couetous when he hath gotten goods the Prodigall hauing satiate his soule with the huskes of pleasures the ambitious when he hath climbed to the highest pitch of honour thinke they liue the onely Iouiall life and yet all dwell and breathe in the chambers of death and as the Apostle speakes are dead while they be aliue no better than walking ghosts in the formes of liuing men Let such buy and build plow and sow marry and beget many children yet the vntimelie birth is better than they The basest life exceedes as much the best meere being as Adam the red earth whereon his body was made but this life excels all others Gods only excepted more than men do beasts or Angels Deuils Why then let the worth of it moue thee the withering of this is worse than the death of the Gourd of Ionah And will not this consideration that all thy actions are but as so many beautifull sinnes and distastfull vnto the Lord set thee a worke to obtaine it Then call to mind how it maketh all things beautifull and well pleasing to the eye Will not our flesh tremble to see a body without a soule the teeth closed the eyes open the lips shrunke and the bloud set blacke and swart in the face and members is not such an obiect odious to man Euen so yea worse are we being dead in sinne to God and good persons Yet if all that 's said will not moue thee to this then know No life here no escape of death hereafter And immortalitie We collect hence that Life spirituallis eternall Doct. 10. It is not like the Lillies that flourish to day and wither to morrow Methushelah liued long yet died at the age of 969. but he that once hath the life of grace shall see no corruption Mortality shall put on immortalitie and though the body perish yet this life is in the soule being a more excellent subiect for as he that puts off his apparell doth not leaue his naturall life in it so he that layes downe the body loseth not the life of grace and immortalitie with it For as the naturall life is in the body not in the apparell so the spirituall life is in the soule not in the dead corpse after the separation Mat 19. 29. Mark 10. 17. Ioh. 5. 24. 1 Cor 15. 53. For Christ hath purchased eternall redemption Heb. 9. 12. Reas 1. Christ was a holy person yea God aswell as man and he obeyed freely these two made the satisfaction of Christ sufficient And there is a proportion betweene Adams sinne and Christs sufferings 1. Finite sinne offending Adam Christ Adam Christ Adam Christ 1. Finite suffering satisfying 2. Finite sinne offended the infinite God 2. Finite suffering satisfied the infinite God 3. Finite sinne infinitely offended the infinite God 3. Finite suffering infinitely satisfied the infinite God So that life must be infinite because the satisfaction was infinite in value and worth and equall to the offence in remouing eternall death God hath promised eternall life and hee is faithfull and Reas 2. cannot denie himselfe 1 Ioh 2. 25. Christ from whom this life is deriued liueth for euer and Reas 3. maketh intercession Heb 7. 25. Reu 1. 18. Else it were better with the wicked than the faithfull of all Reas 4. men they were most miserable 1 Cor. 15. 19. And the word is called eternall 1 Pet. 1. vlt. And we read of an eternall house an eternall weight an eternall kingdome an eternall crowne and an eternall inheritance This 1. Confutes those heretikes that hold the soule is Vse 1. mortall 2. the Papists also who say that a man may haue true spirituall life and lose it But we see that Christ hath brought life and immortality or immortall life and if this life should end then it were mortall This makes also for the comfort of such whose friends Vse 2. are departed in the Lord why be of good cheare they are not dead but liue for God is not the God of the dead but of the liuing This vse is of great vse were it well vsed This likewise might and ought to encourage all to goe Vse 3. on with cheerefulnes and Christian resolution and not be afraid of death seeing after it followeth eternall life death like a dore le ts the soule passe a better roome of habitation And here we haue a strong motiue to moue vs to labour Vse 4. for this life Is it immortall incorruptible why then striue for it What man would not liue long why liue this life once and liue for euer and that thou maist thou must 1. Be vnited to Christ for euery branch that abideth not in Helpes to life spirituall him is cast out and withereth All spirituall life floweth from this coniunction For as the graft hath life from the vnion with the stocke so haue we from Christ Ioh. 15. 2. Heare the Gospell preached for the word of is God spirit and life and he that beares this voyce though he were dead yet shall be liue What though we cannot quicken our selues yet we may vse the meanes And the Angell may trouble the water and Christ come and heale vs when we are at the wels mouth and vnable to helpe ourselues 3. Pray often Dauid neere about 19. times in the hundred and nineteenth Psalme prayeth Lord quicken me Lord giue me the spirit of life c. Did he thus sure then it was good for him to be practised of all such as would be quickned and enliued Finally and aboue all things resist no good motion that thou hast in the vse of Gods ordinances or at any time else for this is to driue the author of all life from vs. Entertaine them therefore and kindle those sparks by obeying of them so shall thy soule liue and not dye Through the Gospell Here is manifested the instrumentall cause by which death is abolished and life brought vnto vs whence let this be noted that Though all grace come by Christ yet it is deriued vnto man by Doct. 11. meanes of the Gospell For that declareth how it may be attained and no other Reas 1. writing God giues his spirit with the Gospell not by the Law Reas 2. Gal 3. 2. and hence it is called the ministration of the spirit 2 Cor. 3. 8. This must worke in vs a loue to the Gospell and a care Vse 1. to continue it amongst vs. Had we but one herbe in our grounds that would cure all diseases would we not hedge about it water it and by all meanes seeke to preserue it it from perishing Why the Gospell is this herbe that tree whose leaues onely cure all the nations We must make much of them that bring this Physicke Vse 2. for the wounded spirit how should such men be respected Pray we that the word may runne and be scattered to the Vse 3. foure ends of the world otherwise death will reigne life
most preferment and the face of man but not one of a thousand in the first place the mercy of God But beloved let vs be of another mind striue we to haue Vse 2. this liquor shed abroad in our hearts to haue a sensible feeling of his tender mercy and sacred affection so shall we eat our bread with gladnesse and drinke our drinke with a chearfull heart be mercifull as our heavenly Father is mercifull to vs vnto our kinred and acquaintance the want of this causeth deadnes of affection doubting in the promise and rebellious disobedience both to God and man for wicked men are alwayes mercilesse men because that none can exhibitie that to another the which he hath not first received himselfe for as mercie is deriued vnto vs we accordingly deriue it to our brethren and now we proceeede to speake of Peace Peace Hence we also obserue that As grace and mercie so peace is a principall thing to be sought Doct. 7. for Take peace in what sence you please it will be worth the having Peace every where is commended and commanded 1. For the peace of God it passeth all vnderstanding 2. Peace Reas 1. with man is no small favour this made the face of Esau to Iacob looke like an Angell 3. In the dayes of Peace we may goe out build houses plant vineyards thriue and prosper 4. How soundly may we sleepe awake with ioy and runne into the Sanctuary when this double garment of externall and internall peace doe cover our beds and round about beset and guard our persons None know the worth of it but such as sometime haue wanted it and beene at warre with God and the creatures Away then with the courses of some who would be counted Vse 1. Christians that thinke not of it care not for it but of far greater blame are they worthie that seeke to set enmitie betweene God and man neighbour and neighbour Doe these seeke after peace Doe they wish it Or rather doe they not shut it out of place and person and set open the gates of warre and strife at all times every where These desire to swimme and fish in troubled waters and of their father the devill are they for his worke they delight to doe But let all the sonnes of peace pray for it entertaine it and Vse 2. make it their onely companion It s of great worth every way profitable What creature covets not peace Ioyeth not in it And shall not the reasonable desire it striue for it To liue and not to haue peace with man is vncomfortable but to be at warre with thy Conscience is most miserable its better not to be than not to haue rest peace Why could not David build the Lords house Why He wanted outward peace Why was Cain so netled in soule Why He had not inward peace Why are so many millions miserable Why They are not at peace with God and doth not experience tell vs that times of trouble hinder Traffique Let vs all then cry with the Prophet for our Ierusalem Peace be within thy wals and prosperitie within thy Psal 122. 7. pallaces Seeke to the God of peace for all kindes of peace Salute we our friends as Paul did his Grace mercy and peace be with you Say we to the house wherein wee set a foote Peace be vnto thee and if it be not worthy thou shalt not lose thy labour for it shall returne to thy selfe And thus much of this Point From the order of these words somewhat may further be observed as that Men without grace haue no true or sound peace Doct. 8. They haue a sound of feare in their eares quake at the shaking of a leafe tremble at the least terrible tydings and like the raging Sea cast vp mire and mudde There is no peace saith my God to the wicked Levit. 27. 36. Isa 57. vlt. Let the cause be removed and the effect will cease where fire is wanting heat will not be had and though some seeme to be ever at peace yet they are never at peace For they are fallen from the Creator God and its vnion Reas 1. with the Creator which giues rest to the creature if the foundation be not firme the building will reele and totter 2. And haue they faith No How then should such purchase and procure peace For onely justification by faith since the fall of man bringes sound and setled peace 3. And as they want faith so they haue no hope whereon to leane that their soules may finde peace 4. Adde to all this a guiltie and naughtie Conscience and how should they partake and be possessed of true-inward peace Gen. 4. 14. Dreame not then that all is peace that seemes so for what Vse 1. peace can a prophane person haue within him that wanteth faith and grace Nay how ever he cary the matter he is at warre within himselfe The wounded Deere runs skips and leapes yet the Arrow or Bullet stinges paines torments at the very heart and before long will cause a fall a death So vnder a chearfull looke the soule may be sorrowfull and all that laugh in the face are not at peace within Who then is he that would haue true and sound peace Vse 2. Let him striue for mercie and grace for as the shadow the bodie heat the fire these follow the one the other Many imagine they haue it yet are fouly deluded deceived I deny not but the wicked may haue a peace but it s not worth the naming for it runnes not from a cleare fountaine it springs not from a sweet root and therefore one drop of this we haue in hand is worth a thousand of that as a litle rose-water a whole glasse-full of mudde 2. It is not constant neither but often interrupted every thunder clap will cause such to quake to tremble and at the last they shall certainly be consumed O that men were wise to gather grace so should they haue peace at their latter end in the meane while be like Mount Sion vnmoueable Graunt that such may haue outward troubles yet they shall haue inward peace that passeth all vnderstanding And now we proceed to another Point Where Paul in all his former Epistles nameth but grace and peace and writing to Timotheus whom he loved so dearely addeth mercie in his Salutation we note that The degree of affection cannot be covered Doct. 9. As the truth so the measure of loue will show it selfe and and not in words onely but likewise in action Doe we not see this in Iacob towards Rachel Ioseph to Beniamin Ionathan to David And the people to Ionathan Gen. 33. 2. and 43. vlt. 1 Sam. 20. 2. c. For the disposition of the heart over-ruleth the outward Reas 1. members and like a strong streame moueth all the wheeles according to its motion 2. As he that loues would declare 2. the truth of it so would he its degree
Evangelical good conscience what it is with the rule of the Gospell For the better vnderstanding of this know O ye sonnes of Adam that God when he had created man gaue him a Law written in his heart the which had he perfectly obeyed he should haue stood for ever But he falling from the rule of gubernation fell also from conservation and so became with all his posteritie hable to death neither is there any abilitie remaining in him to recouer his former condition For knowledge is obliterated the will weakened at the least peruerted and each wheele of soule and bodie exorbitated turned out of his way onely so much light he hath left him like one of Iobs messengers as to tell him that his Josse is great and condition miserable But marke the mercie of God who hath given spoiled man another rule whereby he might purchase a good Conscience procure as great an estate and much better and that is the doctrine of the Gospell 2. In the second place To the making vp of an Evangelicall good Conscience these particulars are necessary 1. Knowledge of the Gospell else why should Paul so highly prize it So much covet it And doth not our Saviour Christ place eternall life in the Ioh. 17. 3. having of it 2. Obedience is necessary also for the Gospell requires that as well as the Law these two may not be disioyned so that thus farre a Legall and an Evangelicall good Conscience accord for whatsoever is in the genus is in the species though the species may include more in it than is to be found in the genus Grant we that animal is the genus of man and beast yet man hath more in him than animal hath to wit reason notwithstanding animal communicates his whole nature to both the species 3. In the third place let vs see the differences 1. The first is in the ground of obedience for that in Adam before his apostasie proceeded from the image of God wherein he was created but in vs vnder the Gospell it springs from faith that these two differ is evident but how is not easily discerned and who did ever affirme that they were one and the same For doth not the former come by Creation the latter by Regeneration 2. There is a reall difference in regard of the act for the Law runnes on this wise Doe and liue the Gospell thus Beleeue and liue And though to beleeue in the Gospell be a kinde of obedience because God so commandes yet the holy Ghost in the Scripture makes a distinction betwixt them And doubtlesse the head Christ obeyed the Law after another manner than we his members doe the Gospell 3. The third difference is the Obiect about which the act is conversant for the Law giueth particular Precepts how to direct all our actions The Gospell is as a staffe or stay whereon the act resteth and cleaueth vnto Hence is this phrase so frequent in the Gospell Beleeue in me and Ioh. 9. 35. Act. 16. 31. they that beleeue in or on the sonne of God c. So that the Law giues rules for the acts direction the Gospell for its supportation 4. Moreover a complete Legall good Conscience requires many acts to the perfecting of it for if one commanded be omitted or the contrary committed Conscience is spoyled shipwrackt Now an Evangelicall requires but one onely to the making of it complete For one act of beleeuing will vnite to Christ by which vnion man is made partaker of the all-sufficient obedience of Christ which is the sole and absolute obiect matter of an Evangelical good conscience For as one act of Adam brake the whole decalogue so one act of faith in Christ will perfectly fulfill it Where note that the habit of faith neither its act without its obiect makes an Evangelicall good conscience and consequently iustifies not For the whole obedience of Christ is it that satisfies the iustice of the law the which when we by faith are conioyned to him is made all ours and so are we quit from the rigor of the law by the satisfaction of Christ our furetie and that by one onely act of faith in him which is the condition on our parts to be performed for the purchasing of an Evangelicall good conscience Was not the brasen serpent a prototype of Christ and would it cure any without the act of the eye fixed on it Also would not one act of looking on it heale him that was stung with many serpents in that wildernes so the act of faith separated from Christ cures none and one act of credence in him as he is our surety will though our sinnes be great and many make vs sound perfect and helpe vs against all our maladies 4. In the fourth place for the procuring of an Evangelicall conscience wee must haue 1. Knowledge and that both of the Law and Gospell For he that vnderstands not the Lawes precepts and what it requireth can neither see his sinne or be constrained to runne vnto the Gospell for reliefe in the time of neede And though our Father Adam before his fall had hee observed the rules of the law might haue procured a legall good conscience without any vnderstanding of the Gospell yet it is otherwise with vs. For we must see our debt before wee can haue a mind either by our selues or any other to discharge it and without knowledge of the law this will not be effected And the Gospell must also be learned of vs. For it is the new couenant the law of libertie to set vs free who are in spirituall bondage And as knowledge of the law was necessarie for Adam that hee might obey and liue so is it of the Gospell that we might beleeue and liue Obserue here that a more exact knowledge especially of the three persons in the Godhead of their relatiue properties and peculiar operations is required of vs since the fall than before it For though we dare not denie to Adam the certaine vnderstanding of the Trinitie yet in the perfect knowledge of God simplie considered and of his will in the obedience whereof he might haue obtained a legall good conscience But now we are to goe a step further for our restauration because man being fallen wee are to conceiue how God the father is primarily offended how the Sonne assumed our nature to make an atonement for vs to him and how the holy Ghost doth apply the redemption purchased by Christ Iesus For in these and the like particulars consisteth the whole subiect of the Gospell and therefore of absolute necessitie in some degree to bee vnderstood and learned of vs. For this is eternall life to know God and whom he hath sent Iesus Christ and no man can say Iohn 17. 3. 1 Cor. 12. 3. that Christ is the Lord but by the holy Ghost The second ingredient for the completion of an Evangelicall good conscience is faith not that poore depraved faith which may be found in apostata men
portion which passeth all vnderstanding and afterward thou shalt dwell with Angels with Christ with God the Father where is fulnesse of ioy and pleasures for euermore thou shalt never die never whither no rust shall eate thee nor moth consume thee thou shalt see no sorrow thou shalt heare no complaint neither be afraid of the least evill successe Thou shalt iudge the quicke and the dead acquit the innocent condemne the guiltie and doe little lesse than a pettie God in one word thou shalt doe more and haue more than can be told by man or by Angell all that be good before God shall commend thee preserue thee or rather thou them for ever and ever And now in the last place let vs make application Then is not that life base that is led without it A miserable Vse 1. service is that which is begun continued and finished without a good conscience being accompanied with lying swearing dissembling and deceiving is it not they that thus liue are worse then beasts and no creature the devill excepted more wretched Be thou then assured that such a life is odious to God hatefull to his Saints and an vndoubted fore-runner of the second death He that layeth the foundation of his service with ignorance infidelitie and disobedience in the fiery tryall shall be blowne vp when the match of Gods vindicatiue iustice shall lay hold on this blacke powder how shall that man be able to stand Wee may muzzle the mouth of our conscience not suffer it to speake and deale with it as an vniust Land-lord with his poore tenant when he in some iust cause is to giue evidence against him put it to silence by an over ruling commaund but when Christ shall come to iudgement and take part with conscience then shall it speake freely boldly truely as ever did faithfull witnesse at the barre having the chiefe Iudge for his friend How will a Iudas looke at that day who was so pittifully deiected before the Pharisees whom he tooke for his friends and expected comfort from them How will the Drunkard stagger and reele not with wine but with the fume of a bad conscience What face can the hypocrite hold vp that hath dissembled all his life long where shall the vniust the fornicator adulterer lyer with all the wicked and vngodly appeare I am sure of this that though such and a thousand moe haue blind erroneous and cauterized consciences burned with an hot yron for the present yet at that generall assize being lanced with the sharpe edged knife of Gods revenging hand they shall all bleed freshly and to death eternall This kind of men may looke bigge set the best side out eat drinke and be merrie but I shall never beleeue that their hearts laugh with their faces O matchlesse miscreants of all mischiefe sonnes of blood and slaues of perdition you may sooner separate your soules from your bodies then conscience from your soules or damnation from either Goe then your wayes laugh and be fat play and dance sing to the Tabret and Harpe put death iudgement and hell farre from you tread vnder foot the blood of the new couenant crucifie againe the Lord of life make a mocke of sinne and shipwracke your owne consciences yet know that God one day will call you to account and dash out your braines with the heele of his vengeance In the next place seeing this is so let vs in the feare of Vse 2. God get knowledge and mixe our service to God and man with sinceritie walke according to the rule doe nothing without a precept haue a true patterne for all our proceedings and runne to the Law and to the Testimonie of the Gospell obey the one and beleeue the other so shall we haue good and pure consciences one whereof though the world may fume and chafe is worth more than ten thousands of gold and silver What can be of greater price what should we preferre aboue it O conscience whereunto shall I compare thee who or what is like vnto thee Is not knowledge good obedience better and art not thou of these two simples compounded There is no evill in thee thou art all good and very good There are foure things Pro. 30. â—9 30. comelie statelie in their going a Lyon the strongest among beasts and tunneth not away from any a Grey hound an hee Goaâ—e and a King against whom there is norising vp but he that hath a complete good conscience surmounts them all But conscience least I should ecclipse and obscure thy same when I would speake and spread it I will therefore giue thee thy charge a large commission Conscience that thou mayest execute thine office throughly Conscience his Charge speake thou in the language of Canaan be thou mighty in the Scriptures and that thou mayst not build Babel and pull downe Bethel let euery man haue thy sentence in his mothers tongue Goe to and fro through the world passe by no Citie Burrow Village Hall House nor Cottage but let them heare thy voyce sounding in their wals speake truely plainely boldly crie aloud spare no mans person of whatsoever cloth his coate be cut Be thou a good linguist make it knowne thou art a skilfull Artist and declare an exact Method in thy proceeding And Conscience first goe thou to all Christian Princes Kings and Emperours speake gently to them and intreate them to cry to God for wisedome that they may wisely goe in out before the great people committed to their charge will them yong and old to tread in the steps of Hezekiah Iosiah pull downe the high places burne the groues with fire over turne Baals Altars and cause all his Priests to fall by the sword Bid them send Levites through their Lands spread the truth of God for their subiects haue immortall soules in their mortall bodies tell them that is the way to get a good Conscience and how thou art of more worth than a golden Scepter Put them in mind how a bad one was the cause Saul his kingdome and Iâ—roboam became the subiect of Gods vengeance Let this Poesie be stamped about the borders of their Crownes that the more religious the more royall Conscience step on to the honorable Lords and because they affect breuitie not prolixitie say to them in a few sentences that Nobilitie without pietie and a good conscience is like a painted Sepulchre or blazing comet good for nought except to gaze vpon that they feare God or else they haue no curbe to bridle them that they honour the King keepe their houses well but the Church better that they exceed others as much in goodnesse as they doe in greatnesse and that without a second birth none can enter into the kingdome of heaven Bid them blaze their Armes continue their ancient Scutchions but take this for their Motto that The more holy the more honorable Conscience See that thou meet with the intelligent Counsellors and graue Iudges of the State and Nations
their courses They will pray Iob. 27 9 10. in affliction but not call vpon God at all times be humble when God threats lifted vp like the bull-rush if the sunne doe but for a moment shinne vpon them 6. In a word they blesse at the Church curse at home drinke with the drunkard and commend precisenes with the Puritan they are like water that fits it selfe according to the Vessell wherein it is They be all things in shew nothing Mark 12. 40. in substance but thou O man of God flee these things and follow them that call vpon the name of God with a pure hart The next thing whereby this faith is described is in that it dwels it stayes not like a stranger whence it might be noted that Where true faith takes possession it remaines for euer Doct. 3. If it once be well rooted it cannot be remoued Rom. 11. 29. 1 Pet. 1. 5. For the right hand of the Lord hath planted it and put it Reas 1. into possession Christ hath prayed for it that it may not be dispossessed Reas 2. The spirit doth water it and watch and ward its habitation Reas 3. The soyle wherein it is seated is holy ground the house Reas 4. where it dwelleth is swept and made cleane euery morning Why then should it dye or wither or be cast out by any This confutes the contrarie doctrine of our aduersaries Vse 1. who hold it may decay and perish This also is of great comfort for them that haue it for it abideth Vse 2. and indureth continually And let Sathan and corruption doe their worst it shall neuer perish But before we passe this point a double question may be Quest 1. demanded The one is in what part of man faith is feated the other whether it continue in the world to come for eternity Vnto the first I answer that faiths seat is in the will that Ans 1. is the proper subiect of its habitation And the Scripture seeme to confirme this placing faith in the heart Psal 1 12. Where faith is seated 7. Acts 8. 37. Rom. 10. 10. Yet here is a trope for by hart is ment the will which is in the heart So that if the will bee in the heart and faith in the will then faith may be affirmed to be in the heart example If there be wine in the Butte and the Butte be in the Ship then its a truth that there is wine in the ship For that which comprehendeth the subiect comprehendeth what is conteined in the subiect And the reasons be these 1. Diuinitie is the rule of the will that therefore which is immediatly ruled by it must be in the will as for the body and the parts of it they are but guided by diuinitie at the second hand 2. Faith is said to be the ground of things hoped for now hope is in the heart Therefore faith else make the foundation in one place and the building in another what more absurd 3. Faith must haue a seat where it may haue the best rooting and that is in the will For an error or truth in the vnderstanding is soone remooued but if either passe to the will then they sticke fast as in their proper subiect 4. It is where it worketh And doth it not like a strong hand pull Christ into the heart purifie the heart and worke by loue as by an instrument in its fist that is seated in the heart Gal. 5. 6. They that haue placed faith in the vnderstanding are therfore deceiued We grant that the rules of faith are first in the vnderstanding as of all other arts but faith is not seated there And this may be the cause why knowledge is often put for faith because that must be first or the other can bee neuer And there is also a logicall assent in the vnderstanding of the truth of a thing but that may be found in wicked men Devils For as the externall sence conueyeth species to the internall so doth the vnderstanding put them ouer to the will where faith being resident stretcheth forth her hand and maketh that good which the vnderstanding did iudge for truth For as the eye of the body guides the hand so doth the eye of the mind the will and as we first see then worke so we first know then beleeue And to holde this for a truth seemâ—s to me and many more to be a truth Quâ—st 2. Concerning the continuance of faith there be diuerse opinions Some thinke it ends at death others at the day of Ans iudgement but what if we hold that it dwels in the soule for eternity there can be no danger at al in that but rather on the contrarie And this position hath strong reason which may seeme sufficient to confirme it 1. For doth not the Obiect of faith continue for euer if Whether true faith remaine for euer the obiect then faith For the better vnderstanding of this I 'le stand a litle to explane my meaning We must obserue that in Christ God the Father hath made many promises some of this life others of the life to come those of the first kind cease For man being once made Spirituall hath no neede of corporall food or rayment Now for the other promises we are to consider two things in them 1. The truth of them or 2. The extent of them At the comming of our Lord they shall all be accomplished not one of them shall faile yet there is a promise of continuance in that condition which yet is to be beleeued example My Father doth promise me many kindnesses and at such a day he will giue me a good farme for euer Now in this there bee two things obseruable The one is the time of possession the other the continuance When my Father hath put me in possession a part of the promise ceaseth as it is iust but the other part is still of force and I beleeue my Fathers word and by vertue of that I doe still inioy my liuing and thus it is betwixt God and his children All the promises hee hath accomplished or will at the day of iudgement and then hee putteth his Sonnes into full possession yet haue not they a promise from him to remaine there for euer So that faith doth still continue to beleeue the continuance of that condition which they haue in fruition and no otherwise 2. And is it not comfortable to be assured that as they haue fulnesse of ioy so it shall be for euer Adam was in a good condition in the Garden but God neuer gaue him a promise For his abiding in that estate hee stood was so as he might fall and the euent proued yet the Lord hath giuen vs a sure word that we shall neuer be moued And is it not faith that must by application perswade vs thereof and fill our hearts like a neuer dying spring with vnspeakable ioy What a misery were it for
we doubt of it or of Christs sufficiency A second we may draw from his person for hee is God Reas 2. and man Therefore our onely and absolute Sauiour He must be man that saved vs. 1. That the iustice of God might be satisfied in that nature whereby he was offended for in Heb. 2. 17. no wise he tooke vpon him the nature of Angells 2. That we might be his brethren and 3. He haue a fellow feeling of our infirmities the better to succour vs and comfort vs Heb. 4. 15. when we are tempted And he must be God two natures in one person 1. That his merits might be sufficient to satisfie the infinite wrath of the father for the worthines of the merit comes from the dignity of the person 2. That hee might ouercome him that had the power of death that is the Deuill Christ was stronger then he And 3. That he Rom. 14. 4. vlt. might be able to raise himselfe from death so that he might be able to raise himself from death so that he is our only Saviour for none was euer like him before him or euer shall be after him this is our Kinsman And he may be called our Sauiour from his properties Reason 3. for he is holy harmelesse vndefiled separate from sinners Heb. 7. 26. and made higher then the heauens He is infinite in knowledge power and presence neither can hee euer sleepe or slumber Finally he may be called a Saviour 1. In respect of his Reason 4. doctrine 2. Example 3. His mediation And 4. by his merit Heb. 7. 25. and that is principally So that he is a Saviour every manner of way For all the promises are yea and Amen in Christ Iesus 2 Cor. 1. 20. And here we might shew the misery of the Iewes Turkes and Heathens who put no confidence in him neither haue Vse 1. heard of him As also the Papists that put their confidence and place their hope in Mary and their owne merits This should teach vs to be acquainted with him and to Vse 2. repose al our confidence and trust in him for our saluation And that so much the rather seeing eternall life consisteth Ioh 17. 3. in the knowledge of him and the obedience of his doctrine For this is a sure way Who hath abolished death The note is this that Death by Christ is destroyed Doct. 6. Oh death where is thy sting O graue where is thy victorie But thankes be vnto God who hath giuen vs victorie through our Lord Iesus Christ 1 Cor 15. 55. c. Reasons For he onely it is who hath borne our infirmities and the burthen of our sinnes paid our debt dissolued the workes of the Deuill quickened vs by his spirit tooke away the law of ordinances broke downe the partition wall cancelled our bond and satisfied the iustice of the father for the first and second death The which if any should deny these reasons may serue to confirme it 1. For the law requireth both after the fall therefore Christ must satisfie for both or he had not discharged the full debt and payment 2. They that are not partakers of his sufferings shall dye the first and second death who calls this into question 3. What had we suffered if he had not died the separation of soule and body and of both from the fauour of God for euer and euer had we not And 4. Haue we not a double life from Christ then a two-fold death was abolished by the rule of contraries But it may be obiected that his sufferings were finite Obiect 1. Sol. 1. True in respect of time but there is another infinitie in regard of degree or quantitie the which Christ endured 2. The course of originall sinne is stopped in all his members 2. that they do not sinne for euer therefore it was not necessary that Christ should suffer for eternitie But some may further obiect how is this manifested in Obiect 2. scripture and when did he suffer for it Were not the bodies of those beasts whose bloud was Sol. I. brought into the holy place by the high Priest for sinne to be burnt without the campe and did not Christ suffer Heb. 13. 11. 12 without the gate What can be vnderstood by this but the second death For is it not a priuation of all ioy and the infliction of the torments of hell for a season 2. And was not Christ in his agonie in great perplexitie when he cried My soule is heauie to heath My God let this cup passe from me And why hast thou forsaken me In what sence Christ may be said to suffer the second death Yet this is warily to be vnderstood For we may not in any wise so much as thinke that God the father did euer wholly withdraw his loue from Christ Iesus or separate his affection from him the second death so accepted is to vndergoe the full iustice and implacable anger of God for all eternitie the which may not here in that sence be admitted For the father did neuer with draw his loue from his sonne indeed Though for the present hee looked on him as hee was our suretie and a sinner by imputation with the strict eye of a seuere iudge and creditor who would not remit one farthing of his due debt but exact a ful perfect satisfactiō At which time Christ felt the most bitter pangs in his passion and that torment the which was equiualent to the second death This should worke in vs both loue and thankfulnes to Vse 1. Christ who hath wrought so great a worke for vs. How should we praise him for so great a fauour If a Physician remoue a disease or preuent death in vs will we not pay him and commend him And is it not thanks-worthy to haue corruption remoued death destroyed and that temporall and eternall David would glorifie God in that hee had deliuered his soule from the nethermost part of hell And 1 Sam 25. 32. 33. did he not blesse God and blesse Abigail and blesse her counsell in that she was a meanes to preserue Nabal and his familie from death and shall we not doe so much who are our selues preserued from death eternall I wish that wee did but well consider this thing then we would be more affected with Christ more thankfull to him for the remouall of so great an euill Againe this may comfort euery christian heart in its greatest Vse 2. troubles Doth corruption fight within thee and striue to put out the sparke of grace Be of good comfort for it shall neuer preuaile When that serpent death shooteth out his venemous sting why consider its tooke from him And that which thou seemest to see is but like the Enchanters serpent counterfeit Let the deuill tempt thee why haue recourse to Christ who hath destroyed his plot redeemed thee out of his hands and tooke his power from him And
if the remembrance of the second death cause thee to quake and tremble yet feare not for the gates of hell shall neuer preuaile against thee This ought alwaies in these pangs of terrour to wipe all teares from thine eies And the reason we are so often astonished is because we doe not minde oâ— beleeue this thing For if we did we would cry out with ioy O death where is thy sting O graue where is thy victorie This salue is good for the fourefold forenamed soare This Physicke like Moses rod will remoue all death whatsoeuer Wherefore in thy greatest feare call to mind that death by Christ is abolished And hath Christs death destroyed death then haue a Vse 3. care that ye bring it not againe into the world Giue not food to this infant reuiue not him by any meanes For as Iudas his master it will one day betray thee lift vp his heele against thee Adam could bring in death but he must be more then a meere man who can vtterly destroy him yet striue thou to tread this serpent vnder thy feet bruise his head against the stones suffer him not to crawle or creepe For in so doing thou shalt be blessed But may some say how might I destroy death Quest Ans 1. In a word diuerse wayes 1. Thou must auoyd sinne for by sinne death came into the world Sinne to death is like fuell to the fire food to the faint wine to the weake and Physicke to the distempered patients so that he who sinnes reviues death restores to him his sting and pulleth him with speed vnto the doore and into the very inward parts of the soule And for thy better direction consider what sinnes haue brought death corporall spirituall 1. Drunkennes Deut. 21. 20. 2. Gluttonie Luk. 12. 20. 3. Vnthriftinesse Pro. 6. 12. 15. 4. Idlenesse Ezek. 16. 49. 5. Pride Acts 12. vlt. 6. Lying Acts. 5. 5. 7. Scoffing of the Prophets 2 Kin. 2. 23. 8. Ignorance Hos 4. 6. 9. Infidelity Iude 5. 10. Disobedience to Parents Pro. 30. 17. 11. Want of preparation to the Lords Supper 1 Cor. 11. 30. Finally all sinne whateuer brings death For the soule that sinneth shall die the Ezech. 18. 4. death Wouldst thou then crucifie this Barrabas that too often escapeth when Christ is executed see good dayes on earth haue grace to flourish in thee the first death to bee advantage to thee and escape the second why auoyd sinne and all the occasiâ—ns thereof abandon and flee Behold I haue told thee before 2. Thou must mortifie thâ— earthly members crucifie thy 2. inward corruptions and strâ—ue to be clensed from all filthinesse of the flesh and spirit For as a disease in the body may cause death as well as some outward accident so may some secret corruption cherished in the heart as soone as some externall and grosse transgression 3. Cherish the life of grace within thee For if it flourish 3. death shall perish When corne and cockle grow together that which is the more watered will be the further from withering then feed the spirit and the flesh shall pine away 4. Often meditate of the efficacie of Christs death For as 4. the great flame will draw the lesse sparke of heate out of the finger if held to it so bring the eye of our mindes close to this obiect and death will pine away The lesser shall bee deuoured of the stronger We haue some who hold Christs death to worke this How Christs death kils death in vs. death in vs not onely as meritorious or by way of meditation but operatiuely as an efficient cause produceth its effect Yet to me it seemes to be otherwise For though it be certainly true in the two former respects yet the last is doubtfull and that for these reasons 1. Death is a meere priuation and therefore being nothing cannot produce by way of causation any perfect effect 1. Death is a meere priuation and therefoer being nothing cannot produce by way of causation any perfect effect 2. The death of Christ was a curse therefore causeth good by accident not of its owne nature Whereby the way we see an other errour to be in those who hold that Christs death without his actiue obedience is absolutely sufficient for our iustification But the succeeding arguments may serue to confirme the contrarie 1. That obedience which the law requireth is necessarie for our iustification But the law requireth actiue obedience therefore actiue obedience is necessarie for our iustification The former proposition I suppose will be granted neither can the latter vpon any good ground be denied Because the iustice of the Law is still inforce time not changing the nature of it 2. That obedience which was to haue iustified man before his fall is requisite to iustifie him being fallen But actiue obedience was to haue iustified man before his fall Therefore actiue obedience is requisite to iustifie him being fallen What can be obiected against this argument for the present I perceiue not 3. That obedience which Paul opposeth to his owne righteousnes which was of the law concurreth to our iustification But the actiue obedience of Christ Paul opposeth to his owne righteousnesse which was of the Law Phil. 3. 9. Therefore the actiue obedience of Christ concurreth to our iustification For who euer commenting on that text excludeth Christs actiue obedience And to say the truth passiue obedience is rather a satisfying of the threat than a fulfilling of the lawes precept 4. If the actuall breach of the Law made man vniust then the actuall obseruation of it must make him righteous But the actuall breach made him vniust therefore the actuall obseruation of the law must make him righteous Except we should maintaine that our surety Christ was bound onely to pay the forfeiture and not the principall which may not be admitted For man after his fall incurred a doubled debt both which Christ was to discharge else hee had not satisfied the full payment to God our creditor And doth not actiue obedience the one as passiue the other It s death that must remoue death life that must procure life For contrary effects must haue contrary causes such as life and death be A sharp powder or water may eate off the thicke filme that couereth the eye and hindereth sight but there is another internall principle is the cause of seeing In like manner the death of Christ may remoue what hindereth life Yet there must be another primarie cause for the procuring and conseruing of it For conclusion Christ in suffering obeyed and in obeying suffered Wherefore what God hath ioyned together let no man renta sunder And if death through Christ be abolished and by no Vse 4. other then deaths destruction was no easie action For who but he could haue done it If it had bin to haue bin abolished by another shall wee thinke then that the father would not haue spared his onely sonne But you may
demand Could not God haue saued man Quest from death and pardoned sinne without a satisfaction I answer No. For 1. It s against his nature Iustice in God Ans is not a quality as in man but his verie essence therefore it must be satisfied or no flesh could be saued 2. His word was passed forth At what time thou eatest thou shalt dye the death Yet the Lord sheweth the liberty of his iustice in sauing some by Christ and condemning others without him So that we see sinne must be punished Gods infinite iustice satisfied either in vs or by another But it will be obiected that man being finite cannot satisfie for infinite iustice It s true that man is finite in respect of place or a geometricall quantity but infinite in regard of duration of time or Arithimetical enumeration so that though no created nature at an instant in one act of it selfe is able to vndergoe the infinite wrath of the reuenging God yet in regard of continuance or times succession his torment may be said to be * Viz a parte post infinite What he cannot doe at once hee must be doing euer How can God be iust in this his proceeding 1. Because man hath offended an infinite God Now the Quest Ans dignitie of the person offended aggrauates the offence as we see a word against the king is death to a subiect pardonable 2. The sinner hath had a world of sinning here therfore must haue a world of suffering hereafter 3. The sinner sinnes continually neuer comes to a period therefore the punishment as the shadow doth the body when the Sunne shines followes the sinner continually And 4. The sinner would haue sinned in a greater degree had it beene in his owne power or if he had not beene by a necessity restrained Therefore its iust with the Lord to punish him with eternall torments And brought life We haue handled the like doctrine in Doct. 7. the first verse that ariseth out of this place viz. that All spirituall life is procured by Christ Therefore we passe to this Doct. 8. Phil. 3. 1. 2. Pet. 1. 12. that Repetition of the same thing is warrantable profitable Paul doth so here and all the rest who preached and writ as we may see elsewhere Compare Mat. 5. 1. with Luk. 6. 20. and you shall see that Christ preached one sermon twice In Mathew he is said to sit in Luke to stand the one saith it was in a Valey the other in the Mountaine Yet some seeke to reconcile them Because we vnderstand not all we heare at the first deliuery Reas 1. 2. 3. 4. What if we doe yet we may not beleeue it But grant we beleeue may we not forget it I am sure we doe not practice it though we vnderstand it beleeue it and also remember it Therefore to repeat the same things may be profitable And a man may be in a different disposition so that hee 5. panions to thee thou hast iust cause to feare thy present condition and to labour for these things For when the spirit sauingly applyeth to the Christian the vertue of Christs death these forenamed effects or properties will be in some measure felt in that person And wouldst thou also know whether life be by Christ Trials if we haue life by Christ Iesus procured for thee then examine thy selfe by these rules 1. What knowledge hast thou of Christ what vnderstanding of the Gospell For its eternall life to know Christ and his doctriue Hagar had her eyes opened before shee could see the well so must thou the eye of thy minde before thou tast of the water of life 2. What power hast thou to do good How often doth the pulse of prayer beate in thy closet and in the secret roome of thy heart What strength hast thou to runne the pathes of Gods commands Canst thou like the creeple rise vp leape and be glad in the praises of God 5. What care hast thou to preserue the life of grace in thee and to come to eternall glorie Men that loue their liues will make choyce of their food Physician and aire And he that loues the life of grace will eate vp the good word of God depend on a skilfull Preacher and plant himselfe where the pure ayre of holinesse is sensible found and felt breathing mouing 4. And in conclusion how dost thou imploy thy life what be the ends of all thy motions Dost thou spend thy strength that God may haue glory by thee and his children receiue good from thee then thou hast done well For as all fire that comes from aboue will tend vpward againe the heate that comes from the heart will disperse it selfe to euerie member so that life which is receiued from Christ will alwaies incline and moue that hee may haue praise and benefit by it Are these things also within thee and proceed from thee then hast thou participated of the first resurrection and shalt neuer tast of the second death And if thou want them striue for them or else Christs life will profit thee nothing See thou defer no time omit no oppertunitie neither neglect any meanes but seeke this life while it may be found purchase this field though it cost thee all thy treasure Thou hast now a price in thy hand want not an heart For the tyde and season to saile to this land to buy this commoditie serues but once not euer And to moue thee thus to doe let these things be well weighed seriously thought on 1. Consider the excellencie of this life the least degree of Motiues to get spirituall life it is of more worth than all other life what euer therefore it s called the life of God Eph. 4. 18. How many kindes of life be there and amongst them how many degrees yet the neerer it approcheth to the fountaine of life God the more excellent it is The subiect hath a life aswell as the King the sicke as the whole but what is it in comparison of this but a kind of death now the better a thing is is it not the more to be desired 2 Without this life we can doe no action acceptable to God or profitable to our selues and what a misery is this alwaies to be doing yet all in vaine A naturall life can doe but naturall actions therefore such as be in the flesh cannot please God Rom. 8. 7. 3. This life will make vs acceptable and well pleasing to God and man yea the Angels shall reioyce and the father say with delight This my sonne was dead but is now aliue Luk. 15. 24. We ioy to see the trees budde the corne peepe the graftes flourish and shall we haue no care to obtaine that life wherein all beautie consisteth 4 Finally he that hath not the beginning of this life here cannot possesse eternall life hereafter for they onely shall escape the second death that partake of the first resurrection to life The
cryed Lord establish me Psal 51. 12. 119. 116. 4. When men are carried about with euery winde of doctrine For what one man maketh firme another in teaching Ephes 4. 14. the contrary dissolveth weakeneth He that runs to euery Physician to know the state of his body shall proue a weake and infirme Patient 5. Vnmortified lusts if they be let loose and cherished 2 Tim. 3. 7. in the heart the soule like him that standeth on a slippery place will be reeling sliding 6. Finally when men will cast their eyes on their owne infirmities and not looke to him that accepteth the minde and honest intent of the heart for the deed they shall still Rom. 7. vlt. be wauering doubting And now to come to another Collection which is that The best way to saue and secure the soule is to commit it into Doct. 10. the hands of God For that which was the best to Paul and others will be the safest way for vs also Psal 32. 7. 71. 1. Iudg. 12. 3. Dan. 5. 17. Esth 4. 16. For we are weake and our enemies be many powerfull Reas 1. subtill and malicious Sathan could fetch a prey out of Paradise one from amongst the Apostles God hath all the properties of a good keeper 1. he is wise Reas 2. Iob. 9. 4. Psal 121. 3. 4. 2. powerfull 3. watchfull 4. faithfull He hath giuen lawes to be faithfull and then shall not hee This discouereth the indiscretion of many For some put their confidence in Chariots and Horses others in the arme of flesh Millions as the Papists in the Creatures but passe by the Creator But can those stay the swelling flouds from drowning the earth from deuouring the plague and pestilence from destroying and Sathan with all his huge hoast from tempting and condemning These men stand Iob. 26. 7. on the Ice leane on a broken staffe and as the Lord is said to doe the earth hang the security and safetie of their soules vpon nothing But ye that would be wise and preserued from all dangers Vse 2. cast your care vpon Godâ— make him your secret place and haue your eye alwaies towards him For it s he and there is not another that can keepe you safe and secure at all times in all dangers And in regard whatsoeuer we weene its no easie matter practise these two Rules following to further thee Helps to commit the to god 1. Learne to commit lesse matters of this life to him and to trust him with smaller things for he that cannot doe the lesser it 's impossible for him to doe the greater Hee that will not trust God with his earthly substance can neuer credit him with his soule and salvation This Rule is worthy the consideration and practise 2. Striue to keepe thy soule holy and vnspotted from all sinne We will blush to commit into the custody of our friend any thing that is polluted and vncleane and can we haue the hearts to commend into the hands of God who is Holines it selfe a corrupted impure and a soule defiled with sinne What if we could doe it will he receiue it thinke we No verily And there be certaine times when we are to commit our Speciall times when to commit the soule to God Psal 4. vlt. soules especially into the hands of God And that ordinary or extraordinary The ordinary is the Morning and Euening David in the euening would commend his soule into the Lords hand for he knew that his sleepe might be his death and his bed his graue but in so doing he should sleepe soundly and securely It were an excellent thing if we could giue God our last thoughts before we close vp our eyes then would we when we awake finde our mindes fixed on him And what if death should come Yet our soules would be with him and preserved in safetie And in the Morning we must ordinarily doe this Prou. 27. 1. for who knoweth what a day may bring foorth The wise King compares a day to a woman with child who often laboureth at an vnlooked for houre And haue wee not seene our Mother the day bring to light strange and vnexpected birthes The extraordinary times of committing our selues to God are in troubles or at death This did that good Prophet in time of persecution Into thy hand I commâ—nd my spirit for thou hast redeemed me O Lord God of truth Psal 31. 5. Iudg. 12. 3. And when Stephen was stoned to death hee Act 7. 59. cryed Lord Iesus receiue my spirit and Christ when his houre was come Father into thy hands I commend my Soule Luk. 23. 46. Let vs then trust the Lord with smaller matters keepe our soules vnspotted Morning and Euening commend them constantly vnto him so in afflication persecution and death we shall haue ability and boldnes to doe the same Vse makes perfect a good habit is hardly got So not easily lost For he that hath vsed to commit his soule to God in the times of peace shall with ease doe it in time of danger Yea let such a man but dreame of death or drowning in his broken sleepe his mind will reflect it selfe on the Lord and he run vnto him for perservation Grounded Christians know the truth of this by experience And in Conclusion know that the oftener we commit our soules vnto God and draw the neerer him in this duty why let death come how and when and where it can or shall come we shall feare it the lesser or any euill but embrace it entertaine it shutting vp the eyes of our bodies with the which our minds now see God as through a paire of spectacles and more clearely and comfortably behold him with the naked eye of our spirits Now whereas Paul maketh mention of the Lords ability we note thence that God is a God of Power Doct. 11. He is called the strong and mighty God all-sufficient that can doe whatsoeuer hâ—e will Gen. 17. 1. Exod. 34. 6. 1 Cor. 6. 18 Apoc. 1. 8. Math. 19. 26. The Reasons follow For he is the first Ens or being and altogether perfect and Reas 1. independant he hath his beginning of himselfe and doth not participate of any borrowed power or exhibited ability Therefore no impotency or imperfection can be found in him hee being of himselfe and the sole cause of all created power Againe he is one most simple and pure act immutable Reas 2. eternall and euery way blessed Therefore hee cannot be hindered or resisted Neither is he subiect to any passion for he is not compounded of any simples Passion proceeds from matter and presupposeth an imperfection Before we come to apply this poynt we will speake somewhat of his power for our better vnderstanding and information The power of God is that whereby he is able to doe all things The Power of God defined possible I say possible for there be that contradict his essence and the nature
vs the earth to swallow vs Tyrants to murther vs Death to terrifie vs or hel it selfe to include vs ceize on vs Yet looke vp to Gods Omnipotency and we shall be bold as the Lyon quenching Sathans darts walking vpon the waters as vpon dry land deride death make a mocke of Hell it selfe David no doubt thought on this Psal 23. 27 46. Rom. 8. 31. Io. 10. 29. therfore he would not feare the wicked but walke in the valley of death and neuer tremble at the most terrible tidings For if God be with vs what matters it who be against vs None can plucke vs out of his hands And in respect of others this may moue vs to hope aboue hope for he can bring home the Rom. 11. 23. Iewes graffe them againe into the true Olive and make the withered branch to beare why should the Eunuch say I am and shall be a dead tree Isa 56. 3. And finally this should teach vs all to tremble before Vse 4. him and to stand in awe of his Maiestie for he can arme the least creature with power to destroy vs yea the caterpillars frogs and crawling lice to vexe and consume vs Oh that this were well considered and seriously thought vpon Would not fraile man tremble if this thing were well weighed We feare the water and fire as dangerous the Beare and Lyon least they deuoure vs And shall we not feare him that after death hath power to cast soule and body into hell Pilate thought to cause Christ to speake and answere him from this ground I am sure we should be moued to leaue sinne and to pray from the same It 's not our houses that can helpe vs our beds that will secure vs our great barnes purple and fine linnen that can protect vs For at midnight euen at midnight he can send his Angell to slay thousands and pale death who is no respecter of persons to haunt the court wither the greene branches and kill the strongest stoutest What a cry was sometimes in Egypt What fearefull newes to the rich man This night Luk. 12. 20. shall thy soule be tooke from thee Cannot he cause Achitophel for all his wit to hang himselfe and play the foole Iudas to be his owne executioner And Saul to fall on his owne sword Wherefore consider him that bindeth Kings in fetters and aduanceth the poore to great degree And the more thou shalt thinke on Gods power the stronger shall be thy faith the more firme thy hope the greater awe wilt thou stand in and be the more fearefull to sinne and forward to all good duties Then let this point take deepe impression and neuer depart out of thy mind And if thou wouldest haue experience of Gods power Psal 92. 5. 6. Rom 1. 20. 2 Cor. 12. 9. 1. Meditate on his workes of creation 2. Consider how he hath destroyed and dissolued the strong and cursed worke will is goodnes yet we adde evill for as the vnderstanding is exercised about truth and error though error be but a swerving from the truth and by accident part of the intellects obiect so is the Will conversant about good and euill in the same manner The Will may seeme to haue two contrary motions to will and nill the first embraceth good the second refuseth evill yet I haue sometimes thought that to nill is rather a cessation then an action For as the hand doth extend it selfe to apprehend what the eye iudgeth for good but moveth not at what is evill except by violence it were imposed vpon it so likewise it may seeme to be with the Will viz. acting about good resting in respect of evill And a man may be said to nill what he doth not will But we leaue this to the most learned to iudge of Goodnes may be considered either first or from a first The former is in God and indeed very good so that he willeth himselfe necessarily and primarily because he is the chiefest good and this may be said to be an internall not an externall action for so the acts of Gods will are distributed The latter is whatsoever proceedeth from God and this good is of two kindes either of nature or grace and his Will is conversant about them both as its proper though secondary obiect Finally Evill is likewise double the one the evill of sinne the other of punishment And in both the Will of GOD worketh though not directly and altogether with approbation For in no wise may we thinke that the Lord affecteth alloweth commandeth or allureth directly to sinne But forbiddeth disswadeth and punisheth it according to that These things haue I hated and the soule that sinneth shall Zach. 8. 17. Psal 5. 5. Ephes 5. 6. dye Notwithstanding the Lord though not by coaction or a forced necessitie permitteth and suffereth these things to be and doth dispose of them for good and profitable ends therefore he the rather doth suffer them then altogether prevent and hinder them For although evill as it is evill is not good yet that not onely good but also evill should be is good for the evill of sinne and affliction can the Lord turne to his glory and his childrens good and by direct opposites we the better perceiue which is the best But obserue that sinne and punishment of their owne nature are naught and become good by accident onely As we haue described the Will of God according to our power so we may in the next place vse a distinction But this must be well considered that Gods Will is but one it admitteth no diuision into Species yet as his wisedome is simple notwithstanding the Apostle calls it by reason its refracted in the creatures the manifold wisedome of God so in like fort for the same reason Gods Will may diversly be considered and distinguished Ephes 3. 10. And in the first place it may be said to be internall and The first Distinction of the Will of God externall And it s called internall because it worketh in him and hath God himselfe for his adequate and proper obiect for God willeth himselfe before he can will any other thing The externall is that whose obiect is said to be without God that is to say all created things or whatsoeuer is not himselfe The first is necessary and essentiall to God the second seemeth to be after a sort accidentall yet free and is the foundation and roote of all Contingents in the whole frame of Nature Againe Gods will is either secret or revealed We call it The second distinction of Gods Will. secret not in regard that he knoweth not before hand what he will will but in respect he keepeth it at the least for a time hid from vs As the day of a mans particular departure and the last iudgement Act. 1. 7. And this is but one and the same Will in God for the time of its manifestation and the manifestation it selfe are but adiuncts or accidentall
he sought him out found him And here it may seeme to appeare that these people were at Rome when they forsooke Paul and also probably that they met with him with his chaine and would not take knowledge of him but turned themselues from him and that by the opposing of these seuerall persons actions directly one against another Now in this Verse we haue a description of Onesiphorus The Logicall resolution 1. It s said that he was at Rome that was the subiect place where for a time he abode 2. He is described by an effect For he sought 3. By the manner how very diligently And 4. By the successe of his seeking he found whom he sought Againe here be two things layd downe in these words concerning Paul the one that he was at Rome the other that he was prisoner and in distresse there But when he was at Rome This word But is diuersly vsed The Theologicall exposition in Scripture Sometime exclusiuely I haue lost none that thou gauest me But the sonne of perdition 2. Inclusiuely Now is layd vp for me a crowne of righteouses and not for me only But for al them that loue his appearing 3. Discretiuely He gaue them all none excepted change of rayment But vnto Beniamin three hundred pieces of siluer 4. Oppositiuely Not Iesus But Barrabbas And in the last sense it seemes to be taken here They of Asia sought me not or He was not ashamed But c. opposing it to shame and then the arguments are diuâ—rs I haue thought it might be read For making it the third argument of a Syllogisme or Reason to proue that Onesiphorus was not ashamed of Pauls chaine He sought me out very diligently To seeke in Scripture is sometimes taken in the worst sense also for prayer c. Here it signifies searching and going from place to place very studiously and inquisitiuely And found me That is came where I was and did meete with me The Difference betwixt Inuenire and Reperire is this When we goe on a thing we doe inuenire when a thing comes on vs we doe reperire The one seemes to be an act per se the other per accidens Let no man once doubt that Onesiphorus was ashamed The Metaphrase of me being poore in bonds for he being at Rome where I was prisoner in chaines very diligently and studiously inquired for me and trudged from place to place vntill he had met me found me out And would hee ever haue done this if he had beene ashamed of me or scorned me No verily be thou assured of that my sonne For hee being at Rome c or when he was at Rome When Doctrines deduced he was there and heard or knew of Pauls troubles he then sought him and refreshed him whence note that When the faithfull are afflicted then they are to be refreshed Doct. 1. Say not vnto thy neighbour Goe and come againe to morrow will giue thee if thou now haue it Prou. 3. 28. I am 2. 15. c. For that 's the fittest time Now a morsell of bread or cup Reas 1. of cold water to a dry and hungry stomacke will be right welcome comfortable A word now spoken to the weary and wounded soule is in its sittest season and how gladly will it be receiued Againe we know not what a day or hower may bring Reason 2. forth our brother may be dead or swallowed vp of ouermuch heauines in the meane time And will not that be pitifull fearefull Now sleepe hence forward the houre is come c. could not but pierce the sluggish hearts of Peter and Iohn Besides we may haue our goods taken from vs or in Reason 3. future time want all oportunity to doe good when we be willing the which though the world neuer dreame of such a thing is an heauy curse Would it not greeue the husband to much haue good seed and yet want ground and time to sowe it In so doing we make God our debtor and the sooner Reas 4. the better is it not And here the best may be taxed for omitting of the Vse 1. present occasion or poore mans necessity We are prone to commit sin instantly and to put off good and charitable duties from time to time and to doe them lingringly But beloued this should not be so we gather fruit when it is the ripest cut downe corne when it is hardest let bloud when it groweth ranckest and shall we not refresh our brethren being poorest Let vs be otherwise minded Is thy brother hungry now Vse 2. feed him thirstly now giue him drinke burdened with sinne now comfort him sicke or in bonds now visit him And doe but obserue the Lords proceeding and thou shalt see that alwayes in the greatest straites then he hath declared his arme of mercy In the middest of the sorrowes sayth the Prophet of my heart the Lord comforted my soule In my daies marke the best haue their dayes of affliction he heard me Then goe thou and doe likewise Canst thou tell how it may fall out with thee in future time Death will come and it s a righteous thing with the Lord to depriue those of meanes of comfort then when as they would not comfort others in great sorrow at that houre Wee may runne from the poore and his homely bed and cottage but God and his swift curse will one day overtake vs. Wherefore I in the name and mercy of God beseech you to minde this thing Say not Pharisaically see to it thy selfe Little doest thou know how the very presence of thy friend in time to come may comfort thee And I wish that the experience of the want of it may sometime teach thee the worth of it I may truly say that if men knew the sting of death burden of sin or extremitie of hunger by experience they would runne to and fro to comfort and refresh the afflicted but men haue not felt the one therefore they neglect the other A morsell of bread or cup of small beere nay a word spoken in due season may not saue the body but a soule from death Then seriously assiduously minde this one thing Thou wilt reply we shall endanger our selues in so doing Obiect 1. Sol. 1. Onesiphorus might haue said so being at Rome but would that haue serued his turne 2. Thou therefore must do it and leaue the euent to God Epaphroditus was neare vnto death and regarded not his life in this case for the service of his brethren Phil. 2. 30. But they are visited with strange and noysome diseases Obiect 2. Sol. Why such haue most need of all others the greater miserie the more need of mercy I am a Minister and my people haue the plague may I Quest 1. visit such It s generally held no thou maist not being a publike Answ person for thy death may be the death in mans iudgement of many a soule And a generall