good one while and evill another but goodnesse is his proper and native operation he is not the author of sin that entred by the devil he is not the author of death that entred by sin but our destruction is of our selves And therefore though the Prophet say Is there any evil in the City which the Lord hath not done Yet he doth it not but onely as it is bonum justitiae good in order to his glory For it is just with God that they who run from the order of his Commands should fall under the order of his Providence and doing willingly what hee forbids should unwillingly suffer what he threatneth In one word God is the Author of All good by his grace working it the Permitter of all evill by his patience enduring it the Orderer and disposer of both by his mercy rewarding the one by his justice revenging the other and by his wisedome directing both to the ends of his eternal glory This serveth to discover the free and â—â—le working of Grace in our first conversion and the continued working of grace in our further sanctification whatsoever is good in us habitually as Grace inhering or actually as Grace working is from him alone as the Author of it For though it be certain that when we will and do our selves are agents yet it is still under and from him Certum est nos facere cum faciamus sed ille facit ut faciamus as the great champion of Grace speaketh by Grace we are that we are we do what we do in Gods service Vessels have no wine bags have no money in them but what the Merchant putteth in the bowls of the Candlesticks had no oyl but that which dropped from the Olive branches Other things which seek no higher perfection then is to be found within the compasse of their own nature may by the guidance and activity of the same nature attain thereunto but man aspiring to a divine happinesse can never attain thereunto but by a divine strength impossible it is for any man to enjoy God without God The truth of this point sheweth it in five gradations 1. By Grace our mindes are enlightened to know and beleeve him for Spirituall things are spiritually discerned 2. By Grace our hearts are inclined to love and obey him for spirituall things are spiritually approved He onely by his Almighty and ineffable operation worketh in us Et veras Revelationes et bonas voluntates 3. By Grace our lives are enabled to work what our hearts do love without which though we should will yet we cannot perform no more then the knife which hath a good edge is able actually to cut till moved by the hand 4. By Grace our good works are carried on unto perfection Adam wanting the Grace of perseverance fell from innocency it self It is not sufficient for us that he prevent and excite us to will that he co-operate assist us to work except he continually follow and supply us with a residue of spirit to perfect and finish what we set about All our works are begun continued and ended in him Lastly By Grace our perseverance is crowned for our best works could not endure the triall of justice if God should enter into judgement with us Grace enableth us to work and Grace rewardeth us for working Grace beginneth and Grace finisheth both our faith and salvation The work of holinesse is nothing but Grace and the reward of holinesse is nothing but Grace for Grace Secondly this teacheth us how to know Good from Evil in our selves what we look on as good we must see how we have derived it from God the more recourse we have had unto God by prayer and faith and study of his will in the procurement of it the more goodnesse we shall find in it A thing done may be good in the substance of the work and yet evill in the manner of doing it as the substance of a vessell may be silver but the use sordid Iehu his â—eal was rewarded as an act of Iustice quoad substantiam operis and it was punished too as an act of policy quoad mâ—dum for the perverse end A thing which I see in the night may shine and that shining proceed from nothing but rottennesse We must not measure our selves by the matter of things done for there may be Malum opus in bona materia Doeg prayes and Herod hears and Hypocrites fast and Pharisees preach but when wee would know the goodness of our works look to the fountain whether they proceed from the Father of lights by the spirit of love the grace of Christ from humble penitent filiall heavenly dispositions nothing will carry the soul unto God but that which cometh from him Our Communion with the Father and the Sonne is the triall and foundation of all our goodnesse Thirdly Thiâ— should exceedingly abase us in our own eyes and stain all the pride and cast down all the Plumes of flesh and blood when we seriously consider that in us as now degenerated from our originall there is no good to be found our wine become water our Silver dresse as our Saviour saith of the devil when he lies he speaks de suo of his own so when we do evil we work de nostro of our own and secundum hominem as the Apostle speaks According unto man 1 Cor. 3.3 Lusts are g our own our very members to that body of sin which the Apostle calleth the old man with which it is as impossible to do any good as for a Toad to spit Cordiâ—ls Men are apt to glory of their good hearts and intentions only because they cannot search them Ier. 17.11 And being carnal themselves to entertain none but carnal notions of Gods service But if they knew the purity and jealousie of God their own impotency to answer so holy a wil they would lay their hands upon their mouthes and with Iob abhor themselves and with Isaiah bewail the uncleannesse of their lips and with Moses fear and quake as not being able to endure the things that are commanded and with Ioshua acknowledge that they cannot serve God because he is holy they would then remember that the Law of God is a Law of fire Deut. 33.2 and the Tribunall of God a Tribunall of fire Ezek. 1.27 that the pleading of God with sinners are in flames of fire Isa. 66.15 16. that the triall of all our works shall be by fire 1 Cor. 3.13 that the God before whom we must appear is a consuming fire Hebr. 12.29 Goe now and bring thy straw and stubble thy drowsie and sluggish devotion thy fickle and flattering repentance thy formall and demure services into the fire to the Law to measure them to the Iudge to censure them nay now carry them to thine own conscience and tell me whether that wil not passe the
and Common mercies is sometimes pleased to answer sutably to the naturall desires of those that aske them But the prayer of faith which is the true notion of prayer Rom. 10.14 Iam. 1.15 goes not to God as the Author of nature but as the God of grace and the Father of Christ and doth not put up meer naturall but spiritual requests unto him as to an heavenly Father which requests proceed from the spirit of grace and supplication teaching us to pray as we ought Zach. 12.10 Rom. 8.26 27. Gal. 4.6 So that they who have not the spirit of Christ enabling them to cry Abba Father are not able to pray a prayer of faith Prayer hath two wills concuring in it when ever it is right Our will put forth in desires and Gods will respected as the rule of those desires for wee are not allowed to desire what we will our selves of God but we must ask according to his will 1 Ioh. 5.14 Now whensoever impenitent sinners pray for spirituall things they doe ever pray contrary to one of these Two wills when they pray for mercy and pardon they pray against Gods will for that which God will not give for mercy is proposed to and provided for those that forsake sinne Prov. 28.13 hee who choseth to hold fast sinne doth by his owne election forsake mercy for the goodnesse of God leads to repentance Rom. 2.4 Gods mercy is a holy mercy It will pardon sinne forsaken but it will not protect sinne retained Againe when they pray for grace they pray aganst their owne will for that which they themselves would not have It is impossible that a man should formally will the holding fast and continuing in sinne as every impenitent man doth and with the same will should truly desire the receiving of grace which is destructive to the continuance of sinne and if a wicked man do truly will the grace of God when he prayes for it why doth he refuse the same grace when he heareth it in the Ministry of the Word offered unto him If God offer it and he desire it how comes it not to be received Certainly there is not any thing in the corrupt heart of man by nature which can willingly close with any sanctifying grace of the Spirit of Christ. Selfe-deniall is a concomitant in all Acts of grace and selfe-seeking in all acts of lust and therefore where there is nothing but lust there can be no reall volition of grace which is so contrary unto it This teacheth us to have penitent resolutions and spiriturll aimes in all our prayers if we would have them prevaile at the throne of grace We are now under the heavy calamity of a Civill warre And very desirous we are it should be removed we suffer and languish and fret and pine away and we complaine every where of want and violence But who set themselves to cry mightily to God and call upon their soule as the Marriners upon Ionah O thou sleeper what meanest thou arise call upon God Haply we goe so farre we pray too and yet receive no answer because we ask amisse Iam. 4.1 2 3. wee are troubled that our lusts are abridged of their fuell or that our nature is deprived of her necessaries and for these things wee pray But till our troubles bring us to seek God more then our selves make more sensible of his wrath then of our owne wants more displeased at what offends him then at what pincheth and oppresseth our selves we cannot promise our selves an answer of peace The Marriners cryed and the Tempest continued still Ionah was to be cast over so long as there was a fugitive from God in the Ship the storme would not cease Never can wee promise our selves any comfortable fruit of our prayers till the aime of them is spirituall that God may be honored that his Church may be cleansed reformed that our lives may be amended that whatsoever forsakes God in us may be cast away Till Gods whole work be performed upon Mount Sion upon Ierusalem we cannot promise our selves that he will call in his Commission and Charge to take the spoile and the prey Esay 10.12 And therefore our greatest wisedome is to consider what God calls for to make it our prayer and endeavours that his will and counsell may be fulfilled the more wee make God our end the sooner we shall recover our peace again Secondly We learne that our performance of duty doth depend much upon Gods hearing and answering of Prayer Ephraim will have no more to doe with Idols because God hath heard him Prayer is the key of Obedience and the introduction unto duty The principles of duties are wisdome to know and order them will to desire and intend them strength to performe and persevere in the doing of them And all these are the product of Prayer If any want wisedome let him ask it of God Iam. 1.5 so Solomon did 1 Kings 3.9 and who am I and what is my people saith David that wee should bee able to offer so willingly for all things come of thee 1 Chron. 29.14 and the Apostle prayes for the Ephesians that God would grant them to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inward man Ephe. 3.16 the Principles of duty are the fruits of Prayer and therefore the performance of duty doth much depend on the hearing and answering of prayer Thirdly we learne from Gods observing or having a carefull and vigilant eye upon Ephraim that when we renounce all carnall and sinfull confidence and cast our selves wholly upon God engaging his eye of favour and providence unto us this will be a most sufficient protection against all the cruelties of men One would think when we heare a sword threatned dashing of Infants ripping of women the Prophet should have called on them to take unto them weapons to make resistance and certainely the use of meanes in such cases is necessary the sword of the Lord doth not exclude the sword of Gedeon One would thinke Take to you words were but a poore preparation against a destroying enemy yet this is all that the Prophet insists on when the Assyrian comes against you do you Take with you words your lips shall be able to defend more then his Armies can annoy Words uttered from a penitent heart in time of trouble unto God are stronger then all the preparations of flesh and bloud because that way as prayer and Repentance goe that way God goeth too Amalek fights and Moses speakes unto God in the behalfe of Israel and the lifting up of his hands prevailes more then all the strength of Israel besides Exod. 17.11 12. One man of God that knowes how to manage the cause of Israel with him is the Chariots and horsemen of Israel 2 Sam. 2.12 What huge Armies did Asa and Iehoshaphat vanquish by the power of Prayer 2 Chron. 14.11.20.23 25. Till God forbid prayer as he did to Ieremy 7.16.11.14 and take of the
private ends to make it a cloake to policy a varnish to rotten wood silver drosse to a broken Potsheard O then when we weep and seperate our selves let us not think to mock God with empty ceremonies of Repentance let us not assemble our selves only to flatter away the rod from our back and to get peace and security to our owne persons and then let the favour of God the power of his Grace the comforts of his Spirit be as unregarded as before as if we fasted and prayed onely for our backs and bellies not for our Consciences or conversations for be we well assured he who doth not aske the things which he ought shall not obtain the things which he asks such a prayer begs nothing but a deniall We have now many fasts together prayed for making up our breaches for reparing our ruines for composing our distractions for reducing this Kingdom unto an happy constitution for a right understanding between the King and his great Councell These prayers we have not found yet return like Noahs Dove with an Olive branch a gracious answer unto us again What 's the reason Where 's the obstruction Is not he a God that heareth prayers Is it not his Title Doth he not glory in it Certainly mercies stop not at God but at us We are not straitned in him but in our own bowels If there come but a little light into a room the defect is not in the Sun but in the narrowness of the window if a vessell fill but slowly the fault is not any emptiness in the Fountain but the smallness of the pipe If mercies ripen slowly or stop at any time in the way it is not because they are unwilling to come to us but because we are unfit to enjoy them Our prayers doubtless in many of us have not been words taken from him but from our own carnal dictates We would fain have things well in our Country but have we hitherto looked after our consciences The destractions without us have they driven us to consider the distempers within or to desire the things above The unsetledness of peace in the Kingdom hath it awakened us to secure our peace with God We would fain have better times but have we yet laboured for better hearts we would fain have a right understanding between the King and his great Councel but have we yet sadly set about it to have a more clear and sweet Communion between us and our God we long to see more good laws but are we yet come to the care of good lives Every one cries out Who will shew us any good but how few think on the light of Gods countenance Hence hence Beloved is the miscarriage of all our Prayers If we would seek gods Kingdom we are promised other things by way of overplus and Accession as he that buyeth a Treasury of Jewels hath the Cabinet into the Bargain But when we place our Kingdom in outward comforts and let our daily bread shut out all the other five petitions out of our prayers no wonder if the promises of this life which are annexed unto Godliness do not answer those prayers wherein godliness is neglected It were preposterous to begin the building of an house at the Roof and not at the Foundation Piety is the foundation of prosperity If you would have your cheldrin like plants like polished stones your Garners ful your Cattel plenteous no complaining in your streets If you would have the King happy and the Church happy and the State happy and peace and prosperity flourish again Let our chief prayer be Lord make us a happy people by being our God Give us thy self thy grace thy favour give us renewed hearts and reformed lives let not our sins confute and outcry and belie our prayers and pray them back again without an Answer And when we seek thee and thy Christ above all we know that with him thou wilt freely give us all other things The spiritual good things which we beg wil either remove or shelter and defend us from the outward evil things which we suffer Secondly this serveth for an instruction unto us touching a sanctified use of Gods judgments or threatnings when we learn obedience as Christ did by the things which we suffer Hebr. 5.8 when 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that we are chastened and taught together Psal. 94.12 when sufferings do quicken spiritual desires and the more troubles we find in our way the more love we have to our Country when we can say all this is come upon us and yet we have not forgotten thee Psal. 44.17 18. when we can serve God as wel in plowing and breaking the clods as in treading out the Corn Hos. 10.11 When with Ionah we can delight in him even in the Whales belly and suffer not our love of him to be quenched with all the waters of the Sea When we can truly say to him Lord love me and then do what thou wilt unto me let me feel thy râ—d rather then forfeit thine affection when we can look through the Anger of his chastisements unto the Beauty of his Commands and to the sweetness of his loving countenance as by a Rain bow we see the beautiful Image of the Suns-light in the middst of a dark and waterish Cloud when by how much the Flesh is the fuller of pain by so much prayers are fuller of spirit by how much the heavier are our earthly sufferings by so much the stronger are our heavenly desires when God threatneth punishments and we pray for grace this is a sanctified use of Gods judgments And this we should all be exhorted unto in the times of distraction to make it the principal argument of our prayers and study of our lives to obtain spiritual good things and the less comfort we find in the world to be the more importunate for the comforts of God that by them we may incourage our selves as David did in his calamity at Ziglag 1 Sam. 30.6 when the City Shechem was beaten down to the ground then the men and women fled to the strong Tower and shut that upon them Iudg. 9.51 The name of the Lord is a strong Tower the Righteous fly to it and are safe Prov. 18.18 Herein we shall more honour God when we set him up in our hearts as our fear and treasure and mourne more towards him then for the miseries we feel and suspire more after him then all the outward contentment which we want Herein we shall more exercise Repentance for it is worldly sorrow which droopeth under the pain of the flesh but godly sorrow is most of all affected with the Anger of God Herein we shall more prevail with God the more heavenly the matters of our prayer are the more prevalent they must needs be with an Heavenly Father we have five spiritual petitions unto one for bread the more sutable our prayers are to Gods wil the more easie access
they will have to his eare The Covenant of grace turns precepts into promises and the spirit of grace turns preceps and promises into prayers It is not Gods wil that we should live without afflictions but our sanctification is Gods will 1 Thes. 4.3 The more prayers proceed from love the more acceptable to the God of love now prayer against judgments proceeds from fear but prayer for grace and favour proceeds from love Lastly hereby we shall more benefit our selves Gods grace is much better then our owne ease It gives us meekness to submit It gives us strength to bear It gives us wisedom to benefit by our afflictions Gods favour is much better then our own ease and is a recompence for sufferings beyond all their evils A man would be contented to be loaded with gold so he might have it for the bearing though it be heavy yet it is precious and Gods favour turns affliction into gold If he gives quietness nothing can give trouble Iob 34.29 and if he keep back his grace and favour nothing can give peace neither wealth nor honours nor pleasures nor Crowns nor all the world with the fulness or rather the emptiness thereof nor can doe us any good at all Any thing which wil consist with the reign of lust with the guilt of sin with the curse of the Law with the wrath of God with horrors of conscience and with the damnation of Hel is too base to the called the good of man To doe judgment to â—â—ve mercy and walk humbly with God this is bonum hominis the good of man Mich. 6.8 to fear God to keep his Commandements this is totum hominis the whole end and happiness of man Eccles. 12.13 O then get Remission and Removal of sin get this bonum hominis the oyl of grace in your Lamps the peace of God in your hearts the streams of the Rivers of God in your consciences and then though the earth be moved and the mountains shake and the waters roar what ever distractions what ever desolations happen Impavidum ferient ruinae thou shalt find a Chamber in Gods providence a refuge in his promises a Pavilion in the secret of his presence to protect and to comfort thee above them all THE SECOND SERMON Upon HOSEAH Ch. 14. Ver. 2. Hos. 14.2.3 So will we render the Calves of our lips 3 Asshur shall not save us we will not ride upon horses neither wil we say to the work of our hands ye are our gods c. IN the whole Context we have before observed two general parts Israels prayer and Israels promise The Prayer we have handled and do now proceed unto the promise wherein are two things to be considered 1. The Covenant self 2. The ground upon which they make it Gods mercy to the fatherless First then of the Covenant wherein they promise two things 1. Thanksgiving for Gods hearing and Answering of their prayers 2. A special care for Amendment of their lives We wil render the a Calves of our lips The Apostle out of the Septuagint reades it The a fruit of our lips Hebr. 13.15 It is the use of the Scripture to describe spiritual duties by expressions drawn from Ceremonies and usages under the Law as Repentance is called washing Isa. 1.16 and prayer incense Psal. 141.2 Rev. 5.8 and the rigteousness of Saints fine linen being an allusion to the garments of the Priests Rev. 19.8 and Christ an Altar whereby both our persons and services are sanctified and accepted Heb. 13.10 Rom. 12.1 1 Pet. 2.5 Isa. 56.7 Thus here the spiritual sacrifices of praise are called Calves to shew the end of all sacrifices which were ordained for the stirring up of spiritual affections and praises unto God and also to intimate the vanity of Ceremonial without Real services The beast on the Altar was but a Carnal but the faith of the heart and the confession of the mouth was a Reasonable sacrifice No point more insisted on in the Prophets then this Isa. 1.15 Mich. 6.6 7 8. Amos 4.4 5.5.2.1 Psalm 50.13.15.69.30 31. c. They had idolatrously dishonoured God with their Calves of Dan and Bethel and they had carnally and superstitiously placed all worship and holiness in the Calves of the Altar but now they resolve to worship God neither politickly after humane inventions nor perfunctorily with meer outward ceremonies but spiritually and from inward affections For the lips are moved by the heart Now Thanksgiving is further called the Calves or sacrifices of the lips to intimate that after all Gods rich mercies upon us in pardoning our sins and in multiplying his grace and spiritual comforts upon us we like Beggars have nothing to return but the bare acknowledgments and praises of our lips words for wonders And those words too his own gifts we cannot render them to him before we have received them from him Psal. 116.12 13. Matth. 12.34 1 Chron. 29.16 Asshur shall not save us Unto the general confession of sin intimated in those words Take away All Iniquity here is added a particular detestation of their special sins with a Covenant to forsake them lest waxing wanton with pardon and grace they should relapse into them again The sum is to confess the vanity of carnal confidence betaking it self to the aid of men to the strength of horses to the superstition of Idols for safety and deliverance All which they are now at last by their experience and by their Repentance taught to abandon as things which indeed cannot and therefore they are resolved shall not save them By the Assyrian is here intimated All Humane succour procured by sinful correspondence by a Synecdoche of the part for the whole But he is particularly mentioned 1. Because he was the chiefe Monarch of the world to shew that the greatest worldly succours are vain when they are relied up on without or against God 2. Because the Scripture takes notice often of it as their particular sin the sending unto relying upon and paying tribute unto him for aid and assistance Hos. 5.13.7 11 12. 2 Reg. 15.19 20. 3. Because instead of helping he did greatly afflict them Their flying to him was like a birds flying into a snare or a fishes avoiding the pole wherewith the water is troubled by swimming into the net 2 Reg. 15.29 Hos. 13.4 By Horses we are to understand the military preparations and provisions which they made for themselves both at home and from Aegypt 2 Chro. 1.16 Isa. 31.1 By the work of their Hands are meant their Idols which were beholding to their hands for any shape or beauty that was in them The same hands which formed them were afterwards lifted up in worship unto them Isa. 44.10.17.46.6 7 8. Ier. 10.3.15.6.20 Act. 19.26 Time was when we said these are our Gods which brought us up out of Egypt Exod. 32.4 1 Kings 12.28 but now we will not say so any more for how can a man be the maker of his Maker For
after Ier. 30.17 Paul thought low thoughts of the world and the world thought as basely of him The world saith he is crucified unto me and I unto the world Gal. 6.14 Before conversion the world is an Egypt unto us a place of Bondage After Conversion It is a Wildernesse unto us a place of Emptinesse and Temptations Secondly the Backwardnesse of man towards grace we goe not to God till we are brought to extremities and all other Helpes faile us The poore Prodigall never thought of looking after a Father till he found himselfe in a fatherlesse condition and utterly destitute of all reliefe Luke 15.17 18. Thirdly the right disposition and preparation unto mercie which is to be an Orphan destitute of all selfe-confidence and broken off from all other comforts When the poore and needy seeketh water and there is none I the Lord will helpe him Isai. 41.17 God will repent for his people when he seeth that their power is gone Deut. 32.36 when there is dignus vindice nodus an extremity fitt for divine power to interpose Christ is set forth as a Physician which supposeth sicknesse as a fountaine which supposeth uncleanesse as meate which supposeth emptinesse as cloathing which supposeth nakednesse He never finds us till we are lost sheep when we have lost all then we are fit to follow him and not before Fourthly The Roots of true Repentance Nos pupilli Tu misericors The sence of want and emptinesse in our selves the apprehension of favour and mercy in God Conviction of sinne in us and of righteousnesse in him Iohn 16.9 10. Of crookednesse in us and of glory in him Isay. 40.4 5. Hereby roome is made for the entertainment of mercy where sinne abouds grace will more abound and the more the soule findes it selfe exceeding miserable the more will the mercy of God appeare exceeding mercifull Rom. 5.20 and hereby God sheweth his wisedome in the seasonable dispencing of mercy then when we are in greatest extremity As fire is hottest in the coldest weather God delights to be seene in the mount at the grave to have his way in the sea and his paths in the deepe waters Mercies are never so sweet as when they are seasonable and never so seasonable as in the very turning and criticall point when miserie weighs down and nothing but mercie turns the scale This teacheth us how to fit our selves for the mercy of God namely to finde our selves destitute of all inward or outward comfort and to seek for â—tonely there Beggers doe not put on Scarlet but ragges to prevaile with men for reliefe As Benhadad servants put on Ropes when they would beg mercy of the King of Israel In a shipwrack a man will not load him with money chaines treasure rich apparell but commit himselfe to the Sea naked and esteeme it mercy enough to have Tabulam post naufragium one poore plank to carry him to the shore It is not exaltation enough unto Ioseph except hee be taken out of a prison unto honour Secondly we should not be broken with diffidence or distrust in times of trouble but remember it is the condition of the Church to be an Orphâ—n It is the way whereby Moses became to be the son of Pharaohs daughter when his owne Parents durst not owne him the mercy of a Prince found him out to advance him and when he was nearest unto perishing he was nearest unto honour In the civill Law we finde provision made for such as were cast out and exposed to the wide world some Hospitals to entertaine them some liberties to comfort and compensate their trouble And a like care we finde in Christ The Jewes had no sooner cast the man that was borne blinde out whose Parents durst not be seen in his cause for feare of the like usage but the mercy of Christ presently found him and bestowed comfort upon him Iohn 9.35 This is the true David unto whom all helplesse persons that are in distresse in debt in bitternesse of soul may resort and finde entertainment 1 Sam. 22.2 Lastly we should learne to behave our selves as Pupils under such a Guardian to be sensible of our infancy minority disability to order or direct our owne waies and so deny our selves and not leane on our owne wisedom to be sensible how this condition exposeth us to the injuries of strangers for because we are called out of the world therefore the world hateth us and so to be vigilant over our waies and not trust our selves alone in the hands of temptation nor wander from our Guardian but alwaies to yeeld unto his wisdome and guidance Lastly to comfort our selves in this that while we are in our minority we are under the mercy of a father A mercy of Conservation by his providence giving us all good things richly to enjoy even all things necessary unto life and godlinesse A mercy of protection defending us by his power from all evill A mercy of Education and instruction teaching us by his Word and Spirit A mercy of Communion many waies familiarly conversing with us and manifesting himselfe unto us A mercy of guidance and government by the laws of his family A mercy of discipline sitting us by fatherly chastisements for those further honours and imployments he will advance us unto and when our minority is over we once are come to a perfect man we shall then be actually admitted unto that inheritance immortall invisible and that fadeth not away which the same mercy at first purchased and now prepareth and reserveth for us Now it followeth Verse 4. I will heale their back-sliding I will love them freely for mine anger is turned away from him In the former words we have considered both Israels Petition in time of trouble and the Promise and Covenant which thereupon they binde themselves in In these and the consequent words unto the end of the 8. verse we have the gracious answer of God to both promising â—oth in his free love to grant their petition and by his frâ—e grace to enable them unto the performance of the Covenant which they had made The Petition consisted of two parts 1. That God would take away all iniquity 2 That he would doe them good or receive them graciously To both these God giveth them a full and a gracious answer 1. That he will take away all iniquitie by Healing their back-sliding 2 That he would doe them good and heape all manner of blâ—ssings upon them which are expressed by the various metaphors of fruitfulnesse opposite to the contrary exprâ—ssions of judgement in former parts of the prophecie I will heale their back sliding This is one of the names by which God is pleased to make himsele knowne unto his people I am the Lord that healeth thee Exod. 15.26 and returne O Back-sliding children and I will heale your back-slidings Jer. 3.22 Now God Healeth sin four manner of waies First By a gratious Pardon burying covering not imputing them unto us So it
Repentance and by consequence is incurable To speak against the Son of man that is against the doctrine Disciples ways servants of Christ looking on him only as a man the leader of a Sect as master of a new way which was Pauls notion of Christ and Christian Religion when he persecuted it and for which cause he found mercy for had he done that knowingly which he did ignorantly it had been a sin uncapable of mercy Acts 26.9 1 Tim. 1.13 thus to sin is a blasphemy that may be pardoned but to speake against the Spirit that is to oppose and persecute the doctrine worship ways servants of Christ knowing them and acknowledging in them a spiritual Holiness and eo nomine to do it so that the formal motive of malice against them is the power and lustre of that spirit which appeareth in them and the formal principle of it neither ignorance nor self-ends but very wilfulness and Immediate malignity Woe be to that man whose natural enmity and antipathie against Godliness do ever swel to so great and daring an height It shall not be forgiven him neither in this world nor in the world to come Matth. 12.32 That is say some neither in the time of life nor in the point or moment of death which translates them unto the world to come Others not in this life by Iustification nor in the world to come by consummate Redemption and publick judiciary absolution in the last day which is therefore called the Day of Redemption in which men are said to finde mercy of the Lord Ephes. 4.30 2 Tim. 1.18 For that which is here done in the Conscience by the ministery of the Word and efficacy of the Spirit shall be then publickly and judicially pronounced by Christs own mouth before Angels and men 2 Cor. 5.10 Others Shall not be forgiven that is shall be plagued and punished both in this life and in that to come Give me leave to add what I have conceived of the meaning of this place though no way condemning the Expositions of so great and learned men I take it By This world we may understand the Church which then was of the Iews or the present age which our Saviour Christ then lived in It is not I think insolent in the Scripture for the words Age or World to be sometimes restrained to the Church Now as Israel was God's First-born and the first fruits of his increase Exod. 4.22 Ierem. 31.9 Ier. 2.3 So the Church of Israel is called the Church of the First-born Hebr. 12.23 and the first Tabernacle and a worldly Sanctuary Hebr. 9.1.8 and Ierusalem that now is Gal. 4.25 And then by the World to come we are to understand the Christian Church afterwards to be planted for so frequently in Scripture is the Evangelical Church called the World to come and the last dayes and the ends of the world and the things thereunto belonging Things to come which had been hidden from former ages and generations and were by the ministery of the Apostles made known unto the Church in their time which the Prophets and righteâ—us men of the former ages did not see nor attain unto Thus it is said In these last dayes God hath spoken to us by his Son Heb. 1.1 And Unto Angels he did not put in subjection the world to come Heb. 2.5 and Christ was made an high Priest of good things to come Heb. 9.11 and The Law had a shadow of good things to come Heb. 10.1 and the times of the Gospel are called Ages to come Ephes. 2.7 and the ends of the world 1 Cor. 10.11 Thus legal and Evangelical dispensations are usually distinguished by the names of Times past and the last dayes or times to come Hebr. 1.1 Ephes. 3.9 10. Colos. 1.25 26. The one an Earthly and Temporary the other an Heavenly and abiding administration and so the Septuagint render the Originall word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Isa. 9.5 Everlasting Father which is one of the Names of Christ by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Father of the world to come The meaning then of the place seems to be this That sinnes of high and desperate presumption committed maliciously against known light and against the evidence of Gods Spirit as they had no Sacrifice or expiation allowed for them in the former world or state of the Iewish Church but they who in that manner despised Moses and his Law though delivered but by Angels died without mercy Numb 15.27 30 31. Hebr. 2.2 3 3. so in the World to come or in the Evangelicall Church though grace should therein be more abundantly discovered and administred unto men yet the same Law should continue stil as we finde it did Hebr. 2.2 3 4 5. Hebr. 6.4 5 6. Hebr. 10.26 27 28. neither the open enemies of Christ in the one nor the false professors of Christ in the other committing this sin should be capable of pardon This doctrine of Apostacy or Back-sliding is worthy of a more large explication but having handled it formerly on Hebr. 3.12 I shall add but two words more First that we should beware above all other sins of this of falling in soul as old Eli did in body backward and so hazarding our salvation if once we have shaken hands with sin never take acquaintance with it any more but say as Israel here What have I to do any more with Idols The Church should be like Mount Sion that cannot be moved It is a sad and sick temper of a Church to tosse from one side to another and then especially when she should be healed to be carried about with every winde Secondly We should not be so terrified by any sin which our soul mourns and labours under and our heart turneth from as thereby to be withheld from going to the Physician for pardon and healing Had he not great power and mercy did he not love freely without respect of persons and pardon freely without respect of sins wee might then be affraid of going to him but when he extendeth forgivenesse to all kindes iniquity transgression sin Exod. 34.6 and hath actually pardoned the greatest sinners Manasses Mary Madalen Paul Publicans harlots backsliders we should though not presume hereupon to turn Gods mercy into poyson and his grace into wantonness for mercy it self will not save those sinners that hold fast sin and will not forsake it yet take heed of despairing or entertaining low thoughts of the love and mercy of God for such examples as these are set forth for the incouragement of all that shall ever beleeve unto eternall life 1 Tim. 1.16 And the thoughts and wayes which God hath to pardon sin are above our thoughts and wayes whereby we look on them in their guilt and greatnesse many times as unpardonable and therefore are fit matter for our faith even against sense to beleeve and rely upon Isa. 55.57 58. Now followeth the Fountain of this Mercy I will leve them freely Gods love is
and planks and parts thereof so closely fastned into one another that no water might get in to drown it And in the Tabernacle all the Curtains thereof were to be coupled together into one another Exod. 26.3 Christ is all for unitie and joyning things into one Two natures united in one person two parties reconciled by one Mediatâ—r Two people concorporated into one Church one family one father one seed one head one faith one hope one love one worship one body one spirit one end and common salvation Christ is not loves not to be divided This is a fundamentall requisite unto the growth of the Body the preservation of its unity The building must be fitly framed together if you would have it grow into an holy Temple to the Lord Eph. 2.21 Col. 2.19 when there was most unity there was greatest increase in the Church when they were All of one accord of one heart and one soule then the Lord added to the Church daily such as should be saved Act. 2.46 47. They that cause divisions and dissentions doe not serve the Lord Iesus and therefore they cannot but hinder the progresse of his Gospel Rom. 16.17 18. As in the naturall so in the mysticall body solutio continui tendeth to the paining and grieving of that spirit by which the Body lives Eph. 4.30 31. and by consequence hinders the growth of it Our growth is by the Apostle distributed into growth in knowledge and growth in grace 2 Pet. 3.18 and divisions in the Church are of themselves great hinderances unto both these unto knowledge because the most usuall breaches in the Church arise out of diversities of opinion publickly asserted and insisted on by the authors and followers of them And though accidentally where truth is embraced it is held with more care and searched into with more accuratenesse because of the errors that oppose it as the fire is hottest in the coldest weather yet corrupt doctrine being of the nature of a weed or canker to spread and eat further and further it must needs consequently hinder the spreading and in that kinde the growth of knowledge Nor doth it lesse hinder the growth of grace for while the people of God are all of one heart and of one way then all their Communion runnes into this one designe of mutually edifying comforting supporting encouraging one another in their holy faith but when they are divided and broken into faction by different judgements if there be not a greater abundance of humility and spirituall wisedome the spirits of men runne out into heates and passions and into perverse disputes and meer notinall contentions which have ever beene diminutions unto the power of godlinesse 1 Cor. 3.3 4. When there are schismes in the body the members will not have care one of another 1 Cor. 12.25 Greatly therefore even for this one cause are the sad and dangerous divisions of these times to be lamented when men make use of civill troubles to disturbe yea to teare asunder the unity of the Church when they set up as in the times of the Donatists Altar against Altar and church against Church and make secessions from the common body and then one from another to the infinite content and advantage of the common Enemies of our Religion and hazard of it It were a blessed thing if wee were in a condition capable of the Apostles exhortation To speake all the same thing to be perfectly joyned in the same minde and in the samâ— judgement to be of one minde and to live in peace 1 Cor. 1.10 2 Cor. 13.11 But if that cannot be attained unto let us yet all learn the Apostles other lesson wherein wee are otherwise minded to depend upon God for revealing his will unto us and whereunio we have attained to walke by the same rule to minde the same thing to remember that every difference in opinion doth not ought not to dissipate or dissolve the unity of Gods church Even in Corinth where the people were divided into severall parties yet they continued one Church 1 Cor. 11.18 The body thus constituted and compacted for the increase thereof 1. Here are members severally distinct from one another some principall others ministeriall all concurring differently unto service of the whole If the heart should bee in the head or the liver in the shoulder if there should be any unnaturall dislocation of the vitall or nutritive parts the body could not grow but perish The way for the church to prosper florish is for every member to keep in his own rank and order to remember his own measure to act in his owne sphere to manage his particular condition and relations with spirituall wisedome and humility the eye to doe the work of an eye the hand of an hand Say not as Absolom If I were a Iudge I would doe Iustice 2 Sam. 15.4 But consider what state God hath set thee in and in that walke with God adorn the profession of the Gospel Rom. 12.3 1 Cor. 12.8.11.29 30. 2 Cor. 10.13 14. Eph. 4.7 Remember Vzzah it was a good work he did but because he did it out of order having no call God smote him for his error 2 Sam. 6.6 7. There are excellent works which being done without the call of God doe not edifie but disturbe the body Rom. 10.15 Heb. 5.4 every man must walk in the church as God hath distributed and called and every man must in the calling wherein he was called abide with God 1 Cor. 7.17 20 24. 2. Here are joynts and ligaments so fastning these members together that each one may be serviceable to the increase of the whole 1 Col. 2.19 There are bands which joyne the body to the head without which it can neither grow nor live namely the Spirit of Christ and faith in him 1 Cor. 6.17 Rom. 8.9 Eph 3.17 and there are Bands which joyne the parts of the Body unto one another as namely the same holy Spirit 1 Cor. 12.13 which Spirit of grace stirreth up every member to seek the growth and benefit of the whole 1 Cor. 12.25 26. The same sincere love and truth which each member beareth unto all the rest this is called a bond of perfectnesse Col. 3.14 and the bond of peace Eph. 4.3 Now love is a most communicative grace it will plant and water and feed and spend it selfe for the good of the whole it will deny it selfe to serve the body as Christ did Gal. 5.13 3. Here is a measure belonging unto every part some are in one office others in another some have one gift others another and all this for the perfecting of the Saints Eph. 4.11 12. 1 Cor. 12.4 11. one is able to Teach another to Comfort a third to Convince a fourth to Exhort a fifth to Counsell and every one of these are to be directed unto the edification and growth of the wâ—ole Rom. 12.3 8. Eph. 4.7 The Apostle saith that we are fellow Citizens
of theirs brings it to passe and when by their owne intentions they are enemies to it by Gods wonderfull ordering and directing they are executioners of it Romans 9.19 Psalme 33.11.115.2 Proverbs 19.21 Esay 46.10 Ioshua 24.9 10. 5. According unto this distinction of Gods will wee are to distinguish of his Call Some are called voluntate signi by the will of his precept when they have the will of God made knowne unto them and are thereby perswaded unto the obedience of it in the ministry of the Gospel in which sense our Saviour saith many are called but few chosen Matth. 20.16 and unto those who refused to come unto him that they might have life he yet saith These things I say that you might be saved Ioh. 5.34 40. Others are called voluntate beneplaciti ordained first unto eternall life by the free love and grace of God and then thereunto brought by the execution of that his decree and purpose in the powerfull calling and translating of them from darknesse unto light And this is to bee called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according unto purpose Rom. 8.28 namely the purpose and counsell of shewing mercy to whom he will shew mercy Rom. 9.18 6. They who are called only as the Hen calleth her chicken with the meere outward Call or voyce of Christ in the Evangelicall Ministry may and doe resist this Call and so perish Corazin and Bethsaida and Capernaum were outwardly called by the most powerfull Ministeriall meanes that ever the world enjoyed both in Doctrine and Miracles and yet our Saviour tels them that they shall be in a worse condition in the day of Judgement then Tyre Sidon or Sodom Matth. 11.21 24. So the Prophet complaines Who hath beleeved our report or to whom is the arme of the Lord revealed Esay 53.1 which the Evangelist applies unto the argument of conversion Iohn 12.37 40. for so the hand or arme of the Lord is said to be with his Ministers when by their Ministery men doe turne to the Lord Act. 11.21 And the same Prophet againe or Christ in him complaines All the day long have I stretched forth my hands unto a disobedient and gainesaying people Esay 65. 2. Rom. 10.21 So disobedient and gaine saying that wee finde them resolve sometimes point blank contrary to the Call of God Ier. 44.16 27. Ier. 18.11.12 Ier. 2.25 Matth. 23.27 7. They who are called inwardly and spiritually with an heavenly Call vocatione altâ secundum propositum with such a Call as pursueth the Counsell and purpose of God for their salvation though they doe resist quoad pugnam and corruption in them doth strive to beare up against the grace of Christ yet they doe not resist finally and quoad eventum unto the repelling or defeating of the operation of Gods effectuall grace but they are thereby framed to embrace approve and submit unto that Call God himselfe working a good will in them captivating their thoughts unto the obedience of Christ and working in them that which is pleasing in his own sight Phil. 2.13 2 Cor. 10.5 Heb. 13.21 And this is done by a double Act. 1. An act of spirituall teaching and irradiating the minde and judgement with heavenly light called by the Prophet the writing of the law in the heart and putting it into the inward parts Ier. 31.33 2 Cor. 3.3 and by our Saviour The Fathers Teaching Iob. 6.45 and the holy Spirits convincing of sinne righteousnesse and judgement Iohn 16.8 11. and by the Apostle a demonstration of the spirit and power 1 Cor. 2.4 A spirituall revelation of wisedome out of the word unto the conscience Eph. 1.17 For though we are to condemne fanatick revelations besides the word and without it yet wee must accknowledge spirituall revelation or manifestation of the divine light and power of the word by the holy Spirit in the mindes of men converted for the word of God being a spirituall Object doth unto the salvificall knowledge of it require such a spirituall quality in the faculty which must know it as may be able to passe a right judgement upon it for spirituall things are spiritually discerned 1 Cor. 2.14 It is true that hypocrites and other wicked men may have very much notionall and intellectuall knowledge of the Scriptures and those holy things therein revealed Heb. 6.4 2 Pet. 2.21 But none of that knowledge amounteth unto that which is called the Teaching of God and a spirituall demonstration for the mysteries of the Gospell were unto this end revealed that by them we might be brought unto the obedience of Christ and therefore the knowledge of them is never proportioned or commensurate to the object till the mind be thereby made conformed unto Christ till the conceptions which are framed in us touching God and sin and grace and heaven and eternall things be suteable to those which were in the minde of Christ 1 Cor. 2.16 Evangelicall truths are not fitted unto meere intellectuall but unto practicall judgement It is such a knowledge of Christ as may fill us with the fulnesse of God Ephe. 3.18.19 A knowledge that must work communion with Christ and conformity unto him Phil. 3.10 A knowledge that must produce a good conversation Iam. 3.13 He that saith he knoweth him and keepeth not his Commandements is a lier and the truth is not in him 1 Ioh. 2.3 4. We doe not know Christ till wee know him as our chiefest good as our choycest treasure as our unsearchable riches as Elect and precious and desireable and altogether lovely and the fairest of ten thousand and worthy of all acceptation in comparison of whom all the world besides is as dung The knowledge of Christ is not seeing onely but seeing and tasting Psal. 34.8 Psal. 119.103 And therefore they who in one sense are said to have known God Rom. 1.21 are yet in the same place verse 28. said not to have God in their knowledge It is an excellent speech of the Philosopher That such as every man is in himselfe such is the end that he works unto and such notions he hath of that good which is his end And therefore it is impossible that a wicked frame of heart can ever look upon any supernatuall object as his last end or as principally desireable If I should see a man choose a small trifle before a rich jewell however hee should professe to know the excellency and to value the richnesse of that jewell yet I should conclude that hee did not indeed understand the worth of it a right And therefore unto the perfect and proper knowledge of supernaturall things there is required a speciall work of the grace and spirit of Christ opening the heart and working it to a spirituall constitution proportionable to such kinde of truths about which it is conversant The Scripture every where attributeth this worke unto God and his Spirit It is he that giveth a heart to perceive and eyes to see and eares to heare