holy Sabboths so they are still They were drunkards and filthy livers ignorant and blind in matters of faith and religion so they are still Are these humble and repentant sinners do these turne to God where you saw them long a goe and where you left them twenty or thirty yeares a goe there you shall be sure to finde them never a whit changed unlesse happily from evill to worse But let such marke how it hath beene with other penitents and in them behold themselues as in aglasse I meane Paul the woman of Samaria Lydia the jaylour Zacheus the Iewes that crucified Christ the Lord of life Let him that talketh of Repentance boasteth of it and chalengeth it to himselfe even for his owne assurance shew the like fruites in himselfe for it worketh such a change and alteration that both our selues and others may discerne it as easily as light from darknesse So then as the Apostle saith Shew me thy faith by thy workes Iam. 2.18 so may I say shew me thy repentance by thy change For what shall it profit a man to say he hath repentance when he hath no friutes can such a repentance comfort him The third reproofe Thirdly it condemneth civill men that remaine in the state of nature and glory in their outward vertues that they are alwayes the same but these glory in their owne shame These cannot say they are become new creatures they cannot say they were ever borne againe yet without the new birth they cannot enter into the kingdome of heaven Ioh 3.3 They cannot say Old things are passed away 2 Cor 5.17 behold all thinges are made new yet no other are in Christ and made members of his body Such civill men that content themselues with civill honesty and have nothing wherein to rejoyce but nature stand as yet in a dangerous and damnable estate neither can they come out of it untill they begin to deny themselues and to loath and detest even these outward vertues forsamuch as the trust and confidence in them is no better then a selfe deceiving Secondly it serveth for information in other truthes First that no sinne is great and heinous but there is place for repentance if they can repent This was the end of Christes comming to call sinners to repentance Math. 9.13 he sayth sinners without exception This we see in Manasses a Sorcerer an Idolater a murtherer and almost what not yet he humbled himselfe and obtained mercy according as he prayed 2 Chr. 33. 2 Chro. 33.19 Paul confesseth that he was sometimes a blasphemer and a persecutour and an oppressour yet he obtained mercy because he did it ignorantly in unbeleefe 1 Tim. 1.13 1 Tim. 1. The conspirators against Christ and his kingdome are called to kisse that is Psal 2.12 to embrace and obey him and his doctrine and accordingly they which shed his blood by murthering of him did drinke his blood by beleeving him Act. 2. Act. 2.37 A singular comfort for such as feele the burden of their sinnes lying heavy upon their consciences that they goe mourning all the day long and cannot lift up their heads to God unto such the Lord speaketh Esay 1. Come let us reason together Esay 1.16 if ye will wash and clense your hearts though your sinnes were as red as crimsin they shall be made white as wooll And Christ our Saviour calleth such as are heavy laden Math. 11.28 and promiseth to give them rest Math. 11. Sinne often bringeth us to the brimme or border of hell but it cannot bring us so low but Christ Iesus is able to bring us backe and to raise us vp againe by repentance Secondly there in no sinne so small and little though it seeme in our eyes as a more but it is able to bring to hell and therefore craveth repentance The world of naturall men judgeth that repentance is proper to none but to heinous and hideous sinnes as murther theft periury treason rebellion whordome and such like and that if they be free from the outward act of these they justifie themselues like the Pharisee and thinke repentance belongeth not to them as for others if they have any they hope to be dispenced with all It is nothing so with Gods children they have beene touched to the heart for such sinnes as the world taketh no notice off and never sticketh at as for the evill which appeareth in their best workes that they cannot do them as they would but infirmities creepe upon them and defile them not onely for committing evill but for omitting good things Rev. 2.4.5 the Church of Ephesus is called to repentance for leaving their first love they watch over their idle thoughts and idle words Gen 6.5 remembring that every imagination of the heart is onely evill continually and the threatning of Christ that for every idle word that men shall speake Math. 12.36 they shall give account thereof at the day of judgement Davids heart was smitten for cutting off the lappe of Sauls garment privily 1 Sam. 24.4 1 Sam. 24. Every thing is layd to heart of Gods children which he hath softned by the touch of his holy spirit by giving unto them an heart of flesh they will be troubled for the least sinnes accounting no sinne little which is committed against so great a God which offendeth so holy a law which deserveth eternall death as the just wages thereof and brought Christ Iesus from the bosome of his Father to suffer death for them and lastly they are grieved touched to the quick because they encrease not in grace according to the good meanes and occasions that God hath given knowing that the more is given and committed unto them the more is required at their hands and the streighter shall their account be Lastly let us examine our selues whether we be turned from evill to good and from the power of Satan to God This will appeare by these signes and tokens First there is a turning of the heart upward to heaven and a fastning of the eye upon God that it may be sayd of every true repentant that his behaviour is as of one that is journying going up to the heavenly Ierusalem the mother of us all Luk. 9.53 as it is said of our Saviour that his face was as though he would go to Ierusalem Phil. 3.20 So our conuersation must be in heaven and our whole life a travelling thither and a wandering in the wildernesse of this world untill we be brought into the true Canaan that is aboue But if the hearts of all were tried by this rule it would shew how little repentance is in the world when in all our thoughts workes and employments we are carried wholly downeward which way will bring us to hell in the end forasmuch as we have prophane hearts not savauring the things that are of God like prophane Esau Secondly we grow every day better and better when once we
the punishment the sin would never trouble or torment them but thus Caine repented Gen. 4.13 who cryed out My punishment is greater then I can beare Besides what contrition or compunction of heart soever they may have it is but as a flash of lightning it is not constant it is not constant it is not joyned with an unfained desire to forsake sinne and to turne unto the Lord neither with any perswasion of Gods goodnesse and mercy in Christ Iesus To conclude we may be assured of true repentance and of our turning to God by these three infallible tokens first when we can say before the Lord How to be assured that our repentance and sorrow are true that there is no sinne but we doe as heartily desire never to commit it and as unfainedly crave of God to give us strength to leave and forsake it as we desire he would not plague and punish us for it Every man desireth to be freed and exempted from the punishment happy are we if we have as great a desire to be freed from the sinne Secondly when we as earnestly crave and covet to forsake sinne as we desire that God would forgive us our sinnes and not impute them unto us Lastly when we as truly hate sinne as we desire to be partakers of eternall Glory in the kingdome of heaven These are unfallible signes of true repentance and turning unto God which were never found in any wicked man in any age of the world neither indeed can be Secondly must all repent and amend their lives as the onely meanes and remedy which God hath appointed to turne backe his judgments then it is necessary for us to know what we are by nature or of our selues that we may learne what is our owne and what is not our owne For we shall never returne unto God untill we know how far we are turned from him neither come into the right way till we heare how farre we are gone out of it nor will we labour to reforme our lives untill we know how much we are deformed nor become wise in God untill we see our owne folly Math. 9.12 The whole saith Christ need not the Physition Rules touching tonuersion but they that are sicke Now that we may search throughly into our selues and make an Anatomy of our soules and plowgh up the ground of our hearts let us obserue these few rules following The first rule First every man that commeth of Adam and issueth out of his loines as all mankind doth is guilty of his sinne and disobedience in eating of the forbidden fruit And if we had no inherent sinne of our owne this imputed sinne of his were enough to condemne us for we even we our selues in his loynes did eate of the forbidden fruit we beleeved not God we hearkned to Satan we were seduced and deceived as well as he In this the proverbe holdeth true Ezek. 18.2 which is justly reproved in the Iewes The fathers have eaten sowre grapes the childrens teeth are set on edge This the Apostle teacheth at large Rom. 5. Rom. 5.12 By one man sin entred into the world death by sinne Now this sinne of Adam passeth to his posterity be two meanes by imputation and propagation The punishments which all men suffer do plainely argue that the sinne of Adam is imputed to us therefore he addeth in the next wordes Death passed upon all men for that all have sinned to wit in him But because this rule is not easily yeelded unto but we are ready to say with Nicodemus How can these things be Iohn 3. and with the Disciples that followed him This is an hard saying who can here it Iohn 6.60 We will propound and answer a few objections Ob. that may seeme to stand in the way contradict the former rule First it may be alleaged We were then unborne and lived many thousand yeares after him how then can his sinne be ours more then ours be his How then can we be guilty in that respect before God I answer Answ that the sinne of Adam was not onely personall neither did he sinne as a singular person but as carrying all mankind in the stocke and originall no otherwise then our Saviour satisfying for us on the crosse hath not satisfied for us as a private person but as sustaining and representing the whole Church in the head as 2 Cor. 5. If one died for all all likewise were dead 2 Cor. 5.15 Rom. 6.6.8 and Rom. 6. We are dead with Christ crucified with him If then we died in Christ dying and were likewise crucified with him who can doubt but it may be said that we sinned in Adam For if the righteousnesse and satisfaction of the second Adam be imputed to us why shall not the sin of the first Adam in like manner be imputed especially seeing the righteousnesse of Christ is imputed unto us that the sin of Adam might not be imputed unto us And besides the sacred recordes of holy Scripture doth not this accord with good reason For inasmuch as Adam received good things not for himselfe alone as we do but for his posterity it is not to be marveiled at if being spoyled or rather spoyling himselfe of these good things he lost them for himselfe his posterity If a man be capitally punished for high treason against his Prince and forfeit his estate and be thereby brought to poverty his children also have their blood stained and loose their nobility Even as he that is borne of Parents infected with the Leprosie draweth from them like contagion so it is with such as are borne of Adam out of his loynes issueth a naturall deprauation and contagion So then we must consider that we are all Adams seed and posterity he was the common father of us all whatsoever he receiued it was for himselfe and his posterity and whatsoever gift he lost he lost them for himselfe and all his posterity Calu. justit lib. 2. cap. 1. as it is said that Levi payed tithes in Abraham albeit by his office he received tithes Heb. 7.9 Religion and the image of God in which he was created if he had stood fast in his estate had beene hereditary and entailed to his posterity as an inheritance to be conveied from the father to the children but when he fell from God Gen. 5.3 he is said to beget a sonne in his owne likenesse after his owne image not in the image of God This the Apostle toucheth in many places Rom. Rom. 1.14.15 16.17.18.19 5. Death riegned from Adam to Moses even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adams transgression And againe Through the offence of one many be dead And againe The judgment was by one to condemnation And againe by one mans offence death reigned by one And againe By the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation And againe by one mans disobedience many were made sinners
and dissimulation This was the sinne of Eli other wise a good man 1 Sam. 1. Christ our Saviour conversed much with publicans and sinners to the end he might do them good and draw them from the kingdome of sinne and Satan and make them inheriters of the kingdome of heaven a worke in all respectes most holy and righteous yet the Scribes and Pharisees judged him to be a friend and favourer of them and of their sinnes Lue. 7.34 And albeit he castout Devils by the power of his divine Majesty for the confirmation of his doctrine and edification of the weake in faith yet they said he did it by Beelzebuh the Prince of the Devils Math. 12.24 So in our dayes religion and the zealous profession thereof are reputed no better then counterfeit holinesse Let the examples of the faithfull be before us continually whensoever we find the same measure offered untous and comfort our selves with this that it hath no otherwise befallen us then to many Prophets of God and faithfull seruants of Christ Math. 5.12 who must not looke to be greater then there Master neither to finde better entertainment in the world then he did The second kinde of judgment forbidden is when men commit evill things worthy in themselves to be condemned and thereupon are judged not onely dangerous but desperate offenders past hope of repentance and recovery This is to execute indeede a right Lordship over their soules and Salvation and to step up into the seate of God 1 Cor. 4.5 Of this the Apostle speaketh Iudge nothing before the time untill the Lord come who will lighten things that are hidde in darknesse and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts and then shall every man have prayse of God and we are charged to instruct with meeknesse the contrary minded 2 Tim. 2.25 to bring them to God and not leave them in the snares of the Devill No man therefore ought to passe their doome of the everlasting estate of any man and to pronounce peremptorily and absolutely that they shall perish and cannot be saved as if they were Lords of one anothers life and death salvation and damnation or had power to bring them to heaven or cast them into hell This is beyond our reach and commission and to usurpe the office of Christ to whom all judgment is committed No man dare make himselfe a judge and sit downe in the judgement seate to give sentence of absolution or condemnation in matters of this temporall life without the Princes speciall appointment and shall any dare doe it in things of the life to come to pronounce any to be forlorne reprobates and vessels of wrath For who knoweth what one day may bring forth Pro. 24 1 He runneth farre that never returneth We see many notorious wicked men suddainly and mightily called and changed 2 Chr. 33. Act. 9. Luk. 23. We read of some standing idle all the day long called at the eleventh houre to labour in the vineyard Math. Math. 20. 20. The theefe repented and was converted at the instant of his death Let us remember that we are all brethren one no better then another and therefore we ought not presumptuously to chalenge this superiority to judge and condemne one another Christian love hopeth well of all men and so long as they live there is some hope The third kind is when we doe things which in themselues are indifferent which may be done either well or ill either with a pure or a prophane heart with faith or without faith to judge such an action wicked which indeed is to be accounted good or evill according to the intent purpose and affection of the doer whereof God alone is the discerner because he alone is the searcher of the heart he alone is the Iudge of the heart This corruption we read to have beene in Eliab the brother of David Why camest thou downe hither 1 Sam. 17 2â— and with whom hast thou left those few sheepe in the wildernesse I know thy pride and the haughtinesse of thy heart for thou art come downe to see the battell This the Apostle forbiddeth Rom. 14. Rom. 14.3 Let not him that eateth judge him that eateth not c. The faithfull servants of God are hardly delt withall in all these respects their good things are not good or at least it is shrunke up and contracted their indifferent things are pronounced to be starke naught and if they fall into evil it is stretched and made a thousand times worse even by those of the worser sort Lastly it standeth us upon to labour to see the grieuousnesse of sinne in our selves and to feele the waight and burden thereof For commonly we are blinde and see not at all or else we are purblind and cannot see them in their right colours we be hold them as motes or strawes not as beames or if we doe ever judge them as beames How we may perceive the neinousnesse and greinousnesse of sinne Luc. 12.48 it is in others not in our selves Now that we may discerne of sinne in the nature thereof we must consider these few particulars First consider how God striveth with us by his manifold mercies and blessings to draw us to a love of Godlinesse and hatred of wickednesse now unto whomsoever much is given of him shall be much required and to whom men have committed much of him they will aske the more Secondly if we compare our sinnes with Adams first sinne considered in the fact doubtlesse we have as great in our hearts yea greater and yet by that one disobedience he brought destruction upon himselfe and all his posterity that is the first and second death Thirdly we may behold the grievousnesse of sinne by proportion with the punishment For what is the wages and reward of sinne a subjection to all woe and misery in this life to death it selfe in the end of this life and to eternall death after this life in hell with the Devill and his Angels Fourthly they were laid upon the person of our Saviour Christ who outwardly endured the torments on the Crosse in his body and inwardly apprehended the wrath of God in his soule due unto us and which we should have suffered This made him to sweat water and blood Lue. 22.44 Math. 27.46 and to cry out in the anguish of his spirit My God my God why hast thou forsaken me Math. 27. Are such sinnes to be holden as motes no doubtlesse they are great beames are they as little moul-hills no doubtlesse they be huge mountaines able to crush the sonnes of men in pieces under the heavy indignation of God Lastly the law of God is holy and perfect and forbiddeth the first thoughts and motions in the heart that arise against God or our neighbour yea though we never give consent of will to practise them Rom. 7. If then the first motions be sins in themselves deserving damnation Rom. 7.7 because the law saith
the Lord will both we shall live and doe this or that But on the other side it should hasten and further our repentance and cause us to humble our selves under the mighty hand of God as the Ninivites did who hearing their end was neere at hand they proclaimed a fast they put on sack-cloth they cryed unto God from the greatest of them to the least of them And who knoweth how nigh at hand our time may be are not many gone and swept away that seemed before as safe as we The Sodomites thought themselves as free from judgement and as farre from their end as we doe Gen. 19.23.24 the Sunne shined upon them they promised to themselves a faire day but before night they suffered a perpetuall night and darknesse of death they were destroyed with fire and brimst one from heaven So it was with the Egyptians they went quietly to bed and slept soundly but it came to passe at midnight Exod. 12.29 the Lord smote all the first-borne in the land of Egypt c. The like I might say of Belshazzar Dan. 5. and of Anarias and Sapphira Act. 5. Now is the time of our acceptance of turning and changing after death there is no change at all Thirdly learne to content our selves with every estate and condition whatsoever shall befall us Our life is vaine and suddainly gone we have a short journey to make Cicer. de Senectute and therefore the lesse provision will serve our turne It is great folly for a man that hath a short way to goe and a little iourney to take to carry greater provision with him for it A little will serve to bring us to our iournies end 1 Tim. 6.7 Heb. 13.5 Therefore the Apostle saith 1 Tim. 6. We brought nothing into this world and it is certaine we can carry nothing out and having food and raiment let us be therewith content Lastly let us be wise to number our dayes and to measure out the length of our time that we may know how fraile we are There is a great art and skill required to doe this aright few have learned this knowledge Hence it is that the Prophet himselfe turneth himselfe to God to be instructed of him as one that was not able of himselfe to conceive it without such a master Lord teach me Psal 39.4 90.12 Lord make me to know mine end c. This is the best art of numbering and skill of mensuration It is a vaine thing to be able to measure our land and to number our sheepe and other cattell and yet have no knowledge how to number our dayes The numbring of our dayes aright hath many branches A man may seeke the register and know his age and not number his dayes but suffer whole yeares to passe over his head and the greatest part of all his life without heavenly wisedome This point hath many branches first account the present time and day to be as the last and so live as if every day we should die that we may prepare our selves for the day of our dissolution Luc. 12.10 when we must go hence be no more not as the rich man that numbred falsely and deceived himselfe in his accounts Thou hast much laid up for many yeares take thine ease eate drinke and be merry and therefore is worthily called a foole for his labour There can be no worse deceit then when a man deceiveth himselfe in his reckonings Secondly we number our daies when we looke backe and remember the miserie into which sinne hath brought our nature Gen. 2. Must not that needs be bitter which hath brought forth such bitter fruit Gen. 3.17.18 the ground was cursed to bring forth thornes and thistles but man bringeth forth more sowre and unsavery fruits of ungodlinesse and unrighteousnesse and hath pulled down that goodly building which God had set up that only a little rubbage therof remaineth An evill tree cannot bring forth good fruit so man drinketh iniquity as water and cannot bring that which is cleane from the fountaine that is uncleane Thirdly we learne thereby to dy daily 1 Cor. 15.31 This the Apostle practised 1 Cor. 15. I protest by your rejoycing which I have in Christ Iesus our Lord I dy daily We must exercise and enure our selves in dying by little and little so long as we live here upon earth before we come tody indeed and then I doubt not but we shall depart hence in peace dye well in the end Every afflictiō is a preparation to death and a putting of us in minde of our dissolution For he died daily not onely because he was often in danger of death that there was often but a steppe betweene death and him but because in all his troubles and dangers he made himselfe ready not knowing when God might call him He that will inable himselfe to beare the crosse of all crosses I meane death Iob. 18.24 called the King of terrours must first of all learne to beare smaller lesser crosses patiently and meekly as sicknesse of body trouble of minde anguivh of conscience losse of goods greatnesse of paines death of friends burdens of poverty lacking of maintenance crosses in our affaires and many such like which are as the harbingers or messengers of death making the way before it Learne we therefore to entertaine them and make good use of them that when death the end of all commeth indeed to cut off our dayes as the sickle reapeth downe the corne that is ripe and ready to be carried into the barne we may looke it in the face bid it welcome and prepare to meete it halfe way O how bitter and distastfull is death to them that live in the pleasures of sinne and how sweet to the distressed Fourthly labour to take away the power and sting and strength of death It is as a Scropion that carrieth poison in the taile of it and therefore we must deale with it as they doe with a venimous beast pull out the sting of it then it cannot hurt What is that may some say 1 Cor. 15.56 The sting of death is sinne saith the Apostle as the strength of sinne is the law Or let us deale with it as the Philistines dealt with Sampson they never rested but laboured day and night to know wherein his strength lay Iudg. 16.5 that they might weaken him and make him like to one of them So ought we to doe If any aske wherin lyeth the strength of death that it beateth downe so many to the ground nay throweth and thrusteth them headlong downe to hell I answer it lyeth altogether in our sinnes and therefore we must labour earnestly to take away the strength of them by repentance from dead workes and faith in Christ Iesus So many sinnes as we maintaine and cherish in our selves so many stings of death be in us the least whereof is able to wound our soules to eternall death The venime of
to repentance to bring forth good fruit They shal have God himselfe to helpe strengthen and assist them to cause them goe through with that worke If any aske what is the way and what be the meanes to attaine unto it and to lead us by the hand to enter into that course I answer First to account no sinne in it owne nature light or small This is that withholdeth us from repentance and draweth iniquity with cords of vanity Esay 5.18 and sinne as it were with a cart-rope to suppose it to be a slight thing that we may doe a little that we neede not be so precise to sticke at a little like the sluggard that giveth way to a little sleepe a little slumber Pro. 6.10 a little folding of the hands to sleepe but we must assure our selves that though there be difference betweene sinne yet all finne is heinous none to be accounted little Rom. 6.23 as Rom. 6. the wages of all sinne is death Secondly to avoyde all occasions and allurements that may draw and entise us to sinne as we are commanded to abstaine from all appearance of evill and Iude saith Others save with feare 2 Thess 5.22 Iude vers 23. pulling them out of the fire hating even the garment spotted with the flesh Thirdly to accustome our selves to subdue the smaller and lesser sinnes that at the last we may subdue and overcome the greater like a captaine who to hearten encourage his souldiers bringeth them where the weakest enemies are encamped Fourthly to oppose the law the curse the last judgment and such like against all sinne whatsoever and therefore Salomon saith Pro. 28.14 Blessed is the man that feareth alwayes but he that hardneth his heart shall fall into mischiefe Lastly to remember that the least sinne cost the blood of Christ our Saviour to make satisfaction and brought him from the bosome of his father to take our nature upon him and in that nature to dye for us Psal 49.7.8 No man can by any meanes redeeme his brother neither give to God a ransome for him so precious is the redemption of the Soule And if not then after that thou shalt c. This latter clause of the sentence is defective in the former part as the former was in the latter part The meaning is if this fig-tree will not bring forth fruit that is of repentance after all the labour of digging and dunging bestowed upon it after this thou shalt cut it downe Doct. This teacheth that all trees which are in the Vineyard are not fruitfull trees All that are in the Church are not true members of the true Church neither are all which are in the Church members of the Church but many hypocrites in it as there are evill humours in the body which are no parts of the body So it was in the house of Abraham so it was in the house of Isaac for all are not Israel which are of Israel Rom. 9.6.7 2.28 neither because they are the seed of Abraham are they all children but in Isaac shall thy seed be called So there is a Iew which is one outwardly and there is a Iew which is one inwardly as there is a circumcision which is in the flesh and a circumcision of the heart in the spirit and not in the letter whose praise is not of men but of God This will farther appeare by the title given to the Reason 1 visible Church It is the garden of God in a garden all are not good and wholsome herbes and on the tree all is not fruit but some leaves The Church is the floore where in is both corne and chaffe Mat. 3.12 13.24.47 the field wherein groweth both wheat and tares the net that catcheth all sorts of fishes both good and bad the pasture where in feed both sheepe goates some are sheepe in shew and semblance that inwardly are ravening wolues in sheepes clothing others are sheepe indeed and in truth some by outward calling and profession and in the eye of the Church others by grace and inward regeneration and in the eye of God Secondly all that be within the Church be not the elect of God Math. 20.16 therefore all cannot be beleevers for many are called but few are chosen It is the house of God in a great a great house 2 Tim. 2.30 there are not onely vessels of Gold and of Silver but also of wood and of earth some to honour and some to dishonour Thirdly it is compared to the Arke of Noah wherein as there were both cleane beasts and uncleane and men cleane and uncleane So all that are in Church are not by and of the Church 1 Ioh. 2.19 as 1 Iohn 2. they went out from us but they were not of us for if they had beene of us they would no doubt have continued with us c. This serveth for reproofe Vse 1 and that of sundry sorts First it confuteth them that hold the godly alone to be members of the visible Church whereas the barren fig-tree was planted in the vineyard as well as the other trees Secondly it reproveth such as forsake the visible Church for the wickednesse of them that live in it and doe in that respect condemne it for no Church Thirdly it convinceth such as dreame of perfection in the Church The floore cannot be throughly purged in this life that there should be nothing but wheat in the Church of God the servant cannot plucke up all the tares in this life Math. 13.28.29 lest while they gather up the tares they root up also the good seed with them This serveth to pull up by the rootes the dotage of the Anabaptists and familie of Loue for never was there such a Church in this life as they dreame off neither shall there be hereafter Secondly see here the difference betweene the Church in this life and that in the life to come betweene the Church militant triumphant For here the Church complaineth that it is blacke both in regard of the affliction and infirmities therof in this life albeit it be also comely Cant. 1.5 blacke in respect of it selfe but comely or lovely in respect of Christ But after this life all blacknesse and imperfections shall be done away when Christ Iesus shall present it to himselfe a glorious Church not having spot or wrinckle or any such thing Eph. 5.27 but that it should be holy without blemish No unrighteousnesse then shall enter therein Revel 21.27.4 neither any thing that is uncleane or any thing that defileth then God shall wipe away all teares from their eyes and there shall be no more death neither sorrow nor crying neither shall there be any more paine for the former things are passed away Lastly it exhorteth us never to give rest to our soules until we become the Israel of God true members of the visible Church because to such to none others the promises of
bettered by it So we have small profit by that which others heare except we apply it to our own soules What good hath the wounded man that hath a Soveraigne salue and plaister when hee layeth it not unto the sore And proclaimed a fast and put on sackcloth from c. Hitherto of the faith of the Ninevites Now of their repentance expressed by two signes of it proclaiming a fast and putting on sackcloath to make themselues thereby the fitter to pray and intreate the Lord to spare them and to shew mercy and compassion upon them They come not to God with full bellies or with meat in their mouthes or in gay and gorgeous apparell but in the commonest and coursest which they had These are the witnesses of their sorrow yea helpes and occasions and furtherances to more acceptable workes than they are of themselues For considered in themselues and in their owne natures they are little worth seeing bodily exercise profiteth little 1 Tim. 4.8 1 Tim. 4. But as we see that which is blunt in it selfe and not able to cut Horat. dâ— arte poet may not withstanding sharpen other things so fasting in it selfe no better than feasting and sackcloath than silke and costly apparel may neverthelesse further holy duties and quicken us in the persormance of them with greater zeale The Prophet therefore could not complaine of these Ninevites as our Saviour did of the Iewes Luk. 7.32 We have mourned to you and yee have not wept Let us now come to the meaning of the wordes Fasting importeth an abstaining not only from meate and drinke and sleepe so farre as humane infirmity wil suffer but from labour and the workes of our callings most of all from delights pleasures plaies pastimes recreations idlenesse haunting of tipling houses surfetting and drunkennesse the common sinnes of the Land which have drawne downe the hote wrath and heavie displeasure of Almightie God upon us 2. They Proclaime it That is they leave it not indifferent and arbitrary to the will and pleasure and discretion of every person to doe what they best fansied but they are bound by a Law and decree to performe it and undergoe it For doubtlesse were every man left at his own liberty whether he would serue the Lord or not or when to serue him O what a decay in religion should we find in the world in a short time Yea touching the Lords day though it be but one for seven Luk. 14.23 and God have left the rest to our selues or our lawfull labours yet if no man should be compelled to the seruice of God should we finde any knowledge of God in the land or any faith in Christ So backward we are in matters of our owne salvation to which a man would thinke we should be so forward as we should need no spurre of exhortation 3. They put on sackcloth It may be it was not sackcloth in his proper kind which is commonly so called which they could not possibly in such plenty and abundance supply themselues withall at such a suddaine but their ordinary and meanest attire so that were it that in civility and modesty they might they would have stripped themselues to the bare skin thereby acknowledging and confessing themselues unworthy of any creature to cover their nakednesse They had sinned through their wealth and superfluity in both these in pride and excesse The Pampering up of backe and belly are as the two daughters of the horseleech that sucke the very blood of the land have wasted the substance and estates of many persons and consumed great families Both these lay aside and cast away from them yea they punish and revenge themselues of their surfetting drunkennesse by fasting professing themselues unworthy to tast one bit of bread or to drinke one drop of water and of their pride and excesse in apparell by putting on sack cloth acknowledging themselues unworthy to weare any thing upon them Doct. This practise of theirs teacheth that it is a fruit of repentance to take vengeance of our selues for our sins It is required of us to be revenged of our sinnes This the Apostle teacheth 2 Cor. 7.10.11 Godly sorrow worketh repentance to saluation not to be repented of Behold what revenge this hath wrought in you This will shew what affection we beare to our sinnes when we daily strive to mortifie the deeds of the flesh Before repentance they are so deare unto us and so beloved of us that we cannot abide to be reprooued of them but when true repentance and sorrow for sinne commeth then we begin to brooke and digest not onely reproofe of them from others but vengeance also upon them from our selues And when once we can be avenged of them it is a plaine token we account them our utter enimies For no man desireth revenge but upon him whom he supposeth and accounteth his enemy 1 Sam. 24.19 and no man findeth his enemy that will let him goe well away 1 King 3 26. Salomon knew the right mother 1 King 3. by her tender heart and yerning bowels which could not endure to see the child divided by the sword so surely when we cannot abide the sword of reuenge to wound and slay our sinnes we have iust cause to suspect our repentance and that as yet we love our sinnes too wel when we are loath to have our enemy wounded This revenge the Apostle calleth the beating downe of the body 1 Cor. 9.27 or the keeping it under and bringing it into subjection and the offering up our bodies as sacrifices to God Rom. 12.1 Our sinnes must be dealt with all as Sarah dealt with Hagar hardly and roughly that she fled from her face Gen. 16.6 so we must handle them that they may depart from us we must claspe them and crush them hard as men doe nettles and other noysome plants that they doe not sting us But if we pamper them and use them delicately 2 Sam. 18.5 as David bade Ioab intreate the young man Absolom gently for his sake they will soone over-master us and get the upper hand of us Let us make use of this point Vse 1 This revenge standeth not in wounding our selues and offering violence to our owne bodies The Romanists glory in whipping themselues like the old heretikes called Flagellantes This they call penance howbeit it is no better than a mocke-repentance this revenge is a will-worship Esay 1.12 the which God never accepted but will say unto them Who required these things at your hands Eph. 5.29 The Apostle teacheth that no man yet never haâ—ed his owne flesh but nourisheth cherisheth it even as the Lord the Church 1 King 18.28 none ever did the contrary that we reade of but onely the Priests of Baal who cut themselues after their manner with knives and lancers till the bloud gushed out upon them and the man possessed and thereby after a sort distracted Mark 5.5 who
or our carnall pleasures if we had followed the calling of God and waited at the postes of his house if we had beene as carefull and eager to heare as we are foolish and madde to follow our vanities we might have obtained and receiued faith and repentance long agoe Shall we then be so Prophane as to bring the Lord to dance our attendance and to give us his grace when we our selues list and to bestow it upon us at our leysure and pleasure In all worldly businesse we know we must take opportunity while it is offered we can say that tide and time tarryeth no man and that happily we may never have the same occasion offered us againe why then are we not as wise for spirituall and heavenly things as we are for earthly and for the life to come as for this present life Remember this if we remember nothing else that Iacob obtained the blessing while Esau was in hunting Gen. 27. So might we happily obtaine faith and repentance while we are hunting after our pleasures or profits and while we sit idle or lye sleeping in our houses or worse occupied than thus and will not vouchsafe to come and hearken unto his word Never therefore wickedly accuse the Lord for not giving to thee the graces of faith and repentance but come home and enter into thy selfe and learne to accuse thine owne wicked and prophane heart who doest not so much as thou hast in thine owne power to wit to come to the house of God and to heare and attend Let us doe these things diligently and we may looke for his blessing Math. 13.12 for whosoever hath to him shall be given and he shall have more abundance Besides God is bound to no man the winde bloweth freely where it list and may he not doe with his owne as pleaseth him or who can complaine against him True it is God is able to convert us and to give us to beleeve without the meanes of his word because he is not tyed thereunto but he hath tyed us and left us no other way Luk. 16.29.31 1 Cor. 1.21 Rom. 10.14 He will by the preaching of the word save them that beleeve 1 Cor. 1.21 and how shall they heare without a Preacher Rom. 10. The Lord fed Israel his people with quailes in the wildernesse and gave them bread from heaven but when he had brought them into Canaan a land flowing with milke and honey where they had corne and haruest in due season the Manna ceased Iosh 5.12 he fed them no longer from heaven So then this is the first point we must marke and practise we must be swft to heare with reverence with Conscience and with diligence use all the meanes we can to attaine to regeneration Touching the second point It is our duty to be slow to speake as we must be swift to heare so we must be slow to speake not slow or backward to speake of the word to conferre one with another and to sit and reason of the wayes of the Lord but slow to speak against it to quarrell with it to gainesay it resist it as the manner of many is who have dul eares but nimble tongues they are slow to heare but quicke to speake and reject what they have heard quite contrary to the Apostles commandement These men will question oftentimes with their companions as carnall as themselues but seldome or never will once conferre with the Minister who is most able to resolve them and most willing to instruct them which argueth they are possessed with a spirit of contradiction have no desire to be instructed The third point is slow to wrath It is our duty to be slow to wrath and to be offended when we heare our speciall sinnes touched and our corruptions ripped up to the quicke These are like the hearers of Stephen Act. 7.54.57.58 Act. 7. when they heard somewhat that pleased them not their hearts brast with anger and they guashed upon him with their teeth they cryed out with a loud voyce stopped their eares and ranne upon him with one accord Our hearers happly will not use these gestures but they will practise worse they will laugh at us and that not closely in their sleeves as we say but openly in our faces an evident argument of the contempt not of our persons so much as of the word of God it selfe Gal. 4.16 But what are we therefore become your enemies because we tell you the truth These never came to any degree of repentance or regenetation Iam. 1.20 for the wrath of man cannot accomplish the righteousnes of God Iā 1. He that will reprove others with fruit must ree his minde from fury and hastinesse so must hearers likewise if they will heare with profit For as surgeons Chrysost advers Gentes that goe about to cut off rotten members do not fill themselues with anger or choler when they goe about their cure but then specially endeavour to quiet their mindes from such unruly passions least happly such distemper might hinder their art so should reproovers be free from wrath least it should hinder them from doing that good which otherwise they might doe In like manner such as are hearers and reprooved that it may be as a precious oyle that shall not breake their head Psal 141.5 when they come into the house of God to heare his word which is able to save their soules must lay aside all filthinesse superfluity of naughtinesse and put on the spirit of meekenesse to receive the word ingrafted in us neiter must be offended at the word it selfe when it speaks not as they would have it Word came to the King he rose from his throne c. All these gestures of the King he rose he layd aside he covered he sate downe in ashes doe declare his forwardnesse and all of them are amplified by the circumstance of time so soone as the word of God preached by Ionah came unto him This teacheth us that repentance must be present speedy Doct. without delay or prolonging of the time from one day to an other Repentance must be speedy For if the King and the rest of the Ninevites had done so they had beene utterly overthrowne for not repenting The Prophet exhorteth to heare the voyce of the Lord while it is called to day Psal Psal 95.7 Heb. 3.13 and 4.7 Esay 55.6 95. and the Apostle exhort one another daily while it is called to day lest any of you be hardned through the deceitfulnesse of sinne Heb. 3. Hereunto tendeth the precept Seeke the Lord while he may be found call upon him while he is neere Esay 55. And no marveill For first Reason 1 the deferring and delaying of repentance is an argument of great folly heaping up the greater measure of sinne and drawing a farther degree of judgment Math. 23.32.34.35 Rom. 2.5.6 making our selues two-fold more the children of hell as
neglect the body catch after the shadow they straine at a gnat and swallow a Camell Math. 23 24. Fourthly it behoveth us to looke first of all to the heart and to clense the inside Ier 4.14 Iam. 4.8 that so the outside may be cleane also Math. 23.26 or else it is no zeale but hypocrity Fiftly Math 23.4 We must be more strict and precise to our selues then to others and give more liberty to them then we will take to our selues Let not us be as the Pharises who bound heauy burdens and greeuous to be borne and laid them upon other mens shoulders but themselues will not move them with one of their fingers Math. 23.4 Let us rather follow the example of Abraham Gen. 14.23.24 and of the Apostle Paul 1 Cor. 4.12 1 Thess 2.9 with 1 Cor. 9.6.14 1 Tim. 5.18 Sixtly true zeale condemneth and reproveth sinne without respect of persons in their acquaintance as well as in strangers in their friends as well as in foes in the higher as well as in the lower sort Math. 16.23 Gal. 3. â— Iob. 29.8.9 But many offend and are partiall against this rule and are afraid of the face of the mighty Seventhly we are to be most fervent in Gods causes This was the commendation of Moses though he were as meeke as a lain be in his own cause the meekest upon the face of the earth Numb 12.3 but in case of Idolatry and worshipping the golden calfe his wrath waxed hote he cast the Tables out of his hands he brake them in pieces he burnt the Calfe in the fire he ground it to powder and being strewed upon the water he made the Israelites drinke of it Exod. 32.19.20 This is otherwise in the greatest number who practise the quite contrary They are as hote as fire in their owne private matters but as cold as ice in things pertaining to the honour and glory of God Let a seruant offend his Master in the least trifle and neglect his businesse any way how is he moved and his rage kindled but if he transgresse the Commandement of God and neglect his worship he is never touched or troubled at it Maâ—h 15.6 â— he never reproveth him for it what is this but to make the commandement of God of none effect by their tradition Lastly albeit zeale be requisit and necessiry for all Christians yet it must be alayed and tempered with mercy and compassion considering our selues least we also be tempted Gal. 6.1.2 being humbled in our selues for those sinnes which we espy and censure in others It is noted of Christ our Saviour when the Pharisees murmured because he would heale on the Sabbath day Mark 3.5 that he looked angerly about him and yet he sorrowed for the hardnesse of their hearts Here anger and sorrow meet together and so they ought to doe in us Cry unto God Hitherto of the second point the manner of their prayer they cried mightily now we come to the third point the object of prayer to God that is the true God Ion. 1.5 The Mariners mentioned in the first Chapter cryed every man to his God but none of them to the true God Doct. and therefore they laboured but all in vaine This teacheth us Prayer must be made to God onely that prayer must be directed unto the true God only Gen. 4.26 Psal 50.15 107.6 Math. 6.9 Dan. 9.4 2 Chro. 20.6 Act. 8.22 The reasons are apparently drawne from the nature of God For first he onely is able to heare and to helpe Reason 1 He is infinite in power and nothing is to hard for him nothing unpossible to him Secondly In regard of his knowledge he searcheth the heart who made the heart and understandeth our thoughts and imaginations a farre off Thirdly He only is present in all places Ier. 23.24 Esay 66.1 that none can hide himself in secret places that he shall not see him he filleth heaven and earth the heaven being his throne and the earth his foot stoole Esay 66.1 Fourthly Faith and prayer go together and therefore it is called the prayer of faith Iam. 5.15 We beleeve only in God therefore we must pray onely to him The Apostle therefore having shewed that whosoever calleth upon the name of the Lord shall be saved Rom. 10.13.14 he addeth but how shall they call upon him in whom they have not beleeved First of all Vse 1 this reproveth the sacriledge of the Church of Rome that robbe God of the honour due to his name and give that to the Saints departed and to Angels which is proper unto him To him all the faithfull Patriarkes Prophets and righteous men have prayed been heard and we have ten thousand places by which we are warranted and willed to doe the like Our Saviour cammandeth us to go to our Father which is in heaven Math. 6. The contrary practise hath neither Precept nor example nor promise nor threatning against any that refuse it nor punishment upon any that hath neglected the performance thereof Thus the Prophet speaketh Thou Esay 63.16 O Lord art our Father though Abraham be ignorant of us David freely confesseth Psal 63.25 that he had none in heaven but God and none upon earth that he desired beside him The Church of Rome hath gotten more knowledge then ever this Prophet had and they are not ashamed to professe that they have â—no in heaven then God other mediators in whom they put their trust besides him Such lye under an heavy curse Ier. 17.5 â— 17. for cursed be the man that trusteth in man and maketh flesh his arme and whose heart departeth from the Lord. What do these but forsake God the fountaine of living waters and hew out to themselues broken cisternes that can hold no water Into both these mischeifes the Romish Synagogue falleth by praying to Saints and Angels If the blessed virgin the Apostles and Saints in heaven did know what these Idolaters and Saint-worshippers doe to them on earth doubtlesse they would abhorre this detestable derogation from the glory of God as much as Paul and Barnabas did the peoples offering to doe sacrifice to them Act. 14.14 nay much more as their knowledge being glorified was greater and their zeale of Gods glory more fervent then before in the dayes of their flesh Secondly it reproveth such as neglect wholly or for the most part this duty as not belonging unto them or as not necessary or as if God had never required it or spoken word of it or as if his faithfull servants had never practised it Whereas the Lord presseth no duty more earnestly the Scripture expresseth no duty more commonly and the Godly have performed no duty more constantly But from whence commeth this retchlessenesse in so plaine a matter and the disregarding of so holy an exercise so often commanded and so profitable to our selves Surely it proceedeth either from ignorance to make the best of it which yet excuseth not or
reconciled I Answer Answ the Scripture speaketh of God two wayes sometimes properly and sometimes unproperly properly it agreeth not to God because in him is no change nor shadow of turning unproperly it may by the figure Anthropopatheja which is an attributing or ascribing unto God the parts properties passions and affections of men the more lively to represent the things spoken off before our eyes So then it is a borrowed speech from men in God it is a change of his worke not of his will as Gen. Gen. 6.6 6. it repented God that he had made man that is he purposed to destroy man whom before he had made From hence we learne where true faith is to apprehend and beleeve the truth and certainty of Gods threatnings Doct. there is a feare of judgements to come Faithworketh a feare of Gods judgments Faith worketh feare and feare often worketh faith This we see in these Ninevites they beleeved God and proclaimed a fast and therefore they feared the dreadfull sentence published and pronounced against them This appeareth in the commendation of the faith of Noah Heb 11.7 Heb. 11.7 He being endued with a justifying and saving faith is also touched with feare and reverence at the consideration of Gods judgements to come So it was with Iehoshaphat he beleeved the Prophets 2 Chro. 20.3 and therefore he feared and set his heart to seeke the Lord 2 Cor. 20. See the further practise of this in Hezekiah Ier. Ier. 26.18.19 26. Micah the Morashite prophesied and spake to all the people of Iudah Thus saith the Lord of hostes Zion shall be plowed like a field and Ierusalem shall become heapes did Hezekiah the king of Iudah and all Iudah put him to death did he not feare the Lord and besought the Lord and the Lord repented him of the evill which he had pronounced against them 2 King 22.19 The like we see in Iosiah 2 King 22. when he heard the plagues and curses that should come upon Ierusalem his heart was tender he trembled himselfe before God and when he heard the wordes against that place he rent his cloathes and wept before him The reasons are evident First God hath coupled both these together Reas 1 and therfore whosoever beleeveth his threatnings cannot but feare the evils threatned He that apprehendeth the wrath of a Prince to be as the roaring of a Lyon cannot but tremble it cannot but worke in him feare Amos. 3. Amos. 3.6 Can a trumpet be blowne in the Citty and the people not be afraid Secondly faith maketh things unseene to be seene Heb. 11.1 Heb. 11 1.1â— For it is the evidence of things me sinneâ—s Moses by faith saw him that is invisible vers 27. and Noah â—aw the worlds destruction as present though it 〈◊〉 an hundred and twenty yeares before it came and 〈◊〉 it But it may be objected Object the faithfull is not afraid of any euill â—idings for his heart is fixed and beleeveth in the Lord Psal 112.7 and therefore faith expelleth all feare I answer the words of the Psalme teach the contrary Answ Blessed is the man that feareth God and therefore to clâ—â—re this seeming-contradiction we must observe a two-fold feare as also care a distrustfull feare and an awefull or reverent feare The distrustfull feare argueth want of faith in God the awefull feare maketh us seeke to God and to fly to his mercy But where the true faith is it expelleth and driveth out distrust Psal 133.18 147.11 and therefore the Prophet ioyneth these two together Psal 133 The eye of the Lord is upon them that feare him that trust in his mercy and 147.11 the Lord delighteth in them that feare him that hope in his mercy Behold the true cause Vse 1 why there is so little feare of God in the world and of his judgments though imminent and ready to fall nay present and already fallen We never had more cause to feare generall judgments in regard of the generall corruptions and floods of wickednesse that overflow in all places yet never more security never lesse feare And what is the cause because there is so little faith Math. 24.37 as Christ our Saviour sheweth that iniquity should abound in the last dayes and men mind nothing else but their profits and pleasures as they did when the flood came and swept them all away at once disobedience to the word proceeding from infidelity was the cause of that cause 1 Thess 5. For when they shall say peace peace suddaine destruction shall come upon them as paines upon a woman in travaile and they shall not escape These shall make a mocke of the last judgment and never feare it untill they feele it These may be sent to schoole to Ahab to Iudas the sonne of perdition nay to the Devils themselues for they have not so much faith as Ahab had 1 King 21.27 not so much as Iudas had Luk. 18.8 Math. 27.3.5 not so much as the Devils Iam. 2.19 who beleeve and tremble where as the ungodly beleeve not and therefore tremble not but they would if they beleeved onely so much as the Devils do How then can prophaine persons escape the torments of Hell who come farre short of these that are already in hell and how fearefull an estate is it to be condemned of such as be condemned themselues Secondly see the difference betweene Gods children and carnall or worldly men these are quite contrary the one to the other as light and darknesse and as farre distant as heaven and hell Hic ubiopus est none verentur illic ubt nihil opus est the verentur Terent Andr. act 4. seen 1. When Gods judgements are threatned and men warned to take heed and looke to themselues they do feare least of all who have most cause and whom they most neerely concerne and they on the other side most of all whom they concerne We see this in the old world evidently and expresly for whom did the threatning of the drowning and destruction therof most neerly touch and concerne Doubtlesse the disobedient world of the ungodly But they feared least nay nothing at all they ranne on in their worldly and wicked courses till the flood came and swept them away Whom did the threatning least of all concerne as being in least danger to be drowned Surely Noah and his family for whom the Arke was prepeared but they feared most of all Nay Gods children oftentimes feare for the wicked Psal 119.53.136.158 when they feare not for themselues as Psal 119.53.136.158 as they pray for them when they pray not for themselues and desire their conuersion when they minde nothing lesse The Prophet was greeved for them when they were not greeved for themselues 2 Cor. 12.21 So it is said by the Apostle God will humble me among you and I shall bewaile many which have sinned and have not repented of the sinnes committed the more sorry he was for
sackcloth God deferred his judgment threatned how much more shall true repentance obtaine the love and favour of God and blot out all our offences out of his sight From hence arise sundry uses Vse 1 First from the nature of contraries we learne that to such as continue in sinne and have hearts that cannot repent there is no mercy to be looked for because they treasure up vnto themselues wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God who will render to every man according to his deeds And therefore the Apostle saith Vnto them that are contentious and doe not obey the truth but obey unrighteousnesse shall be indignation and wrath Revel 2.5 tribulation and anguish upon every soule of man that doth evill of the Iew first and also of the Gentile Woe then to all such as lie in sinne and please not God they fill up their sinnes alway and his wrath shall come upon them to the uttermost True it is every unrepentant sinner can say the Lord is mercifull and Christ is the Saviour of the world but to whom is he mercifull and whom will he save Not every one that can say Lord Lord shall enter into the kingdome of heaven but he that doth the will of the father which is in heaven To this purpose consider these few rules First God hath made no promise in all the Scripture to impenitent persons Search the Scriptures for in them ye looke to have eternall life but in the whole volume of that booke ye shall not find one line or letter that will minister comfort to the soule that continueth in evill doing Secondly they deceive themselues that looke for mercy that lie under wrath and see not their owne misery Indeed there is promise of mercy yea sundry promises in every Prophet and in the writings of the Apostles but they are made to the penitent The Lord God hath no pleasure at all that the wicked should die but then they must returne from their owne waies Ezek. 18.21.23 that they may live he will put all their wickednesse out of his remembrance but first they must turne from all their sinnes that they have committed and do that which is lawfull and right he hath promised to draw neere unto them Iam. 4.8.10 but then they must draw neere unto him yea they must clense their hands and purifie their hearts he hath said he will lift them up but first they must humble themselues in the sight of the Lord. Thirdly Christ Iesus is a Saviour but he saveth none but such as are his people none are his people but such as beleeve in him and none beleeve in him but those whose hearts are purified by faith Except we be new creatures let us never say we are in Christ or that he is a Saviour unto us he hath wrought the great worke of redemption and paid a deare price to ransome us his own pretious blood but let us remember and never forget that he gave himselfe for us that he might redeeme us from all iniquity Tit. 2.14 and purifie unto himselfe a peculiar people zealous of good workes Tit. 2. Lastly consider that notwithstanding the shield sheiter of the mercy of God to which every man runneth he hath brought sundry both generall and particular judgments upon the children of disobedience and his wrath hath beene revealed from heaven against all ungodlinesse and unrighteousnesse of men Rom. 1.18 who no doubt builded with the untempered morter of supposed mercy but were swallowed up with his justice Such were the old world who no doubt set up an Idol all made of mercy but they found him to be a God of justice Such were the Cities of Sodome and Gomorrah with the rest of the plaine Gen. 19. Such were Pharaoh and the Egyptians that pursued Israel to the red Sea and infinite others Nay see how God hath whipped his owne children Pro. 11.31 1 Pet. 4.17.18 and scourged them with greevous chastisements as we see in David and other Saints if judgment have begun at Gods owne house what shall the end of them be that obey not the Gospel of God and if the righteous scarcely be saved where shall the ungodly and the sinner appeare Secondly hence ariseth matter of much comfort to the humble and contrite spirit that is weary and heavy laden with the waight and burden of his sinnes lying heavy upon his conscience Math. 11.28.29 Nothing indeed can come hereby to the impenitent that is to the obstinate and wilfull offender thaâ— resolveth to continue in his sinne neither can he looke for any thing but judgement that hangeth over his head and lyeth at the dore but to the humble and repentant sinner there are a thousand comforts a treasury of mercies laid up in store for him to keepe preserue him from doubting and despaire Such Christ Iesus calleth unto him embraceti them in the armes of his mere that they should not be dismaied all the multitude or greatnesse of their sinnes but rather lay hold upon the multitude and greatnesse of his mercies which are infinite higher then the heavens broader then the Seas deeper then the earth and surmount all the sinnes which they have committed O what comfort is it to a sicke man lying and languishing upon the bed of sorrow to heare of a certaine and Soveraigne medicine a present and effectuall remedy of his discase and ought it not to find rest in our soules when we are willed to come to Christ the Physitian of the soule ought it not to be as marrow unto our bones and bring peace to our soules forasmuch as his yoke is easie and his burden light Who ever came penitently unto him and weat away heavily or discomfortably Suet. in vita Titirespatâ—c If it were the saying of a great Prince that none should depart from his presence heavy-hearted how much more may we be assured it is the voyce of the King of kings that no penitent person shall ever go from him without grace and favour comfortlesse Repentance is a salve that healeth all the woundes of the soule Search into the examples of all the Saints from the beginning of the word What was it turned Noahs drunkennesse into sobriety Gen. 9.25 19. cum 2 Pet. 2.8 1 Tim. 1.13 2 Chro. 33.12 Esay 11.9 Repentance What changed the unnaturall lust and excesse of Lot into eleannesse and purity repentance What was it that cast Manasseth Paul and many others into a new mould and of oppressors persecuters blasphemers made them meeke and gentle as Lambes repentance No man was ever saved without repentance for finall impenitency bringeth damnation Damnation is a necessary effect of divine justice from the just God brought upon vniust offenders Such sinners and transgressours can have no peace with God without reconcilement there is no reconcilement without remission no remission without Christ no Christ without faith no faith without repentance Woe
Secondly it may be objected What reason is it Object 2 that we should answer for an other mans sinne This may seeme jniustice in God and wrong done to the sons of men to condemne them for an other for what could we helpe or hinder Adams fall I answer Answ this indeed seemeth strange to the carnall or naturall man wherein the rule of the Apostle if in any thing holdeth in this Let no man deceive himselfe 1 Cor. 3.18 if any man among you seemeth to be wise in this world let him become a foole that he may be wise Cur omnium fit culpa paucorum sceluss Seneca in Hippoli But howsoever few among the multitude thinke or beleeve they shall answer for Adams sinne yet we must know it was not his sinne alone but a common sinne his and ours as he was a common or publike person and carried all mankind in him If any aske the reason why the sinne of Adam should be imputed to his posterity rather then the sinne of other parents as our fathers grandfathers or great-grand-fathers to their children I answer the difference appeareth in diverse respects First by the sinne of Adam we lost originall purity but not by the sinnes of the other Secondly we shewed before that Adam received gifts which he should have conveyed to his posterity when they were lost it commeth to passe justly that all his posterity should be stripped and deprived of them but our grand fathers or fathers received not supernaturall gifts which by an hereditary right were to be derived to their children Besides the sinnes of such Parents were personall or proper sinnes because they did not sustaine the persons of their posterity it cannot be said of Hezekiah Iehoshaphat or Iosiah Velut aâ—mine facto quidataâ— portaruunt et terras turbine perflant Virg. Aeneid lib. 1. who were the posterity of David that they did in the loynes of David murther Vriah or commit adultery with her that was the wife of Vriah Let us see the truth of this in the example of Adam He was the roote and originall of all sinne he disobeyed the Commandement of God and after that a flood gate being opened followed a multitude of sinnes yet doubtlesse onely that first sin of Adam was imputed to his posterity not his daily failings because by this sin he brake the Couenant of God made with him as with the author and originall of all mankind To conclude then we must distinguish of Adams sinnes they are of two sorts his first sinnes and his after sinnes His first sin was the sinne of mankind generally this was not his alone nor ours alone but his and ours joyntly together his after sinnes for no doubt he sinned dayly being now become a sinner which he committed as a private man were his alone being sins of his person not of his nature and therefore not to be laid to our charge The last objection is out of the Prophet Ezekiel Object 3 chap. 18.4 Ezek. 18.4 20. All soules are mine as the soule of the father so also the soule of the Sonne is mine the soule that sinneth it shall dye the Sonne shall not beare the iniquity of the father Deut. 24.16 neither shall the father beare the iniquity of the sonne How then commeth it to passe that we die for anothers sinne or wherefore is the sinne of Adam imputed to us or is it credible that that he which forgiveth us our owne sinnes will impute to any one an other sinne Answ I answer the meaning of the Prophet is that none perish or are punished being innocent therefore the sonne that is innocent shall not beare the punishment of his father that is guilty Exod. 20.5 So in the law when the Lord threatneth to visit the iniquity of the fathers upon the children Ezek. 18.2 he understandeth such children as walke in their fathers steppes and are partakers of the same sinnes For in this place he reproveth them that used this Froverbe The fathers have eaten sower grapes and the childrens teeth are set on edge But the sonnes of Adam cannot be said to be innocent as they which not onely sinned in Adam as in the stocke and roote of mankinde but also themselues are borne stained with the same depravation and prone to the same sinne So then this place maketh nothing to the present matter for the first sin of Adam was not personall being as one that represented the person of his posterity whereas the Prophet speaketh of the sinnes of the fathers whose sinnes are meerely personall as they that in sinning did not sustaine the persons of their children The second rule dependeth upon the former which is The second rule that in all men in regard of the guiltinesse aforesaid the whole nature of man is corrupted so that the whole man lyeth in evill as Ioh 5. The whole world lyeth in wickednesse 1 Ioh. 5.19 so we may say that every part and power of soule body is infected with sin as with a foule Leprosie from the crowne of the head to the sole of the foot there is nothing in us but woundes and bruises and putrifying sores so that we may cry out with the Leper I am unclean Levit. 13.45 I am uncleane No man is free from this blot whatsoever is borne of the flesh is flesh Ioh. 3.6 Ioh. 3.6 We are by nature the children of wrath Eph. 2.3 Eph. 2 3. Iob. 14.4 Who can bring forth a cleance thing out of an uncleane There is not one Iob. 14.4 David acknowledgeth himselfe infected with this contagion from his conception Psal 51.5 Psal 51.5 and in this common lot he doth bewaile and lament his owne This we must confesse to be in our selues and thus the Apostle teacheth Rom. 3. Rom. 3.9.10.11.12.13.14 c. Are we more excellent or better then they No in no wise for we have before proved both Iewes and Gentiles that they are all under sinne As it is written There is none righteous no not one and they are all gone out of the way and their throate is an open Sepulchre with their tongues they have vsed deceit the poyson of Aspes is under their lippes c. that every mouth may be stopped and all the world may become guilty before God This was signified by Circumcision for by that externall signe or Symbole the Church was and is warned that there was somewhat in man so soone as he was borne that ought to be cut off and corrected The end of our Baptisme is the same which is the Sacrament of our clensing in the blood of Christ by which our naturall filthinesse is washed away Neither doth the estate of this universall contagion belong only to Turkes and infidels to the Sauages or evill Christians but even to the off-spring of the Godly faithfull even as he that was Circumcised begate one that was uncircumcised as a graine of wheat well winnowed from the chaffe bringeth forth
when it groweth wheat with chaffe againe Therefore when any man hath children of evill disposition he must acknowledge his owne jmage in them and when he hath good children Ioh. 1.13 he ought to admire the worke of God in them to coÌ„fesse their goodnes to be his jmage who are not borne of blood nor of the wil of the flesh nor of the wil of man but of God to whom all Glory and praise is due The Lord Iesus alone was free from this common contagion and corruption who derived not originall sinne from his mother True it is that all men sinned in Adam it is as true that Christ was in Adam as being one of his posterity Neverthelesse that sentence of the Apostle doth not concerne Christ because the person of Christ was not in Adam but onely his humane nature neither was he conceived after the common maner of other men but by overshadowing of the holy Ghost What originall sinne is He therefore is excepted out of the common condition all are borne in Originall sinne which is nothing else but the depravation of mans nature contracted from the very generation it selfe and derived from Adam into all mankind Now herein are two things the want or privation of originall righteousnesse and the inclinablenesse or pronenesse to evill as sicknesse is not onely a privation of health but also an evill affection or disposition of the body arising from the distemper of the humours so this hereditary blot as a sicknesse is not only the want of righteousnesse but likewise a pronenesse to unrighteousnesse from whence ariseth blindnesse in the mind frowardnesse in the will the losse of supernaturall gifts and the corruption of those that are naturall The third rule followeth that all Evill The third rule even the whole body of sinne is in man as we heard before that the whole man is in evill In every man are the seedes and beginnings of all sin by nature Not in one man a pronenesse to some sins an in another to some other sins but a pronenesse to all in all and every one not onely in the worst or most wicked in the unregenerate and carnall men but in the regenerate and best men even to the most odious heinous and abominable sinnes All that know themselues know this to be true and such as know not the truth of it doe not as yet know themselues neither can they truely repent As the matter first made called a Chaos had the seedes of all creatures in it so the masse of sinne that is in us hath the fountaine and roote of all other sinnes Matter of wonderfull hâ—miliation O how should this humble us to thinke what vile and venemed natures we have never was there any grosse sinne or impiety committed in the world by desperate deboshed and develish men albeit we have not committed it already neither intend to commit it hereafter but doe hate and abhorre it yet there lyeth hid in our hearts a fitnesse and forwardnesse a pronenesse and disposition thereunto All ground is not fit to beare and bring forth all kinde of fruit but some yeeldeth one sort and some an other it is not so with our hearts they are Seminaries or seed-plottes of all sinnes We complaine and cry out of the Apostacy of the Angles of the murther of Caine of the filthy lustes of the Sodomites of the hard heart of Pharaoh the murmuring of the Israelites of the conspiracy of Korah of the rebellion of Absolom of the envy of the Pharesees of the horrible treachery of Iudas and such like vices and villanies but let us never accuse or accurse these and cry out against them rather it behooveth us wisely to returne home to our selues and to enter into our owne hearts where we shall see that we carry them all within us every man hath a Caine a Sodomite a Pharaoh a Pharisee an Absalom a Iudas nay a devill nay all these together in his own breast and bosome These are indeed most wicked and wretched men howbeit they serue as glasses to behold our owne faces For as in the water face answereth to face so doth the heart of a man to man Pro. 27.19 their heart answeareth to our hearts and ours to theirs And as there is the same nature of cruell and savage Lyons so there is betweene the heart of Caine of Pharaoh of Iudas of our selues and any other man For as the Apostle speaketh are we better then they Rom. 3.9 No in no wise We complaine against Annas and Caiaphas the high Priests against Herod and Pilat the chiefe Governours against Iudas and the Iewes the cursed instruments that crucified the Lord of life and accuse them as notorious wicked and hard hearted men but do we judge our selues any better by nature or of our selues or shall we say with the proud Pharisees Math. 23.30 if we had been in the daies of our fathers we would never have done as they did we would not have been partakers with them in the blood of the Prophets nay had we lived in their times and stood in their places doubtlesse we would have put upon us their persons and by the sway and swing of the same corruption we would have done none otherwise unlesse Gods grace did prevent us and restraine us If he should leave us as he did them to our selues and not stay us up being ready to fall if he did not hold us in the armes of his mercy Exod. 19.4 as a father doth the child and beare us as it were on Eagles winges we should quickly fall downe as deeply as ever they did and plunge our selues headlong into all iniquity The fourth rule to be knowne of every one that would amend his wayes is The fourth rule that every one borne of Adam lyeth under the curse of God Eph. 2.3 is the child of wrath by nature as well as others yea of hell and damnation Have we not then need of repentance As then the Egges of the Aspe are justly broken and Serpents new bred are justly killed albeit they have yet poysoned none so even infants much more others are guilty before him Object and worthily subject to punishments But it may be said the Apostle maketh the Iewes better then the Gentiles Rom. 3.1 and to have many preheminences above them I answer Answ they were preferred in respect of God and his manifold benefits and blessings upon them above the other nations but they were both equall in respect of naturall corruption Rom. 3.9 being alike sinners by nature in regard whereof he saith they were in no sort better then they The Iewes had a preferment of favour to be Gods chosen or peculiar people Deut. 4.34 to have his Law and Prophets the Ceremonies and Sacrifices the Arke and the Covenant but touching grace and justification through grace before God by faith not by workes it was all one to Iew and Gentile because all
contrary unto us and chasten us seven times more and bring seven times more plagues upon us according to our sinnes Thus we see that after moe and moe sinnes we must looke for moe and moe judgements to follow us at our heeles Some that told him of the Galileans Doct. Our Saviour laboureth to draw their affections from others and to reflect them upon themselves We are rather to looke to our owne wayes then to censure others yea not to censure them so much as to reforme their owne wayes From hence we may observe this point that every one is rather to respect his owne standing then censure others But is it not lawfull to respect others nay are we not commanded to admonish to exhort to reprove yea doubtlesse Levit. 19.7 1 Thes 5.11 Heb. 3.13 Pro. 9.8 but it is more agreable to the word to have regard to our selves then to others and more fit for our profession to search after our owne standing Math. 7.5 This our Saviour teacheth Math. 7. first cast out the beame out of thine owne eye and then shalt thou see cleerely to cast out the mote out of thy brothers eye Iam. 3.1 And the Apostle Iames vrgeth this chap. 3. be not many Masters that is be not over-sharp reproovers and rash condemners of other mens persons as if we had a Master-like authoritie over them which proceedeth from selfe-love in our selves and from hatred toward others So Rom. 14. Why judgest thou thy brother Rom. 14.19 or why doest thou set at nought thy brother So then every one is bound to begin with himselfe and to reforme his owne sinnes and offences which hee best knoweth And no marveile For first Reason 1 the contrary is meere hypocrisie For when we haue Eagles eyes to looke into other mens matters and dispositions and are starke blind in trying our selues accounting those things to be great sinnes which are none in others and grosse sinnes in our selves though as great as beames to be none at all accounting also on the other side great graces and gifts in others little or none at all but the least good in our selues to be exceeding great nay if it be onely the resemblance of a good thing Math. 7 5◠what marveill is it if our Saviour brand such with the name of Hypocrites Thou Hypocrite Secondly we may justly feare the same measure to be measured unto us againe Math. 7.2 for God doth in justice pay them in their owne kind Thus our Saviour speaketh Math. 7. With what judgement yee judge yee shall be judged and with what measure yee mete it shall be measured to you againe The Apostle handling this point useth two reasons the first drawne from the person of others Rom. 14.4 every one standeth to his owne Master who then art thou that judgest an other mans servant as if he should say such censuring concerneth God onely he shall raise or condemne him This were to judge before the time 1. Cor. 4.5 Againe he reasoneth from our owne persons we have enough to answer for our selves for we have failed many wayes Rom. 14.10.12.13 We shall all stand before the judgement seate of Christ and every one of us shall give account of himselfe to God let us not therefore judge one another any more c. First Vse 1 this reproveth all such as are curious searchers after the secret failings of their brethren a common course altogether unlawfull and uncharitable For charity beateth all things beleeveth all things hopeth all things endureth all things yea it seeketh not her owne it is not easily provoked it thinketh no evill 1 Cor. 13.7.5 neither doth it agree to our professiō Math. 7.12 neither doth it agree with the generall rule Whatsoever yee would that other men should doe unto you do ye even so to them for this is the law the Prophets For how can we reprove sinne in others with a good conscience Non potest alios continere qui se ipsū non continet neque severus esse in judicando qui alios in se severos esse Iudices non vult Cicer. de lege Manil. Math. 7.4 Rom. 2.1.3.21.23 when we make no conscience of sinne our selves Or what hope have we to worke good in others when there is none wrought in our selves or how can we cause others to refraine from evil when we do not abstaine from evill our selves or how can he be a sharpe judge and censurer indeed that cannot abide to have others sharp severe judges and censurers against himselfe Hence it is that our Saviour saith Math. 7. How wilt thou say to thy brother let me pul out the mote out of thy eye behold a beame is in thine own eye And the Apostle Thou art inexcusable O man whosoever thou art that judgest for wherein thou judgest another thou condemnest thy selfe and againe Thinkest thou this O man that judgest them that do such things and doest the same that thou shalt escape the judgement of God And afterward Thou that teachest another teachest thou not thy selfe thou that makest thy beast of the law through breaking the law dishonourest thou God Let not us be like vnto the Scribes and Pharises hypocrites who brought to our Saviour a woman taken in adultery and put him in minde how Moses commanded that such should be stoned Levit. 20.10 thus they tempted him that they might have to accuse him and thus they were quicke in pronouncing sentence against her But our Saviour calleth their wandring thoughts home to their owne doores Ioh. 8.7 and teacheth them to begin with themselves Let him that is without sinne among you first cast a stone at her The like we might say of Iudah and his incest with Tamar albeit the cause were in himselfe in which respect himselfe confesseth she was more righteous then he Gen. 38.26.27 yet he said bring her forth that she may be burned He was sharp-sighted in condemning her but altogether partiall in judging himselfe The Apostle giveth us a generall precept that we should study to be quiet and doe our owne businesse 1 Thess 4. It is a common sinne in all places and so common that it is commonly accounted no sinne the common talke in all meetings is of other men and it rejoyceth the hearts of the most sort to have other mens faults ripped up and therefore it is our duty to strive more earnestly to be purged of this corruption and to be preserved from the evill practise of rash judgement Secondly beware of all rash and uncharitable iudgment which is sinfull according to the counsell and commandement of our Saviour Math. 7. judge not Math. 7.1 that yee be not judged Many there are that runne headlong like wild horses without any bridle in their mouths of the which there are three sorts First when a man hath done some good duty and that in an holy and sincere manner evill men judge it to be done in hypocrisie
the blood of the new Testament as an unholy thing and doe despite to the spirit of grace God for bid Lastly let all stand in feare to provoke him and breake off his patience least there come a wofull and heavy reckoning in the end Let us take heed and beware of after reckonings We are wary enough to prevent them in our dealings with men and ought we not to be wise more in our reckonings with God The increase of sins bringeth with them an heavier waight of vengance upon our selves when the Lord beginneth to enter into judgment with us He is slow to wrath and proceedeth leysurely but when once he commeth he striketh home We cannot be brought to feare before him because he doth not presently strike but be not deceived he is all this while fetching his blow the higher he lifteth his hand the heavier it lighteth and the sorer he striketh This the Prophet notably expresseth Psal Psal 7.12.13 7. If he turne not he will whet his sword he hath bent his bow and made it ready he hath also prepared for him the instruments of death he ordaineth his arrowes against the persecuters O that we could alwayes when we heareor read understand what we heare and marke what we read according to the commandement of our Saviour who so readeth Math. 24.15 let him understand There the Prophet compareth the Lord to A man of warre Exod. 15.3 that taketh some time to scoure up his sword bright and to sharpen the edge and point thereof to strike and wound his enemie as also to an archer that taketh a certaine time to bend his bow and to make ready his arrowes but in the end he draweth them up to the head never misseth his marke being more skilfull then those Benjamites that could sling stones at an haire bredth Iudg. 20.16 and not misse so that he shooteth sure and meaneth to pierce deepe to the very heart of all his aduersaries Thus it is with the Lord when we thinke him forgetfull oftentimes or unmindfull of justice and judgment we must thus judge that he is whetting his sword and bending his bow drawing out his arrowes and preparing to shoot all which require some time and therefore let us feare before him and not tarry untill his judgements be upon us Why combereth it the ground Hitherto of the commandement to cut down the figtree now we come to the reason The owner propoundeth the justice of his former doome or sentence The word importeth and signifieth not onely to make unprofitable fruitlesse barraine and good for nothing but to hinder the growth of other things which might be planted in the roome thereof that might bring forth good fruit They that professe the Gospel if they be not fruitfull are unprofitable and hurtfull to themselues and others Doct. Evill minded men are altogether unprofitable and full to the vvhole society where they remaine Iudg. 19.22 20.13 Iosh 7.11.12 This teacheth that evill minded men are noysome hurtfull and unprofitable to themselves and to others wheresoever they abide untill they be removed We see this in the rebellion of Korah Dathan and Abiram how hurtfull they were to the whole assembly Numb 16. in the shamelesse uncleannesse of Zimri and Cosbi Chap. 25. A notable example hereof is at large expressed Iudg. 20.15 Those wicked Beniamites the sonnes of Belial that committed folly in Israel were the causes of the ruine of many thousands and brought the whole tribe to a low ebbe yea this often falleth out to the children of God when they provoke him to wrath We see this in David 2 Sam. 24. When he had numbred the people in the pride of his owne heart 2 Sam. 24.17 and had exalted himselfe in his owne strength he said I have sinned and have done wickedly but these sheepe what have they done let thy hand I pray thee be against me and against my fathers house Hereby many thousands perished The like we see in Ionah chap. 1. he forsooke his calling and the commandement of God he must be cast into the sea or else the passengers in the ship must perish who had beene almost drowned through his disobedience Ionah 1.11 for the sea wrought and was tempestuous And no marveil Reasons 1 For first they are the meanes and causes of judgments and punishments to others among whom they live as well as to themselves as trees twise dead reserved to the fire A tree albeit it were dead in it selfe and albeit it did keepe the ground barrne and hinder the growth of a better in his place yet it killeth not another that standeth beside it but one wicked man hurteth and destroyeth another and therefore we must needes judge such to be hurtfull and dangerous to an whole family or society We feare judgements but we seeke not to know and remove the true cause thereof The faithfull are commanded to depart out of Babylon Revel 18.4 the mother of fornications that they be not partaker of her sinnes and that they receive not of her plagues wherby we see these follow each other infection participation destruction He that is infected himselfe never resteth till he have made other partakers of his sinne and from them both followeth the destruction of them both as we shall shew afterward Secondly they are unprofitable hurtfull and dangerous and why because other vines and trees cannot prosper and florish or bring forth fruit neere unto them When any part of the body is putrified it passeth and spreadeth from ioynt to ioynt and from one member to another 2 Tim. 2.17 as the canker or gangrene fretteth or eateth the flesh next unto it so where loose livers are many others are brought to the same loosenesse and stand in danger to go to wracke 2 Cor. 5.6 Gal. 5.9 To this purpose the Apostle saith Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lumpe Sinne is fruitfull and compared to the child in the wombe it groweth apace one sinne begetteth another and one sinner infecteth another which bringeth forth death Iam. 1.15 This reproveth such as reioyce in the fellowship of the ungodly and delight wholly in their company Vse 1 For what fellowship hath righteousnesse with unrighteousnesse or what communion hath light with darknesse and what concord hath Christ with Belial or what agreement hath he that beleeveth with an infidel But what is more common in every place then this that which the Lord himselfe could never doe to reconcile these contraries and bring light and darknesse nay heaven and hell together sinfull men professe themselves able to doe These goe about to set God to schoole and to make God and the devill Christ and Belial good friends Gen. 3.15 God in the beginning put enmity betweene the woman and the serpent betweene her seed and his seed but these have broken downe this hedge and pulled away the wall of partition and have set them together againe The
is not so easie to let it out againe so it is with sinne it is no hard thing to make shipwrack of faith and a good conscience and to pull up the bankes of the feare of God whereby sinne is kept out but we shall find it one of the hardest things in the world to cast it out of the heart when it hath gotten firme possession and therefore it must be our labour and wisedome to prevent sinne in the beginning lest by continuance it take roote and be as a disease that is incurable Secondly it serveth as an instruction to the Ministers of God that we cease not with the Dresser in this place to digge about them that remaine unfruitfull and dung them that is to labour 〈◊〉 â—yeth in us to further their conversion Let us all follow the example of Peter when the Lord had said unto him Launch out into the deepe and let downe your nettes for a draught he answered Master Luk. 5.5 we have toyled all night and have taken nothing neverthelesse at thy word I will let downe the net Matt. 13.27 so must we cast out the net of the Gospel into the sea and gather the good into vessels but cast the bad away And if it fall out that we draw none to the shore 2 Cor. 2.15 yet are we the sweet savour of God as well in them that perish as in them that are saved and God no lesse accounteth of our labours if we have beene faithfull and conscionable then if we had converted many thousand soules To this end the Lord himselfe commandeth Paul not to hold his peace at Corinth Act. 18.10 but to speake boldly because he had much people in that City The husbandman must digge and dung his ground and cast the seed into the earth but he cannot give the earely and the latter raine and albeit he finde a thinne harvest he may be greeved yet het he is not discouraged We are commanded to feed the flocke committed unto us woe to us if we preach not the Gospel but we must evermore commit the successe to him that hath the hearts of all men in his owne power Mat. 3.11 Iohn Baptist did baptize with water to the remission of sinnes but he could not Baptize with the holy Ghost So we may teach and preach the word of the kingdome but as it fell out with the sower that went out to sow some fell by the high way side Matt. 13.4.5.7 some in stony ground and other among thornes so must we make our account it will be with us yet this is our comfort our judgment is with with the Lord and the reward of our worke with our God Esa 49.4 1 Pet. 5.4 and when the cheefe shepheard shall appeare we shall receive a crowne of glory that fadeth not away Lastly it teacheth generally a good duty and direction to all the faithfull namely that upon this ground we exhort and admonish one another and seeke to winne and gaine them to God that so we may bring home the lost sheepe upon our shoulders This the Apostle prescribeth exhort one another daily Heb. 3.13 while it is called to day lest any of you be hardned through the deceitfulnesse of sinne Who accounteth not him a mercilesse man that having escaped danger of robbing or drowning yet giveth not warning to him which traveleth that way lest hee fall into the hands of theeves and be robbed or passe by the waters and be drowned but much more is he without mercy and guilty of the blood of the soule that seing his brother overtaken in sinne and taken in the snare of the Devill ever seeketh to set him at liberty Now we have sundry motives to move us to this worke of mercy farre more profitable to men and acceptable to God then the sacrifice of Almes-giving that toucheth the body in respect of God in respect of our selves and in respect of others In respect of God Rom. 11.23 for it maketh manifest his power to be infinite that he is able to graft them in againe as the Apostle speaketh of the unbeleeving Iewes albeit through unbeleefe they were broken off and it turneth to the greater praise of his glory and the honour of his name which we ought to seeke above all things The more dangerous the disease is and the longer it hath continued the more doth the skill and learning of the Physitian appeare Rom. 5.20 so are we the more to magnifie the mercy of God in that where sinne bounded grace doth much more abound Touching our selves we thereby exercise the giftes that God hath given doe not as wicked and sloathfull servants Mat. 25.26 digge them in the earth and hide our Lords mony besides we know not how soone it may be said to us Come give an account of thy steward-ship Luk. 16.1 for thou maist be no longer steward Lastly we shall free our owne soules and not make our selves partakers of other mens sinnes for by conuivence and holding our peace we draw guiltinesse upon our owne soules In respect of others we may be meanes to save a soule as Iam. 5. Iam. 5.19.20 If any of you doe erre from the truth and one convert him let him know that he which converteth the sinner from the errour of his way shall save a soule from death and shall hide a multitude of sinnes Vers 9. And if it beare fruit well and if not then after that thou shalt cut it downe We heard before of the intreaty and intercession of the Dresser now the condition followeth which is double first if after all his labour it bring forth fruit Secondly if it bring not forth fruit one of the twaine it must of necessity doe there is no third either it must be fruitfull or vnfruitfull either we must make the tree good or evill The first part of the speech is defective for there is nothing in the originall to answere to the Condition the translaters have supplied the word Well and somewhat is necessary to be supplied to make the sense and sentence perfect I would thinke a word might be borrowed and supplied out of the former verse where the Vine-dresser saith Let it alone this yeare also so in this place If it bring forth fruit Let it alone or thou shalt let it alone as also appeareth by the contrary condition in the last words If not thou shalt cut it downe He expresseth bearing fruit first besore he mention the cutting of it downe because it was the chiefe and principall in the dressers intention and because all his labour of digging and dunging tended to this end and purpose Now he intreateth that it may be let alone if it bring forth fruit he yeeldeth to the cutting of it downe Doct. if it continue unfruitfull This teacheth in both the conditions Promises and threatnings are both of them condicionall 1 King 8.25 that as well the promises of grace mercy as all the
name of good workes which neuerthelesse are neither the onely good workes nor the chiefest good workes For we looke upon our selves in the glasse of the law and try our selves thereby These workes are of two sorts some generall and others speciall The generall are such as concerne all among which the workes of the first Table being the first and great Commandements Math. 22.38 must have the first place to love God above our selves to feare him to beleeve in him to trust in him to pray unto him to serve and worship him to reverence his name and to sanctifie his Sabbath and the workes of the second Table are like Gal. 5.22.23 for the fruits of the spirit are manifest love joy peace long-suffering gentlenesse faith meekenesse temperance and such like These belong to all and must be practised of all persons high and low rich and poore none may excuse themselves The speciall workes are such as belong to every man in his particular calling For as we have all a generall calling as we are Christians so we are set in severall callings such as are superiors and inferiors as the Magistrate and subject the husband and wife father and sonne master and servant we must labour to be found faithfull in these how low so ever our place be if we be found carefull and conscionable even the meanest servant that drudgeth in the Kitchin if his calling be nothing but to scoure spittes Eph. 6.6.7 or to wipe shooes yet if he be obedient to his Master as unto Christ not with eye-service as men pleasers but as the servant of Christ doing the will of God from the heart with good will doing service as to the Lord and not to men he is no lesse accepted of God in his place then he that preacheth the word or he that ruleth a kingdome Well or thou shalt let it alone These words are expresly mentioned but they or some such like must necessarily be understood as if it were said let it stand and continue in the Vineyard that it may bring forth more fruit as Ioh. Ioh. 15.2 15. Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away and every branch that beareth fruit he purgeth it that it may bring forth more fruit Doct. This teacheth us that the fruits of repentance obtaine the pardon and forgivenesse of all sinnes and offences Repentance obtaineth forgivenesse of sinnes and the favour of God and prevent Gods wrath and judgements and procure his love and favour He hath made a sure promise of remission of former offences to all such as truly turne unto him Thus the Prophet hath Wash you make you cleane take away the evill of your workes from before mine eyes c. then though your sinnes were as crimsin Esay 1.16.18 55.6.7 they shall be as wooll and though they were as scarlet they shall be as white as snow and chap 55. Seeke the Lord while he may be found and call upon him while he is neere let the wicked forsake his wayes and the unrighteous his owne imaginations c. let him returne unto the Lord and he will have mercy upon him Ezek. 18.23 And the Prophet Ezekiel chap. 18. I will not the death of a sinner but rather that he repent and live where he coupleth these two together The truth of this point is farther confirmed by sundry examples as 2 Sam. 2 Sam. 12.13 12.13 When David had acknowledged his sinne against the Lord the Prophet said for his comfort The Lord also put away thy sinne The like we see in Manasseth when he was carried away captive and clapt up in prison being in great tribulation prayed unto the Lord 2 Chr. 33.12 and humbled himselfe greatly be fore the Lord God of his fathers and God was intreated of him and heard his prayer and brought him backe againe to Ierusalem and set him upon the throne of his fathers The Publican smote his brest saying Lord Luk. 18.13.14 be mercifull to me a sinner I tell you this man went downe to his house justified rather then the proud Pharisee The like I might say of Paul 1 Tim. 1.13 he obtained mercy and forgivenesse when he was converted so the penitent theefe upon the Crosse said to the Lord Iesus Lord Luk. 23.42.43 remember me when thou commest into thy kingdome and Iesus said unto him Verily I say unto thee To day shalt thou be with me in Paradise Mar. 1.4 Hence it is that the Evangelist witnesseth that Iohn did baptise in the wildernesse and preach the baptisme of repentance for the remission of sinnes where we see he knitieth repentance and forgivenesse of sinnes together The reasons first Reason 1 all penitent persons shall have the blood of Christ Iesus to wash clense their soules from all their sinnes a singular benefit This reason the Prophet vrgeth Esay 1.17.17.18 For to speake properly nothing can clense us but Christs blood so foule and filthy we are and therefore it is called cleane water Ezek. 36.25 1 Ioh. 1.7.9 I will powre cleane water upon him and thus the Apostle Iohn saith If we confesse our sinnes he is faithfull and just to forgive us our sinnes and the blood of Iesus Christ his Sonne clenseth us from all sinne Secondly such shall have right to carthly blessings and to a right use of them to their everlasting comfort as Esay 1. Ye shall eate the good things of the land Esay 1.19.20 but if they refused and rebelled they should be destroyed for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it Let us apply these things First conclude Vse 1 that all impenitent persons are out of Gods favour and protection and lye under all the plagues and punishments that God denourceth against sinners This is a fearefull estate and condition Deut. 28.16 to be cursed in the whole course of our life at home and abroad in the City and in the field in all that we put our hand unto Deut. 28. The curse of God bringeth with it all miseries of this life and of the life to come If then we repent not we die Secondly they that are truly penitent are truly happy for that man is blessed Psal 32.1.2 38.4 whose transgressions are for given and whose sinne is covered Blessed is the man unto whom the Lord imputeth not iniquity There cannot be a greater blessing befall us in this world then to get pardon of our finnes for all the burdens that we can beare are not to be compared to the burden of sin and therefore to be lighted of it is one of the greatest blessings of all the spottes staines that can sticke unto us Iam. 1.21 sinne is the filthiest and therefore to be clensed and washed from it maketh us cleane in his sight Lastly hence ariseth matter of comfort to all such as earnestly endeavour this worke of clensing and purging of themselves The vvay and the meanes to attaine
Church to say as it is Cant. 2.16 Cant. 2.16 My well-beloved is mine and I am his as Christ himselfe saith I know mine and am knowne of mine See the like Ruth 1.16 Jer. 31.33 Ezra 25.9 The reasons are evident Reas 1 First every man is commanded in the Gospell to beleeve Marke 1.15 1 Joh. 5.13 Now it is not sufficient to make us true beleevers to know the promises except we also love them desire them delight in them and make application of them otherwise we beleeve no better then the Devils and our faith is no other then the faith of the Devils for even they beleeve God Iam. 2.19 yea one God and Christ and all the promises to bee true They know all the Scriptures Matth. 4.6 and as they are perfect so are these perfect in them they can alleadge them more readily and easily a thousand times than ten thousand in the world They know all the promises recorded in the Scriptures and beleeve that they shall come to passe But let us see what faith they have There are foure sorts of faith the historicall the miraculous the temporary and the justifying faith The historicall is to have the knowledge of Gods Word and to give assent that the histories and doctrines therein contained are true The miraculous is 1 Cor. 13.2 to be able to worke miracles The temporary to beleeve in Christ in a confused manner for a time like the man that having a glimmering light saw men walking like trees to bring forth some fruits Mark 8.24 and the fruits may seeme faire and beautifull in their owne and other mens eyes like the Apples of Sodom yet are neither sound nor lasting to submit themselves willingly to the Word Luke 8.13 and to take some delight in the hearing thereof The justifying faith goeth beyond all the former and it standeth in laying hold upon Christ and making him to be their owne Among all these the Devils have onely the historicall faith What manner of faith the Devils have to beleeve all in the Scripture to be most true wherein notwithstanding they goe beyond many men They have not the miraculous faith for albeit they effect many wonders yet they can worke no miracles nor change the nature of things They want the temporary faith because as the tree is wholly evill so they can bring forth no good fruits they have no taste of the good Word of God neither shew any joy they take in it neither yeeld they any outward obedience Much more therefore doe they want the justifying faith to stretch out their hand to receive Christ Iesus and to take him to themselves for notwithstanding their beliefe they tremble as the Apostle teacheth so that their faith faileth in this particular which is more then they can doe to make particular application of Christ and his promises to say Christ is mine and I am his his promises are mine and belong to me I have remission of my sinnes by his death he is my Father and hee will give to me the Kingdome The Angels that were the first Preachers of the Gospell were sent to the Shepheards and they taught them this lesson Behold Luke 2.11 I bring you glad tidings of great ioy which shall be to all people that to you is borne a Saviour Luke 2. They doe not onely tell them they brought good tidings good tidings to others but good tidings to them and not onely that Christ was borne but that he was borne to them Esay 9.6 as the Prophet had done long before Vnto us a Childe is borne unto us a Sonne is given And except the Shepheards had beleeved and applied it to themselves they might have beene instruments of salvation unto others but they could never have beleeved or have had benefit by it themselves like those that builded the Arke to save others but were drowned in the waters themselves Secondly the promises of God howsoever they be delivered in generall termes in the Word yet are they particular and every man out of the generall both may and must gather a particular unto himselfe As in a Pardon or Proclamation though it be delivered in generall yet the matter contained in it is that which belongeth to every person in particular and every one may apply the Proclamation as truely to himselfe as if he read his owne name therein expressed So then although the promises of God be generall yet are they particularly true to every true beleever that can truely apply them to himselfe For whatsoever is spoken to all beleevers is spoken to every particular as also whatsoever is spoken to all penitent persons may bee applied to each penitent person We see this in the exhortation given to Joshua Iosh 1.5 Heb. 13.6 1 Chron. 28.20 Deut. 31.6 I will not faile thee nor forsake thee which also is given to others yet the Apostle applieth it as spoken to the Hebrewes so that the same which was spoken to him was in him spoken to all The Gospell is as it were a pardon published to sinners and faith layeth hold on that pardon particularly so that the beleever doth as truely apply it to himselfe as if his owne name were written therein and it were said to him Matth. 9.1 Thy sinnes are forgiven thee as it was said to the man sicke of the palsie Matth. 9.1 Thirdly there must be particular application because God hath given unto us his Sacraments to bee Seales of the Righteousnesse that is by faith Rom. 4. Rom. 4.11 Now as God hath established them in the Church so he hath ordained that they should be delivered particularly to every one that every man should be baptized and every man receiue the Supper of the Lord in his owne person which sheweth that the proper use of a Sacrament is to assure a mans conscience of the promises in particular When wee come once to beleeue and to know that Christ offereth remission of sinnes by his death then by receiuing of the Sacraments particularly wee come to apply Christ and his merits to our selves so that the delivering and receiving of the Sacraments is thus much in effect if thou beleeve the promises of life and salvation then take this that thou maist bee assured that they belong unto thee as certainely as if thy name were specified therein Now then all these things considered the use of faith the use of the Word and the use of the Sacraments it must necessarily follow that it is not onely a generall notion but a particular application of the promises that doe belong to salvation First Vse 1 there ariseth from hence a plaine confutation of a Popish errour touching faith that a man may not nor cannot without presumption apply the promises of the Gospell to himselfe nor beleeve that God is his God that Christ is his Saviour wherein with one dash of the penne or with one breath of the mouth they cancell all the Articles of the faith and
the Rod should shake it selfe against them that lift it up or as if the Staffe should lift up it selfe as if it were no wood Woe unto him that striveth with his Maker Let the Potsheard strive with the Potsheards of the earth Wherefore albeit he shewed no mercy on Cain Esau Saul Ahab Judas and sundry others yet is he not herein unjust for hee was indebted unto them nothing at all Nay more then all this had he denyed mercy to all mankinde and appointed all the sonnes of Adam of whom they come as out of a corrupted masse to endlesse torments as he did the Angels that fell yet had he done them no wrong but executed upon them just judgement and their deserved punishment so that no man can justly utter a word of complaint against him Rom. 11.51 Hence it is that the Apostle saith Rom. 11. Who hath first given to him and it shall be recompenced unto him againe This reprooveth two sorts First Vse 1 such as set up mans free will and make the beginning of our salvation to come from our selves This crosseth the doctrine of the holy Scriptures which teach that in our will is no good at all untill God from above give it and graft it in us as the earth is dry and barren the dryest of all the elements untill it receive the showres from Heaven to make it fruitfull This error setteth up mans nature and puffeth up flesh and blood It abolisheth the grace of God and derogateth much from the glory of his mercy because we are no more able of our selves to doe good then the stone can of it selfe mount up aloft If you take it and throw it into the aire it flyeth upward so if the Sonne take us and make us free Cant. 1.4 then we will and worke freely and if wee bee drawne Obiect wee runne after him What then may some say Are we stockes and stones without will without life without motion I answer Not so Answ wee are not utterly as blockes or stones without understanding For our will is capable of good when once it is wrought in us whereas stones sencelesse creatures and bruit beasts are not Nay we have a certaine freedome and liberty in naturall and civill things and some Ecclesiasticall so farre as both sence and reason may guide us But to any thing that is simply good and well-pleasing to God before he make us willing that are unwilling wee are worse then stocks I meane to doe good in a good holy and sanctified manner For not onely wee have stony hearts but also we rebell against God and lift up our selves against him which stockes and stones never doe against their Maker Ioh. 15.5 Ephes 2.1 so that Christ saith Without mee yee can doe nothing And the Apostle Wee are borne dead in sinnes and trespasses Whosoever therefore shall tell us and perswade us that we have power of our selves to doe that which is good and that wee stand in need of nothing but to be gently holpen with the hand to walke in his waies and need not to be wholly assisted and prevented by grace they are lying spirits and false prophets beleeve them not bid them not God speed neither receive them to house What a stirre hath there beene heretofore and is yet in the Church of Rome and among other Sectaries and who is ignorant of it about the matter of free will Were he not a fond man who being fast bound in chaines and irons would talke of nothing but of his present freedome and liberty Yet this is the case with us we are bondmen and yet we hold our selves to be free men wee have just cause therefore utterly to abolish this name of Free-will and learne to reason of our bond-will another while For we are as unfit to begin any good in our owne selves as the greene wood is to kindle in it selfe and of it selfe any fire or heat which being kindled it is rather apt to be put out againe These never knew the greatnesse of the fall of man and the deadly wound that nature hath received for it is God that worketh in us the will and the deed And if both the deed and will it selfe be Gods gifts I would gladly know what good gift we have left unto us in nature or what we can rightly challenge to our selves God is Alpha and Omega the first and the last the beginning and the ending and therefore all power and ability is taken from us quite and cleane of doing any thing that is good True it is the first man Adam before his transgression had free will to chuse the good and to refuse the evill but by his fall hee lost both it and himselfe both his liberty and his innocency Mans freedome is a very bondage For now our freedome is onely to be free to sinne too free alas we are to it if that may be called a freedome which indeed is the most miserable and slavish bondage while wee can doe nothing else but sinne lying as it were fast bound in chaines and fetters hand and foot O but a man that is fettered hath at least a will and desire to be loosed It is true of bodily captives and prisoners but it is not so with the naturall man that is unregenerate For as he is fettered so of himselfe he is willing and desirous to be so he doth evill and he will doe it he loveth his chaines as if they were of gold or silver Ephes 5.14 2 Tim. 2.26 and hath no will to bee raised from the dead sleepe of sinne Hee thinketh himselfe at liberty and as free as the best when he is faster holden then the worst Gally-slave He is the servant of corruption and yet hee is offended with him that moveth him to shake off those heavy bolts and fetters and to come out of that bad and bond condition The Apostle sheweth 1 Cor. 2.14 that the naturall man perceiveth not the things of the Spirit of God for they are foolishnesse to him neither can he know them because they are spiritually discerned Secondly it reprooveth such as teach that faith and workes foreseene are the causes of our election to life and salvation This were for us to choose God Faith foreseene is not the cause of our salvation and not for God to choose us whereas he witnesseth the contrary This is to reject all infants from Gods Election who are taken away by untimely death as corne that is reaped downe in the greene blade This maketh election to be uncertaine and to depend upon the will and pleasure of men This teacheth that grace is not the totall cause of faith This is as much as to begin our spirituall life at our selves and to give the praise to our selves at least in part and not to God for the blessings that we receive from him This is to be afraid lest we should bee too much beholding to God for our salvation and too little
any were to worke in us such duties as may please him To give The fourth branch of the reason These words containe the manner of bestowing the promise and the meanes how it is convaied unto us As the fountaine of it is Gods good pleasure so the chanell to convay it is his free gift Some kinde of gifts are given but they are first well deserved by them that receive them Againe some things are given Luke 14.11 but it is with hope and expectation to have as great or greater bestowed upon them againe as they that give to Kings and Princes Some things are said to be given when a sufficient recompence is tendred and offered withall as Gen. 23.9 Give me the cave for as much money as it is worth Gen. 23.9 and 1. King 12.2 Give me thy Vineyard and I will give thee for it a better Vineyard then it This giving by way of commutative justice is no other then bargaine and sale or exchange But it is not thus with the gifts of God who is a free giver and bestower hee doth not alter them neither barter them for other he doth not chop and change buy and sell his blessings as men doe Bullockes in a market that he should be as much beholding to us as we to him He offereth with a willing heart Doct. 10 and performeth with a free hand This teacheth us that all spirituall gifts and graces are bestowed upon us frankely and freely They come unto us neither by inheritance nor by exchange nor by bargaine and sale nor yet by purchase True it is our Salvation and Redemption were purchased by Christ who paid a deare price to bring us to God because his Iustice required it Ephes 1.7 yet was this also of meere grace We have Redemption through his blood the forgivenesse of our sinnes according to the riches of his grace So then albeit Salvation were purchased and as I may say dearely bought in respect of Christ yet neither the whole worke nor any part or parcell thereof was purchased in regard of our selves who are made partakers thereof through Gods speciall grace We conferre nothing toward the attainement of Salvation to procure to our selves this unspeakable benefit Wee cannot gratifie Christ Iesus againe in any matter or measure Esay 63.3 who trode the wine-presse of the wrath of the Father alone for us and hath paid the utmost farthing that could be required of us and therefore it commeth as a meere gratuity unto us without any purchase or paiment without any money or satisfaction Rom. 3.24 6.23 This the Apostle teacheth Rom. 3.24 Being justified freely by his grace through the Redemption that is in Christ and Chap. 6.23 The gift of God is eternall life through Jesus Christ our Lord. And Peter speaketh to the same purpose 2 Pet. 1.3 According to his divine power hee hath given us all things that pertaine unto life and godlinesse 2. Pet. 1.3 Thus the Prophet long before proclaimed the free gift of God without either money or money-worth or any price all that are a-thirst may come freely to the waters of life Revel 22.17 Esay 55.1 2. John 7.37 The reasons are Reas 1 first from the generall to the speciall All good gifts and perfect gifts whatsoever are from above and come downe from the Father of lights Jam. 1. They spring not out of the earth Iam. 1.17 Ioh. 3.27 as John 3. A man can receive nothing except it be given him from above neither yet come unto Christ except the Father draw him John 6. Secondly wee cannot obtaine a bit of bread to doe us any good but we must have it by Gods gift as appeareth in the Lords Prayer where wee are taught to come to him to have our daily bread given unto us Matth. 6.11 Deut. 9.5 The Israelites could not inherit the Land of Canaan by any inherent righteousnesse in themselves the uprightnes of their hearts neither yet conquer it by their owne sword Psal 44.3 Psal 44.3 They gate not the Land in possession by their owne sword neither did their owne arme save them but thy right hand and the light of thy countenance because thou hadst a favour unto them much lesse then are we able to possesse the heavenly Canaan by any godlinesse in our owne persons This doctrine overthroweth all Iustification by our owne workes and merits whether done before grace Vse 1 or in the state of grace The Apostle saith Rom. 3.20 By the deeds of the Law shall no flesh bee iustified in his sight for by the Law is the knowledge of sinne And Tit. 3. Rom. 3.20 The kindnesse and love of God appeared Tit. 3.4 5. not by workes of righteousnesse which we have done but according to his mercy hee saved us and againe 2. Tim. 1.9 He hath saved us and called us by an holy calling 2 Tim. 1.9 not according to our workes but according to his owne purpose and grace which is given us in Christ Jesus before the world began What can workes before a mans conversion availe for as much as wee are borne dead in sinnes and trespasses as wee have shewed before being without faith without hope without any good so that wee should be justified by our sinnes and our righteousnesse should be by unrighteousnesse if we should bee justified by these or any such workes Neither can workes of righteousnesse done in faith and after our conversion present us as righteous in the sight of God because they are all unperfect even the best and the holiest of them that we cannot challenge righteousnesse by them Psal 143.2 130. 3. 32.1 2. but must with the Prophet cry out Lord enter not into judgement with thy servant for in thy sight shall no man living be justified And againe to like purpose If thou Lord shouldst marke iniquities O Lord who shall stand but there is forgivenesse with thee that thou maist be feared This is our justification to obtaine remission of our sinnes Psal 32. The Servants of God doe not in the pride of their hearts advance themselves against God through their owne righteousnesse but they aske forgivenesse for their unrighteousnesse The Apostle John saith 1 Iob. 1.10 If we say that we have not sinned we make him a lyer and his Word is not in us All our righteousnesse is as a menstruous cloth Esay 64.6 spotted with the flesh Obiect But the Adversaries object that the Scripture never saith We are justified by faith onely and complaine that this word is fraudulently foysted and cunningly thrust into this Question as an Addition of our owne whereupon notwithstanding the chiefe state of the Controversie betweene us and them dependeth I answere Answ The putting to of that word is not alwaies an Addition to the Text but rather an exposition or explication Luke 4.8 Deut. 6.13 as wee see the like case in Christ our Saviour Luke 4.8 compareth with Deut. 6.13 who