too good for the world First the world viz. the wicked in the world are very little worth not worth one godly man or woman in it whence observe that Gods Children are worthy persons But before I handle this point I will give the sence and meaning of the words 1. This word World is diversly taken Sometims it is taken for the whole Fabrick of Heaven and earth Iohn 1. 10. He was in the world and the world was made by him and the world knew him not So Acts 17. 24. God that made the world c. 2. Sometimes it is taken for all mankind good and bad So Rom. 5. 12. As by one man sin entred into the world viz. sin entred into the men which are in the world 3. Sometimes it is taken for the elect onely so Iohn 1. 29. Behold the Lamb of God which taketh away the sinne of the world viz. the elect in the world Again God so loved the world c. Iohn 3. 1. 16. viz. his elect in the world Again we beleeve this is the Saviour of the world Iohn 4. 42. viz. of the elect in the world But why are the godly called the world I answer first because the world was made for them and it is continued yet for their sakes Secondly they may be called the world because they are scattered through the world and that not onely among the Iewes but even among the Gentiles also Thirdly they may be called the world because in themselves they are a world of people but yet compare them with the Devils drove they are few even as the shaking of the Olive tree Isaiah 17. 6. yet in themselves they are as the Starres in number Genesis 15. 5. And Balaam said who can number the dust of Iacob Numb 22. 10. Sometimes it is taken for the reprobates in the world so John 15. 19. If you were of the world the world would love its owne It is plain also in the prayer of Christ I pray not for the world John 17. 9. And they may fitly be called the world First because they are the worlds Citizens they mind the things of the world they follow nothing but the world Secondly because they are the greatest part of the world Sometimes the world is taken for the things in the world those things wherewith the Devill uses to draw men from God as the lusts of the flesh the lusts of the eyes the pride of life 1. John 2. 16. Sometimes for the happy estate and condition the godly shall enjoy after this life So Luke 20 35. They which shall be accounted worthy to obtain that world c. Now whereas the Apostle saith of whom the world was not worthy I take it he means wicked men in the world and those are they that are not worthy the company of the godly And because I intend to shew the unworthinesse of the world I will shew first that the things in this world are little worth Secondly that the men in the world are little worth First I will shew you that the things in the world are little worth as Riches Honours pleasures c. they are called deceitfull riches and Christ calls them the Mammon of iniquity Luke 16. 9. trash Luke 8. 14. Snares 1 Tim. 6. 9. They are called uncertain riches Now these base titles must needs argue that they are little worth for were they worth more God would set better Titles on them And Salomon who had best experience of them yet hee termes them vanity Eccles 1 2. and 11. Secondly they are little worth because they are very unprofitable they cannot pofit a man It is plain by the speech of Samuel 1. Sam. 12. 21. Vain things which cannot profit c. Thirdly they are little worth because they cannot further a man in the main thing at which he should aime they may further a man in some trifles but not in the maine thing There is no true good comes to a man by all the riches in the world neither can they free a man from the evill day neither can they make you better either in respect of God or your selves First in respect of God they cannot make you better esteemed with God for he regards not the rich more then the poore Job 34. 19. He doth not account of a man according to his greatnesse but according to his goodnesse Prov. 20. 7 8. Better is a poor man that walks in his integrity then a King that is perverse in his wayes Secondly they cannot better him in respect of God because they cannot assure him of the love of God Thirdly they cannot make a man more mindfull of God nay they corrupt mens hearts they make a man more forgetfull of God It is thus with the greatest part of men in the world that are worldly rich it is with them as it was with the Prodigall who while he had money in his purse never did he think on his Father Fourthly the things of this world cannot make a man more thankfull to God but rather the contrary ut supra Fifthly the things of this world cannot draw a man neerer unto God You see that the more men have the more negligent they are in Gods service Secondly in respect of our selves First all the things of this life cannot in rich a mans soule with grace they cannot make him humble nor mercifull nor constant in the profession of godlinesse and good duties nay it rather makes them the more unmeet to any goodnesse where there is gaine in the chest there is losse in the Conscience he that gets money apace may lose Faith and a good Conscience and they that most cover for abundance of the things of this life are most backward in Grace and this argues that the things of this life are little worth even in respect of a mans selfe Secondly they are not able to free a man from any spirituall evill they may promise freedome but when they come to the triall they will be like a broken staffe nay they cannot free thee so much as from an ague much lesse will they help in the day of the Lords wrath when the rich man shall be called to an account and the Lord will recompence every man according to his wayes So Prov. 11. 4. Riches profit not in the day of wrath True it is they may be as a wall of brasse to keep off the evil of this world yet when the houre of death approacheth they cannot free from that when you are affrighted with the accusation of your owne Consciences and with the apprehension of Gods wrath when the Devill shall set upon you and all your friends forsake you shall the things of this life then doe you any pleasure no no. You wil say to them then as Job to his friends miserable comforters are you all this argues their little worth For God will not examine you how rich you have been but he will consider you as you have honoured him and as
Because they are the strength of a mans soule the first born of originall corruption ibid. 5. Because they are the dearest acts of man 141. Doct. 2. It is hard for men to forsake their sinfull thoughts ibid. 1. Because it is hard for to reforme the inward part ibid. 2. Because thoughts are partiall acts and run on in every action ibid. 3. Because thoughts are inward in the heart 142. Use 1. For men to examine their thoughts ibid. A man may know whether he be a child of God or of the Devil by his thoughts ibid. 1. Because mens thoughts are the free acts of the heart ibid. 2. They are the immediate acts of the heart 143. 3. They are continued acts of heart ibid. 4. They are the univocall acts of the heart ibid. 5. They are the swiftest acts of the heart 144. 6. They are the peculiar acts of the heart ibid. 7. They are the greatest accusers or excusers of the heart ibid. Use 2. For direction If sin in thought be so great how horrible then is sin in the act 145. Use 3. For exhortation to consider 1. What great reason we have to set our thoughts on God 146. 2. What thoughts they are that God calls for ibid. The Contents of the tenth SERMON on Luke 9. 23. THe words of the text unfolded and opened in severall particulars 151. Doct. The first action to be performed of every Christian is to deny himselfe ibid. Reason 1. From Christs example he denied himselfe 152. 2. Christ denied himselfe for us therefore we must deny our selves for him ibid. 3. This Christ enjoyns to all that will come after him ibid. What is meant by a mans selfe 1. A mans corrupt will wit and reason 153. 2. All his lusts and corruptions ibid 3. Not only a mans corrupt selfe but a mans good selfe in some respects 154. Selfe-denying is opposite to selfe-seeking ibid. There are five things in selfe-seeking 1. It is an head lust ibid. And that appears 1. Because it is a leading-lust to all lust ibid. 2. Because selfe is the cause of all other lusts of the heart 155. 3. Because selfe is an in lust it runs along through all the lusts of the flesh ibid. 4. Selfe is a make-lust a man would never break out into lust were it not for selfe ibid. 5. Selfe is a lust that is in request ibid. 2. Selfe-seeking is a selfe-conceited lust that is 1. When a man hath a conceit of himselfe 156. 2. Of his own gifts ibid. 3. Of his own actions ibid. 4. Of the state that he is in ibid. When as a selfe-conceited man 1. Hath no reall worth in himselfe 157. 2. He will not stand to the judgement of those that can judge him ibid. 3. He hath too high a conceit of himselfe ibid. 4. He resteth in the judgement of himselfe ibid. And the Reasons of this are these 1. Because sinners are fools 158. 2. Men are borne fooles ibid. 3. Men are well-conceited of their own estate ibid. 4 The Lord gives up many to a spirit of slumber 159. The wofull case of a selfe-conceited men 1. Because the Scripture calls selfe-conceiâ— 1. Only a thinking ibid. 2. A superstition ibid. 3. A shadow ibid. 4. An Imagination ibid. 5. An Appearance ibid. 2. So long as a man is well conceited of himself Christ hath no commission to call him 160. 3. Christ rejoyceth that he hath no commission to call such ibid. 4. The self conceited man is in the broad way to hell ibid. The Contents of the eleventh SERMON upon Luke 11. 9. THe opening of the Context The words of the Text opened 164. Doctr. Importunate prayer is a restlesse prayer 165. Reason 1. It will take no privative deniall it must have some Answer ibid. 2. Not a positive deniall not a contrary answer ibid. 3. It will take no contumelious repulse 166. 4. It is in a holy manner a kind of impudent prayer ibid. 3. Reasons why we must pray importunately 1. In regard of Gods Majesty God respects it 167. 2. In regard of Gods mercie it is a disgrace to Gods mercy to beg it coldly 168. 3. In regard of our selves else we should never esteem mercy 169. 4. Reasons why men are not importunate in Prayer 1. Because men account prayer a penance ibid. 2. Most men content themselves with formality ibid. 3. Men are Gentlemen beggars 170. 4. Men have wrong conceits of prayer ibid. 1. They have high conceits of their own prayers ibid. 2. They have mean conceits of their sins 171. 3. They have base thoughts of God ibid. 4. Thee have wrong conceits of Importunitie ibid The Contents of the twelfth Sermon on Luke 11. 9. 6. Signes whereby we may know whether our prayers be importunate 1. IMportunate prayer is evermore the prayer of an importunate man 175. 2 It is the prayer of a pure conscience 176. 3. It is a prayer that is full of strong arguments 177. 4. It is a stout prayer ibid. 5 It is a wakefull prayer ibid. 6. It is an assurance-getting prayer ibid. 7. Marks of Prayer that is not importunate 1. It is a lazie prayer 178. 2. It is not powred out from the heart ibid. 3. It is a praying only by fits ibid. 4 It is a silent prayer he is silent in that he should most insist upon 179. 5. A seldome prayer ibid. 6. A lukewarme prayer 180. 7. By-thoughts in prayer keep prayer from being importunate By-thoughts in prayer arise 1. From corrupt nature ibid. 2. From nature as it is curbed ibid. 3. From Satan ibid. 4. From spirituall sluggishnesse 181. 8. Motives to Importunate Prayer 1. Because praier enables a man for duties ibid. 2. Prayer is the compendium of all divinity 182. 3. Prayer is a mans utmost refuge ibid. 4. Prayer is that which Gods people have though they have nothing else ibid. 5. Prayer hath the command of mercy ibid. 6. Prayer is Gods delight 183. 7. Importunate praier is a willing prayer ibid. 8. Importunate prayer is the only faithfull prayer ibid. 6. Helps to importunity in Prayer 1. Labour to know thine own misery ibid. 2. Be sensible of thy miserie ibid. 3. Observe how Gods people pray ibid. 4. Get a stock of prayer ibid. 5. Labour to be full of good works 184. 6. Labour to reforme thy houshold ibid The Contents of the thirteenth SERMON upon Col. 1. 10. THe words explained according to a double sense 187. Doctr. Those that professe Christ must walke worthy of Christ. 188. Reason 1. Because it is Christ that calls us to be Christians ibid. 2. Because it is the Gospel of Christ whereby we are called 289. 3. Because by the Gospel we are called to repentance ibid. 4. Because if we walk not worthy of Christ God will not hold us to be his servants ibid. 5. If we walke not worthy of Christ then it will be for the glory of God to cashiere us 190. 6. If we walk not worthy of Christ we put an indignity
it here translated He that being often reproved hardeneth his neck shall suddenly be destroyed and that without remedy I desire to speak of both these expositions for fear I should misse the true sense of this Text. For the first it is a truth of God every where confirmed in the Sciriptures that he that reproves another and yet hardeneth his own heart he doth but make a rod for his own back he puls sudden destruction upon his own self Then Secondly there is no hinderance from the context but that this may be the meaning of the text you know the Proverbs have little or no coherence except two or three chapters Indeed there is a coherence in them but generally through the Proverbs there is none so that if the text it self will bear one exposition as well as another indifferently the meaning none can tell but only as it is hâ—t Thirdly and lastly the Text it self favours this exposition for so the word in the Hebrew is A man of reproofs that hardens his own neck shal suddenly be destroyed and that without remedy Now the Question is Whether the wise mans meaning here be of the actuall reproof the reproving of another or of passive reproof this is undetermined which of these is meant A man can have no light from the coherence none in the world and from the text it self there is as much reason why we should expound it one way even almost as the other So that I say for fear I should let go the true meaning of the wise man I desire to speak a little of the active sense He that often reproves another and yet hardeneth his own neck shall suddenly be destroyed and that without remedy From hence I may observe that A reprover whether a master or a Minister or a Magistrate or a Father or a private Christian be he what he will be that reproveth another and yet is guilty himself either in the same kind or else in another or in any kind and hardneth his own heart in it that man shall suddenly be destroyed without remedy Take a Preacher that preacheth strict doctrine to the people that is very zealous against their sinnes he is up with hell and damnation against their filthy courses he preacheth for quickning but himself is not quickned be threatneth â—udgement against hardnesse of heart and yet he hath a hard heart himself this man puls destruction upon his own pate He is like the Pharisees that imposed upon others grievous burdens and heavy to be born but would not touch them with one of their fingers themselves Matth. 23. 4. The Reason of this is because First such a reprover of sin does it against his office the office of a reprover binds him to be blamelesse as the Apostle speaks A Bishop must be blamelesse 1 Tim. 3. 2. Every Christian should be blamelesse how much more Ministers that bear the office of reprovers they should be blamelesse Nay if a man though he take not the office of a reprover yet if he bear the person of a reprover as every private Christian must when God calls him to it for every man may be called to reprove though he have no authority over another though he be a private man he may bear the person though not the office of a reprover Now a man must be unculpable and unblameable himself or else he sins against his person If a man reprove another for being carnall himself must be spirituall Gal. 6. 1. If any man be overtaken with a fault ye that are spirituall restore him The reprover the exhorter and admonisher must be spiritual if he would draw another to be spirituall Secondly such a reprover as is guilty himself in that kind or in any other kind he can never reprove to a right end Why seest thou a moat in thy brothers eye and considerest not the beam in thine own eye Matthew 7. verse 3. Why saith he to what end what is that thou lookest at thou art severe to espye faults in thy brothers eye To what end doest thou reprove him What is the reason What is the thing thou wouldest have that thou findest fault with him Why seest thou a moat in thy brothers eye As if he should say thy end can never be good it cannot be to doe thy brother good for then thou wouldest do thy selfe good first It is not because thou hatest sin for then thou wouldest detest thine own sinne It cannot be out of a good principle or to a good end It is either because thou art a busie body in other mens matters or thou art censorious thou lovest to be medling or because thou hatest thy brother and wouldest wreak thy malice on him thou wouldest fain shame and disgrace him and by beating him down get thy self up or thou wouldest get a cover to thine owne conscience it must be some such end it cannot be a good end Christ puts it to a mans conscience why he reproves his brother when he is faulty himselfe Thirdly another Reason is such a reprover can never do it in a right manner as Christ saith Matthew 7. 4 How wilt thou say to thy brother let me pull the moat out of thine eye when behold a beam is in thine own eye How wilt thou do it in what fashion or sort How wilt thou be able to bring this about A man that is a reprover had need to have a very clear sight of his own that sees another mans faults and will set another to rights he had need to have a good judgement to see all the circumstances of reproof and rebuke that deals with another As long as a man hath a beam in his own eye as long as he hath lusts in his own heart that will blind his judgement and darken and cover his eyes and make him that he shall not be able to see to goe about it How canst thou possibly say to thy brother let me pull the moat out of thine eye when there is a beam in thine own eye A man that is to reprove another a Master that will reprove his servant or a Father his children or a Minister that will reprove his people or a Magistrate that will reprove those that are committed to his charge or any brother that will reprove another he must do it with a spirit of compassion with bowels of pity with a sense and feeling there is a great deal of wisedome and discretion to be observed in this act Now when a man hath a beam in his own eye how shall he be able to doe it That man that is faulty and guilty himselfe either he must reprove too harshly and rigorously or too sparingly or too insultingly he must doe it in a wrong manner it can never be sincerely and truly done as long as a man hath a lust in his own heart and he himselfe is guilty and faulty that is a reprover of his brother Nay the party reproved is holpen to retort