saith he Matth. 11. 19. yea he was wont to take the benefit of Gods creatures not of such onely as serue for mans necessity but of such also as God hath giuen vs for our delight It was noted of him by his carping enemies that he was wont to drinke wine Luke 7. 34. And it is said of him twice that he suffered his feet to be annointed with very precious oyntment Luke 7. 38. and Iohn 12. 3. 5. neither refused he to goe to feasts when he was bidden no not vpon the Sabbath day Luke 14. 1. And for his Disciples we know there was offence taken at him because he did not teach them to fast Luke 5. 33. Why then doth he forbeare his meate at this time surely because he would not let slip a notable occasion and opportunity of winning soules to God which he knew was now to be offered vnto him Hee had another matter in hand which he calls his meat which he did as earnestly desire as any hungry man can desire meat and which he knew would delight refresh and comfort him as much as any meat can doe him that stands most in need of it and that was to winne and conuert soules vnto God Why but may some say he might haue eaten somewhat in the meane while in the space wherein the woman was going to fetch her neighbours and they in comming out of the City vnto him So that his eating of somewhat need haue beene no hinderance to that good worke he so much desired to do but a furtherance rather vnto it I answer it is true he might haue done so but his heart was so taken vp either in secret prayer to God for them or in meditation of that he was to teach them when they should come or with the ioyfull expectation of their comming and of the good he knew he should haue occasion to doe as it made him quite to forget all hunger and thirst Now that we may receiue our instruction from this notable example of our Sauiours zeale which is here set forth for our imitation let vs obserue these three points in it 1. That he is so carefull to take the occasion and opportunity that is here offered of inlarging his Fathers Kingdome that though he was hungry he neglects his meat for it 2. That he calls this his meate to doe the will of his Father in instructing and conuerting of men 3. That though he had time to eate without any hinderance vnto that worke yet the care he had of this businesse and ioy he conceiued in the expectation of the good hee was to doe made him forget his hunger And from hence this Doctrine will arise for our instruction That he that will be a true Disciple of Christ must be zealous in the Lords businesse zealous in seruing God and seeking to honour him It is not sufficient to a mans comfort that he hath professed the truth serued God in his calling done the duties God hath required of him vnlesse he haue done it with a zealous heart and earnest affection This is required of vs that would approoue our selues to God in preaching of his Word Apollos is commended for this Acts 18. 25. that being feruent in the spirit hee taught diligently the things of the Lord This is required in them that heare the Word Luke 24. 32. Did not our hearts burne within vs when hee opened to vs the Scriptures This is required of them that would pray with comfort Iames 5. 16. The effectuall feruent prayer of a righteous man auaileth much This is required in euery part of that seruice that we doe vnto God we must be Rom. 12. 11. Feruent in spirit seruing the Lord. Yea this is in generall required of vs in our whole profession and practise of Religion Tit. 2. 14 Christ gaue himselfe for vs to purifie to himselfe a peculiar people zealous of good workes Therefore it is noted to the praise of Iehosaphat that hee lift vp his heart to the waies of the Lord 2. Chron. 17. 6. And of Hezechia it is said that in all the workes he began for the seruice of the house of God to seeke his god hee did it with all his heart and prospered 2. Chron. 31. 31. And of Iosiah that he turned to the Lord with all his heart and with all his soule and with all his might 2. King 23. 25. They maintained and held out the profession and practise of Gods pure Religion with great zeale and earnestnesse of affection The Reasons and grounds of the Doctrine are principally three 1. Euery one that lookes to be saued by Christ must be a follower of Christ He that saith he abideth in him saith the Apostle 1. Iohn 2. 6. must himselfe walke also euen as he walked The best euidence that we can haue that we remaine in him is when we are conformed vnto his example and by his spirit made like vnto him 2. The Lord cannot abide such as serue him without zeale This is plaine by that speech of Christ to the Laodiceans Reu. 3. 16. 1. He professeth that he liketh not so ill of him that is cold that is an Idolater or a worldling a man of no Religion as he doth of the Christian that is lukewarme 2. That he will spue such a one out of his mouth yea he threatneth the Church of Ephesus that because she had lost her first loue her zeale that once she had he would come against her shortly and remooue her candlesticke if she did not repent and amend this fault Reu. 2. 5. 3. The Spirit of God is said to be like vnto fire in all them that haue receiued it and from thence comes that speech quench not the spirit 1. Thess. 5. 19. And all that are regenerated by the Spirit of Christ are said to be baptized with the Holy Ghost and with fire Matth. 3. 11. and where fire is there must needes be some heate The Vse of this Doctrine is 1. To conuince a great error in iudgement that is common in the world We see this is held as a perfect definition of a good Protestant that he is a man found in iudgement and in the knowledge of the truth but not forward nor zealous either in the profession or practise of it yea it is counted the wisedome of a Christian and euen of a Minister too to be a moderate man in Religion not forward nor hot nor zealous in it Whereas we haue heard that such as are regenerate and haue Gods Spirit cannot be without this heate and zeale 2. That in Gods account neither Papist nor Turke is in so bad an estate in some respect as the Gospeller is that is void of zeale 3. That God hath threatned to depriue them of the Gospell that professe it without zealous loue vnto it 2. To exhort vs to examine our selues well whether there be any true zeale in vs yea or no that if we want it we may be humbled and seeke
haue an eye to and watch our hearts well they will be rouing And as this is needfull in all our prayers so especially in prescript and set formes of prayer which we haue oft accustomed our selues vnto 2. To set our selues as in Gods presence and bring our hearts to a reuerent feare of Gods Maiesty before whom we appeare Serue the Lord with feare Psal. 2. 11. in thy feare will I worship toward thine holy temple Psal. 5. 7. The second sort of hypocrites that do not worship God in spirit and truth are they that vse Gods worship or any part of it as a matter of ceremony and formality onely and neuer seeke in it the edification of the spirit and conscience 1. That Preacher is but an hypocrite that seeketh not so to preach as his preaching may haue power in the hearts of his hearers I will know not the speach of them that are puffed vp but the power For the kingdome of God is not in word but in power 1. Cor. 4. 19 20. And he maketh this a note of an able Minister of the Gospell when he is the Minister of the spirit 2. Cor. 3. 6. It is that we should seeke to see Gods seale vpon our Ministry in the hearts of our hearers The seale of mine Apostleship are yee in the Lord yea he saith this was his maine answer and defence to them that examined him and questioned his Ministry 1. Cor. 9. 2. 3. We had therefore need not onely to preach but to teach such Doctrine as is profitable and which particularly concerneth and is of vse to those we teach this was Pauls direction to Titus to teach and stand vpon those things in his Ministry that were good and profitable vnto men Tit. 3. 8. neither onely to teach but to vse application also Preach the Word reproue or conuince rebuke exhort 2. Tim. 4. 2. 2. Those Christians also are no better then hypocrites who so they haue a forme of Gods seruice neuer care whether it edifie their conscience or no. Such are they as rest content with a dumbe Ministry for what power feele they in it Such also are they as heare good Preachers and praise them but neuer examine what profit they receiue in their conscience by them When you praise a good Preacher whose Ministry you frequent with your tongue your life and vnreformed course doth disgrace him Those hearers only praise their teachers indeed that haue profited in reformation of heart and life by their Ministry in whose hearts the spirit of God hath written that of their Ministers commendation as may be read of all men 2. Cor. 3. 2. 3. The third sort of hypocrites that worship not God in spirit and truth are they that will be deuout in the exercises of Religion and zealous in profession Make a shew of godlinesse but deny the power of it 2. Tim. 3. 5. True Religion where it is receiued will command the heart and the whole man Let a man professe what he will if his heart and life be not reformed he is an hypocrite and whatsoeuer worship he doth to God is but a false worship We know that God heareth not sinners but if any man be a worshipper of God and doth his will him he heareth Iohn 9. 31. yea the very seruice he doth to God doth but increase Gods wrath against him either amend thy life or giue ouer seruing of God THE THREE AND FORTIETH LECTVRE ON FEBRVARY XXVII MDCIX IOH. IIII. XXV XXVI The Woman saith vnto him I know that Messiah commeth which is called Christ when hee is come hee will tell vs all things Iesus saith vnto her I that speake vnto thee am he THese words containe the conclusion of that conference that was betweene our Sauiour and the Woman of Samaria In the interpretation of the words for the helpe of your memory these fiue questions are distinctly to be opened and resolued Whom meaneth shee here by Messias seeing it is plaine shee vseth this word as the proper name of some person I answer it is euident by the words following that she meaneth the same person that is called Christ. For as our blessed Sauiour being promised to the Church from the beginning of the world was described and made knowne to them both by his natures specially his humane nature I will put enmity betweene thy seed and her seed it shall bruise thy head Gen. 3. 15. And Gen. 22. 18. In thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed and by those offices he should exercise and whereby he should procure the saluation of his people viz. 1. His Propheticall office I will raise them vp a Prophet from among their brethren like vnto thee Deut. 18. 18. His Priesthood He shall be a Priest vpon his throne Zach. 6. 13. His Kingly office Reioyce greatly O daughter of Zion shout O daughter of Ierusalem behold thy King commeth vnto thee Zach. 9. 9. and by the place where he should be borne But thou Bethlehem Ephratah though thou be little among the thousands of Iudah yet out of thee shall hee come forth vnto me that is to be ruler in Israel whose goings forth haue beene from old from euerlasting Mic. 5. 2. So had he three proper names in the Old Testament giuen him 1. One in respect of his two natures hypostatically vnited in one person Esay 7. 14. He shall call his name Immanuel 2. Another in respect of the obscure place of his education Zach. 6. 12. Behold the man whose name is the Branch 3. A third in respect of his office Dan. 9. 25. Messiah the Prince Now of all the names whereby our Sauiour was described in the Old Testament this name was the most famous among the Iewes When Herod gathered together all the chiefe Priests and the Scribes to resolue him in the question that the Wise men came to Ierusalem to mooue he asked them where Messias should be borne Matth. 2. 4. For though the Euangelist writing in Greeke vse the word Christ in that place yet it is certaine that he in his language vsed the word Messiah So Iohn 1. 41. We haue found the Messias saith Andrew to his brother Simon Now this Hebrew name Messiah and the Greeke name Christ doe in our language signifie the annointed one and we shall finde it was giuen to sundry others in the holy Scripture for the Kings of Gods people were called the Lords annointed 2. Sam. 19. 21. and so were the Priests Leu. 10. 7. and so were the Prophets Psal. 105. 15. Because euery one of these were by the ceremony of annointing as by a Sacramentall signe assured from the Lord that he would inwardly annoint them that is endue them with such graces of his holy spirit as whereby they might be enabled to discharge those offices that he called them vnto yet was this name of Messiah Christ the annointed of the Lord made a proper name onely vnto our blessed Sauiour 1. Because all those Kings
minded and dare say nothing for God hath enioyned them silence and forbidden them to meddle with thee therefore they can say nothing therefore they dare say nothing Thou art a priuiledged person I tell thee and I dare say thou gloriest much in it But thou wilt finde it a wofull priuiledge one day Cain had such a priuiledge and protection Gen. 4. 15. God forbad all men to kill him or to touch him because he would haue him to be spectacle of his wrath vnto men And thou hast a priuiledge too God hath forbidden all men to rebuke thee to speake of good things in thy presence that thou maist goe on and fill vp the measure of thy sinne to such as thou art the Lord himselfe speaketh in this manner Reioyce O young man in thy youth and let thy heart cheere thee in the daies of thy youth and walke in the waies of thine heart and in the sight of thine eyes Eccles. 11. 9. If thou hadst so much grace as to iudge rightly of this thy priuiledge thou wouldst take small pride in it but pray rather that thou maist so liue as no godly man may be vnwilling or affraid to reproue thee according as Dauid a great King did Let the righteous smite me said he it shall be a kindnesse and let him reprooue me it shall be an excellent oile Psal. 141. 5. But you must obserue that when our Sauiour Christ was thus silent he stood as a priuate person In his publike ministry he spake good things and taught the will of God neuerthelesse freely and boldly though the Pharisees and other wicked men were present when he taught And by his example we are taught that we should not be daunted nor discouraged in our ministry by the presence of any wicked man whatsoeuer he be but we should do our work faithfully and chearefully whatsoeuer our hearers be For first though any come to heare vs with neuer so bad a minde God can and doth oft catch him and change his minde as he did the officers whom the Pharisees had sent to apprehend Christ Iohn 7. 45 46. and that vnbeleeuer 1. Cor. 14. 25. Secondly and though he doe not so yet our labour shall not be lost vpon them no not vpon the carpers the scorners that heare vs for they shall one day know there hath beene a Prophet amongst them Ezek. 33. 33. yet though this be an infirmity in a Minister to doe his worke heauily amongst such as he seeth no hope to do good vpon yet it is such an infirmity as the best of Gods seruants haue beene subiect to they haue beene apt to receiue great discouragement in their ministry by a bad auditory When God had made knowne vnto Ezekiel what a bad auditory he should preach vnto Ezek. 2. 3 â—…5 They are impudent children and stiffe-hearted surely they will not heare thee neither will they cease for they are a rebellions house it is said Chap. 3. 14. He went to preach to them in much bitternesse and griefe of spirit but saith he the hand of the Lord was strong vpon me that is to say Else I had neuer gone It may seeme by that speech that Iohn Baptist vsed when he saw many of the Pharisees and Saduces come to heare him O generation of vipers who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come Matth. 3. 7. that he was neuer a whit proud of such hearers No more surely are any of vs now to see notorious drunkards or whoremongers or blasphemers or prophane fooles that scorne all goodnesse come to hearâ—…e vs. On the contrary side when we haue such a people to heare vs as shew by their constancy and chearefulnesse in hearing and by their conuersation also that they are such whose hearts God hath prepared to receiue and obey his truth it doth vs good to preach to such a people be they neuer so learned this giues heart and cheerefulnesse to vs in our ministry and euen set an edge vpon our gifts and makes vs do our worke with more freedome of spirit and with a larger heart than otherwise we should The zeale and feruency which people shew in hearing doth euen warme their Minister and make him more zealous The Apostles had excellent gifts you know and yet the goodnesse of their audience did euen mend their gifts Though they had receiued commission to preach to all Nations Matth. 28. 19. yet they were at first vnwilling to goe to the Gentiles How did God encourage them Surely by making knowne the forwardnesse and readinesse of the Gentiles to receiue the Gospell Before Paul preached to the Gentiles at Antioch they besought him to doe it the whole city came together to heare the Word of God and vpon their first hearing of the Word they shewed much gladnesse when they heard that God had allowed his Word to be preached to the Gentiles and commanded it also yea they glorifyed the Word of the Lord Acts 13. 42. 44. 48. This made Paul so zealous and forward to goe to Macedonia he saw in a vision a man of Macedonia that prayed him saying come ouer into Macedonia and helpe vs Acts 16. 9. That made him shew such a zealous desire to goe and preach to the Romanes because they were so good a people Rom. 〈◊〉 8. 10. Yea our blessed Sauiour himselfe receiued as it were some helpe and increase of gifts by the forwardnesse and zeale of his hearers seeing the multitudes that flocked so to heare him he went vp into a mountaine that they might the better heare him and be opened his mouth set and bent himself to speake so as they might heare and vnderstand him and taught them Mat. 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 What made him deny so much time to himselfe from preaching as might serue euen for his necessary repast both at this time and also Mar. 3. insomuch as his kinsfolke euen thought him mad for it Mar. 3. 21. Surely the zeale of the people and their great desire to heare the multitude commeth together againe so as they could not so much as eate bread Mar. 3. 20. And if the Apostles and Christ himselfe had euen neede or at least receiued good by this helpe how much more may we The Reasons of this Doctrine are two 1. The faithfull Minister hath no ioy comparable to this when he seeth the forwardnesse of Gods people in receiuing and obeying the truth Iohn the Baptist reioyced to see his hearers flocke after Christ. Iohn 3. 29. The friend of the Bridegroome reioyceth greatly because of the Bridegroomes voice that is that the Bridegroomes voice is so well accepted that he findes so good entertainement with the Bride 2. The more zealous and prepared the audience is the better assistance of his Spirit God is wont to giue to his seruants As it is with thy prayer the better thy heart is prepared to pray the more comfortable and fruitfull shall thy prayer be when he prepares our hearts then will he cause his eare to heare
Nation so vnlikely to receiue the Gospell as they Rom. 11. 8. God hath giuen them the spirit of slumber c. vnto this day No people vnder heauen doe beare so bitter hatred to Christ and the Gospell as they doe daily in their Synagogues they blaspheme and curse Christ. 3. Neuer was there any Nation so vnlikely that God should shew this mercy vnto as the Iewes For what people euer did beare so euident markes of Gods wrath and indignation as they haue done What people was euer so like to be a people that God hath hated and accursed and reiected as they Which makes the Apostle to say 1. Thess 2. 16. Wrath is come vpon them to the vttermost These things considered we may wonder that the Lord should euer vouchsafe them that honour as to make them his stewards to put them in trust with the keeping of all his treasure and with the dispensing of it to his whole family but specially we may wonder that euer the Lord should now shew them that mercy againe to become his people No maruell though the Apostle calls this a mysterie Rom. 11. 25. Well hath the Lord reuealed to vs any reason of this why he should thus farre forth honour this nation yes surely 1. They haue thus reiected the Gospell not of meere malice but ignorantly out of a blinde zeale And now brethren I woâ—…e that through ignorance ye did it as did also your fathers Acts 3. 17. In persecuting the faithfull they thought they did God seruice Iohn 16. 2. They had in them the zeale of God euen then Rom. 10. 2. 2. The purity and life of Religion which they shall discerne in the Gentiles shall be a meanes to draw them as the Idolatry and other sinnes of Christians hath beene the meanes to harden them thus long Saluation is come vnto the Gentiles for to prouoke them to iealousie that through your mercy they also may obtaine mercy Rom. 11. 11. 31. But thirdly the chiefe Reason is that ancient and vnchangeable loue which God did beare to their fathers Abraham Isaac and Iacob and the Couenant he had made with them With Abraham the Lord had made this euerlasting Couenant Gen. 17. 7. and 22. 18. In thy seede shall all the nations of the earth be blessed This Couenant made with their fathers is oft alledged for the reason why God shewed such mercy vnto this Nation I will remember my Couenant with Iacob and also my Couenant with Isaac and also my Couenant with Abraham will I remember and will remember the land Leuit. 26. 42. And Ezek. 16. 60. Neuerthelesse I will remember my Couenant with thee in the daies of thy youth and I will establish vnto thee an euer lasting Couenant And this is alledged by the Apostle for the onely reason why they were trusted with Gods Oracles Rom. 3. 3. What if some of them did not beleeue shall their vnbeliefe make the faith of God without effect And why notwithstanding the fearefull Apostacie wherein now they lye God will shew mercy to them againe and make them his people Rom. 11. 16. If the first fruits be holy so is the whole lumpe if the roote be holy so are the branches The Vse of this Doctrine is 1. To conuince the Religion of the Papists Who though they do apishly and superstitiously imitate the Iewes in those things which God hath forbidden them to imitate them in for all their pompeous seruice and ceremonies are vsed in imitation of the Iewes and it is euident that God hath long since abrogated that ceremoniall worship Ioh. 4. 21. 23. the houre commeth when ye shall neither in this mountaine nor yet at Ierusalem worship the Father But the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth yea he hath condemned the vse of it Behold I Paul say vnto you that if ye be circumcised Christ shall profit you nothing Gal. 5. 2. yet do they deny that honour to the Church of the Iewes which our Sauiour here hath giuen vnto it For 1. They receiue sundry bookes for the Old Testament which the Church of the Iewes neuer acknowledged Whereas all the Scripture of the Old Testament is called their Law all the Oracles of the euer-liuing and iust God in the Old Testament were committed to them and they faithfully kept them to Christs time or else Christ or the Apostles would haue taxed them for this rather then for any other corruptions yea to this very day they do keepe them truely and faithfully insomuch as though their Rabines haue giuen very many false and blasphemous interpretations and glosses yet they cannot be charged in any of their writings to haue corrupted the Text by adding one word or letter vnto it or by taking or diminishing one word or letter from it 2. They hold Rome to be the mother Church vnto all the world to which all other Churches are to conforme themselues and from which they are to receiue direction whereas we haue heard that honour belongeth onely to the Church of Ierusalem 3. They haue very many things in their Religion which they hold for matters of saluation their whole Hierarchy and many Doctrines also that they teach which neuer came from the Church of the Iewes Whereas it is very euident and certaine that though they can pretend neuer so great antiquity for any thing they hold if they cannot proue it was taught and receiued in the Church of the Iewes it cannot be of God To teach vs how to stand affected to the people and Nation of the Iewes 1. We should obserue and wonder at the fearefull iudgement of God vpon that Nation not onely in that slauery bondage and contempt they haue liued in for these sixteene hundreth yeeres but specially in that strange obstinacy and hardnesse of heart that hath beene thus long vpon them For if God haue thus dealt with that people for their sinne and contempt of his Gospell which of all people in the world he loued best and had most obliged himselfe vnto how can we hope to escape if we sin as they haue done This vse the Apostle makes Rom. 11. 21. if God spared not the naturall branches take heed least he also spare not thee 2. We should obserue and wonder at the truth and mercy of God who for his promise sake hath so strangely preserued that Nation and people all this while insomuch as they remaine at this day an exceeding great people 3. We may not hate their name and Nation but loue them and pray for them and vse all meanes to further their conuersion Sundry forcible Reasons there be to mooue vs vnto this 1. The affection that Gods good and godly seruants yea Christ himselfe did beare vnto this people not withstanding their sin and obstinacy See Pauls affection to them his hearts desire and prayer to God for Israel was that they might be saued Rom. 10. 1. and 9. 2 3. he had great heauinesse and continuall sorrow in his
his fatherly affection and loue in Christ more fully and cleerely to vs then hee had done to his Church vnder the Law Gal. 4. 3. 4 5. We when we were children were in bondage vnder the elements of the world But when the fulnesse of the time was come God sent forth his Sonne made of a woman made vnder the Law To redeeme them that were vnder the Law that wee might receiue the adoption of sonnes From hence then we haue this Doctrine to learne That No man can worship God aright till he know God to be his Father the better a man is perswaded and assured of Gods fatherly loue to him in Christ the better seruice he shall doe vnto him Therefore our Sauiour teaching vs to pray bids vs say Our Father Matth. 6. 9. As if he should say presume not to aske any petition of God till thou canst so conceiue and be perswaded of him And the Apostle tells vs it is the spirit of adoption that makes vs able to pray and makes this the voice of the spirit of prayer it cryes Abba O Father Rom. 8. 15. Yea he makes it an impossible thing for any man to pray aright without this assurance Rom. 10. 14 How shall they call on him in whom they haue not beleeued The reason of it is first because till we know God is our Father and Ioueth vs in Christ we cannot be assured that he will accept vs. When we know he is our Father in Christ it makes vs goe to him with boldnesse and confidence in Christ we haue boldnesse and accesse with confidence through faith in him Eph. 3. 12. I will arise and go to my father saith the Prodigall Luke 15. 18. and will say vnto him father I haue sinned against heauen and before thee Though he had sinned so outragiously yet the consideration of this that it was his father he was to go vnto gaue him boldnesse It giues vs assurance that not withstanding our infirmities he will accept vs I will spare him and deale gently and indulgently with him saith the Lord Mal. 3. 17. as a man spareth his son that serueth him When the Prodigall was yet a great way off his father saw him and had compassion and ran and fell on his necke and kissed him Luke 15. 20. And nothing graceth our prayers more with God then this confidence and boldnes Let vs come boldly to the throne of grace that we may obtaine mercy and finde grace to helpe in time of need saith the Apostle Heb. 4. 16. But without this faith and perswasion that God is our Father we can haue no assurance that any thing we doe in his seruice pleaseth him without faith it is impossible to please God Heb. 11. 6. And the best thing we doe in his seruice without this assurance that we please him in so doing is sinne Rom. 14. 23. Whatsoeuer is not of faith is sinne Secondly because till a man be perâ—…waded of Gods loue and fatherly affection towards him in Christ he can neuer serue him of loue nor with a good heart but vpon some by-respects vpon a seruile feare or hope of merit Heb. 10. 22. We can neuer draw neere to God with a true heart till we haue assurance of faith and our hearts sprinkled from an euill conscience No man can truely loue God till he be perswaded by the spirit of Gods loue to him Wee loue God because he loued vs first 1. Iohn 4. 19. true loue comes from a pure heart and a good conscience and faith vnfained 1. Tim. 1. 5. And whatsoeuer seruice we doe to God vnlesse it proceed out of a good heart and from loue to God it cannot please him though a man should giue his body to be burned in Martyrdome yet if that proceed not from his loue to God it would profit him nothing 1. Corinthians 13. 3. For what man would accept of any seruice from him that hee knowes loues him not The Vse of the Doctrine is to exhort vs to get good assurance to our hearts that God is our Father that he beares a fatherly affection to vs aboue all sinnes striue against infidelity Examine your selues whither yee bee in the faith prooue your selues 2. Cor. 13. 5. Many want this assurance and seeke it not many seeme to haue it and haue it not I will giue you foure notes to trie it by 1. God is a Father to no man but in and through Christ Iohn 1. 12. So many as receiued him to them gaue hee power to become the sonnes of God euen to them that beleeue in his name Galathians 4. 5. Hee hath redeemed vs that were vnder the Law that wee might receiue the adoption of sonnes so that vnlesse a man ground his assurance and confidence that God is his Father onely vpon Christ if hee ground it vpon this that God hath made him and preserued him c. his assurance is in vaine 2. He that is perswaded indeed that God is his Father will â—…adly and boldly resort to him in prayer Because yee are sonnes God hath sent forth the spirit of his Sonne into your hearts crying Abba Father Gal. 4. 6. They that seldome pray or pray with no willingnesse and cheerefulnesse or pray with no confidence doubtlesse are not perswaded that God is their father 3. He that is perswaded that God is his Father will not murmure against nor be put out of heart by any of Gods corrections but be perswaded of his loue euen in affliction according to that of the Apostle Heb. 12. 7. 9. If yee endure chastening God dealeth with you as with sonnes for what sonne is hee whom the father chasteneth not And Rom. 15. 3. Being iustified by faith wee glory euen in tribulation They that in the time of their peace and prosperity onely are confident in Gods loue but haue no heart no comfort in affliction are not indeed perswaded that God is their Father 4. He that is indeed perswaded that the Lord beareth the affection of a Father vnto him will beare the affection of a childe vnto God will loue him and be carefull to please him fearefull to offend him Mal. 1. 6. If I bee your Father where is mine honour Heb. 10. 22. No drawing neere to God in assurance of faith till wee be sprinkled in our hearts from an euill conscience and washed in our bodies also They that haue no care to please God nor feare to offend him doubtlesse are not perswaded that God is their Father Now come we to the principall Doctrine which our Sauiour teacheth vs in this place namely That the onely true worship of God the onely worship that pleaseth God now especially vnder the Gospell is that which is spirituall the worship that is proper to the Gospell the true Christian worship is spirituall For so saith our Sauiour here The houre commeth and now it is that the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth and againe They that worship
him must worship him thus Now for the right vnderstanding of this Doctrine sixe questions must be mooued and resolued 1. What our Sauiour meaneth here by worshipping God in spirit The answer is that to worship God in spirit is to worship him without such ceremonies as were vnder the Law This appeareth by this note of diuersity which our Saulour here vseth but as if he should say the worship the Iewes now vse which chiefely consisteth in their sacrifices oblations purifications and such like ceremonies is good because it is done vpon knowledge of Gods will reuealed in his Word but now such as worship God aright shall worship him in another manner namely not in such ceremonies but in spirit and truth So that to worship God in spirit is opposed to the ceremoniall worship because that was not a spirituall but a carnall worship See this in that opposition Paul makes Gal. 3. 3. Are yee so foolish hauing begun in the spirit are yee now made perfect by the flesh So the ceremoniall Law is called a carnall commandement Heb. 7. 16. and all the ceremonies are called carnall rites Heb. 9. 10. A strange terme to be giuen to the worship that God himselfe ordained But the ceremonies are so called Because 1. They were all outward and bodily actions Yea if we looke ouer all the ceremoniall Law we shall finde nothing inioyned either to the Priests or people but externall and bodily things the seruice of the spirit and conscience is seldome or neuer mentioned Heb. 9. 9 10. The first Tabernacle was a figure for the time then present in which were offered both gifts and sacrifices that could not make him that did the seruice perfect as pertaining to the conscience which stood onely in meates and drinkes and diuers washings and carnall ordinances imposed on them vntill the time of reformation Whereas the seruice God requires vnder the Gospell is in a manner wholly inward and spirituall For thus the Lord speaketh of the daies of the Gospell wherein he will make a new Couenant with his people Iere. 31. 34. They shall all know me from the least of them to the greatest of them saith the Lord. And verseâ—…3 â—…3 I will put my Law in their inward parts and write it in their hearts Now the Lord still calls for the seruice of the spirit and heart at our hands Our preaching pleaseth not God vnlesse it be the action of our spirit Paul serued God with his spirit in the Gospell of his Son Rom. 1. 9. Our hearing pleaseth him not vnlesse it be the action of our heart and spirit the Holy Ghost opened the heart of Lydia to attend Acts 16. 14. Our prayers please not God vnlesse they be the seruice of the heart and spirit pray with all prayer and supplication in the spirit Ephes. 6. 18. Our singing making melody in your hearts to the Lord Ephes. 5. 19. Our communicating in the Sacrament pleaseth not God vnlesse it be the seruice of our spirit no man receiueth worthily vnlesse he examine himselfe before and be able to discerne the body of the Lord in that ordinance 1. Corinthians 11. 29. 2. They are called carnall because they were all transitorie and to inindure but for a time To this reason the Apostle hath respect Heb. 7. 16. 18. When he calls the Law of the Leuiticall Priest-hood a carnall commandement because it was to bee disanulled Whereas our worship shall continue and neuer be altered and in this respect the Apostle preferres the state of the Church now before that of the Old Testament Heb. 1. 1 2. that whereas the Lord deliuered his will to his Church not all at once but at sandry times by the Prophets he hath by his Sonne fully made his minde knowne vnto vs in these last daies not at sundry times but at once And therefore also the Apostle Iude calls it the faith that was once for all deliuered vnto the Saints Iude 3. In which respect the whole time since Christs Ascension is called also the end of the world 1. Cor. 10. 11. And the last times 2. Tim. 3. 1. Acts 2. 17. 1. Pet. 1. 20. 1. Ioh. 2. 18. 3. Because the effect and fruit of them reacheth no further then to the body and outward man they could not make holy concerning the conscience him that did the seruice Heb. 9. 9. and 10. 1. they could not make the commers thereunto perfect but sanctified onely as touching the purifying of the flesh Heb. 9. 13. Therefore they are called Gal. 4. 9. Weake and beggarly elements Whereas the seruice of God vnder the Gospell worketh wholly in a manner vpon the conscience and inward man the Kingdome of God the true Religion and the sincere profession of it is not in word but in power 1. Cor. 4. 20. If the Word be preached and heard the Sacraments administred and receiued prayer vsed as they ought they will worke vpon the conscience not vpon the outward man onely Therefore it is called 2. Cor. 3. 8. the ministration of the Spirit 4. It is called a carnall worship because it is very pleasing to the naturall and carnall man hee makes great conscience of it and delights much in it In which respect also the Apostle saith Gal. 4. 3. it was a seruice fit for Gods people when they were children Our Sauiour obserues the Pharisees to haue beene very precise in the obseruation of the ceremoniall Law and to haue made much more conscience of it then of the morall they paid tithe of mint and annise and commin and omitted the weightier matters of the Law Iudgement Mercy and Fidelity Matth. 23. 23. And the Lord by his Prophet speaking of such as for their wickednesse he calls Princes of Sodome and people of Gomorrah saith they offered a multitude of Sacrifices brought many oblations to God and much incense obserued diligently the new Moones and Sabbaths and solemne dayes Esay 1. 11. 13. Yea all heathen men and pagans haue had their sacrifices and ceremonies Balaam and Balak vsed them Numb 23. 1 4. Whereas the seruice that God requires of vs vnder the Gospell is such as no naturall man can relish or finde any sauour in Nay none but such as haue the spirit can make any account of our worship can heare receiue pray with conscience and delight 1. Iohn 4. 6. Hee that is of God heareth vs hee that is not of God heareth vs not So 1. Cor. 2. 14. The naturall man receiueth not the things of the spirit of God for they are foolishnesse vnto him neither can hee know them because they are spiritually discerned Thus wee see what our Sauiour here meaneth by worshipping God in spirit Lecture the fortieth Ianuary 30. 1609. WHat meanes he by worshipping God in truth The answer is to worship God in truth is to worship him without such ceremonies as were vnder the Law This appeareth by that note of diuersity here vsed but which I obserued before Truth then is not
acceptable and pleasant vnto God Phil. 4. 18. So then we see now what our Sauiour meanes when he saith the true worshippers shall worship God in truth The Sacraments and sacrifices of the Iewes were but shadowes and figures the true worshippers of God vnder the Gospell shall haue in them the truth and substance of that which was shadowed in those ceremonies The true and substantiall worship of God consisteth in a liuely faith vnfained repentance absolute obedience to the will of God in all things hearty prayer loue iustice mercifulnesse sincerity and such like graces of Gods Spirit Thus haue I gone through the two first questions I propounded for the better vnderstanding of this Doctrine In the foure other that follow I will be briefer The third question is What meanes our Sauiour by the houre that commeth and now is When should the true worshippers worship God in Spirit and in truth When should this spirituall and substantiall worship of God that we haue heard of begin was the ceremoniall worship at an end when he spake this I answer no For after this time Matth. 8. 4. Christ sends the Leper to the Priest and bids him offer his gift appointed in the Ceremoniall Law And Christ himselfe obserued the feast of vnleauened bread at which time the Text saith Luke 22. 7. The Passeouer must bee killed This houre and time began not till Christ had suffered and was glorified and ascended into heauen Presently when Christ had said in his Passion Iohn 19. 30. It is finished It is said Matth. 27. 51. The vaile of the Temple was rent in twaine from the top to the bottome then was the Ceremoniall worship abrogated And when Christ ascended and was glorified then began the time when the true worshippers should worship God in spirit and in truth This is plaine Iohn 7. 39. This spake he of the Spirit which they that beleeued in him should receiue for the Holy Ghost was not yet come because that Iesus was not yet glorified Now because this time of Christs Passion and Ascension was at hand euen now therefore our Sauiour saith here the houre commeth and now is The fourth question is Was not God worshipped in Spirit and truth before the time of Christs Passion and Ascention Did all Gods people vnder the Law and such as liued in Christs time Simeon Anna Mary Zachary and Elizabeth worship God onely in ceremony and shadow not in spirit and truth I answer 1. That euen vnder the Law the Lord was neuer satisfied with a ceremoniall worship but did euer require to be worshipped in spirit and truth So said Samuel to Saul 1. Sam. 15. 22. Hath the Lord as great pleasure in burnt offerings and sacrifices as when the voice of the Lord is obeyed To obey is better then sacrifice and to hearken is better then the fat of Rams So Psal. 51. 16. Thou desirest no sacrifice though I would giue it thou delightest not in burnt offerings Hos. 6. 6. I desired mercy and not sacrifice and the knowledge of God more then burnt offerings Mic. 6. 8. Hee hath shewed thee O man what is good and what doth the Lord require of thee but to doe iustly and to loue mercy and to walke humbly with thy God Mark 12. 33. To loue the Lord with all thy heart and with all thy vnderstanding and with all thy soule and with all thy strength and to loue a mans neighbour as himselfe is more then all burnt offerings and sacrifices 2. The people of God vnder the Law did not worship him onely in ceremony but in spirit and truth So Dauid when he had said Psal. 40. 6. Sacrifice and offering thou dost not desire he adds verse 8. I desired to doe thy will O my God yea thy Law is within my heart And the Ministry they enioyed was not the Ministry of the letter only but of the Spirit also So it is said of the Ministry of Leui Mal. 2. 6. Hee did turne many away from iniquity But though this be so yet our Sauiour saith here The houre commeth and now is as if he should haue said it hath not been so before because 1. Though God gaue his Spirit to his people then yet not so generally then as now but then onely to the Iewes now Acts 2. 17. In the latter dayes I will powre out of my Spirit vpon all flesh Nor so fully to them that did receiue it as now The Prophet speaking of the daies of Christ saith Esay 11. 9. The earth shall be full of the knowledge of God as the waters that couer the sea Zach. 12. 8. Hee that is feeble among them in that day shall be as Dauid 2. Though the Lord did then also require a spirituall worship and the faithfull performed it yet they did not serue God onely in spirit and in truth but also in ceremonies and shadowes and so God required them to doe Leuit. 4. 3. yea he required it of them vpon a great penalty Exod. 5. 3. Let vs goe and sacrifice vnto the Lord least hee fall vpon vs with pestilence or with the sword yea he was much pleased and delighted in it and it is therefore called an oblation made by fire for a sweet sauour vnto the Lord Leuit. 1. 9. So that these words are to be vnderstood comparatiuely as if he should say Though the Father were worshipped in spirit and truth before yet in comparison of that he shall be after my death and Ascension he was not worshipped in spirit and truth before So is that place also to be vnderstood Heb. 9. 8. The way into the holiest of all into heauen was not yet opened while the first Tabernacle was standing That is not so wide not made so common not so fully opened as afterward From hence ariseth the fifth question Must we now vnder the Gospell serue God onely in spirit Doth God now require of vs no other worship but that onely that is spirituall I answer 1. That God hath appointed for vs a bodily and outward worship also yea he hath giuen vs some significant ceremonies to vse in his worship and seruice namely both our Sacraments which are visible signes of inuisible grace He requires not onely the seruice of our hearts but also the seruice of our tongue and knee in calling on his name and singing of Psalmes the seruice of our eare in hearkening to his Word the seruice of our eye in beholding that that is done in the administration of the sacraments the seruice of our whole body in presenting our selues before him in the publike assemblies So that it is but the speech of a prophane Hypocrite to say thus Though I make not that shew as others doe though I vse not to kneele and say my prayers either with my family or apart though I go not so much to Church as other doe yet I serue God as well as they I serue him in my heart I lift vp my heart vnto him I
of righteousnesse it was fit that at his rising all those mists and shadowes should vanish away It was fit that God should honour and solemnize the marriage of his Sonne with his Church and his triumph ouer Sathan c. by bestowing his gifts and graces more aboundantly vpon men then hee had done before To this the Apostle hath respect when he saith Ephesians 4. 8. When hee ascended vp on high hee lead captiuity captiue and gaue gifts to men Lecture the one and fortieth February 13. 1609. IOHN IIII. XXIII WEe haue already heard that these II. Verses consist of a Doctrine and of two reasons that are vsed to confirme it The Doctrine is this that they onely worship God aright specially now vnder the Gospell as worship him not with a ceremonious worship but in spirit and truth The Doctrine we finished the last day it remaineth now that we proceed to the Reasons that our Sauiour giueth here to proue that they that should now worship God with a ceremonious worship as the Iewes had done hitherto should not worship him aright but they onely that worship him in spirit and in truth The 1. Reason is in these words for the Father requireth euen such to worship him or the Father euen seeketh and desireth such worshippers The force of this reason stands in three points 1. That worship onely is to be giuen to God not which pleaseth and seemeth best to vs but which himselfe requireth and delighteth in It is no better then Idolatry and spirituall whoredome for vs to follow our owne heart and good meaning in this case Num. 15. 39. Yea a man shall highly prouoke God if he doe him any seruice that he requireth not Nadab and Abihu were destroyed with fire from heauen for offering incense with fire that he had not commanded them to vse Leuit. 10. 3. yea the care of a Christian must be not onely to doe God that seruice that he requires but to doe it also in that manner as he may please God in doing it or else he doth but loose his labour Dauid was exceeding carefull of this in all his prayers Psal. 19. 14. Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart bee acceptable in thy sight And he professeth that if God when he prayed did not answer him that is giue him some comfortable assurance that he accepted and tooke his prayer in good part it would be euen a death to him Psal. 28. 1. Bee not deafe to me least if thou answer me not I bee like to them that goe downe to the pit And this should bee euery Christians care Heb. 12. 28. Let vs haue grace to serue him so as wee may please him 2. The Lord seekes and desires to haue such to serue him as worship him in spirit and in truth he euen seekes such worshippers yea he is greatly delighted with such a worship A strange thing it is that God should seeke or desire this at our hands that we should worship him For he hath no need of our seruice neither can he receiue any benefit at all by any worship we doe vnto him If we pray constantly in secret and constantly frequent the publike assemblies the benefit is wholly our owne Pro. 9. 12. If thou be wise thou shalt bee wise for thy selfe what shall the Lord gaine by it Iob 37. 5. If thou be righteous what giuest thou to him or what receiueth he at thy hand Nay the best seruice we can doe is so weakely and vnto wardly done as it is a wonder that God abhorres it not Esay 64. 6. All our righteousnesse is as filthy clouts Insomuch as the best of Gods seruants seldome please themselues in any seruice they doe vnto him but see cause of shame in the very best actions and seruices they haue done vnto him Nehe. 13. 2. Pardon me O my God according to thy great mercy Why what had he done that he craues pardon for Surely he had done an excellent peece of seruice vnto God he had shewed a marueilous zeale for the sanctifying of the Sabbath but he knew that good seruice of his was so imperfect so full of staines that he had need of pardon And yet such is the wonderfull goodnesse of God to them whom he loues in Christ such is the delight that he takes in his owne graces in the fruits of his owne spirit that as if hee should receiue some great benefit by it he seekes to vs and desires vs to serue him Call vpon me in the day of trouble Psal. 50. 15. seeke aske knocke that is pray earnestly and importunately Matth. 7 7 pray without ceasing 1. Thess. 5. 17. ye he professeth that he takes marueilous delight in our poore seruices we do vnto him This is plainely prooued by that speech the Lord vseth to his Church which is the company of all the faithfull Cant. 2. 14. My doue that art in the holes of the rocke in the secret places of the staires that is whose state is most stable and sure and against whom the gates of hell shall neuer be able to preuaile shew me thy sight let me see thee often come often vnto me let me heare thy voice pray often to me And marke the reason why he sues thus to his Church For thy voice is sweet and thy sight comely As if he should say howsoeuer thou thinkest of thy selfe whatsoeuer thou iudgest of thine owne prayers I assure thee that in my eare there is no musicke to that in mine eye there is no person in the world so well fauoured as thou art That euen as the affection that is in vs that are parents towards our little children when they begin to speake makes vs delight to heare them prattle though to another that hath not that affection it be very troublesome and though in anothers eye they seeme hard fauoured yet this fatherly affection makes vs thinke them to be very pretty and well fauoured children so is it with the Lord our God the fatherly affection he beares to vs in Christ makes him desirous to haue vs come oft to him to pray and worship him oft and to delight so much in our poore prayers though in themselues they be not worthy to be delighted in The Father seekes such worshippers Apoc. 5 8. The hearts of all the faithfull are compared to golden Viols full of odors What were those odors The prayers of the Saints of these true worshippers that worship in spirit and truth Why are the prayers of the godly called odors 1. In respect of the godly themselues because for the most part they yeeld a sweet sauour and vnspeakeable comfort vnto their owne hearts Iohn 16. 24. Aske that your ioy may be full But 2. Chiefly in respect of the Lord for the faithfull themselues sometimes feele no sweetnesse in their prayers but to the Lord their prayers are euen as the sweetest odors euen such prayers as themselues feele small sweetnesse or delight in are most pleasant
In a sensible and visible manner he guided his people through the wildernesse in a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night Exod. 13. 51. By a sensible and materiall fire that came downe from heauen he witnessed oft-times his approbation of the sacrifices that his seruants offered vnto him 1. Cor. 21. 26. In a sensible and visible manner his glory filled both the Tabernacle and the Temple 2. Chron. 7. 2. Now since the daies of Christ the Lord hath not beene wont to reueale himselfe to his Church in this corporall and sensible manner but as he is a spirit so in a spirituall manner only hath he reuealed himselfe to his Church It is therefore spoken of as a blessing peculiar to the dayes vnder the Gospel that vpon all sorts of his people he will powre his spirit in a far more plentifull manner then euer he had done before Ioel 2. 28 29. Hauing now finished the Doctrine that our Sauiour deliuereth in these two verses and both the Reasons that he bringeth for the confirmation of it it remaineth that we make our vse of it The first Vse of it is to condemne the religion of the Papists If we had no other reason against Popery this were sufficient to prooue it a false worship such as God alloweth not because it doth euery way match yea farre exceedeth the forme of worship that was vnder the Law euen in that point for which our Sauiour doth here condemne it The vestments their Priests vse in Gods seruice the Church-musicke and many other things are vsed in imitation of the Iewes But 1. In obseruation of daies and times in the number of their holy dayes 2. In the multitude of their significant ceremonies 3. In the pompe and worldly statelinesse of their Prelates and Clergie 4. In their superstitious ringing and set seruice and other ceremonies about buriall they doe farre exceed the Iewes If that forme of worship which God himselfe appointed vnder the Law must needs be abrogated as Christ hath here taught vs and no true worshipper might vse it any longer because it stood so much in externall and carnall rites in shadowes and significant ceremonies then certainely they that vse and delight in such a kind of worship that was but deuised by men must needs be deemed hypocrites and false worshippers of God See the iudgement that our Sauiour giueth of these kind of ceremonies and of them that are addicted to them The Iewes in his time had a ceremony that they would not eate meate before they had washed oft holding the tradition of the Elders Marke 7. 3. This might as lawfully haue beene vsed as any religious ceremony that was deuised by man for it was not vsed in Gods seruice and might haue seemed to be but a ciuill ceremony Yet our Sauiour discerning that it was inioyned by the Elders and was obserued by the Iewes as a significant ceremony a Doctrine to the conscience a meane to put it in mind of a spirituall duty Marke 7. 7. A thing wherein they put holinesse and which they accounted as a worthy seruice done vnto God he would not vse it himselfe Luke 11. 38. and taught his Disciples to refuse it and defendeth them for so doing Marke 7. 6. And this he did though he saw it would prouoke the Pharisees much and be likely to draw him and his Disciples to trouble Marke 7. 3. And three Reasons he giueth against them 1. He maketh it a certaine note of an hypocrite of a carnall man that hath no soundnesse of grace in him to be addicted to these ceremonies Marke 7. 6. In which respect also among others the ceremoniall Law is called a carnall commandement Heb. 7. 16. and the rudiments of the world Gal. 4. 3. 2. That it is a vaine worship Marke 7. 7. there is no profit nor sound edification that can come to the conscience by it The Apostle therefore calleth the ceremonies impotent and beggerly rudiments Gal. 4. 9. Obserue it well where they are vsed with most conscience and deuotion as in Popery they are they worke no knowledge or sanctification in men 3. That where they are vsed they will make the commandements of God of no authority Matth. 15. 6. They will destroy the power of true piety and godlinesse and euen eate out the heart of it And that was the cause why Sathan laboured not in any thing more busily in the Primitiue Church then to bring in againe the ceremoniall worship after God had abrogated it and the Apostle calleth them that were his instruments in this worke dogges that is enemies to all piety Phil. 3. 2. The second Vse of the Doctrine doth more neerely concerne our selues for it teacheth vs to take heed of hypocrisie in the seruice of God Striue to worship him in spirit and truth Luke 12. 1. Take heed to your selues saith our Sauiour of the leauen of the Pharisees which is hypocrisie The Lord doth exceedingly abhorre hypocrisie in his seruice The more seruice thou doest to God the more thou prouokest him if thou be an hypocrite Iob 36. 13. The hypocrites in heart heape vp wrath For the hypocrite is a false worshipper he maketh an Idol of God he thinketh he can deceiue God as he doth men Now there be three kinds and degrees of hypocrites that worship not God in spirit and truth and are therefore called here by Christ false worshippers of God 1. They that doe any seruice to God with their bodies onely without the vnderstanding and feeling and deuotion of the heart in euery seruice we doe to God he calleth still for the heart My son giue me thy heart saith he Pro. 23. 26. Paul had not pleased God in preaching if he had not in preaching serued God in his spirit Rom. 1. 9. Lydia had not pleased God in hearing the Word if her heart had not beene opened if she had not heard with feeling and affection of heart Act. 16. 14. No man can please God in praying vnto him vnlesse he pray with the feeling and affection of his spirit Psal. 86. 4. Reioyce the soule of thy seruant for vnto thee Lord do I life vp my soule nor in singing of Psalmes vnlesse he sing with grace in his heart vnto the Lord Ephes. 5. 19. Our prayers are compared vnto odours Reu. 5. 8. and vnto incense Psal. 141. 2. and the feruency of our affection is as the fire without which these odours and incense can neuer send vp any sweet sauour vnto God In which respect the Apostle biddeth vs be feruent in spirit as seruing the Lord Rom. 12. 11. as if no seruice could be acceptable vnto God without feruency of spirit Let euery one of vs therefore haue a principall care of that both in our prayers and in euery other part of the worship we doe vnto God Two good helpes are needfull to be vsed to this purpose 1. Watchfulnes Continue in prayer and watch in the same Col. 4. 2. for vnlesse we
yet this comparison holdeth betweene the Prophets and all the Ministers of the Gospell they were sowers and we are reapers This is plaine by another speech of Christ Matth. 11. 11. for there hauing preferred Iohn Baptist before all the Prophets and that in this respect among others because he gained more to God by his Ministrie than any of them had done as appeareth Verse 12. From the time of Iohn Baptist hitherto the Kingdome of heauen suffereth violence he addeth in the latter end of that 11. verse Notwithstanding he that is least in the Kingdome of heauen that is in the new estate of the Church is not in respect of his person and gifts but of his Ministry greater than Iohn Baptist. Hitherto belong those prophesies that in the dayes of the Gospell the Church should so increase Esay 54. 2 3. Enlarge thy tents for thou shalt encre ase on the right hand and on the left and that knowledge should then abound Esay 11. 9. and sanctification also after those daies the daies of the Gospell he meaneth saith the Lord I will put my law in their inward parts and write it in their hearts Ier. 31. 33. Nay the Lord neuer sendeth any faithfull Minister to a people but he vseth to make his Ministry fruitfull vnto some the sower neuer goeth forth to sowe but he meets with foure sorts of ground whereof the one is good as our Sauiour teacheth vs in that Parable Matth. 13. 3 8. Yea this is made a note of an able Minister of the New Testament 2. Cor. 3. 6. he is a Minister not of the letter onely but of the spirit The Reasons of this Doctrine are three 1. All things that concerne our saluation are more clearely taught and more fully in the Ministry of the Gospell than they were vnder the Law This is plaine Colos. 1. 26. where the Apostle calleth the Gospell a mystery which had beene hidden since the world began and from all ages but now is made manifest to all his Saints 2. The mercy of God and his free grace is more fully made knowne and offered vnto men in the Ministrie of the Gospell than it was vnder the Law This reason the Apostie giueth the grace of God that bringeth saluation hath appeared vnto all men Tit. 2. 11. 3. The Spirit of God which onely maketh the Word of God effectuall in the heart of man is much more plentifully bestowed since the time of Christs Ascension than euer it was before This is plaine Iohn 7. 39. The Holy Ghost was not yet giuen because Iesus was not yet glorified This Doctrine serueth for the Vse and profit both of vs that are Gods Ministers and for all you that are Gods people First we that are Ministers are to be exhorted by this Doctrine that we labour to be fruitfull and profitable in our Ministry Seeke not wealth or ease or credit but fruit Labour to finde that thy Ministry hath done good that it hath beene effectuall to the conuersion of some This made Paul so earnestly desirous to see the Romanes that he might haue some fruit among them also as he had among the other Gentiles Rom. 1. 13. Foure Reasons may be giuen to mooue vs to this care 1. God hath placed vs in this calling and giuen vs the gifts we haue to this end euen for the perfecting of the Saints and for the edifying of the body of Christ Ephes. 4. 8. 12. the manifestation of the spirit is giuen to euery man to profit withall 1. Cor. 12. 7. 2. Euery man should count it his misery to be vnprofitable it is noted for a great part of the misery of our estate by nature that we are altogether vnprofitable Rom. 3. 12. how much more a Minister Matthew 21. 30. cast yee the vnprofitable seruant into vtter darkenesse there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth 3. Nothing will yeeld vs that comfort in life or death as this not all the wealth we haue gathered nor the credit and applause we haue had 1. Thess. 2. 19. they whom he had won to God were his hope and ioy and crowne of reioycing 4. This is the chiefe thing that will assure vs that God hath indeed called vs to be Ministers of his Gospell and approueth of our Ministry when we are fruitfull when the porter the Holy Ghost appeareth vnto vs and giueth entrance to our Ministry into the hearts of the people Iohn 10. 3. as we know he did to Pauls Ministry into the heart of Lydia Act. 16. 14. We haue heard all the Ministers of the New Testament are reapers The seruants to whom God committed his talents if they were good and faithfull seruants gained somewhat to their Master Matth. 25. 23. Thus Paul approoueth himselfe to be an able Minister of the Gospell the Corinthians that were conuerted by his Ministry were his letters of commendation written in his heart yeilding him much inward comfort and assurance of his calling and also knowne and read of all men such an euidence of his calling as was apparant vnto all men 2. Cor. 3. 2. this he calls the very seale of his Apostleship 1. Cor. 9 2 Now seeing this is so necessary I will giue some few rules out of Gods Word which if we follow we shall be sure to reape fruit of our labours 1. We must be diligent and painefull both in study and in preaching giue attendance to reading to exhortation to doctrine neglect not the gift that is in thee but both by diligence in study and in preaching labour to stirre it vp and increase it saith the Apostle vnto Timothy 1. Tim. 4. 13 14. 2. When we teach we must labour to teach that not wherein our selues may shew most learning or eloquence but which may be most profitable and of vse to them we teach speake thou the things which become sound wholesome doctrine Tit. 2. 1. and the things that he would haue Titus to affirme constantly and to insist vpon in his Ministry are the things that are good and profitable vnto men Tit. 3. 8. 3. Striue to teach in that manner as may most profit thy hearers Marke 4. 33. Christ preached so as they were able to heare This was Pauls minde though he excelled all the flaunting preachers at Corinth in the tongues yet he professed that in the Church he had rather speake fiue words to the capacity and edification of others then ten thousand words in an vnknowne tongue 1. Cor. 14. 18 19. Hitherto belongeth that exhortation preach the Word reprooue rebuke exhort that is apply thy doctrine alwaies to the present estate and condition of thy hearers 2. Tim. 4. 2. 4. Take heed to thy life that thou do nothing to hinder the fruit of thy labours take heed vnto thy selfe and vnto the doctrine 1. Tim. 4. 16. And 1. Cor. 9. 15. it were better for me to die then that any man should make my glorying void that is rather then that any man should be able to obiect ought
face and worship God and say plainely God is in them indeed He makes the consent and agreement that is among the Prophets in their Ministry to be one chiefe cause of it 1. Cor. 14. 25. He is rebuked of all he is iudged of all And on the contrary side the disagreement and dissention that is amongst the Ministers cannot chuse but be a great stumbling blocke to the people and meanes to hinder their profiting by the Word No engine that Sathan or Antichrist haue doth endanger the Church more than this and therefore nothing that by their instruments they labour more in than to blow the coales amongst vs and encrease the heate of our contentions Paul alledgeth this for the reason why he went vp to Ierusalem to visit the chiefe Apostles to acquaint himselfe and to conferre with them lest by any meanes saith he I should run or had run in vaine Gal. 2. 2. This is the cause of that strange earnestnesse and importunity that Paul vseth in this matter Phil. 2. 1 2. If there be any consolation in Christ if any comfort in loue if any fellowship of the Spirit if any compassion and mercy fulfill my ioy that yee be like minded hauing the same loue being of one accord And Phil. 4. 2. he speakes thus to two women who though they were no Ministers yet laboured with him in the Gospell as he saith verse 3. I pray Euodias and beseech Syntiche that they be of one accord in the Lord. This Doctrine is of great Vse both to vs that are Ministers of God and to you that are his people for we are all ioyntly to be exhorted by this Doctrine first to pray earnestly vnto God who onely is the God of peace and loue 2. Cor. 13. 11. that he would at length compound the dissentions that are in his Church and worke a holy concord amongst all his seruants This is euery mans duty neither may any looke to prosper that cannot doe this pray for the peace of Ierusalem which is by this meanes best procured they shall prosper that loue thee Psal. 122. 6. Secondly that euery one of vs would endeauour in our places to procure it as much as in vslyeth Matth. 5. 9. Blessed are the peace-makers But beside this generall there is a particular vse to be made of this Doctrine both by vs that are Ministers and by all you that are Gods people but in this I desire to be more large than the time will now permit me to be and therefore I will deferre it vntill the next day Lecture the sixty fifth September 11. 1610. IOHN IIII. XXXVI XXXVIII THere is particular Vse to be made of this Doctrine first by the Ministers of the Gospell and secondly by all the people of God All that are faithfull Ministers are to be exhorted by this Doctrine that notwithstanding all excellency of gifts or difference in iudgement or practice that may be amongst any of them yet they would seeke to keepe the vnity of the Spirit in the bond of peace to loue and esteeme one of another That we may all of vs receiue the more good by this exhortation I will speake of it distinctly and shew you first how farre forth the Ministers of the Gospell must agree together secondly the reasons that may moue vs to seeke this agreement thirdly the meanes whereby we may attaine vnto this agreement For the first we must know there is nothing spoken in the handling of this Doctrine in fauour of such Ministers as are ignorant and vngodly men None of vs are bound to loue and esteeme of all Ministers But though in respect of their coate and function they be accounted our brethren yet if they be Idols or wicked and vngodly men we are not bound to esteeme of them Nay the more high and excellent the function and calling is which they haue taken vpon them the more vilely and contemptibly should all good men esteeme of them Matth. 5. 13. If the salt be vnsauory it is fit to bee troden vnder foote of all men If we cannot be familiar with such if we can shew no respect to such let no man account vs proud or malicious we doe no more than we are bound to doe The Ioue and agreement that should be betweene Ministers bindes vs not to like of or winke at the faults that are in Ministers I know some men count it a breach of the Churches peace and an argument of a contentiâ—… and vnquiet spirit in a Minister if he speake against carelesse non-resâ—…ncy if he reprooue the idlenesse and pride or couetousnesse or 〈◊〉 life of any Minister But these men are much deceiued No mâ—…ns 〈◊〉 deserue so sharply to be reprooued as these sins of Ministers for theâ—… are indeed the chiefe causes of all other sins committed in the land 〈◊〉 2â—… 15. From the Prophets of Ierusalem is wickeanesse gone forth into thâ—… 〈◊〉 And in this respect when Gods people in their publike fast made 〈◊〉 confession of those sinnes whereby God had beene most prouoked â—…gainst them they make confession chiefly of the sinnes of their Magistâ—…s and Ministers as the principall causes of all their plagues Neh. 9. 〈◊〉 Our Kings and our Princes our Priests and our Fathers haue not done thy law nor regarded thy commandements nor thy protestations Obiect And whereas some are ready to say this makes the ministry contemptible among the people Answ. I answer First the Holy Ghost saith the quite contrary These sinnes that some Ministers doe commit and the rest winke at and will not reprooue are the true cause of that contempt the ministry is growne vnto Mal. 2. 9. I haue made you to be despised and vile before all the people because yee kept not my waies and haue beene partiall in the law Secondly it is not vnlawfull to bring disgrace and contempt vpon such Ministers They were Preachers whom both Iohn Baptist Matth. 3. 7. and our Sauiour Matth. 12. 24. cals generations of Vipers and that in the hearing of them that were their ordinary hearers And see what strange termes of disgrace Peter giues vnto certaine Preachers in his time 2. Pet. 2. 12. They are bruit beasts led with sensuality And verse 4. Hauing eyes full of adultery and that cannot cease to sinne they haue hearts exercised with couetousnesse and are cursed children Obiect Why but the Pharises sate in Moses chaire and taught some good Doctrine and held many truths in which respect Paul euen after his conuersion cals himselfe a Pharisee Acts 23. 6. so that there was great danger lest our Sauiour so disgracing their persons might worke in their hearers a contempt of their Doctrine Answ. I answer He saw that though they taught some truths yet by their life and other Doctrines they did more hurt than good and that the more credit they had with the people the more hurt they were likely to doe and therefore he disgraceth them thus But though we be not bound to esteeme well of
3. It is a maine hinderance to grace in the vse of the word and prayer as we haue heard in the Doctrine Pro. 15. 13. By the sorrow of the heart the spirit is broken 4. It giues great aduantage to Sathan It is an old saying that Melancholia est vehiculum Daemonum And experience proues that we are neuer so weake so apt to receiue the temptations of Sathan so vnable to resist them as when we are oppressed with melancholy and sadnesse of heart And this is that that is said Neh. 8. 10. The ioy of the Lord is our strength In this respect Paul chargeth the Corinthians to comfort the incestuous person and take heed lest he were not swallowed vp with ouermuch heauinesse lest Sathan saith he circumuent vs. For we are not ignorant of his enterprises 2. Cor. 2. 11. Lecture the ninetie fourth Iuly 23. 1611. IOHN IIII. XLIX L. THe last day we began to speake of the answer that this Ruler returned vnto Christ when he had beene rebuked of him and charged with infidelity which answer is set downe in this verse I haue now read vnto you And in it we obserued that he neither denies nor acknowledgeth the fault Christ charged him and his Nation with Secondly he neither shewes himselfe troubled with it by confessing his infidelity and seeking pardon nor doth he excuse or lessen it any way Thirdly though he esteemed highly of Christ and counted him a Prophet yet seemes he not at all to regard or be moued one whit with this sharpe reproofe he had receiued from him Fourthly no other cause can be imagined of his senslesnesse and stupidity but onely this That his griefe and care for his sonne was so very extreme that it tooke vp all his thoughts and affections it did so oppresse him that he could minde nothing else nothing else could affect him And from hence we receiued this Doctrine That extremity of worldly griefe will make the minde and heart of man vncapable of heauenly things It makes a man vnfit to receiue benefit by the Word and it makes a man also vnapt to pray with comfort For the Word though the heart of man be neuer so apt to profit by it neuer so teachable as it is in the time of affliction and heauinesse if it be moderate yet when it is in extremity it so oppresseth the heart that neither the threats of the Law though they be pressed vpon it by a sonne of thunder nor the sweet promises of the Gospell though they be applyed by such an one as Barnabas a sonne of consolation will be able to moue it or doe it good And as for prayer though we are neuer so fit for it as in time of affliction and heauinesse if it be moderate and secondly the spirit of prayer is such a grace and of that immortall nature as no affliction be it neuer so extreme is able vtterly to quench it or to depriue a man of it that did euer truely enioy it yet if affliction and sorrow be extreme it will make the best of Gods children vnfit to pray with that comfort they were wont And the reason of this I shewed you is the great weakenesse and impotency of mans nature Then came we to make our Vse of the Doctrine And the first Vse was to perswade euery Christian to learne the right way how to preuent and keepe his owne heart from immoderate sorrow specially for worldly things But because most men are apt to stumble at this exhortation and this age is so secure and so set vpon iollity and carnall mirth that it may seeme more needfull for vs to vse all our skill to humble men and bring them to remorse of conscience than to teach them to striue against sorrow I did therefore propound vnto my selfe this order in handling of this first Vse of the Doctrine First to shew you how far forth sorrow is fit and necessary for Christians Secondly that yet they must take heede of excessiue sorrow Thirdly how and by what meanes a man may best preserue and confirme his heart against it And of these three points I finished the two first the last day but the time would permit me to goe no further It now remaines that we proceed to the third and last and so come to the second Vse of the Doctrine All men esteeme it a miserable thing to haue a heart oppressed with griefe and seeke to shun it by all meanes And on the other side all men esteeme it an happy thing to haue a chearefull and merry heart but most men are miserably deceiued in the meanes whereby the heart may be preserued from excessiue sorrow and brought vnto true ioy But we must know that true peace is the peace of God as the Apostle cals it Phil. 4. 7. and true ioy is the gift of God And euery Christian should be able to call the Lord the God of his ioy and gladnesse as Dauid doth Psal. 43. 4. and make no reckoning of that peace and ioy whereof God is not the author So that if we would attaine to true peace and ioy indeed we must seeke it by such meanes as God hath directed vs to vse and not by any other Now I finde foure things especially which God hath in his Word directed vs to vse as remedies and preseruatiues against excessiue griefe and meanes to bring vs to true ioy The first is to get a true iustifying faith and good assurance of our saluation This is a sure way to keepe the heart from excessiue griefe and make it chearefull no ioy comparable to this Lord lift vp the light of thy countenance vpon vs thou hast put gladnesse in my heart more then in the time that their corne and their wine increased Psal. 4. 6 7. The ioy that growes from this ground is vnspeakeable and glorious 1. Pet. 1. 8. This is able to make a man reioyce when he hath neuer so many meanes to make him heauie being iustified by faith we glory in tribulations Rom. 5. 1. 3. this made Paul and Silas sing so merily euen in the stockes at midnight Acts 16. 25. For true faith giues a man many grounds and reasons of sound comfort First it assures him of the pardon of his sinne and when he knowes that no affliction neede trouble him Matth. 9. 2. Sonne be of good comfort thy sinnes are forgiuen thee for sin is the very sting of death and of all affliction 1. Cor. 15. 56. Secondly he knowes he shall neuer lose the fauour of God after he hath once obtained it how many signes of Gods anger soeuer may be vpon him Rom. 8. 38 39. I am perswaded that neither life nor death nor principalities nor powers c. shall bee able to separate vs from the loue of God which is in Christ our Lord. Thirdly he knowes God will haue tender respect to his weakenesse in whatsoeuer affliction he shall lay vpon him that it shall not exceede his strength God will by the
thy statutes alway euen vnto the end The second is in Paul Phil. 3. 12. One thing I doe as if he should say this is the chiefe thing I haue to comfort my selfe in I forget that that is behind endeuour my selfe to that which is before Thirdly he liues in feare lest he should fall away before his death and hauing begun in the spirit should end in the flesh Ier. 32. 40. I will put my feare in their hearts that they shall not depart from mee Fourthly he desires to continue vnder the meanes of grace Psal. 27. 4. One thing I haue desired of the Lord and that I will require that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the daies of my life And whosoeuer is thus constant and carefull to perseuere may be certaine of the soundnesse and vprightnesse of his heart No naturall man euer was so Iohn 8. 31. If ye continue in my Word ye are verily my Disciples Psal. 106. 3. Blessed are they that keepe iudgement and doe righteousnesse at all times Pro. 28. 14. Happy is the man that feareth alway It is said of Caleb he had another spirit than the rest of the spies Num. 14. 24. and the reason is there giuen but more plainely Iosh. 14 9. because he followed the Lord constantly He that serues God constantly certainely hath another spirit in him than euer any naturall man could attaine vnto And thus haue we finished the examination of the three first graces which I propounded and wherein I said I would obserue the difference betwixt the good things that are in the regenerate man and those that seeme to be in the naturall man I haue shewed you the difference betweene them in their knowledge in their repentance and in their obedience vnto God It followeth now that we proceed to the fourth and last namely to the faith and confidence that they haue in the mercy of God First then euery regenerate man hath saith No one grace no goodnesse at all can be in that mans heart in soundnesse and vprightnesse that wants a liuely faith that is not in some measure truly assured of Gods fauour to him in Christ. For that is the roote of all sauing graces Acts 5. 9. It purifieth the heart and 26 18. it sanctifieth him that hath it And on the other side the man that hath any measure of true faith though it be very weake doubtlesse hath a sound and vpright heart This is plaine in the words of Hanani the Prophet to Asa 2. Chron. 16. 9. The eyes of the Lord behold all the earth to shew himselfe strong with them that are of a perfect heart towards him But whom meanes he by them that are of a perfect heart Surely such as rest vpon him as you shall see in the former verse But herein also many a naturall man and hypocrite seemes to match the childe of God yea to exceed him much He saith he hath a strong faith and is as fully perswaded of Gods fauour as any other man Ier. 3. 4. Didst thou not still cry vnto me saith the Lord to the wicked hypocrite Thou art my father and the guide of my youth And Micah 3. 11. Yet they will leane vpon God and say Is not the Lord amongst vs no euill can come to vs. Yea he may liue and dye in a strong perswasion that he is in Gods fauour How then shall we be able will you say to distinguish betweene the true faith of the regenerate and the false and vaine presumption of the naturall man Foure sensible and plaine notes of difference I will giue you out of Gods Word betweene the true faith of the regenerate man and the seeming faith of him that hath no grace in his heart The first is from the meanes whereby it is wrought in a man For the faith of the regenerate is wrought in him by the Ministry of the Word of God and is increased and nourished by it and by the other good meanes of grace which God hath ordained First by the preaching of the Law his heart is humbled and prepared Iohn Baptist by his ministry was to prepare the way for Christ Marke 1. 2. Secondly by the preaching of the Gospell his heart is comforted Rom. 10. 17. Faith comes by hearing Esay 57. 19. I create the fruit of the lips to be peace Art thou then able to say thy faith was wrought in thee by the Ministry of the Word it wrought in thee first the spirit of bondage and then the spirit of adoption Rom. 8. 15. and thou findest it cherished and made more liuely and strong when thou doest diligently and conscionably attend vpon Gods ordinance in hearing reading praying and receiuing of the Lords Supper then hast thou cause to iudge that thy assurance is indeed the faith of Gods Elect against which the gates of hell shall neuer be able to preuaile On the other side if thou neuer foundest any such power or comfort in the Word but thy assurance hath growne with thee euen from the womb thou wert neuer of other mind thou thankest God neither the ministry of the law did euer work in thy heart any sound and lasting humiliation nor the ministry of the Gospell any great comfort thou carest not for the ministry of the Word nor findest any relish in any religious exercise but wonderest at their folly that make such reckoning of them then be thou assured that thy confidence is but presumption and not faith The second difference is in the grounds on which their faith is founded The third in the measure and degrees of it The fourth and last in the fruits and effects of it But for these three last notes I must referre the Reader to the 76 Lecture where I haue handled them at large THE HVNDRED AND SIXTH LECTVRE ON OCTOBER XXII MDCXI IOHN IIII. L. And the man belieued the word that Iesus had spoken vnto him and he went his way WE haue already heard that from the beginning of the 46. Verse to the end of this Chapter the Euangelist doth set downe the History of the second miracle that our Sauiour wrought in Galile in curing the sonne of a certaine Ruler And that the History stands vpon foure parts First the occasion that was offered to Christ to do this miracle Uers. 46 47. Secondly the manner how Christ wrought this miracle Uerse 48 49. and the beginning of this Uerse Thirdly the fruit and effect of this miracle Fourthly and lastly the conclusion of the story The two first parts we haue already finished and are now to proceed to the third namely to the fruit and effect of this miracle which beginneth in the words I haue now read vnto you and lasteth to the end of the 53. Verse And in this part there be three principall things to be considered First the beginning of the faith and conuersion of this Ruler in these words of the 50 Verse And the man belieued the words that Iesus had spoken vnto him and