5. 7. The second sort of hypocrites that do not worship God in spirit and truth are they that vse Gods worship or any part of it as a matter of ceremony and formality onely and neuer seeke in it the edification of the spirit and conscience 1. That Preacher is but an hypocrite that seeketh not so to preach as his preaching may haue power in the hearts of his hearers I will know not the speach of them that are puffed vp but the power For the kingdome of God is not in word but in power 1. Cor. 4. 19 20. And he maketh this a note of an able Minister of the Gospell when he is the Minister of the spirit 2. Cor. 3. 6. It is that we should seeke to see Gods seale vpon our Ministry in the hearts of our hearers The seale of mine Apostleship are yee in the Lord yea he saith this was his maine answer and defence to them that examined him and questioned his Ministry 1. Cor. 9. 2. 3. We had therefore need not onely to preach but to teach such Doctrine as is profitable and which particularly concerneth and is of vse to those we teach this was Pauls direction to Titus to teach and stand vpon those things in his Ministry that were good and profitable vnto men Tit. 3. 8. neither onely to teach but to vse application also Preach the Word reproue or conuince rebuke exhort 2. Tim. 4. 2. 2. Those Christians also are no better then hypocrites who so they haue a forme of Gods seruice neuer care whether it edifie their conscience or no. Such are they as rest content with a dumbe Ministry for what power feele they in it Such also are they as heare good Preachers and praise them but neuer examine what profit they receiue in their conscience by them When you praise a good Preacher whose Ministry you frequent with your tongue your life and vnreformed course doth disgrace him Those hearers only praise their teachers indeed that haue profited in reformation of heart and life by their Ministry in whose hearts the spirit of God hath written that of their Ministers commendation as may be read of all men 2. Cor. 3. 2. 3. The third sort of hypocrites that worship not God in spirit and truth are they that will be deuout in the exercises of Religion and zealous in profession Make a shew of godlinesse but deny the power of it 2. Tim. 3. 5. True Religion where it is receiued will command the heart and the whole man Let a man professe what he will if his heart and life be not reformed he is an hypocrite and whatsoeuer worship he doth to God is but a false worship We know that God heareth not sinners but if any man be a worshipper of God and doth his will him he heareth Iohn 9. 31. yea the very seruice he doth to God doth but increase Gods wrath against him either amend thy life or giue ouer seruing of God THE THREE AND FORTIETH LECTVRE ON FEBRVARY XXVII MDCIX IOH. IIII. XXV XXVI The Woman saith vnto him I know that Messiah commeth which is called Christ when hee is come hee will tell vs all things Iesus saith vnto her I that speake vnto thee am he THese words containe the conclusion of that conference that was betweene our Sauiour and the Woman of Samaria In the interpretation of the words for the helpe of your memory these fiue questions are distinctly to be opened and resolued Whom meaneth shee here by Messias seeing it is plaine shee vseth this word as the proper name of some person I answer it is euident by the words following that she meaneth the same person that is called Christ. For as our blessed Sauiour being promised to the Church from the beginning of the world was described and made knowne to them both by his natures specially his humane nature I will put enmity betweene thy seed and her seed it shall bruise thy head Gen. 3. 15. And Gen. 22. 18. In thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed and by those offices he should exercise and whereby he should procure the saluation of his people viz. 1. His Propheticall office I will raise them vp a Prophet from among their brethren like vnto thee Deut. 18. 18. His Priesthood He shall be a Priest vpon his throne Zach. 6. 13. His Kingly office Reioyce greatly O daughter of Zion shout O daughter of Ierusalem behold thy King commeth vnto thee Zach. 9. 9. and by the place where he should be borne But thou Bethlehem Ephratah though thou be little among the thousands of Iudah yet out of thee shall hee come forth vnto me that is to be ruler in Israel whose goings forth haue beene from old from euerlasting Mic. 5. 2. So had he three proper names in the Old Testament giuen him 1. One in respect of his two natures hypostatically vnited in one person Esay 7. 14. He shall call his name Immanuel 2. Another in respect of the obscure place of his education Zach. 6. 12. Behold the man whose name is the Branch 3. A third in respect of his office Dan. 9. 25. Messiah the Prince Now of all the names whereby our Sauiour was described in the Old Testament this name was the most famous among the Iewes When Herod gathered together all the chiefe Priests and the Scribes to resolue him in the question that the Wise men came to Ierusalem to mooue he asked them where Messias should be borne Matth. 2. 4. For though the Euangelist writing in Greeke vse the word Christ in that place yet it is certaine that he in his language vsed the word Messiah So Iohn 1. 41. We haue found the Messias saith Andrew to his brother Simon Now this Hebrew name Messiah and the Greeke name Christ doe in our language signifie the annointed one and we shall finde it was giuen to sundry others in the holy Scripture for the Kings of Gods people were called the Lords annointed 2. Sam. 19. 21. and so were the Priests Leu. 10. 7. and so were the Prophets Psal. 105. 15. Because euery one of these were by the ceremony of annointing as by a Sacramentall signe assured from the Lord that he would inwardly annoint them that is endue them with such graces of his holy spirit as whereby they might be enabled to discharge those offices that he called them vnto yet was this name of Messiah Christ the annointed of the Lord made a proper name onely vnto our blessed Sauiour 1. Because all those Kings
if he cannot hold it with Gods fauour That is a treasure for which a man will be content to sell all that euer he hath Matth. 13. 44. to loose all things and to count them but dung in comparison of it Phil. 3. 8. This made all Gods people in Israel to leaue their dwellings and possessions there and to come to Ierusalem where God was purely worshipped 2. Chron. 11. 16. This made Moses willing to forgoe all his honours and pleasures and hopes he had in Pharaohâ—… Court and to ioyne himselfe vnto Gods afflicted and despised Church Heb. 11. 24. 25. 2. It moderateth the affection of a man to earthly things and teacheth him to vse them with more sobriety and indifferency so as he doth neither so greedily desire them nor is so discontented in the want of them nor so lifted vp in the abundance of them as others be it makes him able to say with the Apostle I haue learned in whatsoeuer state I am therewith to bee content I know both how to be abased and I know how to abound euery where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry both to abound and to suffer need Phil. 4. 11 12. He vseth them as the traueller doth his good lodging he findeth in his Inne for his necessity and the better enabling him to goe forward in his iourney homeward but setteth not his heart vpon them Psal. 62. 10. And thus he professeth that he is but a stranger and pilgrime vpon earth and seeketh for another country Heb. 11. 13 14. 3. It so taketh vp a mans heart specially in his first conuersion in his first loue as it maketh him very carelesse and forgetfull of all things else As Peter and Andrew Iames and Iohn straitway left their ships their net and their father and followed Christ Matth. 4. 20. 22. This made Christs hearers Mar. 8. 2. so carelesse of their meat for three daies together and Mary to neglect her huâ—…wifry in the entertaining of Christ and leauing all to sit her downe at Christs feet to heare his words Luke 10. 39. The Reason of this Doctrine is this that they haue found another treasure and where the treasure is there will the heart be Matth. 6. 21. He that once counteth Religion his treasure cannot set his heart on the world the heart can no more be deuided betweene them then it is possible for a man at the same time to looke with one of his eyes towards heauen and with another vpon the ground These two things the loue of the world and the loue of God are of a masterfull disposition Into what heart soeuer they enter they will be commanders and rule alone which is the reason of that speech of our Sauiour Matth. 6. 24. No man serues two masters 1. To instruct vs what to iudge of such Christians as vse not onely on the Sabbath day but on the weeke dayes also to goe to Sermons and Exercises of Religion worldly men thinke of these men that they doe more then they need yea more then they ought to doe that this will bring them to beggery Yea many are afraid to be religious or to frequent the Ministry of some men for feare least they should be drawen to doe thus as they see many of their hearers are In handling this point I will shew 1. What is to be said for the warning and admonition of these men 2. What is to be said for the encouragement and defence of them 1. It is indeed a great sinne in any professour to neglect his calling vpon pretence of following Sermons and seruing God specially if he haue a charge and want other meanes to liue by and that many of the better sort of Christians are too much inclined to this sinne appeareth by Pauls beating on this point so much in his Epistles to the Thessalonians Study to be quiet and to doe your owne businesse and to worke with your owne hands as wee commanded you 1. Thess. 4. 11. We heare that there are some which walke among you disorderly working not at all but are busie-bodies Now them that are such we command and exhort by our Lord Iesus Christ that with quietnesse they worke and eate their owne bread 2. Thess. 3. 11 12. but this is a great sinne For 1. Euery Christian should desire to liue of himselfe that he may not be chargeable vnto others 1. Thess. 5. 11 12. When he had charged them to follow their owne businesse and to worke with their hands he giues this for a reason that nothing may be lacking to them 2. If a man haue a family and prouide not for it he is worse then an Infidell 1. Tim. 5. 8. Therefore Paul saith 1. Cor. 7. 33. The marryed careth and that lawfully for the things of the world 3. Say a man could prouide for himselfe and his family sufficiently yet he must also haue a care to follow his calling that he may haue to giue others that need Rather let him labour working with his hands the thing that is good that he may haue to giue to him that needeth Ephes. 4. 28. And this reason the Apostle giueth why himselfe did at Ephesus with the labour of his owne hands minister vnto his owne necessities and to them that were with him and why according to his example others in the like case of necessity and for the auoiding of scandall should doe the like euen the remembrance of the words of the Lord Iesus how he said it is a more blessed thing to giue then to receiue Act. 20. 24 35. 4. Say a man haue enough for all this yet must he haue care of his estate for this cause because if he decay in it he shall be a scandall to his profession and alienate others from the truth Pro. 14. 20. The poore is hated euen of his owne neighbour Therefore Paul maketh this one reason for this 1. Thess. 4. 11 12. Doe your businesse and worke with your owne hands that yee may walke honestly to them that are without 5. Say a mans estate were so plentifull that no decay could be discerned in it to the scandall of his profession yet is he bound to liue and take paines in some calling wherein he may be profitable to others else can he haue no true comfort in any of Gods blessings that he doth enioy for thus runneth the promise Psalmeâ—…28 â—…28 2. When thou eatest the labours of thy hands thou shalt bee blessed and it shall bee well with thee 2. Thessalonians 3. 12. They onely eate their owne bread that labour in a calling 2. It is to be granted that there is not the like necessity of frequenting the publike exercises of Religion on any other day as there is on the Sabbath for that there is an expresse commandement on that euen the poorest is bound to keepe an holy rest vnto the Lord for the commandement bindeth all men and none is exempted from it Exod. 20.
themselues when they can discerne no more In which case this Doctrine is very comfortable and vsefull vnto them Obiect This Doctrine I like well will many a one say that hates Religion with all his heart I thanke God I haue beene able to do some good yea more than many of your professors and therefore I know I haue more grace and a better heart than they Yea we know how the Papists boast against our Religion and all that professe it We are more deuout and zealous in prayer say they we are much more aboundant in fasting almes-deeds and other good works than you and therfore also we haue more grace than you Answ. But to these I answer First all this may be very true and would to God it were not too true of many that professe the truth But know you many hypocrites and naturall men haue been able to do such workes as outwardly and in appearance haue been very good as I shewed you in sundrie particulars the last day but one Yea they haue beene able herein to compare with and euen to excell many a good Christian. Esau seemed outwardly to seeke the blessing with far more deuotion and zeale than Iacob he cryed much louder and shed many more teares for it than Iacob did Gen. 27. 34. 38. And Ahab in outward shew was much more humbled for his sin than Hezekia was 1. King 21. 27. He rent his clothes and put sackcloth vpon him and fasted and lay in sackcloth and you shall finde none of all this in the repentance of Hezekiah Esay 38. 2 3. And the Pharisee could say and I doubt not but he said truly that he both fasted more and was outwardly a farre iuster man in his dealings with men than the Publican was Luke 18. 12. But none of all these workes were good in Gods sight neither can any naturall man do any good worke that is good in Gods sight their best workes are but beautifull sins though they be oft highly esteemed among men they are abomination in the sight of God Luke 16. 15. I will therefore shew you out of Gods Word sundry manifest differences betweene the good workes of the regenerate and of the naturall man And these differences we will obserue First in the matter of their workes the things wherein they shew their obedience vnto God Secondly in the manner how these good workes are done and performed by them In the matter of their workes I will obserue vnto you three notable differences The regenerate man makes conscience onely of such workes counts them onely good workes as God hath in his Word commanded such onely as may be called Iohn 6. 28. the workes of God and not of men To count nothing a good worke but onely that which God hath ordained for vs to walke in as the Apostle speakes Ephes. 2. 10. To make no conscience of any thing but onely of that that God hath prescribed in his Word is a singular note of an vpright heart This we shall finde Psalme 119. 1. Blessed are those that are vpright in their way and walke in the law of the Lord. As if he should say So shall you know them that are vpright in their way Thus Iob comforteth himselfe and proueth the vprightnesse of his owne heart Iob 23. 10. But he knoweth my way and trieth me and I shall come forth like the Gold how proues he that verse 11. My foot hath followed his steps his way haue I kept On the other side this is made the note of an hypocrite to put holinesse in or make conscience of such things as God neuer commanded Mar. 7. 6 7. Christ calls them hypocrites that made conscience of the Iewish purifyings though that were an old and generall custome because it was but a commandement of men a tradition of men This proues all Papists to be Hypocrites many of their chiefe good workes that they put most holinesse in are such as God neuer commanded Nay there is no naturall man vnder heauen that makes this reckoning of the word or that doth thus cleaue vnto it First he makes the custome and example and commandement of men the chiefe rule of his conscience Secondly he doth in many things that that is good in his owne eyes Let vs therefore tric our obedience by this first note The second note of difference is this The regenerate man makes conscience of euery duty God hath in his Word commanded euery commandement hath a diuine authoritie in his heart him shall yee heare in all things whatsoeuer hee shall say vnto you Acts 3. 22. This is noted of Zachary and Elizabeth Luke 1. 6. That they walked in all the commandements and ordinances of the Lord blamelesse Gods childe is willing to be directed by his Word in all things euen in the least not in matters of godlinesse only and in our duties towards God and of righteousnesse in all our duties towards men but euen in matters of sobriety also and in the moderating of our selues in the vse of all such things as are neither expresly commanded nor forbidden by God Tit. 2. 12. This we shall also find is made an infallible marke of an vpright heart Obserue this in Dauids prayer 1. Chron. 29. 19. Giue to Salomon my son a perfect heart to keepe thy commandements thy testimonies and thy statutes to do all things Neither our meat nor recreations nor the labours and affaires of our calling are sanctified vnto vs vnlesse we vse them according to the word 1. Tim. 4. 5. And we finde what conscience our Sauiour made euen of a matter of circumstance in the Ceremoniall Law namely touching the iust time when the Passeouer was to be celebrated True it is that a regenerate man may and doth oft faile in many duties God requireth but he maketh conscience of euery duty the vnfained desire and indeauour of his heart is to keepe euery commandement of God to obey God in one thing as well as in another This was Dauids comfort and assurance Psalme 119. 6. Then shall I not bee confounded when I haue respect vnto all thy commandements Iohn 15. 14. Yee are my friends if yee doe whatsoeuer I command you Now there was neuer any hypocrite or naturall man that was able to go thus farre but either he seemes to make conscience of the second Table and neglects the first or he seemes very deuout in the duties of the first and is vnconscionable in the second many commandements in the Word haue no authority at all in his heart I might instance against many of you in that one mentioned aboue all things my brethren sweare not Iames 5. 12. and against many others of you in other commandements of God Thus was the hypocrisie of Iehu and Herod descried though both of them went very farre If we looke into Iehu's story we shall see cause to thinke that surely he was a good man For first he was immediately chosen by God to be King 2. Kings 9. 3.