am an Embassadour of the mystery of the Gospel though I be in bonds Secondly Have some Ministers such a commission from Christ then let them learn how to behave themselves in their function My Brethren Christ hath committed unto us the custody of his own power and authority and therefore we are to exercise it in his name our commission is to charge the great men of the world Charge them that are rich in this world that they bee not high-minded 1 Tim. 6. 17. True we are your servants for Jesus his sake and wee are to be humbled and to wait upon men of lowest degree and to condefcend unto men of meanest capacity and there is a time when wee should for loves-sake intreat but the truth is too wee have power to charge and command These things command and teach 1 Tim. 4. 11. These things speak and exhort and rebuke withall authority Tit. 2. 15. We must not betray the power and majesticall simplicity of the Gospell of Jesus Christ We have Christs owne power and authority in our ministery and therefore wee are to command you in his stead as ever you will answer Christ before his Tribunall at last day neglect not those things which we preach to you from him Now we command you Brethren in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ that yee withdraw your selves from every brother that walkes disorderly and not after the Tradition which hee received of us 2. Thes 3. 6. True we are inferiors to Kings and Princes and Magistrates and the Nobility and Gentry of the land There be thousands and thousands that are our Betters in all civill respects but our Embassage is above all The Lords own Power and Authority goes through the ministery as a Trunk As the King may send a Command to the greatest Nobleman of the Kingdome by the hand of a meane man and he is to hearken to it though the messenger in himselfe be his underling yet his message is above him and he looses his head if he despise it So beloved we are over you in the Lord that is in regard of our message Though we be your inferiors and some of you be our betters and wee are to stand with Cap in hand to you yet ye loose your soules if ye will not heare us and obey our Embassage We must not bow to your humors nor make the Spirit of Christ in the Gospell to bend and comply with human lusts If Princes and Potentates were by we must not spare their sins Nathan deales roundly with King David Thou art the man Jehu with King Jehosaphat wrath is upon thee from the Lord because thou hast helpt the ungodly We must let all the world know that Christ whom wee preach is above them all wee must not prostitute Christs Scepter no not at a Monarchs foot If we be men-pleasers we are not the servants of Christ We must not suffer Christs word to be bound whosoeuer is our hearer whether high or low We defie popish Divinity that exalt their Antichristan Clergy above the civill Magistrate Belarmines Martin is but a foysted story But yet in this sense we are above all the Kingdomes of men as God sayes Behold I have put my words in thy mouth and loe I have set thee this day over Nations and Kingdomes to plant and to root up to build and to throw downe Jer. 1. 9. 10. Let no man thinke we are saucy though we reprove the greatest of you all as long as we doe it in Christ and from Christ we are the mouth of the Judge of quick and dead and he will make our words good The meanest Sergeant in the Kings name dares arrest the greatest Duke So my Brethren we come in the Kings name in Christ his name and therefore we must not be afraid of your faces As Paul told Philemon I have great authority in Christ to command thee that which is convenient Philem. 8. We have great authority to command every one of you to doe your Duties towards God and man We have Christ for our Author and therefore he will be a wall of Brasse to us We are his Embassadors and therefore our Message is with great power Thirdly Have we this Commission from Jesus Christ then this may serve to condemne all such as doe not obey our Ministery Though wee have all this authority the very power of Christ himself in our mouthes that equally binds King and Begger Yet who obeys our commands who stirres who repents who submits himself unto our commission we have called for humiliation but no man will humble himself We have cryed for reformation and amendment of life but no man relents wee have read our commission every week unto people we shew them our Letters Patents from the Lord Jesus Christ and they are counted as idle tales by the most O what an indignity is this unto our Lord Jesus Christ we are his Embassadors and your standing out against us is not against us but against him and he will repay it O sayes the Apostle if any man obey not our word By this Epistle note that man 2 Thess 3. 14. q. d. note him with a brand of infamy note him as a Rebell against Jesus Christ look upon him as a wretched miserable creature take heed of him avoid him withdraw your self from him point at him yonder goes a wretch that will not obey the voyce of his teacher excommunicate him from your company have as little to doe with him as you can Be ye shie of such a man certainly there is great wrath hangeth over him So Beloved if any obey not our word note such persons note such parishes note all such families the wrath of heaven hangeth over them their stubbornnesse and hardnesse of heart is not against us but against the Lord. These are notorious Townes notorious people that have Christs Embassadors among them and yet will not be obedient and yet how is our Embassage made nothing of if Kings onely and Princes and Lords and great men should make nothing of it we should not so much wonder because they are greater men then those that God sends his Embassage by and yet if they were wise and knew what they did they durst not doe as they do but every base fellow stops his eare and hardens his heart against the God of Heaven and earth and will not obey our word nay men can hear their sins ripped up and the Anathema's of Christ spread before their faces and not blush They can heare that those very sinnes they live in doe separate from God do adjudge them to hell and shew them to be under the blacknes of darknesse and the sentence of damnation they can see it showne them out of the word which they cannot deny for their hearts though they would never so faine and yet they will not repent nor returne that they may have mercy Not one drunkard will leave nor one Mocker leave nor one Covetous person nor one gracelesse
feeth wickednesse also will not he then punish it Job 11. 11. The reasons of this point that God knowes all mens sinnes and sinfull courses hee knowes all that they ever have done or doe doe or will doe or can doe or would doe are First because God is infinite in knowledge as David sayes his understanding is infinite Psal 147. 5 as the Prophet Esay sayes ther 's no searching of his understanding Isa 40. 28. well if he be infinite in Knowledge what can a poore Creature keepe close from him who can hide his iniquities from him who can set such a colour upon his wicked devises that hee can not discover them let a man excuse himselfe may be his excuses may passe currant among men but God must needs know the falsenesse of his excuses and that they are but Fig leaves men may pretend what they will and deny what they will with an impudent forehead and set a good face upon what they will and this may goe unperceived among men but Gods understanding is infinite and therefore hee knowes all that men do he knows how every man stands affected unto him he knows how people come to Church and whether they meane to doe what they have been taught whether they meane to reforme what they have been reproved for for He is infinite in Knowledge and therefore he is privy to all the sins of men Secondly as he is omniscient so he is omnipresent he is present every where whether can any Creature goe from his presence if hee goe into Bed or Chamber or Closet or Street or high way or Alehouse or Drab-house home or abroad hee can go howhere but where God is and how can hee doe ought but God must needs see him God himselfe argues on this manner Can any hide himselfe in secret places that I should not see him 〈◊〉 not I fill Heaven and earth sayth the Lord Jer. 23. 24. qâ—d if I be every where I must needs be able to see every where Thirdly the Lord is omniprovident as I may so speak hee hath a hand either in the making of all things or at least in the permitting and disposing of all things All that is good hee does it himselfe or else it cannot be done All that is evill hee must permit it to be or else it cannot be committed nothing is done without his concurrence or sufferance therefore he must needs know all mens sins he knowes what hee hath suffered to be or does suffer or will suffer not so much as the sinnes of men can fall out without him as Peter speaking of Judas his sinnes and the Iewes and Pilats and Herods they did nothing but what he knew they would doe why they did nothing but what his Hand and Counsell determined before to be done Acts 4. 28. therefore he knew the Jewes would be betray Christ he could tell the Prophet Zachary diverse hundred yeares before that hee would take 30 pieces of Silver to doe it He could tell the Prophet Esay that they would fmite him and buffet him that they would reck on him among transgressors he could tell the Prophet David that they should pierce his hands and his Feet and that they should offer him Vineger to drinke the Lord knew all these sinnes of yours why because hee had decreed them True hee did not decree that hee would make them commit them but he decreed that they themselves should be the agents of them it should be meerly their fault their covetousnes their malice their men-pleasing their wicked disposition I but he ordred these things and therefore he must needs know them The drunkard could not hold up the cup to his mouth if God had not intended to preserve his armes and his mouth at that time hee could not goe to the tipling house but that God intended to continue him his feet and his health no man could thinke a wicked thought nor speake a naughty word but that God upholds his heart and his tongue in the interim if God should forbeare his goodnesse to them he would be speechlesse and not able to thinke so much as any thought at all and this aggravates mans sinnes that hee hath need of Gods goodnesse at the same time and yet that he should sin against his Maker Fourthly the Lord knowes every mans sinnes because he hath a Candle in every mans bosome hee hath made mens hearts on that wise that he hath a Candle in them all Yee know there is a spirit in a man that we call conscience that is Gods Candle as Solomon sayes The spirit of man is the Candle of the Lord searching all the inward parts of the belly Pro. 20. 27. well if he have a Candle shining in every mans bosome what can there be hidden in the darke nay he knoweth mens hearts and wayes better then they knew them themselves as the Physitian can better judge of his Patients body then himselfe Christ knew Peters unbelieving heart when he knew it not himselfe though all men be offended in thee yet will not I Christ knew he would be offended in him that very night so hee knew Hazaels wicked life when the man that owned it would not believe it is thy servant a Dogge sayes he that I should be so wicked yet he knew he would be so wicked and cruell and therefore God can bring to a mans minde a thousand things that he never dreamt of before many a man deceives himselfe all his life time But when hee comes to sicken and die then God shewes him what he is and what he hath done and now he sees he is a damned wretch and yet before though all the Ministers in England had told him so much hee would not have believed it Fifthly he must needs know every mans sins because he is the Judge of all the World and he is to judge every sinner according to his deeds now if hee should not know all his sins he could not judge righteous judgement The Judge must know all secrets otherwise he cannot well judge Now beloved God is a righteous Judge and therefore no sin can scape him God shall bring every work into judgement with every secret thing whether it be good or whether it be evill Eccl. 12. 14. True it is he shall not want witnesses in the day for conscience shall be a thousand witnesses yet it is needfull that himselfe should have perfect knowledge of all the actions of men For why is conscience so ready to accuse a man when it is awakened it is onely because it is conscious that God knoweth all its doings now if God had not perfect knowledge himselfe conscience would not witnesse all then neither could it make a sinner confesse all But Gods knowing all this is it that will make conscience to speake truth The Psalmist being to dispute against a company of Atheisticall people that sayd tush God shall not see Psal 94. 7. marke how hee reasons against them He brings
let his Baalisme alone or if the conscience be against all manner of sinnes it is but in a fume cito redibit in gratiam they are but like new Wine in old Bottels at last the Bottels break and the Wine is all spilt so all these workes in an awakened conscience are onely then while the conscience cannot sleep But when it can fall asleep againe then the man can be quiet againe the conscience is an old conscience and not renewed and therefore it is not able to hold them well then ye see these are not consciences life What then is the consciences life for this ye must know First the conscience hath a Testimoniall life a life whereof it lives as the soul lives for it is the reflexion of the soule the soules privity to it selfe betweene God and it selfe And therefore if the soule be alive towards God then the conscience is alive too as the Apostle sayes How much more shall the bloud of Christ who through the eternall spirit offered himself without spoâ— to God purge your conscience from dead workes is to serves the living God Heb. 9. 14. marke when a mans dead workes are purged away the conscience is alive when a mans selfe is alive and his workes are alive the conscience is alive as we say of the goodnesse of conscience though the conscience be never so good in it selfe yet as long as the man is not good his conscience can never be good conscience is said to be good as a Messenger is said to be good namely when he bringeth good tydings though he be never so good a man yet if he doe not bring good tydings we say he is an ill Messenger he sent evill Angels among them Psal 78. 49. Calvin thinkes it may be meant of good Angels yet said to be ill Angels because they brought evill Plagues upon Aegypt so stands a good conscience that can bring good tydings of a man that he is a good man true a wicked mans conscience may report well of him as Absolon did of the people O your matters are good sayes he when they were stark naught so thy conscience may flatter thee and say thy matters are good But when conscience can say truly thy matters are good The conscience is like a Register or a Bill now then it is a Bill of good Items when all thy sinnes are blotted out ye know we call it a fowle bill that hath fowle crimes written in it Item this man stole a horse Item he brake into such a mans house Item he murdered such a man when such a Bill as this comes in at the Assizes against a poore Prisoner this is a black Bill this is a fowle Bill so as long as thy conscience is a fowle Bill Item I was born in sinne Item I have lived very loosely Item I have heard so many Sermons and gotten litte good Item I was at such a Sacrament and was nere the better thy conscience is a fowle Bill this is a fowle conscience as the Apostle sayes a defiled conscience Tit. 1. 15. This is a bad conscience now when the conscience is cleane then it is a good conscience so I may say of a lively conscience the conscience is alive when the man is alive towards God then it beares witnesse but that is not all the conscience hath other acts Secondly the conscience hath another life of it's own namely the conscience is said to be quickened up to its duty when it quickens up the whole man to doe his As the conscience of the good people that offer'd to the Tabernacle was a quick conscience their conscience was quick to doe its duty because it quickened them up to doe theirs their heart made them willing Exod. 35. 29. that is their conscience made them willing though the conscience be never so eager that is not it it never does its duty with life till it make thee doe thy duty with life The conscience of the godly may be is not so eager neither does it keep such a doe as many a wicked mans conscience The eagerer conscience is faine to be it 's a signe the man is the more dead when a man is alive the conscience stirres him up with more ease like a man that is willing to pay his debts the creditor need no more then aske whereas when the debter is a slye fellow there needs the more Bawling so that if thou would'st know whether thy conscience be quick the question is not whether it be eager or no But whether does it quicken thee up to doe thy duty or no. This then is the life of conscience when it makes a man doe his duty towards God and man when it makes a man beleeve with all his heart when it makes him love God with all his soule and mind to serve him in truth to doe his holy will to humble himselfe soundly before God for all his sinnes to make his peace with God daily to please him and to walke before him in newnesse of life This is a living conscience this conscience hath the grace of life in it whether it doe it by eagernesse or not that is not it whether with much a doe or little that is all one First When the conscience does not onely check but it checkes to some purpose as when David had numbred the people his heart smote him 2 Sam. 24. 10. such checks there may be in a wicked heart when a man is made to doe the Lords will for conscience sake Secondly When it does not onely accuse for sinne so a naturall conscience may doe but it pulls a man downe before God and cites himselfe effectually before God The just man first accuseth himselfe as the Greek and the Latin read it Prov. 18. 17. Thirdly when it does not onely condemne one for sinne for so the wicked have condemning consciences as the Apostle sayes if our heart condemneth 1 Joh. 3. 20. that is if we be wicked as Paul sayes knowing that he that is such is subverted and sinneth being condemned ef himselfe Tit. 3. 11. that is he is a wicked wretch so that a wicked mans conscience may and will and shall condemne himselfe But I meane when the conscience does not onely condemne one for sinne but it tramples upon ones self as a damned wretch in himselfe to save God a labour as the Apostle speakes if we would judge our selves we should not be Iudged 1 Cor. 11. 31. Fourthly when it does not onely pull a man a dayes so it may doe the wicked and the ungodly they feele many puls every day and may be their conscience makes them leave many particular sinnes But when the conscience puls a man out of every known sinne withall the detestation and loathing out of unbeleife out of inpenitency and heardnesse of heart out of formality and all this is a lively conscience as Iob sayes my heart shall not reproach me as long as I live Job 27. 6. These are the
pleasing in his eyes though it may be people doe not feele this same feare as long as they are well and lusty but let but conscience be awakened or let death seize upon them then a feare will appeare O how afraid are they to goe before God But let a man have such a living conscience as this this gives a man boldnesse The righteous are as bold as a Lyon Prov. 18. 1. thy conscience is an admirable thing without this all a mans boldnesse is nothing Thou maist hold up thy head very high and out face all the world for a time as bold as can be tush thou art well thought of among all thy neighbours but what sayes thy conscience if that cannot say thou art a gracious man I tell thee thou canst have no boldnesse But now if thou hast this same living conscience now thou maist be as bold as a Lyon though the world doe accuse thee yet what sayes thy conscience if that excuse thee thou maist shew thy face where thousands shall be confounded when Austin was accused by Secundinus to have come from the Maniehees for feare of losse and for hope of preferment he comforted himselfe with his conscience I esteeme not sayes he what Secundinus thinkes of me so long as my conscience approves me before God so also Paul when the false Apostles accused him O sayes he it is a very small thing with me that I should be judged of you 1 Cor. 4. 3. Thus ye see for good what is the livingnesse of conscience towards good This is the second thing Thirdly now about Poth both sinne and goodnesse when is the conscience alive about both namely when it does instruct a man and not onely so but it guides a man to shun the one and to imbrace the other This is a living conscience indeed when it is a mans privy counsell from day to day This is a Divine Counsell it s like a little privy Counseller in a Childe of Gods bosome that the Lord in mercy hath placed there to direct him as David sayes I will blesse the Lord for giving me Counsell my reines instruct me in the night seasons Psal 16. 7. By his reines he meaneth his conscience now that did instruct him not onely in the day time but also in the night if he were tempted to sinne his conscience instructed him nay I must not yeeld to that if he found himselfe backward to any good duty nay still his conscience advised him nay I must be forward to that I confesse a dead conscience may give admirable counsell and Instruction to the wicked I their conscience proves it unto them But it does not do its duty for it does not make them to doe theirs Thus ye see what a living conscience is when it so does its duty that it makes us to doe ours But it may be humbled conscience is paedagogus animae it is the soules Schoole Master as Origen cals it now a Schoole-Master may doe his duty though he doe not make his Scholler doe his for if he be diligent in teaching and doing of his office the Scholer may be a dunce for all him the best Schoole-Master may have a block head and a dunce in his Schoole I answer the reason is not alike First a Schoole-master teacheth another But conscience is a Schoole-Master not to another but to a mans selfe and therefore if the conscience doe its duty indeed it must needs make the man to doe his because his conscience is a Schoole-Master to himselfe Secondly againe a Schoole-Master is not alwayes by his Scholer sometimes his back is turned but conscience is ever by a man and therefore if it did alwayes doe its duty it might make the man to doe his Againe Thirdly a Schoole-Master it may be his Scholer is duller then himselfe and then though himselfe be never so learned yet he cannot put his learning into his Scholer But it is not so here here the Scholer and the Schoole-Master is all one one is no more dull then another for looke how dull the one so dull the other look how active the one is so active is the other because conscience and the man is all one it is very true the conscience by accusation is eagerer then the man for God may take a dead conscience and sur it exceedingly and he does so ordinarily in men but these stirrings of conscience are none of consciences stirring but Gods my spirit shall not alwayes strive with man Gen. 6. 3. they are his strivings with men But the consciences own quick enings and the mans are all one you will say how shall I know whether the quickening that is in my conscience be my consciences or onely the Lords stirring in my conscience I answer First when thou art glad that thy conscience is so busie with thee it is very welcome unto thee then the Lord hath made thy conscience alive then God does not onely strive in thy conscience but thy conscience it selfe is alive as we see there in David I will blesse the Lord for giving me counsell my reines doe instruct me Psal 16. 7. when his conscience did instruct him he was glad of it he blest the Lord for it his conscience was alive But now in a wicked heart the more his conscience accuses and condemnes and checks the more buisie it is with him the more unwelcome it is and therefore he labours to still it may be he will stop it with some thing may be some little reformation for the time may be with Prayer or some yeeldings thereunto nay there be some labour to drown it out right they will goe to the Ale-house or to Cards or among their boone companions and so shake of those dumps therefore my Brethren if ye would have a signe that your conscience is alive be glad at its dictates give them all their deare intertainement ye can Blesse the Lord for them and make very much of such they are the sweet motions of Gods holy spirit quench them not doe not stop the mouth of them by halfe payments let them have their full sway Secondly when thou callest upon thy conscience to be buisie when thou usest to stirre up conscience every day wind it up as a man does his Clock that it may be in continuall motion So the Prophet did Why art thou so heavy O my soule why art thou so disquieted within me hope thou in God Psal 42. 11. marke he took his conscience and stir'd up himselfe with it a wicked man does not thus his conscience comes before it is sent for it is like an unbidden guest And therefore if thou wouldst know whether thy conscience be alive doe but consider whether this be thy course if thou doest daily awaken thy conscience if thou doest set it a worke this is a signe of life in it as Paul did here in doe I exercise my selfe that I may have a good conscience voyd of offence Act. 24. 16. He laboured
Asia Now hee speaks of the Holy Ghost in the same number because that one and the same Holy Ghost is severally and intirely powred upon them all The Spirit of God was in Ephesus and the Spirit of God was in Smyrna and the Spirit of God was in Pergamos and so in Thyatira and so in Sardis and Philadelphia and Laodicea and therefore hee calls him the seven Spirits of God though hee bee but one and the same Spirit Thirdly hee calls him the seven Spirits of God by a common Metalepsis of putting the effects for the cause because there bee many and sundry gifts and graces of the holy Spirit of God the number seven being put to signifie the perfection of them and the universallnesse of them Now that the seven spirits of God are nothing else but that one and the same holy Spirit of God is plain out of Rev. 1. 4 5. John to the seven Churches in Asia Grace bee unto you and peace from him which is and which was and which is to come and from the seven Spirits which are before his Throne and from Jesus Christ which is the faithfull witnesse Which words are Saint Johns saluting of the seven Churches in Asia wherin hee wishes them all grace from the blessed Trinity q. d. Grace bee to you and peace from God the Father and from the holy Spirit of God and from the Lord Jesus Christ the faithfull and true witnesse Calling the Father which was which is which is to come and the Lord Jesus Christ the faithfull and true witnesse and the Holy Ghost the seven Spirits of God It is the very self same salutation that Paul uses in all his Epistles in effect saving that this is more full and more lofty and august Now then by the seven Spirits of God hee cannot mean any creature or creatures as Angels or so but hee must needs mean the Holy Ghost because hee prayes for grace from the seven Spirits of God which no creature is able to give Yee know God onely can give grace God onely is the Authour of all grace Hee onely can justifie and sanctifie and quicken and give a man eternall life as James Every good and perfect gift commeth from above Jam. 1. 17. It were Idolatry in John to wish to the Churches grace from the seven Spirits of God if hee meant by them any Angels or any other creatures Wee might worship the Angels if they were able to give us grace wee might pray to them and serve them and feare them and adore them if they could bee the Authours of grace to us Now this is Idolatry Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and him onely shalt thou serve Matth. 4. 10. Of him and through him and to him are all things to whom bee glory for ever Amen Rom. 11. 36. Yee know it is the glory of God to bee the Cause of all grace Now what saies God I am the Lord that is my Name and my glory will I not give to another Isa 42. 8. Well then you see what is here meant by the seven Spirits of God even the holy Ghost himself that one the same holy Spirit of God These things saith hee that hath the seven Spirits of God that is these things saith Christ that hath the holy Spirit of God to give him to whomsoever hee pleases Not as though that were all that Christ hath the holy Spirit of God for so Paul had the holy Spirit of God I suppose also that I have the Spirit of God 1 Cor. 7. 40. so Peter and David and all the Saints all the people of God have the holy Spirit of God nay a man is dead in trespasses and sins and is a meer carcasse like a dead body without a soule that hath not the holy Spirit of God therefore that is not all the meaning of it that Christ hath the holy Spirit of God for so all the children of God have him and are quickned by him up to all goodnesse But Christ hath the holy Spirit of God that is hee hath him to give to whomsoever hee pleases But it may be objected is it not God the Father that gives the holy spirit to all his poore children I Answer Yes it is very true Hee hath him to give to whomsoever hee is pleased to give him for the Holy Ghost is his Spirit as well as Christ hee flowes from them both And therefore saith our Saviour How much more shall your Heavenly Father give the holy Spirit to them that ask him Luk. 11. 13. so that the Father gives the holy spirit to whom hee will but it is in Christs name Christ is the store-house of this gift When the Father gives his holy spirit unto any man it is onely in Christs name as himself speaks The Comforter which is the Holy Ghost whom the Father will send in my name Hee shall teach you all things Joh. 14. 26. Mark it is onely in Christs name Well now wee see the point That Christ onely hath the Holy Spirit of God to give to whom hee pleases If any poore creature would fain have the holy spirit of God to be in him hee must come to Christ for him Though the barrell bee never so full of good Wine yet when it is hoopt round about if one would have any hee must draw it at the tap so Beloved the Lord hath hoopt himself up from men hee hath closed himself up from all men by reason of mens sins hee hath shut himself up no man can have any of his holy spirit but hee must come and draw it at the tap hee must come to Jesus Christ the Lord vents himself onely in him as Christ saith hee that beleeveth on mee as the Scripture hath said Out of his belly shall slow rivers of living water What is that this spake hee of the spirit which they that beleeve on him should receive Joh. 7. 38 39. Mark Christ is the tap yee must come to him by true beleeving or yee cannot receive any of Gods holy Spirit Hee only hath him to give to them that doe imbrace him From him proceed all the graces of the Spirit that any men doe injoy This is his Roialty as being the only King and Head of the Church and the opened fountain that all that would bee saved must repaire unto Hee is the beginning of the Holy Ghost the Holy Ghost proceedeth from him as hee is the Son of God and as hee is man hee is anointed with him The Spirit of the Lord is upon mee saith he Luk. 4. 18. Ho every one that would have him come unto mee for him Away with your sins and take mee abhorre all your own waies see what damnable creatures yee are in your selves whether your lusts and corruptions carrie you what will become of you if yee goe on in your own paths if yee would have grace and mercy and life and salvation come to mee The Spirit of the Lord is upon mee to powre him upon
an argument from Gods judging of men to prove that God must needs see O sayes he it is he that chastiseth the hea hen shall not hee correct hee that teacheth man knowledge shall not he know vers 10. q. d. yee deny God to be judge if hee say hee does not know how can he correct them will he judge men for that he knowes not what no if he be the judge of the whole World he must needs know all that men doe The use of this is First is it so that God knowes all mens sinfull courses if men be dead-hearted he knowes it if they be heartles in good duties he knowes it though they would be loth that men should know what they are and doe keepe it from them yet they cannot dawb it before God he knowes it then this may serve to confute them that say God does not know sin This was Averroes his opinion who sayes God does not know sin God knows all that ever he knowes by knowing of himselfe and how can hee know sin because hee can see no such thing in himselfe I answer this is to derogate from the knowledge of God and to deny the perfection of it True sin is an evill yea the greatest evill of all evills yet the knowledge of it is good nay it were strange to say that God does not know who sin against him that were a pity if men be abused wee say it were pity but that they should know of it and if wee doe love them wee tell them who they be that abuse them and what the abuses are Certainly God knowes who doe abuse him and how people carry themselves towards all his Commandements and worship it is a part of his perfection to know it Againe we our selves may know sin and may know sin by the contrary as wee know what darknesse is by the contrary which is light and shall we say that God doe not know it God damnes all the wicked one after another for it and therfore he does know it nay we see that God brings secret things to light here in this World when people had thought that no body should ever come to know it yet hee does often bring secret sinnes to light here in this World how much more at the last day And though God knowes all that ever he knowes by looking upon himselfe and sin be not there but nothing but good and goodnesse it selfe yet hee can know it as a Medium to bring good out of it And so it is good as he wils it and therefore hee decrees it and therefore he must needs know it and know it in himself For the permission onely of it is in himself and the acting which is evill is out of himselfe neither does it follow that Gods understanding should become vile by knowing so many vile things as Vorstius and others do blasphemously astirme thence they would conclude their cursed Atheisticall axiomes we indeed may make our selves vile by looking upon vile and base things because we cannot keepe our hearts from savouring of them whose end is damnation c. who minde earthly things Phil. 3. 19. that is their minde becomes vile by so doing Hereby people come to be unacquainted with God and with Heavenly things They know how to buy and sell how to earne and get gaine how to plough and sow and such earthly things and they do so savour their minds that they make their minds base with them and therefore we are commanded to ennoble our minds and understandings for these things make them vile and therefore we should think of them no oftner then needs must for our minds are debased by base objects This is to be meant in regard of us not as though any thing that God hath made were vile but our corruption makes us vile when we looke upon vile things we are apt to run a whoring after them and our affections to bee hampered by them but God can daily and every howre see and looke what vile things men doe for he keepes a continuall and an uninterrupted hatred of them as the Psalmist sayes he is angry with the wicked every day so hee hates their courses every day Againe does God know all mens sins then this confutes the Anomists that say God cannot see the sins of his people God sees no sin in his people say they abusing that place there of Balaam Hee hath not beheld iniquity in Jacob neither hath he seene transgression in Israel Numb 23. 21. what 's this but to pervert Scripture hee speakes there of the eye of his Justice He does not speake of the eye of his Knowledge He speakes of such things as is in the wicked That indeed God doe not see in his people for it is not there to be seene otherwise if Gods people sin God makes them know and confesse that hee sees it as David sayes O God thou knowest my foolishnesse and my sinnes are not hid from thee Psal 69. 5. The garments of salvation that God puts upon his people are not to hoodwinke Gods Al-seeing Knowledge but to keep of the destroying Angell Secondly another use is to condemne the most sorts of men that doe not consider of this truth they little thinke that God sees all their doings I feare there is hardly any among us that will seeme to deny but that God can see all his wayes and yet we see it is too apparent by mens lives that few men do believe this indeed There is this vile Atheisme sculking in all our hearts naturally otherwise we durst not doe as wee doe that either God is such a God as the Epicures made him that sits in Heaven and regards not what men doe here below or at least we doe not charge this truth on our hearts that God sees us this is the cause of all the sinnes that are among us That there is so much luke warmenesse in the better sort so much heartlesnesse in holy performances before God so much wickednesse among others for why if men did seriously consider that Gods sees all and markes all nay hee markes all that men do so curiously that hee can set them in order before them all that ever they have done Psal 50. 21. in the same order that they committed them marke he can set before us in order all that ever we doe from day to day this sin then and that sin then such a sin wee did at such a time such sins in the morning such at noone such the last night such lusts were in our hearts in such a place and such in such a place hee can set them in order before us he knowes them so well and will too before he hath done I say if wee did charge this upon our soules we could not live so loosely as we doe You will say yea but we are Christians why do you tell us such a known truth what need so many arguments to prove that God knowes all our sinnes wee
they passe for currant among men yet God sees what they are men may pretend what they will and deny what they will and set an impudent forehead and face on the matter and go unperceived among men but they cannot goe unperceived by Allmighty God his understanding is infinite Secondly as he is omniscient so he is omnipresent he is everywhere whether can any creature goe from his presence if he goe into the street or ale-house or drabhouse or his house or his closet or his privy chamber he can goe nowhere but where God is and therefore how can he doe ought but God must needs see him can any hide himselfe in secret places that I should not see him doe not I fill Heaven and Earth saith the Lord Ier. 23. 24. Thirdly the Lord hath his providence in every thing nothing is done without his concurrence or sufferance if it be good it is done by his assistance if it be evill it cannot be done without his permission and disposition therefore he must needs know every thing He knew whether the Devils should enter into the herd of swine for they could not enter in untill he suffered them he knew all that Iudas and Pilate and Herod and the Jewes and the High Priests did against Christ because they did nothing but what his hand and counsell had determined before to be done Act. 4. 28. Fourthly the Lord knowes every mans sinnes because he hath a candle in every mans bosome The Spirit of man is the candle of the Lord searching all the inward parts of the belly Prov. 20. 27 that is a mans conscience that 's the Lords Candle well if Hee have a Candle standing in every mans bosome what can bee done there in the darke Fifthly because He is judge of the whole World O Lord of Heasts that judgest righteously that tryest the Reines and the Heart Jer. 11. 20. Hee could not judge every man righteously else A man may doe well and yet seeme to doe evill againe a man may doe very evill and yet seeme to doe well yee know the heart is all in all now if God did not know all mens hearts all mens lookes and aymes and intents and meanings the circumstances and every thing that men doe Hee could not judge every man according to his workes as hee will for a certaine Hee will judge every man according to his works and therefore Hee knowes what every mans workes bee The use of this was First To confute Averroes and others that say that God does not know mens sinnes O say they God sees all things by looking on himselfe now there is no such thing to be seene in himselfe Beloved here you see that this is a blasphemous Doctrine for God knowes what ever men are or thinke or speake or doe or have done or shall doe or would doe in any case and though sinne be not in God yet the suffering of it is in God and Hee may suffer it in his just judgement and wisdome though the commiting of it be wicked yet his suffering of it is good and just The Eyes of the Lord are in every place beholding the evill and the good Pro. 15. 3. But I let this passe Secondly to condemne the most sorts of men that doe not consider of this truth for though men will grant that God knowes all the evill that they doe yet this vile Atheisme is lurking in mens hearts they either make God as the Epicures hold that hee sits in Heaven and regards not what men doe or at least God will not require it Psal 10. 13. they doe not charge this truth on their hearts This is the cause that men are so daring to doe evill Thirdly this is a terror to all that doe evill This is a terror to them that have condemning hearts as John sayes if our heart condemne us God is greater then our hearts and Hee knowes all things 1 Joh. 3. 20. againe this is a terror to all Hypocrites if God could not see a rotten heart then a Hypocrite should speed as well as the best But God sees what men are seeme they what they will He sees what they be Fourthly this is comfort to good people for if God see all mens sinnes then Hee sees all mens goodnesse what a comfort is this in Prayer to consider That Hee that searcheth the Hearts knowes what is the minde of the Spirit Romans 8. 27 Hee knowes all thy groanes and sighes though thou canst not utter what thou wouldst in Prayer yet Hee knowes what thou wouldst have What a comfort is this in temptation in the midst of the accusations of Satan when a man is pitifully put to it in spirituall conflicts that God knowes what is in us all our secret affections our mournings after him our private seekings of him all our hidden meanings to him all our combats against sinne all our griefes for corruptions as Peter sayes God thou knowest all things thou knowest that I love thee Joh. 21. 17. Peter was put to it soundly at that time yet this was his comfort that God did know all things and as Hee knowes more evill by us then our selves so He knowes more good by us then our selves Againe what a comfort is this against the nick-names and false judgings of wicked men Hee knowes all our innocency when men say all manner of evill of us Hee knowes wee doe that in sincerity which men thinke wee doe in Hypocrisy Hee knowes our simplicity when men judge that wee doe it out of by and sinister respects what a comfort is this when wee can appeale to God as David sayes the Lord knowes that I lie not as David sayes I have not refrained my lips from preaching thy Righteousnesse O Lord thou knowest Psalme 40. 9. little does the World think what the Saints doe every day what wrestlings with God what goings out unto him they have this is a comfort the Lord knowes Againe what an encouragement is it to serve God in these bad and sinnefull times People generally never looke after God nor holinesse as though God had forsaken the Earth most people are of the minde that if a man bee precise hee is little the better and if hee be not so precise as some be hee shall never be the worse for that as though God cared for no such matter Beloved when wee heare that God sees all that men doe and markes and will call all men to an accompt what an encouragement is this to serve God as David sayes to Solomon Know thou the God of thy Fathers and serve him with a perfect Heart for the Lord searcheth all Hearts and understandeth all the imaginations of the thoughts 1 Chron. 28. 9. This was the first pont And then the Second point was this The consideration of this that God knowes all our workes is a powerfull meanes to all Gods elect to doe them good and to quicken them and to make them take heede of all
manner of sinne when the Lord would quicken his people here in Sardis hee uses this as his first meanes to doe it by I know thy workes wee may see this in David I have kept thy Precepts and thy Testimonies for all my wayes are before Thee Psalme 119 168. when Solomon would convert the whorish man hee uses this for his argument why wilt thou O my Son be ravisht with a strange Woman for the wayes of man are before the Eyes of the Lord and He ponders all his goings Pro. 5. 20 21. The reasons of this point are First because the Lords knowing of our workes is joyned with a marking and a pondering of them too Hee diligently observes what wee doe Hee ponders and considers whence it proceeds whether it tends what light we goe against what checks of conscience wee meete with what mercies wee abuse what prickes wee kick against Hee does not barely see what wee doe but Hee considers what wee doe how hainously wee sinne what a vile thing it is that wee doe Hee considers how cursed wee are what a great One wee offend The Lords Throne is in Heaven his Eyes doe consider and his Eye-lids trie the children of men Psalme 11. 4. Hee ponders mens hearts Prov. 24. 12. if God did only see what wee doe it were another matter but when the soule shall heare that He markes and considers and that he ponders mens sinnes and weighs them how horrible they are how much against his glory what punishments they deserve how inexcusable they be how just it is to damne them it s a signe of a desperate heart when this wil not work Secondly the Lords seeing of our sinnes is with most holy and pure Eyes and such Eyes as cannot abide such an object before Him as the Prophet Habbakuk speakes Thou art of purer Eyes then to behold evill thou canst not looke on iniquity Hab. 1. 13. If God saw our sinnes with such an Eye as men see them with it were no such great thing many men can endure them well enough and like us little the worse nay may be they will like us the better but they are infinitely offensive to God Hee sees them with such an Eye that if the soule did but see how God lookes it would burst the very heart of it as when Peter had denyed Christ Christ look't upon him But it was such a looke that burst his very heart and made him goe out with shame and weepe bitterly Thirdly the Lords seeing of our sinnes is joyned with recording of them Hee notes them in a Booke that hee may never forget them as hee told the Iewes Behold it is written before mee and I will render it them into their bosome Isaiah 65. 6. if God did see our sinnes and there 's an end then indeed this Doctrine of Gods seeing of our sinnes would doe little good may be God will forget them againe yea but when hee sees them hee registers them too and hee will never forget them now when a soule shall come to consider them this will wound it to the quick O hee will never forget them hee sets them on our score and wee shall heare of them another day except we make our peace with him Fourthly when God sees our sinnes it is even all one as if the whole World saw them nay hee will shew them before all the whole World Hee will bring to light things hidden in darknesse 1 Cor. 4. 5. wouldst not thou bee loth that all the World should see all thy thoughts and heare every word that thou speakest and know all the evill thou hast done would it not much bridle thee if thou couldst doe nothing not thinke a thought but all the whole World should see it why man the Lord sees thee and that is all one and more too for hee will open it before all the World before hee hath done Fifthly another argument may be taken from our disposition our disposition is such that wee cannot abide our wickednesse should be seen by any body which among us when wee pray would not be ashamed that any body should see how our thoughts rove which of you that are unsetled and deadhearted would not blush that men had a casement to see how dead hee sits at a Sermon how dead and blockish at a Sacrament how dead at other of Gods Ordinances What base and uncleane and blasphemous thoughts doe sometimes come into our hearts if a man did thinke that any man should see them hee would hardly be able to shew his face among men should an Adulterer be but taken in the act by any Man or Woman or Child O how it would gall him and vex him to be seene as Job speakes If one know them they are in the terrour of the shadow of death Job 24. 27. now beloved if this be our disposition by nature that wee cannot abide that a man should see us doe something that wee doe nay not a child of seven yeares old then O what a terrour is it that the God of Heaven and Earth should see us and know us that hee should see all our lusts all our noysome and uncleane affections all our vile and hideous thoughts O what a powerfull thing is this to worke upon the heart except it be delivered up to a reprobate sense The Woman of Samaria shee was briske and frolique a great while till shee perceived that Christ knew all her villany this made her ashamed and brake her very heart The use of this was First here wee see they are desperate that this point cannot worke on its certaine they are gracelesse that can heare that God sees all their workes and yet it does not purge them from day to day it s an evident argument that a man contemnes God and makes nothing of him Secondly is it so that this is such a powerfull meanes to worke upon our hearts O let us not harden our hearts but let us consider of it that it may cut betweene the bone and the marrow God sees all our workes This point should fall upon our hearts like the Al-mighty hand of God so it did on Jobs I know thou canst doe every thing and that no thought can be hid from thee Job 42. 2. so much shall suffice to have spoken of the reproof in generall Now wee come to the particulars And the first is in these words thou hast a Name that thou livest and the other is and art dead That thou hast a name that thou livest This is the first particular whereby the Lord Jesus proves that which hee had implyed before viz. that the works of Sardis were all starke naught because they had onely a name to live they rested in a meere outward name to bee Religious and good Christians and people of God and believers and a Church of Jesus Christ they had the name and that was all they had a name to live well sayes hee for this very thing I