thy words were heard yet Daniel knew not of it else would he not have further supplicated but have given thanks for it Sometimes through heedlesness and negligence persons look not after their Prayers Sometimes anguish of heart makes persons not perceive it Job 9.16 If I had called and he had answered me yet would I not believe that he had hearkened to my voice 2 Look upon it as a great affliction to cry and not be heard Lam. 3.44 3 God takes notice of the Prayers of his people Acts 9.11 Behold he prayeth yea delights in them as men do in the smell of sweet Odours and Incense Psalm 141.2 Revel 5.8 and if not yet answered wait for sooner or later they shall be answered They shall not be ashamed who wait for God Isai 49.23 9 Pray with watchfulness Col. 4.2 Continue in Prayer and watch Watch and pray Matth. 26.41 Take heed watch and pray Mark 13.33 Be sober and watch unto Prayer 1 Peter 4.7 Watch therefore and pray always that ye may be counted worthy to escape all these things Luke 21.36 There are two sorts of Watchings 1 Proper 2 Metaphorical 1 Proper this was practised 1 Under the Old Testament when holy men being compassed about with many cares distractions and business could not sometimes finde fit access to God on the day time hence were forced to take part of the night caeteris paribus the thing is lawfull now if a Christian unavoidably hindered on the day time do take part of the night for Prayer thus David Psalm 22.2 I cry unto thee in the night season and am not silent Psalm 6.6 All the night make I my bed to swim Psalm 119. At midnight I will rise to give thanks unto thee Or if a soul not content with Prayer in the day time shall have an impulse to pray in the night thus Christ Matth. 26.38 Tarry ye here and watch with me saith Christ So the godly Levites Psalm 134.1 2 Under the New Testament there were night-watchings the Christians in the Apostles times were compelled when they would either hear the Word publickly or pray to meet in the night Acts 12.12 Peter in the night came to the house of Mary where many were gathered together praying Acts 20 7. John 20.19 Now they met in the night because of the Pagans among whom they lived to avoid their fury Afterwards when Emperours became Christians whether for solemnity custome or devotion sake I know not Christians still retained the custome of wakings and these Wakes they kept when a solemn Feast or Holy-day came on which Wake they spent in Prayer and in the Word that so they might be more fitted to partake of the Supper of the Lord hence Tertullian lib. 2. to his Wife brings a Reason why Christian women should not mary heathen Husbands even from these Wakes for saith he Quis Ethnicus nocturnis convocationibus c. What Heathen would willingly endure his Wife to be from his side at these night assemblies What man would endure without trouble that his Wife should go abroad in the night at the Solemnities of Easter wherein it 's like they had divers Wakes From this custome have the popish Wakes continued in the Nations to this day but quite altered from their primitive institution being now onely kept as Festivals for the most horrid drunkenness dancings and licentiousness 2 There is a metaphorical watchfulness This is 1 Against drowsiness that we do not come before the Lord with sleepy Prayers Thus Peter James and John fell asleep even as Christ was at Prayer Matth. 26.40 They had a willingness to have watched with Christ but drowsisiness seized on them through fleshly weakness v. 41. See also v. 43. A sleepy spirit scarce speaks sense to God in Prayer How do you think that God should hear drowsie Prayers which your selves do not hear Will Gods ears be delighted with non-sense Shouldest thou offer such blinde halt services to the Prince would he accept them Mal. 1.13 It 's a shame to speak what many men do in secret which they have confessed after conversion yea and it were well if Christians were not guilty herein If it so fall out with thee that thou goest late to Prayer and thine eys and spirit prove drowsie be humbled and be short lest thy whole Prayer be a taking of Gods Name in vain Make the Lord amends some other time when thy heart is in a better temper Let us be like Musicians that first tune their Instruments and then play Or like Mariners who having a good Gale of Winde set up all Sails Psalm 57.7 2 Watchfulness against distractions I have before showen the causes of them under another Head onely I le add that a worldly frame of spirit is a great cause of them for when the heart comes immediately out of the World from pleasures and worldly business no wonder if the soul be full of wandering thoughts in duty Also disorderly affections of fear joy desire grief anger vain hopes will be ready to interpose in Prayer Besides a spirit of slothfulness when we do not press our hearts to the Prayer in hand will open a door for distractions besides abundance of vain impressions upon the imagination with the absence of holy impressions there help forward distraction Besides many remaining lusts draw away and entice the soul Remedies against these Distractions 1 Be humbled for them and desire God to cleanse thee Psalm 19.12 2 Keep thy heart with diligence Prov. 4.23 3 Practise preparation of heart that thou mayst not come rushing into the presence of God Job 11.13 4 Remember the greatness of that majesty before whom thou presents thy self The Angels cover their faces before him Psalm 6.2 The Mountains quake at him and the Earth is burnt at his presence Nah. 1.5 5 Keep thine eye from gazing How many distractions come through the eye That the Prophet might keep his heart close in the duty he desires the Lord to turn away his eys from beholding vanity Psalm 119. â—7 The eys and ears are as the gates of the City keep them well that the Enemy enter not 6 Trim thy soul There 's a twofold preparation 1 Habitual thus the wise Virgins had Oyl in their Lamps hence get a Principle of Grace in thine heart from this holy motions arise in thy soul 2 Actual as the wise Virgins had not onely Oyl in their Lamps but also trimm'd them so must thou do act every grace faith love joy fear grief upon a right object 7 Get an heavenly frame of heart Psalm 45.1 My heart boileth up good matter Eructat Hence the tongue is as the Pen of a ready Writer which scantly makes a dash Where the heart is heavenly the heart will be heaving uptowards Heaven such hearts converse in Heaven and dwell there Phil. â— 20 Revel 13.6 8 Bring a feeling of thy wants the more thou feel'st them the more fixedly thou wilt look unto God for supply God will not have the Prayer
EXPOSITIONS AND SERMONS UPON The Ten first Chapters of the Gospel of JESUS CHRIST according to MATTHEW Written by CHRISTOPHER BLACKWOOD Preacher to a Church of Christ in the City of Dublin in IRELAND Necesse est nobis Scripturas sanctas in testimonium vocari sensus quippe nostri enarrationes sine his testibus fidem nullam habent Orig. homil 1. in Jerem. It 's needfull the holy Scriptures should be called into witness because our meanings and Expositions without these witnesses have no belief Quaemadmodum si quis herbas aridas nec odorem nec colorem gratum habentes in medici officina dispositas repererit c. As if a man shall finde in a Phisician or Apothecaries shop dry herbs having neither smell nor colour though they may seem to have a base shew yet he will suspect there is some virtue and remedy in them so in the Apothecary shop of the Scriptures if any thing meet which at first sight seems to be contemned yet we may surely set down that there is some spiritual profit in it because Christ the Phisician of souls is to be supposed to have put nothing idle or unprofitable in this his shop meaning of the Scriptures Orig. hom 8. in Levit. LONDON Printed by HENRY HILLS for FRANCIS TYTON and JOHN FIELD and are to be sold at the Three Daggers and at the Seven Stars in Fleetstreet 1659. To the Right Honourable Lord CHARLES FLEETWOOD late Lord Deputy of Ireland and now Lieutenant-General of the forces in England MY LORD TO testifie that due acknowledgement of Your Lordships favors whereto I am obliged I have hereto prefixt Your Lordships name Among all studies none are to be preferr'd before the study of the Scriptures LUTHER when one Chapter was opened to him said Me thinks I see heaven opened Here are several Chapters opened wherein if God shall open himself to Your Lordships heart heaven shall undoubtedly be opened unto you Let not Your Lordship herein expect the flourishing garnish of humane Eloquence nor the glorious varnish of Rhetorical expressions but naked truth or at least the same drest up in an homely garb Truth is more potent them Eloquence the spirit better then wit Faith greater then Learning and the foolishness of God stronger then men All knowledge save that of the Scriptures is but perishing food yea the very knowledge of the Scriptures is no better unless as the understanding be affected with the truth of them the will be affected with the goodness therein presented In vain is all knowledge if it be not improved to the benefit of our own souls If our knowledge consist onely in methodical discoursing of God we shall glorifie him onely as the Painter doth the party whose picture he hath exactly taken With all the truths of God our hearts should have such correspondence as between the Character and Letter instamp'd My Lord if now and then you shall redeem an hour from Court-affairs to Closet-contemplation to peruse this ensuing Treatise I hope through the blessing of God your labor will not be in vain I have no more at present save to exhort you to take opportunities of doing much for God who hath done so much for you that so your faith and fruits of righteousness may abound in the day of account which with my prayers to the Lord for Your Lordship Your Lady and Posterity is the hearty request of MY LORD Your Lordships in all duty to serve and observe you CHR. BLACKWOOD TO THE READER BEing desired by some of my friends to Print some Annotations upon the New Testament though my life was too far spent and I not like to accomplish it my Body being much worn yet I thought it adviseable to make an Essay herein but the Providence of God so disposed that I had no sooner finished 3. or 4. Chapters in Matthew but I was called from the City of Kilkennie in Ireland to be Overseer of a Church of Christ in Dublin to whom preaching I was necessitated in order to their edification to handle some Points largelier then the nature of an Exposition calls for but yet I suppose not with less profit to ordinary Readers I have not according to the itch of the times affected new fangled interpretations but judging it unsafe to move the bounds of the faith I have troden in the steps of the best ancient and modern Divines that Providence led me to adding changing rectifying inventing and proposing what I thought needfull Thou mayest perhaps in some points meet with a judgement differing from thine in some one thing yet let not that cause thee either to reject or not promote the truths in this ensuing Treatise wherein we agree in most things If the Lord may have glory and thy soul Edification and Comfort and any Comfort may redound to me in the day of my account which speedyly draws on I trust I shall have my end With much carefulness I have endeavoured to avoid the misleading of Gods people I cannot promise thee all in this Treatise is truth yet notwithstanding all fear of losing friends and procuring enemies I have pressed after truth through multitudes of impediments temptations and discouragements That the answer of those prayers which have been poured out for a good success upon these weak endeavours may redound to the rejoycing of both our souls in the day of the Lord is the earnest request of Thy well wishing friend for the Lords sake C. B. The Authours Introduction to the ensuing Treatise TO the better understanding of this Gospel which through the assistance of the good Spirit of the Lord I now undertake there must be certain things first to be considered whereunto I shall propose these ensuing I. That by the Gospel or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is meant The glad Tidings of Salvation of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that signifies Well and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To tell though sometimes the word Gospel is taken for the Reward of good Tidings as Cicero to Atticus saith O thy sweet Epistles to which I confess Evangelia that is the Reward of good Tidings is due This word Gospel is taken 1. Generally for the whole Scripture which declares this Message for there were many sprinklings of the Gospel in the Old Testament Gen. 3.15 Deut. 18.18 2. Or particularly 1. for the promise of forgiveness of sins to them that believe and repent Luke 24.47 Acts 10.42 2. For the publication of this Gospel so Paul Rom. 16 25. was separate to the Gospel of God that is to the preaching of it See also Gal. 1.15 16. 2 Tim. 2.8 Christ was raised from the dead according to my Gospel that is the preaching of my Gospel Rom. 2.16 God shall judg all secrets according to my Gospel that is according to my preaching II. In that it 's said according to Matthew we may note that the prime Authour of this Gospel was not Matthew but the Spirit of God Matthew onely penn'd what the Spirit dictated III. This
service committed to the meanest servants such a phrase in English I am not worthy to carry his Books after him Some take it as the custome of the Hebrews who going into some more holy place were wont to put off their Shoes Exod. 3.5 Josh 5.15 Put off thy Shoes for the place where thou standest is holy ground and those who were more rich or noble had some Body to carry their Shoes Other Evangelists have the Latchet of whose Shoes I am not worthy to unloose in which speech they allude unto the manner of their being shod In hot Countreys their Shoes had onely Soles below and tyed above and therefore they were to be loosed before they could be pulled off the Greeks call them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And we when we come home or go to bed call to the meanest Boy to pull off our Shoes Hence Psalm 108.10 Over Edom will I cast out my Shoe that is I will imploy the Edomites in the basest service as to take away my Shoes when they are put off John hereby acknowledges Christ to be his Lord and himself his meanest Servant He shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with Fire Some think John Baptist hath respect to that Acts 2.1 visible pouring out of the Spirit in the shape of fiery Tongues at Pentecost though this be a truth as appears Acts 1.5 John truly baptized with Water but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence Yet may we understand it of the power of the Spirit or of inward Baptism whereby the Spirit in the Hearts of Believers burns up their Lusts not onely enlightening of them but inlivening and kindling in them holy affections As the Spirit is called Water from the purging away of our filth Titus 3.5 so is it called Fire because by a spirit of burning he burns up our dross Isai 4.4 The Lord shall purge away the Bloud of Jerusalem from the midst thereof by the spirit of burning In a word Gospel Preachers may baptize you with Water but the Spirit renews us inwardly by the Spirit Now that the Ethiopians baptize with Fire they add to the Institutions of Christ and to the Scriptures which shadows out unto us and presents to our memories the benefit of the Spirit by variety of expressions The Abissines brand the baptized persons with Fire Beza in loc This practice gave occasion to some bolder Library keepers in some Copies to blot out the word Fire The Spirit is well resembled by Fire because it hath the properties of Fire as to purge to drive away darkness to shine to kindle to snatch upwards to strengthen Ephes 3.16 to change into it self 2 Cor. 3.18 Believers are by the Spirit changed into the same glorious image Mark 1.8 It 's said he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost Fire is left out here for explanation sake it is added by the Figure Hendiadys The sum is Christ alone bestows whatsoever outward Baptism figures or signifies Now Fire in this place seems to be opposed to Water I baptize you with Water saith John Christ baptizes with Fire to signifie unto us that some fiery and spiritual power towards our purging and cleansing is represented to us by the Water of Baptism Besides this purging Fire bestowed on the Elect is opposed to that everlasting burning Fire which in the former Verse is threatned to fruitless Trees V. 12. Whose Fan is in his hand and he will thorowly purge his Floor and gather his Wheat into the Garner but will burn up the Chaff with unquenchable Fire John had set forth the power of Christ about Baptism now to awaken his Hearers the more some of whom were in a deep sleep he extends it further to the last Judgment which he shews by similitude of an Husbandman who when the Harvest is come gathers the Corn with the Chaff into the Floor and by and by thresheth it and separates the Chaff from the Wheat Whose Fan is in his â—aâ—d That is the Preaching of the Gospel before the Lâ—rd â—owse us up thereby we are as it were folded up in an heap of confusion untill which come the whole World is like a great heap of Chaff Or rather by Fan understand his judging power He will thorowly purge his Floor That is his Church gathering out of the Field of the World his Corn he brings it into his Bâ—rn as the Husbandman doth and when by an outward Call in the Ministry of the Word he hath brought them in because there are and will be many Hypocrites in his Churches hence he will thorowly purge his Floor as the Husbandman doth of the Chaff that is of wicked men who are compared to Chaff Psalm 1.4 Job 21.19 But this will be at the Day of Judgment which should be as a comfort to Saints and terrour to awaken carnal men so that the Floor signifies not the Place but the Corn upon it by a Metonymie Wheat into the Garner That is Saints into Heaven where the Sheep are at the Judges right hand from thence they go to Heaven Matth. 25. ult When the Fan hath once severed them that is his power and wisdom whereby he is able to sever Sheep and Goats whereby he is able to judg persons for every thing done in the Bâ—dy whether thoughts words or deeds This Fan is said to be in his hand it shews the â—ear approach of the Judgment James 5.9 The Judg slandeth before the Door For if thâ—â—e were some hundreds of years to the last Judgment yet compared with Eternity they are as nothing Burn up the Chaff with unquenchable Fire Not that it cannot be quenched but that it doth not quench in burning wicked men it never turns their Bodies to Ashes Neither is this impossible for the Sun it self which many suppose to be Fire is always burning and never quenched we reade of the Bush burning and not consumed Exod. 3. This Fire is still kindled by the breath of the Lord Exod. 30.33 This is five times together mentioned Mark 9.43 44 45 46 47 48. that we might the more fear it So that we see the wofull condition of the Chaff they are not onely severed from the Wheat but after the manner of the Nation of Palestine they are burnt in the Fire V. 13. Then cometh Jesus from Galilee to Jordan unto John to be baptized of him We have here in this second part of the Chapter the Baptism of Christ set down wherein we have 1 The end of Christ's coming from Galilee to Jordan which was to be baptized of John 2 We have John's Prohibition of him together with his Reasons I have need to be baptized of thee and comest thou to me 3 Christ's Answer to John shewing why he would be baptized which was for the fulfilling of all Righteousness v. 15. 4 Christ's Reception of Baptism amplified 1 From the Adjunct He ascended out of the Water being baptized being then thirty years old Luke 3.23 2 From the signs that
will have it done saith Christ Suffer it to be so now so that in opposition to Johns arguments Christ brings two reasons 1 I am not yet declared to be the Christ by the descent of the spirit of God upon me and by the opening of the Heavens and by a voice from Heaven but come unto thee as a private man and therefore thou oughtest not to refuse me though I am greater then thee and therefore suffer it to be so now 2 For thus it becometh us to fulfil all Righteousness this is the second reason The meaning is 1 I am not baptized for that cause that others are for to signifie forgiveness of sin for I have no sin but to sanctifie Baptism that it may be a mean or an instrument of the application of the righteousness of Faith So Luther 2 Though I be greater then thee It 's the Fathers will I should receive baptism from thee and consecrate it in my body that they that are baptized into me may acknowledg me to be one of their brethren 3 This word righteousness must not be taken strictly but broadly not onely to signifie what belongs to the law but for whatsoever hath respect either to equity or honesty The Law of Moses had set down nothing of this Baptism and the Heavenly command John had received belonged onely to Repenting sinners yet Christ being a pattern of perfect innocency the sign Baptism was not in vain in him which signified a purpose of innocency neither could it be shewn more effectually how great an honour was due to the Rites appointed by God than if Christ should by his Example commend the use of them to us Again Christ by this Ceremony was as it were imbodied with us and to confirm to Believers that are baptized as they ought that they shall have the Heaven open unto them and the Spirit coming upon them 4 Christ understands not a justice of equality and of the Law but of equity and of his calling Therefore Christ answers to the Argument of the Baptist by a Distinction which was this The more unworthy ought to be baptized of the more worthy Christ answers Yea unless the righteousness of calling require the contrary that the more unworthy be called to baptize the more worthy but thou art called to baptize me for I am not here now as a Lord but as the Servant of the Lord to be entered into the Church of the New Testament and to my duty therefore I will do what belongs to me and do thou what belongs to thee and so both of us will fulfill the righteousness of our respective calling I taking up Baptism and thou dispensing of it thou baptizing me with the Baptism of Water I baptizing thee with the Baptism of my Bloud 5 It is a point of Righteousness that Masters and Teachers should practise that they commend to others that by their own Example they may teach others Acts 1.1 Jesus began first to do and then to teach 6 By Righteousness he means whatsoever the Father hath commanded whatsoever is just holy and acceptable to God Then he suffered him We have here John's modesty that denying his own opinion he obeys Christ and receives him to Baptism It behoves our Reasons to fall down when stronger Reasons are brought and not to defend them because they were ours Though John thought it absurd and uncomely yet when he heard the Righteousness of both their Callings were fulfill'd thereby he gives way So did Peter John 13.8 that would not let Christ wash his Feet till Christ told him If I wash thee not thou hast no part in me then Peter suffered Christ to wash his Feet so John here it 's like kept Christ by his hands from entering into Jordan not out of stubborness but out of misguided reverence now Christ bidding John to suffer it to be so now and giving him Reasons thereupon he suffered him V. 16. And Jesus when he was baptized went up straightway out of the Water and lo the Heavens were opened unto him and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a Dove and lighting upon him We have here Christ his receiving of Baptism set down 1 From the Adjunct when he was baptized he went up straightway out of the Water Because he was let go without the confession of sins when others were not as some think but rather because all made their profession before they came in and so straightway went out therefore little can be gathered from hence save that when he came out of the Water he went to Prayer to teach us to partake of Batism and the Supper with reverence Luke 3. Now for Christ's Baptism it was a burying of the whole Body in Water for it was with his Members thus Col. 2.12 Rom. 6.4 Heb. 10.22 He is not said to go out but to ascend because the Earth or Land is higher than the Water And lo the Heavens were opened We have the signs accompanying Christ his Baptism and confirming the same viz. the Heavens opening The Heavens were opened to him not that the Heavens were opened upon all the Earth but that part of Heaven where Christ prayed on the Bank of Jordan or upon the rest as John and other baptized persons but upon him The manner of the Heavens opening Mark sets down by cleaving the Heavens were cloven 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to rend and cleave as he that cleaves Wood. This opening of the Heaven was a testimony of this heavenly Teacher and of his Doctrine that both he and his Doctrine were from Heaven which by the Dispensation thereof opens the Gate of Heaven to Believers Doubtless there was glorious Light that by the Beams thereof shone upon Christ like that which shone upon Paul going to Damascus Acts 9. By this Mystery the Lord signified that Baptism was now consecrated in the Body of Christ to be a sign of heavenly grace It 's very like that all the heavenly Orbs were open that men might have lookt into the Empyraean Heaven or the Heaven of the Blessed which also fell out when Stephen was stoned who saw the Heavens open and the glory of God and Jesus standing at the right hand of God Acts 7.55 56. Out of this 〈◊〉 of the Heaven came down the holy Spirit in the bodily shape of a Dove and sensibly let down it self till it abode on Christ And the Spirit of God descending like a Dove and lighting upon him We have here the second sign confirming the calling of Christ and installing him in his Office visibly This was for the fulfilling of the Prophesie Isai 61.1 The Spirit of the Lord is upon me Not as if Christ were without the Spirit before but now it was made visibly manifest to others Like a Dove Quest Whether was it a real Dove or onely a similitude Answ It was a bodily shape like a Dove Luke 3.22 It 's like it was not a true Dove but onely the form of a Dove formed by the Angel and
in some supposititious writings falsely ascribed unto him V. 11. Then the devil leaveth him and behold Angels came and ministred unto him We have here the victory over the tempter The devil brought the worst of his fiery darts but Christ overcomes him We may see the temptations of Satan are limited that God will not still suffer Satan to tempt 1 Cor. 10.13 nor us to be tempted above strength Luke adds when the devil had ended all the temptation â—e departed from him for a season Satan left not Christ altogether but onely for a season to let us know that the rest of his life was not free from temptations and to teach us that sometimes Satan politickly gives way to try afterwards whether he can finde us secure Satan will try whether we have not lost our former strength care or vigilance or whether God that now doth not will not at another time for some causes suffer us to be led into temptation Satan would come oftner but that God who knoweth our strength or rather our weakness will not suffer him Satan is apt to come again with the same temptation to see if he cannot tyre and weary us out with the anguish and vexation of it 2 Cor. 12.8 Satan thrice tempted Paul with pride and sometimes he changes his weapon Let us do as the Pilot doth have our compass ready and stand ready to turn your needle to any point knowing that your lust within is for any sin and Satan can as easily tempt us to prodigality as to covetousness Onely when Satan comes with some other weapon God doth it for our good as change of Physick is good for the body for the same Potion always used will not work so well so the longer we are used to the same temptation the less it worketh God will have Satan turn some other way to purge some other stream of lust Besides God will have us learn skill by experience at all sorts of weapons by the falls of Hezekiah and Jehosaphat and David learn we that when one temptation is over another will come which will be a mean to prevent spiritual pride and security As we must not be secure when the temptation comes but set against it before Satans suggestion joyn with our corruption set against it while it is young so let us not be secure when the storm of the temptation is blown over let us do as Mariners that mend their tacklings against another storm come We are apt to think we shall have no more such temptations and then comes the tempter Satan was never so beaten by any as by Christ yet he came again and again A man that is once well beaten in the Field will hardly be brought to fight with the same man again but it is not so with Satan We must have some good days to breath in else we should not be willing to live and more fits of Temptations we must have or else we should not be willing to dy And behold the Angels came and ministred to him Here 's the comfort Christ had after the Temptation was over Angels come to minister to him Consolations are wont to follow after Temptations Hereby Christ saw the Father had a care of him and whereas solitariness in a Wilderness was one Trial here 's the company of good Angels nor had he onely their company but also he had them ministring to him Meat and other necessaries till he came out of the Wilderness The word Behold le ts us see that this was no little wonder that the Son of God who was even now exposed to Satans scorns should have not onely one but divers Angels ministring to him The like was in his passion Luke 22. As in Battel when the Enemies are dispoiled and driven away Friends come to congratulate with us so the Devil being overcome the Angels come to rejoyce with Christ As the Angels ministred to Christ after his Combate so do they serve Believers they are all ministring spirits Heb. 1.14 but it 's not to Run-aways but to then who have valiantly stood it out Thus we see Satan's great Temptations 1 Distrust in Adversity 2 Presumptuous undertakings without a Call 3 To seek success in our Calling as Riches Honour c. without and against a Command of God The second part of the Chapter containing Christ's Preaching in Galilee in which observe 1 The time when which was when John was cast into Prison 2 The place where viz. in Galilee 3 The end wherefore Christ preached which was 1 For the fulfilling the Prophesie v. 14. 2 For the enlightening of those in darkness v. 15 16. 4 The subject matter of his Preaching which was the Doctrine of Repentance v. 17. V. 12. Now when Jesus had heard that John was cast into Prison he departed into Galilee We have Christ's Preaching set forth 1 By the time when which was when Jesus heard that John was cast into Prison from that time Christ began to preach v. 17. which was as soon as John Baptist his fore-runner was cast into Prison of this mention is made Acts 10.36 37. The Word which God sent unto the Children of Israel preaching peace by Jesus Christ that Word you know that was published throughout all Judea and began from Galilee after the Baptism which John preached This circumstance of time notes to us that this Jesus was the Lord whom they looked for who sent John as a Messenger to prepare the way of his Gospel which was prophesied by Isai cap. 40.6 and Malachy cap. 4 5 6. Hence the Disciples when they saw Elias come after Christ in the Transfiguration they scrupled saying Why do the Scribes say that Elias must first come Christ tells them that John Baptist was that Elias the fore-runner of Messiah according to those words of his father Zachary Thou Childe shalt be called the Prophet of the Highest for thou shalt go before the face of the Lord to prepare his way namely as the Angel told him in the power and spirit of Elias Lukâ— 1.17 This John was Christ's fore-runner both in his Birth being born six Moneths before him and in his Preaching and also in his Passion and Suffering Matth. 17.12 Elias is come and they knew him not but have done to him whatsoever they listed even so also shall the Son of man suffer of them Now seeing the coming of Christ is twofold the first in the flesh the second to judg the World whether do not the Prophesies imply that there must be an Harbinger of his second coming as well as of his first for though the Prophesie of Isai 40.6 seems applicable onely to his first coming yet that Mal. 4 5. seems to be applicable to both his commings I will send you Eliah the Prophet before the coming of that great and terrible Day of the Lord and he shall turn or restore the hearts of the fathers to the children that is he shall bring the unbelieving Jews to have the same heart then holy fathers and
Luke sets down all the Apostles were called together cap. 6.13 Mar. 3.19 John sets down c. 1.40 41. first Andrew was called then Peter therefore we must remember the fore-mentioned distinction of Discipleship and Apostleship Casting their nets into the sea for they were fishers The calls of Christ usually meet persons when they are employed in their lawful callings V. 19. And he saith unto them Follow me and I will make you fishers of men Christ doth not call the learned men of the world the eloquent Orator the subtile Logician for to make his own power more manifest whiles he had such weak and simple instruments 1 Cor. 1.23 Where is the wise Where is the Scribe Where is the disputer of this world Follow me Leave not onely your lusts but your ordinary imployments that you may be instructed in the way that leads to life And I will make you fishers of men It 's a metaphor the sea is the world the fishes men the net the Gospel Math. 13.47 the fishers are the preachers Preachers are compared to fishers 1 For their painfulness fishermen must rise at all hours and undergo many hard storms so must preachers 2 For their watchfulness they must rise at all hours so preachers 3 For diligence Fishers must let down their net at all hours whether they take something or nothing so must preachers Men are like unto Fishes 1 As fish stands need of salt to keep it from putrifaction so do men stand need to be seasoned with the Gospel and with gracious discourse Col. 4.6 2 As fishes are begotten of water and live in it Rondel l. de pise c. 13. and are nourished by it and die without it so if you be taken by the Gospel You must be born of water and the spirit Joh. 3.5 of the bloud of Christ compared to water Ezek. 36.25 Rev. 7.14 and of the spirit of Christ without which you can neither live nor be nourished 3 As the greater fishes devour the less and the great Whale devours all so the great men of the world devour the smaller and the devil devours all unless rescued by Christ 4 Fishes as soon as they perceive the net swim away from it so natural men put away the Gospel from them Job 21.14 Acts 13.46 5 As fishes are not taken unless they take the bait so are not souls unless they receive the glorious things of the Gospel Rom. 1.16 6 As fishes wander in the sea confusedly until they be taken and put into fish-ponds so do natural men in the sea of this world till they be converted and brought into the Church V. 20. And they straightway left their nets and followed him The powerful work of Christ upon their hearts was so great that they leave their ship and nets to follow Christ yea every enjoyment they had as servants kindred calling There should nothing be too much for us to leave when Christ calls for it Luk. 14.33 we cannot else be Christs Disciples yea our very lives are to be left for Christ Matth. 10.39 God forbid we should rejoyce in any thing save Christ Gal. 6.14 Moreover what obedience they performed to Christ was speedy and present When God calls we must give present obedience so Abraham in sacrificing Isaac Exo. 22.29 Psal 119.60 we must not consider the issues and events of things when we have a clear command of God before us V. 21. And going from thence he saw other two brethren James the son of Zebedee and John his brother in a ship with Zebedee their father mending their nets and he called them We have here two called more from their Fisher-craft to be Christs Disciples whom he retains a good while with him about the doctrine of the Gospel For though men of mean parts and callings may teach yet not before they have learned themselves In that he calls poor Fisher-men we may admire the free grace of God and the greatness of his power who by such weak means could overcome the world 2 Cor. 4.7 The treasure of the Gospel was in such earthen Vessels That the excellency of the power might be of God 1 Cor. 1.26 27. V. 22. And they straightway left the ship and their father and followed him We may see 1 Their dependance upon the providence of Christ for they did not reason how shall we do to live if we leave our callings 2 All worldly things must be held with a disposition to part with them when Christ calls for them they presently left their nets This besides the command of God and example of Saints should move us that what we part with for Christs sake We shall have an hundred fold in this present world and life everlasting hereafter Matth. 19 27. 3 From their not going till they had 〈…〉 we should learn when we attempt any thing hazarâ—ious 〈◊〉 to see our call Heb. 11.8 Abraham being called 〈…〉 went not knowing whither he went The children of Fâ—â—â—â—aim going against their enemies without a call turned their backs in the day of battel Ps 79.9 compared with 1 Chron. 7.21 22. So Israel going up against the Canaanites when God forbad them by Moses to go were smitten by them Numb 14.41 42 43 44 45. 4 In that they leave ship and father learn that matters of affection as well as matters of profit must give way to Christ Gen. 12.1 2. V. 23. And Jesus went about all Galilee teaching in their Synagogues and preaching the Gospel of the Kingdom and healing all manner of sickness and all manner of disease among the People We have in this last part to the end of the Chapter two things 1 The diligence of Christ in preaching and working Miracles v. 23. 2 The effect hereof viz. Multitudes followed him bringing their sick unto him He went about all Galilee Persons that are not fixt to the oversight of one Church but have a Call to go into the World must not content themselves to tarry in any one place Christ went about all Galilee preaching in their Synagogues Where the seed is cast among much ground it 's probable some of it will take root and bring forth fruit And preaching the Gospel of the Kingdom That is the glad Message of the Kingdom of Heaven and the way to attain it If any man ask how Christ could be permitted to preach in the Synagogues it was partly because grave and godly and knowing men either known so to be or commanded by others were so permitted to speak so the chief Ruler of the Synagogue permitted Paul to speak unto the People Acts 13.15 After the reading of the Law and the Prophets the Rulers of the Synagogue sent unto them saying Ye men and brethren if ye have any word of exhortation to the People say on Besides Christ confirmed his Doctrine with Miracles and so all men whom malice blinded not might see that he was a Teacher come from God and therefore might easily have access into the Synagogue Now a Synagogue is the same
fleet he would not joyn with his son Ahaziah though sollicited When a man hath had a fall from a resty horse which had like to have broke his neck he will hardly come upon his back again 2 He will not be hired for any gain of sin against God he will not sell himself as Balaam did Tryals of thy Mourning 1 True mourning that comes from the spirit of grace looks at God who hath been dishonoured and at Christ who hath been crucified Psal 51.3 4. Mine iniquitie is ever before me against thee thee onely have I sinned Hos 6.1 Come let us return unto the Lord for he hath torn us and he will heal us Luke 15.18 Father I have sinned against heaven and before thee so it looks on Christ as crucified Zach. 12.10 They shall look upon him whom they have pierced In opposition to this there is a mourning flowing from the spirit of bondage which is a forced work this differs from the other as the motion of a clock from the motion of a living creature the one is moved from a principle of life the other from weights in the one a man is humbled in the other he humbles himself 2 True mourning hath a change of heart going with it Jer. 4 14. Luke 7.38 those eys that had been employd in wanton glancings now they weep those hairs that had been laid out to entangle now wipes Christs feet those lips that had kist wantonly now kiss Christs feet Hypocritical mourners have no change of heart they are like thievs who forbear stealing while in prison onely 3 If thy mourning for sin be right outward contents will not take it off David had the delights of a Court yet did not this take off his mourning Psalm 51.3.38.6 4 If thy mourning for sin be right it will be on this ground because it turnes away the face of God 2 Chron. 7.12 13. 5 Thou wilt mourn for secret sins as well as for open Psalm 19.12 Cleanse me from my secret sins as vain thoughts Jer. 4.14 c. 6 Thou wilt mourn especially for thy great sins as David doth for his adultery and murder Psalm 51 14. and Paul for his blasphemy 1 Timothy 1.13 7 Thy mourning will be especially for thy master sin Psalm 32.4 5. All Davids mourning was nothing till he came to touch upon this sin of murder to mourn for it 8 Thou wilt mourn for it not onely in times of extremity as Pharaoh Exod. 9.27 and Judas Matth. 27.4 but likewise in times of prosperity 9 True mourning looks at Gods face and favour 1 Sam. 7.3 Psalm 51.8 12. Ezek. 7.16 Hypocrites mourning is to have temporal judgements removed 1 Kings 21.27 and so Jehoram 2 Kings 6.29 30. and those who howled upon their beds for Corn and Wine Hos 7.14 Means to mourning 1 Urge the Lord with his Promise of taking away thy stony heart Ezek. 36.26 Zach. 12.10 God promises to pour upon the house of David and the Hierusalem of Jew and Gentile a spirit of grace and supplication and they shall mourn c. 2 Be frequent in self-examination Psalm 22.28 They shall remember themselves and turn to the Lord Lam. 3.39 Jer. 31.19 after Ephraim was brought to know himself he lamented 3 Keep thy heart under the powerfull dispensation of the Word Jer. 23.29 The Word is a Fire and Hammer Acts 2.37 4 Look often on Christ crucified Hard is thy heart if it mourns not when thou remembrest the dying of Christ Zach. 12.10 looking on him they pierced they mourned 5 Pray for the Spirit of grace to be poured upon thy soul Isai 32.15 When the Spirit is poured from on high the Wilderness will be a fruitfull Field that is those hearts that were like Wildernesses and Forests when the spirit was poured from on high became fruitfull Fields 6 Get assurance of thy interest in Christ crucified A man cannot mourn heartily for sinning against the Lord so long as he knows not but God may damn him in time to come but when Gods love is manifested there will be great sorrow 7 Mournfull considerations as that thou hast broken an holy Law thou hast offended a tender Father that thou hast lived an unprofitable life that thou hast sadded righteous men and gladded wicked men that thou hast been partaker with other men in their sins that thou hast often slidden back from God that thou hast been so dead-hearted in thy secret approaches to God 8 Consider the benefits of holy mourning as 1 Joy is wont to follow it Psalm 97.11.126.6 7. as a joyfull Harvest follows a weeping Seed-time when the poor Farmer mourns to cast away his precious Seed which his Family so much wants Luke 6.25 Isai 57.18 Isai 6.1 2 3. 2 Such persons are marked in an evil time Ezek. 9.4 Job 5.11 3 Such persons are not without blessedness though they be without comfort for Blessed are they that mourn Yea a time is coming when the Lord shall be thy everlasting Light and the days of thy mourning shall be ended Isai 60.20 4 This is one of the effects of Repentance 2 Cor. 7.7 Joel 2.12 5 Godly mourning is a special means to compose the dissoluteness and loosness of our affections which are apt to be scattered too much among carnal joys James 4.9 10. Be afflicted and mourn let your laughter be turned into mourning and your joy into heaviness 9 Practise duties as 1 Private admonition 2 Sam. 12.7 Psalm 141.5 2 Take a fit season for plowing up thy heart Jer. 4.3 when softened by outward trouble 3 Get a particular knowledg of thy evils 1 Sam. 12.19 We have sinned in asking us a King 2 The Reason why mourners are blessed For they shall be comforted here in part 2 Cor. 1.4 and hereafter fully in Heaven James 1.12 Apoc. 7.17 V. 4. Blessed are the meek for they shall inherit the earth Obs Meek persons are blessed 1 What meekness is 2 Why the meek are blessed 1 What it is it is a certain moderation of minde speech and gesture whereby a man becomes gentle and tractable towards those with whom he converses so that he is not sharpened unjustly at their follies and frowardness and smaller offences they commit against him 2 Why meek persons are blessed 1 Because Christ pronounces them blessed Psalm 149.4 The Lord taketh pleasure in his people he will beautifie the meek with salvation Psalm 147.6 The Lord lifts up the meek The meek shall increase their joy in the Lord Isai 29.19 2 Christ promises such persons rest Matth. 11.29 Learn of me for I am meek and ye shall finde rest for your souls Now what rest is this save the rest of grace and glory 3 A meek spirit is of high price in the sight of God 1 Peter 3 4. God exalts such souls in blessedness Hence Preachers are sent to preach good tidings to the meek Isai 61.1 Psalm 76.9 4 Let us learn this duty 1 We have the example of Christ herein Matth. 21.5 Behold thy
but a gladding of the beholders not the havers What is within government fears of insurrections and a servile courting of all sorts of men these are like pictures that seem goodly stuffe farre off but near at hand they are base and course 2 Exhortation to raise up your hunger and thirst after righteousness Psal 119.80 Mine eyes fail with looking but Lord when wilt thou comfort me Davids soul panted for God as the hart for the rivers of water Psal 42.1 2. yea his heart and flesh cryed out for the living God Psal 84.1 2. Psal 27.4 there was one thing his soul lookt after Multa novit vulpes verum Echinus unum magnum as the proverb The Fox knows many things the Hedge-hogge knows one great thing Holy persons long to know their duty as every man desires to know what belongs to the office he is imployed in Psal 119.33 34. so do they thirst for a conformity to it Psal 19.10 More to be desired are they then gold yea then fine gold sweeter also then hony and the hony comb Psal 119.130 I opened my mouth and panted for I longed for thy commandements He uses a Metaphor from hungry or thirsty persons look as when they are hungry or thirsty they greedily open their mouth to take in meat and drink to quench the thirst so when my soul considers the sence of Gods anger against sin or my own filth I flie to thy word to quench my thirst by thy promises and to get direction by thy commandements Motives to hunger and thirst after righteousness 1 The most abundant fulness of outward things avails nothing without this Luke 12.19 He had abundance of earthly things but the devils fetch'd away his soul when his barns would not hold his corn As Samuel bad Saul not to set his mind upon asses when he had a kingdom befallen him 1 Sam. 9.10 So say I why should thy appetite go after earthly things when thou hast such an object as holiness 2 The Lord is wont to fill every hungring soul with spiritual good things Psal 81.10 Open thy mouth wide i. e. thy desires and affections and I will fill it Luke 1.53 He hath filled the hungry with good things Psal 145.19 He will fulfill the desires of them that fear him 3 Christ invites every hungring and thirsting soul to come unto him Isai 55.1 Ho every one that thirsteth come ye to the waters as if a Physician should make a proclamation to all sick Patients to come unto him and he would heal them q d you have thirsted after vain knowledg honours wealth now here are spiritual dainties the Doctrine of Remission Pardon Peace thirst ye after these come ye to the Waters To the Water of Justification Rev 1.5 To the Water of Sanctification and Baptism Titus 3.5 here 's Wine and Milk that is all manner of Delicates Matth 11.28 Come unto me all ye that are weary of your corruptions and heavy laden under them that is that hunger after righteousness and I will give you rest John 7 37 38 If any man thirst let him come unto me and drink on the last day of the Feast Christ utters this speech he takes occasion from their drinking the Waters of Siloah which that day they were wont to draw out using that speech of Esay Ye shall draw Waters with Joy out of the Wells of Salvation Esay 12.3 Christ seeing this shews them who is the true Fountain of Salvation Zach 13.1 and takes his words from Esay 55.1 that is whosoever hath a desire after holiness and happiness let him come to me and I will quench his thirst He that believes on me out of his Belly shall flow Rivers of living Water Among the Hebrews there were certain Cisterns of stone to receive them and in the midst of them certain Pipes or Cocks out of which Water flowed Prov 5.15 Drink Waters out of thine own Cistern and running Waters out of thine own Well let thy Fountain be be dispersed abroad now every medium or concavity is called by the Greeks a Belly Mat 12.40 therefore Christ signifies that they who believe on him should be so filled with Water that it could not be contained within them but should flow out on every side with great streams now by Water he means the Spirit and by Living Water he means Spring-water or Water continually flowing all plenty of Water are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Rivers Matth 7.25 27 That from such a soul there should be plenty of the graces and comforts of the Spirit not onely for himself but for the benefit and comfort of others Revel 21.6 I will give unto him that is athirst of the Fountain of the Water of Life freely Now what is the Fountain of the Water of Life but onely the Bloud of Christ and the Fountain of his Graces Zach 13.1 compared with Rev 1.5 7 14. Rev 22.17 The Spirit and the Bride say Come and whosoever is athirst let him come and take of the water of life freely The Spirit invites all thirsting souls to come to Christ for as the Waters of a Spring can rise no higher than the Spring from whence they come no more can any holy desires further than the Spirit works them in us 4 The greatest part of our grace lies in desires Psalm 119.5 Psalm 38.14 Means to hunger and thirst after Righteousness 1 Feel thine own wants There needs not much Invitation to an hungry man to eat or a thirsty man to drink Revel 3.17 18 John 4.15 Sir give me this Water that I thirst not neither come hither to draw What drives a man to the Physician but the sight of his Diseases 2 See there is fulness for every want Art thou hungry he hath Bread John 6.51 The Bread which I will give is my Flesh which I will give for the life of the World Art thou thirsty he hath Water of Life Art thou a Babe Here is Milk to feed on Art thou sad Here is Wine to glad thy heart 3 Consider such as hunger and thirst shall be filled partly in this life by receiving the testimony of the Spirit witnessing with their spirits Rom 8.16 touching the reconciliation with God in Christ and some fruits of sanctification whereby the old man is crucified and the new man renewed in them but principally in the state of glory when they shall have perfect holiness and happiness 4 Sharp Sawces procure a stomach Let the bitterness of sin and afflictions procure a hunger and thirst after righteousness Jer 2.19 the Paschal Lamb was eaten with sowre Herbs to shew that Christ is sweet to them that feel the bitterness of sin 5 Purge your stomachs Naturally we feed on pleasures profits and carnal contents and we are apt to surfet on them Consider we the vanity of them Matth 6.20 Prov 23.5 1 John 2 16 17 1 Peter 2.1 2 q d So long as you delight in sin you will have no stomach to holiness Sin works on our soul as ill
1 That as such sufferings abound so shall consolations abound 2 Cor. 1.5 so that what ever they lose they have an hundred fold with persecutions Mark 10.29 30. 2 It 's no new thing to be persecuted Abel was persecuted of Cain 1 John 4.12 Isaac of Ishmael Gal. 4.29 As he that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the spirit so it is now yea whosoever will live godly shall suffer persecution 2 Tim. 3.12 so that we are not to count fiery trial a strange thing 1 Pet. 4.12 Brother shall persecute brother Matth. 10.21 and three shall persecute two in the same family Matth. 10.35 3 In the greatest violence persecutors can inflict believers shall not be forsaken of God 2 Cor. 4.9 persecuted but not forsaken not tempted above strength 1 Cor. 10.13 2 Tim. 4.16 17. All men saith Paul forsook me but the Lord stood with me when he came before Nero that Lion Matth. 10.17 I le give you a mouth that all your adversaries shall not be able to resist 4 God is wont to deliver his people from persecuting hands Persecutions befeâ— Paul at Iconium Lystra and Derbe but out of them all the Lord delivered him 2 Tim. 3.11 God delivers 1 Sometimes by setting one wicked man against another Acts 23.6 7 8. the Pharisees contended against the Sadduces for the resurrection and so took Pauls part 2 Sometimes by making the earth to help the woman Revel 12.16 3 Sometimes by providing some City of resuge Matth. 10.23 If they persecute you in one City stye to another 4 Sometimes by death when the death of his Saints shall set forth Gods glory John 21.18 Means to suffer persecution 1 Get assurance of pardon Guilt makes a man cowardly What made Paul so to triumph Rom. 8.35 Why he had assurance of pardon v. 38 39. I am perswaded neither life nor death shall separate me from the love of God 2 Pray and endeavour for a patient frame of heart When great troubles and an impatient heart meet how hardly are troubles born when Christ had told them they must be betrayed by brethren and friends and be hated of all he bids them possess their souls in patience Luke 21.17 18 19. strengthened unto all patience Col. 1.11 that is to patience in all things Hence be contented to be emptied from vessel to vessel you know how to live with your estates but learn how to live without them Phil. 4.12 13. 3 Look that the cause you suffer for be good 1 Pet. 4.16 If any man suffer as a Christian let him not be ashamed 4 Strive not to meddle with much of other mens estates no more then for meer necessity so that if we lose for Christ we our selves alone may be losers for such debts in persecuting times will be apt to contract disquiet 5 Go in Gods strength Peter going in his own strength came to deny Christ Mark 14.29 30 31. how came Paul to stand when others shâ—unk God stood with him and strengthned him 2 Tim. 4.17 6 Get clearness of light When a man comes to suffer he will not go a jot beyond that he hath cleer light for Hâ—b 10.34 after they were illuminated they endured a great sight of affliction Though the heart be upright and cause good yet the person suffers fearfully for want of 〈…〉 7 Look upon God in his greatness and so shall you not fear men how great soever Psal 27.1 The Lord is my light and salvation whom shall I fear Mat. 10.28 Fâ—â—r him that is able to cast soul and body in to hell fiâ—e 〈◊〉 51.12.13 Wheart thou that art afraid of a man thâ—â— shall are and 〈◊〉 the Lord thy maker Heb. 11.27 Moses indured and was not affraid of the wrath of the king for he looked upon him that was invisible 8 Beware of the threats and flatteries of persecutors Be not scared with their threats Dan. 3.16 when they threaten fiery furnaces Lions dens nor yet allured with their flatteries Dan. 11.32 9 Be content to live in a low condition Many will comply to any thing because their spirits are so great they must live in such an height low conditions are crosses that must be taken up as well as other crosses Luke 14.26 27. 10 Either you must suffer with men for confessing truth or with God for denying it If it be the will of God its better that you suffer for well doing then for evill doing 1 Pet. 3.17 11 Get a holy resolution to choose persecution or any other affliction rather then to sin against thy conscience Job 36.21 Take heed regard not iniquity for this hast thou chosen rather then affliction 12 When thou choosest persecution rather then to sin against God the kingdome of heaven is thine as in the text Mens minds are apt to be broken and cast down in persecutions hence Christ promises a kingdome Matth. 19.29 Hence let us not under persecution bewail our condition as if it were most miserable seeing this kingdom will be yours V. 11. Blessed are ye when men shall revile you and persecute you and shall say all manner of evill against you falsely for my sake V. 12. Rejoyce and be exceeding glad for great is your reward in heaven for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you Here are 4 things considerable 1 The sufferings revilings set down by two aggravations 1 Saying all manner of evil against you 2 Saying it falsely 2 The cause for Christ his sake 3 The affections Christians must have under these sufferings viz. they must rejoyce and be exceeding glad 4 The grounds of this affection of joy which are two 1 The greatness of the reward in heaven 2 Their conformity herein to the Prophets and other holy servants of God 1 The sufferings which are revilings Obs The people of God in this present life are exposed to the worst and most false revilings for Christs sake Luke 6.22 They shall reproach you and cast out your name as evil for the son of mans sake Reas 1 From that enmity that is betwixt the seed of the woman and the seed of the Serpent Gen. 3.15 2 Because the Saints do not suite themselves to the manners and customes of the world but by a contrary course condemn the wicked manners of the world hence the world to justifie themselves and to condemn Gods people they load them with reproaches John 15.19 If ye were of the world the world would love its own but because ye are not of the world but I have chosen you out of the world therefore the world hates you 3 Because wicked men have a principle of hatred against Christians Matth. 10.22 Ye shall be hated of all men for my names sake Prov. 26.28 A lying tongue hateth those that are afflicted by it Use Be not discouraged under revilings seeing it is for the cause of Christ Heb. 13.13 Let us go forth therefore unto him without the camp bearing his reproach That is be not ashamed if
you be reproachfully cast out of cities seeing ye are reproached for Christ He calls cities by the name of camp or tent because many cities begun from tents and the castles in them are called Castra or Tents 1 If those that take up reproaches against holy men shall not rest in heaven Psal 15.3 What shall become of them that raise them Such were there in Terâ—ullians time Apol. cap. 7. we are called most wicked from the Sacrament of infant killing and the eating of them and the incest we commit after the banquet that dogs throw down the lights to wit that they may procure a meeting of knaves and whores together by the immodesty of darkness and lusts to whom Tertullian saith finde it out if ye believe it or do not believe that which you have not found out who ever heard any such infant crying who ever unlockt the cruel mouths of these Cyclops and Syrens to the Judg who hath found out some unclean foot-steps in his Wife who when he had found out such wickedness hath concealed them Minucius Faelix in his Octavius The Heathens thought that Christians did devour Infants make incestuous Banquets that they worshipped an Asses head p. 118 for ye killed the Just One and before him his Prophets and now them that place their hope in him and ye despise the Creatour of all things that sent him cursing them in your Synagogues that believe on him for ye have no power to kill them because of them who at present govern Justin Martyr against Triph. p. 181. After ye had killed that Just One by whose stripes was healing to them that go to him by the Father when ye knew he was risen from the dead and ascended into Heaven you were so far from repenting of your evils that you sent choice men from Jerusalem into all the earth saying The Heresie of the Christians was to acknowledg no God scattering those words against us which all that know us not boast of therefore ye are not onely the cause of iniquity to your selves but also altogether to other mortals Justinâ—bid 2 Revilers do but after their kinde They are called Devils 1 Tim 3.6 2 Tim 3.3 also Dogs Psalm 59.6 now we wonder not at Dogs snarling 3 Look upon Revileâ—â—â—â— as a just punishment from God though unjust from 〈◊〉 2 Sam 16.10 The Lord hath bid Shiâ—â—â— to â—â—se David 1 God inflicts them because we do not that good to men we should do 2 Because we make little conscience of sinning against God in secret 3 Because we have so little care of the honour of God 1 Sam 2.30 hence God hath no care of our name 4 Because we have so little care to preserve the good names of others Matth 7.2 4 Such Revilements as are cast upon thee were cast upon Christ and upon the godly For Christ he was called a Drunkard a Glutton Matth 11.19 said to cast out Devils by Beelzebub Matth 12.24 accused as a Blasphemer Matth 26.65 lookt upon as a Mad-man by his Friend Mark 3.21 railed upon Mark 15.29 called a Perverter of the Nations forbidding to give Tribute to Caesar Luke 23.2 that he was a Samaritan and had a Devil John 8.48 Yea Gods people have been so reproached Psalm 44.13 14 16 Thou makest us a reproach a scorn a by word a shaking of the head David was the Song of the Drunkards Psalm 69.11 12 yea he became a Proverb to them Christians were counted Turners of the World upside down Acts 17.6 Paul was counted a pestilent Fellow and a Mover of Sedition and not counted worthy to live Acts 22.24 5 Come we to the second thing the affections Christians ought to have under Revilings Rejoyce and be exceeding glad Obser Christians should be so far from being dejected under wicked Revilings for Christ that they have cause to rejoyce and be glad 1 Because all Revilings add to their Crown even when we are asleep and are not aware of it yea when we know not of it they add to our Crown Luke 6.23 Blessed are you when men shall reproach you and cast out your name as evil rejoyce you in that day and leap for joy for behold your Reward is great in 〈…〉 2 Because such persons so reproached when Christ shall appear in glory shall be glad with exceeding joy 1 Peter 4.13 Rom 8.17 3 Because there 's a Day coming when all Reproaches shall be wiped off Isai 66.5 Your Brethren that hated you that cast you out for my sake said Let the Lord be glorified but he shall appear for your joy James 5.9 4 In all Reproaches you have the Spirit of Glory and of God resting on you 1 Peter 4.14 as if he should say Why do you not rejoyce in your Reproaches you have great cause why the Spirit of Power and of Glory as it 's supposed to be the best Reading that glorious Spirt of God will not forsake but will abide with you yea will rest upon you 5 Either thou art reproached deservedly or undeservedly if deservedly it 's not a Reproach but a Judgment if undeservedly why shouldst thou blush for another mans sin Use For Application learn to rejoyce in all Reproaches and other hardships that shall come upon you for Christ Your Glory in Heaven is not uncertain for Christ then would not bid you rejoyce in it shew your joy herein by your words and gestures and by your chearfull walking James 1.2 Rom 5.2 Acts 5.41 The last is the Ground of this Affection of Joy because they are said to be blessed and because their Reward in Heaven is great Obser The Saints of God are happy under all manner of Revilements for Christ 1 Happy in this Life 1 Because they have the rejoycing of a good Conscience Acts 23.1 2 3 Acts 24.5 6 when there were railing Accusations against him yet his Conscience could witness that he walked uprightly v. 16 2 Sooner or later God will clear their innocency as we see in Joseph's case and in David's upon whom the Courtiers in Saul's Court cast Reproaches yet he died in honour 1 Chron 29 It 's with the name of a Christian as with the Sun which is sometimes hindered from our sight by Clouds and Eclipses but recovering a clear Sky shines the more bright so Reproaches sometimes cloud our names but in a while they are dispelled by the upright walking of Saints Isai 51.7 8 Fear ye not the reproach of men neither be ye affraid of their revilings Why For the Moth shall eat them up like a Garment and the Worm shall eat them as Wood that is all their Reproaches will insensibly by degrees wear away 3 The Revilings and Wrongs done to Gods people God takes them as done to himself 2 Kings 19.16 Hear the words of Sennacherib who hath sent Rabshakeh to blaspheme the living God Also v. 22 23 Whom hast thou reproached and blasphemed even the holy one of Israel yet Rabshakeh's Reproaches were against Gods people Acts 9 Rom 15.3 2 They are happy
in the Life to come because their Reward is great in Heaven He means not the Reward of Merit but of Grace as if a King should give ten thousand pound a year for an hours service What I promise to give a man that is his reward though his service do not equal it as if I promise a man an hundred pound for making me a pair of gloves Now in merit there must be a proportion betwixt the work and wages for the recompence of merit is an act of righteousness now in all righteousness there must be equality when reward is promised to Gods children it is not to establish merit but to let Saints see that their labour will not be in vain Reasons against merit 1 God needs not any of our services nor gets no benefit by them Job 22.3 Can a man be profitable to God Job 35.7 8. If thou be righteous what givest thou to him or what receiveth he of thine hand Acts 17.25 He is not worshipped with mens hands as though he needed any thing 2 When we have done what we can we are unprofitable servants Luke 17.10 3 All good works are the workings of God in us and therefore reward is not due to our own works but God crowns his own grace in us so that Deus est debitor noster non ex commisso but promisso as Aug. saith God is our debtor not for any thing done by us but for his promise Matth. 10.42 So he promiseth to reward a cup of cold water given to a disciple 4 There is no proportion betwixt our sufferings and the crown of glory Rom. 8.18 2 Cor. 4.17 18. we ought to take heed herein because the Papists use it to destroy grace Seeing then there is a reward in heaven let us endure reproaches we endure bitter Physick and sharp cutting in hope of long health let us endure reproaches and other sufferings in hope of glory Heb. 10.34 Use Caution Render not reviling for reviling imitate Christ 1 Pet. 2.23 and Paul 1 Cor. 4.12 being reviled we bless Yea he took pleasure in reproaches 2 Cor. 12.10 Let us look to the reward in heaven as Christ did Heb. 12.1 2. 3 Things may comfort under these 1 That our heart is well affected to every man yea even such as rail against us Matth. 5.44 2 That in private prayer we can pray for such reproaches Psal 109.3 4. 3 That thou hast a God to make thy complaint unto in all revilings as Nehemiah did Nehem. 4.3 4. 4 Your great reward in heaven 2 Exhortation Carry patiently under revilings for else 1 Thou wilt disturb thine own peace 2 Hereby thou wilt by an impatient frame of spirit discover so much evil as may be a just cause of revilement 3 By impatiency herein we may make others think us to be guilty 4 By reviling again you harden others in their reviling 5 You show great weakness to think so as if there were no other means to deliver you from an ill name but by an ill tongue Psal 38.12.13 When Davids enemies spake mischievous things against him he was a man that is both deaf dumb yet must we not so neglect our names that we should neglect the crimes falsely objected to us and confirm the slanderers but we must say I have not a Devil also If I have spoke evil bear witness of the evil He that neglects his name is cruell a good conscience is necessary for us before God a good name before our neighbour Luth. Ob. But I am guiltless and innocent and they reproach me falsely Ans The more false the things are the more cause thou hast to rejoyce if they were true thou hadst cause to be confounded For so persecuted they the Prophets Here 's the second ground of rejoycing It 's no otherwise with you then with the ancient Prophets of God whom they persecuted with reproaches as David Psal 31.11 Who was a reproach among his neighbours Psal 41.10 Mine enemies reproach me saying Where is thy God So strange were his reproaches that his heart was as it were broken with them Psal 69.20 So Jeremy cap. 20 10. I have heard the defaming of many Report say they and we will report it Nay it hath generally been the lot of true Prophets to be persecuted Matth. 23.34 So that we may say Which of the Prophets have not your fathers persecuted Wâ—â—ness Eliah Micaiah Amos c. 7.13 Zachary Matth. 23.35 36. Yea the Disciples Matth. 10.23 So that we may â—â—y Gal. 4.29 As he that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the Spirit So it is now Gal. 4.29 V. 13. Ye are the salt of the earth but if the salt have lost its savour wherewith shall it be salted It is thenceforth good for nothing but to be cast out and to be troden under foot of men Ye are the Salt of the Earth Quest Doth Christ call Ministers the Salt of the earth or all believers Ans Christ calls believers whether preachers or others the Salt of the earth 1 Because Christ not onely taught the twelve but all the disciples 2 Because it is not appropriated unto preachers alone but unto all believers to season others with grace for not onely preachers but all believers have the means of seasoning others as 1 Savoury speeches Col. 4.6 Let your speech be always with grace powdered with salt 2 Savoury examples Luke 14. ult Have salt in your selves and peace one with another that is as you live together in peace so let there be savoury and holy examples earth is put for the inhabitants of the earth by a Metonymie salt for them that do the duty of salt by a Metaphor But if the salt have lost his savor wherewith shall it be seasoned It is good for nothing no not so much as for the dunghill because it causes barrenness as if Christ should say If other men be unsavory you may season them but if you be unsavory who shall season you Use To apply this see 1 How unsavory mans nature is unless it be seasoned by the word Psal 14.3 men by nature are altogether become stinking their throats are like open sepulchres Rom. 3.13 Like putrified flesh to mans taste 2 See the duty of Christians which is to season others This is done 1 By the word which like unto salt gives rellish Psal 119.9 Wherewith all shall a young man cleanse his way by taking heed unto thy word 2 By a holy and blameless conversation Scandalous practises make persons to stink Gen. 34.30 Simeon and Levi by their slaying the Sichemites made Jacob to stink among the inhabitants of the land Holy practises insensibly gain others 1 Pet. 3.1 Wives be subject to your husbands that if any obey not the word they may be won by the conversation of their wives let no man be led with vain glory because of present hearers let us live blamelesly among men and speak nothing for trifling sake but being much silent to answer to what
sinn'd he should dye 2 Renewed whereby we are angry at our own or other mens sins so Moses Exod. 32.32 he was so angry that he slew three thousand who were actors in the golden Calf Phineas slew Zimri and Cosbi Numb 25.7 8. so we may have a just anger when our own name or state or wife or life is violated 2 There is an unjust anger which is when we have a desire of revenge stirr'd up in us upon unjust causes Jon. 3. Now that thy anger may be just and not sinful consider 1 The properties of holy anger 2 The remedies against sinful anger 1 The properties of holy anger as 1 It must have a just cause Exo. 11.8 Moses went from Pharaoh in a great anger Lot was angry with the Sodomites 2 Pet. 2.7 2 It must be proportioned to the fault We must not bring a club to kill a flye nor set an house on fire to rost an egg Here Jonah fail'd who was so angry for a gourd and the Disciples who for a contempt would have had fire come down from heaven Luk. 9.53 3 With love of those with whom we are angry so Moses pray'd for Israel when he was so angry at their golden Calf Exod. 32.11 4 In matters of importance not for trifles There 's more justice then love in such a carriage 1 Cor. 13.5 6. 5 It must be short the Sun must not go down upon it lest it boyl up into malice Eph. 4.26 and so much the shorter as we see signes of repentance in the person offending Absaloms long retained anger turn'd into malice and in fine to murther 6 It must be moderate Not as Simoon and Levi who slew innocent as well as guilty Gen. 34.25 Some are like cruel hangmen who having a just cause to execute the office to wit the Judges command do in the execution thereof use all cruelty So persons being commanded to be angry with the sins of their brethren seem glad they have got such an occasion to show their fury though too many can swallow the same evil in a friend Remedies against unjust anger 1 Take heed we be not abused by false imaginations as to be angry for a man 's not saluting us when perhaps he never saw us or to think a man bears us no good will when he discovers no ill will against us To think a man loves us not because he comes not so oft to our house when perhaps his business will not permit or because we see a man laugh to think he laughs at us 2 Consider thy own vileness Carry meekly to others for thou wast as bad as they Tit. 3.3 Jam. 3.2 3 Consider Gods patience how many imperfections he patiently bears in us 10000 talents let us bear with pence Matth. 18. ult He is over thee as thou art over others 4 Avoid occasions of anger as contentious companions Prov. 22.24 drunken company Prov. 23.29 too much affecting any thing for when we lose it it will cause much anger As we keep gunpowder and tow far from fire let us avoid occasions of anger 5 Consider nothing befals thee but by the providence of God This kept David from anger when Shimei curst 2 Sam. 16. and Job c. 1.22 he raged not against the devil nor the Sabeans but lookt at God and quieted his heart and though you have not deserved it at their hands yet have you deserved much more at Gods hand Gen. 50.20 21. it was not ye but God sent me hither 6 Behold anger in another how odious it is Should a man see himself in a looking-glass when he is in a Bedlam fit how ugly would he look to himself 7 It makes us unfit to duties as to prayer 1 Tim. 2.8 Lift up holy hands without wrath to hearing receive with meekness the ingrafted word Jam. 1.21 to receiving 1 Cor. 11.17 18. to Church-communion 1 Cor. 1.10 to mutual edifying hence Paul and Barnabas parted companies Acts 15. 8 Angry men take that which is proper to God which is vengeance Rom. 12.19 Vengeance is mine and not thine An angry man makes himself to be Judge and would have God to be his Executioner 9 Interpose reason and deliberation without this the soul is like a ship without Compass or Pilot let reason teach thee not to be hasty in thy answers Theodosius was taught by Ambrose to take thirty days respit before he punisht any offence because in that space his anger might be asswaged and his judgement rectified It 's as absurd for passions to lord over reason as for an intemperate scold to justle out a reverend Judge It 's not comely to be angry for it is a kinde of madness but if it shall seize upon us let us so use it that it be for the correction and amendment of our neighbour he that uses it besides reason hates himself and his neighbour by troubling himself and grieving his neighbour Justin ad Zen. Seren. p. 395. 10 Consider the loveliness of a meek spirit both with God and man 1 Pet. 3.4 it 's an ornament of great price It 's the sinews of all delightfull societie and drawes like a Loadstone the iron the spirits of men to it 11 The scandal Every blinde man can see the evil of a waspish cholerick spirit this made Jacob and his sons to stink Gen. 34. ult 12 Get out of the company of those who have offended us as Jonathan did 1 Sam. 20.34 besides thou shalt hereby cover thy sin which moves thy adversary to scorn and laughter and thy friends to sorrow and pity Also hereby shalt thou appease thy anger by removing the object Prov. 12.16 13 Suffer not anger to lodg with you We cannot sometimes keep it from entering but from lodging Eccles 7.9 anger rests what in a wise mans heart no in the besome of fools though we be sometimes touchy let us not be heavily disposed as Absalom 2 Sam. 13.23 Let anger be like a fire of thorns quickly extinct A spark or coal of fire if it light on us it will not hurt us if it be presently shook off but if it lye still it causeth burning so will our anger if we let it alone we give place to the devil who will boil it into malice by amplifying the indignity done to us and the unworthiness of the person Usually the devil chuses an angry passionate heart to act his designes as we see in Saul and Cain Anger is a young twig envy is a tree and a great beam Luth. 14 Look on the bad effects in nature it casts into a fever dries up radical moisture hastens consumptions It makes the minde drunk In passion reason that should govern us is like a key to a lock that is jumbled it makes men to be angry with the bruits as Balaam with his Ass Num. 24.10 to throw things out of their hand which after they are forced to take up 15 Suppress anger in thine heart though it do not boil out many are like rivers which are most
accidentally or looks upon her by reason of occasion or company nor is it unlawfull for a Husband to look upon his Wife or a Suiter upon a Maid or Widovv he sues unto but looking upon a Woman in a lustfull vvay is condemned vvhich is contrary to the end of this Commandment vvhich is Chastity Concupiscence is the Mother of Lust and the Eys are the Windovvs to let it in and as Wrath is the Mother of Murder so is Concupiscence of Adultery James 1.14 15. Lust conceiveth and bringeth forth sin Hence pray Psalm 119.37 Turn away mine Eys from beholding vanity The Pharisees depraved this Command tvvo vvays 1 In that they did not understand it of invvard Concupiscence but of that vvhich broke out into touches kisses or bodily Adultery 2 That by this Lavv they thought vvas forbid the Concupiscence of another mans Wife but not of an unmarried Woman but Christ says that all lustfull thoughts of a Woman though she be not a Wife is unlavvfull Learn vve then Job's Lesson cap. 31.1 I have made a Covenant with mine Eys why then should I think upon a Maid Also Prov. 6.25 Lust not after her Beauty in thine heart neither let her take thee with her Ey lids What though she be beautifull yet is Beauty fading if she be honest she is none of thine if she be a Strumpet consider hovv filthy her soul is Besides remember hovv Abimelech vvas taken vvith Sarahs Beauty remember hovv Sichem vvas foil'd looking on Dinah Potiphar's Wife looking on Joseph David on Bathsheba Amnon on Thamar As our Mother Eve at first vvas foil'd by the Eye Gen. 3.6 seeing the forbidden Fruit vvas pleasant to the Eye she took it Sampson vvas also taken vvith looking upon Dalilah Therefore as the Sun on a sudden darts out Beams and the Clouds lightening so doth beauty and feature dart out the beams wherewith it shoots the arrows of love and desire into the hearts of persons therefore if at any time the Eys should go out let the minde call back the Eys as from nets and snares laid for the soul In other creatures there is a natural shiness of snares laid for them let there be so in us And what I say of wanton lookings we may apply to wanton listenings and touchings And also that wanton looking which is Adultery in Men towards Women is Adultery in Women who shall lustfully look upon Men. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 also signifies sollicitations Can. 4. Syn. Neocaesariensis Hath committed Adultery with her already in his heart Though men can neither see nor punish the Adultery of the heart yet God sees it Such a speech Job 31.7 If my heart have walked after mine eys and any blot he means of uncleanness hath cleaved to my hands then let me sow and another reap yea let my Off-spring be rooted out God looks into the heart he sees the mind and purpose which distinguisheth evil deeds a Thief is a Thief before he puts forth his hand to steal Wickedness is laid open by the doing but doth not then begin the mind becomes adulterous if it set before it the image of pleasure that might be had with such a party and shall desire it Tertul de poeniten The will is the beginning of the deed which is not then freed when some difficulty hinders the Commission of the thing will'd neither can the will in this case be excused by the inability of perfecting that which it wills For application 1 Be humbled for all your wanton lookings and lustings you had in the state of nature and ignorance as the prodigal in the return to his father Other sins are confest in prayer let this also 2 Admire the grace of God to converted souls that can look upon a woman without lusting after her Tertul. de Velandis Virg. A Christian looks upon a woman with safe eyes he is blinde in his minde toward lust 3 Caution of us for the guiding of the eye not to fix it on any object that may stir up lust neither lustful books nor pictures nor mixt dancers neither to fix our eyes upon the beholding the beauty of wanton women Beauty indeed may be beheld that as in other works God may be praised so in that and therefore when one ask'd a certain Philosopher what there was in beauty that it was so desired he told him it was a blinde mans question onely let us be wary herein that we dwell not too long on such objects lest our hearts should be carried after our eys and as restraint at all times should be upon our sight so especially when we come to worship God Eccl. 5.1 Look to thy feet when thou enterest into the house of God it 's a Syneedoche for all the affections of soul and members of body 4 Exhortation to cleanse our flesh and spirit from all unchaste and unholy lusts Jam. 4.8 Cleanse your hands and purifie your hearts from what Even from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit Thy body is the Temple of the Holy Ghost do not defile it 1 Cor. 6.19 Remedies against heart-lust through the eye 1 Beware of private conversing men and women together A Christian man is commanded to confer with a Christian woman with all chastity 1 Tim. 5.2 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Call back your hearts from meditations of beauty and feature to better meditations The absence of holy thoughts causes the Lord to deliver us up to vain thoughts Psal 81.10 11. I gave them up to their own hearts lusts and they walked in their own counsel Rom. 1.24 26 28. As they liked not to retain God in their knowledge he gave them up to a reprobate minde to chuse things reprobated yea he gave them up to the lusts of their hearts 3 Be often eying Gods eye in all places Hebr. 4.13 There is not any creature which is not manifest in his sight Pro. 15.3 Psal 139.2 He knowes our thoughts far off 4 Be not greedy to hunt after beauties Remember one fit of an ague blurs it and how that beauty withers as grass Psal 39.11 Thou makest his beauty to consume away like a meth think what a change age and death puts upon it 5 Consider the eye is not satisfied with seeing Eccl. 1.8 but rather more unsatisfied whiles the more they behold the more are burning desires kindled in the soul 6 Use prayer that God would turn thy eyes from vanity Psal 119.31 and watchfulness that thou keep thy heart with diligence for out of it are the issues or goings out of life and death Prov. 4.23 V. 29. And if thy right eye offend thee pluck it out and cast it from thee for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish and not that thy whole body be cast into hell V. 30 And if thy right hand offend thee out it eff and cast it from thee for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish and not that thy whole body should be
revenge that Sampson had against the Philistines for his eyes Judg. 16.28 29. It vvas not the revenge as of a private man but of a Magistrate as appears by the assistance God gave him at that time neither vvould Sampson have prayed to God for assistance in any sin Certainly were it not lawfull to drive back force with force the Apostles following Christ would not have carried swords Luke 22.38 It is of the law of nature to defend our lives and to turn away those things that hurt which if it vvere not thievs and robbers vvould spoil honest men this may be where vve cannot have defence from Magistrates But to push like rams as those Kings Dan. 11.40 is forbid Whereas Christ blamed Peter Mat. 26.52 Put up thy sword into his place for all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword It vvas not for driving avvay force by force but for his desire of revenge vvhich revenge appears in that it vvas not probable that such a multitude as came to take Christ should be driven back by two or three armed men Also Christ blames him for going on so rashly vvithout his command or the Magistrates command He that takes away thus any mans life vvith the sword shall perish either by mans sword or by the sword of Gods vengeance Moreover this command of not resisting evil seems to be a supplement to Moses Tertul. cont Marcion l. 4. Christ taught us a new pattern forbidding the course of wrong permitted by the creatour requiring eye for eye and tooth for tooth When he teaches vengeance is mine I will repay it he teaches that patience expects revenge yea the Lord doth not onely forbid revenge but the remembrance and calling to minde of the wrong Beware then how you use private revenge vvhether it be that vvhich is inward as the bearing of a grudge condemn'd Levit. 19.18 Jam. 5.9 Grudge not one against another or that vvhich is outvvard vvhen a man shall vent revengful vvords or actions Prov. 20.22 Say not thou I will recompense evil but wait on the Lord and he shall save thee Prov. 24 29. Say not thou I will do to him as he hath done to me I will render to the man according to his work Christ gave not reviling for reviling 1 Pet. 2.23 he was led as a sheep to the slaughter Esai 53.7 as a sheep before the shearers is dumb so opened he not his mouth But whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek turn to him the other also This is a proverb taken from Lam. 3.30 he giveth his cheek to him that smiteth him it signifies to suffer wrongs patiently rather then revenge our selves This was exemplified by Christ Esa 50.6 I gave my back to the smiters and my cheeks to them that pluckt off the hair I hid not my face from shame and spitting Christ meets with an objection if I may not revenge my self by bearing one wrong I invite my enemy to do me another Christ therefore saith its better to take the second wrong then to revenge our selves can preserve us from further injuries or else repair us for what we suffer Now because this general rule of not revenging our selves might seem hard Christ instances in 3 particulars 1 In assaults against our body ver 39. 2 Against our property ver 40. 3 Against our liberty ver 41. As 1 In assaults don to our bodyes as when a man shall strike us on the cheek which is not to be taken literally for Christ Joh. 18.23 saith when they struck him If I have done evil bear witness of the evil but if well why smitest thou me Paul when Ananias commanded him to be smitten on the mouth said God shall smite thee thou whited wall but Christ hereby would teach christian patience in bearing wrongs offered to their body here and to their goods after and to perform the precept of non revenge Yet doth not Christ intend patience in all sorts of wrongs but in light wrongs as a box or a blow but if it prejudice our life we may fight with him and rather kill then be kil'd Exod. 22 2. a man might lawfully kill a thief in the night without the guilt of blood so we may bear the loss of a garment but if it prejudice our estate we may go to law with him so to go two miles with a man if he compell thee but not to go an hundred By this first instance Christ reprehends the usual practise of fighting and quarrelling as being the acts of evil men and not of Christians who are to suffer Ver. 40. And if any man will sue thee at the Law and take away thy coat let him have thy cloak also Christ gives a second instance wherein Christian patience is to show it self viz. in bearing smaller wrongs done to our estate and property as if a person by oppression in law take away one garment and then another The meaning is when Christians are spoyled of one part of their goods they ought by patience to prepare themselves for the spoil of the rest Christ means not as if we might not come to sue at law for the just defence of our estates few indeed sue in courts of justice with a patient spirit yet because some do so we must not condemn going to law till impatience do appear and seeing the cloak is more worth then the coat Christ signifies that when we receive a less loss we should prepare for a greater in summe Christ forbids scandalous and impatient going to law 1 Cor. 6.1 2. ad 8. Paul appealed to Caesar Zenas a lawyer is reckoned among believers We should also learn to preferre our peace before our goods and to be slow in going to law in that its apt to disquiet the mind An ounce of peace is worth a pound of victory Law should be used as desperate Physick onely in case of extremity Ver. 41. And whosoever shall compell thee to go with him a mile go with him twain Here 's a third case wherein Christian patience is to appear viz. in loss of liberty which is when a man shall compell thee to go with him a mile as in these dayes they will press post-horses for the service of the state so were they wont to press persons for the service of the Emperor 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is to lead to a ready way or to be a guide to carry burthens it s a Persian word as Aretius observes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are the messengers of the King who forced persons to bear burthens and necessitated persons to needful service its like from the Persians this custome came among the Jews Christ means that we should show our patience by going with him two miles rather then contend with him so you shall overcome him that compells you and so shall make him friendly to you but if thou resist him thou wilt stir up contention with him and lose thy own peace and stir up hatred to thy self and by impatience
of God Esa 38.5 A holy heart directs his prayer to God as an archer doth his arrow to the mark Psal 5.3 In the morning will I direct my prayer unto thee 2 A Diligent use of all means for prayer is onely one part of the means 3 It must not proceed from feigned lips Psal 17.1 Give ear unto my prayer that goeth not out of feigned lips Burning lips and a wicked heart pretending many glorious expressions in word when there 's no sutableness of spirit thereto such are like potsheards covered over with silver dross Prov. 26.23 we must not onely draw nigh with our lips but also with our hearts Esa 29 13. 4 Avoiding all affected gestures and expressions for prayer properly doth not consist of Rhetorical expressions nor of their studied or invented conceptions but of the powring forth of the sigh or groan in the heart God doth not like affected complements but abhors it as in all other ordinances so especially in prayer God seeks such worshippers as worship him in spirit and truth Joh. 4.23 24. 5 A heart bent against all sin Psal 66.18 such persons are upright and therefore usually their prayers upright and such as God delights in Prov. 15.8 the prayer of the upright is his delight 6 When we speak the present temper frame and disposition of our hearts the confessions to be of present sensible wants the petitions to be of things that the soul in the frame of it earnestly longs after to be full of expressions from brain and memory prompting the mouth may gain an opinion among men but hath little audience in the court of heaven We had better discover to a whole Church that distemper that is upon us by dumbness barrenness sencelesness and hartlesness then seem something to men and nothing to God by artificial expressions in prayer Hence prayer is never called by the name of expression but it s called by the name of breathing Hold not thy peace at my breathing Sam. 3 56. by the name of sighs and groans Rom. 8.26 and by the name of desire Psal 10.17 God is not a hearer of the voice but of the heart Cypr. de orat 7 If thy prayer be sincere thou wilt find it by thy closet prayers A neglect of secret prayer or a careless drowsie performance of it and that usually argues a spirit of slumber out of which if the soul be not awakened it may in time be cast into a deep sleep These are like some maried persons who before people have a great deal of love but in secret are full of discontents Let us have the same apprehension of Gods eye in secret that we have before a multitude and as much bewail thy dead heartedness there as that which thou findes before a multitude Ver. 6. But thou when thou prayest enter into thy closet and when thou hast shut thy door pray to thy father which is in secret and thy father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly But thou when thou prayest enter into thy chamber That is any secret place both to shun vain glory and to gather thy affections to God Some have gathered a mystical sence by closet understanding the heart by shutting the door the shutting out of vain thoughts onely to think of God but the literal 1 Is here meant yet when he saith enter into thy closet he bids us not avoid the society of men when we pray but Christ speaks comparatively rather to enter into a closet to pray then to desire multitudes of men to look on us 2 Christ here commends unto us closet prayer hence saith when thou prayes as speaking of a duty which lies upon every believer though not precisely pointing out the number of times hence the wives are to mourn apart from their husbands Zach. 12 13. and the husbands from their wives 1 Cor. 7.5 Yea servants apart as Eleazar Abrahams servant did Gen. 24.12 Reasons for secret prayer 1 Examples of holy persons Hanna 1 Sam. 1.13 Cornelius Act. 10.4 Peter prayed upon the house top Act. 10.9 Abraham Gen. 18.22 to ver 3â— expostulating all that while in behalf of Sodom Isaac Gen. 24.63 and Christ often Luk. 6.12 13. and that penitent Lam. 3.28 and David Psal 55.18 and Daniel ch 6.10 2 There are particular necessities which concern particular souls as David when he sought God for the life of the child Paul for removing the thorn in the flesh 2 Cor. 12.9 There are secret occasions for obtaining personal mercies and turning away personal judgements 3 That we may more freely unbosom our selves to God to powre out our sighs and groans to him Ps 142.2 David when he was alone in the cave powred out his complaint before God and shewed before him his trouble Psal 42.4.102.2 Job 16.20 when alone his eyes powred out tears to God 4 That we may be free from outward entanglements hence Christ oft prayed in private for this end 5 That we may enjoy more of communion with God The soul usually enjoyes most of God in secret God is wont to speak comfortably to the soul in the wilderness Hos 2 14 Jacob Gen. 32.23 wrastled with God and prevailed in these prayers God oft speaks peace to his people Psal 85.8 in this the Lord came into Hannas soul 1 Sam. 1.15.18 to Hezekiah Esa 38.5 I will lead you with weeping and supplications Jer. 31.9 Pretend not this will hinder thy occasions for David Job Cornelius prospered much in their affairs nor that thou art a servant for what servant but may find some corner to pray in as thou art the servant of men so art thou the servant of God again though thou art a servant yet dost thou own God for thy father and therefore must pray unto him in secret and must not forbear though forbid by thy master no more then Daniel did when forbid by the King Pretend not want of conveniency of place for we may find many odde corners fields gardens out-houses if you have places for your horses cows hoggs can you not get some retiring place wherein to meet the Lord For application let it be thy constant practice thus to pray Satan hath many excuses and pretences to hinder this sacrifice he will tell thee this and that occasion that unless thou resolve with a peremptory will thou wilt be kept from it Many prove as unsuccesful for want of private prayer as the disciples were who assayed to cast out a devil without praying before hand for it Mat. 17.21 Motives 1 Christ delights in the Saints secret prayers O my dove that art in the clefts of the rock in the secret places of the stairs that is thou that hidest thy self by faith in me that am the rock and by degrees of faith like so many stairs fixest upon me let me hear thy voice for sweet is thy voice Song 2.14 Jer. 33.3 2 The sweet answers God hath given to closet prayers Esa 38.5 Blessed be God who hath heard the voice of my weeping Psa
6.6 Psal 31.22 Jonah when in the whales belly Jon. 27. 3 The great refuge Saints have herein Manasses when in chains 2 Chron. 33.11 12. thus sought God Paul 2 Cor. 12.8 Esther and her maidens when the Jews were designed to destruction When a child of God is overtaken with some sin or in distress he would not for a world want this Peter Mar. 14.72 when Esau came against Jacob this was Jacobs refuge Gen. 32.9 4 Our own personal wants wherein perhaps not one in the church or family is in our case Onely in secret prayer take heed of hypocrisie that thy voice may not if possible be heard of others nor thy meltings and weepings perceived by others also of customariness come out of sense of thy wants else if thou keep thy hours thou wilt perform prayer either with listlesness or slightness Also take heed of profaneness to put off secret prayer till thou be moved by the Spirit by this delusion some have not prayed alone for some moneths It is a fit season to pray when the Spirit moves but not the onely season Father which is in secret Here 's the object of our Prayer viz. God as a Father Who is a Father 1 By creation hence called the Father of spirits Heb. 12.9 2 By Regeneration 1 Peter 1.3 Who hath begotten us again to a lively hope which also is called Adoption Gal. 4.6 hence 1 Call upon this Father One of the first things in nature is for a Childe to call Father so it should be the first thing in grace Matth. 7.9 2 Honour this Father Mal. 1.6 If I be a Father where is mine honour and live so that others may honour him Matth. 5.16 3 Imitate your Father as children do their father in love Ephes 5.1 2. In doing good to Enemies Matth 5.44 In holiness 1 Peter 1.14 4 Patiently bear his corrections Heb. 12.5 6 7 8. 5 Sort our selves with Gods children 2 Cor. 6.14 2 Comfort to Christians in sundry respects as 1 That God will bear a tender respect to us in all Troubles as a Father loves his childe as well when sick as well nay he is then more affectionately tender to him the father then sets the whole house a work for his recovery some going for Physicians others for Friends others tending of him so when souls are sick God sets Christians to pray for them Preachers to comfort them Yea suppose thou hast broken some resolutions and been overtaken yet what father would take the Forfeiture of a Bond of his son especially when he forfeits it against his will much less will God who is infinitely more a Father to his Children 2 In desertion A father solacing himself with a childe steps aside into a corner that the childe may dearlier prize the fathers presence so our heavenly Father by restraint of his influence in shining upon us inflames our love towards him 3 In respect of sustentation in trouble A father sets his childe upon its feet to try whether its able to stand alone but withall he holds his arms on both sides to hold it up if it incline either way so doth our heavenly Father 4 In respect of provision The childe takes not care what it shall eat or wear so should Saints cast all their care on their Father 1 Peter 5.7 Your heavenly Father knows ye have need of these things Matth. 6.32 5 Against total falling away A father will not cast off a fatherly affection to his son how hard it is for a father to cast off a rebellious son we see in David to Absalom 2 Sam. 10.5 Hosea 11.8 Luke 15.18 Much less will God cast off his children who desire to please him Mal. 3.17 I will spare him as a man spareth his own Son 6 In respect of our bold access If it be a privilege to come into a Princes presence-chamber what is it to come into the presence of God A childe comes boldly to his father though strangers and servants keep a distance Heb. 4.16 7 In respect of imperfections A father calls two of his children one of three years old the other of thirteen they both make all the haste they can and though the elder outgo the younger and comes first yet the younger comes wadling as fast as he can the father accepts of the endeavours of the younger as well as of the faster going of the elder so doth our heavenly Father 8. In case of disinheriting because we will not touch this or that unclean thing our parents casts us off well says God in this case I will be your Father and you shall be my sons and daughters 2 Cor. 6.17 3 Exhortation to perform reverence Mal. 1.6 and obedience Jer. 35.16 and confidence Thy Father which sees in secret shall reward thee openly Christ stirs up the faith of his petitioners by a twofold Argument 1 From the omnipresence of God wheresoever we are even in the most secret closet God is there present hearing prayers 2 From the goodness and mercy of God who will not suffer such prayers to be in vain but will grant the things at present wanting and hereafter shall give a Reward openly Onely know it's a Reward of Grace not of Debt for what desert can a Beggar allege V. 7. But when ye pray use not vain Repetitions as the Heathen do for they think they shall be heard for their much speaking Christ comes to shew the third sin of the Pharisees which is vain Repetitions 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 do not speak vain things as Montanus translates it or speak not much as Erasmus the word is derived of Battus a Poet who was an egregious Babler As the Heathens thought they should be heard for their much speaking so did these Pharisees As Rhetoricians by their flanting style think to move the Judg to acquit the guilty so did these Yet doth not Christ condemn a frequency and continuance in prayer but he shews the grace of God is not obtained by the vain flowing of many words but the sighs and groans of the heart are the arrows that pierce Heaven Quest Whether are all Repetitions in Prayer vain Answ No. Solomon often uses them 1 Kings 8.30 39 43. Hear thou in Heaven thy dwelling place Nehemiah uses Repetitions Nehemiah 1.6 7. and so doth Daniel cap. 9.5 We have sinned we have committediniquity and done wickedly Repetitions are lawfull 1 When they come from pinching necessity so Christ cried My God my God and three times uttered the same words Matth. 26.39 42 44. 2 When they come from holy affections Psalm 72.19 Let the whole earth be filled with his glory Amen and Amen Repetitions in prayer are sometimes Ecchoes of strong cries of the Spirit Blessed be his holy Name for evermore Amen and Amen Psalm 89.50 51. So Abba Father Mark 14.36 1 Kings 18.39 The Lord he is God the Lord he is God 3 When they come from love as Holy holy holy Isai 6.3 Rev. 4.8 4 When used though the second time yet they
reverend boldness and confidence but when we are doubting timorous and fearfull it 's a sign we come in our own names Christ hath a golden Censer wherein is much Incense which he offers with the prayers of all Saints Revel 8 3. as the high Priest of old did who put Incense on his Censer when he made an atonement for the people Numb 16.46 2 Pray with the Spirit We have received the spirit of adoption whereby we cry Abba father Rom. 8.15 Also v. 26. The spirit makes request for us with groanings that cannot be uttered The grones of the spirit are strong cries which so fills heaven and earth that besides it God hears nothing saith Luther If in tentation or trouble we shall onely sigh to God and say Jesus Christ come and help me or else I am undone for ever we shall finde often ease hereupon All the sons of God have the spirit of his Son in their hearts crying Abba Father God grants not that often which is in the top of the heart and in the froth of words but according to the depth of the sigh to which often words answer very barely or not at all How many worldly wise men are there that might they have a world to continue one quarter of an hour in ripping up their hearts in conceived prayer they were not able to do it Some short wishes they have as God be thanked for his blessings God send us rain Others there are who have learnt the art of prayer or the gift but they have not the grace of prayer they pray artificial prayers and give artificial life to them as if the spirit accompanied them but in the mean time their hearts are neither warmed nor melted But those prayers wherein God delights are stir'd up by the holy Ghost Jude 20. Eph. 6.18 Praying with all supplication in the spirit Without this spirit we may speak of God but not unto God indeed the best of our prayers are but as the stammering voices of infants begging bread or meat at the Table yet these chatterings or stammerings coming from the spirit he that searcheth the heart must needs know what they mean because he maketh intercession for the Saints now he intercedes not by way of merit as Christ doth nor by way of supplication but by stirring us up to cry to God Rom. 8.27 Do the bowels of a father yern towards an infant groaning and panting and unable to tell where his pain is and will not God be moved with the sighs and groans of his children When Moses spake never a word yet he is said to cry to God Exo. 14.15 Hanna's voice was not heard 1 Sam. 1.13 yet she is said to powr out her heart v. 15. the sighs of the godly are as so many beams of the spirit which tyrants cannot hinder from ascending heaven though they should cut out their tongues Asaph groaned when he could not speak Psal 77.4 Now that this praying with sighs and groans comes from the spirit appears because when the spirit ceases from working upon our hearts we become dull and heavie and weary of the dutie that it becomes a very penance to us the soul then is like a becalmed ship All Saints that pray aright even Paul himself pray by this spirit Rom. 8.15 By this spirit we present such sighs as cannot be expressed and utter such words as are not able to be repeated The sighings of the needy God hears Psal 12.5 Now though carnal men sometimes groan and that to God yet are these groans a fruit of nature as the bruits do under feeling of a pressing weight the groans of saints come not onely from feeling of pain but from sorrow for sin 2 The groans in Saints lifts up their hearts to heaven and brings back chearing and sence of Gods love 3 There 's usually a sweet satisfaction comes in those groans which doth not in the groans of wicked men Those that have this spirit of prayer they have many ejaculations amidst their callings Nehemiah when he was speaking to the King prayed to the God of heaven Neh. 2.4 they frequently dart out many broken sighs to quench the sprowtings of lust as pride unclean desires revenge c. and have many invisible springings of heart upon the receipt of blessings on themselves or others Many zealous wrastlings for removal of corruptions and supply of grace To powr out the soul out of sense of spiritual wants in that form or phrase which groanings and meltings of the spirit doth indite and frame is beyond the ordinary reach of unregeneration Yea thus to pray is the hardest of all works because it cannot be effected without the spirit This spirit of prayer is of more worth then the world especially when a Christian hath by any scandalous sin or relapse or sin against conscience turn'd away Gods favour for hereby he hath restitution into Gods favour and the return of Gods countenance Jon. 2.4 7. Infinite more fruits the spirit of prayer works as many secret exultations and rejoycings spiritual ravishments strong though silent cries passionate meltings unutterable groans zealous longings which are riddles to prophane men but known to the children of God 3 Thirdly the person must be righteous Hear my prayer for I am holy Psal 86.2 The prayer of the wicked is abomination to the Lord Prov. 15.8 A holy man may make a carnal prayer as when the flesh gets the upper hand but a carnal man cannot make a spiritual prayer I mean a prayer prevailing for spiritual things Jon. 9.31 God heareth not sinners but if any man be a doer of his will him he hears The righteous cry and the Lord heareth and delivereth him out of all his troubles Psal 34.15 The prayer of a righteous man avails much Jam. 5.16 If ye abide in me and my words abide in you ye shall ask what you will and it shall be done unto you Joh. 15.7 8. Whatsoever we ask we receive of him because we keep his Commandements and do those things which are pleasing in his sight 1 Joh. 3.22 The spirit of prayer is called the spirit of grace if thou hast not the spirit of grace thou canst not pray Zach. 12.10 yet know the righteousness of a person may consist with variety of passions as he instances in Eliah Jam. 5.17 In all begging it's a great matter who it is that begs if it be a sturdy beggar we have nothing for such so in prayer if a wicked man pray for any spiritual blessing saith God I have nothing for you but if it be a believer Christ saith be of good chear to such Luke 8.48 if thou prepare thy heart and stretch out thy hands towards him if iniquity be in thine hand put it far away Job 11.13 14. He will fullfil the desire of them that fear him Psal 145.19 Contrary when a man inclines to wickedness in his heart the Lord will not hear him Psal 66.18 The Pagans had so much divinity as to say the gods
heart was fixed on God he was ready both for prayer and praise Psalm 57.7 The sense of the Lords greatness should keep us close in the duty yet when we have done the best distractions will be in prayer 1 From corrupt nature 2 From nature curb'd as a Bird in a Cage keeps a great flutter because it 's curb'd of its liberty 3 From Satan so he stood at Joshua's right hand at Job's right hand As Abraham drove away the Birds that hindered him in his sacrificing so must we do wandering thoughts 4 From sluggishness He that prays drowsily must needs pray distractedly Baal's Priests will rise up against such who cut themselves with Knives and Lancers to make them pray more strongly When a Malefactour is at the Bar crying for his Life will his minde be on his pleasure and companions The sense of Gods greatness should keep our hearts close to him and aw us that we rove not in duty Our attention in prayer should not onely be to God we call upon and to the business we request but also to our hearts that they cleave close thereto 6 Pray with fervency I cry with my whole heart Psalm 119.145 Ye shall finde me when ye shall seek me with all your heart Jer. 29.13 Luke-warm prayers they are like luke-warm water that boils not out the bloud We must cry mightily to God as the Ninivites Jon. 3. Mugire ad deum Tertul. de Poen Our prayers avail not unless fervent James 5.16 Neither is a natural fervency sufficient which is in every creature when it is pinched Hosea 7.14 They howled unto God for Corn and Wine yet saith God They cried not to me But spiritual fervency is that that the desires be sharpened after holiness and communion with God Opposite to this are those cold lazy prayers yawning prayers when persons pray half asleep half awake he had need be deeply awake that prays as a Beggar when he begs is all awake head hands and feet hence Deborah when she was going to praise God saith Awake awake Deborah utter a Song Judges 5.12 How can we look God should hear us when we do not hear our selves Contrary Epaphras Col. 4.12 7 Pray with melting spirits humiliation arising from the sense of our own unworthiness is a great furtherer of our prayers as we see in Manasses 2 Chron. 33.12 13. and the Prodigal Lu. 15.21 We are too apt to applaud ourselves and others in a devotion void of humiliation Christ prayed with a melting spirit Heb. 5.7 so did Hezekiah Isai 38.5 and Job cap. 16.20 his eys poured out prayers and tears David Psalm 6.8 God heard the voice of his weeping hence he prays Psalm 39.12 Hold not thy peace at my tears The servants of God have often had this frame of heart so that God not onely promises to lead his people with weeping prayers Jer. 31.9 but also promises blessedness to them that weep Luke 6.21 Ezra weeping in prayer affected the whole Congregation Ezra 10.1 so the soul over-whelmed prayed Psalm 102.9 On a day of humiliation God requires it of his people Joel 2.12 to turn to him with weeping Quest Seeing some naturally have an aptness to weep how may we know that a soul weeps from a saving Principle 1 Answ That some naturally have an aptness to weep is certain even from natural passion as some men and women so Abraham for the death of Sarah Gen. 23.2 and Joseph sought where to weep for his Brethrens afflictions Gen. 43.30 2 Afflictions are apt even to soften the hearts of those that have no grace in them as Esau though a profane person sought the blessing carefully with tears Heb. 12.17 and Hezekiah's Ambassadours of peace when they saw the wicked carriage of Sennacherib wept bitterly Isai 33.7 so the Jews at the desolation of Hieru salem wept sore in the night and their tears were on their cheeks Lam. 1.2 3 We have seen not onely gross Hypocrites thus weeping as Ishmael Jer. 41.6 who having slain Gedaliah and his company to get the Crown of Judah himself being of the Seed royal there coming eighty men with their cloaths rent to the House of the Lord bewailing the desolation made by the King of Babylon he feigns himself also to weep for the same misery and destruction that thereby he might have a better opportunity to slay them supposing them to be of Gedaliah's party which matter through his hypocritical tears he effected slaying seventy of them but even profane persons Num. 11.10 13. Isai 15.2 yea even gross Idolaters There were women weeping for Tammuz Ez. 8.14 This Tammuz Hierom thinks it to be Adonis Venus Paramour supposed to be slain by a Bore but proved after to be alive this Feast sundry Jewish women kept sorrowing when they lost their Love but rejoycing as Venus did when they found him again Calvin understands Osiris to be Tammuz which was an Idol of the Egyptians at the Festival whereof both men and women shewed their secret parts which the Jews so near the Egyptians might probably learn from them 4 It 's possible for the soul sometimes to be like Marble which weeps yet remains hard So did those women Mal. 2.13 who being oppressed by their husbands covered the Altar of the Lord with tears their husbands divorcing of them causlesly as appears v. 14. Eccles 4.1 Behold the tears of such as were oppressed 5 It may be supposed that some persons by reason of the driness of their brain cannot weep yet if thou canst weep for other things and canst not weep for sin it argues a bad temper But 2 To know when our tears come from a saving Principle we may know it 1 By the frame of spirit accompanying it which is either self-abasement as in Mary who stood behinde Christ weeping Luke 7.38 or apprehension of the loving kindness of the Lord and the souls ill requital of him 2 When these meltings come from a saving Principle the heart is affected as well as the eye there is a sutable inward working according to the outward melting as in David Psal 6.8 and Jacob Hesea 12.3 4. and Josiah 2 Kings 22.19 3 There 's an inward rejoycing and refreshment of soul wherein the soul more delights than in all the pleasures of the world this is called the Light of Gods countenance Psalm 4.6 Sow in tears reap in joy Psalm 126.5 4 When they come from a saving Principle the soul pours them out in secret as well as before men yea much more in secret Psalm 6.6 I water my couch with my tears 5 By the enlargement of heart that usually accompanies these meltings and where there 's more enlargement there 's more speeding 6 Saving meltings have a groaning under and hatred of the prevailing corruptions of the heart so the poor man cried out with tears Lord I believe help my unbelief Mark 9 24. 7 When the meltings are saving the soul is troubled in the absence of them when it prays unrelentingly and so much the more
assurance of thy pardon get more and more earnest of the Spirit Men that deal in great matters love to get as good earnest as they can the fuller earnest the more security Again people keep and esteem an earnest more then other mony because it hath reference to further matters which other mony hath not So should we esteem the Spirits testimony as sealing us up unto the future inheritance in heaven at which day it shall cease to be any further an earnest as earnest mony ceases to be earnest when the whole sum is paid Mean time till we come into that glory the Spirit though it do not always confirm us to present sence yet doth it confirm us to present experience from the former workings thereof which we have felt as the former movings of the infant in the mothers womb confirm the mother that she is with childe though at the present she feel no moving at all thereof Obj. But the heart is deceitful Ans The Spirit in us is too holy to deceive and too wise to be deceived When there is an object to be seen and an eye to see and light to discover the object to the eye sight must needs follow so in a believer there is grace to be seen and an eye of faith to see it so is there a light of the Spirit discovering that grace to the soul Obj. But some as Papists and others think there can be no assurance of remission of sins and of salvation A. That we may be assured herein appears 1 The Word bids us make our pardon and salvation sure 2 Pet. 1.10 Heb. 6.11.10.22 which were in vain if such a thing could not be 2 The Saints have been assured hereof Job saith c. 19.25 I know that my Redeemer liveth and that I shall stand up with him on the earth at the last day and I shall see him not with other but with the same eys 2 Cor. 5.1 Paul saith We know if our earthly tabernacle were dissolved we have a building of God Abraham Rom. 4.21 22. 1 John 3.14 1 John 5.14 15. We know we are translated from death to life we know we have the petitions desired 1 Pet. 5.1 I am also a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed Peter speaks of himself in this life Obj. But what these Saints had they had by special revelation Answ No. For the Saints Peter writes to had obtained like precious faith with himself 2 Pet. 1.1 And Paul saith I am perswaded that neither life nor death shall be able to separate us from the love of God See he names other believers as well as himself Rom. 8.38 39. 2 All the Saints have the same Spirit of faith 2 Cor. 4.13 though not in the same degree Timothy saith I know whom I have trusted 2 Tim. 1.12 See there is a certainty in knowledge The Hebrews knew in themselves they had a better and enduring substance which was the ground they not only patiently suffered but also joyfully endured the spoyling of their temporal substance Heb. 10.34 They did not onely conjecture it but knew it in themselves Peter when Christ asked him whether or no he loved him he did not answer Lord thou knowest we cannot tell truly whether or no we love thee but appeals unto Christ saying Thou knowest all things thou knowest that I love thee John 21.15 16 17. Peter mentions it three times shewing the undoubted assurance he had thereof 3 The Scripture bids us prove our selves as concerning our estate to God ward Gal. 6.4 Let a man prove himself that he may have rejoycing in himself alone 1 Cor. 11.28 Let a man examine himself and so let him eat 2 Cor. 13.5 Examine your selves whether you be in the faith This bidding us search our conscience according to the rule and the declaring that rejoycing followes thereon doth denote unto us that assurance of remission of sins may be had It is ridiculous to think that the Spirit should bid us search for that which cannot be found 4 That certainty and assurance of salvation may be had appears from the many signes and evidences the word of God sets down of our being in Christ of our having the Spirit of our regeneration uprightness confidence to say that he that hath these graces is not sure whether he have them or no is a great mistake for do not I know that I love the Lord better then any thing that I love my brother yea mine enemies that I combate against all sin hunger after righteousnesse that my heart closeth with every command of God that I hate all sin do not I know that I have comfottable answers from God in prayer when I have them Comfortlesse is the assurance of hope arising from humane conjecture allowed by Papists and differs from Theological or divine hope arising from faith 5 The doctrine of doubting of remission of sins or conjectural hoping for salvation is a comfortlesse doctrine for 1 It kills our joy and thankfulness for how can I joy in or be thankfull to him who for ought I know may damn me another day and how can I joy in a thing which I know not whether I shall have or no 2 This doctrine of doubting stuns and hinders our proceeding in a godly course How can a man have a heart to go on when he cannot tell whether all he doth will come to any thing yea or no The Scripture ordinarily exhorts to duty from the knowledge we have that our labour will not be in vain Gal. 6.9 Be not weary in well doing knowing in due season you shall reap if ye faint not 1 Cor. 15.28 Be ye alwayes abounding in the work of the Lord forasmuch as you know your labour will not be in vain 3 The doctrine of doubting must needs fill the conscience with much anguish and anxiety A man that is condemned and hath no way to escape but by a pardon must needs be in perplexity of mind till he know of his pardon so must the soul needs be that sees its own lost estate and knows nothing of the pardon of his sins 6 From experimental feeling when I trust to a person promising to give or lend me any thing I know I trust to him and rest on him for what he hath promised and shal I by faith rest on Christ and know no such thing 7 From the testimony of the renewed conscience for our spirits regenerate witness our good estate Rom. 8.16 Yea even this is witnessed even in weak Christians though with some fear of the contrary the poor man cryed out Mark 9 2â— Lord I believe help my unbelief How could we say we believe if we could not know it we cannot speak that truly whereof we can have no certainty 8 From the seal of the Spirit witnessing with our spirits Take heed of expecting such inward witness of the spirit as some expect viz. a discovering of your adoption without first discovering the signes of it as if by an
fine houses pleasant gardens and costly apparrel hath the late cloud of war overshadowed Esa 23.9 The Lord hath stained the pride of all glory and brought into contempt all the honourable of the earth But could Satan give the glory he pretends yet should you have it upon exceeding hard terms He said to Christ Fall down and worship me and all shall be thine 4 As the Lines meet in the centre and the beams of the Sun in a burning-glass so let your scattered affections meet in God Solomon having let his affections go out to pleasures mirth wine buildings vineyards gardens pools of water possessions of cattel treasures of gold and silver musick c. Eccles 2.1 2 3 4 5 6 7. came to see the vanity and to centre himself in the fear of God and keeping his commandments Eccles 12.1 5 Consider the things of the world which are sutable to others God can make them disproportionable to thee Ahab had a Kingdom but could take no comfort in it but was sick for one poor Vineyard Haman had wealth honour and the favour of the Prince in abundance yet the want of a cringe from Mordecai a small matter one would think made all bitter If inferiour causes can bring forth contrary effects as the Sun can soften Wax and harden Clay cannot the highest cause much more produce it Many have vast Estates but an unequal yoke-fellow or the reproach of some sin they have committed or a guilty conscience takes away the comforts of them 6 Consider it 's a Christians duty always to have a disposition to leave all for Christ Luke 14.26 Now how can we perform this duty if our hearts be set upon the World Thou sayest thou canst not leave thy stately dwelling and accommodations thou dost in effect say I cannot be a Christian Paul saith Gal. 6.14 God forbid that I should rejoyce save in the Cross of Christ 7 Be convinced of the vanity in all earthly things Practise often follows conviction there 's a mask upon riches pleasures honours which is false opinion which must be pulled off How was Achan cozened with a Wedg of Gold and Gehezi with two Talents of Silver The Labours of worldly men are not unfitly by some resembled to the sports of children their buildings to the houses children make of cards and trenchers their gathering wealth to the others gathering sticks their immoderate sorrow in the loss of them to the cry of children when their houses are cast down Whether it be a thing more to be laughed at or pitied I shall not determine to see man that hath an eternal soul and eternal objects to look at upon the terms of highest necessity his eternal weal or wo to spend the strength of his spirit upon earthly vanities We count them mad men who leaving serious things are disposed to play with pins and straws such are worldly men The Prophet said He saw an end of all perfections Psalm 119.96 May we not say the same we have seen an end of all perfection of beauty save of Gods image Holiness of all perfection of pedegree save spiritual adoption of all perfection of wealth save of riches laid up in Heaven of all perfection of buildings save of that City whose Builder and Maker is God of all perfections of joy save the joy of a good conscience which is a continual feast 8 Beware of being deluded by worldly pretences as 1 the hardness of the times in hard times let us be less worldly then should we open our hands freely 2 The greatness of their charge true we are to provide for our charge else we are worse then Infidels but thou provides for thy self being loath to part with any thing till death put thy children in possession whether thou wilt or not nay if God take half their charge away they are not more lib eral 3 The great necessities of the Church a faire pretence if true but consider what hast thou done for the Church do not thy proportions come short not onely of others but also of thy own ability we read of some who parted with all for the Church but they were not men of this temper Acts 4.34 35. 9 Be much in prayer that God would cure thy worldly frame of heart say Lord I can savour nothing but oxen and farms If any man speak a word of any heavenly discourse it 's unsavory I have a heart just like the Inn at Bethlehem room enough for others none for thee Be large in thy confessions say Lord this is a sin that makes me sometimes neglect duties of religion and commonly chop them off that makes me so many times in a week go to bed prayerless and abroad in the morning prayerless This sin hath oft exposed me to lying over-reaching for which I doubt I have not made full restitution my own interest hath made me seek the ruine of the whole this hath made me take a bribe in my office to sell justice in my magistracy cheat in my weights and measures flatter in my ministry sell things unlawful to be sold as the Christians in Tertulian's time sold images to the heathens As a Land-lord I have rackt my Tenants grinding their faces because I knew they must have my farms as a labourer I have extorted because I knew they could not get another As a servant I have cozened my Master now and then of a penny as a Master I have griped my Workmen making them take so much in commodity at a racking price because I knew thy were tied to my Work these confessions when they are feeling and not historical will much take off the heart from the World 10 Set your affections in Heaven when a man is upon an high Pinacle things below seem very small so get your spirits up on high and the things below will seem small The Christians in Justin Martyr's time in his Epistle to Diognetus inhabited their own countreys as strangers they had all things common with others as Citizens but suffered all things as strangers every strange countrey is their countrey and every countrey is strange to them they live in the earth but have their conversation in heaven That which is the soul in the body that are Christians in the World the soul is dispersed through all the members of the body and Christians are dispersed through the Cities of the World the soul dwells in the body but is not of the body so Christians dwell in the World but are not of the World Then are our affections in Heaven when the soul is longing after the presence of God the soul is not so much there where it lives as where it loves The soul looking upon better things than the World can easily bid adieu unto the World It was a Christian speech of a certain Bishop mentioned by Augustine that when the Gothes had taken the City and spoil he said I am not sorry for my Gold and Silver thou knowest where my treasure is 11 Believe the
of danger Psalm 3.5 6. I will not fear ten thousands that have set themselves against me Psalm 27.1 2.46.1 2. 4 A mighty spirit of Prayer that will take no denial from God Matth. 15.28 The Woman of Cana would take no denial from Christ hence Christ says O woman great is thy faith 5 A comfortable apprehension of Death and Judgment which days are feared by weak Christians Luke 2.29 Phil. 1.23 6 To have a clear manifestation of Gods love without any questioning of his Estate Rom. 8.38 39. and thereupon to triumph in Gods love over all both sin Satan and afflictions Rom. 8.33 34 35 36 37. Quest Whether may not a man of great faith so decline that his faith may become weak Answ As some of weak have become strong so some of strong have become weak Heb. 11.34 Asa had a great faith that he feared not a Million of Ethiopians yet after became weak See 2 Chron. 16.7 8. yea so weak that we might question his grace did not the Scripture say His heart was perfect with God all his days 1 Kings 15.14 This is caused partly from want of the means of grace or disuse of them as want of Preaching Prayer and good company Shut up a strong man from food and diet him thus and his strength will decay Partly from falling into some sin against conscience Psalm 51.10 11. or a frequent giving way to ones daily corruptions without lamenting and reforming of them and partly from love of the World and multitude of worldly businesses hence many who have shewn much forwardness in their youth have decayed in their affections to the Lord and to his people V. 31. Therefore take no thought saying what shall we eat or what shall we drink or wherewith shall we be clothed 32 For all these things do the nations of the world seek after Here is a fifth argument against earthly sollicitude or carking because this inordinate carking for meat drink and apparel is proper to heathens which are ignorant of God and his providence and not to Christians who acknowledge and experience both The word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies a certain vehement desire As ye my disciples differ in your profession from the Gentiles see that ye differ also in your practice they are still carking what they shall eat drink put on but let your questions be how shall we live for ever Few of the heathens look for any happiness after death and therefore no wonder they are so eager after the things of this life but you are born to better things and called out from them therefore though you have great charge and perhaps but little means to maintain them though you have now and then a cross in the world do not you distrustfully say as they say What shall we eat c. For your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things This is a sixth argument against earthly sollicitude taken from Gods fatherly care of you he knowes what your means and charge is what the hardness of the times the contingent charges that befall you he is a Father and therefore will not neglect his children an heavenly Father and therefore will give you the best of blessings he is also your Father one in whom you have a property what need you then doubt what childe is there that casts not his care upon his father It 's the fathers reproach if he either will not or cannot provide for his children will it not redound to Gods reproach when we shall be carking for our selves as if we had no God to care for us Psal 23.1 The Lord is my shepherd I shall not want If we could conceive God were our Father and we his children the world would be base to us with all its glory wealth and pleasures we would not be sollicitous for livelihood we would not be so confident earthly things being present nor cast away our confidence they being taken away Luth. Tom. 4.127 V. 33. But seek ye first the Kingdom of God and his righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you We have heard of Christs dehortation from worldliness and carking now followes the exhortation to true care but seek ye first the Kingdom of God In the words 2 things 1 a duty Seek ye first the Kingdom of God 2 The promise All these things shall be added Seek ye first Threefold firstness 1 of time 2 of estimation 3 of opportunity He that forsakes opportunity shall be forsaken of it Opportunity is like a ship under sail to which you must call presently else it is gone Hannibal when he could would not destroy Rome after he could not when he would Though we are to give God our youth Exod. 22.29 Thou shalt not delay to offer the first of thy ripe fruits Prov. 3 9. Honour the Lord with the first-fruits of thy increase Eccles 12.1 Remember thy Creator in the days of thy youth And those that have been most eminent in grace have been wrought upon young Obadiah feared the Lord from his youth Samuel was called when a childe Timothy and many others and it is a mans honor to begin to know God betimes Yet this firstness is not all but we must understand a firstness of dignity and estimation that we prize spiritual things above temporal those temporal things are to be sought in order to the Kingdom of God Carnal men say seek money first and vertue afterwards But Christ sayes seek grace first if not we shall be as foolish virgins who too late sought for oyl Mat. 25. So that here is a seventh argument against distrustful care viz. all temporal good things are the rewards of godliness therefore cark not for them Psal 34.9 10. There is no want to them that fear him they that seek the Lord shall not want any good thing 1 Tim. 4.8 Earthly things are added over and above alluding to that 1 Kings 3.11 Because Solomon asked an understanding heart and not long life riches or the lives of enemies God gave him that which he did not ask over and above riches and honour The Kingdom of God and his righteousness The Kingdom of God as the mark righteousness as the way So Matth. 5.20 Except your righteousness exceed the righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees ye shall not enter into the Kingdom of God He that seeks the Kingdom of God above all other things and all other things for it need not be sollicitous for other things for they shall be added Also by Kingdom of God understand right and title to the Kingdom of God And his righteousness which is 1 Imputative righteousness of Christ which is also called the righteousness of God Rom. 1.17 Rom. 3.21 Rom. 10.3 2 The righteousness of sanctification as integrity of love hunger and thirst after doing Gods will innocency charity and all other graces Now that sanctification is called righteousness appears Deut. 6.25 It shall be our righteousness if we observe to
seducement by a false Prophet may prove as dangerous as a scandalous practice hence false Prophets are said to bring in damnable Heresies 2 Pet. 2.2 Use 1 Try the Spirits that is the doctrines because many false Prophets are gone out 1 Joh. 4.1 False Prophets take advantage of seducing by the lightness of mens mindes As all should try them so especially governours Princes and great persons for whom such lye in wait Act. 13.6 2 Take heed of such deluders for this purpose 1 Get a love to truth for want whereof many are given up to delusions to believe lyes 2 Thess 2.10 11. 2 Take heed of lightness of mind many are taken with every new fangled whimsie as the Galatians were soon removed so are they Gal. 1.6 3 Take heed of their fair tongues Rom. 16.18 With good words and fair speeches they deceive the hearts of the simple they promise liberty but allure to wantonness 2 Pet. 2.18 19. 4 Converse not with such false Prophets 2 Epistle of John ver 10. 5 Consider the danger of their doctrines They come in sheeps cloathing Here 's the danger of them they come in sheeps cloathing but inwardly are wolves Lether or sheep-skins was the habit of true Prophets Heb. 11.37 Under this kind of habit we are to understand all outward show of innocency testified by countenance words or Apparel The Prophets wore sometimes hairy garments as the Baptist Matth. 3.4 And the false Prophets wore these to deceive Zach. 13.4 As a flock of sheep is in danger when there is among them a Wolf covered with a sheep-skin so is Gods flock in danger by these false Prophets Quest But what is this sheeps clothing Answ Extraordinary appearance of Zeal Pretended inspirations of the spirit seeming sanctity without the power of godliness plainness of Apparel pretended self-denial mortification and humility even to the neglecting of the body and sometimes even of relations pretended harmlesness Allegations of Scripture in a flourishing way but not in truth pretence of being called by men so did the Scribes and Pharisees of their being called A readiness to endure prisons banishment c. for the tenents they hold Laborious painfulness in going from one Land to another to gain Proselytes Matth. 23.15 Denunciatory damnations against those who will not believe their dreams Inwardly they are ravening Wolfes They are like Wolfes 1 For greediness Esa 56.11 they are strong of appetite as the word is varied in the Margin they can never have enough they look all to their own way every one to his gain 2 For subtilty The Wolf is very subtile the Evening Wolf though it eat some of the flesh when it takes the prey yet hides the rest he gnawes not the bones till the morrow see Zeph. 3.3 so false Prophets are very subtile deceitfull workers transforming themselves into the Apostles of Christ Eph. 4.14 3 For mischief One Wolf will mischieve a great many Sheep so these 4 For watchfulness The Wolf watcheth if the Shepherd be gone to catch the Sheep Joh. 10.12 so do false Prophets they watch to catch the Sheep and Lambs of Christ in the absence of the Shepherd 5 Wolves do not enter in by the door but climb over some other way getting over pales or hedges So do false Prophets they do not come in at Christs door which is the lawfull call of a Church but some other way as pretence of presentation institution induction commendums dispensations c. John 10.1 6 For fierceness and cruelty they presently tear out the very entrails of a creature Hab. 1.8 The Chaldeans are said to be more fierce then the Evening Wolves so these Acts 20.29 Grievous Wolves shall enter in among you not sparing the flock False Prophets are cruel to the souls of men yea and to their bodies too Zedekiah the false Prophet struck Michaiah 〈◊〉 Kings 22.24 25 26. Pashur put Jeremy in the stocks and smote him Jer. 20.2 3. Ananias commanded Paul to be stricken Acts 23.2 Use 1 Caution against the feigned pretences of false Prophets Learn to be wise as Serpents against them Matth. 10.16 If they be Wolves and Serpents to circumvent you be ye Serpents to prevent them 2 Learn to hear and obey the Lords faithfull Prophets Joh. 10.4 5. Heb. 13.7 17. V. 16. By their fruits you shall know them Christ gives a note whereby to try false Prophets viz. By their fruits that is by their fruits of iniquity Obj. But you said before they had a seeming sanctity Answ True but feigned things soon return to their nature no man can long carry a counterfeit person Q. But what are their fruits Answ They are many 1 Usually they flye sufferings especially where praise doth not accompany it 2 They allure unto themselves men that live in sin especially the richer sort and promise them peace how bad soever Even such as have been cast out of Churches without requiring any thing of their repentance 3 They move questions not any way tending to godliness but either curious or captious questions they dote about questions and strife of words being full of perverse disputings 1 Tim 6 4 5. full of revilings against the faithfull servants of Christ and those which are the most eminent instruments of his Church 4 Also they go to preach without any call either of a true gift or of a true Church or Pastour Acts 13.2 3 4. Also Acts 14.23 True Prophets have usually had a call by those who have had a greater measure of the spirit to judge then the person called Onely men that are likely to be usefull this way may be tried The Lord complains that the Prophets prophesied without his sending Jer. 14.14 15. Jer. 23.21 22. I have not sent these Prophets yet they ran I have not spoken to them yet they prophesied 5 Also they think to make people forget the name of God by their pretended inspirations Jer. 23.27 They think to cause my people to forget my name by their dreams which they tell every man to his neighbour as their fathers have forgotten my name for Baal 6 Also they are full of confident blasphemous boldness to say God saith when God saith not Jer. 23.31 I am against the Prophets that smooth their tongues and say he saith The word of the Lord to this Judge this Teacher See Ezek 13.6 7 Also a bold pretending to know and search hearts which is onely proper to God 1 Kings 8.39 Thou even thou onely knowest the hearts of the children of men they will tell a man they never saw before that he is an hypocrite and wicked 8 Also sadding the hearts of the righteous and gladding the hearts of the wicked Ezek. 13.22 23. 9 Also to build up and comfort souls with a false peace Ezek. 13 10 11. one cried peace when there was no peace One false Prophet by his flattery built a wall of carnall confidence and another daub'd it with untempered morter This is called a sowing of Pillows v. 18. telling persons on
their death-beds you have kept your Church and been good to the poor and peaceable among your neighbours 10 Vain-glory also is a fruit of a false Prophet John 7.18 He that speaks of himself seeks his own glory Contrarily faithfull Teachers preach not themselves but Christ Jesus the Lord 2 Cor. 4.5 John 3.30 11 Also dissimulation is a fruit of a false Prophet he endeavours to make persons to believe otherwise of things then he himself doth as of the Scriptures that they are of God but yet onely for such a time not for a constant rule of faith he believs the resurrection but he means a spiritual resurrection not a bodily of the same body committed to the earth 12 Also bitter invectives against instrumental teaching that they may draw Disciples after themselves Acts 20.30 31. 13 Also they carry you from the light of the Scriptures to the light within you contrary to Esai 8.20 to the law and to the testimony If they speak not according to that it is because there is no light in them Thou hast no light within who carriest persons from the Scriptures how can the light within thee check thee for any thing but from the light of Gods word The Word used thirty times in the New Testament for Conscience is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies a knowledge together with this conscience together with God witnesses all our purposes words and actions whether good or evill Rom. 9.1 But whence doth it witness for or against us even from the light of the Word A man might commit idolatry and persecution every day and yet not be troubled at it if he do not know the Law of God Unless the knowledge of Gods word be in our mindes the conscience cannot exercise its judicial act in determining of the lawfulness or unlawfulness of our actions Hence when the Scripture would stir up a mans conscience it appeals to his knowledge 1 Cor. 6.15 16 19. 1 Cor. 9.23 24. 14 Also the denying of Ordinances upon pretence of immediate communion with God These false Prophets cast off the Ordinances wherein God and the soul of a believer have communion they throw down Christs ordinances and institutions that Satans inspirations and revelations may be instead of them Because there are some Allegories in the Scriptures they turn all into Allegories that they may carry us into a Wood whence we may not finde our way out and all to stablish these fooleries and yet these men judge themselves to have come into a state of perfection judging others to be children who use ordinances But that they may not seem to be mad without reason they bring some arguments as 1 The distinction put betwixt the Law and Gospel called Letter and Spirit 1 Cor. 3.6 by Letter is meant the Law by the Spirit the Gospel The Gospel is called Spirit comparatively because there is a greater powring out of the Spirit now then formerly Some by Letter understand the Law and by Spirit the gifts of the Spirit as tongues prophesie c. but I lean to the former because so expounded Rom. 7.6 where by oldness of the Letter the Apostle understands a principle of natural conscience and by newness of the Spirit a principle of regeneration For these Ordinances of Baptism and Supper God appointed them as helps to our faith through which is livelily held forth a crucified Christ for remission of sins to a believing soul for not divers things but one and the same is signified in both those ordinances of Baptism and the Supper to wit remission of sins to believers and repentants For the duration and perpetuity of ordinances till the end of the world take these reasons 1 Because there hath been since the Apostles times throughout all ages a Church therefore Ordinances Eph. 3.22 Unto him be glory in the Church throughout all ages therefore in every age there will be both Church and Ordinances 2 Because there is a command of our performance and observation of them to the end of the world and a promise of Gods presence with us in so doing Matth. 28.19 20. Make Disciples in all Nations Lo I am present with you to the end of the world 1 Cor. 11.26 So oft as ye eat this bread and drink this Cup ye shew forth the Lords death till he come What warrant have any believers to make a change till the Lord come No more warrant to put an end to Baptism then to making Disciples or the teaching the observation of Christs Commandements I can well nigh trace this delusion to the beginning In the year 1644 divers Books were printed against Infant-baptism the arguments whereof prevailed against Infant-baptism that many Commanders in the Army were against it but the Parliament and times being much for it these Commanders were troubled to keep in with conscience and with the times sundry persons disputing that these Officers were bound to take up the Baptism of Believers In this juncture of time comes a Chaplain to the Army who being forced out of the County of Kent was in the same condition with these Gentlemen he comes and preaches a doctrine that Baptisme and the supper were onely carnal ordinances and types and that they ended in the first age or to that effect so this doctrine being received with great applause this preacher formerly of little acquaintance came in one month to be one of the most eminent preachers in the army and these Gentlemen formerly troubled might now by the arguments of Mr. J. S. easily bundle the times and their principles against infant Baptisme together whiles hereby they were kept from the principles of the Anabaptists Though the said Mr. J. S. had formerly conferred with me to Baptize him which I was willing to do onely through worldly prudence he desired a place to be digged first in his own house to escape the odium of the times but at the end of four dayes when he had appointed me to come to dispense it he came to question the power of the dispenser so I departed home and left him About six months after I being with him reasoned so far that in one after-noon I answered his arguments and wifes being many till they had no more to say save this they were convinced but they must stay till God did perswade after which time he speedily went into the Army the product and spawn of whose preachings and printings were these delusions about denying ordinances which groundedly may be suspected was both to speaker and hearers the punishment for dallying with truth and denying submission to it after conviction My conscience tells me that the thing I write of him was truth and he was my intimate friend whom I should in no wise have cited so publick but that conscience to God for the undeceiving of others urgeth me 15 The last sort of fruits by false Prophets is that the Scriptures have their period and time of expiration and that every less light is swallowed up by a greater
not that therefore the Apostle excludes the teaching of man for then why would Christ send out his Apostles and the seventy Disciples and why doth he establish a Ministry in his Church one essential property whereof is that he must be apt to teach yea doth not Christ bid us pray to the Lord of the Harvest for such Labourers Christ also shews us that from the Lords teaching as a principal cause the Ministry of man becomes effectual 1 Cor. 3.7 There are many other fruits of false Prophets as the soothing and flattering of Princes 1 Kings 18.6 compared with v. 1â— The mingling of Truth and Errour together or at least truth and corrupt affections from which the Apostle clears himself 2 Cor. 2.17 There are many other notes of false Prophets which by a frequent reading of the Scriptures and begging of the Spirit we may attain to know V. 16. Ye shall know them by their Fruits Do men gather Grapes of Thorns or Figs of Thistles Look as of Thorn-trees men do not gather Grapes nor of Thistles men do not gather Figgs so from false Prophets there is no good and sweet fruit gathered but the harsh and corrupt fruit of Errour and Heresie V. 17. Even so every good Tree bringeth forth good Fruit but a corrupt Tree bringeth forth corrupt Fruit. Christ here comes to confirm unto us further that men do not gather good fruits from bad trees and makes a reddition to the former Proposition laid down interrogatively By good and bad Trees in general the state of the regenerate and unregenerate man may be understood Matth. 12.33 Carnal men cannot please God Rom. 8.8 Abel's person was first respected then his offering Gen. 4.4 In particular Christ means the Prophets when good they bring forth good fruit when corrupt they bring forth corrupt fruit when good they handle the Word of God uprightly 2 Cor. 2.17.4.2 when corrupt they handle Gods Word deceitfully Ephes 4.14 Such false Prophets are not known by the leaves or flowers of an outward profession but by their fruits V. 18. A good Tree cannot bring forth evil Fruit neither can a corrupt Tree bring forth good Fruit. Christ amplifies what he had delivered shewing that a good will from the habit of grace in the soul brings forth good things ordinarily and usually and an evil will from the habit of sin in the soul brings evil things But Christ means first the man must be changed that his works may be changed But who is found good of the Lord seeing Christ died for sinners therefore he found us all bad Trees but gave us power to believe on his Name Aug. de Verb. Domini Serm. 12. But if we carry it to Teachers we must understand it so far as he is a good Teacher for even good Teachers have been mistaken in some things they cannot bring forth corrupt Doctrine nor can a corrupt Teacher so far as he is corrupt bring forth good Doctrine It 's usual that the actions of the body are sutable to the qualities of the minde Matth. 12.34 35. A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth that which is evil If we understand it of men we must understand it of men as in their natural estate But as a Tree when it is transplanted brings forth good fruit though naturally without transplantation it could not so when persons are transplanted out of their natural estate into Christ they bring forth good fruits John 15.4 5. though in their natural state they could not If we carry it to Teachers as Christ means both then the meaning is if these Prophets were true lovers of godliness as they would seem to be they would not usually commit such things as are directly contrary to godliness as they do V. 19. Every Tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewen down and cast into the fire V. 20. Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them Here 's the punishment of false Prophets The words are a similitude taken from an Husbandman and are denounced against all Hypocrites in general who have the leaves of profession but want the power of godliness and in particular against hypocritical false Prophets John 15.6 If a man abide not in me he is cast forth as a Branch that is withered and men gather them and cast them into the fire and they are burned as the Husbandman casts fruitless Branches into the fire so will Christ cast such as bring not forth good fruit into the fire of Hell See Matth. 3.10 In particular false Prophets bring upon themselves swift destruction Their judgment lingers not and their damnation slumbers not 2 Peter 2 1 3. Is hewen down and cast into the fire They are now at present hewen dow by the threatnings of God and shall hereafter be thrown into Hell Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them Christ here concludes thus q. d. seeing men usually teach things suitable to their manners and practises by such kinde of corrupt Teachings you may suspect these Prophets before they instill or drop in their opinions into you for such as the Masters are such will they make the Scholars such as the Tree is such will the Fruits be V. 21. Not every one that saith unto me Lord Lord shall enter into the Kingdom of Heaven but he that doth the will of my Father which is in Heaven Christ from reprehending false Prophets comes to reprehend all hypocritical Formalists whether teachers or hearers who pretend the faith and doctrine of Christ in a great shew of holiness but deny it in their works They prophesied in the Name of Christ and wrought miracles but did not do Christ his will In the words two things 1 An exclusion of hypocritical Formalists or formal Hypocrites out of Gods Kingdom Not every one that saith Lord Lord c. A name without a thing is nothing It 's as an ornament in the clay or a jewel in the mire 2 A reception of those who have a sincere purpose to obey God But he that doth the will of my Father To do the will of God is 1 To believe on Christ John 6.40 This is the will of the Father that every one that sees the Son and believes on him should have everlasting life 2 To declare our faith by a sanctified course of obedience 1 Thess 4.4 This is the will of God even our sanctification 3 To have a purpose for all Gods commands without excepting of any Psal 119.6 106. Col. 1.10.4.12 Heb. 13.20 21. But he that doth the will of my Father which is in heaven and consequently my will for I and my Father are one Joh. 14.7 and the Father is in the Son and the Son in the Father but Christ as he is man for modesty sake names the will of the Father and not his own From the words thus opened observe Obs 1 That in the visible Church there
shall onely shew his opinion 3 Let it be with modesty and humility not in a proud magisterial way that it may appear the desired satisfaction arises meerly from conscience and not from humour 4 With a care to preserve the authority and reputation of the Teacher Titus 2.15 5 Upon due satisfaction given to sit down and hold your peace and not for the defence of your own opinion and credit to violate peace and holiness See Acts 11.18 6 To avoid all words that may force strife that the hearer may go away and report that God is among this people whiles they can peaceably debate of the things of God 1 Cor. 14.25 See 2 Tim. 2.23 7 Be sure that what you have to reply against any thing delivered be of moment and strength else your selves who shall reply will suffer reproach and scorn herein and come under the name of a gain-sayer Titus 1.9 8 In case words tending to no profit but to the subverting of hearers shall be brought the Preacher is to charge them before the Lord That they strive not about words to no profit 2 Tim. 2.16 Also v. 14. Shun profane and vain bablings for they will increase unto more ungodliness and their word will cat as a Canker as Hymenaeus and Philetus who denied the Resurrection so Quakers Antiscripturists are thus to be charged For the time will come when men will not endure sound doctrine but will turn away their ears from the truth and shall be turned into fables 9 Sometimes apostate Professours stirred up by the Devil this way as well as others may make great resistance against the words of a faithfull Preacher 2 Tim. 2.14 Alexander the Copper-smith greatly withstood the Apostles preaching and it may be suspected that some will be apt to abuse this Liberty proudly opposing sound Doctrine for meer trifles 10 Herewith rejoycing Jer. 15.16 Thy words were found and I did eat them and thy word was unto me the joy and rejoycing of my heart Psalm 119.162 David rejoyced in the Word as one that findeth great spoil Acts 2.41 Object But the stony ground received the Word with joy Matth. 13.20 Answ So they did and it was well that they did but 1 Hypocrites joy in some part onely but right hearers joy in every part hypocrites joy in the promises not in the precepts 2 Hypocrites joy in the notion onely but the right hearer joys in those truths as having an interest in them We rejoyce in the sight of a Diamond but joy more in the property The joy of one is like the joy of a man that is glad to see a fine field of Corn the joy of the other is like the joy of him that is the owner of this field of Corn. 3 Hypocrites joy in the Word after the outward man as apprehending most of the duties equitable and reasonable and many of them advantageous to a mans Estate credit and relations but a right hearer delights in the Law of God after the inner man Rom. 7.22 4 True joy is accompanied with fear Psalm 2.11 Rejoyce in him with trembling and also righteousness Rom. 14.17 The Kingdom of God consisteth in righteousness peace and joy of the Holy Ghost It 's otherwise in hypocrites their joy is accompanied with love of some Lust 11 Practise Christian conference Mal. 3.16 The godly when they met together spake often one to another of the providence of God The two Disciples going to Emaus communed together and reasoned of what they heard from Christ Luk. 24.15 Exhort one another daily while it is called to day Heb. 3.13 In speaking of the good things we have heard we do not onely warm others but our own hearts also 12 Retain and hold fast the Word 1 John 3 9. The seed of God abideth in him Cares pleasures will be apt to steal away the Word Else the fowls of the air will devour it Luke 8.5 For as many fowls follow the Seeds-man to pick up what is sown so do many Devils follow Sermons to pick up the seed Devils are called Fowls of the Air both for the nimbleness of their motion in a little time they will compass the whole earth Job 1.7 and from the place of their habitation which is the Air Ephes 2.2 13 Avoid all cavilling objections against the Word 1 Tim. 6.3 4. we ought to consent to the Doctrine according to godliness without any cavilling It 's one thing to make an objection in order to Christian satisfaction and another thing to cavil from pride and conceitedness Cavillers in Pauls time were out of Churches 1 Cor. 1.23 Where is the disputer of this world Take we heed they be not now in the Church It was the wickedness of the Jews that they were gain-sayers not onely their ears but their hearts Rom. 10.21 against Gods truth I have stretched out my hand to a gain-saying people 14 Practice meditation Deut. 32.46 set your hearts to all the words I testifie among you this day As a plaister works not unless it be bound on to the sore no more doth the Word unless meditation bind it on the affections Unclean beasts contrarily chew not the cud As the ground cannot be quickned with fruit unless it receive the seed no more can our hearts be quickned with the Spirit and fruits of it till by the use of hearing and meditation we have taken in this seed Many are so far from meditating that they are like children when schooling time is ended glad who can first get out and think not of what they have learned 15 Consider the benefits you shall have in the preaching of the Gospel when rightly received As 1 The graces and comforts of the Spirit conveyed in the beginnings and increases thereof even as Conduit-pipes carry water hither and thither Luke 24.32 Did not our hearts burn within us whiles he talked with us by the way Gal. 3.2 5. 2 Therein glad tydings are conveyed Rom. 10.15 How beautifull are the feet of them that bring good news Upon the hearing of it we feel as it were new spirits to return to us how much more when we hear tydings of reconciliation from God how should our hearts abound in comfort shall other news revive us not this 3 The excellency of the ministry we are under it is the ministry of the Gospel far more excellent then that of the Law 1 In the Law they saw darkly we with open face 2 Cor. 3.18 2 The one is the ministration of death but the Gospel is the ministration of righteousness and life v. 7 8 9. Obj. But may not the Gospel also be called a ministration of death Answ Yes by accident not directly when souls will not obey the Gospel it turns to their condemnation As a Princes pardon cannot kill any one of it self but being despised it doubles the guilt and brings to a more hasty destruction so the pardon of God in the Gospel killeth not any but being despised causeth more heavy destruction But the Law
of its own nature holds a man under condemnation and cannot of it self bring any to life 16 The intolerable misery of those who receive not the word it will be more tolerable for Sodom then such Matth. 10.14 15. 1 Pet. 4.17 Such ground as receives seed and brings not forth fruit is nigh to cursing Heb. 6.7 8. 17 Take heed of loathing the Word To this they are tempted who are puft up with the perswasion of their own knowledge contempt of the Word follows loathing and this contempt makes God to take away his Word Luther in his time said heretofore I prefer'd one Psalm well understood before all the wealth of the world but the heaven was then brass and the earth shut up but now the cataracts of heaven are powred out we begin to loath it Luth. Tom. 3.344 V. 27. And the rain descended and the floods came and the windes blew and beat upon that house and it fell and great was the fall of it Christ here showes the wofull condition and punishment of such as build not upon the rock Christ but content themselves with bare hearing without faith and repentance as soon as they come to be assailed with rain floods and windes inward and outward temptations they fall how much more will they fall in judgement Psal 1.6 The wicked shall not stand in the judgement when a fire shall go before him and it shall be very tempestuous round about him Psal 50.1 And it fell Here 's the ruine of those who build upon sandy foundations whether civility self-righteousness great friends large estates professional sanctity self comparisons good meanings moral righteousness such in time of trial fall And great was the fall of it They fall into sin shame and punishment Their fall was great 1 Because it made a great noise as things that fall from high so Professors who profess to draw near to God but do not in truth their fall is heard far and near 2 Because they fall finally and totally Good men sometimes like Nebuchadnezzar fall fearfully but they have a stump in the ground which sprouts forth again Dan. 4.26 The seed of God abides in them 1 John 3.9 But carnal Professors they fall wholly 3 Because the devil will be sure to hold such faster by how much he saw they had well nigh got out of his clutches As a Jaylour will be sure to lay bolts enough upon a prisoner that had well-nigh made an escape Matth. 12.43 44 45. When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man by an outward profession the devil seeks rest there but findes none but when the devil sees such a man is a meer out-side professor then he saith I will return into my house whence I came out then goeth he and taketh with himself seven spirits more wicked then himself and they enter in and dwell there 4 Because they fall into the condemnation of the devil 1 Tim. 3.6 To fall from riches to poverty from honour to disgrace is great but it 's a far greater fall from being lifted up to heaven to fall down to hell as Capernaum did Matth. 11.23 Obs It 's an insufficient foundation for a soul to build upon any thing without Christ it 's onely a sandy foundation 2 Sooner or later men that are unsound must look to be assaulted with temptations Prov. 10.9 He that perverts his wayes shall be known Num. 32.23 But if ye will not do so be sure your sin will finde you out 3 When unsound men are assaulted with temptations then they fall and shew their rottenness as Achan Joas Saul Jehu Ananias and Saphira 4 The fall of professing hypocrites will be a great and a fearful fall If the falls of godly people when they fall onely from the comforts of the Spirit and measures of their graces into decays and discomforts be so fearful how fearfull will their fall be who like the rebellious Angels Having left their first estate are reserved in everlasting chains Jude 6. V. 28 And it came to pass when Jesus had ended these sayings the people were astonished at his doctrine V. 29. For he taught them as one having authority and not as the Scribes Here is the effect of Christ his sermon that the hearers were astonished at his doctrine Doctrine hath sometimes that effect among hearers that are not soul-savingly wrought upon Matth. 13.54 the people were astonished and cried out Whence hath this man this wisedome Is not this the Carpenters son Christ is not compared with the old Prophets whom they had never seen but with the present Scribes the interpreters of the Law whom they heard daily These taught frivolous trifles and vain rites of washing pots and cups and Corban but Christ taught with authority 1 He taught serious things as how to be builded upon a solid foundation when storms came who were blessed persons c. 2 Christ taught by his life as well as by his doctrine It is a long way to holiness by precepts it is short by example As we speak the Gospel so let us live it People loath doctrine when the man that preaches it is wicked people say if it be necessary to live as he saith why doth he not live so himself 3 Christ taught with a mighty zeal and fervor and not coldly such teachers were Elias 1 Kings 19.14 John Baptist Who came in the Spirit and power of Elias Epaphras Col. 4.12 There is in doctrine not onely the light of the Word but the fire of the Word The Word is called a fiery Law Deut. 33.2 John Baptist was a burning and a shining light John 5.35 when he taught the people they cried out What shall we do And so did the souldiers Luke 3.12 13. And so when Peter preached Acts 2.37 the people cried out what shall we do The Word is fire he that delivers it coldly delivers it otherwise then it is Were it not ridiculous when an house were on fire to say Friends we had best get water to quench it or else all our goods will be burnt but when a house is a fire we cry fire fire for the Lords sake bring water bring Ladders Buckets untile the House cut down the Beams c. Here 's the affection of the Word so should a Preacher stir up the people the fire of Gods vengeance is coming oh bring the tears of repentance The affection of the truth must be delivered as well as the body of the truth the Word is compared to fire which is the most piercing element of all 4 The Scribes taught as the interpreters of the Law but Christ as a Prophet sent from heaven as when a Constable comes in the name of the Prince I charge you in the Princes Name so Preachers when they speak to men should speak to their consciences I charge you in the name of the God of heaven that you leave off your pride lying uncleanness c. Preach Christ crucified in a crucified phrase not with wisdome of words lest the
my self before others unless that a heavier burthen of government lies on me and therefore a greater account of my Office is to be given Luth. in 41. cap. Gen. Here was one effect of his faith that whereas souldiers are naturally so lifted up he was so humble so we finde sundry of the Saints the more gracious the more humble Abraham Gen. 18.27 Jacob Gen. 32.10 Agur Prov. 30.2 Isaiah c. 6.5 John Baptist Matth. 3.11 Peter Luk. 5.8 Hence the Centurion saith neither thought I my self worthy to come unto thee Luke 7.7 It 's like partly because his conscience told him he had been a worshipper of false Gods partly because the Jews refused communion and company with him but especially because he saw the vileness of his own corrupt nature and the exceeding glorious holiness in Christ hence he saith I am not worthy Where there is most grace commonly there is most sense of unworthiness and true humility the show of that this man had in truth more deceives the world then any thing else But speak the word onely The Centurion having heard of the fame of Christ Matth. 4.23 when he healed many and also of the cleansing of the Leper who published abroad the cure he saith speak the word onely My word is the word of a man thy word is the Word of the Son of God my word hath power over men under me thy Word hath power over all sorts of diseases yea such as are incurable yea over death I am under the power of another thou art subject to no power being thou art God therefore speak the word onely As his wisdome was seen in that he saw the Godhead lying under the veil of flesh his humility that he judg'd himself unworthy that Christ should come under his roof so here is his faith that he saith speak the word onely learn that our faith go upon a word of God Psal 119.49 Heb. 13.5 6. thou being absent canst cure him by a word of thy mouth therefore there is no need of thy bodily presence but speak the word onely and my servant shall be whole God speaks impossible things lying things foolish things weak things things to be abominated and devillish if thou consult with reason meaning carnal reason but faith sacrifices reason and kills that beast which the whole world and every creature cannot kill Luth. Tom. 4.74.758 Now the Word upon which faith looks is either the Word of command Gen. 1. Let there be light Psal 105.31 148.8 Isaiah 55.11 The word that goeth out of my mouth shall not return unto me void but shall accomplish that whereto I send it Look as in the governments of Commonwealths Armies and Families many things are done by a word of command much more canst thou bring about the healing my servant by the word of thy command Examples fetch'd from nature are usefull for illustration when they agree with what the rule speaks so similitudes are taken from the compassions of mothers Esai 49.15 and fathers Psal 103.13 to set forth Gods pity so from a servant Rom. 6.18 from a mans testament Gal. 3.15 2 Faith goes upon the word of promise Rom. 4.18 John 2.22 I say to this man Go and he goeth and to another Come and he cometh and to my Servant Do this and he doth it See the duty both of Souldiers to their superiour Officers unless they know their Commander shall put them upon some things directly contrary to Gods command also the duty of Servants to do what their Masters and Mistresses bid them Ephes 6.5 Col. 3.22 Obey in all things your Masters V. 10. When Jesus heard it he marvelled and said to them that followed Verily I say unto you I have not found so great faith no not in Israel Here we have the commendation of the Centurions faith He marvelled Christ did not marvel as God for no new unexpected thing can befall him but it may befall Christ in his humane nature having like affections with us There were some things the humane nature of Christ was ignorant of as of the Day of Judgment the time of Figs c. Marvel is when our expectation is exceeded Christ marvelled at all his graces as his Humility Devotion in building a Synagogue his Faith Christ doth not admire the buildings of the Temple Matth. 24.1 nor the Princes of the World but the graces of the Spirit in one that had so little means Though some think Christ being the Authour of these graces did seem to admire them not as being ignorant of them but to teach us to admire them I have not found so great faith no not in Israel The greatness of his faith is seen 1 That he believed so easily upon so small means 2 That he believed Christs Word 1 His Word of Command 2 His Word of Promise 3 That he believed without a Miracle John 4.48 Miracles have been sometimes done to give testimony to the Word Acts 4.29 30 31. 4 In a man of that calling and a stranger from Israel 5 In that we reade of no doubtings with his faith in this particular Jairus doth not say Speak the word but Come quickly ere my Childe die John 4.49 Nicodemus he reasons How can these things be Martha saith Hadst thou been here my Brother had not died as doubting whether the power of Christ could reach every where but the Centurion saith Speak the word onely 6 In the difficulty of the things to be believed for to believe that a man near to death could be recovered by a word of Christs mouth I mean not by syllables and pronunciation but that Christ will be present to his own Ministry 7 Comparatively with the common Jews and particularly those which were ordinary Hearers to Christ Now when he saith I have not found so great faith in Israel he means not all Israel for Abraham Moses David had greater faith but he means it from the time of his beginning to preach V. 11. And I say unto you that many shall come from the East and West and shall sit down with Abraham Isaac and Jacob in the Kingdom of Heaven V. 12. But the Children of the Kingdom shall be cast out into utter Darkness there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth From the occasion of the Centurions coming in to believe who was a Gentile Christ foretells the calling of the Gentiles and rejection of the Jews Many shall come Not all Aug. in loc From the East and West That is whereas the Jews thought the Lord was onely bound to the Kindred of Abraham Christ saith They shall come from East and West which is put for all remote places without the bounds of the Kingdom of Judah not onely near adjoyning Heathen as Syrians Egyptians c. but remote Gentiles Isai 43.5 6. I will bring thy Sons from the East and gather them from the West I will say to the North Give up and to the South Keep not back bring my Sons from far and my Daughters from the ends
James 1.10 3 Rest content in thy condition so Christ here and Paul 1 Cor. 4.11 Phil. 4.13 If at any time we are taken by poverty let us rest contentedly therein living in abundance take heed ye fall not by proud boasting and living in want take heed ye be not supplanted with sorrow of heart one and the same countenance appearing Just Mart. ad Zenam p. 391. V. 21. And another of his disciples said unto him Lord suffer me first to go and bury my Father V. 22. But Jesus said unto him follow me and let the dead bury their dead Suffer me first Here is another of Christ his Disciples who would follow Christ but it must be when his father was dead Christ here shows that nothing should be put before the observation of his commands as being a matter of eternal concernment nor must we use delay herein See Exod. 22.29 Psal 119.60 Nor must we preferre service to relations as probably this man might pretend to serve his Father while he lived or to bury him now dead for some think his Father was now dead and Christ comes to him at this time to comfort him in the want of that relation However Christ called him to follow him Luke 9.59 and he makes this excuse some think his father was old and it would not be long first before he were dead It was a moderate request to go and perform the last office of love but Christ knew others could do it and then matters of salvation are to be preferred before matters of comliness and decency But Jesus said unto him Follow me That is let thy love be so to thy relations that if Christ call thee thou mayest leave all for him Matth. 4.22 Matth 10.37 The end why he followed Christ was â—o preach the Gospel Luk. 9.60 And let the dead bury their dead By dead in the former place he means those who are dead in sins Eph. 2.1 5. Eph. 5.14 1 Tim. 5.6 Bury their dead Christ doth not condemn burying their dead friends who if godly are buried in hope of a comfortable resurrection but hereby tells us that whatsoever hinders us from a right course savours nothing but death and that the unbelieving Jews who were dead in sins might serve to bury this man when he was dead he had some brethren or kindred who might do it also Obs When God calls us to do duty we must not use delayes Gen. 22.2 3. Many sinners are like him that cryed a little more slumber Prov. 6.6 7 8 9 10. To day if ye will hear his voice harden not your hearts Heb. 3.7 8 13. Prov. 27.1 2 Service to relations is not to be preferred before service to Christ 3 Every unbelieving man is no other then a dead man Joh. 5.24 Rom. 5.6 Not like the man that fell among the thieves dangerously wounded but quite dead dead we are by the sin of our first parents not onely temporally Rom. 5.12 but spiritually as unable to do spiritual actions as dead men are to do the actions of living men Col. 2.13 As in natural death there is a separation of the soul from the body so in spiritual death there is a separation of God from the soul For the seat of this spiritual death It is in the understanding John 1.4 5. Eph. 5.14 It is in the will Rom. 6.13 It 's in the conscience Heb. 9.14 It 's in the affections Obj. But if men be naturally dead why do you preach to them Answ 1 The word spoken is a mean to bring them to life Joh. 5.24 When the Spirit of Christ accompanies it the ministry of the word is appointed to turn persons from darkness to light Acts 26.18 2 Though men be naturally dead yet 1 Are they not without reason to consider what is spoken and upon what grounds 2 Though they be dead yet they may offer themselves to the means Obj. But there are some inward workings in the hearts of natural men as sence of sin fear of punishment thoughts of deliverance wishes for heaven therefore they are not dead Answ These and much more may be in natural men yet are they dead As in the generation of man there are many fore-going dispositions which go before the induction of the form so there are many fore-going actions preceding spiritual regeneration as we see in those converts Acts 2.36 37 38. Obj. Man hath some reliques of knowledge how then is he dead Answ Every knowledge doth not suppose life but that onely which affects the heart with affiance and love John 17.3 The devils know much remaining devils still Besides mans natural knowledge makes him inexcusable not salvable Obj. Natural men have many excellent virtues in them therefore they are not dead Answ As the evil actions of good men redound not to their persons to make their persons evil so the good actions of evil men redound not to their persons to make them righteous Good works do not make a good man but a good man makes or does good works evil works do not make an evil man but an evil man makes evil works So that it behoves the person always to be good before all good works and good works come from a good person Luth. Tom. 1 Cat. fol. 469. Their vertues are like pictures without life There are many natural men fine Schollers and Gentlemen too good to go to hell yet not good enough to go to heaven for they being in the flesh cannot please God because they are not good trees they cannot bring forth good fruit all their virtues are like flowers upon a dead mans carkasse that may adorn it and keep off the stink thereof but cannot give life thereto As in the flesh of a beast some part of it is sold at a great price other of it is cast away or little regarded yet all is flesh so some works of the natural man are abhominable and some are commendable but all are but flesh There are several sorts of madnesse some light and foolish some more sober and solemn yet all is but madness so in spiritual madness the lives of some natural men are sober grave serious the lives of others are wilde and ranting yet all are dead and mad Obj. Natural men are not dead because they have some signes of Gods image in them Answ There 's a twofold image 1 Natural standing in immortality immateriality mentioned Gen. 9.6 He that sheds mans blood by man shall his blood be shed for in the image of God made he him 2 A supernatural image consisting in righteousness and holiness Col. 3.10 You have put on the new man which is created in knowledge after the image of him that created him The former image may be in natural men not the latter Use Try two things 1 Whether thou art dead 2 Whether thou art alive Tryalls of a man dead 1 When he lives in sin Rom. 6.2 How shall we that are dead to sin live any longer therein 1 Joh. 3.6 He that abides in
resurrection after we have slept the sleep of death 2 In sleep there is such a binding of the sences that the body seems to be liveless so that it neither moves nor regards any object that is before it nor any relation that is next unto it Quest But seeing Christ saith that the maid slept whether do the souls sleep in the bodies till the resurrection or are they annihilated till that time Answ They are not annihilated being they act intellectually and the souls being absent from the body are present with the Lord 2 Cor 5.1 2. They that dye in the Lord are pronounced blessed from henceforth the word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from the moment of their departure Rev. 14.13 Now all blessedness consists in action which is contrary to annihilation 2 They do not sleep if so why would Paul have desired to be dissolved and to be with Christ Phil. 1.23 why doth Paul say we would not be unclothed but clothed upon that mortality might be swallowed up of life 2 Cor. 5.4 As the souls of the wicked are at present tormented so the souls of the godly are at present in bliss Jude 7. The souls of the Sodomites in Judes time were suffering the vengeance of eternal fire So the rich man Luke 16.24 saith I am tormented in this flame Not I may be or shall be but am at present Besides the souls under the Altar cry How long Lord Rev. 6.9 Therefore though Saints have not a personal blessedness before the day of judgement yet have they a blessedness of soul the receiving whereof doth not exclude ful personal blessedness at the coming of Christ but is an earnest peny thereof as we see in the thief who was admitted the same day he suffered not into an earthly paradise which by the flood was dissolved but into a Paradise of glory whereinto Paul was taken up 2 Cor. 12.2 compared with v. 4. That which ver 2. he calls the third heaven ver 4. he calls Paradise And they laughed him to scorn Being carnal and not considering the power of Christ they laughed him to scorne as thinking it absurd and impossible that Christ should restore her to life Christ rejecting them takes three Disciples to witness this miracle Luk. 8.51 for they were not worthy to see that they did not believe V. 25. But when the people were put forth he went in and took her by the hand and the maid arose Mark hath it Talitha cumi Damosel I say to thee Arise Talitha cumi Christ did not use these Syriack words to be used by way of inchantment as some have done supposing by the repetition of these and such like they could do wonders but that the power of Christs words in raising up the dead might be made manifest In that he uses the words I say to thee Mark 5.41 He puts a difference bewixt those who raised up others to life by his power as Peter did Dorcas and himself who raised this Damosel up by his own word and power q.d. I the Lord of life and death command thee who though thou art dead as to nature yet thou sleeps as to me I command thee that thou arise and stand up The learned say Cumi is a Syriack word which signifies to stand which is the posture of men in health in opposition to lying which is the posture of sick men Took her by the hand Luke adds he said Maid arise such a voice after to Lazarus Lazarus come forth The voyce was from his humane nature the power from his divinity It was the omnipotent Word of God and of the man Christ Luke adds that her Spirit came again and she arose cap. 8.55 straightway the immortal soul of man is separable from the body so Eliah stretched himself upon the child and said I pray thee O Lord let this childs soul come into him again 1 King 17.21 in death the body returns to dust and the Spirit to God who gave it Eccles 12.7 now when God permits a soul to return to its body it 's quickned and rises again as we see in Ezekiels dry bones cap. 37.7 Mark cap. 5.42 adds that her Parents were astonished with a great astonishment as such suddain sights are wont to do Luke cap. 8.56 adds He charged them that they should tell no man what was done not that he would hinder persons from believing on him through the fame thereof but to stop the rage of the Pharisees against him who were sorely provoked by his miracles 2 To teach us from his example to shun all desire of vain glory seeing he would have so great a work concealed 3 That the ruler and his wife might not be proud of this priviledge And the maid arose Mark adds Christ commanded to set meat before her cap. 5.53 to shew not onely that she was alive but also was well and in health V. 26. And the fame hereof went abroad into all that Land Lest any man should think the Miracle was feigned Christ adds The fame hereof went abroad into all that Land The whole Countrey were witnesses and doubtless praised the work as a new unheard of thing and consequently acknowledged Christ as the Messias There were three Christ raised from death this Maid the Widows so n of Naim and Lazarus V. 27. And when Jesus departed thence two blinde men followed him crying and saying Thou Son of David have mercy on us In this History three-things 1 The Petition of two blinde men set down 1 From their following Christ and crying unto him in the way v. 27. 2 From their following him to the house v. 28. 2 We have Christ his grant amplified 1 From the antecedent Question Believe ye that I am able to do this together with the blinde mens Answer They said unto him Yea Lord. 2 From the present cure v. 29. Then touched he their eys saying According to your faith be it unto you 3 From the following effect v. 30. Their eys were opened 4 From the Injunction Christ lays on them v. 30. Jesus straitly charged them saying See that no man know it 3 The unthankfulness and disobedience of the blinde men They when they were departed spread abroad his fame in all that Countrey Two blinde men These whether from the reports of his Miracles or whether from the Prophesie of the Messiah Isai 35.5 The eys of the blinde shall be opened desire Christ to restore their sight The loss of sight is a great loss 1 Sight is the largest of senses whereas the ear onely takes in sounds the smelling takes in odours but the eye takes in not onely quantities and motions but colour and figure The eye is not satisfied with seeing Eccles 1.8 2 Sight is the most comfortable sense There are many glorious objects in Heaven and Earth but little content should we have had we not sight to behold them Hence to behold the glorious objects of Heaven the eys shall be raised up so that we shall see our Redeemer
mouth and a tongue which all your adversaries should not be able to gainsay or resist And here Christ meets with an Objection which the Apostles might make viz. Whence shall we that are unable to speak defend our selves and cause against Councils great Assemblies and Princes who many times with their presence astonish great Orators To this Christ saith I will give you a mouth and a tongue Christ will not leave his Witnesses in the midst of danger V. 20. For it is not you that speak but the Spirit of your Father that speaketh in you Christ further strengthens his Disciples as to discouragement about their own weakness whereas they might object we are fishermen though it should be spoken to us yet we cannot being unlearned be able to speak to this Christ saith It 's not you that speak but the Spirit of your Father that speaketh in you Will a father leave a childe when he knows he is in hazard of life for his fathers sake and will your heavenly Father leave you in danger for the witness of his truth Surely no. And look as the preparation of the heart and answer of the tongue is from the Lord Prov. 16.1 so shall the Spirit not onely dictate unto you fit Arguments and Apologies but also shall form your tongues to express them even to the astonishment of your Adversaries The Council Acts 4.13 when they saw the boldness of Peter and John and perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men they marvelled Acts 5.27 28 29. Acts 7.51 52 53 54. Now in that Christ saith it is not you it is not meant absolutely but comparatively not so much you as the Spirit of God by you The help of Angels at such a time to assist is much but the assistance of the Spirit is far more without which in such an hour of temptation the best parts and abilities would fail There cannot be a greater assistant than this Spirit Luk. 21.15 This comparative speech is like that Matth. 9.13 I will have mercy not sacrifice that is not so much sacrifice as mercy The force of the Argument is It 's not so much your cause as mine and my Fathers therefore my Spirit and the Spirit of my Father shall answer for you As when Balaams Ass spoke it was not so much the Ass that spoke as the Lord in the Ass Numb 22.28 so it was the Spirit that spoke in the Apostles Acts 4.19 and in Stephen V. 21. And the brother shall deliver up the brother to death and the father the childe and the children shall rise up against their parents and cause them to be put to death Here 's a third evil to which Christians must look to be exposed to viz. as the hatred of all men in general so of their own kinsmen in particular because the hatred they have against you for the cause of Christ is stronger than the bond of natural affection Hence it breaks in pieces the bond of natural love Hence as it was in Christs kindred that not onely they would not believe in him John 7.5 but also said he was mad Mark 3.21 so is it in worldly men who hate their relations for difference of Religion Hence Ishmael hated Isaak and Esau persecuted Jacob and Josephs brethren sold him Alphonsus Diazius slew his brother John for the confession of the Gospel Sleydan lib. 17. We see the like History in the Life of Woodman persecuted by his own brother in Queen Maries time This should quiet our hearts when we see our friends and kindred rage against us for conscience sake It should also learn us not to be too confident in carnal relations how near soever allied to us Micah 7.5 Trust ye not in a friend put ye not confidence in a guide keep the doors of thy mouth from her that lieth in thy bosom He that is false in his duty to God how can he be expected to be faithfull to friends Learn also in declining times when friends prove false to look to God Micah 7.6 7. The son dishonoureth his father and the daughter riseth up against her mother therefore saith Micah I will look unto the Lord I will wait for the God of my salvation This unfaithfulness was not onely a symptome of those bad times but it hath been the frame of many carnal hearts since V. 22. And ye shall be hated of all men for my Names sake but he that shall endure unto the end the same shall be saved And ye shall be hated of all men That is of all unregenerate men that receive not Christ whether they be Jews or Gentiles noble or base whether kindred or strangers old and young Wicked men hate all good men if not actually because they know them not yet habitually they do if they knew them they would hate them even for the good in them Psalm 38.20 which hatred proceeds from that enmity put betwixt the Seed of the Woman and the Seed of the Serpent Gen. 3.15 As love arises from similitude so doth hatred from dissimilitude The World cannot hate you but me it hateth John 7.7 Why because I testifie the works thereof are evil The World also hates Saints because they are not of the World John 15.19 For my Names sake That is for a powerfull profession of it The Gentiles raged much as Augustine observes because they heard that Jesus Christ would be worshipped alone now they thought it absurd that they should cast off all their other gods continued to them for so many ages for him alone Not onely Papists but carnal Protestants rage against the godly of the time if they will witness Christ in any powerfull manner and follow the Light of Gods Word further than the times will bear I am guilty of such and such evils said Bradford but this is not that mine Enemies persecute in me but Christ Nor is it to be forgotten that because the word of Christ in the mouth of Saints urges an union with the hearts of wicked men hence those who urge herein are hated especially if it be any such part of the word as exposeth to some present cross Besides it was the manner for Scholers to be called by their Masters names as Aristoteleans Pythagoreans so Christians are called from their profession of Christ Acts 11.26 and for the profession of living by the rules of their Masters is it that Christians suffer 1 Pet. 4.15 If any man suffer as a Christian let him not be ashamed Acts 5.41 Peter and John rejoyced that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for his name But he that shall endure unto the end the same shall be saved Here is 1 A duty 2 A promise The duty is to endure to the end to endure all persecutions hatreds adversities to the end both of the persecutions and of life To obtain the crown it 's not enough once and again to overcome but to overcome and endure to the end and this is some comfort that though they be long they will
18. We see it in Devils who believe and tremble Matth. 8.29 Contrarily filial fear hath quiet of heart joyned with it The heart is never in so good a temper as when it is most fearfull of sin Acts 9.31 The Churches walking in the fear of the Lord walked also in the comfort of the Holy Ghost Mal. 4.2 Unto you that fear my Name shall the Sun of Righteousness appear 4 Those that have slavish fear would fain be rid of it 1 Kings 22.26 Zedekiah goes from chamber to chamber to hide himself the wicked in fear of Gods judgment call to mountains and hills to hide themselves Revel 6.16 Contrarily Saints would still have the fear of God continue upon them nay if they finde it decaying they complain Isai 63.17 Lord why hast thou hardened my heart from thy fear 5 Slavish fear is from 1 The sting of a guilty conscience Deut. 28.65 66. The Lord shall give thee a trembling heart and thou shalt fear day and night Saul 1 Sam. 13.7 when he was near the battle all the people followed him trembling Hypocrites in Sion looking on God as devouring fire fearfulness surprized them Isai 33.15 Paul preaching to Faelix of righteousness temperance and judgement to come he living an unrighteous and an intemperate life trembled to think of the judgement to come and was so stung with it that he was driven to make Paul leave off his preaching 2 From the expectation of future wrath Heb. 10.27 they have a certain fearfull looking for of judgement and fiery indignation Contrarily filial fear 1 Ariseth from faith Heb. 11.7 By faith Noah was moved with fear Isai 50.10 Or 2 From godly sorrow 2 Cor. 7.11 Fear was one effect that godly sorrow wrought in the repenting Corinthians the soul having felt much inward sorrow for the evils it hath done is affraid to do the like evils again 3 From love to God we are affraid to offend those whom we love an husband fears to offend his wife a good childe fears to offend his father so the soul that loves God fears to offend him Motives to this Godly fear 1 Gods fear is a perpetual duty Some duties are but for a time and then at an end but this is perpetual Prov. 23.17 Be thou in the fear of the Lord all the day long Yea We are to pass the time of our sojourning here in fear 1 Pet 1.17 Psal 19.9 The fear of the Lord endureth for ever Hence this duty is practised by glorified Saints who in heaven know evil as well as good but by the fear of God in them their wills are eternally determined to the choice of good 2 It 's a principal duty lying upon Saints above all people in the world Psal 34 11. Fear the Lord ye his Saints for God is wont to punish them more sorely then other men in this world when they sin against him Exod. 23.21 Provoke him not for he will not pardon your iniquities Deut. 32.19 Amos 3.2 As men that have more to lose then others are affraid to offend Princes so the Saints that have more to lose then the rest of the world should be affraid to offend the King of heaven they may in case they sin lose Gods face Isai 50.10 the peace of their consciences and be smitten with temporal strokes 1 Cor. 11.32 3 It 's an honourable Character to be a man fearing God 1 Kings 18.12 It 's said of Obadiah That he feared the Lord from his youth Job 1.1 Job was a man fearing God and eschewing evil Hananiah Neh. 7.2 Cornelius feared God and all his house feared God Yea a woman that feareth the Lord she shall be praised Prov. 31.30 4 The children of God have found much comfort in this grace Neh. 1.11 Let thine ear be attentive to thy servants that desire to fear thy Name Yea when they finde no other grace in their hearts but this grace yet are they commanded to stay their hearts herein Isai 50 10. Contrarily they have been much troubled if they have found either a want or a decay of this grace 5 Gods fear as at other times so especially in evil times is a principal treasure to good men Isai 33.6 The fear of the Lord is his treasure The meaning of the place is from Gods fear arises all prosperity to supply us as out of a treasure arises money to supply our needs 6 Gods fear is the most watchfull affection as being conversant about danger How often would temptations captivate us were it not for this in-dwelling grace in Saints Jer. 32.40 This grace doth as it were stand Centry for the soul Psal 119.11 7 The attributes wherein God stands related to us 1 His power and justice Job 37.23 24. He is excellent in power and judgement and plenty of justice men do therefore fear him 2 The pitifull affection or disposition God bears to them that fear him Psal 103.13 As a father pities his children so the Lord pitieth them that fear him Psal 147.11 The Lord taketh pleasure in them that fear him in what ever Nation such Saints be God being no respecter of persons they are accepted of God with a favourable respect Acts 10.35 8 The relations wherein we stand ingaged to the Lord 1 Of servants If earthly servants must have a fear of their masters according to the flesh Eph. 6.5 ought not we to the Lord Hence the Lord expostulates Mal. 1.6 If I be a master where is my fear 2 Of children What dutifull child stands not in fear of offending his father Heb. 12.9 We gave earthly parents reverence shall we not much rather be in subjection to the Father of Spirits and live 9 Gods fear sweetens a low condition Prov. 15.16 Better is a little with the fear of the Lord then great revenues and trouble therewith that is then great revenues got with a wounded and troubled conscience Psal 37.16 10 Such men as fear God are blessed Prov. 28.14 Blessed is the man that feareth alwayes They are often blessed in this world especially when a delight in Gods law is joyned therewith Psal 112.1 Blessed is the man that feareth the Lord his seed shall be mighty upon earth wealth and riches shall be in his house c. Also in the world to come they are blessed Rev. 11.19 When the time comes that the dead shall be judged there is a reward to be given to all that fear Gods Name both small and great Come we to the second thing viz. The true fear of God where it is eats out the fear of men we see it in Moses parents Moses himself in the Mid-wives Exod. 1.19 in Shadrach Meshech and Abednego Psal 27.1 3 The third point is God is able to destroy soul and body in hell This is called the second death Rev. 20.6 called a double destruction Jer. 17.18 The bodies of all that are in the graves shall come forth John 5.28 They that have done evil to the resurrection of damnation death and grave gives them
Remission of sins which is spread over me Luth. Tom. 4.76 Now that happiness consists in forgiveness appears thus 1 Sin exposes us to all misery both in this life and hereafter Rom. 3.23 now it 's a happiness to be freed from this misery 2 The blessing cannot come upon us till the curse be removed Gal. 3 1â— 14. now we are not freed from the curse till our sins be forgiven 3 Where God forgives there 's none can condemn Rom. 8.1.33.34 now it must needs be a state of happiness to be free from condemnation 4 Without forgiveness there 's no reconciliation now we can never be happy till God and the soul be reconciled That reconciliation goes with forgiveness appears 2 Cor. 5.19 God was in Christ reconciling the world unto himself not imputing their trespasses unto them 2 Use Triall whether God hath forgiven thy sins 1 There will be then a writing of Gods Law in thy heart because the branches of the new covenant are inseparable Heb. 8.10 12. where God remembers sin no more he so writeth Gods Law in the heart 2 The sealing of the Spirit manifested to Gods people in Prayer Ephes 1.13 After ye believed ye were sealed Every comfortable answer in Prayer doth help to clear up pardon to the soul 3 A thankfull frame of heart in the receipt of this privilege Psalm 103.1 2. Bless the Lord O my soul why who forgiveth all thy sins Hezekiah praises God for this mercy Isai 38.17 Behold for peace I had great bitterness but thou in love to my soul hast delivered me from the pit of corruption for thou hast cast all my sins behinde thy back 1 Tim. 1.13 14 15. 4 With pardon there is a subdument of the reigning power of sin Mic. 7.18 19 Rom. 6.14 Rom. 8.1 2. Jebusites will dwell in the Land whether you will or no onely they are conquered and become tributary Josh 17.11 12. 5 Pardon of sin is accompanied with sanctifying grace as the Lord took Joshua's filthy garments off so he gave him change of raiment Josh 3.3 4. Ezek. 16.9 10 11. There 's ever a love goes to the Lord. Luke 7.47 speaking of Mary Magdalen he saith Her sins which are many are forgiven her for she loved much Her love was not the cause of remission but a declarative sign thereof the Pharisee findes fault with Christ for suffering a sinner to be so familiar with him Christ answers She is no sinner he proves it because her sins were forgiven her but how proves he that why she loved much And as it is accompanied with the grace of love so with the grace of fear Jer. 32.40 6 Repentance and Forgiveness goes together Luke 24.47 Acts 2.38 39. Acts 3.19 Acts 5.31 Therefore whatsoever evidences Repentance evidences Forgiveness 7 Pardon of sin is accompanied with sovereign love to God 1 John 4.19 We love him because he first loved us and for the degree see Matth. 10.37 so Mary Magdalen Luke 7.38 compared with v. 47. Love is in true Faith as the Fruit in the Root 8 Peace of Conscience is an evidence Rom. 5.1 being justified by Faith we have Peace with God I mean such a Peace as arises after trouble or deliverance from danger and frees the soul from slavish fears 9 A desire of more and more assurance This is an Argument that we have tasted the sweetness of Pardon in some measure There are three things proper to Saints they think they can never be humbled enough nor thankfull enough nor assured of Gods love enough Hence David after Nathan had come to him and assured him of pardon prays Psalm 51.8 Make me to hear joy and gladness that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoyce and not being satisfied herewith v. 12. he prays Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation Onely if the evidence of the Spirit shew not it self always in the same measure we must have recourse to those Evidences God gives sometimes knowing that these Evidences which come from the Spirit as a cause and the fruits of sanctification as effects are occasional refreshings for the soul in its way to Heaven but not daily food for the soul to feed upon Feasting is not for every day except the Feast of a good Conscience that the Conscience witnesses we live not in the omission of a known duty nor in the commission of a known iniquity 10 We know it by these three witnesses the blood of Christ pacifying the conscience 1 Joh. 5.9 the witness of water altering our natures and the testimony of the Spirit saying I am thy salvation thy sins are pardoned such testimonies ought to be carefully kept even as a malefactor carefully keeps a pardon under seal which he means to produce for his life at the next assizes between the Lord and a true believer there is as it were a mutual contract Faith sets to its feat that God is true in that he promiseth Joh. 3 3â— And God by his Spirit seals unto the believer that he shall be undoubtedly brought to the salvation he hath belâ—â—â—ed 11 When thou canst produce some promise that doth discharge 〈◊〉 which the Spirit â—â—th made over to thy soul as that Esa 43.25 Joh. 3.16 It s not bare remembring promises is so comfortable as those promises made over to thy soul wherein thy soul rests and received comfort If a man have paid his debts he is able to produce his acquittance that they are paid When we have such promises so made over to produce they are as it were acquittances under hand and seal Suppose that without the in-come of the Spirit in the promise thou shouldest believe which I doubt of yet through the in-come of the Spirit in the promise thou mayest know that thou dost believe As the pipes of a conduit convey water hither and thither so doth the Spirit in the promise believed convey grace and comfort into our hearts Yet some think that when God gives a particular promise it is not to measure our condition by but to uphold the soul in the condition of desertion or temptation Hence though Hezekiah had a particular word for deliverance the three children had not 3 Use to believe the forgiveness of sins and labour after assurance thereof Wherefore came Christ into the world Wherefore hath he carried our nature into heaven and there appears for us Why hath he given us his oath Heb. 6. Why hath he given us the signes of the Covenant Why have we so many commands to believing and so many reproofs of unbelief Why have we besides the sealing of the promise with the bloud of the testator the sealing with the spirit of promise as a pledge a pawn and an earnest but onely to urge us to believe Though we will not believe a mans word or bond yet upon sufficient pawn we will deal though the man be but weak and shall we not trust God for that for which we have so good a pawn as his Spirit And in order to this thy