concerning this truth He was the wisest that ever lived the Commaunder and Soveraigne of a great Kingdome wonderfully rich gaue his heart to pleasure joy and all outward blessings till he might finde out that good of man Now after he had passed through all outward good things and had tasted the uttermost sweetnesse of them the Lord brings him forth as the most able Iudge and witnesse and by his mouth giues us to understand and leaues it upon record to all ages that they are all vanitie and vexation of spirit and that the feare of God and walking in his commandements is the All of man Eccles. 2. 17. and 12. 13. Certainely if any outward thing could make blessed then as that woman in the Gospell Blessed were it to bee the Mother of him who is the Father of all to beare him who beares up all things by his mighty word to nurse him who nourisheth every creature But even of this the wisedome of God aâ—firmes that they rather are blessed who heare the word of God and keepe it on which words rightly builds that holy Father Augustin Mary therefore was more blessed by receiving the faith of Christ then conceiving the flesh of Christ her motherly neerenesse had nothing profited unlesse shâ—e had more happily borne Christ in her heart then in her wombe And againe My mother whom you call happy is therefore happie because shee kept the word of God not because the Word in her was made flesh Now as the Lord himselfe is a witnesse beyond all contradiction so even reason it selfe especially as it is setled upon confessed grounds of the word will further convince our understanding and inforce our judgement to witnesse this truth For first whereas it is knowne and acknowledged by all that because the soule is immortall and the body mortall there must bee a double life of man one present while the body and soule are conjoyned another to come after that separation whereof the former is short a span a vapour appearing for a moment the oâ—her lasting and everlasting and againe that both of these haue certaine peculiar blessings annexed which make that estate comfortable and pleasant it cannot be denied but that these fading things perishing in the use can by no meanes helpe us in that other estate which is for ever and howsoever they may bee some poore comforts and refreshings to this momentarie life yet to that other they are altogether dead Now as wee neither doe nor can account that man rich who dwels in a faire house but yet a Farme hath much cattell money and goods but another mans and at the yeares end must bee turned out naked without a ragge to his backe so all these temporall blessings cannot make us happy because howsoever we haue a short use of them yet it is manifest that as we came in so shall we goe out of the world naked and stript of all earthly goods and not onely the things themselues but all our thoughts about them perisâ— utterly Secondly Those things cannot of themselues blesse us which unlesse they are blessed by some other fill us with curses and bring us to destruction But thus is it with all these they are sanctified by the word and by prayer and againe To the pure all things are pure but nothing pure to them that are dâ—filed and unbeleeving Doe not wee see by experience â—hat riches turne to the hurt of the owner see also Prov. 1 19â— Consider it exemplified in that wicked Ahab and Naboths vineyard 1 King 21. Thus also honour to those who by want of grace dishonour God is a burden which presseth them body and soule to utter ruine as wee see in Ieroboam and all his Successours So we finde that strength beautie health worke to the destruction of the owners by intemperance wantonesse murthers oppressions nay even wisedome it seâ—e in Achitophel wrought to the ruine of himselfe and many others Lastly Those things cannot make a man happy which neither are any part of our supreame good nor yet singly or joyntly of themselues any helpers to advance him to that highest good unto which he is created But all these things are no other For first they are all desired for some farther end and no man doth or can rest in them and the highest good is the divine and glorious conformitie to God which is not helped forward by any of these Earthly riches are commonly snares to inveagle and entice us from him but of themselues neither they nor any such as thâ—y helpe us to enjoy him onely as they are sanctified by grace and over-ruled by it they giue some opportunitie to expresse our loue to him in his Saints Even our wisedome in this case is folly and enmitie and must bee utterly cast out and wee become fooles before wee can enter into this estate Thus both God himselfe and our reason also will readily testifie unto us that there is no happinesse in any outward blessing 2. Learne we here what is the most and onely accursed odious thing which makes a man miserable There is nothing but sinne and wickednesse which can bring the curse and miserie upon man Sinne is the breach of Gods Law and cursed is every man which continueth not in all things which are written in the booke of the Law to doe them And whereas miserie consists in the deprivation of good things and pressure of evill evident is it that sinne of it selfe is a meere privation of all true good belonging to man and the greatest evill that is or can bee to him For that good of man which enobles him aboue the common ranke of ordinary creatures is holinesse and righteousnesse that image of God in which we were created now sinne is the privation of holinesse as darkenes of light Doe but consider what is the excellence of man exalting him aboue other creatures Other creatures haue strength and continuance as stones some haue life as trees some a soule sense and motion as beasts some singular understanding and knowledge as Devils yet a man may excell them all if his excellencie stood in strength and durance the very stones went beyond him if in life many trees would justly claime prioritie if in sense dogges eagles apes yea spiders were more eminent if in understanding he were inferiour and worse then those cursed spirits the worst of creatures yet the faithfull apparantly excell all these there is nothing therfore but holinesse whereby he out-goes other creatures Now sinne is the privation of this holinesse nay not only a meere privation as darkenesse of light but a deâ—truction as ruine of an house or death of life Againe sinne it selfe is the greatest evill the most filthy and detestable evill of all the world the abominable thing which God hates Ier. 44. 4. continually therefore compared by God to things most abhorred to clutterd bloud to mire and mud to a vomite so loathsome that if it were
that there is no estate of man which may not there find what soever is comfortable and usefull 2. Even heathen wise men acknowledged that in wisedome there were admirable pleasures and could perceive and professe him to be the wisest happiest who was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the most godly wise 3. Especially the very object of delight being goodnes hence the wil is necessitated to take pleasure in it It proceeds from God the infinite goodâ— it is in its kind infinitly good therfore called the good word of God the end effect of it to lead us to our supream good happines But is it not the savour of death No otherwise then Christ is a rocke of stumbling not in it selfe but by the perversnesse of man Nay rather this argueth the goodnesse of it because as a thing is more good so the abuse of it is more dangerous In a word whatsoever goodnesse is in any creature whereby the bodily sense and life is refreshed all this in a farre more excellent manner and measure is comprised in the word The fleshly eye is ravished with beautifull colours and corporall fairenesse but the understanding is that eye of the soule to which truth is the most proper and pleasing object and therefore the feete beautifull that bring it The eare is pleased with sweete words and â—loquent speeches but how pleasant to a spirituall eare is this upright writing the words of truth The tast is delighted with sweet meats but the word is hony and â—he hony combe to the mouth of the soule How delightfull is gaine and profit to a worldly heart But this word is the currâ—nt coyne of that heavenly Kingdome which stocketh the heart with the treasures of grace and bringeth us to those full riches and inheritance of glory It is therefore our dutie to draw our averse hearts to delight in it and not onely necessarily but joyfully to converse with it Try here and proue thy selfe whether thou art yet entred into this way of happinesse See here the happy or blessed man delighteth in the law of God as well the word it selfe as the way set him downe in that word is pleasant and delightfull Obserue therefore the worke wisedome of our Creator and thou shalt find that as he hath allotted to the creatures severall beings and natures so hath he filled every nature with severall affections dispositions Among the sensible some take their pastime in the ayre some in the water nay some within the earth In the vegetatiue we see some trees and herbs delight and thriue in waterie and marish grounds other in dry and rockie some in hot and others in cold some in a fat others in a barren soile Thus in the food and nourishment of sensible bodies what a strange difference doe we see That is pleasant and wholsome to one which to another is loathsome and a deadly poyson Thus hath that all-wise Creatour disposed that there shall be a kind of aptnesse and affection in one creature to sustaine and beare up the nature of another Now as he hath given to the creatures severall natures and fitted them with severall nourishments answearable to their constitutions so also hath he so tempered their complexions that they are necessarily and strongly carried by their appetite to desire those things whereby their nature is sustained and comforted applying their tast to delight in those nourishments Thus in thy bodily life he hath given bread and wine for thy sustenance and so ordained that by his blessing there is in this food a power of increasing and strengthning the body and in the body a necessary and earnest desire of these aliments and in the tast a pleasure to receiue them Thus now is it with thy soule If thou art entred into this new life Christ Iesus is that bread which came downe from heaven the bread and water of life the true vine which cheeres up thy soule hee is brought home to thee in his word which word God hath purposely given to be the meanes of spirituall life and hath put into it his power to salvation therefore as he hath given to the spirituall man an unseparable appetite to hunger and thirst after it so likewise hath he given a spirituall tast to which this good and wholesome word is as hony and the hony combe so that they are not a little delighted and pleased with it If therefore thou canst finde in thee this spirituall tast constantly delighting in the word it is a sure note of life But had not Herod and haue not temporary beleevers a tast yea a delighting tast in the word Yes but 1. not constantly no not in the promise 3. The delight which they haue is not indeed in the word but in their owne conceits falsly drawne from it as remission of sinnes at all adventure mercy and grace without any true change or repentance and such like yea even then many things of Gods law they spit out as bitter and unsavory But the true Beleever hath this tast in him constantly though sometimes dulled by tentation and rejoyceth not onely in those sweet promises which nourish him but even in those bitter reproofes as in sowre but wholesome salets provoking to appetite and clensing the stomacke So likewise all the wayes of heauenly wisedome pointed out to him are wayes of pleasure The way of godlinesse righteousnesse sobrietie are all delightfull This is not so with the wicked man who may please himselfe or at least seeme so in some of these but hath no heart to many necessary duties nay utterly dâ—tests and abhors them The most civill man will take much libertie not onely in omission of pious duties as of prayer in his closet and familie breach of some part of the Sabboth but â—steems it a light matter to breake out into commission of some ungodlines as oaths so they be not frequent nor of the greater size in his measure but especially in shaping a religion and worship of God after his owne fancie neglecting nay even despising the rule of God at least precisenesse of that rule The hypocrite will gild over his out-side with a faire resemblance of pietie to God and the eye must be very sharpe to spie out a fault in the outward forme of his profession but is far from that seeming care of righteousnesse and just dealing with men but that we may easily discerne grosse neglect of such duties But he that delighteth in the Law of God cannot be thus disposed But as he loues the Lord for himselfe and delights his soule in rendring to God that which is his so doth he loue his brother for God and will carefully obserue his respects unto him 3. Seing the Lord giues this name of Law to the Scripture hence is just occasion to refute that blasphemous errour of Poperie that the written word is not a perfect rule or direction But 1. God in evident termes contradicts it The Law
Christ aâ—firme that hee leaues not the worlds peace with the faithfull The Lord doth not there deny to giue peace but affirmes he giues it after another manner then the world Worldly men wish their friends prosperitie and perhaps would but cannot giue it and if they doe it lasteth a short time but Christ giues it effectually and keepes it to them This text much confirmes this point but yet further Doe we not see many true servants of God who tremble at his word liue not prosperously I answer No if we weigh well what is prosperitie and then compare their estate with it They liue in honour or riches it may well be so but honour and riches are no part of prosperitiâ— and but by accident no helps toward it For 1. They are vanitie and vexation of spirit how then can they bee any part of prosperitie 2 Riches and honours are often reserved to their owners for their evill No qnestion these things are to a man as a saile to a boat if the saile bee too great it sinkes the vessell but when it is fitted in a just quantitie then it causeth a swift and safe passage Thus wee often see when God giues a man riches honour c. in great quantitie but not grace and wisedome to manage this estate they are in continuall danger by every blast to sinke into some mischiefe Prosperitie therefore is such an estate when all things together worke for the best now this estate is promised by him that cannot lye to all them that loue him Rom. 8. 28. And obserue that God alway thus worketh Ioseph is sold into AEgypt and made a Bond-man but prospers in the house is put in prison but prospers there is brought out unto Pharaoh prospers with him is preferred to great dignitie prospers in that and becomes a meanes to saue much flesh Daniell is taken carried captiue and made a servant to an Idolatrous Prince prospers and findes favour with the chiefe Eunuch prospers with Nebuchadnezzar is accused and cast into the Denne of Lyons but prospers in all this for all these things tend to his advantage with God and men Yea so mightily doth God worke for them that even sinne also through his grace workes for their good Sinne workes godly sorrow godly sorrow care c. What thankfulnesse loue nay labour of loue and diligence to please did the sinne of Mary Magdalen and Paul worke in those Saints This then is a sure truth where the word is received with obedience prosperitie certainely followes it 2. Afflictions and troubles of the faithfull who heare and obey the word are if not parts yet meanes of their prosperitie this evidently followes from hence For if hee prosper in all things even afflictions shall tend to his good and worke for him that successe which his soule wishes for howsoever affliction as flowing from evill and ebbing againe into it of it selfe is evill yet as it is sanctified to those who loue God it cannot bee reckoned among evils but rather blessings Blessed is the man whom thou chastisest O Lord. Count it exâ—eeding joy when you fall into divers tentations Wee glory intribulation Paul esteemes the fellowship of Christ his afflictions aboue all earthly things so that hee accounts of all other things as dung and losse in comparison sorting this fellowship with the knowledge of Christ and the vertue of his Resurrection For enlarging this point a little further let us consider 1. What successe or good it brings in to us 2. How being evill in it selfe it is turned to our good It is a meanes of good 1. by preventing evill 2. by working out for us things profitable It prevents destruction of body and soule Man is chastened with paine upon his bed and the multitude of his bones with strong paine so that his life abhorreth bread and his soule daintie meate Loe all these things worketh God with a man oftentimes that hee may bring backe his soule from the pit c. Thus God commaunds earthly Parents With-hold not correction from the childe if thou smite him with the rodde hee shall not dye Thou shalt smite him with the rodde and shalt deliver his soule from hell so also hee practiseth with his owne children And as it prevents destruction so also sinne the cause of it and keepes us from our owne wickednesse It workes many good and profitable things in us By afflictions wee are partakers of the holinesse of God and this bitter roote shootes forth the pleasant fruit of righteousnesse The sappe of a Crab-stocke of it selfe is sower and distastfull but when it is digested in a good sience it makes the fruit so much the more pleasant It breedes patience Rom. 5. 4. It purgeth from sinfull evill without and within Prov. 20. 30. and this knew that holy Patient Hee tryeth mee and I shall come forth like gold Looke as silver and golden vessels if they gather rust must be rubbed with something which is rough and harsh before they can be cleered so is it with these precious vessels It teacheth us the way of God and putteth us into it Psal. 119. 67. 71. and as it helpes us in all grace so it furthers us in glory see Mat. 5.11.12 2 Cor. 5. 17. But how comes it to be good unto us which is so evill in it selfe 1. By the over-ruling hand of God who brings light out of darkenesse good out of evill 2. By the correcting nature of grace which not onely tempers the evill and noysome qualitie of it but makes it medicinable and wholesome Hence where this grace doth not over-rule the cursed nature of affliction it brings forth murmuring as in the Israelits falling away more and more Esay 1. 5. and open blaspheming Revel 16. 9. So that as in many Antidots the hand of a cunning Apothecary tempering some poysons and correcting them with other ingredients makes a most wholesome receit so the hand of God seasoning afflictions with grace brings them to bee of great use and profit to every Christian. But beside all this good which it brings with it it selfe also as sanctified is an evident testimony of our adoption that we belong to the Lord who corrects not bastards nor suffers any child to be uncorrected In all which respects it may be justly accounted not onely a meanes to further and prosper us in our hopes but not the least part of our prosperitie 3. Prosperitie and successe comes not from any other cause but from God For howsoever it pleaseth the Lord to employ and use divers gifts in man as meanes for working successe as wisedome courage strength diligence yet it is he who first bestowes these gifts and then workes by them so that we could neither attaine these parts whereby we worke nor by them effect any thing without him It is nothing therefore in man neither in body or soule which can bring about his hopes and purposes but onely the Lord worketh
are well formed others deformed he is not said to bee of a comely body so this lesser prosperitie without the other is nothing Prospâ—ritie therefore espâ—cially consists in the welfare of the spirit when it is in Christ who is the life and salvation of the soule then it prospers when â—t groweth in grace when it encreaseth in spirituall riches then that peâ—son prospers but indeed a man who hath Christ wants nothing for he is all in all but hee that is not in Christ is in want of al things everything being but a snare to him see Psal. 69. 22. Ioseph indeed was a prosperous or luckie man because first his soule was knit to God aâ—d so God blessed him in other things Surely he that enjoyeth Christ all other things make up his prosperitie even povertie and any evill of this life 1. Here is rebuked that folly of men who desiring to prosper yet wilfully take the way which leads to destruction and turne out of that path in which God hath promised to giue them what they seeke see Esay 30.15.16 The inâ—inite examples in the word and experience by which we cannot but see how miserable the estate of wicked men is nothing moues them never opens their eyes to the light of the word or their owne reason onely led like beasts by their blind sense as they esteeme him happy who hath the world at will so they account him miserable who is at any time streitned in temporall blessings This is with them the onely blessednesse that they may doe and haue what they list this the onely miserie that they want their will and cannot haue to satisfie their lusts Thus they doe not onely condemne the generation of the just and the children of God but the onely begotten sonne as miserable and â—xalt the wicked and such as contemne God yea most foolishly beguile and betray their owne soules into thâ— hand of the world to which they haue wholy given up themselues Certainely this is the disposition of carnall men falsely called Christians that never thinking of the providence of God supplying every creature they are carried downe in the violent streame of worldly lusts and plunging their soules in the cares of it make it all their study spend all their time and consume their life to provide and lay up for themselues and others that belong unto them As for the other life they dream it comes of it selfe without seeking and that it will meete or overtake them at the end And building upon an imaginaâ—ie mercie of God such as they conceit not such as God hath expressed in his word thinke they cannot misse of immortalitie and glory specially if they doe not liue in open grosse and palpable sinnes 2. That pride of men preferring their owne wits before Gods wisedome must be reproved Looke to all kinds of people wee shall soone perceiue this Atheisme in contempt of Gods counsell and wisâ—dome to be spread over all sorts as Statesmen who frame their policies according to the rule of that wretched Machiavell and count it a silly thing to take their direction from God in his word or from the practice rules or axioms of state delivered there in the examples of David Salomon c. to whose counsels if we should compare the policies of this age they will easily appeare especially in the successe to bee but apish toyes and even ridiculous shadowes of policie Who could thinke it possible that men professing Christianitie should refuse to take advice from Christ in his woâ—d and should follow the practice and rules of Master Nic. Machiavell If wee looke to Schollers even those who haue given up their names to Christ in the Ministerie how many shall we see drowned in humane learning But howsoever no man will dâ—ny that helpes of the tongues art and such studies may be and are in their measure very profitable and needfull yet that these should take up not onely the greatest time in the studie but all the pulpit is so absurd in reason but especially such a paradoxe in divinitie and aboue all such a dishonour to the Spirit that certainely it discovers much Atheisme and contempt of Gods wisedome For even among us to reserue their place for the Papists the infinite and ambitious allegations of Fathers Schoole-men Rabbies Poets and all manner of humane testimonies and especially with all this the rare and thinne citation of the word shewes at the best much foolish ostentation and little desire of setting up the crosse of Christ in the hearts of the hearers certainely hee is blind and hath little experience who hath not observed that studies of Divines entred upon Schoole-men especially and other humane though Ecclesiasticall Authors but without any constant meditation in the word and a ground taken from thence hath beene the Mother and Nurse of so much errour Poperie Arminianisme and such sects Thus is it with the meaner sciences Every Tradesman hath his mysteries so contrary to the mysterie of godlinesse that every one may see there is a generall departure from God and his wisedome and everie idle braine preferres his owne wit as a better helpe to prosper then the rule of God This folly is the more sottish because none of them dare deny but that God is more wise then man that his providence is over all to reward every man according to his workes 3. Oh! that men would therefore be perswaded to decline those by-paths in which seeking prosperitie they are sure to misse it and indeed so seeking eschew and flie that which they seeke and to search for it in those wayes where it will infallibly meete them Art thou a Statist and standest before Kings advise with that great King prefer not Machiavel before Salomon nor the infamous practises of profane and miserable Borgiâ— beforâ— the prosperous and succeeding counsels of blessed David Arâ— thou a Scholler and aymest at the Ministerie enter thy studies in the word and learne to bee acquainted with the Scriptures from a child so shalt thou prosper in divine knowledge and follow rather Paul the scholer of Christ then the schoole of Antichrist Bee not such a foole as to lay the grounds of divine knowledge in humane Authours Art thou a Tradesman whatsoever thou art know that fleshly wisedome is enmitie to God that frauds lies and worldly practises shall not prosper assure thy selfe that gathering treasures by a deceitfull tongue or any other evill meanes is vanitie tossed to and fro by them that seeke death Arme thy selfe against worldly and fleshly wisedome by a serious and frequent meditation 1. of Gods promise Seeke first the kingdome of God and his righteousnesse and all these things shall bee added unto you Godlinesse is profitable unto all things having the promise of the life that now is and that is to come 2. Remember the infinite wisedome and providence of God who cannot but compasse his ends 3. The actiue power of the Almightie who doth
Thou wilt say he is full of sorrow and mourning but blessed are they that mourne he feeles this godly sorrow to be such as he repents not of it he knowes that it is better to goe to the house of mourning then to the house of feasting Thou perhaps dislikest his condition as being bound and wained from earthly and worldly delights and pleasures but first he knows his liberty in any lawfull use of the creature and for abuse in which the worldling hath set all his joy he accounts and indeed knowes it to be a deadly poison a toad a serpent as venomous as loathsome and as much detesteth as any can approue it Thou wilt say None are so obnoxious to injurie to contempt and despight of all men he knowes all these troubles to be as so many gemmes set in his crowne of glory Thou wilt adde besides these outward fightings how many terrors are there within but he will tell thee he is one of the Israell of God and in all these wrastlings with men and Angels shall prevaile so that nothing neither life nor death principalities height depth things present or to come shall separate him from the loue of God which is in Christ Iesus our Lord. Put now in the other ballance those particular blessings which make up his happinesse here on earth doe but goe along with him while he leads thee through the pallace or rather temple which God hath built within him First thou shalt see a little heaven in his understanding wherein all those bright starres of the Apostles and Prophets shed their beames nay where Christ himselfe that great Light and Sunne of the world is risen looke into his heart and thou shalt see a little paradise planted with all choice immortall and heavenly fruit and in the midst God himselfe walking even a third heaven where in the throng of Saintly thoughts God himselfe hath set his throne Thou mayest perhaps see some battles against sinne wrastlings with corruption combates with principalities and powers but with God a most sweet peace a peace which passeth all understanding In a word thou shalt find him all glorious within rich and stored with much abundance and infinite wealth Whether it be Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life or death or things present or things to come all are his nay he that is all in all God is his The Father hath already begotten him to himselfe Christ is his head the holy Ghost his comforter and earnest of that glorious inheritance purchased for him the Father so loved him that he hath given him his onely beloved Sonne the Sonne so honoured him that he hath bestowed his life upon him and parted with him his Kingdome the holy Ghost so delighted in him that he dwels in him enlivens him leads sustaines strengthens and will never forsake him till he is enthroned in heaven No marveile therefore if blessed Augustine feared not to affirme It is more that he hath already done for thee then what he hath promised to doe what hath he done he hath died for thee what hath he promised that thou shalt liue with him It is more incredible that the Eternall should once die then that thou a mortall should'st liue for ever He hath promised heaven but given the Lord of heaven and earth Certainely he that ponders these good things which the faithfull already possesse shall soone find them more weighty then any evill which now they suffer Every teacher may here learne his method of instructing and every learner is here taught the way of profiting Dost thou teach the way of holinesse Begin with the end of the way make thy scholler to see the goale before he sets out to the race point out to him and leaue him not till he discovers and views the crowne of blessing at the end of his course Art thou a scholler in the schoole of Christ Get this first lesson by-heart that he is blessed who is indeed a Christian know and ever remember that man may teach thee to preserue a whole or repaire a decayed body how to secure thy earthly estate or wring it out of the hand of a griping oppressour but thy soules health and happinesse is onely taught by God and no humane science will presume to lead thee â—o true aud everlasting blessednesse but one even this of the heavenly Doctor thus he here teacheth thee in the Psalmist Blessed is the man c. Thus also that Eternall Wisedome in that wise Salomon instructs thee blessed is the man that keepes my wayes blessed are they that heare mee watching daily at my gates and giving attendance at the posts of my doores for he that findeth me findeth life Thus when himselfe in person and in our flesh became our Teacher hee enters us with this first lesson Blessed are the poore in spirit for theirs is the Kingdome of heaven Blessed are they that mourne c. And indeed it is the especiall point of art to inflame the learner and fire his heart with desire of that knowledge which we professe to teach which cannot be otherwise or at least better effected then by propounding some necessary or excellent fruit or consequent of it And in every reasonable Agent the end must be first in the mind nay continually in the memory if they will proceed orderly common experience makes us see that while we hunt for any thing upon a cold sent as they say we are but coldly affected but when we are in view we follow eagerly When Moses had him in his eye who is invisible and saw in his hand that recompence of reward with what courage could he breake through all impediments the riches and pleasures of AEgypt the fiercenes of the King c. Thus Christ himselfe fastning in his heart the joy and honour prepared for him at the right hand of God indured the crosse and despised the shame such therefore as are Vshers in the schoole of Christ let them obserue this rule of the great Master remembring that the Scripture was given to instruct that the man of God might be perfect in every good worke and whosoever art a Christian if ever thou desirest to be a proficient in this study stampe in thy heart and print in thine eyes this lesson Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsell of the ungodly c. Try here what progresse thou hast made in the way of happinesse hath God separated the light in thy soule from the darkenesse this is the first worke of the spirit in the new creation hast thou at least so much light as to discerne with griefe much darkenesse in thy heart Hast thou attainâ—d to that steppe of wisedome to know thou knowest nothing as thou oughtest to know and therefore callest for knowledge and cryest for undersâ—anding dost thou from sence of blindnesse lift up thy voice to that light
find among this kind of people One which more openly other that more secretly oppose it Of the one more grosse opposers we read in the old Testament Prophesie not say they to them that prophesie they shall not prophesie to them that they shall not take shame This is a rebellious people lying children children that will not heare the Law of the Lord which say unto Seers see not and to the Prophets prophesie not right things unto us speake unto us smooth things prophesie deceit Goe out of the way c. And the like we find in the new They commaunded them not to speake at all nor teach in the name of Iesus But when the Iewes saw the multitudes they were silled with envie and spake against those things contradicting and blaspheming Againe they opposed and blasphemed Such we see every where corrupt men sold under sin and heardned in it some drowned in a senselesse ignorance that neither doe nor will know any necessitie of this light and therefore wholy despising all prophecying And to cover their shamefull Atheisme they stand much upon prayer and doe not a little magnifie it in word But their words are wind they doe as much despise prayer indeed and as openly expresse the contempt of it in their actions as of preaching Some againe of more knowledge will not deny the necessitie of it as knowing it too shamefull to affirme there is no need of that which Christ openly testifies to be the one needfull thing Luk. 10.42 they will therefore come to it perhaps frequent it it may be pay for it but then they must haue preachers accoâ—ding to their owne not Gods heart If he will spend an houre in the pulpit in vaine flourishes of humane wisedome keepe off from their conscience and two or three houres in the Ale-house or Wine-Taverne this is the good Church-man nothing to deare for him But if he be such as dares not please men least he be turned out of Christ his service who would rather seeke their good then their good will if he bring home the rebuke of Christ to their hearts labour to beat downe their rebellion and draw them to the obedience of the Lord Iesus they will not abide him but devise an hundred slanderous discouragements and use all even the most wicked meanes to stop his mouth Many other are there which not so openly resist the word yet in some private and retired actions stand out in rebellion against the Lord. How many thousands liue among us convinced of their sinnes yâ—t living in them and following them with greedinesse Doth not the covetous know that he is an Idolatâ—r that extortioners usurers and oppressours shall not entâ—r into the Kingdome of God doth not the drunkard swearer curser Sabboth-breakâ—r know he liues in sinne and is under the curse and wrath of God yet doe they reforme their wayes and make conscience of dutie when they haue warning from God How farre are thâ—y from it Looke to the meaner sort they harden themselues in ignorance looke to the great ones they haue altogether broken the yoke Oh! that these would turne into their hearts and consider what they doe that they would well ponder first the folly then the heinousnesse and hatefulnesse of this their behaviour certainely nothing can be invented more fooliâ—h no marveile if the Wisedome of God continually debaâ—es these men with the title of fooles in the Proverbs for can any naturall folly be compared with this Find in all thâ— world such a foole that wilfully will runne into knowne and confessed destruction that will struggle with his Master whom he knowes stronger and able to over-master him And doe not men know and acknowledge God to be Almightie not to be resisted yet will they provoke him Are we not naturally afraid of those who can kill the body and where is the feare of him who can kill body and soule Now how odious it is and hainous may appeare in two circumstances first the greatnesse secondly the goodnesse of the person whom we offend provoke The Lord is the great King and his name dreadfull even among the heathen the pure Angels nay the rebellious devils tremble at his presence His goodnesse to us is unutterable he is our Father the fountaine of our life and all blessings which we enjoy expect or desire How great an offence is treason against a King the Lords annointed how hainous the rebellion of a child against a father how detestable the insurrection of unnaturall Absolon against David his King and Father so compleate a King so loving a Father how grievous to thy soule is the rebellion of thy wife child or servant hence God compares it to witchcraft for in it as in witchcraft the Covenant is broken God renownced and the Devill acknowledgâ—d for God and Lord our vowes of obedience to God utterly broken our soules delivered up unto the service of the Prince of darkenesse and disobedience What tongue can sharpen it selfe sufficiently vpon this occasion to cut a passage through rockes and Adamants unto the secure and carelesse hearts of men what trumpet can sound loud enough to awake their dead spirits God created us most blessed and gaue us power to stand in that happy estate we wilfully forsooke the meanes and it Since when we were carried downe in the torrent of our lusts into utter destruction and are even sinking into that bottomlesse pit he casteth out to us the cords of his loue to draw us haleth to us with a loud voyce to looke about to see and consider our danger betimes to take hold of mercy before we sinke and are past recoverie In the meane time as if we were rather bathing in the very fountaines of all felicitie then swallowed in these whirl-pools of death and hell we passe along plesantly never oâ—ce respecting his voyce or dreaming of any danger The Lord hath sent in among us his Heralds never so many never so loud they haue cryed out to us they haue lifted up their voices like trumpets and haue shewed us our crying sinnes what hath followed Some few as the shaking of an Oliue tree two or three berries in the utmost boughs haue hearkened and trembled at the word and taking hold of the rocke of their salvation haue tuâ—ned their feete into the old and good way some haue obtained but the rest are hardened How lamentable a spectacle is ready to meete us at every turne numberles numbers of men and women young and old rich and poore running a vie who shall safest plie himselfe in the wayeâ— of sinne and who shall first deepest plunge himselfe into hell Surely as the men of God were wont to go to the house of the Lord Psal. 42. 4 so go these men to the chambers of death with the voice of singing as a multitude that keepeth a feast how truly may God expostulate with us as once with his people by swearing lying and killing
haue I gained I haue sowen the wind and reaped the whirlwind I haue sowen to the flesh and reapâ—d corruption all my wages are nothing else but death and hell and should I serue thee any longer Say unto the Lord Iesus I come unto thee most blessed Saviour full of confusion that so late I come unto thee whose service is glorious freedome whose wages everlasting happinesse take away all mine iniquitie and receiue me graciously so shall I offer the calves of my lips But if thou findest thy heart still lingring and prolonging the time in this Sodome quicken it with these motiues Doe I mocke at his idle paines who spreads a fishing net upon the mountaines plowes the sands or sowes the seas Can I forbeare laughing to see a man seeke for grapes among thornes or figs from thistles shall I practise my selfe what I deride in others seeke now for an earthly paradise heaven in earth happinesse in worldly misery Doe I thinke he deserues to be deceived who being often abused with lies will still trust shall I giue credit to the worlds lying flatteries hath not all my life beene fed with vaine promises every state I found full of vanity for the present but still bearing me in hand that better was comming My childhood seemed grievous being kept from liberty and prisoned in continuall feare and subjection but it promised much happinesse in youth My youth I found much worse full of labour and travell without hurried with lusts within but an haven was shewed me in marriage riper age but this incresed my cares within and paines without and what shall I hope farther to find rest in the graue and hell Againe hath my gracious long-suffâ—ring Father all this time waited that he may haue mercy on me Hath my most loving Saviour thus long stood at the doore of my â—are and knocked and still cals unto me Open to me my love my head is full of the dew and my locks with drops of the night and shall I any longer delay and plead excuse Do I accurse the prid of that Antichristian Prelate who exalting himself aboue not only the meaner but the higher Gods on earth nay even the Augustus enforced the Emperor to stand withoutâ— begging entrance and pardon while he solaced himselfe with his Matilda and shall I proud worme dare to hold out the Creator Lord of all things who stands intreats for entrance into my heart and beseeches me me vile earth ashes to be reconciled to him When his own deere Spouse deferred him did she not seeke long before she could find him but the watchmeÌ„ soon found her smote her wounded her if it were done thus to the greene tree what shall be done to the dry Away therfore from me all yee wicked vanities for I will keepe the commandements of my God Lord I will wait for thee in the way of thy judgements the desire of my soule is to thy naâ—e to the remembrance of thee Other Lords â—aue ruled me but I will remember onely thy name Teach me to do thy will for thou art my Lord lead me by thy spirit into the land of uprightnesse Nor sitteth in the seat of the scornfull As in earthly possessions men first trade busie themselues in the world and â—mploying what they get begin to gather stocke increase their substance Lastly being now full well furnished they purchase plant build settle themselues their estates so is it in spirituall evils and that sinfull condition of man The portion of sinne bequeathed us by the first Adam we employ traâ—fick with it and so we soon grow to more fulnes of evill come on to habituall customary and notorious wickednes at length we write our sins with a pen of iron with the point of a diamond and graue them upon our hearts so finishing our iniquitie we seale up our sinnes and by these deeds of darkenesse settle our soules in much securitie in this miserable purchase Like dead men we lie downe in our lusts and as some great persons proud of our rottenesse with much cost and ostentation build up our sepulchers of this body of death compose our selues in our grauâ—s and set up our rest in them Here therefore the Prophet layes down the lowest degree of sinne even that which is next to hell and in avoiding it the least degree of happinesse So then in this third proposition David pronounceth that man blessed who sits not in the seat or chaire of scorners For some opening of these words consider what is here meant by sitting what by a seat or chaire lastly who are scorners A seat or chaire as wee know properly taken is some frame of wood or other matter purposely made for the resting of the body and by Metonymie because Princes Iudges had thrones and chaires of state where the people being assembled and standing about them received judgement see Psal. 122. 5. and Exod. 18. 13. hence a seat is taken for precedencie power authoritie Thus the seat of Moses is used for his power and authoritie in the word which God committing first to Moses derived to all his successours so the Throne or seat of David for that temporall precedâ—ncie and power whereby he governed and judged that people So likewise sitting being a position of the body composed to rest is by Metonymie used for exercise of authoritie and power I sit as Queene The Lord saith to my Lord sit at my right hand and by a Metaphor being lent from the body to the soule may signifie either to rest in sinne or to use a Lordly power or freedome to follow it Thus wee read of a Lord of anger a Lord of appetite for so is the word Prov. 22. 34. and 23. 2. so then to sit in the seat may intend both that securitie of wicked men whereby they sleepe in sinne and resolue to rest in it and also for that lifting vp and pride shaking off the yoak of Christ iudging and pâ—osecuting the good and Godly Lastly scorning is an action of men wherey they thinke and speake basely of any thing and from contempt rising out of pride reiect itâ— A scorner therefore every where in Scripture is taken for such a sinner who being flesht in all wickednesse fild and puft with pride and vaine conceit of his owne wit despiseth the wisedome of God in the word and makes a jest of sinne the reprover and reproofe of it see Pro. 1. 22. and 14.9 when men conceive well of their owne wayes and are bladderd vp with a windie opinion of wisedome in themselues then they basely esteeme of other counsell mocke and deride whatsoever comes crosse of their owne praejudging conceits The sence then of this proposition is Although thou hast sorted thy selfe with worldlings and hast beene misled in their vngodly courses although after many reproofs thou hast neglected the grace which was
offered and hast now long continued in thy folly even despising in thy carnall conceit the wisedome of God in his word yet if thou now returnest leanest not still to thine owne wit but yeeldest vp thy selfe to the yoke of Christ thou art heere already and shalt be must more heereafter happy and blessed To witnes this truth beside many other the whole 15. chap. of S. Lukes Gospell may be fitly cited where in those parables especially that of the Prodigal spending rioting never returning till by extreme miserie he was scourged home yet then graciously receiued entertained with a feast and clothed with the best robe our Saviour aâ—firms much ioy to be in heaven for one sinner that converteth Even scorners are called to repentance and grace offered and the Prophet invites and cals to such Be no more mockers least your bonds increase And it is more then probable that some of those who mocked the Apostles as if they had beene overtaken with wine were not onely called by the word but throughly recalled and pricked in their hearts baptised and saved The grounds and reasons of this as the former proposition may be 1. In God his infinite and unutterable mercie taking no delight in the death of the sinner but calling to returne and ready to receiue Let the wicked forsake his way and the unrighteous man his thoughts and let him returne unto the Lord and he will haue mercy upon him and to our God for he will abundantly pardon 2. In David who had both by the word and no question by experience seene this worke of Gods mercie in many notorious sinners Gather hence these instructions 1. There are divers degrees of sinnes and sinners many steppes and staires in the descent of death some lower then other and neerer to the gates of hell Some transgresse of ignorance some of knowledge sinnes of knowledge are some of infirmitie not without strugling some of presumption nay even these of presumption some of them not committed without feare or remorse with purpose of ameÌ„dment some with an high hand as in defiance of God and open contempt of his justice There are many respects which aggravate sinnes and make them either more or lesse odious The sinne of an eminent person more scandalous and hainous and therfore not onely punishments but which is not to be read with neglect sacrifices of greater price set out for them Sinnes of ignorance in a Priest were propitiated with a yong Bullocke the same sinne in a Ruler reconciled with a male goat in other with a female A Priests daughter if shee play the whore must be burnt with fire So the excellencie of the person offended aggravates the offence reviling the Prince more then railing at a subject blaspheming God worse then slandering man Many circumstances there are w ch lessen a trespasse or increase it whence our Saviour more deeply censures the Iewes then Pilate they Gods people he an heathen they from outrage and furious malice with threats and tumult driue him against his judgment to corrupt judgement and abuse the Ordinance of God even his justice but he desirous to content the people fearefull to incurre Caesars displeasure labouring to saue the innocent was at length overcome by their importunitie and clamours therefore had they the greater sin Verily the justice of God proportioning a greater measure of damnation to some then others necessarily argues the sinnes of men to be of divers size and measure The sinne of Bethsaida Capernaum Chorazin more intollerable then those of Tyre Sidon Sodome or Gomorra Sinnes and sinners may well be resembled to diseases and diseased bodies Every disease as it more distempers the body and disturbs that just proportion and mixture of humours convenient and agreeable to nature so is it more grievous some so strong that they catch and infect the bodies infected sonoysome that they spread their poyson and even dartâ—out venome to wound others with whom they converse Thus every sinfull disease of the soule as it is more contrary to that spirituall crasis or temper of life in which God created it is more foule dangerous and even infectious Hence we reade that many Lands haue beene polluted and tainted with some notoâ—iously sinfull people and even sicke of them till it had spued them out So was it with the Canaanites Nay even the Israelites also after they were entred into the Land defiled it with idols and false worship and were therefore cast out see Ier. 16. 13. 18. And surely as any sin is more heinous foule and abominable so is it more strong to infect witnes that monster of idolatrie which how soon it poysoned the whole world and how easily yet it shâ—ds its venome into the hearts of men the old heathenish Iewish and now Popish Idolaters suâ—â—iciently testifie no lesse contagious is swearing drunkennesse cursing and such other what reasonable man can deny these sinnes to be as catching as pox plague or any like disease of the body No sooner entrâ—d that image worship into the earth but it shed it selfe into the whole body of the world and hardly one member even Abraham escaped and even he not untainted In the time of Ieremie the land mourned for oathes in our time it is to be wondred that the land sinkes not to hell under the burden of this sinne there is hardly one of an hundred that makes conscience of all oathes they haue pettie oathes as they account them and coyne strange Gods to sweare by the Masse Ladikin or Lakin and much like grosse profanenesse they continually use without feare or wit yet is cursing as ordinary as swearing and dâ—unkâ—nnesse comes not behind any of them how genâ—rall it is and how it hath and doth infect witnesse the ruine of many families the pining and leane cheekes of many wiues and children and the loathsome stinke of it in every corner One degree of sinne is but a step to another leading or rather driving to further iniquity look as it is with these positions of the body when we haue long walked wee desire to make some stand when we haue stood a while we will set downe and compose our selues to more rest so is it with the soule in these sinfull dispositions when it hath walked in the counsels of ungodly men it will stand with sinners in their obstinaâ—e disobedience and when it hath stood in those rebellious wayes it will sit down with mockers rest it selfe in the chaire of scorning Certainely as that pure aâ—d glorious Spirit when he enters into the heart of man and â—nlivens him with his gracious presence leads him through every good path stirres up directs and strengthens him to walke in the counsell of God to stand in the old and good way and leaues him not till he hath seated him in fulnesse of grace and glory so when those spirituall wickednesses in high places Satan with his legions enters and possesses the heart of
refuse and answer that thou canst doe him as good service at home If thy father be in conference with thee direct thee how to assure to thy selfe and thy posteritie thy inheritance were it not an impudent contempt in the meane time to stand prating with some servant or lye downe and sleepe How palpable then is our base conceit of God and his words that when we heare his Wisedome affirming blessed are they that heare me wait upon the posts of my doors Get thee forth if thou wouldest finde me by the steppes of the flocks and feed thy kids by the tents of the shepheards warnes us not to forsake the Assemblies dare reply againe I shall doe as well at home in mine owne house as in his Courts I shall as soone finde him in my private walkes as among the flockes and shepheards The cause of this contempt questionlesse is that soveraigntie and dominion of lust in the heart which swayeth the whole man yea even rides him as with a snaffle turning him from the way it liketh not and driving him as with a spur to any action though never so unreasonable This the Apostle intimates where he giues a generall cause of this action in scornfull men namely their following of lusts more particularly those worldly lusts of covetousnesse are most strong this way to draw the heart unto this despising of the word All this heard the Pharises who were covetous and they mocked him Thus those mockers Ezâ—k 33. 31. Howsoever it pleaseth the Lord sometimes even out of the chaire of scorning to bring some home to his own dominion so to manifest the power of his word and the wonders of his grace yet certainly such are farthest off from his kingdome and in a more remote distance from happinesse then other degrees of sinners For in some kindes it is not with sinfull dispositions as with these postures of the body the body which walkes neither stands nor sits the body which stands neither sits nor walkes and that which sits neither walkes nor stands but that soule which stands in the way of sinners walks in the counsell of the ungodly and hee which sits with scorners both walkes and stands with sinners For as a reasonable creature includes and comprehends both vegetation and sense and as higher degrees of holines containe the lower so in sin he that sitâ— in the seate of mockers in the same instant walkes in the counsell of the ungodly and stands also in the way of sinners Mocking of Gods Messengers and despising the word is expressed by God to be the last and lowest degree of sinne in his people immediately going before destruction 2 Chron. 36. 16. scorners are an abomination to men therefore Sarah could not indure mocking Ismael to stay in her house with her son Gen. 21.9.10 How much more detestable are they in those most pure eyes of God and shall be thrust out of his house A fearefull curse God pronounceth upon any child that shall mocke his Father in the flesh or despiseth his Mothers instruction the ravens of the valley shall picke out his eyes Surely then that soule which mocketh his Creatour and despiseth the instruction of the heavenly Ierusalem that fowle of the ayre who pickes up that good seed shall devoure it Try here thy wayes see and consider how far thou hast proceeded in the paths of death hast thou hearkned to the counsell of the ungodly hast thou stood with sinners so that after conviction and checks of conscience thou hast still gone further and sate downe among the despisers and mockers Thou art even at the pits brinke there is but a step betwixt death and thee and if thou dost not quickly draw backe thy foote thou wilt soone fall into a bottomlesse perdition Now because every one flatters himselfe and drawes out his name from this number remember as before was shewed that God is mocked in his workes in his word in his Saints For even he that mocketh the poore reprocheth his Maker and all these kinds of mocking are either inward by despising see Prov. 1. 22. 24. 25. thus Michal despised David in her heart or outward partly by word injesting flouting scornfull speaking thus Elisha was mocked come up thou bald head come up thou bald head or by actions and gestures as Christ was derided by the Souldiers they cloth him with purple they crowne him with thornes they bend the knee c. Now then consider thy wayes The Lord in the Sabbath calls thee to remembrance of that great worke the creation of thee and all the world that greater of thy redemption by Christ hast thou not here sate with scorners For hast thou neither in thy heart lightly esteem'd nor in thy words jested nor in thy actions slighted this solemne day and so scorned that great work of God offering grace unto thee in his Ordinances How many must confesse themselues guiltie of this sinne For the word when thou hast heard it sometime threatning sometime promising hast thou not set it at thy heeles hast thou neither in thought word or action sleighted it When thou hast conversed with the Saints hast thou not despised that holy fellowship and skoffed like profane Ismael Common and ordinary is this abuse and too few who can exempt themselues from this sinne Looke therfore about thee and quickly retire thy seâ—fe least thou fall into that pit whence there is no returning for if thou continuest to goe on in this last degree thou maiest soon proceed so farre that thou shalt never be able to retire Certainely to crucifie Christ againe to make a mocke of him to forsake the holy fellowship of the Saints and after knowledge wilfully to plunge our selues into sinne not some particular sinne but that generall renounciâ—g of our holy profession which will easily and soone insue upon this scorning and is but the last degree of it is a state not onely dangerous but desperate see Heb. 6. 6. and 10. 25. 26. 27. How sharply then are all scorners to be rebuked as 1. Those who inwardly despise or outwardly deride God in his workes Do but consider how generall this sin is by some few particulars for how doth the pridâ— of the rich and wealthy carry them in heart to despise the poor and to expresse it in their words and actions How basely do they account of them as if they had no fellowship with them in the same nature and grace Let a man converse with us who bâ—ares an high sail whose lands wâ—alth friendsâ— apparrel are fair he hath all respect and curtesie from us be he never so poor in grace nay openly known to be a bondslave to sin and Satan But if a man of meane parentage and estate though indeed a sonne of God rich in grace and heire of glory have any thing to do with us we will hardly afford him a kind looke or word How common is this vanitie
to despise the wisdome of the poore Though the wisdome of God hath openly testified The poore which walketh in his uprightnes is a better man then the rich which peruerteth his way yet will not men beleeve it For the better man ought to haue more respect we finde it by experience too true that friends and Brethren reiect thâ— poore be they never so instant with them so gâ—nerall is it that he ascribes it to all what the cause of this contempt is God himselfe telleth us The sinner despiseth his neighbour but he that hath mercy on the poore is blessed where despising and shewing mercy being opposed by God teacheth us that when wee withdraw our hand from doing them good or oppresse them then we despise them and this despising is not onely sinfull but rises from grosse customary sin so that when we are hardned in rebellion then we proceed to despise the poore and God in him But oh thou vaine man thou proud earth art not thou the same clay of the same potter and who hath separated thee who makes rich and poore How presumest thou to despise the worke of God being thy selfe the worke of his hands Looke to thy beginning and ending and spie out if thou canst any difference betwixt thee and the poorest Art thou not servant to the same Lord wearest thou not the same livery of skin and flesh dost thou not sleepe in the same dust and nakednesse wa st thou borne with lands treasure or scepters in thy hand what difference in the graue betweene thy mace and his mattocke Oh if thou hast so much light looke a little into thy heart and see there a farre more miserable and desperate povertie How poore is thy understanding in spirituall light and treasures of knowledge how poore thy heart in bowels of mercie how needie art thou in faith loue and those heavenly riches Thou which art beggerly in the true canst thou despise the want of wicked riches Hast thou not received all from God Art thou not his debtour why boastest thou of thy debts of that of which thou art onely a Steward and accountable to thy Master Certainly as that earth which is replenished with precious mettals is altogether in the superficies barren and unfruitfull so is it with â—arthly men who when they are swolne up with this worldly wealth are most miserable beggers in the true and durable riches insomuch that the Truth himselfe hath spoken it a Camell shall as soone be drawne through the eye of a needle as those men into the Kingdome of God Boldly I dare aâ—firme it that he hath never felt his inward miserie who despiseth outward povertie Againe consider how contemptuously other workes of God are used by most men for to omit many that worke of his mercy in having patience with us and forbearing us how is it despised how scornfully abused May we not say to thousands with the Apostle thou despisest the riches of his bountifulnesse and patience and long-suffering doe we not see with our eyes the complaint of Salomon verified among us because sentence against an evill worke is not speedily executed therefore the heart of men is fully set in them to doe evill Nay certainely so profane is the heart and so full of cursed Atheisme that when the Lord holds his tongue men begin to thinke that God is like to themselues But surely in nothing more palpably appeares our contempt of God in his workes then in the open wilfull even despitefull breach of the Sabbath so often and nâ—ver enough reproved For first it is a day consecrated and set out by God as holy for remembrance of those two greatest workes of Gods power wisedome and goodnesse towards us namely the Creation and Redemption Againe it selfe is one of those workes of God which especially manifesteth his grace towards us and is one of his loue-tokens in that he hath set out this day as a signe a working and eâ—fectuall signe whereby we in â—anctifying it to him shall finde and feele he is our God who sanctifies us to himselfe Besides in setting downe that precept he hath particularly hedged in our transgressing nature provoking us by many strong motiues to obserue itâ— laying forth meanes to helpe us tying a threed of remembrance about our hearts that wee might bee wholy without excuse so that whosoever with care reads it he cannot but see that the Lord more presseth that commandement and inforceth it upon our conscience then all the rest as being the meanes whereby hee writeth all the rest in our hearts Doe but now behold the practise of men and not to mention the Papists who holding not the head Christ Iesus regard not his day but abuse it maintain the abuse to any journey or other affaires but deifying the Saints most superstitiously obserue dayes by the Pope dedicated to their service lâ—t us look unto our selues Are not Ministers charged nay fearfully adjured to preach the word to be instant in season out of season yet how many despise the very season of sowing that precious and immortall seede As great a charge is given to the people for hearing and as great and more is their neglect and contempt openly proclaimed by them as well by their spending some of those few houres of Gods publike worshippe in their owne workes abroad in the field or at home in their beds by their fires c. as also by an impudent avouching and defending their sinne scorning all reproofe and deriding the reprover Nay even some that are called and reputed honest men and boast themselues to bee good keepers of their Church make no conscience to mispend the rest of the Sabboth in any vaine or idle employment taking liberty to dash out any instruction they haue received with ordinary nay many times unlawfull and at any time sinfull recreations Whence can this behaviour proceede but from a notorious contempt of God from a grounded Atheism and wilfull unbeliefe of heart And what Art thou indeed stronger then God Dost thou provoke him to anger and dost thou not provoke thy selfe to confusion of face Oh! know and remember God is not mocked and when hee denounceth so frequently unto thee for this sinne destruction of body and soule he mockes thee not Thine owne reason will teach thee as thou sowest so shalt thou reape if thou sowest the wind thou shalt reape the whirlwinde if thou sowest contempt thou shalt reape derision with the scorner hee scorneth 2. Mocking God in his Saints must here bee reproved the most common sinne of this Age. Everie abject scornes Christ in his members and indeede despiseth not so much the person as holinesse in the person Holinesse without all question is that Attribute of God in which he most excells and delights the very beautie of the Lord. Here wee admire his power grace mercy but in heaven the Saints and glorious Angels beholding his face
are ravished with that beautie of his holinesse and in their prayse double this propertie Holy holy holy Lord God of Hosts In man it is the very image when hee is begotten unto God as his child through the immortall seed of his word hee doth resemble his heavenly Father which therefore the Lord commaunds us to follow and to labour for it and sets downe the penaltie of our neglect wee shall never see his face but shall bee banished from his presence It is the very end why God hath chosen us why Christ hath given himselfe for us yea the effect of his bloud the especiall worke of Gods Spirit dwelling in us In a word it is the very nature of God communicated to us There is no sinne therefore which more evidently exalts it selfe against Christ none that reacheth so high toward heaven in defiance of God as this when men despise in heart this image and nature of God and in despitefull termes and gestures publish themselues the scornefull enemies of holinesse How common this divellish profanenesse is may easily bee seene first in fastning the odious name of Sectaries and Heretickes upon those which desire and endeavour to flie the corruption which is in the world through lust and in truth of heart to follow after righteousnesse for if a man with feare and trembling striues to eschew evill and doe good and hath set up his resolution to walke godlily righteously and soberly in this present world how soone is hee branded by worldly and wicked men with the name of a Puritane Which being ancient Heretikes sheltring their ranke and stinking sinnes under that abuse of Scripture To the pure all things are pure pretended themselues to be cleane pure and holy in the practise of all filthinesse Nay they are not afraid if they discerne in any more shewes of godlinesse then ordinary to deride him by applying to him that title which is the most honourable that belongs to a Christian as This is one of the holy Brotherhood one of the holy Sisters Surely if they think them not such and speake ironically accounting them hipocrites of whome they thus speake for thus they excuse themselves then are they most vnexcusable who dare abuse to mockery the greatest honour that ever God vouchsafed the creature to be a Brother and heire with Christ and to apply a name appropriate to Gods Saints unto such as they esteeme no better then whited tombes and painted sepulchers And because folly is the especiall object of contempt they are come to that height of bold Atheisme that they will impudently terme such Gods fooles But as the Apostle affirmes the folly of God to be farre aboue the wisedome of men so these fooles as they call them of God are farre aboue these worldly wise Achitophels who with all their policie can never escape nay by it runne into destruction and perdition of body and soule That these should be Christians who mocke Christianitie that these should bee children of God who scoffe at the Brotherhood of Christ let them beleeue who can for my selfe I cannot see how the greatest charitie which is alwayes joyned with wisedome can otherwise account of these men then of most wretched Infidels filled with contempt of Christ and hellish Atheisme well therefore may we pray against their wickednesse let the lying lips be made dumbe which speake grievous things proudly contemptuously against the righteous We are a reproach to our neighbours a scorne and derision to those that are round about us Render seven fold into their bosome the reproch wherewith they haue reproched thee O Lord. Those that despise the word of God and him in this his Ordinance are here evidently condemned Let such know it is impossible to separate the despising of the meanest in Gods Ministrie from the contempt of Christ and God his Father he that despiseth you despiseth me and he that despiseth mee despiseth him that sent mee where Christ in generall speaketh of all Ministers whom hee employeth in the glad tydings of salvation and particularly of such as were not Apostles but the seventie Disciples who if we consider them at that time in the knowledge of Christian mysteries of faith were farre inferiour to the most ordinary Professours at this day In vaine therefore shall men plead before the tribunall of Christ Lord when did we heare thee preaching unto us and scorned thy word for he will nay hath already answered he that heareth whom I send heareth me and therefore what you haue done to the lowest of these my messengers you haue done unto mee Moreover there is nothing more certaine then this judgement of God that hee will mockâ— and scorne thy word when thou with as much earnestnes shalt sue to him as he now to thee Bâ—cause you despised all my counsell I will laugh at your destruction and mocke when your feare commâ—th See also Psalme 2. vers 4. And herein the Romish Church manifesteth her whordome in that shee hath and still doth make a mocke of that most holy word of Christ. Surely that which Pope Leo 10. spoke the rest of that Hierarchie thinke and are not dainty to expresse their thoughts in their actions who blasphemously boasted that the fable or tale of Christ had brought them no small advantage Evidently in those two actions doe they discover themselues what they thinke of Religion 1. That they turne the whole streame of it into the bottomlesse gulfe of their covetousnesse and ambition frame it wholy to earthly ends accepting no doctrine nor allowing it as good which tends not to the advancement of the Clergie and either directly or by some fetching about brings them in profit or honour This cannot but appeare to any man who doth not winke or lookes not through Iesuiticall spectacles 2. In that they equall such humane writings with the divine in which shines no sparke of divine light but are branded with manifest untruths and impossibilities and ascribe such workes to the holy Ghost wherein the Authour protests his end of writing to delight the eare of the reader nay desires to be excused for slender and bare speaking Hence arises much consolation to an afflicted soule which having a deepe sense of sinne speakes as the Apostle I am chiefe of sinners How farre soever thou hast gone in evill if thou turne from it and â—efusest any longer to sit in the chaire of scorning thou shalt be accepted and blessed There are three degrees of men departed this life the first when a man is newly dead and layd out another cosâ—in'd and going to the graue a third buried and stinking in the tombe Christ raised all these Iairus daughter in the house the widowes son upon the beare going to the graue Lazarus in the sepulchre he quickens by his spirit not only those that are dead but buried also in sinnes and trespasses Feare not therefore but come unto Christ or rather
receiue Christ comming to thee beleeue onely and thou shalt liue Take heed now to thy foote and enter not into the way of scorners be no more a mocker least thy bonds increase Thou canst not but see every where profane men the plague of these last times making a jest of Religion despising God in his workes in his word in his Saints set not in with them but flie from them as from the pestilence And for a motiue to stop thee from this course consider theiâ— steppes how many feete haue gone that way how few returned Thou shalt find they perish by skores 2 King 2. 24. but hardly one or two single soules retyring safely from this last steppe of sinne But especially awaken thy soule from this sinne with assurance of like measure from God O seriously thinke with thy selfe will not the day come is it not running poast toward me and I know not how neere when I shall fiâ—de no comfort but onely in peace with God My pleasures my wealth will forsake me my friends will weepe for mee my body full of deadly griefes my soule pinched with thousand pangs of conscience the bell summoning me the graue gaping for me my accusers one without another within mee and the Iudge who cannot bee bribed much lesse any longer mocked â—eady to arraine me Oh then how welcome to mee will be the least hope that God would lend me a mercifull eare to heare me If hee should then deride my petition scorne my supplication and laugh at my miserie what can be expected but a fearfull instant damnation how soone would those foule spirits plunge my desolate soule into that eternall torment that lake of fire brimstone Shall I then willingly plucke this infinite misery upon my head Hath not the Truth which cannot lie assured me and will not my reason confirme it that he scornes the scorner How should I looke upon his face when he must be my Iudge whom I scorned to be my friend How shall I stand before his wrath whose grace I dâ—rided O therfore my soule prevent this mischiefe betimes accept of grace while he offers it seeke search sue for it now that thou mayest then assuredly finde it goe forth to meete it which is sent to meete thee take hold of it and leaue it not which will hold up thy head at that day will never leaue thee till thou art seated in eternall happinesse Psalme I. Ver. 2. But his delight is in the Law of the Lord and in his Law doth he meditate day and night THE Prophet having in the former verse layd downe the way which must bee declined by all those which would come to happinesse in this propounds positiuely the path which without faile wil bring us to it if we follow it to the end In this way he sets out two periods 1. delighting in Gods Law 2. meditating in it day night from which issue two points of doctrine 1. The Prophet affirmes him blessed who delights in the law of God 2. The Psalmist pronounceth him blessed who meditates day and night in the law of the Lord. In the former these particulars must bee openedâ— 1. what is the law of the Lord 2. what this delight in the law The law is sometime strictly taken for the first scriptures the fiue books of Moses and then ordinarily distinguished either from the writer and called the Law of Moses or by adding the other opposite member the law and the Prophets sometime it is more largely extended as comprehending all the propheticall writings of the old Testament as is manifest Iohn 10. 34. where the booke of Psalmes is made part of the Law But the word here used properly signifieth doctrine yet is generally and rightly translated Law because whatsoever God would haue us know concerning his will and pleasure is there by himselfe taught revealed and promulgated Deut. 29.29 so that he appointeth it the only ordinary meanes of life Luke 16. 29 30 31. 2. because all doctrines delivered in the word are so many sanctions of the supreame Majestie binding the conscience to all obedience and perfect subjection Againe his delight is by some translated his will the word signifying that action of the mind whereby willingly pleasingly and with loue the heart cleaues to any thing so used Gen. 34. 19. This then is the meaning of the words Whosoever loues the Law or word of God cleaues to it takes pleasure in that which God there coÌ„mandeth he is entred already into a blessed estate This as it is here plainly testified so also the Apostle addes his suffrage unto it evidently affirming that as his misery consisteth in being vexed with the body of death resisting the law of God so his happinesse in delighting in that law concerning the inward man The grounds or reasons of this testimonie in David are 1. his knowledge in the word of God whence hee had taken forth this lessonâ— Deut. 28. 2. his experience having felt by this delight an unspeakable happinesse being holden up in his deepest afflictions and quickened from his deadnesse by this word Hence gather these lessons The Scripture containeth all that doctrine which is profitable to the perfection of a Christian so farre as to make him wise to salvation and to bring him to everlasting happinesse For if he be blessed who with delight entertaines it necessarily it must containe whatsoever is necessary or profitable to that end Thus else-where he pronounceth it perfect And the Apostle speaking of the Scriptures affirmeth them able to make wise to salvatioÌ„ profitable to instruct c. so farre that the man of God may be perfect in every good worke And hence is it that when God by Moses had written this law and delivered it to the people he straitly chargâ—th thâ—m to adde nothing to it nor take any thing from it and againe doubles this precept Deut. 12. 32. And without all question howsoever it pleased the Lord of his goodnesse by the succeeding Prophets to expound and open the law and farther to presse and inforce it yet did never any Prophet adde any new doctrine to the former words they addâ—d to cleare and unfold it but no new matter or precept to the duties coÌ„manded Thus after did the Apostles as witnesseth that chosen Vessell they said no other things then those which Moses and the Prophets did say should come Certainly as in the creation of the bodily light the Lord made spread over the world a generall brightnesse which after he gathered into one body the Sunne and made it as a fountaine from whose beames not onely other creatures but the heavenly lights themselues should borrow all their splendour even the Moone and starres So having in this little world of man created a spirituall light of wisdome and knowledge in his understanding diffused and spread it over mankind and for some ages of the world derived both by traditioÌ„ as
should preach otherwise he should bee able to distinguish and accurse it know therefore Pastors and Teachers are as well given by Christ to his Church as Apostles and Evangelists both are his Messengers and these speake no lesse the word of God then the other so farre as they mingle not their own inventions but keep themselues to their commission and instructions delivered to them in the packet of the Scripture How therefore this word is to be received with what reverence and subject obedience judge thy selfe and consider the example of Cornelius see Acts 10. 33. nay even of that Heathen King who rose up from his Throne to receiue a message sent from God but delivered by a subject 3. The Law or word of God is full of sweetnesse and pleasure containing in it whatsoever may giue content or joy to the heart of man This truth evidently appeares in this place seeing delight in it is here required of all those which shall be blessed The experience of Gods Saints and their profession approues it They rejoyce in heart Sweeter then the hony or the hony combe They are the joy of our hearts The words of truth are pleasant words Hence the Church of Christ affirmes the mouth of Christ to be as sweet things And the reason is evident For as nothing is more grievous to the nature of man then darkâ—nesse imprisonment death so nothing more cheerefull then the contrary light liberty and life Now the word of God is the very light of our eyes not onely as the bodily light which is but a medium or meane of seeingâ— but first opening the eye and giving it inward light and then as a meane and outward light revealing other things to us So is it also called the meanes of libertie as well discovering unto us our naturall bondage and slaâ—very and how we are freed by Christ as also bringing us out of the chaines of Satan into the libertie of Gods childâ—en Hence it is called the Law of libertie So Christ is sent to preach libertie to the captiues Certainely the word of God is to the soule of man as the Angell to Peter It findes him in prison bound with divers chaines in a deepe sleepe in a darke Dungeon but it wakes him stirres him vp shakes off his bonds brings him out opens the iron gate and leaues him not till he is come to himselfe and feeles he is delivered by Christ. Nay it is his life by which being dead in sinnes and trespasses by nature he is quickned and raised up not to a corruptible but eternall and glorious life Therefore is it called our life that is the meanes which God hath appointed as well to giue us life as here to continue it therefore compared to seede and foode Looke then as light is a pleasant thing and it is a good thing to the eyes to see the Sunne so much more the soule which hath beene long held in miserable blindnesse and darkenesse cannot but rejoyce in the word which brings him that true light As a man being held in fetters and restraint is in a new world when he enjoyes his libertie so likewise that captiue soule which hath long beene bound and held fast by Satan in those heavie chaines of sinne is wonderfully ravished with the joyfull message of that glorious libertie Or as a man dying and ready to drop into the graue is not a little revived with the promise of a skilfull Physitian assuring him life so the soule that is now drawing neere to the gates of Hell and almost swallowed up in eternall death how is hee refreshed with the glad tydings of Salvation Therefore in all the historie of the Apostles travels and publishing the Gospell we shall ever finde that this word preached fild the Cities houses and hearts of men with rejoycing and gladnesse see Act. 8. 8.39 and 13.48 and 16. 34. And indeed as Corne Wine and such creatures were purposely created by God to strengthen and cheere up the body of man and by his ordinance not of themselues haue this power force to worke to that end to which he ordained them so this food of the soule is that creature appointed by God to fill the soule with gladnes strength to life eternall and therefore shall not misse of this end where God employeth it Even in earthly affaires heavinesse in the heart of man doth bring it downe but a good word reioyceth it how much more true is this of the word of God If that friendly word of Boaz fill'd the heart of Ruth with comfort and joy that being a stranger and having forsaken her friends and Country she found new friends good words and usage in a forraine place how much more must the cordials of that great Comforter in his word cheering our hearts and assuring us that though we haue forgotten our owne people and our fathers house yet of strangers and forreiners we are entred into the household of God and haue found the Lord Iesus so sure and fast a friend to our soules how much more joy and cheerfulnesse will this put into us How doe coole waters refresh a wearie Pilgrime toiled in dust and travaile so is glad newes from a farre Countrey Surely when the soule hath wearied it selfe and found nothing when it is tired in the travaile dust and sweate of the world and hath found all to be vanitie and vexation of spirit how welcome are those waters of life flowing from the Sanctuary how ravishing those glad tydings of pâ—ace sent downe from heaven by the Lord Iesus Christ and brought home to â—his heart by the blessed Spirit in the ministerie of the Gospell which is the power of God to salvation 4. It is not onely the dutie of such who desire happinesse to exercise their senses in the word of God but to doe it with delight that their hearts should stand so affected to the word as to their refreshing and pleasure for here is the feast of fat things which the Lord maketh for all nations and therefore inviteth to come cheerefully unto it being free and costing us nothing and willeth us to delight our soules in fatnesse verily the promise of delighting our selues in the Lord is confined to that dutie of delighting in these duties And indeed this delight being nothing else but that willingnesse of minde pleasing it selfe in this action infinite passages shall we finde in the scripture bending this way and exhorting us to embrace the word with this willing cheerefulnesse Bee swift to heare Be more ready to heare c. And the practise of the Saints is evident to this end as was before proved Reason will further enforce this affection upon us for 1. It is an Ordinance of God purposely set out by him for this end even to solace the heart and fill it with true joy and comfort as was before shewed and hence is it
another or when a sience is cut off from one stocke and grafted into another Thus in the Scripture we shall find that men are taken out of the world and removed to the house of God and especially we shall often read the similitude of grafting applied to the Saints because growing naturally in the first Adam we are cut off from that wild stocke and are implanted into the second â—dam Christ Iesus 3. Lastly waters may be here taken for the word of God the water of the Sanctuary such as is drunke downe into the soule by the eare So againe Apollos is said to water 1. Cor. 3. 6. Againe water may here signifie the Spirit not as there is in water a power to wash and clense as sometimes it is taken but as moisture is an especially principall of life the word and Spirit being to a Christian for eternall life as moisture to a plant or palme So the sense of the point is Whosoever forsaketh the way of wickednesse and constantly delights in the word and meditates in it is like to a palme which a man transplanteth into a fertile soile hee shall bee nourished with those pure rivers of the Sanctuary hee shall be watered by the Spirit of grace Proofe Ier. 17â— 7. 8. and Rom. 11. 23. As for grounds we shall not need to insist on any Sufficient is it to name those which the Spirit himselfe hath mentioned the bountie and goodnesse of God Rom. 11.22 Apply this 1. for Instruction 1. As a tree transplanted or a sience grafted into a new stocke is altogether altered in the qualitie so whosoever is ordained to a blessed estate must bee and in due time is wholy changed and entred into a new condition much differing nay indeed quite contrary to the former This alteration is expressed in Scripture many wayes sometime we are commanded in plaine words to be changed or metamorphosed as Rom. 12. 2 even moulded or stamped and so to be fashionâ—d after the image of the Lord 2 Cor. 3. 18. So likewise that word which is used most commonly for repentance as Mark 1. 15. signifies a change of the mind that as repentance is the first evidence of our happinesse so it consisteth of a through alteration both of the inward and outward man Thus also by metaphors and many full similitudes it is frequently described by the Spirit The former estate of man is called darkenesse the new light so that as palpable as the change is from night to day and as contrary as darkenes is to light so is it here Now this darkenesse intends 1. A grosse ignorance of God and of his will which is the cause of all miserie For as to know God is the onely happinesse and nothing else worth the rejoycing it is eternall life so ignorance of God must of necessitie be miserie and death eternall Thus the Apostle describes this difference plainly The naturall man doth not cannot discerne the things of God as being spiritually discerned the spirituall man discerneth all things 2. Darkenesse is taken in the word for that sinfull filthinesse which abhorres the light and for all manner of hatefull and abominable iniquitie see Ioh. 3. 19. called therefore the workes of night and of darkenesse So againe the Spirit resembles this estate to a new man and a new creature Ephe. 4. 22. 23. 24. Colos. 3. 10. 2 Cor. 5. 17. Gal. 6. 15. Foâ— as when some excellent Artificer hath framed a statue of gold and silver and employing all his cunning hath made it goodly and beautifull to the eye if by any mishap if fall is broken and defaced he causeth it againe to passe through the fire and casting it into the former mould brings it out perfect and as or more faire then ever So when the Lord saw us whom he had formed after his owne image by our fall bruiâ—ed broken and altogether deformed he melts us againe and renews his glorious likenesse upon us so that now wee are not the same men or creatures which we were before But as that frame of the workeman when it is broken is the same for substance but in shape contrary so here the bodies and soules are the same in their essence but altogether contrary in qualitie So likewise this difference is resembled to life and death Colos. 2. 13. Ephe. 2. 1. 5. Now therefore as the same body when it is dead hath no sâ—nsâ— in it or motion belonging to life but rots stinks and is most loathsome so that men not onely stop their noses but shut their eyes and even tremble to behold it but being aliue was moveable sensible amiable and excâ—eding beautifull even to ravish the eye so that state of sinne that body of death from which we are changed if we could throughly looke into it is more foule and loathsome then any corporall pollution but that life of Christ more louely and ravishing then wee in this glimmering light can possibly conceiue and imagine But to passe by very many similitudes none is more frequent then this of grafting And as grafting is double either by implanting a base sience into a noble and generous stocke or letting a good and pleasant sience into a base and sower stocke so in this spirituall planting we shall find sometime the stocke to be Christ the true vine and naturall Olive sometime our cursed nature is compared to the body of tree and the word of God resembled to the graft as Iam. 1. 21. so then as a wild oliue grafted into a true is partaker of the sap and fruit of the good Oliue and is utterly changed and becomes of another nature and tast so when we are grafted into Christ wee receiue all spirituall influence from him whereby ws are fruitfull for without him we can doâ— nothing Iohn 15. 5. Likewise as when a good graft is let into a wild crab-stocke the sience so alters and sweetens that sower and harsh juice of the stocke that the fruit becomes altogether contrary to the former and is very pleasant so when the word is grafted into us it so changes our affections and all the inward man that we bring forrh cleane contrary to our corrupt natureâ— the pleasant fruit of righteousnesse There must bee therefore and certainely is a change in man before he can attaine any happinesse What it is may be gathered by that which hath beene spoken and specially from this comparison for when we transplant any tree wee doe it to this end that wee may enjoy better fruit of it as disliking that which is naturall to it To open it yet morefully the former similitudes excellently set it out unto our eyes As first that metaphor of light that by nature wee are even naturalls or mad men in respect of spirituall understanding hauing the eye of supernaturall reason in the knowledge of God quite put out and in the stead of that lightsome eye representing spiritualll things an hellish darke and
God w ch is the nourishment of the new man is both ministred and received neither in frequency or quantitie as the corporall One meale or two a weeke and even then we are dull of hearing yet further there are many impediments as in the earthly so in the heavenly growth without the Fowle of the Ayre those cursed Spirits hindâ—ing by all meanes and snatching like Harpies our food from our mouths within thornes and briars and heart too hard at the softest These are great impediments to our spirituall growth but this is sure that we shall grow A Palme the more it is pressed the more it will spread itselfe 3. He that thus with delight meditates in Gods word shall not onely be fruitfull in grace but in glory also compare Iohn 17. 8. with the 22. verse of the same chapter The same is confirmed by all those places of Scripture which pronounce the man blessed who heares the word of God and keepes it for the blessednesse of man consists in this glory which God vouchsafeth his chosen And although we are in some measure blessed who in this life enjoy the favour and presence of God dwelling in them yet could this be dividâ—d from the other that estate were not compleatly blessed and indeed the very end why God giues his word to man is not to lead him some part of the way but to bring him home to himselfe and to goe along with him till he be perfected Ephe. 4. 11. 13. But the perfection of man consists especially in this glorious estate the full happinesse of man stands in being as like unto God as his nature will permit like in soule by a perfect holinesse like in body by being conformed to the body of Christ. This condition wee obtaine by the word which even here for the present begins to forme our soules to this image and every day more and more renewes us after the same Image Lastly see here that fulnesse of happinesse which we receiue in the new Covenant by the blood of Christ namely that great priviledge of the faithfull that they shall never fall from this blessed estate into which they are entred by the word of God but shall continuâ— and increase till they attaine that perfeâ—t and endlesse beatitude This perseverance as it is here more obscuâ—ely figured out by the leafe never fading so is it else-where frequently cleered and more plainely expressed then can with any face be denied Of many places I will chuse out some few yet suâ—ficient to perswade such as will not bee contentious Such as be planted in the house of the Lord shall flourish in the courts of our God they shall bring forth fruit in old age they shall bee fat and flourishing to shew that the Lord is upright and faithfull Where the Prophet doth not onely in vâ—ry plaine words aâ—firme this truth but giues an excellâ—nt râ—ason of it So likewise Psal. 125. 1. and 84. 7. Againe the way of the righteous shineth as the light that shinâ—th more and more untill the perfect day So the Prophet setteâ—h downe this continuance as a diffâ—rence betweene the old and new Covenant He that heareth my word and bâ—leeveth in mee hath everlasting life and shall not come into condemnation and againe My sheepe heare my voice and follow mee and I giue them everlasting life and they shall never perish I haue ordained that you should bring forth fruit and that your fruit should remaine Many such places might be alledged but these are sufficient for those that loue the truth The foundation also of this perseverance upon which the Spirit in the Scripture layes it will further confirme it For 1. it is the condition of the Covenant made in Christ see Esay 59.21 2. God is faithfull and upright and able to make it good Psal. 92. 15. so Heb. 10.23 and Iohn 10. 28. 29. They must be plucked out if ever they come out of his hands 3. The intercession likewise of Christ as for Peter Luke 22. 32. so for all the faithfull Rom. 8. 34. Now he is ever heard Ioh. 11.42 This perseverance in the new Covenant purchased for us by the blood of Christ is a most glorious prerogatiue of the faithfull beyond any thing in their creation then had they life given and immortalitie but not setled upon them onely promised and that upon a condition which they might and soone did breake But in this are we wonderfully happy that God hath in Christ given and sealed to us everlasting life which therefore cannot faile because it is no longer in us but in him Had wee chosen him our sickle nature might soone haue repented and gone backe but he hath chosen us who cannot repent Had our life beene layd up in us we should quickly haue lost itâ— but it is layd up with Christ in God where no thiefe can digge through or steale where it cannot corrupt Looke as it is with children that are heires yet under-age and their parents living they cannot bee cheated of their inheritance nor make it away because the right is in another so the children of God haue no other right to Gods Kingdome but by Christ and their right being in him cannot be lost To Adam was given saith Augustine power to persevere if hee would but not will to doe what hee might but to us who are grafted in by faith is given both will and power to persevere But some perhaps will say if a man cannot fall from this grace then although wee should shake off all feare and care of God wee should still continue in his favour Nay this doctrine say the Papists and others opens a wide gate and intiseth us to all sinfull libertie No such matter For 1. God therefore hath not given us power of continuance that we might be without his feare but therefore put into us his continuall feare that we might continue Wee could not liue in him without his feare therefore that we might for ever liue in him he puts such a feare into our hearts which might wedge us fast and bind our inconstant hearts in his Covenant especially let us obserue that not the gifts onely but the very person of the holy Ghost abides with the faithfull as an earnest of our inheritance untill the redemption of the purchased possession Now the blessed Spirit is not onely to the faithfull a seale and earnest fully to assure and make over to them the heritage of glory but he is there a Lieger for Christ holding possession for him and keeping us for him untill comming Even as a seale in Covenant or earnest is not onely an assurance to mee of the buyars good intent meaning but a fast bond to assure him his bargaine 2. Is there nothing to maintaine this godly feare but losse of glory will onely dis-inheriting affright an ingenuous châ—ld nay the very frownes of his Father and feare of chiding much more severer correction will hold him
possible fully to eye the filthinesse of it it would infinitely amaze and affright us Certainely when in our measure we are enabled by the Spirit with open eyes to behold it we loath and abhorre it and our selues for it Ezek. 36. 31. Iob 42. 6. But in nothing may wee more cleerely perceiue the horrour of sinne then in that comparison so often usâ—d by the Spirit where this spirituall death is resembled to the bodily and called the body of death For looke as a living body graced with fit proportions and naturall colours full of spirit is an amiable and louely object to a bodily eye which yet when the soule is departed and hath beene some little time in the graue is a lothsome fight so that they who before doted on it now tremble to behold it so where the blessed Spirit quickens the soule of man and fils it with the life and beautie of God how glorious how ravishing is this sight to a spirituall eye but when the spirit of man lies dead in sinne buried in lust what can it differ from a Devill incarnate neither is it only in it selfe very evill but a fountain streaming forth all manner of evils First it remoues all good things as 1. the fountaine of all good God himselfe 2. all those blessings which flow from him as temporall Ier. 5.25 Esay 24. 5. spirituall as was evident before yea eternall Rom. 3. 23. Secondly it heapes on us all evill death of the body and all the sorrowes which attend it Rom. 5.12 Lam. 3. 39. But in nothing more evidently appeares the cursed and filthy nature of sinne then in the infection of it and meanes to purge it the contagion of it spread into the whole generation of man and one sinne committed by one hath brought forth a world of sinne and sinfull men that the very foundations and originalls of mans generation are uncleane and make every one uncleane that toucheth them it defiles our very prayers maketh them odious Pro. 15. 8. and 28.9 and turnes a Saint nay an Angell into a Devill Againe no other meanes to purge it but the blood of Christ and that applied by no other hand but of the Spirit But some will say â— sinfull men neither see nor feele any such miserie they liue merrily and in all jollitie That they neither see nor feele is it any marvaile for first they haue no eyes to see Deut. 29. 4. nor sense to feele Ephe. 4. 19. 2. To a corrupted tast sinne is as a sweete poyson pleasant in the mouth but in the stomack deadly it is as riotous spending which is not felt instantly but with delight yet in time presseth and breaketh our backs with debt 3. As those herbes of Sardi which killed with laughing so sinne doth not onely with griefe and torment bring men to destruction but with mirth and dancing Lastly in a naturall heart sinne is in its natiue countrey and naturall place now a stranger is soone observed but natiues seldome regarded nothing is burthen some in its owne place a little water in a vessell will soone wearie us but a whole River when we are in the midst of it and under it is no load But if wee obserue the faithfull we shall soone perceiue that although very little of this sinfull filthinesse remaine in them in comparison of others yâ—t doe they see it with much griefe and feele it with extreme loathing as Psal. 38. 3. 4. 5. 3. Every wicked man is a most cursed creature and a miserable wretch Thus truth as it evidently appeares from the text and that which hath beene spoken of it so it will more cleerely shine in many other evident testimonies and grounds drawne from the word of God and our reason Thus are they called the children of the curse and the children of wrath Read Deut. 28. from the 15. verse to the end Revel 3. 17. Destruction and calamitie is in their wayes For our reason as it confesseth there is a soule so can it not deny but that the losse of it though with the gaine of a world is a great miserie Now every wicked man wilfully looseth his soule and casteth it into utter perdition for the reward of sinne is death 2. What estate can bee more miserable and cursed then to bee delivered up to the power of such an enemy who mortally hates us and with all his might seekes our utter destruction But every sinfull man is in the possession of Satan to be kept in chaines of darknesse to everlasting perdition he rules in them and wholy swayes and carries them with greedinesse to torment of body and soule without end or intermission Nay even without the word our reason will acknowledge the wicked man the onely miserable man For even Heathens haue concluded that no man can bee happy before his death and how should a wicked man bee happy after death Even the best of his life is spent in vanitie and much vexation of spirit and is continually subject to many other evils so especially to the feare of death his greatest pleasures are soone loathsome and as the Bee hony in the thigh a sting in the taile Doth hee fill himselfe with choice of dainties and rich wine it breedes head-ach cruditie in the stomacke and at length scorning the greatest rarities Is he seated high the more is he subject to all blasts of envie of those that are under him and lightnings of those that are aboue him Is hee rich what misery to get it what feare to lose it what griefe to forgoe it To conclude If a wicked man bee poore and bare in this life no man will say he is happy if hee be rich and liues in pleasures so much more obnoxious is he to all misery the losse of all such things being certaine and the time uncertaine when we shall loose them But their condition seemeth altogether contrary no not to the eye of reason for naturall men haue seene and confest their miserie 2. Things are not alwayes as they seeme A man noble in birth great in possessions brauely attended and faring highly but guiltie of treason may seeme a happy man to a foole but wise and understanding men know well that he is in a miserable condition 1. Now then if thou find this folly in thee so common among men to seeke and esteeme earthly things as those chiefe blessings in which consisteth our happinesse checke and chide it and thy selfe for entertaining it Surely if Christian râ—ligion had not taught men their folly and spirituall wisedome made them see their errour yet the common understanding of a reasonable creature and the mistresse of fooles as some call experience would discover how vaine and senselesse is their opinion and practice For how should that giue us rest which is never at a stay in it selfe but ever ebbing and flowing How happens it that when these things increase thou findest thy selfe no happier
receiue of it they doe not receiue with sincere affection as the word of God but keepe themselues free from it where they list yeelding some obedience in some particulars nay indeed not at all obeying but rather following some naturall inclinations of restraint put into them by God Thus doe we see some of them at this day plainely uncasing themselues and professing Christ liue like beasts Others when they haue for some sinister ends as Demas followed the truth for a time fall cleane off revolting either to Antichrist or to the world in covetousnesse and notable profanenes But many as the Iewes in Iohn Baptist can for a time rejoyce in the Minister and the word while they are fresh or as Herod till they come crosse of them but being not planted by the rivers of water onely for some respects using a while but not constantly conversing with the Gospell in a short space they wither and fall from their profession 1. Here first may those wilfully and even desperately blind persons be censured who being sunke in a deepe securitie against the light of Gods word and their owne reason will perswade themselues and presume that although they grow old in their wickednesse and liue in open grosse filthy sins yet haue they faith as good as the best as true a loue to God as any of them all a strong hope of their salvation they haue as much feare of God and more then these sermon-men c. Now as a man who being to travaile by night in a dangerous way where on the right and left hand are many steepe rockes and fearefull downefalls should yet refuse a skilfull guide with a lanterne or torch and further because he would not see his danger would shut his eyes and winke were but a foole worthy to bee begged and no better then a mad man and though hee should boast much of his skill and knowledge in the passage that he could blinde-fold and in the darke goe as safely and come as securâ—ly to the end of the way as he that journyed at mid-day with open eyes this bragging would make him but more ridiculous in the eye of any reasonable man such are these God hath given them the lanterne of his word and direction of his most wise Spirit to guide them the way is darke if they stray but a little on the right or left hand they are dashed in peeces against the stumbling stone and fall into perdition but they refuse the word hearken not to their owne reason but following their sense like bruit beasts wilfully proceed till they fall headlong into everlasting destruction both of body and soule would they take the word along with them they would soone perceiue their wilfull errour That would tell them Faith purifieth the heart Every man that hath this hope purgeth himselfe as hee is pure Purge out therefore the old leaven that yee may bee a new lumpe It will teach us This is the loue of God to keepe his commandements If any man loue mee hee will keepe my word The feare of the Lord is to hate evill Our reason if we would open the eyes of it would shew us that when wee trust upon any for matters of great importance and haue hung our hopes upon him wee will set our selues to please him and will do nothing which may kindle his anger and breed dislâ—ke of us that if we loue and feare our Prince wee will liue in his subjection and obedience to his lawes that if our children loue and feare us they will obserue what we commaund and deny their owne wills to content us Now what pleaseth our Lord Will he be pleased with thousands of rammes will hee be pleased with saying Lord Lord and calling our selues his servants He hath shewed thee oh man what is good in his sight and what the Lord requireth of thee surely to doe justly to loue mercy and to humble thy selfe to walke with thy God to doe the will of thy Father in heaven Mat. 7. 21. That humble and subject denying thy selfe that is thine owne wisedome to bâ—e governed by his word thy lusts to bee ruled by his will this is that which God delights in Now then when men will folâ—ow their owne conceits and deceits in matter of religion without the word when they will walke after their owne hearts when they cannot bee brought to forsake so much as open grosse and palpable sinnes knowne and confessed but still walke in them is this to walke with God or can any man who hath any light from God in his word nay from his owne reason not see here his wicked and deceitfull heart that perswades him all is well when hee is yet in the very bond of iniquitie and gall of bitternesse The carelesnes of men in the weightiest matter which can concâ—rne them must heere be rebuked They make no doubt at all of obteining the kingdome of God There is no question they thinke and say of all this well what is the ground of this so strong confidence Certainly it is a Castle in the ayre without any foundation but onely a presumptuous conceit of an idle braine Had the Spirit planted in them this perswasion the flesh would lay batterie to it and labour to weaken it objecting an hundred feares and shaking it with wavering nay the Spirit also would make this advantage of the enemie to use more diligence to make their calling and election sure by fortifying that which is weake and adding grace unto grace But this is the device and worke of Satan that strong man who having possession keepes all in his peace The Devill having got them in this his cradle of presumptuous securitie rockes them in sleepe of sinne by this pleasing dreame and were their eyes never so little open that one sparke of spirituall light might enter they could not but see how they are besotted For aske them Is not eternall life the gift of God They cannot deny it And on whom doth hee bestow it but on his faithfull servants And how doe wee serue him but in holinesse and righteousnesse Doe you thus serue him Is swearing profaning the Lords day by doing our owne will neglecting nay despising the word Sacraments prayer publike and private are these any parts of holinesse Is lying railing cursing spightfull dealing stealing c. any part of righteousnesse Doe you not liue in these or some of these sinnes doe you keepe your mouth as with a bridle feare an oath detest a slander as well as a slanderer Doe you tremble and rejoyce in the word do you coÌ„tinue in prayer c. Here they haue no other refuge but those miserable fig-leanes which cannot hide their nakednesse Are you say they without your faults wee cannot be Saints on earth c. To reply to these poore shifts No man liues without sinne but thousands even all the faithfull liuâ— not in sinne they serue not sinne in the lusts of
and Sardinia would bee soone at his commaund The other consented but still askâ—d what then should be done Hereplies that thâ—n Africke could not hold out but might easily be conquered But Cineas still pursues him with the old question what he would doe then He againe answered that when all these Countries were subdued Graecia would soone bee brought under his yoke But being againe demaunded what he purposed to doe then he apprehending the Oratours intention and smiling replied Then Cineas we will rest and be merrie The Oratour wisely answered that may you do now without all this danger trouble to your selfe and others Certainely this Heathen by the light of reason easily saw and excellently taught the miserable folly of wicked men who projecting beyond the Moone and vexing themselues and thousands others by their wicked entâ—rprises at length with long fishing catch a frogge and attaine no more then what they might haue long before enjoyed with lesse labour and trouble to themselues and others The wicked are like the raging sea that cannot rest and yet when his breath departeth and he returneth to his earth if not before all his thoughts perish 2. All the policies wisest counsels and subtill devises of men if they are not squared out according to the rule of Gods wisedome in the word are very foolishnes and nothing else but idle dreames of a sottish braine your turning of devises shall it not bee esteemed as the potters clay The wisedome of this world is foolishnesse with God A man cannot be established by wickednes That devise of Ieroboam refusing the advise of God by Abyah not suffering the people to carry their sacrifices to Ierusalem there to worship thrusting the Priests and Levites out of their possession as favourers of the kingdom of David with them Gods worship was in the sight of man sound policie but being opposite to the word was and so proved the notablest folly in the world wrought the contrary end not the establishing his house and kingdome as he intended but the utter subversion of it The subtile plot of Iezabel for compassing Naboths vineyard who by painting her face had learned to colour her foul murther with shewes of pietie cloaking perjurie and bloud under the vaile of religion fasting and Gods honour carried a good shew in the eye of man and prospered in the immediate end but not in that which she puâ—posed ir was the ruine of herselfe and the whole familie Achitophels counsell was very craftie but it snared his owne necke in an halter Nay even some of Gods children when they haue forgot themselues and leaving this rule of pietie searched out wicked policies haue beene brought to much trouble by it as Abraham endangered his wiues chastitie by his equivocation David heaped up many mischiefs on himselfe and his familie by covering his adulterie with murther and Iehosaphats politicke marriage for combining those two sister Kingdomes proved the greatest affliction that ever that Kingdome tasted Neither is it possible it should be otherwise for First in all motions the third followes the second and the second the first And in the heavenly revolutions though the sphears of the starres in their proper motion bend from west to east yet because the first mover is swiftly carried from east to west these also being drawn along by it in their daily motion proceed from east to west though in their yeerely motion they are moved contrary so howsoever the hearts of men being prone to all wickednesse in their own intentions are inclinable to all mischiefe yet because the most just God sits at the sterne and directs all the enterprises of all creatures and carries all their actions to his owne ends hence is it that they cannot accomplish their owne purposes nor bring their devises to effect Secondly Certaine is it that the Iudge of all the world cannot doe any thing unjustly nor suffer evill Now there is no understanding or counsell against the Lord therfore though many devises are in the heart of man yet Gods counsell shall stand And it is ceâ—taine that God resisteth the â—roud 1 Pet. 5. 5. musters all his forces and stands in battle-array against them as it is in the originall see also Esay 8. 9. 10. and Psal. 9. 15. 16â— especially Psal. 33. 10. 11. when all the world Princes and people banded themselues and assembled against the Lord and against his Christ the Lord derided all their counsell broke all their opposition and in spite of their resistance set up his King upon Sion not by an armie or by strength but by his Spirit choosing the foolish and weake things even a few fishers armed with no other weapons but the net of his word contemned as folly among men to confound the wise and strong and to bring every thought in subjection to Christ. Thirdly As is the sâ—ed such must bee the fruit if then the counsell bee evill the effect and successe of it cannot bee good to any and commonly is worst to him that conceiues it Hee that sowes to the flesh shall of the flesh reape corruption They that sow the wind shall reape the whirl wind so that even the experience of all men hath brought it to a proverbe Evill counsell heapes most evill on the Counsellour Witnesse that infamous conspiracie of Papists the most bloody craftie malicious and every way devillish counsell that ever the world heard which though so long carried with admirable secresie amongst so many yet was the ruine of the Complotters and the everlasting shame of that Satanicall Synagogue who haue in an high measure justified it in canonizing an hand so died in bloud and so deepe in this savage enterprise and haue fitted a strawie Saint to a religion of stubble yet thus farre may hee well bee called a Martyr that he is and ever shall bee a witnesse to this truth namely that the whore of Rome is bloodie impudent and ashamed of nothing and how well Antichrist agrees with Satan who was a murtherer from the beginning 3. Learn here what is prosperitie which men so eagerly pursue and hunt after 1. Therefore it doth not consist in temporal things were all the blessings of this life heaped upon one person grace denied him though he shall go on in this estate till hee went out into another world hee cannot be truely accounted a prosperous man for wicked men prosper in these things yet no wicked man hath here prosperitie as here is affirmed and hath beene many wayes proved For as man consisteth as well of soule as body so his prosperitie is as well of the soule as body 3. Iob. 2. Nay because the soule is the most principall part hence prosperitie of body without that of the soule cannot make a man prosperous A man of excellent stature proportion and beautie but a foole is no excellent man And as in the body if some limbes
whatsoever hee will in heaven and earth 4. His infallible truth that cannot lie or deceiue Heaven and earth shall passe but not one word that hee hath spoken Proposition 5. In the second part of this verse the Prophet sets downe the cursed estate of the wicked by a plaine but excellent comparison of chaffe driven with the winde where the proposition is evident namely The Spirit and the Prophet by the Spirit affirmeth the wicked to bee as chaffe driven with the winde For opening the words consider what is this chaffe and what is the resemblance betweene the chaffe and the wicked and also what answers in this comparison to the winde 1. This word chaffe doth not signifie the huske covering the graine of which though there is not much yet is some use but that dust which by beating of the corne rises from the chaffe those aâ—omes as we may call them or motes of the chaffe which are altogether unprofitable and which we fan out and cast away 2. But what is the resemblance betweene them Not to be curious 1. The chaffe groweth up in the same field and is brought home into the same barne with the wheat so wicked hypocrites are in the same visible Church and are mingled in the Congregation of the Saints 2. The chaffe and wheat are both beaten with the same flaile and the wheat purged by it but the chaffe turned into dust and filth so the wicked and saithfull are partakers of the same gracious word and rods and the Saints are indeed refined and clensed by it the wicked grow worse and worse 3. This chaffe-dust is profitable no way noysome many wayes it hurts our eyes spreads our garments with filth thus there is no good to be reaped from wicked persons but much hurt they will hinder us in our light they will draw us to defile our garments 4. Every Husbandman will separate in his time the chaffe from the wheat so will Christ make a separation betweene the Goats and the sheepe 5. Lastly in that separation the chaffe is destroyed and consumed so in that day of the Lord the wicked shall bee burned with unquenchable fire 3. The winde in this similitude is compared to the judgements of God either in this or in the other life in this afflictions and troubles without and within in the other their finall condemnation So that the sense is Howsoever wicked men are in the Church partakers of the same ordinances of God yet receiue they no profit by them but become altogether unprofitable noysome therefore God will in his time separate them cast them into utter perdition of body and soule Proofe See Psal. 35. 5. Esay 17. 13. Ier. 15.7 Mat. 13. 12. Grounds are 1. In God Hee seeth not as man seeth but beholdes the heart and thâ—refore that which is highly esteemed by man is despised by God 2. In the Prophet his knowledge gotten in the Sanctuarie which we haue so often mentioned 1. Heere wee learne that a wicked man or woman is profitable for nothing but many wayes noysome to all and in all respects To that end here compared by the Spirit to chaffe or dust of chaffe so in that whole chapter Ezekiel resembled to the wood of an unfruitfull vine which cannot so much as make a pin to hang up any vessel and by our Saviour to a tree that bringing no fruit cumbers the ground They are altogether unprofitable Rom. 3 12. In respect of God they bring to him nothing but dishonour Ezek. 36. 20. Rom. 2. 24. In respect of any country they are the very banes of common wealths not onely by infecting whole countries with corrupt manners as scabby sheepe but plucking the wrath of God upon it Ier. 5.7.9 Thus wicked Princes and namely Ieroboam brought infinite plagues upon that people One Achan can trouble all Israel pernicious are they to the families in which they liue as was that Achan and infinite others nay to their owne both soules and bodies Pro. 11. 5. 6. The very earth as it was at first so since is often cursed for them Esa. 24 5.6 Psal. 107.34 The very earth is defiled by thâ—m iâ— sicke of them till it hath spned them out Levit. 18. 25â— 27. 28. It is also apparent in reason For 1. Who caâ— thinke it possible that he should be good to any other who is altogether evil in himself for himself or shoulâ— bring any profit to any who is wholy unprofitable 2. The curse and vengeance of God cannot but continually follow him and wait upon him that as a blessing comes in with a righteous Ioseph so with wicked Ahab and his societie a curse may come to a good Iehosaphat 3. As their companie is very infectious so our nature very catching Sin and wickednesse is that which most aviles and debases a man in the eye of God neither indeed is there any thing which iustly breedes and bringes contempt upon a man but sin neither any man or creature so base and contemptible as a sinfull and wicked creature Looke as brasse or copper mingled with gold tinne or leade with silver makes it base so that it is reiected and will not goe currant so doth the wickednesse of a man or nation see Ier. 6.28 29. 30. Ezek. 22. 18. Psal. 119. 119. They are reprobate silver brasse tinne drosse Nay even holy men how much more the most holy God can account wicked men vile and despise them in that respect Psal. 15.4 Hence are they called Bastards Heb. 12. 8. and continually compared to the most abject and loathsome creatures To dogs and swine 2. Pet. 2.22 to Serpents Psal. 58.4 their heart to a raging sea foaming out mire Esa. 57. 20 their throat is an open sepulchre belching out stinke and rottennesse Psal. 5. 9. Nay indeede to very dung Mal. 2. 3. and meere corruption Psal. 5. 9. Evident reason will further coÌ„fesse and confirme this truth For basenesse is nothing else but a degeneration or fall from that excellencie which is natiue to any creature Thus coynes are said to be embased or men when they are cast downe from any dignitie or honour which formerly they enioyed Now wicked men are wholy degenerate from that exellencie of their creation being borne Sonnes of God and deiected themselves under not onely other creatures but the basest of creatures Satan and worse then any creature Sinne it selfe being once the rulers over all the creatures and now become vassals to their owne filthy and noysome lusts In which regarde it is manifest that every creature the wicked Spirits onely excepted is far more noble then a wicked man Certainely in the â—oad and Serpent there remaines yet that sense and life in which they were created But man is altogether dead and rotten in respect of that life of grace in which he was made having lost not onely the noble sense of spirituall seeing but that necessary sense also of feeling altogether
senselesse in that life of holinesse in which he was formed at first and conformed to God 2. No circumstantiall accident or qualitie but such as are inherent can debase or vilifie any substance Gold were it covered all over with durt not the lesse precious but any mixture of baser mettall makes it of lesse worth Thus neither povertie contempt of men weaknes of body are any iust causes of despising in all which estates we reade of heathens honourable in the eyes of their coaevals and many Christians glorious in the eyes of God and men But sinne being once rooted in man is such an inherent qualitie as eats out of him whatsoever is perfectly good as holines perverting the best natures to most evill It strips the body of that glory and maiesticall beautie in which it was framed and covers it with shamfull nakednes It robs the soule of all those glorious endowments with which it was gorgeously apparelled by the Creatour and brings upon it a most miserable povertie and loathsome deformitie Certainely as wilfull rebellion against an earthly Prince taints the blood and abases the whole stocke making them of noble vile of rich poore so that they instantly lose all civill priviledge and preferment so the treason and rebellion against the King of heaven by sinne casteth man downe from that height of dignitie which he enioyed in his service and onely by his favour to the lowest and basest degree of all the creatures Howsoever wicked men may flourish in the eyes of carnall persons and even reigne upon â—arth in an outward false prosperitie howsoever they are so mingled in the church that they cannot many times be discerned by man yet the judgments of God will surely finde and single them out and bring them in due time to utter confusion This is here somewhat darkly in a comparison but very strongly confirmed when they are resmbled to chaffe before the wind for as the dust of chaffâ— lies safely with the good graine while it is not movâ—d and stirred but whâ—n it is fanned or the winde let in it presently is scattered and peâ—isheth so the wicked in the day of peace till the Lord ariseâ—h to judgment lie secure and seeme to prosper but when the Lord takes his fanne into his hand and purgeth his floore how suddenly are they consumed Read Ier. 30. 23. 24. Amos 9. 9. 10. Esay 41. 15. 16. Hosea 13. 3. Psal. 92â—6 7 and 140. 11. Looke as dogges pursuing an Hare or Deere follow incessantly and though they flie from one starting hole to another yet never giue over till they take and destroy them so shall the judgements of God pursue the wicked though they seeme to escape some evils yet shall they certainely bee followed till they are utterly consumed Thus when Ahab had sold himselfâ— to doe wickedly first a long drouth and famine findes him out starts and pursues him when he had escaped that the sword followes him when there through the mercie and long suffering of God calling to repentance hee had gotten the better and now by wicked policie had setled his kingdome and made way to his tyrannie in the bloud of Naboth the fearefull threatnings of God overtake him and fill his soule with fright and horrour when hee now through a fained repentance had winded out of that miserie yet the vengeance of God so closely hunted him that in spight of all warnings he falls by the sword of the Syrians the dogges licke up his bloud and eate up all his familie Thus Iehoram sonne of Iehosaphat 2 Chron. 21. being a wicked King is first put up by the Edomites then hunted by the Arabians lost his goods his sonnes his wiues lastly a sore and tedious disease overtakes him and at length pulls out his very guts with grievous torments and the reason a most necessary and infallible cause of this effect is that justice and office of God being Iudge of all the world 2. Take hence a sure tryall of thy estate Thou art borne under the Covenant and in the Church but know the chaffe springs and ripens with the graine thou art a member of the visible Church the chaffe is brought in with the corne thou enjoyest the meanes of eternall life the word Sacraments rods in afflictions but the chaffe and wheat are beaten and sifted together But therefore passing by such common workes which agree as well to the reprobate as to the godly examine and try how these ordinary meanes worke upon thee and what effect thou seest proceed from them The flaile beats out the corne and the fanne purifies it if then thou art one of those whom that great Husband-man will gather into his Granaries the word of God shall separate thee from the heap of worldly men and it together with the fatherly chastisements of God shall continually purge and clense thy heart from the sinfull drosse which is in it If then thou findest the word and these rods thus to worke on thee thou art safe Dost thou then every day see more cause of dislike in thy selfe in thy wayes learnest to abhorre thy selfe denie thy self judge thy selfe Do those chastisements of God weane thy heart from the vanities of this life and the flatteries of this world so that thou accountest all things dung in comparison of the knowledge of Christ his death and resurrection working in thee the death of sinne and life of grace These are good signes of life and health when the wind blowes dost thou not fliâ— out of the floore and embracest the world Looke to thy selfe and bee not deceived with thâ—se ordinarie notes common to good and bad 1. Those are here cenâ—ured that choose rather to bee the dust of chaffe then the corne and will not bee perswaded to come out of that cursed condition How many are there who flatter themselues in their wayes untill their abominable wickednesse be found out by the judgements of God They giue up their hearts to the world follow the sinfull profits and pleasures of it and will not be perswaded to delight in the word of God or the good way pointed out by that word as long as they feele not the curse and alas how should they feele being past all feeling they despise the threatnings of God and lie downe in their mire which not onely fills them with filth and prepares them to endlesse miserie but defiles the land and brings a curse upon all that are neere them 2. Those that cannot bee intreated to separate themselues from such companie wher not only it is impossible to receiue any profit or good but where they shall surely smart with them When they heare the warning of Gods Spirit Depart from the foolish man when thou perceivest not in him the lippes of knowledge they are deafe and stop their eares Thus wee see many ignorant soules continue in Babylon till they partake of her plagues and bring an old house as we say and they felt upon their heads And many simple people
there should bee a God and that ungodly persons counsels and actions should prosper but seing God his counsell decrees and honour must stand theirs must fall Haman and Mordecai cannot stand together much lesse God and ungodly persons They are but as a potters vessell and he crushes them with a scepter of iron they cannot therefore but be broken in peices 1. Here may we admire and detest that strong folly of men which desire resoâ—ue and delight to bee in their societie and condition which is thus hated rejected and scorned by God For doe they not know that wicked persons living in open rebellion against the lawes of God are by God rejected and hated are they ignorant that they liue and so purpose to liue in this estate they can denie neither yet shall no perswasion bring them out from their resolution but thus they haue and thus they will continue They heare the threatning and thundring word of God The sacrifice of the wicked is abomination to the Lord and all their wayes The froward in heart are abomination to the Lord therefore though hand joyne in hand they shall not be unpunished They heare their owne souâ—es testifie while thou livest in this rebellion neglect and restraint of prayer contempt of the word breach of the Sabboth swearing lying drinking thou art a most accursed creature They heare the gâ—acious promise of God I Haue no desire that the wicked should die shall he not live if he returne from his evill way and that loving invitation Why will you die yet are they so bewitched with the harlotry of sinne and so besotted in their miserie that neither Gods word nor their owne reason can perswade them to forsake their confessed but plâ—asing death and miserie for a confessed life and happinesse This wretched behaviour hath no other fountaine but either Atheisme or unbeliefe For either they denie God in their hearts or at least which is all one fancie him idle and not regarding without any care or providence or else they giue no credit in heart to those threats and promises of God Certainely many delude themselues with a conceit of mercie even in the highest rebellion and especially with the thought of turning at better leasure nothing doubting but that if they haue time to say Lord haue mercie on mee all will be well with them In humane affaires because the displeasure of the Prince is as the roaring of a Lion hence whatsoever may bring them into disgrace they will carefully avoid and if they haue incurred his anger what will they not doe to appease his wrath and procure his favour But their contrarie behaviour to God cannot but argue a contrary perswasion 2. The vaine labour of worldly men hunting so hotly and eagerly pursuing wicked Mammon It is wonderfull to see the brutish nay more thâ—n beastly sencelesnesse of professed Christians this way with what incredible paines and delight they follow after the fading world If either the word had not made them know or their owne experience confirmed to them the vanity and vexation of all earthly things if they knew not they should carrie nothing away with them there might bee some shew of excuse in such people But when they denie not that truth yet to take such paines for a fading vexing vanitie which even now in it selfe is nothing worth but in the eyes of fooles and instantly will bee nothing at all is more folly then can sute with a reasonable creature For to seeke and search for wicked riches and pleasures that is to pursue our owne destruction what madnesse is beyond it what marvaile to see a foole child or Lunatike to delight in some hurtfull thing Alas they want the use of that reason which should direct them But for a creature able to use his reason for a Christian that enjoyes the light of understanding nay of the word and Spirit thus to do at it passeth the conceit of a man how they should bee wrought to it Can any man plead ignorance and say I knew not that I should forsake this life and the appurtenances of it I knew not that riches haue wings as an Eagle I knew not it was as a spiders webbe Esay 59. 6. Iob 8. 14. 15. that my honours profits pleasures should perish and all my thoughts and labours vanish like a cloud What Christian but must confesse I know that good men shall leaue an inheritance to their childrens children but the riches of the wicked are layd up for the just If the wicked heape up silver as the dust and prepare raiment as the clay hee may prepare it but the just shall put it on and hee shall divide the silver The riches of vanitie shall diminish Nay the happinesse of the wicked shall destroy them yet will they by fraud cousonage oppression lies perjuries and all manner of wickednesse labour to inrich themselues and bee loaded with thicke clay How true and fearefull is that saying That gathering of treasures by a deceitfull tongue is vanitie tossed to and fro of them that seeke death Our experience of Gods curse upon such wicked substance hath begotten a proverbe that ill got goods never prosper yet as if joy comfort life and happinesse wholy consisted in earthly things so doe men runne and poast after them To shut up all in a word of exhortation use all diligence and labour to come out of this cursed estate I do not wish thee to looke out and long for happinesse nature and selfe loue will enforce this desire and thou canst as well remoue hunger and thirst from thy body as this wish of happines from thy soule But as thou desirest to be blessed so seeke it in the right way Hearken not to ungodly counsels giue no credit to the vaine perswasions of unexperienced guides never acquainted with true blessednes or the way that leads to it Trust in the Lord thy God and thou shalt be assured beleeve his Prophets and thou shalt prosper Say to thy soule Art not thou spirituall and immortall aâ—d are not all these things in this world in which ungodly persons place their happinesse carnall sensuall and perishing in the use and is it possible that an immortall Spirit can be blessed by enjoying things fleshly and fading Doth not thy excellencie consist in likenesse to thy Creator and Redeemer and in his divine nature and how then should sinfull men and counsels directing thee or rather plunging thee in the mirie wayes of worldly Mammon wicked riches advancements and pleasures bring thee to this thy happinesse When I heare or read of an humane creature mingling himselfe with a beast I disdaine loath I detest his filthinesse and account him for the greater beast of the twaine eveâ— an abominable monster If thou then an heavenly and glorious substance shalt dote upon earth and dung canst thou esteeme thy selfe any other then a prodigie or monster in nature Oh then learne with an
for motiues consider the diâ—ference betwixt these conditions and estates of men excellently resembled in those two types those two Countries so contrary AEgypt and Canaan Read it set out to thee Deut. 11. 10.11 12. 2. Consider the disposition of every creature No man will refuse to flit from a dwelling in which he sees and findes many discommodities to a place wher he shall enjoy an happy estate and liue in health and plentie If thou desirest to know the meanes it is by receiving the word grafted with meekenesse Iam. 1.21 Now this meeknesse is that Christian vertue which proceeding from humilitie and being opposite to frowardnesse and stubbornnesse of heart bends and bowes our soules in all gentlenesse to the yoake of Christ as acknowledging him the just Commaunder our selues his subjects and servants Proposition 2. The second proposition in this verse drawne from the properties is Hee that delights and meditates in the word of God day night is like to a tree that bringeth forth fruit in season whose leafe shall never fade In which are two especiall things making up and accomplishing the happinesse of the faithfull soule which seekes the Lord in his word 1. The effects and fruits following this planting and watering 2. The perseverance or continuance in this estate The effects are two 1. in this life the fruit of grace 2. in the other the fruitioÌ„ of glory For I take it as certaine that the Spirit here intendeth both as well because glory is the especiall part of our blessednesse here described as also because this bringing forth fruit in season will rather agree to that perfect fruit which we receiue in glory then the other No sooner is the tree transplanted but fruit instantly followes but the perfection and full ripenesse of it is not here gathered but hereafter in heaven Some here resemble faith to the leafe but that being the speciall fruit of grace cannot fitly be thus compared The purpose of the Spirit without all question by the never-fading leafe is to expresse the ever-flourishing estate and life of the godly It is not therefore necessary to descend to any particular and in this similitude to liken any one thing in the faithfull to this leafe but sufficient that as the tree whose leafe is ever green continually flourisheth and even in the midst of winter liues and prospers so the godly in the most troublesome stormes of all tryall and tentation shall pâ—rsevere in this spirituall life and even then shall sucke that heavenly sap from Christ and openly flourish in an holy profession Now I see not any difficultie in these words but onely it may seeme doubtfull in what sense these fâ—uits of grace and glory are said to bee produced in season For that of glory the season is only knowne to God who hath put the times and seasons in his owne power and brings forth this fruit in some sooner in some later as seemes best to his owne wisedome onely this may bee observed that as the Palmâ— ripens his fruit not suddainely but is three yeeres longer then any tree concocting and mellowing it before it come to full maturitie so it pleaseth the Lord not instantly to ripen this fruit of his Spirit and perfect us in compleat holinesse but often by a slow progresse and no hasty growth brings us to that supreame happines and full perfection For that other fruit namely of grace ordinarily it is interpreted as opposed too those to hasty fruits which suddainely ripening and before due time are of no use but sowre and unsauorie of which we use to say in the proverbe soone ripe soone rotten Leaving to every one his owne sense so farre as it is not repugnaâ—t to the rule of faith I doe not willingly consent to this interpretation First because I cannot easily beleeue that any spirituall fruit can either spring grow or ripen too soone and am perswaded that it is the proverbe of Satan hatched in hell A young Saint an old Divell Secondly because even that caâ—kasse of faith which is in hypocrites who are the stony ground is but a blade no fruit a blade without a roote as is evident in the parable I would rather â—nderstand it as thus intended As there are many fruits of the Spirit so are they not all producâ—d at one time some presently shew themselues but other some spring not till a long time after onely the seed and roote of them is in the heart but the fruit appeares not and yet in due time the fruit shall follow The sense then is this He that delights and meditates in the word shall not onely fructisie in grace and attaine in good time every good gift of the Spirit but shall certainly in Gods season grow to a further degree of ripenesse and at length to a full maturitie and glorious holinesse and this fruitfull and glorioâ—s estate shall not decay the fruit of grace shall not utterly perish but shall surely end in endlesse and perfect glory See for proofe Ierem. 17. 8. Thus when the word is rightly heard fruit followes Luke 8. 15. no lesse fruit springs from this seede then life yea everlasting life Iohn 4. 24. The grounds or reasons may be 1. The grace of God in electing you haue not chosen mee but I haue chosen you and ordained that you should bring forth fruit and your fruit shall remaine 2. The blessed Spirit working in it Gal. 5.22 3. The nature of the word which God hath made to be as seed now every seed hath a vertue and force to produce the like 4. The materiall and maine cause is the roote that beareth us even Christ Rom. 11. 18. see Iohn 15.4.5 Looke then as the tree such is the branch thus the Lord Iesus being full of grace which was delt unto him not by measure Iohn 3. 34. distributes to every one which is grafted into him that measure which is requisite for that part which he holds in his body Iohn 1. 16. Ephe. 4. 16. And seeing himselfe being risen from the dead dieth no more Rom. 6. 9. he giues this never-fading life to those who are his members Iohn 6. 37. 56. 57. 58. Learne then here for instruction that it is altogether impossible that soule should be barren in spirituall fruit which delights and meditates in the word of God Now as in earthly so in these heavenly fruits there are many kindes and every kind diversified into other The chiefe of the spirituall are godlinesse righteousnes and sobrieâ—ie In godlinesse sundry and divers particulars some which we receiue and returne not some which we both receiue and returne Of the first sort the chiefe is peace a fruit wonderfully pleasant I haue read of some fruits which haue so affected the tast that the whole body hath instantly felt a sudden alteration and even shook and shuddered with the delight it received Sure I am no fruit in earthly Paradise could compare with this peace Oh when an
afflicted soule which hath beene long schorched with that hellish flame the sense of Gods wrath for sinne drinkes downe this peace in a full draught of that bloud which is drinke indeed it is impossible for any man to utter nay to conceiue the content it enjoyes but onely those who by experience haue felt it How sweetly doe they rest as new borne babes in a delightfull cradle of heavenly ease and tranquillitie leaning themselues as the beloved Disciple on the bosome of Christ while glorious Angels sing about them Peace on earth good will toward men Another of those fruits is joy springing from the former nothing inferiour nay aboue the other It is unspeakable and glorious It remoues all sense of corporall evill changes scourges rackings and all manner of torment so that as things very tart bitter by being boyled in sugar become very sweete and delightfull so all these grievances seasoned by this over-ruling joy are wholy altered and the most extreame pangs are turned into ease and pleasure Oh how the soule by it is delighted ravished and even here on earth transported for a time into a third heaven In the second kind are knowledge loue feare of God faith and delight in him with many other In righteousnesse brotherly loue patience gentlenesse goodnesse and many such like comming from the same stocke In sobrietie temperance in meats and drinkes modestie in apparell and moderation in all bodily comforts and refreshings Now in none of these is that soule barreÌ„ which effectually converseth with the word of God For the grace of God which bringeth salvation teacheth us to deny ungodlines and worldly lusts and that we should liue godlily righteousty soberly in this present world Let us descend to the particulars 1. Peace is brought home to us by the word preached Ephe. 2. 17. 2 Cor. 5. 19. so likewise joy instantly followes the word and accompanies it and enters with it into Cities Families and the hearts of people see Acts 8. 8. 39. and 16. 34. Iohn 15. 11. So also for the knowledge oâ— God it comes onely from the word and our exercising our selues in it hence called the word of knowledge Thus the Scripture of the Prophets made knowne the misterie of Christ but much more cleerely the preaching of the Gospell Rom. 16. 25. 26. see Iohn 17. 6. 7. 8. Thus meditation in the word teacheth us the feare of the Lord Deut. 17. 19. and 31. 12. 13. So to loue the Lord is the maine lesson which is continually pressed upon us by the word and which enters with it where it is effectually received see Iohn 15. 10. so Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word And when we delight in the Sabboth wee come to delight in God Esay 58. 13. 14. Thus brotherly loue and all the fruits proceeding from it come by the word 1 Thes. 4.9 Thus likewise that sobrietie and temperance in the use of the creature is taught us by that word and he that is taught as the truth is in Iesus cannot liue wantonly Ephe. 4. 19. 20. 21. So when the Gospell had a right passage in the Colossians it was fruitfull among them and all that heard it see Colos. 1. 6. He that heareth and understandeth the word will be fruitfull Mat. 13. 23. Sure it is that every naturall cause will bring forth his ordinary effect if it be not over-ruled by some higher power or hindered in working by some defect in it selfe or want of some helpe necessary to concurre with it Now then this seed of Gods word being his power to salvation and used by his Spirit not onely as seed but as water nay as fire also to caâ—l forth â—he vertue of that which is sowen being assisted by such an Husbandman who both knows how to use it and can resist all impediments cannot but yeeld that fruit which hee intends and appoints Esay 55. 10. 11. Iohn 15. 1. 2. Theâ—e is no study but will to a man very dull if he employ his time much in it bring some profit certaine therefore it is that the heart which with delight and continuall meditation doth exercise himselfe in that word which God hath given to bee his wisedome to traine us up in the right knowledge of God and in the practice of a Christian life will bring us though in nature dull of hearing and very fooles in understanding to some good measure of knowledge and by continuall use increase that wisdome which it hath begun to worke in us Psal. 19. 7. and 119.98 99. 2. In that the spirituall fruit is compared to the fruit of the Palme let us especially learne in this similitude that as the fruit of that tree is some yeares before it come to perfection and is much longer ripening then any other so the fruit of the Spirit doth not presently attaine to maturitie but very often incrâ—aseth very slowly and is long before it come to that full growth and perfection to which it is ordained in which respect the Kingdome of God is compared to a graine oâ— mustard seed the least of seeds and the greatest of herbes the beginnings of it are but weake and yet by little and unsensible degrees it growes to wonderfull strength even in this life see also that parable Mark .4 26. 27. 28. Surely the Husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth and hath long patience for it untill he receiue the former and latter raine well therefore may we waite upon our God expect his leasure with patience for the fruit of heaven The Apostles had faith to forsake all and follow Christ yet when they had long followed him and had seene his glory in so many miracles so powerfull preaching nay even simple in it owne shape and much excellence upon the mount they had but little faith when we heare the Prophet David after so long study in the law still call for knowledge and opening his eyes Psal. 119.18.27 when we see the Apostle professe that he had not attained but followes hard this truth is manifestly cleered unto us Let none marveil at this for we see the like in all creatures As any is more excellent then other and longer lived so is he more slow in growing and attaining his perfection Those beasts which liue but a shorter time sooner come to ripenesse but as man is farre beyond them so is hee more slow of growth and even in man we may obserue that in the beginning when they lived eight or nine hundred yeares they slowly attained to ripenes and full age and were commonly an hundred or sixtie yeares before they had any childreÌ„ Gen. 5. Seing therfore this new creature is far the most excellent of long life even for ever and ever we cannot wonder if it come on in some very slowly Again as any creature receiveth digesteth more or lesse sustenance so is it more or lesse speedy in growth now the word of