the devices of men See then the vanity of Idolaters Mat. 15.9 who though they would doe nothing in vaine yet doe all their will-worship in vaine Jt is not onely Idolatry but obstinate Idolatry the Romish doctrine We would have cured Babel but she would not be cured Ier. 51.9 Js this a light cause of our comming out of Babylon doe we leave them for trifles when they stand guilty of abhominable Idolatry you may see here if so be Ephraim out of holy affection say what have I now any more to doe with Idols What to think and judge of those that would bring God and Jdols together if Ephraim had beene of the temper that many men now are he might have said How some men slight Idolatry tush what need we care for Idols Crucifixes and the like there is not such a distance betwixt them and us why may not both Religions stand together This new fangled nicenesse is but the distempered devices of some few giddy headed men who know not what they would have This is the wisdome of many men in our times who reckon that there is not an eternall irreconcileable distance betweene light and darkenesse the service of God and that of Idols We cannot serve two masters saith Christ Mat. 6.24 Yes say they wee may serve two masters Anti-christ and Christ God and Beliall O but what saith Ephraim What have I now any more to doe with Idols There can be no mixture you know where there is abhomination That Church Reve. 3. which was neither hot nor cold may paralell many now in our times who are neither hot nor cold Papists nor Protestantes but politicke Atheists who will be both or neither whatsoever may best serve and advance their worldly ends How doth God looke upon such saith he I will spew them out of my mouth God hates such most of all now I would thou wert either hot or cold If this be the affection of Gods people towards Idols and Idolaters an utter aversation and shall we thinke to jumble and mingle contrary things together to serve God and the Divell Christ and Anti-christ Thus we see what to thinke of the temper of these men That in some lesser matters we may use our owne opinions Phil 3.15 in lighter matters indeed wee may enjoy our own private opinions in some things As Saint Paul saith in lesser things If any men be otherwise minded God shall reveale it unto him But vvhen he comes to the point of justification by Christ in Gods worship vvhat saith he If any man be otherwise minded God shall reveale it No but if I or an Angell from Heaven teach otherwise let him bee accursed Gal. 1.8 Now vvhen men teach another doctrine and worship joyning with grosse Idolaters in that worship there we must be of Pauls spirit If I or an Angell from Heaven teach otherwise let him be accursed The Holy Ghost at first appeared in the forme and shape of a Dove which is a meeke and milde creature Mat. 3.16 that hath no tallons to hurt with Yet notwithstanding at another time hee appeared in fiery tongues Act. 2.3 to shew that the same Spirit that in lesser things maintaineth peace and love when it is set against any sinne especially against that sinne of sinnes Idolatry which brings Gods vengeance upon Kingdomes and states and rootes them out there the Holy Ghost must appeare in fire that element must be in the hearts of people against that sinne that though to persons that have their slips and in lesser matters there must be the spirit of a dove yet there must be in men the spirit of courage indignation abhomination and hatred unto the Idolatry of the times That wee may say from our hearts with Ephraim What have I now any more to doe with Idols Conclusion Therefore let us joyne with those that we shall live for ever with in Heaven and goe in the best courses and wee shall never need to feare seperation nor want incouragements to well doing Thus shall we neither grieve nor be ashamed to say with Ephraim What have I now any more to doe with Idols At the length the Kings of the earth who adore the whore they shall come and eate her very flesh Rev. 17.16 So it will be the end of those that raigne in other mens consciences and in a manner will be accounted gods that all which is gotten with wrong to God shall be renounced with griefe shame and detestation of the persons of those that make Idols of others and will be made Idols in the hearts of others thinking themselves not enough respected unlesse they command the conscience the end of such cannot be good all this must end in loathing shame and detestation What have I now any more to doe with Idols said Ephraim and what have J now any more to doe with such and such profanenesse hypocrisie double-dealing and the like shall such persons thus sinnefull say one day with shame and horror of conscience Wherefore let us meet God betimes and renounce our Idols of all sorts that God may come to heare us observe us and bee as a greene firre tree unto us c. Whereof if God please wee shall heare more the next time The end of the eleventh Sermon THE TWELFTH SERMON HOS 14.9 Ephraim shall say what have J any more to doe with Idols J have heard him and observed him J am like a greene firre tree from me is thy fruit found THE words as wee heard heretofore are a gratious answer unto the prayer which God himselfe by his Spirit had dictated to Ephraim as likewise a reward of Ephraims Reformation Ayded by grace Ephraim shall my 〈…〉 What have I now any more to doe with Idols God will heare him and observe him and be like a greene firre tree unto him For saith God from mee shall Ephraims fruit be found Whereby we see that whensoever God doth alter the soule by his grace there he also breeds divorce and division betweene it and all Idolatry a disposition in some sort like himselfe having those Sympathies and antipathies hee hath towards sinne and goodnesse Now because God is a jealous God and cannot abide Idols therefore Ephraim being sanctified by the Spirit of God is minded as God is What have I any more to doe with Idols God hath framed the soule that it may injoy the cheefe good and avoid the cheefe ill especially for pettie goods and pettie ils are not so behoovefull Yet notwithstanding God will have us avoid all ill and imbrace all good and he hath made the soule into an answerable condition Therefore hath hee planted affections therein tending to good as Love and Joy and delight especially made for the imbracing of the maine good thereby to goe out of it selfe and close with that maine cheefe good in closing wherewith it may be happy And then to avoid the cheefe ill sinne and damnation hee hath planted affections
these things by divine Truth we grow wise and prudent the Spirit ioyning with the same and then we come to make a right use of them There must bee first a spirituall Wisdome and Prudence inlightned by the Spirit ere we can make use of the word aright to taste and relish it Because though the word be light yet light alone is not sufficicient to cause sight but there must concurre unto the outward light an inward sight grace must illuminate the understanding and put a heavenly light into the soule As by the light within meeting with the light without the eye being the instrument of sight applying it selfe to the thing thence comes sight So there be divine Truthes out of us wherewith when the Holy Ghost puts an inward light into the soule sanctified VVisdome and Prudence then the inward light meeting with the light without we see and apprehend The Spirit therefore must joyne to worke VVisdome and Prudence Naturally we are all dead and have lost our spirituall senses therefore the Spirit of God must worke in us spirituall sences sight and taste that wee may see discerne and relish heavenly things which ere we can doe there must be a harmony betwixt the soule and the things that is the soule must be made spirituall answerable to the heavenly things pitched upon or else if the soule be not set in a suteable frame it can never make a right use of them Now when the understanding of a man is made wise by the Spirit of God it will relish Wisdome and Prudence For the Spirit of God together with the Scripture takes the scales off the eyes of the soule subdues rebellious passions in the affections especially that rebellion of the will putting a new relish in all so as they come to love affect and joy in heavenly things Now when these scales of spirituall blindnesse are fallen off the eyes of the soule and when rebellion is remooved from the will and affections then it is fit to joyne and approove of heavenly things else there is a contrariety and Antipathy betwixt the soule and these things as the body when the tounge is affected with some aguish humour cannot relish things though they be never so good but affects and rellisheth all things suiting that distemper So it is with the soule when it is not inlightned it judgeth all things carnally there being an antipathy betweene the soule and divine truths brought home unto it perhaps a soule not inlightned or sanctified will apprehend the generallities of truth very well but when they are pressed home to practise then unlesse the soule be changed it will rise up and swell against divine truths and reject the practise of them Without subduing grace to alter and change the soule the affections thereof are like the March Sunnes which stirre up a great many humors but not spending them they breed aguish humors and distempers So the light of the word in a carnall heart it meets with the humours of the soule and stirres them but if there be not grace in the soule to subdue these affections it stirres them up to be the more malicious especially if they be prest to particular duties in leaving of sinnefull courses so that the Spirit of God must alter the understanding and subdue the will and affections ere there can be a conceiving of divine truths savingly Therefore before these acts he joynes these graces Who is wise and who is prudent c. Vse The use hereof is this much not to come to the divine truth of God with humane affections and spirits but to lift up our hearts to God Why Lord as things themselves are spirituall so make me spirituall that there may be a harmony betweene my soule and the things that as there is a sweet rellish in divine truths so there may be a sweet taste in mee to answer that rellish which is in divine truths that the wisdome of thy word and my wisedome may be one then a man is wise There is not the commonest truth or practicall point in Divinity but it is a mistery and must be divinely understood and must have prudence to goe about it as we should doe Repentance and the knowledge of sinne it is a mistery till a man be sanctified in his understanding he can never know what spirituall misery is till the inward man be inlightned and sanctified to know what a contrariety there is betweene sinne and the Spirit of God As no man can know throughly what sicknesse is but he that hath beene sicke for the Phisitian doth not know sicknesse so well as the patient who feeles it So it is with a holy man sanctified by the Holy Ghost tell him of sinne he feeles it and the noisomenesse of it the opposition of it to his comfort and communion with God Onely the spirituall inlightned man can tell what Repentance sin sorrow for sin and the spirituall health of the soule is Therefore it is said here Who is wise and who is prudent and he shall understand these things The end of the fourteenth Sermon THE FIFTEENTH SERMON HOS 14.10 Who is wise and he shall understand these things prudent and he shall know them for the wayes of the Lord are right the just shall walke in them but the transgressors shall fall therein AT length by divine assistance we are come unto the conclusion of this short Chapter wherin the Holy Ghost from God hath shewed such bowells of mercy and tender compassion unto miserable sinners incouraging them to returne unto the Lord by many and severall arguments being formerly insisted upon our last worke was to shew you what Wisdome and prudence was the difference of them and how that none without these endowments are able to know and make use of divine Truthes and misteries of Religion Who is wise and he shall understand these things prudent and he shall know them c. We came then to shew that there must be Prudence and Wisdome before wee can understand divine Truthes there must be an illumination within it is not sufficient to have the light of the Scripture outwardly but there must be a light of the eye to see there must be wisdome and Prudence gathered from the Scriptures Now VVisdome and Prudence if they be divine as here is meant it is not a discreet managing of outward affaires of our personall condition but an ordering of our course to Heaven-ward Wherefore a man may know whether he be wise and prudent by his relishing of divine Truthes for otherwise he is not wise and prudent in these things which are the maine Now having shewed that onely the wise and prudent can conceive and make a right use of these great things delivered he comes to shew and defend the equity of Gods wayes how crooked soever they seeme to flesh and blood these things ought to be hearkned unto because they are the wayes of God The wayes of the Lord are right By wayes heere he understandeth the whole
Psal 32.10 O if vve knevv the many miseries and sorrovves vvhich attendeth vvretched and miserable sinners and sinnefull courses here and hereafter it vvould be our first vvorke to follovv Gods counsell to his people to Returne from our sinnefull wayes to meete so gratious and mercifull a God that he may as his promise is heale our Backslidings and be as the Dew unto us to make us fruitfull and aboundant in every good and perfect worke What can be said more for our incouragement then that which hath beene delivered in this Chapter God the party offended who is JEHOVAH God all-sufficient exhorts us to return unto him who is able and willing to help And hee allso out of his rich goodnesse forewarneth us of the dangerous estate a sinner is in who being fallen by his iniquity ought therefore to pitie himselfe Returne and not runne on in a further course of disobedience and backesliding And words are put in our mouthes dictated by God himselfe which needs must be very prevailing with him what an incouragement is this yea further as we have heard these petitions are all answered gratiously and aboundantly above all they did aske wherin God surmounteth our desires and thoughts as wee heard at large Whereby we also may be confident to have our petitions and suites in like sort granted if we goe unto God with his owne words and forme prescribed If we take with us words of Prayer we shall be sure to vanquish all our spirituall enemies for faithfull Prayer works wonders in Heaven and Earth Iam. 5.16 And that God doth not bid us be religious to our losse he sheweth that we shall loose nothing by following his counsell and walking in a religious course of life having abhominated our Idols Hee will observe us and see us and bee a shelter unto us having a derivation of fruitfulnesse from his fulnesse In mee is thy fruite found Lastly we have heard who can make right use of these things delivered onely the wise and prudent such onely can understand heavenly things to purpose his secret is with them that feare him and Wisedome is only justified of her children Psal 25.14 Mat. 11.19 When others have no heart given them to perceive Gods wayes aright as Moses speaketh Transgressors fall in Gods right waies whilst the just walks comfortably in them O then let us hate sin every day more and more and be in love with Religion and the wayes of God for that 's the true good which is the everlasting good that better Maries part Luk. 10.42 which shall never be taken away Whosoever drinks of this living water shall never thirst againe John 4.14 The best things of this world have but the shadow not the substance of goodnesse Let us then be wise for our selves and pitie our selves in time whilst it is called to day because as our Saviour speaks The night approacheth John 9.4 wherin no man can work O then let us often examine our hearts and covenant with them let us see our sinnes as they are and Gods goodnesse as it is Isa 1.18 that our scarlet sinns may be done away as a mist from before him O banish away our Atheisme which by our sinnefull conversation proclaimeth us to be of the number of those fooles who have said in their heart that there is no God This serious consideration Psal 14.1 alwayes makes first a stop and then a Returning to beleeve indeed that there is a God who made the world and a judgement to come This God by Moses calleth true Wisedome indeed To remember our latter end Deut. 32.29 O saith he that they were wise that they would thinke of these things of which things the miseries which attend sinne here and hereafter and the blessings and comforts which follow a godly life both here and hereafter Lamen 1.9 That they would remember their latter end the neglect whereof Ieremy sheweth was the cause that they came downe wonderfully and had no comforter because they remembred not their latter end Therefore let us study this point well that there is a God and a judgement to come and this will compell us even out of selfe-love to returne from our sinnefull courses and make a stop By this meanes we shall not need a Philips boy to cry to us every day we are mortall and must die if our meditations once a day be both in Heaven and Hell These strong considerations aided with strong rationall reflectings on our selves will keep us within compasse over-aw us and make us quake and tremble to goe on in sinne which is worse then the Divell in this that thereby he became a Divell This will drive us to fly unto God Mal. 42. that he may heale our Backeslidings who is described with healing under his wings who in the dayes of his flesh healed all miserable and Returning Backesliders who ever came unto him Therefore let us lay to heart these things that so wee may bee kept in soule and body pure and unspotted holy and without blame in his sight untill the day of Redemption when our mortality shall put on immortality and our corruptible incorruption 1 Cor. 15.54 to reigne with God for ever and ever FINIS THE SAINTS PRIVILEDGE OR A Christians constant Advocate Containing a short but most sweet direction for every true Christian to walke comfortably through this valley of teares By the Faithfull and Reverend Divine R. SIBS D.D. and sometime Preacher to the Honourable Society of Grayes-Inne LONDON Printed by G.M. for George Edwards dwelling in Green-Arbour at the signe of the Angell MDCXXXVIII A Table of the severall Heads contained in this Treatise 1. COnviction of sinne how necessary it is to salvation Page 491. 2. What this Convincing of sin is Page 491. 3. A particular Convincing of sinne Page 492. How we shall know the common Conviction of Conscience from this of the Spirit P. 493. The use of all this how the Spirit Convinces Page 494. Secondly Conviction of Righteousnesse P. 496. What the Conviction of Righteousnesse is P. 496. First ther 's a fourefold Gradation of Conviction 1. There must must be a Righteousnesse P. 497. 2. That it is not in any creature P. 497. 3. That this Righteousnesse is to be had in Christ P. 497. 4. The Spirit Convinces that this belongs to all beleevers P. 489. 1. Question How the Holy Ghost doth convince men of the righteousnesse of Christ 498. 2. Question Why is the sending of the Spirit necessary for the convincing of this righteousnesse P. 499. For these Reasons 1. Because it is above the conceit of man P. 499 2. Reason why the Holy Ghost is necessary for this conviction P. 500. 3. Reason because flesh and bloud is full of pride P. 501. Objection Alas I am not convinced of the Spirit that Christ is my righteousnesse therefore what case am I in The full answer of this very comfortable P. 501. The use of all this P.
503. In which is shewen the priviledges and prerogatives of a man that is convinced in all temptations P. 503. 1. When God himselfe seemes to bee our enemie P. 503. 2. Against Satan P. 503. 3. Against our owne consciences P. 504 How we may know whether we be convinced of this righteousnesse The answer to this P. 504. Secondly but how shall I know that the Holy Ghost hath convinced me enough of sinne so that I may without presumption apply the righteousnesse of Christ 1. If the Holy Ghost have discovered my sinfull condition P. 504. 2. By the worke of the Spirit P. 505. 3. By inward peace and great joy P. 505. 4. Where this is it answers all objections P. 506. The use How we should live by faith P. 506. 2. How every day to make use of the righteousnesse of Christ P. 507. Wherefore did Christ goe to the Father 1. To make application of what he had wrought P. 508. 2. To send the Spirit P. 508. 3. To stop Satans mouth P. 508. 4. To make the Father our Father P. 508. 5. Sweet comforts at the hower of death P. 508. The use Great comfort in the hower of death P. 509 510. April 10. 1638. Imprimatur THO WYKES THE SAINTS Priviledge IOHN 16.8 9 10. When he is come he shall reproove the world of sinne righteousnesse and judgement Of sin because they beleeve not in me Of righteousnesse because I goe to my Father Of judgement because the Prince of this world is judged Especially the 10. verse Of righteousnesse because I go to my Father and you shall see me no more OVR blessed Saviour descending from Heaven to Earth for the Redemption of man after he had accomplished that great worke he ascended thither againe And knowing his Disciples would take his departure very heavily hee labours to arme them against the assaults of all griefe and sorrow that might otherwise oppresse them and that by many arguments Among the rest this is not the least that when he is gone away he will send the Comforter unto them God never takes away any thing from his children but he sends them a better And this Comforter whom he promised to send shall beare them through in all their Ministery all function and in effect hee thus bespeakes them You my Disciples are to encounter with the world Be of good comfort my Spirit shall goe along with you and he shall reproove the world of sinne righteousnesse and judgement Of your selves you are too weake but the Spirit shall strengthen you and make way into the hearts of those that shall be saved by convincing them of sinne righteousnesse and judgement So that bee not discouraged the Spirit shall breath courage into you and make way for your doctrine When the Comforter is come he shall reproove the world of sinne and of righteousnesse and judgement Of sinne because they beleeve not in me Of righteousnesse because I goe to the Father Of judgement because the Prince of this world is judged There are three maine parts of salvation Knowledge of our misery knowledge of our deliverance and a life answerable The Holy Ghost shall worke all these he shall Convince the world of their owne sinne of righteousnesse by a Mediator and of a reformation of life So that the Holy Ghost shall goe along with you in the carriage of the whole businesse of mans salvation Where he begins he makes an end Where he Convinces of sinne he Convinces of righteousnesse and then of a necessity of a reformation he beares all afore him and he doth it in a spirituall order First he Convinces the world of sinne 1. Convincing of sin then of righteousnesse then of judgement because it were in vaine to Convince of the righteousnesse of Christ unlesse he hath before Convinced of sin For who cares for balme that is not wounded Who cares for a pardon that is not condemned therefore he Convinces of sin first I have spoken heretofore of Convincing of sinne Here is a threefold Convincing of sinne of righteousnesse and of judgement and every one of these hath a reason added thereto Of sin because they beleeve not in me Of righteousnesse because I goe to my Father Of judgement because the Prince of this world is judged The Holy Ghost begins with Convincing of sin What is this Convincing It is a cleare and infallible demonstration of our condition What is this Convincing It brings a commanding light into the soule It sets downe the soule and takes away all cavills all turnings and windings To convince is to make a man as the Psalmists phrase is lay his hand upon his mouth Light is a convincing thing now we see the Sun we see it is day though ten thousand men should say it is not day we would not beleeve them because the convincing herof is undeniable that he must be an unreasonable man that gainesayes it So then the Spirit of God brings a commanding light into the soule undeniable thou art thus and thus here no shifting no winding and turning will serve the turne when the Holy Ghost comes with this light I doe but plainely unfold this This Conviction of the Holy Ghost is not in generall onely that all men are sinners but particular and strong thou art a sinner and thou art in danger of damnation And it is universall taking in sins of nature sins of life sins of the understanding will and affections and it is not of sinne onely but of the misery by sinne of the danger folly and madnesse of sinne and of the aggravations that greaten sinne as of stifling so many good motions withstanding so many meanes abusing so many mercies The Holy Ghost Convinces us throughly that wee can have nothing to reply Because I have spoken of this before I am short Beloved unlesse the Holy Ghost Convince there will be no Convincing our deceitfull hearts have so many windings and turnings proud nature armes it selfe with defences as a hedge-hogg winds himselfe round and defends himself by his pricks So you have many cloath themselves with strong words ill translations upon others frivolous mitigations the way of the multitude as with a coate of male to keep out this Conviction that did not the Holy Ghost strike in hard with their consciences Thou art the man this worke would never bee done Quest But you will aske me this Question how shall we know common Conviction of conscience from this of the Spirit for carnall men that goe to Hell are Convinced by a common Conviction what is this saving Conviction Answ I answer 1. Difference Common Conviction by the light of Nature is a weake Conviction a little sparke will shew a little light but it will not inlighten a roome it must be the worke of some greater light as the Sun the Spirit is a strong light stronger then naturall conscience Naturall conscience and common light is of some breaches of the second Table Naturall conscience never convinces of corrupt nature
righteousnesse is to be had in Christ What is the righteousnesse of Christ The righteousnesse of Christ is that righteousnesse that is founded upon his obedience active fullfilling the Law and passive discharging all our debts satisfying Gods Justice the meritoriousnesse of both of them is founded upon the purity of his Nature all his sufferings and doings had their excellency from the personall Union of God and Man in reference to which Union wee may without blasphemy averre that God performed the Law God died for us Gradation 4 Fourthly and lastly this righteousnesse is our righteousnesse the Spirit convinces that this belongs to all beleevers for it is better then Adam had his righteousnesse was the righteousnesse of a man This righteousnesse is the righteousnesse of a mediator And it is such a righteousnesse that when wee are cloathed with it we may goe through the Justice of God wee may have accesse with boldnesse to the throne of grace and say Lord I come in the righteousnesse of Christ that hath appeased thy wrath and satisfied thy justice this the Holy Ghost convinces of Quest. But you will aske me how doth the Holy Ghost convince me of the righteousnesse of Christ Answ I answer First the Holy Ghost presents to the soule the knowledge of this excellent righteousnesse and then creates a hand of faith to imbrace it being proposed you that are humble and broken-hearted sinners here is Christ for you The Spirit of God doth not onely reveale the excellency of Christ but that this belongs to me that Christ is given for me and that revelation of the Spirit doth sway the soule when the Spirit doth not tell in generall onely that Christ is an excellent Saviour but shall relate to a Christian soule God gave Christ for thee this swayes the heart to rest upon Christ whereupon the marriage is made up betweene the soule and Christ the soule saies I am Christs and I give my selfe to Christ and to whatsoever accompanies Christ and then as it is in marriage the persons by vertue of that relation have interest into each others substance and estate So when this mysticall marriage is made up betweene Christ and us wee have a right unto Christ by all rights by titles of purchase and redemption He hath purchased Heaven for us and us for Heaven all that Christ hath is ours all his good is ours our sinnes his and his righteousnesse ours So when the Holy Ghost convinces me of Christs righteousnesse and gives me faith to imbrace it then Christ is mine with all he hath By this I have spoken you may see how the Spirit convinces doe but imagine what a blessed condition the soule is in when this match is made But you will aske me why is the sending of the Spirit necessary for the convincing of this righteousnesse I answer for divers reasons Reason 1 First because it is above the conceit of man that there should be such a righteousnesse of God-man therefore it is discovered by the Spirit and when it is discovered the Spirit must open the eyes of the soule to see els wee shall have a naturall knowledge of supernaturall things for a man by a naturall knowledge may understand them so as to be able to discourse of them therefore to change the soule there must be a supernaturall sight to see supernaturall things A divell incarnate may know all things and yet want to see onely the Holy Ghost gives inward sight inward eyes and works faith to see Christ as mine Reason 2 Againe the sending of the Holy Ghost is necessary for this conviction because hee alone must set downe the soule and make the conscience quiet who is greater then the conscience Conscience will clamour thou art a sinner the Holy Ghost convinces in Christ thou art righteous The Holy Ghost onely knowes what is in the heart of God the Father and in the heart of every man He onely knowes the intent of the Father to every Christian and can answer all inward Objections and Cavils of flesh and blood raised up against the soule therefore the convincing of the Holy Ghost is necessary Howsoever Christ hath purchased our peace yet the Holy Ghost must apply it For the conscience is so full of clamours that unlesse the Holy Ghost apply what Christ hath done conscience will not be satisfied God the Father hath appointed Christ and Christ hath wrought it but the third person must apply it to the soule to assure us that this belongs to us The application of all good things to the soule that Christ the Sonne hath wrought is the proper office of the third person In civill Contracts here there must not onely be a purchase but a Seale though Christ hath wrought righteousnesse for us the Spirit must Seale it to every soule this righteousnesse belongs to you Christ is yours with all that is his Reason 3 Againe it must needs be a worke of the Spirit because flesh and blood is full of pride and would faine have some righteousnesse of their owne the Jewes were of this temper and it hath beene the greatest question from the beginning of the world till this day what is that righteousnesse whereby we must stand before God but Gods Spirit answers all objections Beloved the best of us though in an estate of grace if the Holy Ghost doe not convince us we shall be in darkenesse and call all into question therfore we must not bee convinced onely at the first but in a continued course of Christianity unlesse the Holy Ghost doth this we shall fall into a dungeon of darkenesse therefore the convincing of the Holy Ghost is necessary Beloved this should make us take heed how we heare and how we reade even to beg this convincing of the Spirit in every Ordinance O Lord vouchsafe the Spirit of revelation and take the scales off mine eyes that as these are truths of themselves so they may be truths to me Sway my soule that I may cast my selfe upon thy mercy in Christ c. Object I must answer some Cases that many a poore soule is troubled withall Alas I am not convinced by the Spirit that Christ is my righteousnesse therefore what case am I in Answ I answer some are more strongly convinced and some lesse Let a man be carelesse of holy duties and he is lesse convinced but let him be constant therein and he shall finde the Holy Ghost convincing him more strongly that the righteousnesse of Christ is his there are many presumptuous persons that turne the grace of God into wantonnesse who because through the Enthusiasmes of Satan they never question their estate but conceit themselves to be good men and in the estate of grace think this to be the convincing of the Holy Ghost whereas this is a generall rule Spirituall convincing is not totall but alwaies leaves in the heart some drugs of doubting as a ship that rides at anchor though it may reele too and fro yet is it safe for the
of God which passeth all understanding to guard them within Therefore let us not betray and loose our comforts for want of making use of them or for feare some should call us Hypocrites and on the other side let us not flatter our selves in an evill course but make the conscience good which will beare us out in all miseries dangers and difficulties whatsoever Nothing makes losses crosses banishment imprisonment and death so terrible and out of measure dreadfull unto us but the inward guilt and sting in the inside Gen 42.21 the tumults of conscience Cleere this well once make all whole within let conscience be right and straight let it have its just use and measure of truth and uprightnesse and goe thy way in peace I warrant thee thou shalt hold up thy head and winde thy selfe out of all dangers well enough nothing shall daunt or appale thy courage for saith Salomon Pro. 28.1 The Righteous is bold as a Lyon what can what should he feare who is heire of all things whose all things are Revel 21.7 and who is reconciled to God in Christ Heb. 1.14 having all the Angels and Creatures for his servants for whose sake Rom. 8.28 all things must needs work together for good The end of the fourth Sermon THE FIFTH SERMON HOS 14.4 J will heale their backesliding J will love them freely for mine Anger is turned away from him THE superabounding mercies and marvellous loving kindnesses of a gratious and loving God to wretched and miserable sinners as we have heard is the substance and summe of this short sweet Chapter wherein their ignorance is taught their bashfullnesse is incouraged their deadnesse is quickned their untowardnesse is pardoned their wounds are cured all their objections and petitions answered so as a large and open passage is made unto them and all other miserable penitent sinners for accesse unto the throne of grace If they want words they are taught what to say if discouraged for sinnes past they are incouraged that sinne may be taken away yea all iniquity may be taken away Take away all iniquity if their unworthinesse hinder them they are taught for this That God is gratious Receive us gratiously if their by-past unthankfullnesse be any barre of hinderance unto them they are taught to promise thankfullnesse So will wee render the Calves of our lips And that their Repentance may appeare to be sound and unfained they are brought in making profession of their detestation of their bosome sins of false confidence and Idolatry Ashur shall not save us wee will not ride upon Horses neither will we say any more to the workes of our hands ye are our gods And not onely doe they reject their false confidence to cease from evill but they doe good and pitch their affiance where it should be For in thee the Fatherlesse findeth mercy None must therefore be discouraged or run away from God for what they have beene for there may be a returning God may have a time for them who in his wise dispensation doth bring his children to distresse that their delivery may be so much the more admired by themselves and others to his glory and their good He knowes us better then we our selves how prone we are to leane upon the creature therefore he is faine to take from us all our props and supports whereupon we are forced to relie upon him If we could doe this of our selves it were an excellent worke and an undoubted evidence of the child of God that hath a weaned soule in the midst of outward supports to injoy them as if he possessed them not not to be puft up with present greatnesse not to swell with riches nor be high minded to consider of things to be as they are weake things subordinate to God which can help no further then as he blesseth them But to come to the wordes now read I will heale their backesliding and love them freely c. After that the Church had shewed her Repentance and truth of returning to God now in these words and the other verses unto the end of the chapter saving the last verse which is a kind of acclamation issuing from all the rest of the foregoing verses Who is wise and he shall understand these things c. is set downe an answer unto that prayer Repentance and reformation which the Church made all the branches of which their former suit the Lord doth punctually answer For they had formerly prayed Take away all iniquity and receive us gratiously doe good unto us unto which he answers here I will heale their backesliding c. Which is thus much I will pardon their iniquities I will accept gratiously of them I will love them freely and so of the rest as will appeare afterwards and in summe God answers all those desires which formerly he had stirred up in his people Whence ere we come to the particulars observe in generall Observ Where God doth give a spirit of prayer hee will answer It needs no proofe the point is so cleere and experimentall all the saints can say this much from their experience of Gods gratious dealing with them and the Scriptures are full of such instances and promises which we all know To name a place or two for all the rest Call upon me in the day of trouble Psal 50.15 I will deliver thee and thou shalt glorifie me So in another place And it shall come to passe that before they call I will answer Isa 65.24 and whilst they speake I will heare It hath beene made good to Persons as Daniel Elias Salomon Iaakob and others and it hath beene and is made good unto all ages of the Church from time to time and shall be unto the end of the world And therefore the Prophet sets downe this as a conclusion undeniable from the premises Psal 65.2 O thou that hearest prayer unto thee shall all flesh come whence he drawes this excellent consolation Iniquities prevaile against mee as for our transgressions thou shalt purge them away Reason The Reason is strong because they are the motions of his owne Spirit which he stirs up in us For hee dictates this Prayer unto them Take with you words c. and say unto the Lord take away all iniquity and receive us gratiously So that where God stirs up holy desires by his Spirit hee will answer exactly there shall not a sigh be lost Likewise saith the Apostle the Spirit also helpes our infirmities Rom. 8.26 for we know not what we should pray for as we ought but the Spirit it selfe makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered Therefore there cannot a groane be lost nor a darting of a sigh whatsoever is spirituall must bee effectuall though it cannot be vented in words That God hath an eare in mans heart For God hath an eare not onely neere a mans tongue to know what he saith but also in a mans heart to know what
fortifie our selves against it and blesse God that wee live under such a gratious just and milde King and good government where there are such lawes against this great sin especially and beseech God long to continue his life and prosperity for our good amongst us For Vse then Vse Remember when we are to deale with God that he is the great moover of all things who if he be angry can overturne all things and crosse us in all things and can also heale us of all our diseases But what must we doe if wee would be healed We must take the course prescribed here Take unto us words humble our selves and have no confidence in Ashur munition people or in the worke of our hands but trust in God so shall we be happy and blessed Whatsoever our enemies be yet if wee can make God our rocke fortresse and shield then it is no matter who be our enemies Rom. 8.31 If hee be on our side who can be against us Let us all Ministers and all reforme our selves and stand in the gap after the course here prescribed and goe to God in a right manner so wee may dissipate all the clouds of anger which may seeme to hang over our heads and finde God experimentally making this promise good to us which he made then to his people I will heale their backesliding I will love them freely for mine anger is turned away from him Therefore let us doe as Iaacob did with Esaw A certaine way to shun anger when he came incensed with mighty displeasure against his brother Iaakob comes before him humbly Gen. 23.3 4. prostrates himselfe before him and so turnes away his anger So when God is angry with us and comes against us let us humble our selves before him to appease him as Abigall quieted David by humbling herselfe before him 1 Sam. 25.23 when he had a purpose to destroy her family So let us come before God in humility of fault and God will turne away his anger As when there was a great plague begun in the armie Num. 16.48 Aaron stood with his canser betwixt the living and the dead offering incense and making attonement for them whereby the plague was stayed So in any wrath felt or feared for our selves or the state we live in let every one hold his censure and offer the incense of prayer Take with you words God is wondrously mooved to pitty Reve. 8.4 by the incense of these sweet odours offered up by Christ unto the Father beleeve it it is the only safe course to begin in heaven such a beginning will have a blessed ending other courses politique and subordinate helps must also be taken but all is to no purpose unlesse we beginne in heaven because all things under God are ruled and mooved by him who when he is favourable makes all the creatures pliable unto us but especially makes this good I will heale their backsliding I will love them freely for mine anger is turned away from him The end of the sixt Sermon THE SEVENTH SERMON HOS 14.5 J will be as the Dew unto Israel he shall grow as the Lillie and cast forth his Roote as Lebanon His branches shall spread and his beauty shall be as the Olive tree and his smell as Lebanon THE Church as wee heard had beene humbled and therefore is comforted it is usuall in the Scriptures Ioel. 1.27 28. Hos 30.14.15 Isa â— 18 19. Deu. 3.1 Ier. 3.12 Ier. 3.12 Jer. 30.1 especially in the Propheticall parts thereof after terrible threatnings to come with sweet promises because God in all ages hath a Church Therefore God in this Chapter takes this course he makes gratious promises to this people grounded upon the former part of the Chapter wherein God had dictated unto them a forme of Prayer Repentance and Reformation Take with you words and turne to the Lord say unto him take away all iniquity and receive us gratiously c. Whereupon a Reformation is promised Ashur shall not save us wee will not ride upon horses c. Which was a reformation of that nationall sinne which they were guilty of false Confidence Now as we have heard God answers them to every particular He makes a gratious promise That he will heale their backesliding according to their Prayer Take away all iniquity and to that Receive us gratiously hee answers I will love them freely for mine anger is turned away from him Now it cannot bee but that God should regard the desires of his owne Spirit when both the words and Spirit proceed from him therefore he goes on more fully to answer their desire of doing good to them saying I will be as the Dew to Israell c. In which words the holy Prophet doth first by a Metaphar and borrowed speech set downe the ground of all happinesse So that there is here given a more full satisfaction to the desires of the Church 1. The cause of all I will be as the Dew c. 2. The particular Persons to whom to Israell 3. The fruit of this followes he shall grow as the Lillie and cast forth his roote as Lebanon Now the words read are a fuller satisfaction to the desires of Gods people which were stirred up by his owne Spirit I will be as the Dew unto Israell where 1. You have set downe The cause of all which followes God by his gratious Spirit will bee as the Dew unto Israell 2. And then upon that the prosperous successe this Dew of Gods Spirits hath in them They shall grow as the Lillie Object 1 J but the Lilly growes but hath no stability every thing that growes is not well rooted Therefore hee adds in the second place They shall cast out their rootes as Lebanon that is with growth they shall have stability not onely grow in hight speedily but also grow fast in the roote with firmenesse Object 2 And likewise as every thing that growes in roote and firmnesse doth not spread it selfe hee sayes he shall not only grow upward and take roote downe-wards But his branches shall spread whereby hee shall bee more fruitfull and comfortable to others Object 3 O! but every thing that growes is rooted and spreads is not for all that fruitfull therefore hee saith they shall be as the Olive tree his beauty shall be as the Olive tree for fruitfulnesse Object 4 Yet though the Olive bee fruitfull it hath no pleasant smell nor good taste therefore hee adds another blessing to that they shall in regard of their pleasantnesse to God and man that shall delight in them be as the smell of Lebanon Which was a wondrous pleasant delightfull place which yeelded a pleasant savour round about So wee see what a compleate kinde of growth this is wherein blessing upon blessing is promised the Holy Ghost cannot enough satisfie himselfe in varietie of comfortable expressions Nothing is left unsatisfied that the heart can propound Hee will make them grow be stedfast fruitfull delightfull
God in the hearts of his children is sweet God laies to heart the voice of his children And as it is true of God so is it of Gods people they are delighted with the savour of those things that come from other of Gods people For they have graces in them and therewith the Spirit of God which is as fire to set a worke all those graces in them For it is the narure of fire where it incounters with sweet things to kindle them and make them smell more fragrant and sweet So a Spirit of love makes all sweet and pleasing whatsoever in the children of God it puts a gracefullnesse upon their words making their reproofes admonitions comforts and whatsoever comes from them to have a delightfullnesse in them because all is done in love and comes from the Spirit of God which carrieth a sweetnesse in it to all those endowed with the same Spirit Vse 1 Let this be an incouragement to be in love with the state of Gods children that so our workes and whatsoever comes from us as farre as it is spirituall may bee acceptable unto God and to the Church while we are living nay when we are dead The very workes of holy men when they are dead are as a box of oyntment as the oyntment of the Apothecary as the wise-man sayes of Iosiah whose very name was like the oyntment of the Apothecarie So the name of those who have stood out for good and have beene good in their times it carries a sweetnesse with it when they are gone The Church of God riseth out of the ashes of the Martyrs which hitherto smels sweet and puts life in those who come after so pretious are they both dead and alive Vse 2 And then let it be an incouragement to be led by Gods Spirit and planted in Gods house and to be fruitfull in our places that so we may delight God and man and when we are gone leave a good sent behind us Good men as it were with their good sent they leave behinde them perfume the times which are the better for them dead and alive What a sweet savour hath Paul left behind him by his writings to the Church even to the end of the world what fragrancie of delightfull smels have the holy ancient Fathers and Martyrs left behinde them Mat. 26. a good man should be like the box of oyntment spoken of in the Gospell which when it was opened the whole house was filled with the sweetnesse thereof so a good man should labour to bee full of sweetnesse willingnesse and abilities to doe good all kindled by a Spirit of love in him that when he is opened all should bee pleasing and delightfull that commeth from him Christ never opened his mouth but good came from him and the Heavens never opened in vaine therefore in opening of our mouthes we should labour to fill the places where we are with a good savour O how contrary is this to the condition of many what comes from them filthy speeches and oaths nay that which should be their shame they glory in Wee see it is the glory of a tree to be fruitfull and to cast forth a good savour like the trees of Lebanon What vile spirits then are such men led withall who delight to offend God and man by their impious speeches who yet are so bold as to shew their faces to out-dare others that are better then themselves such are contrary to all Gods senses The Scripture condescends so farre to our capacitie as to attribute senses unto God of feeling smelling and touching c. So God is said to looke upon his children with delight and to heare their prayers Cant. 2.14 Let me heare thy voice c. And he tastes the fruit that comes from them So on the contrary all his senses are annoyed with wicked men and vile persons who are abhominable to God as the Scripture speakes As a man that goes by a stinking dung-hill stops his nose and cannot endure the sent So the blasphemous breath of gracelesse persons it is abhominable to God as it were God cannot endure such an odious smell Hab. 1.13 and for his eyes he cannot endure iniquity to looke upon the wicked and for his eares their prayers are abhominable how abhominable then are their persons whence those prayers proceed they have proud hearts hating God and man wherefore praying out of necessity not love to him they are abhominable And so for feeling Isa 1.11 your sacrifices are a burthen unto me I cannot beare them Amos. 2.13 and the Prophet complaineth that God was burthened and loaded under their sinnes as a cart pressed till it be readie to breake under the sheaves All his senses are offended with wicked men This hardned wretches thinke not off that whilst God fils their bellies with good things goe on in security but the time will come when they shall know the truth of these things what it is to leade an odious abhominable life contrary to God and all good men Hence we see what wee should bee that wee may give a sweet sent His smell shall be as Lebanon Wicked men know this very well that the lives speeches and courses of good men for the most part are fruitfull beyond theirs therefore what they can they labour to cast aspersions upon them that they may not smell so sweet so crying downe those who are better then themselves that they may be the lesse ill thought of and setting a price upon all things in themselves and their companions Take me a knot of cursed companions and they are the onely stout the onely wise and learned men all learning it must live and die with them and all other men though incomparable beyond them in abilities in grace in fruitfulnesse to doe good they are no body and this pollicie the Divell teacheth them But this will not serve the turne for God both in life and after death will raise up the esteeme of such who have beene fruitfull Pro. 10.7 when The memorie of the wicked shall rot and not be mentioned without a kinde of loathing Therefore let no man trust to this foolish policie to cry downe all others that are better then themselves thinking thereby themselves shall be better esteemed This will not doe for as all other things so our good name is at Gods disposing It is not in the world to take away the good name or acceptance of good people for they shall have the in spight of world a place in the hearts of Gods people who are best able to judge The next thing promised is They that dwell under his shadow shall returne The Holy Ghost it seemes cannot expresse in words and comparisons enough the excellent condition of the Church and of the Children of God when they are once brought into the state of Grace The former words concerne the excellencie of the Children of God in themselves and these the fruitfullnesse and goodnesse of them that
must be respected 1. Wee must consider our calling to reproove others for howsoever we must carry an universall hatred to sin thus farre that we must not doe it Yet in the discovery of hatred and dislike to others we must consider what calling we have and how farre we goe And it must be done with a sweet temper 2. It must be with a due respect keeping of distance to the party reprooved keeping our distance and reserving the due respect unto those in whom we shew our dislike As we see Nathan when he came to tell David of his fault how he doth it what art he useth It must so be done as that it may appeare to be done out of pure zeale that it is no wilde-fire nor no heate of nature but that it commeth meerely from the spirit and in much love with mildnesse and pitie in which case it carrieth a wondrous authority The discoverie of hatred to the faults either in a Minister or in a Megistrate though they must be truely dealt with and have their faults told them yet there must be respect had to their place by reason of the weakenesse of men As it is with the body great men have their Phisitians as well as meaner onely their phisicke must be more costly because perhaps of their tendernesse of their constitutions but as for their bodyes they must not be suffered to perrish nor will not So for their soules they must have that which other men have to helpe them but it must be done with reservation and respect as Paul speaking to Festus the Governour calleth him most Noble Festus Act. 26.25 c. Pressing also goodnesse in some sort upon King Agrippa O King Agrippa Act. 26.27 believest thou the Prophets I know thou dost So wee see how wee may examine whether our hatred to sinne be true or not Let every one therefore make Use of it in their calling Those that are intrusted with Gods Message let them know that Gods Ambassadors are to be faithfull in their Message for they serve a greater Lord then is upon the Earth And let them shew their true hatred of ill and the danger of sinne wheresoever they finde it And for those that are Governours of others let them not thinke that they hate sin in themselves except they hate sin also in all that belong to them and reforme it For we see here an evidence of conversion when Ephraim was converted What have I any more to doe with Idols and 2 Cor. 7.11 2 Cor. 7.11 There is an excellent description of the nature of Repentance by many parcels The Corinthians had repented how is this evidenced O! Behold saith he this selfe same thing that ye sorrowed after a godly sort what carefulnesse it wrought in you yea what cleering of your selves yea what indignation yea what feare yea what vehement desire yea what zeale yea what revenge what Revenge and Indignation against sinne a kind of extreamitie of hatred a hatred quickned and kindled the height of hatred What Indignation Jnsinuating that wheresoever there is the truth of conversion there will be indignation against sinne in our selves As David confesseth of himselfe having sinned Psal 73.22 So foolish was I and ignorant I was as a beast before thee When he suffered such a thought to lodge in his breast that it was better with the children of the world then with the Church of God he was troubled for it But when he went into the Church of God and saw the end of wicked men then he saw his owne foolishnesse in being so deceived and speakes against himselfe with indignation So wheresoever there is true conversion there is hatred with indignation against our selves As in that place before alleadged they shall say unto their Idols Isa 30.22 get thee hence what have I any more to doe with you which is a phrase of speech shewing a disposition of hatred to the utmost extention Get you hence So Christ to the Divell Get thee behinde me Satan This is the right temper of a truely converted Christian exprest by divers phrases in Scripture By a denyall of our lusts by killing and crucifying by pulling out the eye and cutting of the right hand which phrases doe they not imply a great strength of hatred and indignation when we must as it were pull out our owne eyes that is our beloved sins which are as deare to us as our eyes and as usefull as our right hands unto us Yet these must be cut off Col. 3.2 mortified crucified and denyed Therefore let us not deceive our selves but let us judge of the truth of our conversion by our true hatred to sinne in our selves and others and in all who are committed to our charge If this be so what shall we judge of a cold luke-warme temper It is the nature of cold to gather Heterogeniall bodies together As we see in Ice there are strawes and stones and all Heterogeniall things incorporated because the cold congeales them together But where there is fire there is a seperating of the drosse from the good mettall So where the Spirit of God is it is not so cold as to jumble sin and sin this and that together but it purgeth away that which is ill and that which is good it makes better For in what proportion the fire of Gods Spirit stirs up that which is good in that proportion there is a hatred of that which is ill They are unparaleld affections Those that love God they hate evill Those that are alike to all things doe shew that they have not this active true hatred against sinne No Ephraim shall say What have I any more to doe with Idols Quest But now how shall wee come to get this hatred against sinne and holy Revenge and Indignation against our selves for that which is amisse in us Answ First How we may come to hate our sinnes Wee must get neare communion with God and a cleare sight of his excellency Exo. 32.19 we must every day labour to get a cleerer sight of the excellency of that which is good and a neerer communion with God by Prayer and Meditation and then when we have beene with God it will worke an abhomination of whatsoever is contrary unto him Thus Moses when he had talked with God in the mountaine at his returne seeing them dancing and sacrificing to the Calfe of gold what did Moses he brake the Tables asunder So it is with those that have communion with God who is light it selfe 1 Iohn 1.5 and in whom is no darkenesse who is Holinesse and Puritie it selfe those who have effectually conversed with God in his Ordinances Meditation Prayer and the like when they looke upon sinne which is contrary to God they looke upon it with a more perfect hatred So Esay 6. When God appeared to the Prophet and touched his tongue with a coale from the Altar saith he Woe is me for I am undone because
the humble and mocke Those who set upon things rashly without prayer as though they were Lords of all and without dependance upon God promising themselves good successe they make Idols of themselves as a proud man is an Idoll hee worships himselfe whilst he leanes to his owne wit plots and parts carnall men thus Idolize themselves Againe you have some who are none of the worst 7. Idolatry is committed by trusting to the performances and tasks of Religion who commit this great sinne of Idolatry by trusting to the outward performances and taskes of Religion thinking that God must needs be bound unto them when they have done so many taskes read and prayd or heard so many sermons or done a good deed But heere lyeth the spirituall subtilty in that they set up these things too high when if they finde not that successe they looke for then they inwardly murmur against God when rather all these things should be done with a spirit of Humility and subjection using them onely as meanes whereupon we expect Gods blessing craving his assistance and strength to doe them in a holy and a selfe-denying manner when we doe otherwise and trust to the outward taskes and performances we doe wee make them Idols And you have many that goe along with outward performances who never come to a dram of grace because they trust to the outward performances and looke not to the life and soule of them which is the Spirit of God assisting quickning strengthning blessing them The life of a Christian is a perpetuall dependance upon God in the use of meanes and not an Idolizing of them to bee carelesse when he hath done his taske 8. It is Idolatry so to trust to the worke of grace as to neglect justificatioÌ„ and acceptation to life everlasting But a more subtill Idolatrie then this is of an other kinde when we trust too much to the worke of grace and rely not upon God in Christ in the matter of justification and acceptation to life everlasting which is a fault both 1. Before 2. After Conversion First before Conversion When we thinke we have not done so much good and beene sufficiently humbled and therefore that God will not be mercifull to us as if Christ must take us with dowry of good deeds or else hee cannot whereas all grace is promised upon our entry and comming into the Covenant of grace upon our believing when we come with emptie hearts and hands The poore saith Christ receive the Gospell Mat. 11.5 Mat. 9.13 Mat. 11.21 and those that are lost Christ is sent to save them and to call in the weary and heavie laden And after Conversion those that are in the state of grace oftentimes want that comfort in the maine point of justification and acceptation to life everlasting which they should have because they looke into their imperfections seeing this and that want and so are swallowed up of discomfort whereas if we had all the graces in the world yet we must live by Faith relying upon the merits of Christ For our good works bring us not to Heaven as a cause but onely are helps and comforts to us in our walking to Heaven For if we had all the sinnes of all men yet Christs all-sufficient Righteousnesse is sufficient for to doe them all away if wee can goe out of our selves and cleave to that Therefore in trouble of conscience we must not looke either to our good or our ill but to Gods infinite Mercy and to the infinite satisfaction of our blessed Sâ—viour the Lord Jesus Christ there as it were loosing our selves seeing our sinnes as mountaines drowned in the infinite sea of his Mercy The blood of Christ that will pacifie and stay the conscience nothing else can give rest to our soules If we looke to our workes and to the measure of our sanctification what saith holy Paul in the like case Yea doubtlesse Phil. 3.8 and I count all things but losse for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Iesus my Lord for whom I have suffered the losse of all things and doe count them but dung that I may winne Christ even his Righteousnesse and best works therefore there is no regard to be had of them in that case Wherefore when wee would speake comfort to a distressed conscience wee must not looke to his ill or good but to the command This is his command that we believe 1 Iohn 3.23 and looke to the all sufficiencie of God in Christ and the promises whereby we honour God in giving him the glory of his truth and depart with comfort Therefore though wee hate grosse Idolatry yet we see there are many wayes wherein the soule may bee seduced whereby we may come very neere that sinne which our soule hateth by trusting too much to something out of God Vse 5 If then the case be thus how shall we come to reforme it for a Use of Direction so as to flie from all Idolatrie How to reforme our selves so as to flie from Idolatry and to say with Ephraim What have I now any more to doe with Idols First of all doe but consider Gods hatred unto all sorts of Idolaters for he accounts such to hate him and so accordingly punisheth them In the second Commandement those that are given to Idolatrie in any kinde are such as hate God which is a horrible thing and yet notwithstanding this is the disposition of all such as are Jdolaters so farre forth as they are Jdolaters they hate God for the more we know God the more we shall hate all Idols What have I now any more to doe with Idols Labour to grow in the sound knowledge of God and of Christ and of their all-sufficiency Marke S. Paules method Coloss 2. and in other places when he would draw us from all outward things he speakes gloriously of the fullnesse of Christ In him dwelleth all the fullnesse of the God-head bodily and In him you are compleat Col. 2.9 When he would draw them from touch not taste not handle not worshipping of Angels and from counterfeit humility hee labours to dispossesse them of these Idolatrous conceits and to possesse them of the fullnesse of Christ If in him we have fullnesse why should we looke for any thing out of him If we be compleat in him Jf all fullnesse be in him why doe wee seeke any thing out of that fullnesse Thus the holy Apostle shutteth up his first Epistle Babes keepe you from Idols What is promised there 1 John 5.21 Christ is eternall life all is in him whereupon presently comes this Babes keepe you from Idols If life and happinesse and all be in Christ If we be compleat in him and the fullnesse of all be in him why should we goe out of him for any thing Gen. 17.1 When God would perswade Abraham to leave all Idolatrie and all things else to depend wholly upon him what doth he first possesse him with I
observe by the way There is not the most comfortable refreshing creature in the world Observ but take it in the excesse it hâ—â—mes and annoyes What more c◠〈…〉 if it prevaile and abo◠〈…〉 creature as we see in t◠〈…〉 what more 〈…〉 more cherishing refreshing a◠〈…〉 Sâ—nne yet 〈…〉 world it is best to 〈…〉 with modeâ—â—tion 〈…〉 the firrâ—-trâ—â— Thâ—â— God do◠〈…〉 Mat. 23.37 Mat. 11 2â— God is to 〈◊〉 instead of all the good wee had by Idols we loose nothing by it God will bee as a greene firre tree whence the point is Observ There is a◠〈…〉 provided for Gods people when once they have renounced their Idolatry and sinnefull 〈◊〉 Those who refuse the shelter of Idols God will be a shelter unto them a greene firre-tree unto them another manner of shelter thâ—â— that which Idols or any other creature can give theâ— Every 〈◊〉 will have some shelter shield o◠〈…〉 this or that great man to sheild or shelter himselfe under A rich man he hath râ—ches â—â—â—ther this or that defence every m◠〈…〉 about him will have some shelter and not lye open to all stor◠〈…〉 But the onely true shelter is God himselfe to a Christians all other 〈◊〉 are bâ—â— shadowes that is they are nothing but like Ionas gourd which may shelter for a time bu◠〈…〉 that will eate them out Riches and the favour of men may shelter for a time but there is a worme at the bottome which will roote them out death will consume them and those they depend upon but God is a true shelter to his people an everlasting habitâ—â—ion as it is written Thou art our habitation from generation to generation Psal 9â— 1. we dwell in him as in our Rocke and Castle h◠〈…〉 dwell 〈◊〉 Therefore the onely wise man is thâ—â— Christian For as Noâ—h whe◠〈…〉 came upon the old world and swept them away had an Arke to save himselfe in so have all Gods children a house to get over their heads in the worst times which is Gods blessed protection in whom they are safe Let us thinke often of these things what a blessed thing it iâ— to bee in the stâ—te of a Christian that hath alwayâ— a certaine and sure protection 〈…〉 God And what is fearefull thing is 〈…〉 Achitopheâ—â— of this world to be as Caâ—â—â— Iudas or Saul who are shrewd in counsell and pollicy and yet when conscience is awakened by the storme of Gods w◠〈…〉 whilst he who is above conscience and should be a shelter to them frownes upon them what a pittifull st◠〈…〉 wickedest man in the world â—hough h◠〈…〉 dependance partâ—â— and strength from 〈◊〉 help◠〈…〉 Godâ— wrath comes he is as a nâ—â—ked man to the midst of a storme 〈◊〉 know◠〈…〉 therefore let 〈…〉 to have God for our shelter if â—e would not be like these miserable polititians and worldlings Now from this that the shadow is comfortable in those hot couâ—â—lyes where the Sunne is directly over their 〈◊〉 comes these sweet phrases in the Psalmes and other Scriptures Thou shalt keepe me under the shadow of thy wings Cant 2.3 as the apple-tree aâ—â—â—â—st the trees of the forrest so 〈…〉 downe under 〈◊〉 shadow with great delight 〈…〉 Church speakes of Christ I sate under his shadow with great delight and his 〈◊〉 was sweâ—â— to my taste The like you have in many places in the Psalmes I will name one or two more pregnant the◠〈…〉 to helpe our memories and to breed a deeper impression of so comfortable 〈…〉 people He that dwelleth in the 〈◊〉 place of the most High that is God shall abid◠〈…〉 shadoâ— of the Almighty Psal 91.1 H◠〈…〉 himselfe He shall cover me with his feathers under his wings will I â—esâ— hi◠〈◊〉 shall bâ— my buckler thou shalt no◠〈…〉 the pestilence that walketh in the 〈◊〉 a thâ—â—sand shall fall c. So that we see how God doth that to our soules and conditions that the firre-tree which in Gods good creâ—â—â—re doth to the body in the time of storme 〈◊〉 heate that is hee do◠〈…〉 shadow of his wi◠〈…〉 comfortable and gratiouâ— God unt◠〈…〉 you see is a cleere truth y◠〈…〉 so comfortable wee will i◠〈…〉 God speakes Isa 4.45 The Lord will create upon every dwelling place of Mount Zion and upon her assembly a cloud and smoake by day and the shining of a flame of fire by night for upon all the glory shall be a defence See what a comfortable shadow God is he saith he will create if they want the comfort of the firre-tree and such like shadowes he sayes God will create that is make them of nothing hee will create upon every dwelling place of Mount Zion where his children dwell and upon their assemblies a cloud and a smoake by day that is when they are annoyed by the Sunne God will create a cloude to keep the rage and the scorching heate of the Sunne from them and then a shining flame of fire by night because in the night wee need light for upon all the glory shall be a defence that is upon all the glorious Saints of God they are Glory 1 Pet. 4.14 for there is a Spirit of glory put into them The people of God in whom God will glorifie himselfe are glorious and shall bee further glorified and they shall in the meane time have a defence by day and by night from all dangers whatsoever Thus it is cleare that God will be a shadow to his people as the fir-tree which is an allusion to that grand passage of his providence in conducting the children of Israel out of Aegypt where God to guide them provided a cloud by day Exo. 14.20 and a pillar of fire by night the same pillar which was lightsome to the Israelites was darke to the Aegyptians which cloud and pillar of fire continued God conducting them till they came into the land of Canaan Hee shadowed them by day with a cloud and lightned and heated them by a pillar of fire at night thus conducting them till they came to Canaan So we passing through the wildernesse of this world till wee come unto our celestiall Canaan Heaven God will be a clouds by his gratious speciall providence to keepe all ill whatsoever from us and a pillar of fire to lighten and direct us till wee come to our heavenly Canaan where he will be all in all Revr 7.16 when we shall need neither Sunne nor Moone nor have any thing to annoy us There the noone-day shall not burne us with heate of the Sunne nor the fire by night when we are in Heaven there shall be no annoyance of the creature there shall be no more want of light because we shal have al light refreshing there for ever and ever For as it is written then all teares all sorrow and cause of sorrow shal be for ever wiped away an allusion wherunto we have comfortably set downe Psal 121.
some comforts afforded them which supporteth them against all the stormes and tempests they endure they have alwayes a Goshen to fly too others shall perish in that way wherein they shall walke and escape The just shall walke in them but the transgressors shall fall therein Thus farre we are now come in the unfolding of this Chapter having shewed Gods rich and incomparable mercies to miserable and penitent sinners how ready God is to embrace such as this rebellious people named were with all the arguments used to make them returne unto the Lord we are now come at last unto the upshot of all a discovery of the severall effect and worke Gods word hath upon both sorts of people here named and aymed at The just shall walke in them but the transgressors shall fall therein These were very bad times yet there were just men who walked in the wayes of God so that we see In the worst times God will have alwayes a people that shall justifie wisedome God will have it thus even in the worst times that the just shall walke in them though before he saith Who is wise and who is prudent yet here he shewes that there shall be a number who shall walke in Gods wayes Who though they goe to Heaven alone yet to Heaven they will though they have but a few that walke in Gods wayes with them they will rather goe with a few that way then with the wicked in the broad way to Hell alway God hath some who shall walke in his way for if there were not some alway who were good the Earth would not stand for good men they are the Pillars of the world who uphold it It is not for wicked mens sake that God upholds the frame of the creatures and that orderly government we see all is to gather together the number of his elect of whom in some ages there are more and in some lesse of them borne thereafter as God breathes and blowes with his Spirit For according to the abundant working of the Spirit is the number of the elect Yet in all ages there are some because it is an Article of our Faith to believe a holy Catholicke Church Now it cannot be an article of Faith unlesse there were alway some that made this Catholike Church for else there should be an act of Faith without an object Therefore we may alwayes say I believe that there are a number of elect people that walke in the wayes of God to Heaven-wards And what is the disposition of these some The disposition of just men in their places to have a countermotion to those of the times and places they live in Some are foolish not caring for the wayes of God cavilling at them But the just shall walke in them that is they take a contrary course to the world that slights wisedome Thus in all times it is the disposition of Gods children to goe contrary to the world in the greatest matters of all They indeed hold correspondency in outward things but for the maine they have a contrary motion As we say of the Planets that they have a motion contrary to the wrapt motion being carried and hurried about every twenty foure houres with the motion of the Heavens they have an other motion and circuit of their owne which they passe also So it is with Gods people though in their common carriage they be carried with the common customes and fashions of the times yet they have a contrary motion of their owne whereby being carried by the helpe of Gods Spirit they goe on in a way to Heaven though the world discerne it not they have a secret contrary motion opposite to the sinnes and corruptions of the age and times they live in Therefore in all ages it is observed for a commendation to goe on in a contrary course to the present times Gen 6. Gen 18. Noah in his time Lot in his time and Paul in his time who complaines All men seeke their owne Phil. 2.21 it is a strange thing that Paul should complaine of all men seeking their owne even then when the blood of Christ was so warme being so lately shed and the Gospell so spread yet all men seeke their owne And he speakes it with teares but what became of Paul and Timothy and the rest Phil 3.20 But our conversation is in Heaven from whence we looke for the Saviour the Lord Iesus Christ c. Let all men seeke their owne here below as they will we have our conversation contrary to the world Our conversation is in Heaven c. So that they hold out Gods Truth in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation that is when every man takes crooked wayes and courses in carnall pollicie yet there are a company that notwithstanding walke in the right wayes of God cleane contrary to others The just will walke in the right wayes of God As holy Ioshua said Choose you what you will doe Josh 14.15 but howsoever I and my fathers house will serve the Lord. So when many fell from Christ for a fit because his Doctrine seemed harsh Peter justified that way when Christ asked him will ye also leave me with the rest who are offended Lord saith he whether shall we goe we have tasted the sweetnesse of the Word and felt the power thereof Whether shall we goe Lord Joh. 6.68 thou hast the words of Eternall life So Gods people have an affection carriage and course contrary to the world Reason The Reason is taken from their owne disposition they are partaker of the divine nature 2 Pet. 1.3 which carrieth them up to God-wards against the streame and currant of the time Vse The Use hereof shall be onely a Tryall of our selves in evill times whether or not then we justifie Gods wayes and the best things If we doo it is a signe we are of the number of Gods elect to defend and maintaine good causes and right opinions especially in divine truthes which is the best character of a Christian others in their owne spheare have their degree of goodnesse but wee speake of supernaturall divine goodnesse a man may know he belongs to God if he justifie wisedome in the worst times if he stand for the truth to the utmost thinking it of more price then his life It is the first degree to Religion Luk. 14 26. to hate father and mother wife and children and all for the Gospell Now when a man will justifie the truth with the losse of any thing in the world it is a signe that man is a good man in ill times Therefore in ill times let us labour to justifie truth both the truth of things to be beleeved and all just religious courses not onely in case of opposition being opposed but in example though wee say nothing Heb. 11.7 Noah condemned the world though he spake not a word by making an Arke so Lot Sodome though he told not all Sodome of