hath given to them that cleave constantly to his truth p. 769. The faithfull themselves have found much comfort in this p. 770. Lect. 145. The Spirit of God wheresoever he dwellâ— will teach and effectually perswade the heart in the truth of religion p. 771. No man can grow to certainty in matters of religion by any other meanes but by the teaching of the Spirit and proportionable to the measure of the Spirit of sanctification that a man hath shall his certainty be p. 773 774 Yet is not this to be accounted every mans private Spirit p. 775. The Spirits teaching to be judged by the Word Ibid. The ministery of the Word is the meanes whereby the Spirit useth to teach men p. 776 They whom the Spirit hath once taught and perswaded will certainely persevere in the truth Ibid. Lect. 146. Th'exhortation to constancy in the truth is very needfull and that even in these daies p. 777. by reason 1 that Papists increase 2 the multitude of other erroneous spirits 3 the generall decay of the zealous love of religion and of the life power of it p. 778. 1 Motive to constancy Corruption in judgement is the most dangerous corruption of all other p. 779 780. 2 Motive He that falls from the truth and embraceth errour was never taught of the Spirit p. 780. Though in some things of smaller moment the faithfull may be subject to errour and errors of that nature should not alienate Christians one from another yea in fundamentall points for a time Ibid. 781. Lect. 147. Though our perseverance in the truth be to be ascribed to the Lord alone yet he worketh it by meanes and will have us to bee agents in this work our selves p. 782 783. 1 We must carefully shâ—n all things whereby we may be in danger to be corrupted and drawne from the truth viz. 1. We must shun the hearing and conferring with them that are hereticks and seducers and the reading of their books We should not long to heare what they can say for their errors or against the truth p. 784. 2 Wee must take heed of affecting the knowledge of intricate curious and unprofitable points p. 785. There is a desire of knowledge which is commendable and no Minister should mislike in his hearers p. 786. Yet is there a desire of knowledge that is most dangerous Ibid. 1 When wee desire to know more of Gods matters then hee hath pleased to reveale in his Word Ibid. 2 When neglecting other things we seeke the knowledge of those high points onely that are above our capacity to understand and busie our selves in matters of controversie p. 787. 3 When wee desire knowledge onely for knowledge saâ—e without respect to the use and profit we may make of it for our edification in faith and holinesse p 788. Lect. 148. He that desires to hold fast his profession must use the meanes whereby hee may bee established in the truth and preserved from falling away from it foure directions are given us in Gods booke for this p. 788. 1 Hee must ground himselfe well in the knowledge of the truth and labour to bee assured upon good grounds that it is indeed the truth he holdeth Ibid. 1 Hee must acquâ—â—nt himselfe with the maine principles of religion and seeke to be perfect in them p. 789. 2 examine by Scripture what ever hee heareth or readeth and labour to get good proofes of Scripture for whatsoever he holdeth p. 790. 2 He must labour to take to heart that which he knoweth love it and make conscience to practise it He that by reading or hearing seeketh knowledge with an honest and good heart shall hold fast that which he professeth and none but he p. 792 793. Lect. 149. 3 He must take heed of declining from or forsaking the least truth his conscience hath beene convinced in Two things there bee that deceive men in this case p. 793 794. Though some truths be of greater moment then others yet it s a dangerous sin to be willfully ignorant of any truth God hath revealed or forsake it when we know it upon conceit that it is but a trisâ—e for 1 nothing that God hath revealed is of small moment or lightly to be accounted of 2 a man may make himselfe abominable to God by forsaking wittingly the least truth or receiving the least errour p. 794. 3 the best way to keepe us from falling from the truth in the maine points is to make conscience of falling from the least truth p. 795. 4 He must be constant in a conscionable use of all Gods ordinances 1 the ministery of the Word p. 796. 2 the Sacrament of the Lords Supper 3 prayer p. 797 798. Lect. 150. Every one that hath the Spirit of Christ will take to heart the cause of God and his holy religion p. 798. 1 No man can have the Spirit of Christs unlesse he love God unfeignedly above all things els Ibid. 2 He that doth thus love God must needs be zealous for God grieved and troubled to see him dishonoured 3 He that hath any true zeale to God in him will shew and expresse it principally towards the house and worship of God p. 799. More particularly 1 He that hath the Spirit of Christ must needs rejoyce to see or heare that the true religion of God doth prosper and that the purity of it is restored or set up any where p. 800. 2 He that hath the Spirit of Christ will rejoyce in the frequencie and fullnesse of Church-assemblies 3 In the plentifull and free preaching of the Word p. 801. 4 Hee will rejoyce to see and heare that the ministery of the Word is fruitfull among them that enjoy it and powerfull to reforme their hearts and lives p. 802 803. Lect. 151. Three Reasons and grounds of the former doctrine 1 He that hath the Spirit of Christ cannot but love the persons of all men and we love no man unlesse wee love his soule and unfeignedly desire his salvation grieve to see his soule in danger of perishing p. 803. He that desires the salvation of all will joy in the plentifull and sound preaching of the Word p. 804. Though God can save men without preaching yet he doth not ordinarily without it and its a fearefull signe hee meaneth not to save them he denieth preaching unto Ibid. 805. Though all bee not saved that have preaching yet it s a cause of comfort to see sound preachers abound p. 805. A man that hath no truth of grace in himselfe may yet be a meanes of conversion to others Ibid. 2 The respect wee have to the state and Church wherein we live which we are bound to love p. 806. 1 Nothing will make the state and Church so honourable as the liberty of the Gospell 2 nor so strong and peaceable 3 nor so prosperous and plenteous in blessings p. 806 807. On the other side nothing will sooner deprive it of all blessings then the neglect and opposing of religion p.
my God and â—or the offices thereof And indeed there is no way whereby we can expresse our love to God so well as by loving and delighting in and taking care for the house and pure worship of God Therefore in the reason of the second commandement as I told you the last day they that make conscience of that commandement that use and love that worship onely that he hath in his Word appointed are called such as love God Exodus 20.6 and they that are addicted to will-worship and care not for the true worship of God are called ver 5. haters of God Thus did David expresse his love to God Psal. 26.8 Lord I have loved the habitation of thy house and the place where thine honour dwelleth He that careth not for the house and worship of God whether it be maintained in purity or be corrupted whether it prosper or no certainely hath no love of God no zeale of Gods glory in his heart And this shall serve for my first sort of proofes which I told you should be more generall Now you shall see the point opened and confirmed unto you in foure particulars First He that hath the spirit of Christ will rejoyce to see religion prosper to see the purity and sincerity of Gods worship restored and set up See what Ioy there was in Ierusalem in the daies of David when the Arke of God was brought to Ierusalem 1 Chron. 15.28 And in the daies of Hezekiah when the Sacrament had beene celebrated according to the first institution of it which it had not beene of a long time before in such sort as it was written saith the Text 2 Chron. 30.5 and verse 26. from Salomons raigne to that time there had not beene such a Passeover kept it is said ver 25 26. All Gods people did marvellously rejoyce in it So when Nehemiah had reformed and purged the house and worship of God from sundry corruptions and restored it to the primitive purity and sincerity thereof It is said Neh 12.43 That Gods people did rejoyce for God had made them to rejoyce with great joy their wives also and their children rejoyced so that the joy of Ierusalem was heard even a farre off Nay he that hath the spirit of God in him will rejoyce to see any beginnings of reformation in places that were rude before to see religion get any entrance or footing any beginnings of a Church in such places It is said Ezra 3.11 that all Gods people shouted with a great shout when they praised the Lord because the foundation of the house of the Lord was laid On the other side he that hath the spirit of God in him cannot chuse but grieve to see or heare that the true religion and worship of God is banished from any place and that Idolatry and a false worship is set up in it Old Ely is noted by the Holy Ghost 1 Sam. 4.17 18. to have grieved much more deepely for the taking away of the Arke of God then either for Israels flying from before the Philistines or for the great slaughter that had beene made of Gods people or for the death of his two sonnes Hophâ—i and Phineas It came to passe saith the Text that when the messenger made mention of the Arke of God hee fell from of his seate backward and his necke brake and hee died And this is also noted to have beene the chiefe griefe of his daughter in law and maine cause of her death too verse 22. this would never out of her mouth in all the extreamity of her paine and anguish while breath was in her body the glory is departed from Israel for the Arke of God is taken away And this was that that troubled that zealous man of God Eliah and made him even weary of his life through griefe and discontentment 1 King 19.10 The children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant saith he they are fallen from thy holy religion they have throwne downe thine altars that is they have abolished and shewed contempt and hatred to thy true worship and why should I desire to live any longer in such a time Hee that hath any love or zeale of God in him cannot but grieve to see or heare that idolatry is set up in any place that it groweth and increaseth any where specially in any place where God was truly worshipped before We read of blessed Paul Acts 17.16 that when hee saw even the city of Athens where God had never beene truly worshipped wholly given unto idolatry his spirit was stirred in him he was incensed with zealous griefe and indignation to see it O how would it have troubled the good man to have seene or heard of such a thing in Corinth or Galatia or Ephesus that were true Churches of Christ where the Gospell had beene and still was faithfully and plentifully preached Nay hee that hath any true love or zeale of God in him cannot but grieve at the least Eclipse that religion suffers in any place though the substance of it doth still remaine yet if it have lost any thing of that luster of that purity sincerity and power that once it had even that is sufficient cause of griefe to every good man Wee read that when in the dayes of Zerubbabel the foundation of the second Temple was laid and Gods people that had seene no better did greatly rejoyce in it Ezra 3.12 Many of the Priests and Levites and chiefe of the fathers who were ancient men that had seene the first house wept with a loud voice even when the rest shouted for joy and the noise of their weeping was as great every whit as the noise of the others rejoycing And why did they so Surely it grieved their hearts to see how farre the house that God was now to have in Ierusalem was short in beauty and glory of that that God had had before in that place Secondly He that hath the spirit of Christ in him will joy in the frequency and fullnesse of the Church-assemblies When David to aggravate the misery of his present estate Ps. 42.4 speakes of the joy and comfort that he had formerly taken in going to the house of God he names this twice in that verse as a maine cause of that great joy he tooke in going to the house of God that there went such a multitude with him And this is noted for one cause of that great joy the people of God expressed at the celebration of that Passeover in Hezekiahs time 2 Chron. 30.26 that the number of the communicants was so great as it is said verse 13. There assembled to Ierusalem much people to keepe the Passeover a very great Congregation On the other side even this hath grieved Gods people to see the Church-assemblies neglected and unfrequented to see the Congregations much thinner then they had wont to be I wil gather them saith the Lord Zeph. 3.18 that are sorrowfull for the solemne assembly who are of thee to whom the reproach of it was
forbeare the reproving and inveighing against some corruptions that are either in the Church or Common-wealth even when his text gives him just occasion to doe it It is sometimes his wisedome to doe it when 1. there is either danger of doing more hurt and dishonour to God by speaking against them then by holding his peace or 2. wheâ— hee can see no hope of prevailing or doing good by his reproofe For the first of these respects we have the example of our blessed Saviour who did oft forbeare the publishing of certaine truths even because he would not give advantage thereby to the malicious adversaries to raise persecution against him How oft doth he charge them upon whom he had wrought his miracles not to speake of it to any man and one cause was this because he knew it would incrâ—ase the rage of his enemies and so interrupt the liberty of his ministery this is plaiâ—e 〈◊〉 1.44 45. How wary and carefull was hee alwayes both in the manner of his preaching by parables and in his answeres he gave to their questions 〈◊〉 the adversary from taking advantage at any thing that he said And we are expresly forbidden to give the holy things of God to such doggs as will be ready to turne againe upon us and read and bite us for our labor Mat. 9.6 When the times are so evill as they will not beare such matters to be touched the prudent servants of God will keepe silence or so deliver the truth as Gods people may be edified and not advantage given to the adversary Amos. 5 13. Therefore the prudent shall keepe silence in that time for it is an evill time And for the second respect for which a faithfull minister may forbeare to reprove sinne that is when he can see no hope of prevailing or doing good by it wee have also the example of our blessed Saviour to warrant it He did utterly dislike the foolish ceremony and custome the Iewes had to parisie and wash themselves so oft and yet at the marriage feast in Cana of Galilee where he saw six great water-pots containing two or three sirkins a piece set for that purpose Iohn 2.6 he found no fault with it Why He saw no hope that his speech in that place and at that time would doe any good And for both these respects we have a notable example in Paul who when he was in Ephesus where Diana was worshipped and many got great wealth by that Idolatry yet was he never heard in his ministery to exclaime against Diana nor against that Idolatry as the towne-clearke himselfe witnesseth Acts 19.37 Why had he no zeale against so shamefull idolatry yes certainly no man more as you may see Acts 17.16 His spirit was stirred in him when he saw the City of Athâ—â—ns wholly given to idolatry Why then was he so silent at Ephesus Surely 1. he saw such an invective would have done no good 2. that it would have presently abridged his liberty and raised bitteâ— persecution against him And thus we have seene what wisedome a minister should use in reproving of sinne Even the badnesse of the times may warrant the ministers silence this way Amos. 5.13 Fourthly The minister had neede bee a peaceable man not given to suits and contentions with his people Certainely it is not unlawfull for a minister to require his due and even to seeke it by Law if hee cannot otherwise come by it For 1. he is bound to have a care of his family and hee were worse then an Infidell if he had not 1. Tim. 5.8 2 The Law and the magistrates helpe for righting men in their wrongs is Gods ordinance which a godly minister may lawfully seeke unto as is plaine in Pauls example who Acts 25 11. who appealed unto Caesar. But the minister of God should not be a man given unto suits and contentions with his people he ought to shun it as much as in him lyeth All men should so doe Rom. 12.18 If it be possible as much as lieth in you be peaceable with all men but specially a minister 1. Tim. 3.3 he must be a patient man and no brawler When he reproveth the sinnes of the people he shall never have hope to prevaile or doe good unlesse he can say with Paul 2. Cor. 12.14 I seeke not yours but you and as he doth in another place when he had sharpely reproved them Galat. 4.12 Brethren I beseech you be as I am for I am as ye are ye have not injured me at all As if hee should have said thinke not I am so vehement against you because of any personall wrong ye have done unto mee Moses that was so fierce and hote in Gods quarrell as you may see Exod. 32 19 â—0 29. was in his owne quarrels and wrongs done to himselfe the meekest man in the world Numb 12.3 Fiftly and lastly He had need to love his people well and approve by his whole carriage and conversation that he loveth them else will his reproofe never doe them good Rom 15.14 I am perswaded ye are full of goodnesse able to admonish one another nothing fits a man better to this duty then goodnesse doth No man will take a reproofe well from him that he thinks loves him not Prov. 27.6 Faithfull are the wounds of a friend Yea even in reproving of sinne the minister that would do good must be carefull to expresse his love unto them And therefore 1. He must not reprove siâ— in rage and distemper of passion The good Surgeon when he is to cut off a member is carefull to be at that time most free from passion When Nehemiah had heard of the shamefull extortion and oppression used by the rulers and rich men he was very angry but he would not reprove them in a sudden heate and passion but paused and consulted with himselfe before he would do it Nehe. 5.6 7. And great reason is given for this Iames 1.20 The wrath of man worketh not the righteousnesse of God Secondly he must not reprove sinne merrily or in a flouting and girding manner as one that tooke a pride to shew his wit in breaking jests upon the offendor but with griefe and compassion See Christs example for this Mar. 3.5 he was angry with them but he was also grieved for the hardnesse of their hearts and Paul who speaking 2. Cor. 12.21 of his comming to reprove the sinnes of that people saith that the seeing of them would humble him and he should bewaile their state And Phil. 3.18 speaking of many among them who were enemies to the crosse of Christ he saith he told it them weeping he tooke no pleasure in it Thirdly He must so reprove his peoples sin as if it be possible he may set no brand of reproach upon the persons of the offendors Indeed this cannot alwayes be done but so farre as in him lyeth he must in reproving sin shew his love to the sinner in tendring of his credite and good name Private faults
celebrated upon the fourteenth day of the first moneth Numb 9.3 he was content to be singular and to differ in his judgement and practise from the whole Church rather then he would swerve from Gods commandement even in so small a matter And for this cause though the whole Church did put of the passeover that yeare from the fourteenth to the sixteenth day of the first moneth because that was the Sabbath and by a tradition of the Elders they were forbidden to keepe two such festivities so neere together yet durst not our Saviour doe so but kept his passeover two dayes before them as appeareth Ioh. 19.14 the day that hee was crucified on which was you know the day after his passeover was the day before theirs the day of the preparation of the passeover The last example is Mordecayes of whom we read that he durst not do the smallest thing no not so much as yeeld a formall complementall curtesie to Haman being forbidden of God no not to prevent the destruction of the whole Church that was likely to have ensued upon it as you may see Ester 3.2.6 The precepts and rules we have in Gods word to guide us in this case are likewise three 1. We may not commit the least sin for the preventing of the greatest danger that may possibly ensue if we doe it not We may not do evill that good may come of it Rom. 3.8 2. We may not wittingly commit or consent to the least sin no not for the preventing of a farre greater and fouler sin Neither can Lot be excused who to keepe the Sodomites from committing the sin against nature offered them his two daughters to commit adultery withall Genes 19.8 There can bee no such necessitie layd upon Gods child at any time that hee must needs doe either the smaller sins or the greater But in these two cases of exigency when there seemeth a necessity of sinning for the preventing of danger or for the preventing of greater sin we must follow the counsell of the Prophet Psal. 37.5 Commit thy way to the Lord trust also in him and he shall bring it to passe Rest upon the power and promises of God who can deliver us out of these perplexities without the helpe of any of our sins As Peter perswading Christian women from vanity and pride in their attire answereth a secret objection they might make against this Alas our husbands being infidels will hate us and misuse us yea and bee ready to fall to a liking of other women if we do not platt our haire and make our selves as brave as we can and paint us and follow every fashion to this he answereth by propounding to them the example of holy women of old time and telleth them how they armed themselves against this they trusted in God and were not afraid of any amazement and so doe you 1 Pet. 3.5 6. Thirdly and lastly Wee may not dare to doe any thing that we see cause to doubt that God hath forbidden it to be done Rom. 14.23 He that doubteth is damned if he eate As if the Apostle had said even this is sufficient to condemne a man if he repent not of it that he hath given liberty to himselfe to doe that that he doubted was unlawfull and forbidden of God The third and last thing I have to say unto these men is to advise and warne them to take heed how they hate and scorne any whom otherwise they can take no exception unto for their precisenesse in such things as themselves account trifles and toves But first enquire into their grounds and reasons why they doe so And if you find they have good warrant in the word to doe as they doe commend them encourage them imitate them and say with David Psal. 119.63 I am a companion of all them that feare thee and of them that keepe thy precepts But if you shall find that through their weakenesse and ignorance they mistake their grounds and have no good warrant for that they doe but are more scupulous and doubtfull in these things then they have just cause to be yet pity them instruct them with meeknesse and shew them their errour persecute them not nor hate them for the errour of their judgement but beare with them till they may be better informed We that are strong saith the Apostle Rom. 15.1 ought to beare with the infirmities of the weake and not to pleâ—se our selves And though they be in errour yet love them for this that they dare not do anything that they doubt would offend God Certainly this is a thing not to be derided and scorned but to bee beloved and commended whersoever we see it For this the Apostle loved the Iewes in his time and professeth Rom. 10.1 2. that his hearts desire and prayer to God for them was that they might be saved because he saw and hare them record that they had the zeale of God though it wâ—re not according to knowledge Take heed of hating any for this for this is a part of the image of God and worke of his spirit and therefore to hate this in any though I dare not say it is the sin against the holy Ghost yet do I confidently affirme that it is a neere neighbour unto it and though it be not impossible yet will certainly be found a very difficult and rare thing for any to be renewed by repentance that shall fall so farre Lecture XLVIII On Psalme 51.4 Febru 6. 1626. NOw followeth the reason why David professing his repentance and suing to God for mercy in the pardon of his sins doth make confession of his sin and accuse himselfe before God for it not only in generall termes but in particular and the reason is contained in these words That thou mightest be justified when thou speakest and be cleare when thou judgest For these words have reference not to those that go immediatly before them in this verse as if his meaning should be I have therefore sinned against thee and done this evill in thy sight that thou mightest be justified when thou speakest c. But these words have reference to the third verse and his meaning is this I acknowledge my transgressions and accuse my selfe in this manner that I may justifie thee and give glory unto thee and acknowledge thy righteousnesse both in that which thou hast spoken and threatned against me by thy servant Nathan and in those judgements also which thou hast already executed upon me in taking away my child and which thou shalt also hereafter be pleased to lay upon me for my sinne So that you see there be two parts of this reason why David doth thus confesse his sinne 1 That God might be justified in whatsoever he had spoken 2 That God might be cleared in the judgements he had already or should further execute upon him So that the first thing we have heere to observe is this that though the message the Lord had sent unto him that which he
be said which the Prophet speaketh of Israel Hos. 10.1 Israel is as an empty vine he bringeth forth fruit to himselfe As if hee had said In all good things he doth as he doth them out of selfe-love so he seeketh himselfe onely in them The meanest worke we doe in our calling if we doe it to the Lord and serve him in it will yeeld us assured comfort and reward also the best Sermon we can preach or heare if we do it not to the Lord but to our selves will yeeld us no comfort or reward from God Verily I say unto you saith our Saviour Mat. 6.2 they have their reward And so much for the first property that is required to the right manner of performing of all good duties they must be done to the right end In the other two I will be very briefe The second property required to the right manner of performing good duties is this they must be performed not with the outward man onely but with the heart See this 1 in the generall and 2 in some particular and speciall duties No obedience or service pleaseth God unlesse it be done feelingly and with the affection of the heart That is the thing God calleth for principally My sonne give me thy heart saith he Pro. 2â— 26 Fervâ—nt in spirit serving the Lord saith the Apostle Rom. 12.11 As if he had said No service pleaseth God unlesse it be done with fervencie of spirit This was the thing that God so much commendeth in the obedience of Iehoshaphat 2 Chron. 17.6 that his heart was lift up in the waies of the Lord. As though he should say Hee stirred up himselfe to walke in Gods waies with zeale and affection This also the Lord praiseth Hezekiah for 2 Chron. 31 21. In every worke that he began in the service of the house of God and in the law and in the commandements to seeke his God he did it with all his heart and prospered See this also in sundry speciall parts of our obedience and service unto God First No mans preaching pleaseth God unlesse hee preach with affection and zeale I serve God saith Paul Rom. 1.9 with my spirit in the Gospell of his sonne Secondly No mans hearing pleaseth God or will doe him any good unlesse he heare with affection If God open not your hearts as he did Lydias Act. 16.14 and make you able to heare with affection though you had as good preachers as Paul was your hearing would be to no purpose Thirdly No mans praying pleaseth God or will doe himselfe any good though his words be never so many or so good unlesse he pray with his heart with feeling and affection of heart The effectuall â—ervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much saith the Apostle Iames 5.16 As if he should have said The most righteous mans prayer that is will not be effectuall nor availe much with God unlesse it be fervent Fourthly Our singing of Psalmes pleaseth not God unlesse it be done with affection and feeling Our singing saith the Apostle Eph. 5.19 must be a making of melody in our hearts to the Lord. As if he had said The Lord regardeth no melody but that Fiftly The duties we performe to men in our callings please not God unlesse we doe them with affection of heart Whatsoever ye doe saith the Apostle to the servant Col 3.23 doe it heartily as to the Lord. As if hee had said Els you serve not God in any thing you do nor must looke for any acceptance or reward from him Sixtly and lastly The workes of mercy that wee doe though wee should give all wee have to the poore please not God unlesse they be done with affection and with a compassionat heart Whosoever hath ability and seeth his brother hath need saith the Apostle 1 Ioh. 3.17 and shutteth up his bowells of compassion from him though he open his purse and give him never so much how dwelleth the love of God in him Let every one of us apply this to our selves for the time will not permit me to doe it The third and last property required in the manner of that obedience and service wee doe to God is this if we desire to doe it in the right manner we must doe it in humility In the best duties wee doe wee must find cause of humbling in our selves because wee have done them so poorely and so corruptly When yee have done all those things that are commanded you saith our Saviour Luke 17.10 say wee are unprofitable servants As if hee had said Say this is nothing to that that I should have done Whatsoever ye doe in word or deed saith the Apostle Col 3 17. doe all in the name of the Lord Iesus As though he should say Acknowledge and feele the need you have of Christ to make the best things that you doe acceptable unto God Thus did Nehemiah when he had done a better worke and service to God then any of us are ever like to doe while we live yet see how he was humbled in himselfe Neh. 13.22 Remember me ô my God concerning this also and spare me pardon me according to the greatnesse of thy mercy Without this there can be no uprightnesse of heart in us how good duties soever we performe Behold saith the Prophet Hab. 2.4 his soule which is listed up is not upright in him Lecture LXXXIX On Psalme 51.6 May 13. 1628. IT followeth now that we proceed to the third and last signe and note whereby uprightnesse of heart and truth of saving grace may bee discerned and judged of namely The bent of a mans mind and will the purpose and desire of his heart towards God We must therefore know that one of the surest notes of uprightnesse of heart and truth of grace is this when howsoever wee faile in our practise and obedience yet God hath our heart Yea that is such a signe as a poore Christian may find comfort in when he cannot in the most of them that you heard of before In the handling of this signe I will for the helpe of your understanding and memory observe this order 1. I will shew you what I meane by it 2. I will confirme it unto you 3. I will answer that which may bee objected against it 4. I will make some application of it First therefore the Lord is then said to have our heart when the two principall faculties of our soule that is to say our mind and our will are for God 1. When in our mind we allow and consent to the will of God in all things and can say as David doth Psal. 119.128 I esteeme all thy precepts concerning all things to be right And even in those things wherein through our corruption and weaknesse we do offend against the law yet we can say of the law with the Apostle Rom. 7.12 The law is holy and the commandement is holy and just good 2. When our will is to please God in all things we desire nothing
The sixt meanes labour to bee willing to die Ibid. There is in the best great unwillingnesse and feare to die but for this cause we should be willing because till then wee shall never be rid of our corruption p. 324 325. Lect. 66. The seventh meanes Hie to Christ by faith for strength against it Till one have faith he can mortifie no corruption p. 326. True faith will mortifie sin Ibid and two reasons for that p. 327 c. Lect. 67. For the mortifying of sin faith a most be exercised we must put it forth and make use of it p. 330. Christ cured all that came to him for help and the cure is still ascribed to their faith Christ required nothing else of them to make them capable of cure p. 331. Goe to Christ likewise for helpe in all diseases of thy soule and with faith as they did Ibid foure grounds wee have for our faith in this 1 Christ is able to cure out soules as bodies 2 He is as willing 3 This is the chiefe work he came into the world to do p. 332. 4 Hee hath bound himselfe by promise for this We have his promise for curing us of 1 our ignorance 2 hardnesse of heart 3 profanesse 4 inconstancy p 333. 5 every other sin p. 334. We should stirre up our selves to lay hold on these promises Ibid. Objections against this answered 1 I am so unworthy I dare not go to Christ 2 my faith is so weake I cannot say hold of these promises 3 None of the godly though they have faith can thereby mortifie their corruptions p. 335. Lect. 68. The consideration of the vilenesse of our nature should cause us to admire Gods goodnesse towards us p. 336. Even in his restraining grace towards others that men being so lewd we live so safely and peaceably by them yea that many of them are so kinde to us p. 337 338. Secure thy heart in Gods providence in the worst times and places Ibid. But specially in his restraining grace towards our selves 1 many foule sins that we have the seeds of never shew themselves in us 2 Many foule sins we have felt our selves inclined to have not set upon us with their full force p. 339. 3 God lets us not know all the vilenesse that is in us but hideth a great part of it from us p. 340 341. How farre forth the discovery of sin to us is a blessing Ibid. Lect. 69. The wonderfull power and goodnesse of God is seene in our conversion p. 342. 1 that he sought us out and made us turne when we drew back 2 that he made love to us and sought reconciliation 3 that he should so change us and worke any goodnesse in such hearts as ours p. 343. Errors touching mans conversion p. 344. God hath set a just time for nations and particular persons and wee must count the present time to be that p. 345. Rejoyce if thou have any grace in truth though in the least measure p. 346. Lect. 70. It s an admirable worke of God that any of us should be able to persevere for any time in the state of grace viz. either 1 in the profession of the truth or 2 in the comfortable assurance of Gods favour or 3 in a Christian course of life p. 347. Considering 1 what a world age we live in 2 what the malice power and subtlety of Sathan is Ibid. 3 How fearefully others have fallen 4 what corrupt hearts we have p. 348. Our Perseverance to bee ascribed onely to God viz. 1 to his power 2 to his goodnesse p. 349. Therefore 1 Seeke saving grace its th' only durable riches 2 if thou have it blesse God for it and admire his power and goodnesse in it 3 be not proud of thy standing but ascribe it to God 4 Be not secure but watchfull and fearefull least thou fall p. 350 351. Lect. 71. The faithfull apt to thinke they have lost al grace because they have lost their first love delight and fervency in good duties 2 their faith and assurance of Gods favour 3 their strength to overcome tentations to sin Two preservatives against this tentation 1 The best of Gods servants have beene thus subject to variablenesse in their spirituall estate p. 352. God seeth it good they should bee so p 353. Object Wicked men will bee apt to stumble at this Ibid. 2 Though thou thinkest in this case thou hast lost all grace yet it is not so 1 if thou wouldst examine thine heart well thou wouldst finde grace in it still 2 though thou cannot another may 3 Though neither thy selfe nor another can discerne it yet certainely it is in thee for no elect childe of God called according to his purpose can so fall as utterly to loose all grace p. 354. This evident in all the three degrees of their spirituall decayes p. 355. Obj. But though I be now in the state of grace I feare when the fiery tryall shal come I shall fall I shall not be able to stand in the last and sharpest combat I shall have with Sathan at my death Answ. Certainely thou shalt not perish irrecoverably if there be the fruit of Gods eternall love and election in any truth of grace in thee two pillars thou hast to uphold thee 1 Gods power 2 his will p. 355 356. Lect. 72. Admirable it is that God should respect any service commeth from such as wee are that have so filthy and corrupt hearts considering 1 how corrupt we and our best services are a how pure and holy the Lord is p. 357. 3 Yet 1 he taketh notice of all the poore services we doe 2 winks at and passes by the staines and blemishes of them p. 358. 3 delights in them 4 rewards them p. 359. Reasons why he doth so 1 Because he seeth our hearts are good and upright in them 2 They are fruits of his owne Spirit 3. They are in Christ p. 360. Lect. 73. Carnall men have no just cause to stumble at this that God is so apt to winke at and passe by the slips of his children for 1 They are not his children p. 361. 2 If they were he would not beare with such faults as theirs no not in his children Ibid p. 362. 3 To theÌ„ that are wicked he will bee every whit as rigorous as he is indulgent to his children for 1 he will not beare with the least fault in them 2 he will take nothing in good part they do Ibid. 3 he liketh the worse of them even for the service they presume to doe unto him p. 363. Yet must the most wicked men pray and do other duties for all this and may receive good thereby three waies for 1 this will lessâ—n his condemnation 2 This will procure him temporall blessings and deliverances Ibid. 3 He may thus further his own salvation p 364. It s the fault of Gods people 1 that they of all other have the saddest hearts most subject to feare whereas they have three
be the custome not only to sing Davids Psalmes in the Congregation much but to sing them in order that the people of God might be acquainted with them all and so the best reformed Congregations use still to do And indeed though upon extraordinary and speciall occasions speciall choice may be made as we shall find that the 136. Psalme was oft made choice of in such cases 2 Chron. 5.13 20. â—1 Ezra 3.11 yet in the ordinary occasions of the Church it is most fit they should be song in order because the sweet Psalmist of Israel 2 Sam. 2â— 1 did pen them all for the publique generall use of the Church This also now a daies is much left in most Congregations Thirdly it was wont to be the ordinary custome of the professours of the Gospell to sing Psalmes much in their families according to that Psal. 118.15 The voice of rejoycing and salvation is in the tabernacles of the righteous This is also much laid downe and which is worse it is laid downe upon this ground because if men should use it they should be noted to be religious and so be subject to the scornes of men I would have such men seriously to consider and meditate on these two places of Scripture Rom. 10.10 With the heart a man beleeveth unto righteousnesse but with the mouth confession is made unto salvation and Mar. 8.38 Whosoever shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinfull generation of him shall the Son of man be ashamed when he commeth in the glory of his Father with the holy Angels The second use is to exhort us First to make more conscience of this duty and not onely to labour to bring our hearts to a delight in it but to use it hereafter in obedience unto God which God much more esteemeth of then of any outward duty we can performe Behold saith Samuel 1 Sam. 15 22 to obey is better then sacrifice Secondly to indeavour to performe this duty in the right manner that is 1. With understanding Sing ye prayses with understanding saith the Psalmist Psal. 47.7 2. With feeling Col. 3.16 With grace in your hearts 3. Singing to the Lord and lifting up your hearts to him in this service Vnto thee ô Lord will I sing saith David Psal. 101.1 And the Apostle Col. 3.16 Singing with grace in your hearts unto the Lord 4. Speaking to our selves in this duty and labouring to finde our selves edified by it as the Apostle directeth us Ephes. 5.19 5. In a decent manner observing the tune that the whole Congregation may be as one man in this service as it is said 2 Chron. â— 1â— The singers were as one to make one sound to be heard in praâ—sing and thanking the Lord And Esa. 52.8 With the voice together they shall sing Followeth the second thing I told you was to be observed in the Title of the Psalme that is the person by whom it was penned to which we will add the third and last that is the time when and occasion whereupon this Psalme was penned When Nathan the Prophet came unto him after he had gone in unto Bathsheba In all which we are to observe 1. The sin committed by David He had gone in unto Bathsheba 2. His continuance in this sin which was till Nathan came to him 3. The meanes of his repentance Nathan the Prophet came unto him And as touching his sin we must observe 1. In what termes it is heere expressed 2. How heinous it was And for the first It is worth the observing that repentant David or rather Gods spirit by his pen calls his foule adultery onely a going in to Bathsheba a going into her chamber or into the roome where she was Doth he intend by these termes to extenuate his sin No certainely he was farre from that at this time he doth in this Psalme disgrace and lay out the foulenesse of his sin to the full yet doth he expresse that filthy act of his in a modest and seemely phrase and thereby casts as it were a vaile upon it Which teacheth us That they that are endued with the spirit of God and have truly repented of sin cannot thinke or speake of their sin without shame dare not speake broadly or immodestly of filthy actions Ephes. 4.29 Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth and 5.12 It is a shame even to speake of those things which are done of them in secret Observe this holy modesty and shamefastnesse in the Scripture Phrase or manner of speaking 1. Of the foule and filthy acts of lewd men Amos 2.7 A man and his father will go in unto the same maide Gen. 19.5 Bring them out unto us that we may know them 2. Of such things as were lawfull and necessary and yet had some filthinesse in them As in speaking of the lawfull use of marriage Gen. 4.1 Adam knew Eve Iudg. 15.1 I will goâ— in to my wife into the chamber Esa. 8.3 He went unto the Prophetesse and she conceived Gen â—0 4 Abâ—melâ—ch had not come neare her So speaking of the privie and unseemely part he calls it our nakednesse Gen. 9.22 and our flesh Gen. 17.13 and our shame Esa. 47.3 Ier. 1â— 26 And speaking of the necessary evacuation of the body he calleth it a sitting downe Deut. 23.13 And covering of the feete Iudg. 3.24 1 Sam. 24.3 The reason of this is First the detestation that the Lord beareth to all filthinesse Hab. 1.13 Thou art of purer eye then to behold evill Deut. 23.14 That he see no uncleane thing in thee and turne away from thee On the other side Satan is called Mat. 12.43 the uncleane spirit that delighteth in filthinesse Secondly our tongue is our glory and that member which above all others is given us to glorifie God with So it is called Psal. 16.9 for by his glory there he meanes his tongue as will appeare if that place be compared with Act. 2.26 Thirdly there is great force in broad and uncleane speech to corrupt the heart and set it on fire with filthy lust 1 Cor. 15.33 Be not deceived evill communications corrupt good manners Therefore it is called corrupt or rotten communication Ephes. 4.29 such as is apt to corrupt them that heare it The use of this Doctrine is First to exhort us to a hatred and feare of all uncleannesse and a care of and delight in holinesse in our whole conversation As he which hath called you is holy saith the Apostle 1 Pet. 1.15 so be yee holy in all manner of conversation Remember that speech of the Apostle 1 Thess. 4.3 4. This is the will of God even your sanctification that yee should abstaine from fornication 1. God would have us holy that is the chiefe thing that he desireth 2. Holinesse consisteth chiefly in a care to abstaine from fornication nothing is more opposite to holinesse then that This modesty and care to keepe our selves from all shew of uncleannesse
with purpose to cavill and oppose it hath it thus mightily subdued As wee shall see in those Officers that went with Commission from the Pharisees to apprehend Christ Iohn 7 32 46. and those that mocked Peter and the Apostles and said they were full of new wine Acts 2.13 37. And in Dionysius Areopagita Damaris and such others in Athens who by Pauls Sermon were wonne to cleave unto him Act. 17.3 though wheÌ„ they came to heare him they esteemed no better of him then of a babler as you may see verse 18. The like wee may see in the Princes and people spoken of Ier. 26. who being mortall enemies to the Prophet and such as thought him unworthy to live a little before as appeares verse 8. were by hearing him preach quite changed in their minds as you see verse 16. And not a marvell for so hath the Lord promised Esa. 29.24 They that erred in spirit shall come to understanding and they that murmured shall learne Doctrine And from whence hath the ministry of the word had this power to worke so mightily Surely from this only that the Lord hath wrought with this his owne ordinance This this was it that made Nathans ministry here to prevaile so farre with David though he were his Liege Lord and Master and though he were so deepe sunke in sin The weapons of our warfare are mightily through God 2. Cor. 10.4 This made the convert mentioned 1. Cor. 14.24.25 When hee had felt the piercing and searching power of the Word to cry of a truth God 〈◊〉 in you So is also the power that the Word hath to breed faith and comfort to bee ascribed to this Iohn 6.45 They shall all bee taught of God God is in this ministry Secondly If you aske me yet a reason of this why the Lord hath not rather wrought Grace in men immediatly by his spirit then thus to put them off to Preachers or why he should worke thus mightily by preaching rather then by any other meanes I answer he hath done this to grace and dignifie his owne ordinance A notable proofe whereof you may observe in this that even when visions and revelations were in use and God did oft immediatly speake unto his servants himselfe and by Angels yet would he not doe this worke with his owne voice or hand or by the ministry of Angels but by the voice and hand of his ministers As here in Davids case and in that case of Manasses 2. Chron. 33.18 and in the case of the noble Eunuch Acts 8.29 the spirit â—ad Philip go joyne himselfe unto his Chariot Nay when God himselfe had begunne as it were the worke yet would he not effect it himselfe but hath sent men over unto his ministers that the worke might be done by them So did he with Saul Acts 9 1â— he sent Ananias to him and with Cornelius hee bad him send for Peter Acts 10.5.6 Yea it hath pleased God to ascribe this mighty worke of saving soules and all the degrees of it unto his ministers Many of the children of Israel shall be convert to the Lord their God saith the Angel of Iohn Luk 1.16 I send thee saith the Lord to Paul Acts 26.17.18 to open their eyes and to turne them from darkenesse to light And 1. Tim. 4.16 In doing this thou shalt save thy selfe and them that heare thee Thirdly If you will not yet be satisfied but aske me further a reason why will not God aswell worke Grace by other meanes as by preaching Are there not other meanes as good as preaching that is reading of good bookes especially of the holy Scripture conference with good men prayer affliction and such like Is not God as likely to worke Grace in my heart by them as by preaching I answer they are yea the Word read is in it selfe a more divine and excellent thing freer from humane infirmities then any mans preaching that hath beene in the world since the Apostles dayes For â— Tim. 3.16 all Scripture is given by inspiration of God Yet though this be in itselfe a weaker means God hath chosen to worke Grace by it rather then by any of the other And if you would know the reason of it I can go no higher than this that the Apostle gives 1. Cor. 1.21 It hath pleased God by the foolishnesse of peaching to save all beleevers all his elect Matth 11.26 Even so Father for so it seemed good in thy sight Vnlesse I should adde this that the weaker the meane and instrument is whereby God doth worke the more is the power of God glorified and magnified in working so mightily by it According to that which the Lord saith to Paul 2 Cor. 12.9 My strength is made perfect in weakenesse What reason could be given why the waters of Damascus should not have as soveraigne vertue to heale Naamans leprosie as the waters of Iordan but only this that the Lord was pleased to sanctifie and appoint the one to this worke and not the other 2 Kingsâ— 12 13. and the like may be said in this case 1 Cor. 1.25 Because the foolishnesse of God is wiser then men and the weakenesse of God is stronger then men The use of this doctrine is great and manifold For it serveth for exhortation 2. For reproofe 3. For direction First it serveth to exhort and perswade us unto two duties And the first of them is this That we should learne to esteeme highly of and to reverence this ordinance of God in the ministry of the meanest of his faithfull servants It is the exhortation of the Apostle 1 Thess. 5.12 13. And wee beseech you brethren to know them which labour among you and are over you in the Lord and admonish you and to esteeme them very highly in love for their workes sake That ought to bee the speech of all Gods people which is mentioned Rom. 10.15 How beautifull are the feete of them which preach the Gospel of peace and marke how that is inferred upon the former words Surely whosoever beleeveth this Doctrine that they are the only men by whom God hath ordained to work every saving Grace in the hearts of his elect if either he have any Grace in him or desire to have any cannot choose but love and reverence Gods faithfull ministers 1. Cor 4 1. Let a man so account of us as of the ministers of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God If any man shall object in pressing this point you plead for your selves 1. First wee may answer him with the Apostle 2. Cor. 4.5 in pressing this point We preach not our selves but Christ Iesus the Lord. Secondly I plead not for Pharisaicall preheminence Let proud Pharisees do that who love the uppermost roomes at feasts and the chiefe seates in the Synagogues Matth. 23.6 but in inward reverence for their worke sake to which the Apostle exhorteth 1. Thess. 5.13 Thirdly Neither do I perswade you to esteeme highly of all that weare our cloth and to
that can expresse the desires of their hearts God 〈◊〉 way for God maketh precious account of their 〈◊〉 of his children 〈◊〉 one of them shall fall to the ground Psal. 56.8 〈…〉 are they not in thy 〈◊〉 And this is the first part of mine answer to this 〈◊〉 objection Now 〈◊〉 show you what they must do that we in this case that finde their spirits so 〈…〉 with sorrow and their hearts so deadred as they are utterly indisposed and unable to pray Two things we must doe when we are in this case First we must bewaile it and mourne for it If the one side of thy body or thy tongue were taken with a dead palsy so as thou couldst not goe or speake to thy friend thou wouldst think thy case to be very heavie and thou wouldst much bewaile it But this is a farre heavier case and more to be bewailed when such a deadnesse hath taken thy soule that thou canst not goe nor speake unto thy God Complaine to God and crave helpe of him against it as David doth Psal. 119.25 My soule cleaveth to the dust quicken thou me according to thy Word and verse 159. Quicken me ô Lord according to thy loving kindnesse Complaine to Christ the heavenly Physitian of this thy disease he is able to helpe thee For 1 Cor. 15.45 the last Adam is made a quickning spirit Cry to him when thou art most indisposed and unable to pray as his Disciples did Luk. 11.1 Lord teach me to pray Nourish in thy heart the feeling and sense of this thy disease so as thou canst mourne for it and bewaile it to God and thou art safe Mat. 5.4 Blessed are they that can mourne for this for certainely they shall be comforted Secondly seeing thou hast heard that when thou feelest thy selfe most unable to pray yet thou hast even then in thee the spirit of prayer therefore stirre up that grace that excellent grace of God which is in thee I dare not denie but a weake Christian may use the helpe of a good prayer booke in this case better to pray on a booke then not to pray at all Certainely it is a spirit of errour that hath taught the world otherwise 1. Our blessed Saviour prescribed to his Disciples a forme of prayer not onely to be to them and his whole Church a rule and sampler according to which all our prayers should be framed as appeares when he saith Mat. 6.9 after this manner pray ye but even for them and to say tying themselves to the very words of it as appeareth Luk. 11.2 When ye pray say our father c. By which answer of our Saviour to his Disciples it may also appeare that Iohn taught his Disciples to pray by giving them formes of prayer to say yea even in secret prayer Mat. 6.6 2. All the best reformed Churches do now and ever have used even in publicke Leiturgies and prescript formes of prayer and have judged them of great use and necessity for the edification of the Church And surely this argument is not to be contemned by any sober Christian as appeareth by the Apostles speech 1 Cor. 11.16 If any man seeme to be contentious we have no such custome neither the Churches of God So doth he againe presse the example and practice of all the Churches of the Saints 1 Cor. 14.33 3. This is no stinting nor hinderance to the spirit of prayer in any of Gods people no more then the singing of praise to the Lord in the words of David is now and was in Hezechia's time 2 Chron. 29.30 or the joyning in heart with the words that another uttereth in conceived prayer which yet is Gods ordinance 1 Cor. 14.16 Though this I say be lawfull and may be used for a helpe yet seeing every Christian even the meanest and weakest hath the gift and spirit of prayer I may say to every one of you in this case as the Apostle doth in another to Timothy 1 Tim. 4.14 Neglect not the gift that is in thee and 2 Tim. 1.6 Stirre up the gift of God that is in thee When thou feelest thy selfe most indisposed to prayer yeeld not to it but strive and indeavour to pray even then when thou thinkest thou canst not pray If we should never pray but when we feele our selves apt to it alas how seldome should many of us pray Therefore when thou feelest thy selfe most indisposed to prayer yeeld not to this cursed humour but strive and endeavour to pray even then when thou thinkest thou canst not pray The Church complaineth Esa. 64.7 that no man stirred up himselfe to take hold of God we should stirre up our selves to this worke For I we must take notice of this that Satan hath a chiefe hand in hindering us from prayer in causing this deadnesse and indisposition of our hearts unto it When Iehoshua stood before the Angel of the Lord Satan stood at his right hand to resist him Zach. 3.1 And which of Gods servants find not this to bee true in their owne experience This I say we should take notice of that he get not advantage of us by our yeelding unto him as Paul saith 2 Cor. 2.11 Lest Sathan should get an advantage of us for we are not ignorant of his devices The more Satan hateth this duty the better we should love it the more basie he is to hinder and interrupt us in it the more earnestly should we bend and set our hearts unto it Iam. 4.7 Resist the Divell and hee will flee from you 2. Consider how much God is delighted in the labour of our love Heb. 6.10 God is not unrighteous that he should forget your worke and labour of love that is those duties which out of love to him we performe with labour and striving Thinke not beloved that those prayers onely are pleasing to God wherein we please our selves best or which we performe with most facility and aptnesse of mind and speach No no when we can performe this duty in obedience unto God even against our owne disposition and the mighty conflicts and oppositions that we find in our own hearts against it these are the prayers that are most acceptable to God As Abrahams obedience was in offering up his sonne of which the Lord saith Gen. 22.12 Now I know that thou fearest God seeing thou hast not withheld thy sonne thine onely sonne from me 3. By using and exercising that little grace that small ability to pray that thou hast thou shalt increase it and grow more able to do it with comfort For so runneth the promise Mat. 25 29. To every one that hath that is by imploying and exercising of it doth shew that he hath for otherwise the unprofitable servant had a talent also shall be given and he shall have abundance Let us therefore do as they that through sicknesse and weaknesse have lost their appetite yet by eating provoke and recover their appetite one morsell drawing downe another so let us carefully and conscionably
5. That these grievous plagues should be upon him not for a day or a weeke or a moneth or a yeare but all the dayes of his life The sword shall never depart from thine house Yet in this whole prayer of his ye shall not find one petition one word for the removall or putting by of these judgements all his suit is only for the pardon of his sin Why may you say might he not lawfully have prayed against these temporall judgements I answer yes verily he might For so did Abraham when God had threatned destruction to worse people then these yet he prayed against it Gen. 18.32 Yea so did David himselfe for the life of the child that was begotten in adultery 2. Sam. 12.16.22 And at another time Psal. 39.10 Remove thy stroke away from me for I am consumed by the blow of thine hand What then will you say made he no reckoning of these judgements in his wives and children so long as himselfe was spared I answer yes doubtlesse for he was as tender hearted and good natured a man as ever lived He loved his wives dearely as may appeare by the care he had to provide for them even after they had bin ravished 2. Sam. 10.3 He loved his children dearely as may appeare by the extreame passions he was in for the death of two of them though they had bin both of them extreamely lewd and unworthy of his love For Amnon first 2. Sam. 13.36 he wept very sore and then for Absalom 2. Sam. 18 33. He was much moved and went up to the chamber over the gate and wept and as he went thus he said O my sonne Absalom my sonne my sonne Absalom would God I had dyed for thee O Absalom my sonne my sonne If ye aske me yet further why then prayed he not against these judgements Had he not hope to have prevailed in such a suite Had God reveiled to him that his decree concerning these things was irrecoverable Had he sayd of them as Ezek. 14.18 Though these three men Noah Daniel and Iob were in it as I live saith the Lord God they shall neither deliver sons nor daughters I answer that I cannot say so neither For there is hope in Israel and among Gods people concerning this as Shechaniah speaketh Ezr. 10.2 Temporall judgements that have bin as peremptorily denounced as these were have yet by the repentance and prayers of the parties beene kept of as we see in the case of Hezechia Esa. 38.5 I have heard thy prayer behold I will adde unto thy dayes fifteene yeares But why prayeth not he against these judgements will you say I answer Surely his sinnes now tooke up all his thoughts and affections he could now thinke of nothing else he counted these judgements nothing in comparison of his sins he thought himselfe a happy man if his sins might be pardoned though all these judgements did light upon his house And this is the first thing is to be observed in this suit But then observe secondly how earnest he is with God in begging this suit 1. He oft repeateth this suit and hath never done with it in these two verses thrice blot out my transgressions wash me from mine iniquitie clense me from my sin And then verse 7. againe Purge me with Hysope wash me and I shall be whiter then snow And againe ver 9. Hide thy face from my sinnes blot out mine iniquities 2. It is not his whoredome and murder only that troubled him or that he desired pardon of that would not serve his turne Wash me throughly or multiply thy washings upon me and vers 9. Blot out all mine iniquities as if he should say Let not one spot of any of mine iniquities abide on me Now from these things thus observed 1. That he desireth not so much the removall of so heavy judgements as the pardon of his sins 2. That he maketh no suit for that but for this alone 3. That hee presseth God in this suit with such importunity and earnestnesse we have this Doctrine to learne That pardon of sinne is more to be desired then deliverance from the greatest judgements that can befall us Observe the proofe of this doctrine in foure points all exemplified here in the person and practise of David a man after Gods owne heart First The man that truly knoweth what sinne is whose heart is rightly touched with the sense of it counteth his sin the greatest evill and misery that he can fall into it troubleth him more he is more afraid of it then of any other David now was in great perplexity and anguish of soule which he compareth to that anguish a body is in that hath all his bones broken verse 8. If Nathan should have come to him now and asked him why where is thy paine David Where art thou sicke What is it that troubleth thee so Is it the feare of that open shame I told thee God will bring upon thee in thy wives Is it the feare of the sword I told thee God would bring into thy house Is it any such matter His answer would have bin No no Nathan it is nothing but my sin that paineth and troubleth my soule those things trouble me nothing so much Nothing is so much to be feared nothing will so trouble and humble the heart as sin will doe when once God shall charge it upon a man it will bite like a Serpent and sting like an adder as Solomon speaketh Prov. 23.32 When the poore man that had an incurable palsie was brought to Christ the first word that Christ spake to him was this Markâ— 2.5 Sonne thy sins be forgiven thee He saw that the poore mans sins troubled him much more then his palsie did All bodily diseases are but as flea-bitings in comparison of that anguish that sin will put the heart unto The spirit of a man will sustaine his infirmity saith Solomon Prov. 18.4 but a wounded spirit who can beare When the Angel telleth Ioseph that Christ should be called Iesus a Saviour a deliverer and Redeemer of his people he giveth this for the reason of that name Matth. 1.21 For he shall save his people From what not from poverty nor sicknesse nor shame nor persecution but from their sinnes Sin is the greatest misery and evill that a man can be saved or delivered from Secondly That man that truly knoweth what sin is accounteth the pardon of his sin to be sufficient ground and cause of comfort in any distresse David was now in great anguish of soule as I told you he stood in great need of inward comfort that was his earnest desire as you may see ver 8.12 Make me to heare joy and gladnesse restore to me the joy of thy salvation Which way sought he to come to comfort what made he the maine ground of all his comfort surely the pardon of his sin If once he might obtaine that he knew he should have comfort enough without
the strong and to feed them with judgement For 1. None but such can heartily and in good earnest seeke for their pardon nor make any great account of it Matth. 9.12 The whole have no need of a Physician but they that be sicke And God maketh more account of his pardons then to cast them away upon such as care not greatly for them 2. None but such can receive their pardon aright nor beleeve it belongeth unto them though Christ and his servants should offer it unto them and perswade them to receive it Marke 1.15 Repent ye and beleeve the Gospel But what repentance could that be that went before faith Surely legall repentance this which I now speake of The second meanes is prayer The man that would obtaine of God the pardon of his sins must pray and cry to God importunatly for it make it thy first and only suit as if thou wouldst have no nay nor crave any thing else till thou hast obtained it 1. So the Lord describeth the poore sinners that shall come to him for mercy and pardon Ier. 3â— 9 They shall come with weeping and with supplications 2. God hath himselfe directed us unto this course Esa. 55.6 Seeke the Lord while he may be found How shall that be Call upon him while he is neare 3. This is a sure way for to it a promise is made as we see in the case of the Publican Luke 18 â—3 He went into the Temple to pray and this was the whole summe and effect of his prayer God be mercifull to me a sinner and see the successe verse 14. I tell you saith our Saviour this man went downe to his house justified rather then the other where by the word rather we are not to understand though neither of them were justified yet of the two this rather then the other but that he went home justified and not the other as Iohn 3 19. Men loved darknesse rather then light and not the light and 1. Tim. 1.4 Endlesse genealogies minister questions rather then edifying as if he had said questions and not edifying 4. Another promise we have for this Rom. 10.13 Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved As if he should say Whosoever can pray and cry to God for the pardon of his sins shall be sure to obtaine it 5. Alas will you say how can we pray till our sins be pardoned and till wee have faith Rom. 10.14 How can they call upon him in whom they have not beleeved I answer 1. As there is a legall repentance so there is a legall prayer which though a man cannot have assurance that it shall speed yet is it as the legall repentance a good preparative to faith and God hath beene pleased to shew respect unto it Of such a prayer read Psalme 78.34 When he slew them then they sought him and returned and enquired early after God Did these men pray in faith No verily as we may see verse 37. for their heart was not upright with him Yet had God a gracious respect even to this prayer verse 33. He being full of compassion forgave their iniquity and destroyed them not 2. Men may have received some beginnings of true faith and saving grace before they know and perceive that their sins are pardoned and such prayers are most acceptable to God as we may see Zac. 12.10 first God powred upon them the spirit of grace and supplication they cryed unto God and mourned for their sins then 13.1 the fountain was opened unto them for sin and for uncleannes God useth not to open this fountaine unto any but unto such only The third means is humble confession of our sins unto God He that desires to obtaine pardon at Gods hands must accuse and condemne himselfe before God and judge himselfe unworthy of all mercy He that commeth to God by prayer to beg his pardon must come as Benhadads servants did when they came to Ahab to crave mercy 1 Kin. â—0 32. they came with sackcloth on their loines and ropes about their necks as men professing themselves worthy to dye In this manner came the prodigall to his father Lu. 15.18 19. Father I have sinned against heaven and before thee and am no more worthy to be called thy son In this manner the Publican prayed and confessed his sins Luk 18.13 He stood afarre off and would not lift up so much at his eyes unto heaven but smote upon his breast As if he should have said ô wretched heart of mine Lord I am unworthy I am unworthy to find mercy And you know what successe they both had when they came in this manner to crave mercy and how well they sped And no marvell for they that can come thus have a promise 1. Iohn 1.9 If we confesse our sins God is faithfull and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousnesse And Mat. 2â— 12 He that humbleth himselfe shal be exalted The more we can accuse and condemne vilifie and abase our selves before God the surer we may be that he will justifie and raise us up The fourth and last meanes to be used in this case is faith in Christ. He that desireth to obtaine pardon of his sins must not rest either upon the sense hee hath of his sins or his prayer to God for the pardon of them or his humbling himselfe in the confessing of them but flye out of himselfe to Christ rest upon him by faith and looke to obtaine it only through his merit By this meanes Gods people have ever obtained pardon These are they saith one of the Elders to Iohn Revel 7 1â— which came out of great tribulation and have washed their robes and made them white in the bloud of the Lambe Thus speakes our Saviour to Mary Magdalene Lu. 7.50 Thy faith hath saved thee as iâ— he should say it is not thy teares but they faith that hath obtained thy pardon For 1. this is able to doe it For it is the blood of Christ and that only that cleanseth us from all sin 1 Iohn 1.7 That is the fountaine that iâ— opened to all Gods people that are thus prepared as you have heard for sinne and for uncleannesse 2. Nothing but this is able to doe it Hebr 9.22 Without shedding of bloud is no remission And thus having finished the means we must use to get our pardon I come to shew you the signes how we may know whether we have gotten our pardon or no which is the third last point I propounded for the enforcing of this exhortation A point of as great use and necessity as either of the former were For 1. In this case that proverb is fulfilled Pro. 13.7 There is that maketh himselfe rich and hath nothing and there is that maketh himselfe poore yet hath great riches Many a wicked man is confident that he hath cleared all in Gods debt-booke his sins are pardoned Mic 3.11 Yet will they leane upon the Lord
such as love their sins Psal. 11.5 The wicked and him that loveth violence doth his soule hate Of such as goe on in their sins Psal. 68.21 God will wound the head of his enemies Who are these He answereth in the next words which are an exegesis or interpretation of the former such as goe on in their trespasses To such doe all the curses of the law all those sentences of the holy Scripture that set forth the severity of God belong not to such as feele their sins to be a burden to them and desire to turne unto God 1. Tim. 1.9 10. Know this that the Law is made the curses of the Law are written and appointed for the lawlesse and disobedient for the ungodly and for sinners for the unholy and profane c. The second objection is this Though God be infinite in mercy and his common mercies be over all his workes yet his speciall mercy belongeth to none but to his elect and they are but a few Mat. 20.16 Many are called but few are chosen The greatest part of men are vessels of wrath as the Apostle speaketh Rom. 9.22 predestinated and ordained unto damnation Iude 4. And I have so lived as I see cause to feare I am of that number at least I cannot be sure that I shall find mercy with God though I should turne unto him I answer That though 1. the Lord did indeed in his eternall counsell predestinate some unto life and some unto perdition 2. and that the number of the Elect bee small in comparison of the reprobate yet hath no poore sinner that desireth to turne to God any just cause given him to be discouraged from it by this Doctrine This I will prove to you by three reasons First Because no man ought no man can say and conclude that he is a reprobate because of the life he hath lead That he is in the way that leadeth unto destruction he may know but that he is one of those that God did in his eternall decree appoint unto destruction he cannot know 1. Because God hath not by his word or spirit reveiled this to any particular man that he is a reprobate excepting only him that hath sinned against the holy Ghost which sin thou art farre enough from that desirest to repent and to turne to God Concerning the election of particular men God hath indeed given testimony both by his word 1 Thess. 1.4 5. and by his spirit also Rom. 8.16 The spirit it selfe beareth witnesse with our spirit that wee are the children of God 1. Iohn 5.10 He that beleeveth in the Sonne of God hath the witnesse in himselfe But Gods spirit never testified unto any man that he is a reprobate So that to every man that is so conceited we may say as Paul in another case doth Galat. 5.8 This perswasion commeth not of him that calleth you It commeth not of God And as our Saviour saith Matth. 5.37 Whatsoever is more then this commeth of the evill one Besides 2. God hath hertofore and may still call most wicked men at the very last houre of their lives and so declare them to be his elect who of all men in the world were most unlikely to be of his Elect as wee see in the example of the thiefe Luke 23.40 Secondly As no man can justly say he is a reprobate because God neither by his word nor spirit hath testified any such thing of him so such sinners as I now speake of have just cause to judge that they are not reprobates that God hath not appointed them to wrath but to obtaine salvation by our Lord Iesus Christ as the Apostle speaketh 1 Thes. 5.9 For those whom God hath made vessels of wrath are fitted unto destruction as the Apostle saith Rom. 9.22 They goe on still in the way that leadeth unto destruction and are hardened in their sins Though the greatest part of men shall not find mercy with God yet the cause of this is not in the Lord it is in themselves only because they seeke it not Hos. 13.9 O Israel thou hast destroyed thy selfe God sheweth himselfe ready enough to receive even such unto mercy but they care not for it So speaketh Christ even of Ierusalem though she had killed and stoned his Prophets Matth. 23.37 How often would I have gathered thy children together even as a Henne gathereth her chickens under her wings and ye would not That sinner therefore that findeth God hath wrought in him a desire to get under Gods wings a desire to repent and to turne unto God is in the way that leadeth unto life God is preparing and fitting him for glory and therefore he hath just cause to judge that he is no reprobate but a vessell of mercy Rom. 9.23 Thirdly and lastly No man is to judge of his present or future estate nor of Gods purpose towards him by the secret will of God but by his reveiled will Deut. 29.29 The secret things belong unto the Lord our God but those things that are reveiled belong to us and to our children for ever We may not in this case pry curiously nor enquire into the secret counsell of God but reverently admire it and cry with the Apostle Rom 11.33 ô altitudo ô the depth Remember what befell the men of Bethshemesh 1. Sam. 6.19 God smote aboue fifty thousand of them for looking into the Arke of God Looke thou enquire thou into the reveiled will of God and there thou shalt find enough to encourage thee to turne unto him and to assure thee that thou needest not doubt to find mercy and grace with him if thou canst now seeke it First God hath reveiled in his Word that he doth not desire nor take pleasure in the destruction of any wicked man no not in his temporall destruction Hee gave the old World warning of the Floud an hundred and twenty yeares before it came that by their repentance they might have prevented it as you shall see by comparing 1 Peter 3.20 with Gene. 6.3 He gave Pharaoh and the Aegyptians warning of the plagues they enforced him to bring upon them that by their repentance they might prevent them And in giving them warning of the fiery haile he expressely saith he did it to that end that they might save their servants and their cattell from that destruction Exod. 9.19 Send therefore now and gather thy cattell and all that thou hast in the field c. When his people had so deeply provoked him to bring them into miserable captivity and he had assured them by his Prophets that he would do it yet how oft was his heart turned within him and his repentings kindled together as the Prophet speaketh Hosea 11.8 How oft and how earnestly doth he warne them of it How many meanes doth hee use to perswade them that by their repentance they would prevent it See for proofe of this Ieremy 26.2 3. And 36.2 3 6 7. And if hee take no pleasure in the destruction
I may use to you the words of the Prophet Esa. 42.23 Who among you will give eare to this who will hearken and heare for the time to come Thirdly and lastly Admit there were but one or two among you that had present need of comfort and none of the rest of you either needed it now or were like to stand in need of it hereafter yet stand I more bound to respect the two poore afflicted soules then al the rest of you though you were as many more as you are and rather let you all go without that portion that belongeth to you then those two And I have three reasons to move me to it First the example of the Prophet Elisha 2 King 4.27 who had tender respect to the Shunamite when her soule was vexed within her Yea of Christ who is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the chiefe shepheard and pastour who professeth this to be his chiefe care Ezek. 34.16 I will bind up that which was broken and will strengthen that that was sicke And that this was the chiefe worke God appointed him to when he sent him to preach Esa. 61.1 2. He hath sent me to bind up the broken-hearted and to comfort all that mourne in Zion And gave an experiment of this in Peter and Mary whom because they were afflicted in conscience he shewed more care of after his resurrection then of all the rest of the Disciples Mar 16 9. 1 Cor. 15.5 Ioh. 21.15 Secondly the charge and commandement of Christ which he hath given all his Ministers concerning these as appeareth Esa. 40.1 2. Comfort ye comfort ye my people saith your God speake ye comfortably to Ierusalem And in that charge to Peter Ioh. 21.15 Feed my lambes Thirdly as these poore soules have need to be comforted and have this evill usually accompanying their other misery that it is a hard thing to fasten any comfort upon them their soulâ— usually refuseth comfort when they are in this case as David speaketh Psal 77.2 So the ministery of the Word being ordained to this very end 1 Cor. 4.3 hath more force and God sheweth his power more in it this way then in any private meanes According to that Esa 57.19 I create the fruit of the lips peace peace to him that is farre off and to him that is neere saith the Lord and I will heale him Now therefore hearken unto me so many of you as feare the Lord and yet are much subject to trouble of mind and heavinesse of heart and to use the words of the Evangelicall Prophet Esa. 51.1 hearkâ—n unto me ye that folow aâ—â—â—r righteousnesse ye that seeke the Lord. Stirre up your hearts to admit of the word of consolation Foure things I have to say to you for your comfort First It is the will of God that such as you are should be cheerefull and comfortable in your spirits He hath oft charged you in his Word to be so yea as oft and as earnestly as ever he charged you to feare him and to lead a godly life Psal. 32.11 Be glad in the Lord and rejoyce ye righteous so I would wilt thou say if I were so but marke what followeth and shout for joy all ye that are upright in heart Yea Psalme 105.3 Let the heart of them rejoyce that seeke the Lord. Yea Phil. 4.4 Rejoyce in the Lord alway and againe I say rejoyce To omit many other places as Psalme 2.11.33.1.48.11.68.4.97.12.149.2.5 Matth. 5.12 Luke 10.20 Rom. 12.13 Phil. 3.1 1 Thess. 5.26 By all which you may perceive this that God greatly delighteth to see you cheerefull and comfortable Secondly I must intreat you to consider the mischiefe that commeth by your giving so much way to your heavinesse and feares 1. You give occasion to wicked men to blaspheme and speake evill of the good waies of God as if this preaching and profession made men mad or mopish that follow it and so yee alienate their hearts from religion and make them hate preaching As the spies that brought an evill report of the land of promise and said Numb 1â— 32 It was a land that devoured the inhabitants of it alienated the hearts of the people from it and made them murmur against Moses and Aaron Numb 14.2 It is said Acts 9.31 that while the faithfull walked in the feare of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Ghost they multiplied That is the way to add to the Church and gaine others to it when Christians walke cheerefully and comfortably and so the contrary is a stumbling blocke to keepe men from it 2. By yeelding to this heavinesse you give advantage to Sathan and make your selves lesse able to resist his tentations Neh. 8.10 Be not so sorrowfull for the joy of the Lord is your strength 3. By yeelding to this heavinesse and feare ye make the duties and services ye do to God lesse acceptable unto him For as God loveth a cheerefull giver 2 Cor. 9.7 so doth he a cheerefull worshipper Psalme 100.2 Serve the Lord with gladnesse The Lord would have us call the Sabbath a delight Esa. 58.13 And threatneth captivity even for this Deut. 28.47 Because they served him not with joyfullnesse and with gladnesse of heart Thirdly I must desire you to consider how just cause such as you are have to be comfortable and cheerfull in the Lord what cause soever you have of humbling in your selves For certainly yeare in a blessed state Psal. 128.1 Blessed is every one that feareth the Lord. 1. You are the people to whom the kingdome of heaven doth belong Mat. 5.3 Blessed are the poore in spirit for theirs is the kingdome of heaven And all things that befall you shall certainely tend to the fitting of you for it and therefore you have just cause of joy Feare not little flock saith our Saviour Luk. 12 3â— it is your fathers good pleasure to give you the kingdome Rom. 8.28 All things worke together for good to them that feare God Rom. 5.2 We rejoyce in hope of the glory of God Yea we glory in tribulation also verse 3..2 You are the people whose sins are forgiven and for whom Christ hath fully satisfyed the justice of his father so as though you may be chastised sharply for them punished you shall never be In that day there shall be a fountaine opened to the house of David and to the inhabitants of Ierusalem for sinne and for uncleannesse Zach. 13.1 In what day See that Zach. 12.10 when God shall poure upon them the spirit of grace and supplications so as they should looke upon him whom they had pierced and mourne for him And therefore thou hast just cause of joy Esa. 40.2 Speake ye comfortably to Ierusalem and cry unto her that her warfare is accomplished the battell is fought and victory obtained against all her enemies that her iniquity is pardoned for she hath received of the Lords hand double for all her sinnes 3. You are the people that how ever men esteeme you or you thinke of
all thy getting get understanding For riches and honor are with her yea durable riches and righteousnesse Pro. 8.18 and 2. thou that hast ever felt the worke of grace comfort of Gods spirit in thy selfe mayest boldly from thy former experience conclude as David doth Psalme 23. â— Surely goodnes and mercy shall follow mee all the dayes of my life and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord for ever Iohn 8.35 The servant abideth not in the house for ever but the sonne doth Though my love to God be changeable yet Gods love to me is not Esa. 64.5 In those is continuance and we shall be saved Though therefore the comforter have withdrawne himselfe from thee for a time be sure he will returne againe and therefore wait for him And that which the Prophet saith of his vision may fitly be applyed to this purpose Hab. 2.3 Though it tarry wait for it for it will surely come it will not tarry hee meaneth one moment longer then the appointed time the fittest time Resolve with thy selfe as the Prophet doth Esay 8.17 I will wait upon the Lord that hideth his face from the house of Iacob even from his owne chosen people sometimes and I will looke for him Certainely of this sicknesse of thy soule I may say to thee as Christ did of Lazarus Iohn 11.4 this sicknesse is not unto death thou shalt surely recover it thy sorrow shall be turned into joy as our Saviour hath promised Iohn 16.20 The third direction is this Thou must well examine thy present estate and thou shalt find that though the spirit of adoption seeme to be gone and thou canst not find that worke of the spirit in thy selfe yet the spirit of sanctification abideth still in thee and if thou wilt well examine thy selfe thou shalt find that worke of the spirit in thee 1 Iohn 2.17 The annointing which ye hâ—ve received of him abideth in you and 3.9 Whosoever is borne of God doth not commit sinne that is as other men doe or as himselfe did before for his seed remaineth in him Examine thy heart well and thou shalt find evident notes of this First Thou art afraid to doe anything that thou knowest would offend God and whence commeth that from flesh and bloud No no of every naturall man the Apostle pronounceth Rom. 3.18 There is no feare of God before his eyes Secondly Thou lovest all that feare God and this is a certaine signe Gods spirit abideth in thee 1 Iohn 3.13 14. Marveâ— not my â—rethren though the world hate you wee know that wee have passed from death to life because wee love the Brethren Thirdly even in this case wherein now thou art thou prayest still and darest not neglect that duty as David did Psalme 31.22 I said in my hast I am cut off from before thine eyes neverthelesse thou heardest the voice of my supplications when I cryed unto thee Even then I plyed thee with supplications and 61.2 From the end of the earth will I cry unto thee when my heart is overwhelmed And whence commeth this I pray you Surely these prayers of all others proceed from the spirit as the Apostle teacheth Romans 8.26 The spirit helpeth our infirmities for wee know not what wee should pray for as wee ought but the spirit it selfe maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot bee uttered Fourthly thou lovest God though he doe hide his face and frowne on thee yea this very sorrow and anguish thou art in is a certaine Symptome and signe of thy love to God that is the cause that is the roote of it thou couldest not bee troubled as thou art with this that thou wantest the sense of Gods love if thou didst not dearely love him Certainely thou art sicke of love as the Church was Canticles 2.5 When Christ withdrew himselfe a while from her and shee sought him so carefully shee bewrayeth and could not conceale this to be the cause of her griefe Cant 3.1 2 3. I â—ought him whom my soule loveth I will go into the city and seeke him whom my soule loveth I said unto the watch-men saw ye him whom my soule loveth And whence came it that Mary wept so Luke 7.47 She loved much And whence commeth this I pray thee that thou so lovest the Lord From flesh and bloud No no this can come from nothing but from Gods spirit saving grace as is plaine by that question thrice moved to Peter Ioh. 21.15 17. Dost thou love me And by that of the Apostle 1 Cor. 8.3 If any man love God the same is knowne of him Fiftly and lastly Thou dost at the least unfainedly desire to feare God and to love him and to call upon him and to love his children and it is a great griefe and trouble to thy heart that thou canst not doe it better To will is present with thee as the Apostle speaketh Rom. 7.18 Certainely this change that is wrought in thy will these unfained desires of grace doe prove evidently that the spirit of God dwelleth in thee Phil. 2.13 It is God that worketh in you both to will and to doe of his good pleasure And Nehe. 1.11 Nehemiah proveth himselfe to be Gods servant even by this note because hee desired to feare Gods name Now from these five notes of Gods spirit dwelling in thee thou mayest infallibly inferre these conclusions for the recovering of thy comfort 1. That thou hast faith and art thereby united unto Christ. 1 Iohn 3.24 Hereby we know that hee abideth in us by the spirit which he hath given us And 4.13 Hereby wee know that wee dwell in him and he in us because hee hath given us of his spirit As the naturall spirit is in no member that is not united to the head so can the spirit of sanctification bee in none that is not by faith knit unto Christ our head as the Apostle applyeth this comparison Ephesians 4.16 And our Saviour Iohn 15.4 As the branch cannot beare fruit of it selfe unlesse it abide in the Vine no more can yee except ye abide in me 2. That thou hast just cause to bee comfortable thou hast the roote and ground of sound comfort in thy selfe Psalme 32.11 Bee glad in the Lord and rejoyce ye righteous and shout for joy all ye that are upright in heart 3. That it is thy great sin for which thou hast just cause to checke and blame thy selfe that thou art not more thankefull that thou rejoycest no more in thine estate Is it thinkest thou 〈◊〉 blessing or a common blessing to have Christ to have Gods spirit dwelling in thee to have this blessed change wrought in thy soule Paul giveth thankes for this Romans 6.17 God bee thanked that ye were the servants of sinne but ye have obeyed from the heart that forme of Doctrine that was delivered unto you And 1 Thessal 3.9 What thankes can we render to God againe for you for all the joy wherewith we rejoyce for your sakes before our
God Yea hee professeth 2. Thessalon 1.3 that hee was bound to give thanks to God alwayes for them And were not they thinke you much more bound to be thankefull to God themselves and to rejoyce in their estate Certainely Christians offend God much in this and hinder not onely their owne comfort but their growth in grace too that they are alwayes poring and musing upon and mourning for their wants and failings and never cast an eye upon any grace God hath wrought in them never joy in it nor lift up their hearts to God in thankefulnesse for it 4. and lastly That seeing Gods spirit dwelleth in thee certainely the comfort and feeling of Gods favour though it be gone for a time will come againe Psalme 37.37 Marke the perfect man and behold the upright for the end of that man is peace And Malac. 4 2. Vnto you that feare my name shall the Sunne of righteousnesse arise with â—ealing in his wings All your darkenesse feares discomforts shall be dispelled all the wounds and sores of your soules shall certainely bee healed one day For it is the title and most proper effect of the spirit to be a comforter Ioh. 14 5 16. and an oyle of gladnesse Heb. 1.9 Lecture XXX on Psalme 51.1 2. Iune 27. 1626. THe fourth direction I must give you for the recovering of your comfort is this If thou canst not by this three-fold examination of thy selfe find any thing in thy selfe present or past that may yeeld thee comfort then take the help of some faithful friend minister or other to whom thou maist make known thy estate This course the Church took when she was in this case Cant. 3.1 3. When she could not find him whom her soule loved by her secret prayers and meditations or such like endeavours she went abroad to seeke him and came at length to the watchmen that went about the city In this direction for the help of your understanding and memory observe foure points First It is not safe to smother and keepe in this griefe too long some ease it will bee to the heart to let it have a vent As Elihu speaketh in another case Iob 3â— 19 20. My belly is as wine that hath no vent it is ready to burst like new bottells I will speake that I may be refreshed It is not good for a Christian in this tentation to keepe Satans counsell it is good to bewray and utter it to some not to wrestle with him alone hand to hand too long In this case is that saying of Solomon found most true Eccl. 4.9 10. Two are better then one for if they fall the one will lift up his fellow but woe to him that is alone when he falleth for he hath not another to help him up Secondly Another yea though inferiour to thee in grace may be better able to judge of thy estate then thy selfe canst doe in this case of tentation and trouble of thy mind Say not can any man know mee better then I know my selfe 1. Cor. 2.11 What man knoweth the things of a man save the spirit of a man which is in him In this case hee may we have a proverbe that a stander by may sometimes see more then a gamster can Passion of griefe and feare will blind the judgement and make it unable to doe his office When Naaman was in a passion his servants could judge better what was sit for him to doe then himselfe 2. Kin. 5.12 13. Thirdly In this case it will appeare what a benefit it is to live among them that feare God to have acquaintance with them that are soundly religious A private Christian that is faithfull and experienced may in this case of tentation stand the learnedest and worthiest man in great stead We read in the booke of Martyrs that Iohn Carelesse a poore weaver did in a letter he sent him absolve Master Bradford who was much subject to affliction of conscience and pronounced in the name of Christ that all his sinnes were forgiven and Master Bradford professeth hee received more comfort by that letter then hee had had in all the time of his imprisonment before And no marueil for this is also Gods ordinance that private Christians should yeeld helpe one to another and receiue helpe one from another in this case 1 Thes. 5.14 I exhort you brethren comfort the feeble minded and Iames 5.16 Confesse your faults one to another and pray one for another that ye may be healed He speaketh to them that were sicke and in their sicknesse had trouble of minde for sin The effectuall feruent prayer of a righteous man be he Minister or private Christian availeth much Fourthly Yet is the faithfull Minister the fittest to bee advised with in this case Iames 5.14 Is any man sicke such sicke folke hee meaneth as were also troubled in minde for sinne as appeareth verse 15. let him call for the Elders of the Church and let them pray over him For the conscience of him that is in distresse may more confidently rely upon the testimony and sentence which according to the word they give of his estate then upon the testimony and sentence of any other man 1. Because they have their senses better exercised to discerne of good and evill as the Apostle speaketh Hebr. 5.14 2. Because of the speciall authority and commission God hath given them in this case Iohn 20.23 Whose soever sins ye remit they are remitted unto them As it was in the case of Leprosie As Mat. 8.4 The Priest must pronounce him that had beene leprous to be cleane before he could be clensed though one would have though another might have done it well there being so particular directions given in the Law Levit. 11.2 3.37 49 and 14.2 The fift direction is When neither by examining thy selfe nor by the helpe of any other thou canst recover thy comfort yet seeke to God by fervent prayer and depend upon him for it This course Gods servants have taken in all their afflictions and have found ease and comfort in it Thus Samuel when the people had exceedingly grieved him by rejecting not his government so much as the ordinance of God 1 Sam. 8.6 hee betooke himselfe to prayer So David Psal. 109.4 For my love they are mine adversaries but I give my selfe unto prayer So in this inward affliction of minde which is strange even when they have lost the feeling of Gods favour and that sweete peace and comfort that they formerly found in God they have sought comfort by prayer also Psal. 61.2 From the end of the earth will I crie vnto thâ—e when my heart is overwhelmed Five notable encouragements Gods poore people may have to seeke comfort by prayer as in all other afflictions so in this especially First The very opening of their griefe unto the Lord will be a great ease to their heart Experience prooueth it to bee a great ease to ones heart that is in extreme griefe and perplexity to have a faithfull friend
our Saviour to his elect disciples Mat. 6.26 Behold the foules of the aire and ver 18. Consider the lillies of the field Yea one chiefe cause of that patience and goodnes that God sheweth to all his creatures and to the vilest men is that his owne people might have visible and palpable demonstrations of his speciall love and goodnes toward themselves 2 Cor. 4.15 all things are for your sakes And therefore David thus concludeth that 107. Psalme wherein he had at large discoursed of the goodnesse of God towards all sorts of men that are in distresse verse 43. Whoso is wise and observeth these things even they shall vnderstand the loving kindnes of the Lord. And from thence Gods child that is in distrest of conscience may confidently conclude thus If God be so good to them then sure he will bee much more good to mee and respect me that through his mercy have obtained grace to feare him and to desire to please him Thus our Saviour teacheth his Disciples to reason Matth. 6.26.30 Are not ye much better then they Shall he not much more cloath you ô ye of litle faith And 10.31 Feare ye not therefore ye are of more value then many sparrowes So when David had spoken of the generall goodnesse of the Lord extended to all men Psal. 145.14 16. The Lord upholdeth all that fall and raiseth up all that bee bowed downe the eyes of all wait upon thee thou satisfiest the desire of every living thing Hee inferreeth from thence verse 18.20 The Lord is nigh to all that cast upon him he will fulfill the desire of them that feare him the Lord preserveth all them that love him Secondly consider the goodnesse of God towards thy selfe in thy first conversion when there was no goodnesse in thee at all nothing but ignorance and profanesse when thou wert in thy blood the Lord said unto thee live as hee speaketh Ezek. 16.6 When thou hadst no mind at all to looke towards God but carriedst thy selfe toward him as an enemy hee cast a gracious eye upon thee and changed thy heart as he did upon Peter when hee was renouncing and forswearing him Luke 22.61 when thou soughtest not to him at all nor hadst any care of thy salvation hee did seeke thee with great earnestnesse and patience as he speaketh Rom. 10.21 All the day long have I stretched out my hands unto a disobedient and gaine-saying people Yea when thou wert running away from God in the broad way that leadeth unto destruction he ranne after thee and cryed to thee with great affection and love as Cant. 6.13 Returne returne ô Shulamite returne returne And from this consideration thou mayest thus reason with thine owne soule did the Lord so love mee when there was no goodnesse in me and shall I thinke hee hateth me now that by his grace hee hath wrought some desires in me to feare him and to make conscience of my wayes That cannot bee for certainely the righteous Lord loveth righteousnesse Psalme 11.7 Did the Lord so seeke after me when I ran as fast as I could from him and was he found of me when I sought him not as he speaketh Esa. 65.1 and will he now reject me and not bee found of me when he hath given me a heart to seek him That cannot be For for that I had promise but for this I have 2. Chron. 15.2 If ye seeke him he will be found of you Thirdly and lastly Observe and marke well the testimonies of Gods speciall love and goodnesse towards thee even now in this thy grievous affliction of mind and spirituall disertion and thou shalt find that now hee seemeth to bee most angry with thee he loveth thee dearely in his wrath he remembreth mercy toward thee For how falleth it out that thou art not overcome of this so dangerous a tentation thou still seekest to God and art afraid to offend him thou hast bin oft brought to the very brinke of desperation yet thou art not fallen into the gulfe Thou art perplexed but not in despaire cast downe but not destroyed as the Apostle speaketh 2. Corinth 4.8 9. Thou hast beene as the bush that Moses saw Exod. 3.2 3. that burned with fire and yet was not consumed What hath kept thee from falling into that gulfe from being overcome of Satan from sinking utterly under this intollerable burden of a wounded spirit Certainely certainely thou art kept by the power of God as the Apostle speaketh 1 Peter 1.5 the Lord doth uphold thee This is that that David saith speaking of such a one as thou art Psalme 37.24 Though he fall he shall not be utterly cast downe for the Lord upholdeth him with his hand And as Moses speaketh Deut. 3◠27 The everlasting armes have beene under thee Certainely God never shewed more love to thee in all thy life then thee doth now Hee letteth thee see and feele thine owne weakenesse and readinesse to sin that thou mightest have the better proofe of his marvellous power and love in upholding thee Thus dealt hee with blessed Paul 2 Corinth 12.9 My grace is sufficient for thee for my strength is made perfect in weakenesse As wee see sometimes a tender father that perceiving his child loveth to bee too neere the fire or water will make as though hee would fling him in but then taketh hee fast hold on him least he should fall in indeed even so dealeth the Lord oft with his dearest children hee never holdeth them faster then when hee seemeth even ready to cast them into hell and into the gulfe of desperation So as to conclude if thou couldest observe the Lords dealing with thee now thou wouldest find cause to cry unto him with David Psalme 73.22 23. O how foolish have I bin and ignorant to doubt so of thy love to hearken so much unto Satan I have beene as a beast before thee neverthelesse though I am apt to thinke thou hast quite forsaken me yet I find I am continually with thee thou hast holden mee by my right hand LECTVRES ON PSAL. LI. 3 Lecture XXXI on Psalme LI. 3 Iuly XI MDCXXVI For I acknowledge my transgressions and my sinne is ever before mee WEE have already heard that in the first part of Davids prayer in this Psalme which is for the pardon of his sins two principall things were to be observed 1. The manner of expressing this his suit and request 2. The arguments whereby hee doth confirme his faith and upon which hee doth ground his hope to speed well and obtaine this his suit at the hands of God And the first of these grounds and arguments we have heard was the knowledge he had of the Lords mercy and goodnesse in the two former verses It followeth now that wee proceed unto the second and that is the grace that God had wrought in him that he was able to confesse and acknowledge his sin and this is set downe 1. more generally in this verse that I have now read and 2. more
Luke 24.47 Repentance and remission of sinnes must bee preached in Christs name And this repentance must not be such a one as we fancie and frame to our selves but such as God in his word hath appointed and that is as we have heard that for publike sins we repent publikely He that refuseth to doe this forsaketh you see his owne mercy 2. In the offences we have done to men we can haue no benefit of Christs sacrifice for the pardon of them till we have first endeavoured to give satisfaction unto them whom we have offended This is plaine by that law Levit. 6.5 and by the speech of our Saviour Matt. 5.24 Leave there thy gift before the Altar and goe thy way first bee reconciled to thy brother and then come and offer thy gift He then that refuseth to satisfie the Congregation that he hath offended and to seeke reconciliation with it doth in this respect also forsake his owne mercy and barreth himselfe from having benefit by the sacrifice of Christ. Thus have I shewed you how hainous the sin of these men is now let me endeavour to remove the maine impediment that keepeth men from this duty and that I will doe briefly and so conclude I could be content to doe this but that it will be such a shame and reproch unto me Can any man that hath the spirit and heart of a man in him be willing to make himselfe a gazing and laughing stocke to a whole Congregation And surely it is lamentable to see how the devill who made men impudent and shamelesse when he tempted them to sin overwhelmeth them and stoppeth their mouthes with shame when they should confesse their sin and so finde mercy with God Certainely this is Satans worke and till God bee pleased to deliver men from the power of Satan it will never be better with them But as it is said of the man that was possessed with a dumbe spirit Luke 11.14 When the devil is once gone out of them the dumbe will speake and speake so freely and frankly in the acknowledgment of their sins that men will wonder to see it I answer 1. It will be no reproch unto thee at all 2. If it were yet must thou be willing to doe it First It will be no encrease of shame or reproch to thee at at all For. 1. hereby thou publishest not thy sin which is the onely true cause of shame man never knew what shame meant till sin entred into the world Gen. 3.7.10 nor makest it open that was secret before but thy repentance onely and that is a worke of Gods grace no matter of shame but of glory The spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you saith the Apostle 1 Pet. 4.14 Indeed ungracious men are ashamed of nothing so much as of religion to be thought to have any piety or grace in them but what a height of wickednesse is this Certainely religion will be a glory to him that hath it O yee sons of men saith David Psal. 4.2 how long will yee turne my glory into shame 1. Admit some lewd men will mocke thee for it all good men will esteeme the better of thee for it When Gods people saw Pauls repentance they never reproched him for his former blasphemies but glorified God for it as he speaketh Galat. 1.24 Yea there is more joy in heaven where God and Christ and the elect Angels and the blessed spirits are over one sinner that repenteth then over ninety nine just persons that need no repentance as our Saviour himself assureth us upon his word Luke 15.7.3 It is not possible thou shouldest loose any credit and reputation by obeying God and so honouring him Who thinketh the worse of Moses or David or Peter or Paul for the foule sins that they were guilty of And who is the author of all true credit and reputation even with men Is it not the Lord. Both riches and honour come of thee saith David 1 Chron. 29.12 and Psal. 33. Thou ô Lord art my glory and the lifter up of my head And God hath bound himselfe with promise that no man shall loose but gaine reputation and credit by serving him and doing his will 1 Sam. 2.30 Them that honour me I will honour especially that no man shall loose credit and estimation by humbling and taking shame upon himselfe in the way of unfained repentance as our Saviour promiseth upon occasion taken from his speech of the humiliation of the Publicane Luke 18.14 He that humbleth himselfe shall be exalted Secondly I answer that admit thou couldest not thus publikely confesse thy sin but it would make thee ridiculous and bring a perpetuall reproch and infamy upon thee yet should not this stay thee from this duty For 1. thou canst never have assurance thou hast truly repented that thy heart is truely changed and turned unto God till thou canst deny thy selfe and prefer the honour of God before thine owne credit with men If any man will come after mee saith our Saviour Luke 9.23 let him deny himselfe While we are so farre in love with our selves our owne reason our owne will our owne pleasure or profit till we can crosse our selves in that that is so deare unto us as our credit is and with the foure and twenty Elders Reu. 4.10 cast downe our crownes before the throne of God and at his feet till we can say with David 2 Sam. 6.22 I will yet bee more vile then thus and will be base in mine owne sight we can never know what true repentance meaneth 2. Thy peace with God the peace of thy conscience is more worth then thy credit with all the men in the world Take the blessed Apostle for an example in this point who having spoken Phil. 3.4 6. of many priviledges he had to glory in that tended greatly to gaine him credit in the world professeth verse 7 8. he counted them all losse that is he was contented to loose them all for Christ. For whom saith he I have suffered the losse of all things and doe count them but dung that I may winne Christ. Certainely thy credit will be a losse unto thee but thou shalt be a greater looser by the bargaine if for love of it thou loose thy peace with God O how hard penance will many of the poore seduced Papists endure to pacifie their consciences they will goe bare foot and bareleg to Tyburne c. and yet it is but a false peace that is gotten that way all their labour is spent upon that that satisfieth not as the Prophet speaketh Esay 55 2. And shall we be unwilling to crosse our selves a little in submitting our selves to that course of repentance which God himselfe hath prescribed and which will therefore certainely procure to our hearts that peace of God which passeth all understanding as the Apostle speaketh Phil. 4.7 Lecture XXXVIII On Psalme 51.3 Octob. 31. 1626. IT followeth now that we proceed to the third and last kind of
sin even without words is a more effectuall confession in the sight of God then all the most excellent words in the world without an humble heart Such as was Mary Magdalens of whom it is plaine by Christs answer to her Luke 7.48 He said unto her thy sins are forgiven that she had confessed and complained of her sins yet spake she never a word but wept and sobbed aboundantly verse 38 And on the other side this is that that maketh the confessions the hypocrite doth make of his sins odious unto God yea that maketh the confessions most of us make utterly fruitlesse and uncomfortable unto us that they are verball onely and from the teeth outward our hearts are not at all affected with that we say We declare our iniquities often unto God as David said he would doe Psal. 38.18 but wee leave out the other and I will bee sorry for my sin And what man would not thinke himselfe mocked and scorned by him that had done him wrong and will pretend a desire of reconciliation and confesse the wrong he had done him but without all shew of sorrow for it Fourthly The sincere confession is holy and honest joyned alwayes with an unfeigned hatred of sin and resolution to forsake it The true confessour doth as heartily desire to be disburdened and delivered from the power and dominion of his sins as from the sting and punishment of them Marke this in the confession that good Shecaniah maketh Ezra 10.2 3. Wee have trespassed against our God and taken strange wives now therefore let us make a covenant with our God to put away all these strange wives See this also noted by Elihu in the description that he maketh of a true confessour that humbleth himselfe before God Iob 34.31 32. Surely it is meet to bee said unto God I have borne chastisement I will not offend any more that which I see not teach thou mee if I have done iniquity I will doe no more This is also very observable in that antithesis that Solomon maketh Pro. 28.13 The covering of sin and not confessing it is enough he saith to bring Gods curse upon a man he that covereth his sin shall not prosper but the confessing of sin is not enough to obtaine mercy from God hee that confesseth and forsaketh them shall finde mercy And on the other side this doth greatly discover the hypocrisie of most men in the confessions they make of their sins to God 1. They confesse them but they forsake them not they returne with the dog as the Apostle speaketh 2 Pet. 2.22 greedily to those very sins which they seemed to loath and cast up Thus did Saul he confesseth his sin against David sundry times and that with teares 1 Sam. 24.16 17. and yet Chap. 26.2 he pursueth him againe as eagerly as ever he did 2. Yea many a man emboldneth himselfe to sin the more freely even by this because he is perswaded that by confessing his sin as the drunkard by his vomiting he shall be eased of all and freed from the burden of his sin This is the confidence that the dissolute Papist putteth in his confession and I would that none did so but they Surely the Lord in his justice doth use to punish an hypocriticall confession of sin this way even by giving men up to sin with more greedinesse after it then they did before See an example of this in Pharaoh Ye read of an ample confession he made of his sin Exod. 9.27 but verse 34. of the same Chapter you shall finde he became worse after that confession then ever he was before he sinned yet more saith the text and hardened his heart he and his servants Fiftly and lastly The sincere confession is filiall and groweth not from slavish feare but from love to God and hope of his mercy He goeth to God in confession of his sin not as the felon to the Iustice who knoweth if he confesse he shall die for it but as the sicke man to the Physitian who by laying open his griefe unto him looketh for health and comfort by it Thus did Daniel in that large confession he maketh Dan. 9.9 To thee O God belongeth mercy and forgivenesse though we have rebelled against thee Thus did Shecaniah Ezr. 10.2 We have transgressed against our God and have taken strange wives yet now there is hope in Israel concerning this thing So the prodigall though he had so despised and provoked and forsaken his father as he had done yet goeth in this manner and with this affection of heart unto him Luke 15.18 I will arise and goe to my father and will say to him Father I have sinned And indeed it is the spirit of grace onely that maketh us able to supplicate and confesse and humble our selves in a right and kindly manner As you may see Zach. 12.10 I will powre upon them the spirit of grace and of supplications and they shall looke upon me whom they have pierced and they shall mourne On the other side If a man never confesseth his sins but when it is extorted from him by some judgement of God by feare of death and damnation like the traitor that will confesse nothing but upon the racke though he crye never so much out of his sin then as you shall heare some on their death beds doe it is a shrewd signe that it is but counterfeit Thus did Pharaoh as wee have heard Thus did cursed Baalam when he saw the Angell stand before him with a drawne sword Num. 22.34 cry out I have sinned 2. If a man confesse never so much against himselfe and aggravate his sin yet if hee conceive not of God as of his father if he have not hope of mercy his confession is counterfeit So was Cains Gen. 4.13 And so was that of Iudas Mat. 27.4 Lecture XLI On Psalme 51.3 Novemb. 28. 1626. NOw followeth the second part of the verse the thing that moved David thus to confesse his sin to make supplication to God for the pardon of it My sin saith he is ever before me Where we must observe 1. That his sin was ever in his eye hee could not avoid the thinking of it nor put it out of his mind night and day at home and abroad at all times and in all places it was ever before him 2. That it represented it selfe unto him now not as it had done before but in the true proportion in that shape as it troubled disquieted his heart and gave him no rest till he had got further assurance of the pardon of it This he expresseth thus in another place Psal. 38.17 My sorrow is continually before me It was before him as a matter of sorrow And Ps. 38.3 There is no rest in my bones because of my sin And as a thorne in a mans joynt will force him to seeke to some that may get it on t so did his sin here by vexing and disquieting his heart drive him to God to
great pleasure or great advantage if we would yeeld unto it Sinne deceived mee saith Paul Rom. 7.11 and so slew me But when it shall be brought againe by our conscience into our mind and set before us it will appeare unto us as an enemy and a tormentor and the sight of it will be grievous and terrible unto us It is therefore fitly resembled by the harlot Solomon speaketh of Proverbs 5.3 4. The lips of a strange woman drop as an hony combe there is the first comming of sin when it commeth to tempt and allure us but what followeth Her end is bitter as worme-wood sharpe as a two edged sword There is the second comming of sin into our mind when it commeth to accuse and torment us It is like unto those locusts Iohn saw in his vision and whereby he doth testifie and represent the Popish fryers and Iesuites Reve. 9.7.8.10 Their faces were as the faces of men and their haire as the haire of women There is the shape that sin appeareth in when it first representeth and offereth it selfe unto us but their teeth were as the teeth of Lyons and they had tailes like unto Scorpions and there were stings in their tayles There is the latter comming of sin and the bitternesse and anguish it will put us unto when our conscience shall set it before us and accuse us of it And certainly no paine or anguish in the world in comparable to that which the strokes and wounds of the conscience will put a man unto A wounded spirit who can beare Pro. 18.14 To have unquietnes at home to have her unquiet with thee that is continually with thee at board and in bed is justly estemed one of the greatest miseries in this life Solomon compared it Pro. 19.13 to a continuall dropping that will wast the hardest stone in the world But to have our own conscience brawle and exclaime and be unquiet with us is a misery unspeakably greater then the former can be O then let us be afraid to sin even in this respect because our conscience will be so apt to fall out and be unquiet with us if wee do so apt to cast it in our teeth to accuse yea to smite and wound us for it Thirdly The time when our conscience will begin thus to set our sins before us thus to rebuke to check and wound us for them or when it hath once begun when it will make an end or in what degree or measure it will doe it no man but God alone that setteth it a worke doth know This kind of affliction as all other is is compared to a cup or potion Mark 10.39 Ye shall indeed drinke of the cup that I drinke of Now this cup the Lord keepeth in his own hana as it is said Ps. 75.8 he powreth out of the same Every man shall drinke of this cup when the Lord seeth good to minister it and hee shall drinke of it in that measure as the Lord shall see good to appoint But no man hath cause to looke for any long truce with his conscience or that i will give him any long day If thou dost not well saith the Lord to Cain Gen. 4 â— sin that is the punishment and sting of sin lyeth at the doore that is is neere even at the doore as the same phrase is rendred Mat. 24.33 Fourthly and lastly There is no comparison betweene the pleasure or profit that any sin can yeeld us and the anguish and paine which our conscience will put us unto when it shall accuse and smite us for it 1. The pleasure and joy that sin yeeldeth us is but overly in the faâ—e rather then in the heart as the Apostle speaketh 2 Cor. 5 1â— There is no soundnesse in it it is mixed for the most part with inward gripings Pro. 14.13 Even in laughter the heart is sorrowfull But the sorrow and anguish that our conscience will put us unto when it accuseth and smiteth us for si◠ô that is a soaking and deep sorrow It is bitter and reacheth unto the heart as the Prophet speaketh Ieremy 4.18 2. The pleasure or profit that any sinne can yeeld us is but momentany and of very short continuance That made Moses make so light account of all the pleasures of sin because he knew they endured but for a season Heb. 11.25 They are therefore compared Eccl. 7.6 to the crackling and blaze that thornes make under a pot But the sorrow that sin will bring us unto when our conscience shall charge us with it is durable and no man knoweth how long it will last That sin that may bee committed in an houre or in farre lesse space may cost a man deepe sorrow and griefe of mind all the dayes of his life after For a conclusion therefore of this first duty that from this doctrine wee are exhorted unto certainly if we could rightly consider of this worke of our conscience how apt it will be when God shall awaken it to bring our sins to our remembrance in this manner as you have heard of it would make us afraid to sin See the truth of this in three notable examples The first is of Iob. My righteousnes saith he Iob 27.6 I hold fast and will not let it go yea he professeth ver 3 4. All the while my breath is in me and the spirit of God 〈◊〉 in my nostrils my lips shall not speake wickednes nor my tongue utter deceit And why so My heart shall not reproach me so long as I live As if he had fail I will not give my conscience occasion to brawle with me whatsoever I doe I will have care to keepe peace there The second is of Abigal that wise and gracious woman who perswadeth David not to revenge himselfe of her husband Nabâ—l by this argument 1 Sam. 25.30 31. It shall come to passe when the Lord shall have apâ—ointed thee ruler over all Israel that this shall bee no griefe to thee nor offence of heart unto my Lord either that thou hast shed blood causelesse or that my Lord hath avenged himselfe As if shee had sayd if thou shou'dst doe it thy conscience will be apt one day to checke and smite thee for it even when thou shalt be King and in thy greatest pompe doe it not therefore that thou mayst prevent the accusation of thy conscience The third is of Paul who giveth this reason why he was so afraid of every sin whether it were against the first or second table even the care he had to keepe his conscience cleare and quiet Act. 24.16 Herein do I exercise my selfe to have alwayes a conscience void of offence towards God and towards men And so much of the first use that this Doctrine serveth unto Secondly it serveth for reproofe of such as never thinke of never are troubled with any of their sins they could never say as David doth here my sin is ever before me Of this sort the world is full in all places Observe
with shame sorrow when he considered that he had done so lewdly the Lord being by the Lord looking upon him And surely so will this work upon every one of us also when God shall be pleased to awaken touch our hearts as he did his It is a matter of extreame shame and trouble of mind even to most wicked men to know that any man hath seene them and bin privy to that which they have done If one know them saith Iob 24.17 they are in the terrors of the shadow of death How much more must it trouble the heart of Gods child when he considereth the Lord saw was an eye-witnes of all the foulest sins that ever he committed All men by nature would be much restrained from many sins if they knew of any body though it were but a child that were by them to see what they did And thus the murderer and adulterer are brought in by Iob 24 5. emboldening themselves No eye shall see me As if he had said If they knew there were any eye to see them they durst not do it And they are noted for men grown to an extraordinary height in sin that feare not at all nor are restrained from sinning by the eye of man that are so impudent as they care not who see or know what lewdnes they do Esa. 3.9 Such as declare their sin as Sodom that hide it not Such as are like Absalom who spread his tent upon the top of the house and went in to his fathers concubines in the sight of all Israel 2. Sam. 16.22 And will not this appeare to the child of God when God shall open his eyes a far greater impudency height of sin that he in sinning regarded not nor feared the Lords eye that he durst do such such things when the Lord looked upon him Surely to David it did here O Lord I have done this evill in thy sight And so it will do to every one of us when God shall be pleased to give us such hearts as he did unto David For thus doth the Lord oft aggravate the sins of men Esa. 65.12 Therfore wil I number you to the sword you shal al bow down to the slaughter because when I called ye did not answer when I spake ye did not heare but did evill before mine eyes and did choose that wherein I delighted not The second attribute of God the consideration wherof setteth forth the hainousnes of sin is his infinite holines and the dislike he beareth unto sin This is a chiefe attribute of his that wherein his glory doth principally consist This is plain by that song of the blessed Angels Esa. 6.3 Holy holy holy is the Lord of hosts the whole earth is full of his glory And in the first petitiō of the Lords praier where when our Saviour would have us to pray that Gods name may be glorified he teacheth us to expresse it in these termes Hallowed be thy name let holines be ascribed unto thee Now the Lord being thus infinitely holy 1. He hateth and disliketh sin there is nothing so contrary and opposite to his nature as sin is No man doth hate any thing in the world no mans heart doth so much loath or rise against any thing as the Lords doth against sin Hab. 1.13 Thou art of purer eyes then to behold evill canst not looke on iniquity He cannot abide to looke upon it Ier. 44.4 I sent unto you all my servants the Prophets rising early sending them saying do not this abominable thing that I hate The Lord in the ministery of all us his servants doth in the most patheticall manner he can perswade and entreat you to be afraid to sin to repent of your sin even for the Lords sake even for this cause because his soule doth so much hate and loath sin Oh do not this abominable thing which I hate 2. Because the Lord is infinitly holy he must needs be grieved with sin Nothing grieveth the Lord so much as sin doth It is a great griefe to any ingenuous mind and a thing that of all others we can worst brooke to see our selves despised and contemned by any David complaineth oft of it and prayeth against it Ps. 119.22 Remove from me reproach contempt But never was man so much grieved to see himselfe despised as the Lord is to see men despise and sleight him as I told you we all do when we sin against him Grieve not the holy spirit of God by your corrupt communication saith the Apostle Eph. 4.30 As if he had said Because he is holy sin must needs grieve him 3. Because the Lord is infinitly holy sin must needs anger disquiet and vexe his spirit Nothing in the world can so much provoke a man unto anger nothing can so cut him to the heart so vexe disquiet his mind as the Lord is provoked cut to the heart vexed with our sins Esa. 63.10 They rebelled and vexed his holy spirit Eze. 16.43 Thou hast fretted me in all these things Now when Gods child doth consider well of this his sin must needs trouble him more in this respect that he hath done that that God so loatheth hateth that he hath grieved and vexed him so much by it then in respect of any evill or punishment he hath brought upon himselfe by it So did it David here Against thee thee only have I sinned And so wil it the senslessest heart here when God shal touch him as he did David here O that we could consider how God may complaine of us as Ps. 95.10 Forty yeeres long was I grieved with this generation How long have we grieved the Lord some of us by living in one sin some in another O that we could say to our own hearts as the Prophet doth to Ahaz Esa. 7.13 ô my soule is it a small thing for thee to grieve men by thy sins that thou wilt also grieve my God The third attribute of God that setteth forth the hainousnes of our sins is the infinite greatnes majesty of the Lord Great is the Lord saith David Ps. 145.3 greatly to be praised his greatnes is incomprehensible And indeede this is the beginning and foundation of all religion and piety to esteme the Lord to be higher then the highest Eccl. 5.8 and to acknowledge in our hearts this infinite greatnes and majesty of the Lord Ascribe ye greatnes to our God saith Moses Deut. 32.3 And thus did the blessed Virgin Lu. 1.46 My soule doth magnifie the Lord. Every transgression even among men is more or lesse hainous according as the person is against whom it is cōmitted He that doth smite his father or his mother or but curse revile them shall surely be put to death saith the Lord in his Law Exo. 21.15 17. Whereas the reviling yea or wounding or maiming of another man was not so great a sin nor to be punished in so severe a manner as you may
and rebuke with all authority and see that no man despised him He should take heed that he doe not by his loosenesse either in life or doctrine loose his honour and authority in the hearts of his people for if he doe there will bee little hope his doctrine shall ever do good be his gifts never so excellent That is every whit as much required of parents towards their children and to every parent the Lord Likewise saith maintaine thine authority take heed thy children despise thee not We shall find it noted by the Apostle 1 Tim. 3.4 for a great blemish in a Christian and such a one as be his gifts otherwise never so excellent maketh him uncapable of the honour of the ministery if he cannot rule in his owne house if he keepe not his children in subjection Every father must be a ruler in his owne house every childe must be kept in subjection Our blessed Saviour was subject unto his parents Luke 2.51 Yet his father Ioseph was but a poore carpenter and his mother so poore that she could get no better roome in Bethlem then a stable to be brought to bed in It is not sufficient for you that are parents to advise and wish and admonish your children to leave any lewd course you see them to hold Ely did so much 1 Sam. 2.23 24. and yet we know God was highly offended with him because he did not enough parents must doe more then so they must with authority charge and command and compell them to doe it I know saith the Lord of Abraham Gen. 18.19 that hee will command his childen to keepe the way of the Lord. And Deut. 32.46 Yee shall command your children to observe and doe all the words of this Law and I charged every one of you saith the Apostle 1 Thess. 2.11 as a father doth his children If parents maintaine not this authoritie if they become haile-fellow well met with their children if they loose their honour and reverence in their children hearts as certainely now adayes most have done 1. They shall dishonour their head as the Apostle speaketh 1 Cor. 11.4 the dishonour and contempt reacheth unto God whose Image they beare whose person they represent as we have heard 2. They undoe their children and disable them from profiting by any meanes they shall use for the reforming of them or saving of their soules Surely this were an excellent thing will you say if parents could maintaine their authority and honour in the hearts of their children but how may this be done This is such an age as there is little or no possibility of it I answer It is true that this falleth out sometimes through the just judgement of God that doe parents what they can some children will be stubborne and rebellions sons of Belial that will beare no yoke It is foretold by the holy Ghost 2 Tim. 3.2 as one of the chiefe mischiefes and diseases that should raigne and rage in these last dayes and should make these times so perilous that men should be disobedient to parents It cannot bee avoided it must bee so that the Scripture may bee fulfilled And it is foretold as a signe and fore-runner that doth presage the ruine of a state and nation Esa. 3.5 The child shall behave himselfe proudly against the ancient and the base against the honourable Yet it is also certaine that parents themselves are for the most part the cause why they have no more honour and reverence in the hearts of their children when they maintaine not but loose that authority that God hath given them over their children And that two wayes First Because they doe not themselves honour and feare God therefore their children cannot honour nor feare them Solomon by the spirit telleth us Prov. 11.16 that a gracious woman retaineth honour and that that is there said of a woman even of a mother may likewise bee said of a gracious father hee retaineth honour The true feare of God will procure reverence and esteeme to a man even in the hearts of such as have no grace in them Mark 6.20 Herod feared Iohn knowing that he was a just man and an holy and he observed him For 1. this image of God carrieth such a Majesty in it as a man cannot choose but honour it in whomsoever he seeth it It is called therfore by the Apostle the spirit of glory 1 Pet. 4.14.2 Besides the Lord hath bound himselfe by promise to give honour to them that honour him 1 Sam. 2.30 them that honour me I will honour If any man serve me saith our Saviour Iohn 12.26 him will my father honour Certainly if parents did feare and honour God in their hearts and expresse in their whole conversation their children must needs honour them they could not despise them On the other side if parents feare not God themselves their children cannot honour them If children see their parents to bee irreligious malicious against religion filthy and drunken persons how can they honour them I know they should bee unwilling to see any such thing in their parents they should with Sem and Iaphet cast their mantle over them but it is not possible for them to doe it That which is said of Ierusalem may be said of all men Lam. 1.8 All that honoured her despise her because they have seene her nakednesse They that thus see the nakednesse of them whom by nature they ought most to honour cannot choose but despise them I told you all parents do beare the image of God but these foule sins do so deface it as men can discerne no glory in it men cannot honour it God hath said they that despise me shall be lightly esteemed 1 Sam. 2.30 And when God will have men to bee despised when he powreth contempt upon them when he saith of any as he doth of Ninivie Nah. 3.6 I will cast abominable filth upon thee and make thee vile who can then honour them in their hearts And this is one cause why most parents have no reverence in their childrens hearts Secondly Another is this because they did neglect to keepe their children in awe when they were young they laid the raines upon their necks they corrected them not but cockered them in their tender yeeres The fathers of our flesh saith the Apostle Heb. 12.9 corrected us and wee gave them reverence As if he had said If they had not corrected us wee should not have reverenced them so much And it is expressely noted for the cause why David lost his honour in the heart of his sonne Adoniah 1 Kings 1.6 His father had not displeased him at any time not so much as in saying why hast thou done so I grant that those parents governe best that can maintaine their authority and keepe their children in awe with little or no sharpenesse and severity and many parents are too apt to offend in too much rigour this way else would not the Apostle have given this charge twice unto
suffered to come into the house of the Lord as you shall find 2 Chron. 26.21 Nor the woman that had borne a child for a good space after her child-birth Levit. 12.4 Nor he that had touched the dead body of a man Num. 9.7 19.11 Nor he that had the running of the reines Levit. 15.14 Yea see what the Lord saith to Moses Numb 5.2 3. Command the children of Israel that they put out of the campe every Leper and every one that hath an issue and whosoever is defiled by the dead both male and female shall ye put out without the Campe yee shall put them that they defile not their camps in the midst whereof I dwell Certainely by all these ceremonies God meant to teach his people this that no sinne maketh us more odious unto God no sin deserveth more that we should be forever seperated from God and his kingdome then the very corruption of our nature doth Now for the second branch of the doctrine that our originall sinne the corruption of our nature is the sinne for which wee should bee most humbled and abased in our selves see the proofe of it in foure notable examples besides this of Davids which we have in the Text examples I say of such of Gods people as being not guilty of any actuall sinne that did reigne in them yet have complained exceedingly and cryed out of themselves even for this The first is of Iob who though in respect of his conversation he was a perfect man and upright and one that feared God and eschewed evill Chap. 1.1 yet Chap. 40.4 he cryeth out thus unto God Behold I am vile what shall I answer thee As if he had said How shall I appeare or stand before thee The second is the Prophet Esay who so soone as he had seene the glory of the Lord in a vision and by that meanes discerned what himselfe was better then ever he did before breaketh forth into this complaint Esa. 6.5 Wo is me for I am undone The third example is the Apostle Paul of whom you shall not find that ever he complained so bitterly of any of the foulest sinnes that he had committed before he knew Christ as he doth of this Rom 7.24 O wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from the body of this death this was a death to him and nothing so much as this The fourth and last example is that of the whole Church Esa. 64.6 We are all as an uncleane man using the very words that the Leper was commanded to use and to cry Levit. 13.45 I am uncleane I am uncleane worthy to bee separated for ever from God and from his people Now for the grounds and reasons of the Doctrine why the Lord hath so just cause to abhorre us for this corruption of our nature and why we have so just cause likewise to be humbled in our selves for it they may be taken from the properties and effects of it For as Adam by that first sinne of his which excepting onely the sinne against the Holy Ghost was in sundry respects the most heinous sinne that ever mortall man did commit and which sinne of his as we have heard in the first doctrine of this verse is most justly imputed unto every one of us as he I say by that first sinne of his did loose from himselfe and all his posterity that glorious image of God in which he was created and whereby he did wholly resemble the Lord in wisdome and holinesse so did he thereby also receive for himselfe and his whole posterity the image of Satan and was transformed into it Whereby it is come to passe that we do all by nature a fearefull thing to heare and yet a certaine truth most lively in our disposition resemble Satan Let us therefore consider our nature and the corruption of it in the properties and effects of it and it shall evidently appeare unto us that there is no creature upon earth that hath so venimous and poisonfull a nature as every one of us have Neither will I speake of such properties and effects of originall sin as are to be found in the naturall man onely and him that is void of all saving grace but of those that every one of us and the best of Gods children such as David and Iob and Esay and Paul were shall find in themselves And those are foure principally First This corruption of our nature depriveth us of the comfort of our best actions and maketh the dearest of Gods children heavie and uncheerefull even in those duties wherein they have most cause to bee comfortable and cheerfull according to that commandement of God Psal. 100.2 Serve the Lord with gladnesse For this flesh of ours this corruption of our nature 1. Disableth us unto spirituall duties maketh us unwilling untoward dull and cold and faint in them so as we performe them with no lust no life no servency of spirit This the Apostle complaineth of Rom. 7.18 I know that in me that is in my flesh dwelleth no good thing For to will is present with me through grace he meaneth but how to performe that which is good I find not Heb. 12.1 It easily besetteth us on every side to hinder us from running in any way of Gods commandements 2. It will shew and intermingle it selfe and will not be kept out of doors no not for a moment when we purpose and go about the best duties but it will be medling and have a finger even in them When I would do good saith the Apostle Rom. 7.21 evill is present with me 3. It will crosse 3. It will crosse and oppose the spirit and interrupt the worke of it stirring up such thoughts and motions as are quite contrary and opposite unto it I see saith blessed Paul Rom. 7.23 another law in my members warring against the law of my mind And Gal. 5.17 The flesh lusteth against the spirit and these are contrary the one to the other so that ye cannot do the things that ye would Yea 4. by these and such like meanes it defileth our best duties and maketh them not onely unworthy of all reward with God but worthy to be rejected and loathed by him as the Church complaineth Esa. 64.6 All our righteousnesses are as filthy raggs Secondly It draweth the best of us to offend God oft 1. Even to doe that that we do not onely know to be evill but that also that our hearts do hate In many things saith the Apostle Iam. 3.2 we offend all And Paul Rom. 7.15 What I hate that I doe and verse 23. It bringeth me into captivity to the law of sinne 2. Yea it is restlesse and never giveth over working this way Like thtroubled sea as the Prophet speaketh Esa. 57.20 which cannot rest whose waters cast up mire and dirt This root and fountaine is ever springing and putting forth one corruption or other Every imagination of the thoughts of our hearâ— saith the Lord Gen. 6.5 is
that contradicteth God and his truth Now if Christians would make use but of these two rules certainely neither Popery nor Pelagianisme would ever deceive them Apply them to the matter we have now in hand and it will bee evident unto us that the doctrine of the Papists touching originall sin is not of God For 1. it giveth too much to man and keepeth him from being so much humbled and dejected in himselfe as hee ought to be 2. It directly opposeth and contradicteth that which the Lord hath expressely spoken in the holy Scriptures See this in three points which they teach touching originall sin First For the nature of originall sin they teach that though we be thereby so fettered and snared yea so wounded and weakened in our nature that wee cannot of our selves without the helpe of Gods grace do any thing that is good yet some ability is left in our nature wee can accept of the helpe of Gods grace when it is offered yea we can desire it also We are say they like the poore man that was travelling towards Iericho Luk 10.30 wee are wounded sore and left halfe dead And though wee have by originall sin lost that righteousnesse and perfection of nature in which man was first created and are now become by nature as prone to sin when occasion is offered and as apt to take hurt by any tentation as tinder or touch-wood is to take fire yet is there not therby any sinfull quality possitively infused into our nature Whereas the spirit of God in the holy Scripture speaketh expressely First That wee are by nature not only wounded and weakened and halfe dead till God quicken us but dead all out even the Elect are so by nature Ephes. 2.1 You hath hee quickened who were dead in trespasses and sins and verse 5. Even when we were dead in sins hath God quickened us Secondly That there is in us by nature no true desire at all to be helped by Gods grace out of this estate Phil. 2.13 It is God that worketh in you both to will and to doe of his good pleasure Iohn 8.44 The last of your father ye will doe And that which our Saviour saith of good wordes may likewise be said of good desires Mitch 12.34 O generation of vipers and certainly such are we all by nature how can yee being evill thinke good things or desire good things Thirdly That there is in us by nature no power nor willingnes to accept of the helpe of Gods grace when it is offered us but an utter aversenesse and unwillingnesse to accept of it yea an hatred unto it That we are apt to say to God even as the poore possessed man for certainly such are wee all by nature also even slaves to the devill 2. Tim. 2.26 Luke 4.34 Let us alone what have wee to doe with thee thou Iesus of Nazareth art thou come to destroy us We gain-say and resist the worke of Gods grace in us till God by his mighty power do overcome us Rom. 10.11 All the day long have I stretched out my hands unto a disobedient and gaine-saying people And Rom. 8.7 The carnall mind is not subject to the law of God neither indeed can be Fourthly and lastly That our nature is not onely privatively evill and corrupt deprived of originall righteousnes and apt as tinder is to receive the fire of tentation but possitively evill and hath in it a poisonfull and corrupt quality even the seeds of all sin that cannot choose but worke and bring forth evill thoughts and words and actions Gen 8.21 The imagination of mans heart is evill not prone onely to bee evill from his youth Yea cap. 6.5 Every imagination of the thoughts of his heart is onely evill continually Insomuch as wee even the Elect of God are by nature ranke enemies to God and rebells against him You were saith the Apostle Col. 1.21 alienated and enemies in your minds unto him And thus you see how in this first point of their Doctrine concerning originall sin they do plead for man and do directly oppose and contradict the spirit of God But the second and third points are worse then this Secondly They teach that the corruption of our nature the untowardnesse of our heart to that that is good that is no sin no nor the concupiscence and lust that riseth from it the motions unto evill what evill soever it bee that wee feele in our selves are no sins till we consent unto them and obey them till they raigne in us Whereas 1. The spirit of God in the holy Scripture expressely calleth it sin As here in this place Psal. 51.5 I was borne in iniquity and in sin did my mother conceive mee And in three chapters of the Epistle to the Romanes that is to say the sixt seventh and eight fourteene times at the least and Heb. 12.1 The sin that doth so easily beset us And shall wee say that that is not properly and indeed a sin which the holy Ghost so often calleth sin Secondly The spirit of God in the holy Scriptures speaketh expressely that our originall corruption is the cause of all actuall sins that the foulest sins that ever men committed come all from this root Every man is tempted saith the Apostle Iames 1.14 when hee is drawne away of his owne lust and entised It is our owne corrupt nature that tempteth us that draweth us away that entiseth us to all sins So also the Apostle Peter 2 Pet. 1.4 saith all the corruption that is in the world is through lust And may wee not truly and properly call that sin that is the cause of all the foulest sins in the world May wee not well call that an evill tree upon which all this evill fruit doth grow Surely wee may or else our Saviours rule will faile Matth. 12.33 The tree is knowne by his fruit Thirdly The spirit of God in the holy Scripture teacheth us expressely that infants yea infants that are baptized which have no other sin but this originall sin and corruption of nature in them and who never consented to it nor obeyed it in the lusts thereof doe dye Rom. 5 14. Death raigned from Adam to Moses even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adams transgression And therefore it must needs be sin and may be truly and properly so called for sin is the only cause of death and none can dye but those that are sinners either by imputation as Christ was who was made sin for us as the Apostle speaketh 2 Cor. 5.21 or really and personally as all Adams posterity are Rom. 5.12 By one man sin entred into the world and death by sin and so death passed upon all men for that all have sinned Fourthly and lastly The spirit of God in the holy Scriptures expressely teacheth us that this concupiscence even in the regenerate these evill motions that rise in us though we consent not unto them though wee resist them are yet a swerving from the
law of God and a breach of it For the law of God requireth of us that wee should love the Lord with all our heart and with all our soule and with all our strength and with all our mind Luke 10.27 And so can we not doe if there be in our heart or soules or mind at any time an evill thought or an evill motion Yet the Scripture teacheth us that this concupiscence or corruption of our nature even in the regenerate◠doth not onely swerve from the law of God but that it doth oppose and resist the spirit of God I see saith the Apostle Rom. 7.23 another law in my members warring against the law of my mind and Gal. 5.17 The flesh lusteth against the spirit and these are contrary the one to the other And therefore it must needs be sin For so the Apostle defineth sin 1 Iohn 3.4 Sinne is the transgression of the law 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is the word this is to teach us that every swerving from the Law is sin This was the argument that convinced Pauls conscience Rom 7.7 I had not knowne lust to be a sin except the Law in the tenth commandement had sayd thou shalt not covet And what kind of lust and concupiscence meaneth hee That which we delight in or consent unto No verily for by the light of nature hee might have knowne that to be a sin heathen men have acknowledged that to be sin hee must needs meane that concupiscence those motions unto evill which the heart doth not delight in nor consent unto Wee have heard how directly the Papists oppose the spirit of God in these two points of their Doctrine of Orignall sin and all to advance the nature of man but I will shew you yet a greater abomination in their Doctrine then these two Their third errour is farre worse then the former two For they teach that the corruption of nature that remaineth in the regenerate the concupiscence and evill motions that they have and consent not to but resist are so farre from defiling their good workes that they make them more meritorious before God then otherwise they could bee because they are done notwithstanding such a combat and resistance as they find in themselves against them I will not trouble you with many words in the confutation of so palpable an errour as this Two reasons only I will give you against it First If this should be true then should the obedience and good workes that mortall and fraile and sinfull men men who have while they carry this flesh about them many infirmities and imperfections bee better and deserve to be more acceptable and pleasing unto God then the good workes of such as have had no imperfection no infirmity in them I grant that God doth indeed in the riches of his grace and mercy in Christ accept of our poore services never the worse for this untowardnesse of our corrupt natures that wee are faine to combate and struggle with in the performance of them according to that of the Apostle Hebr. 6.10 God is not unrighteous that hee should forget your worke and labour of love But to say that this corruption and untowardnesse of our nature the evill thoughts and motions of infidelity blasphemy worldlinesse that trouble us in our best duties are no sins doe not at all defile them but make them the better and more meritorious in the sight of God is little better then grosse blasphemy For then should our poore unperfect and maimed obedience bee better and deserve to bee more acceptable unto God not only then Adams was before his fall and then that is which the Saints in heaven doe now yeeld unto God but even then the obedience of Christ himselfe for he found in himselfe no corruption of nature to struggle with nor to hinder him in it as we doe My second reason against this their last errour is this That if the corruption of nature the regenerate are faine to strive withall doth not at all defile their good workes but maketh them the more meritorious before God then certainely would not the choicest of Gods servants that wee read of in the Scripture have beene so humbled for it cryed out and complained of it unto God counted themselves so vile and wretched creatures by reason of it as they did Would David have so complained unto God here and beene humbled for his naturall corruption even more then for his adultery and murder and would hee have so cryed out of himselfe Behold I was borne in iniquitie and in sinne did my mother conceive mee And Iob 40.4 Behold I am vile And Esay the Prophet Esa. 6.5 Woe is mee for I am undone And the Church Esa. 64.6 We are all as an uncleane man and all our righteousnesses are as filthy raggs And the blessed Apostle Rom. 7.24 O wretched man that I am who shall deliver mee from the body of this death As if hee had said this is a death to mee and nothing so much as this Would all the Saints of God I say have so complained of the corruption of nature that was in them though it did not reigne in them though they obeyed it not in the lusts thereof if they had beleeved as the Church of Rome beleeveth If they had esteemed so lightly of it as Papists do If they had thought it had beene no sinne If they had beene perswaded it was so farre from defiling their good workes that it made them the better even more meritorious before God But I have beene too long in this use of confutation which yet I hope hath not beene altogether unusefull and unprofitable unto you Lecture LXII on Psalme 51.5 Iune 26. 1627. THE second use of this Doctrine is to humble us to abate the pride of our hearts and to cause us to thinke basely of our selves This is one maine end the Lord hath respect unto in not perfecting the worke of regeneration in any of his servants in this life but suffering much corruption of nature to remaine still in them even that hee might humble them and keepe them from pride thereby This is plaine in the Apostles case 2 Cor. 12.7 A thorne in the flesh was given him some lust or other stirred in him and put him to paine left hee should bee exalted Hee dealeth with his people in this case now whom hee bringeth into the Kingdome of heaven into the state of grace as hee did with them of old when hee brought them into the land of Canaan the type of the Kingdome of heaven hee driveth not out all these Canaanites that they might bee scourges in our sides and thornes in our eyes to vex and humble us as Ioshuah speaketh Iosh. 23.13 Great force there is in this to humble the heart of a man that hath grace in him to consider how vile his nature is and what aboundance of corruption doth still remaine in him The naturall man indeed is never the humbler for this because hee hath no
spirit of Christ. If any man have not the spirit of Christ saith the Apostle Rom. 8.9 hee is none of his And 1 Iohn 3. 24. hereby wee know hee abideth in us by the spirit which he hath given us And this is the second meanes whereby as I told you Paul said hee was delivered from the body of his death and whereby every one of us must seeke to bee delivered from it and from the accusations of our conscience for it by feeling in our selves the worke of Gods spirit subduing the corruption of our nature keeping it from raigning in us mortifying and killing of it in us Rom. 8.2 This is the way to know wee are in Christ and that by his death and the perfect holinesse of our nature in him wee are fully delivered from the guilt and punishment of it if by his spirit wee bee delivered from the dominion of it Hee will subdue our iniquities saith the prophet Micah 7.19 Where God pardoneth sinne hee subdueth it that it shall not raigne any more If thy corruption bee not mortified in thee but have as much strength and vigour in thee as ever it had certainely it is not pardoned thou art not in Christ. This second meanes of our deliverance though it be not so full and perfect as the former yet is it more sensible unto us and wee may better take notice of it then of the former because wee are agents in it our selves They that are Christs saith the Apostle Galat. 5.24 have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts And Rom. 8.13 If yee through the spirit doe mortifie the deeds of the body yee shall live And 1 Iohn 3.3 Hee that hath this hope in him purifieth himselfe And 2 Cor. 7.1 Let us cleanse our selves from all filthinesse of the flesh and spirit And 1 Pet. 1.22 Yee have purified your soules in obeying the truth through the spirit Wee must cleanse our selves purifie our selves keepe under our corruption that it raigne not in us mortifie and kill it or it will kill and damne us If wee doe not this our selves certainely wee have no part in Christ. Why will you say alas what can we do I answer surely nothing of our selves by nature Rom. 5.6 Yea 2 Cor. 3.5 Nothing till wee bee in Christ. Iohn 15.5 Without me ye can doe nothing Nothing till wee bee acted and led by the spirit of God Wee must through the spirit mortifie the deedes of the body as the Apostle speaketh Rom. 8. â—3 there is no way els to doe it The Popish exercises of mortification consisting in their kind of fastâ—ings and whipping and pilgrimage and wearing of haire cloth next their skin will never worke true mortification in the heart Of them we may say with the Apostle 1 Tim. 48. Bodily exercise profiteth little And Col. 2.23 Though they have a great shew of wisedome and humility and of neglect of the body yet they are of no worth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because they are but will-worship not such exercises of mortification as Gods spirit hath taught us If any man then shall aske what are those meanes and exercises of mortification that Gods spirit hath taught us to use I answer They bee seven principally Lecture LXIIII. On Psalme 51.5 Iuly 17. 1627. FIrst He that desireth to mortifie corruption in himselfe and to keep it from raigning in him must observe and make conscience of the very first stirrings and beginnings of it even in his heart Observe them I say first that so we may know what are the sins we are most inclined unto and then make conscience of them tread upon these eggs of the cockatrice as the Prophet calleth them Esay 59.5 while our heart is hatching of them Keep the heart with all diligence saith the holy Ghost Prov. 4.23 Take heed saith the Apostle Hebr. 3.12 left there bee in any of you an evill heart of unbeliefe to depart from the living God The unbeliefe of the heart the motion and inclination of the heart to depart from God must be taken heed of They that are Christs saith the Apostle Gal. 5.24 have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts The very affections and lusts of the flesh must be crucified This is the way to keep sin from reigning Take heed to your spirit saith the Prophet Mal. 2.15 and let none deale treacherously against the wise of his youth and againe verse 16. Take heed to your spirit that ye deale not treacherously The way for a man to keep himselfe from falling into any actuall sin against God or man is to take heed to his spirit And certainly the man that hath no care to observe his owne evill inclinations and the first workings of corruption in his heart that maketh no conscience of the vanity and wickednesse of his thoughts and affections hath no true desire to mortifie sin in himselfe or to keepe it from reigning in him Secondly He that desireth to mortifie sin in himselfe and to keepe it from reigning must so soone as he spyeth it set himselfe against it as against a mortall enemy that warreth against his soule 1 Pet. 2.11 and be content even to offer violence to himselfe and to his owne nature in it Certainly the corruption of our nature will not be weakened and kept under without putting our selves to much paine without doing violence to our selves This worke of mortification which is the first part of true repentance is compared to the plucking out of our right eye and casting it from us with detestation Matth. 5.29 It is called a sacrificing of our selves Rom. 12.1 And a crucifying of our flesh with the lusts and affections of it Gal. 5.24 All these were most painfull things See this in three particulers First Wee must resist and fight against every corruption wee find not consent not yeeld unto it but maintaine a conflict in our selves against it That I doe I allow not Romans 7.15 The spirit lusteth against the flesh saith the Apostle Galat. 5.17 and thâ—se two bee contrary the one to the other If the spirit bee in us wee shall find him like Iacob in his mothers womb Gen. 25.22 strugling with this Esan And certainly where there is not this resisting of corruption there is no truth of grace and where this conflict is maintained there corruption shall not reigne but will be kept under That which the Apostle saith of Satan himselfe Iam. 4.7 may be also said of this imp of Satan if we can but conscionably resist him we may be sure to overcome him Secondly We must heartily dislike and hate every corruption we discerne in our selves and be angry and displeased with our selves for it What I hate saith Paul Rom. 7.15 that do I. See two notable examples of this holy indignation against themselves The one in Ephraim Ier. 31.19 After I was instructed I smote upon my thigh The other in the Publican Luk. 18.13 who smote himselfe upon his breast As if either of them
even for his restraining grace See three notable benefits we doe receive even by that First Though wee have in our nature the seeds of all sinne yet there are many foule sinnes wee never felt in our selves the least inclination unto The Lord hath so kept them under as they never yet shewed themselves to bee in us but as it is said of Saul and other of Davids enemies that were with Saul 1 Samuel 26.12 so it may bee said of many noisome lusts that are in our nature the Lord hath sent a dead sleepe upon them that they never stirre in us Thinke not thinke not beloved that thou art made of a better mould that thou art better by nature I say not then Lot or David or Peter but even then the Sodomites or Cain was or then any of the most monstrous sinners that ever thou hast knowne or heard of because thou hast not felt thy selfe inclined to such foule sinnes as they fell into thinke not that thou hast not any inclinations in thine heart to such sinnes because thou hast not felt them stirring in thee at any time but ascribe that to this grace of God and consider who it is that hath made thee to differ from another from any other man as the Apostle speaketh in another case 1 Cor. 4.7 that thou mayest be humbled in thy selfe and give the glory of it unto God Learne thou to be thankfull unto God as well for keeping thee from these sins that thou never feltest thy selfe given unto as for the pardon of those that thou hast most offended in Secondly Many of us have felt in our selves some motions and inclinations unto many foule sinnes that others have fallen into but they have not put forth themselves in us in their full strength nor set upon us with that force and violence as they have upon others they have not bin furthered in us with such tentations as they have bin in others if they had we certainly had fallen as shamefully as others have done And what hath beene the cause that wee have not hatched these cockatrice eggs as the Prophet calleth them Esa. 59.5 It may bee thou wilt say that by the sactifying spirit of God thou hast resisted thy corruption when thou didst feele it arise thou hast prayed against it and so by the spirit hast mortified it And this I doubt not but every child of God may truly say of many a corruption they have found in themselves But that is not all If these sins that we have beene preserved from had set upon us with that strength and violence as they have done upon others or as many other of our sins have done upon our selves if they had beene set forward by the like tentations we had doubtlesse beene overcome by them as well as others And whereunto is this to bee ascribed that they have not done so surely to this mighty power of Gods restraining grace in us That whereas in other men yea in some of his owne people as wee may see Psalm 81.12 the Lord le ts goe his hand and suffereth their lusts to have the sway giveth them up to their owne hearts lusts and saith to their corruptions as hee did to the deceiving spirits 1 Kings 22.22 Goe and prevaile Hee hath dealt more graciously with us and though to humble us hee hath let us see what monsters wee lodge in our breasts what abominable corruptions we have in our hearts yet he holdeth them in a chaine and letteth them not loose upon us but pulleth them in againe that they may not prevaile against us He that hath set barres and doores to the raging sea as hee speaketh Iob 38.10 11. and said hitherto shalt thou come and no further and here shall thy proud waves be stayed is hee only that stinteth and gageth the corruptions of our hearts that sets such limits and bounds unto them Let us also beloved take notice of this mercy of God and be thankfull for it When thou seest or hearest of the outragious sins that many fall into drunkenesse adultery murder blasphemy and such like sins pity thou their case and lift up thy heart in thankfulnesse unto God that hath kept thee from being thy selfe as bad as they are That speech of the Pharisee Luke 18.11 if it had come from an humbled heart had beene a good speech and such as beseemeth every one of us to use unto God Lord I thanke thee I am not as other men are extortioners unjust adulterers Consider thus with thy selfe I am by nature as bad as the worst man I know yea I find my selfe sometimes enclined and ready even to fall into those very sinnes that have brought others to so much shame And then thinke upon and blesse that hand that hath kept thee from falling and say in thankefulnesse of heart with the Prophet Psal. 94.18 When I sayd my foot slippeth thy mercy ô Lord did hold me up The third and last benefit we receive by this restraining grace of God in our selves is this that the Lord letteth us not know all the vilenesse and wickednesse that is in us but concealeth and hideth a great part of it from us But you will say to mee Is it a benefit to bee kept from the knowledge of our sinnes I answer No not from all knowledge of our sins For it is a great benefit to have our sins discovered to us 1. So farre forth as is necessary to drive us unto Christ to shew us how wretched wee are without him For this maketh us capable of benefit by Christ. 1 Timothy 1.15 this maketh us able to prize him and thirst after him Numbers 21.9 this maketh us able to relish and find sweetnesse in him Matth. 11.28 2. So farre forth as is necessary to bring us unto repentance for them and to keepe us from living and continuing in them Iere. 8.6 No man repented him of his wickednesse saying what have I done So farre forth we should labour to find out our sins by diligent search Psal. 4.4 and should be content that others should acquaint us with them Psal. 141.5 3. So farre forth as is necessary for the pacifying of Gods wrath in any speciall judgements that are upon us For in this case as the Lord restifieth by his judgements that hee hath matter against us Ruth 1.21 so it is our duty and the way for us to appease the Lords anger by a diligent search and examination of our selves to find out the speciall sin whereby we have thus provoked God Lam. 3.39.40 Yea in this case we are bound to beg of God that he would discover those speciall sins unto us as Iob did Iob 13.23 4. So farre forth as it is necessary to keepe us from pride and to humble us For to this end God commanded his people to remember and oft to call to their minds their old sinne and the most hainous of them all Deut 9.7 Remember and forget not how thou provokedst the Lord
And Ioh 6.44 No man can come unto me except my father draw him 2. That God doth all in this worke himselfe alone and hath no helpe from man and it is therefore called a creation Ephes. 2.10 a regeneration Iohn 3.3 a raising of one from the dead Ephes. 2.5 6. 3. That this worke that God doth in mans conversion is no common worke For 1. It is evident hee giveth not so much as the outward meanes of grace and conversion in particular to all men Yea to the most of the nations in the world by farre he hath denied his word altogether and suffered them as the Apostle speaketh Acts 14.16 to walke in their owne wayes And even those nations that hee hath vouchsafed his word unto that may bee said of this spirituall raine which he speaketh of the materiall Amos 4.7 I caused it to raine upon one City and caused it not to raine upon another City one piece was rained upon and the other piece whereupon it rained not withered In Phrygia and Galatia Paul preached as you may see Acts. 16.6 7. but was forbidden of the holy Ghost to preach the word in Asia In Misia hee preached but when hee assayed to goe into Bithynia the spirit suffered him not 2. To many of those that hee doth give the meanes unto hee doth not give effectuall grace to bee converted by them To you it is given to know the mysteries of the Kingdome of heaven saith our Saviour Matth. 13.11 but to them it is not given This saving grace it is a rare grace found in very few even of them that doe enjoy the meanes in one of a City or two of a Tribe as the Prophet speaketh Iere. 3.14 Many are called but few are chosen Matth. 22.14 Acts 13.48 As many as were ordained to eternall life beleeved Secondly If this be so let no vaine man thinke that he can repent and will repent before hee dye though hee take his pleasure in sin a while Can the Aethiopian change his skin or the Leopard his spots Iere. 13.23 then mayest thou bee able to repent when thou wilt No no it is the worke of God alone yea the wonderfull and miraculous and rare worke of God to convert a soule And therefore bemone thy state to God with Ephraim Ieremy 31.18 19. and say turne thou mee and I shall bee turned else shall I never bee turned surely after I was turned I repented Till God convert and change thy heart thou canst never repent Apply thy selfe therefore to the meanes that God hath appointed to convert thee by and when hee by his word and spirit offereth to convert thee resist not but yeeld thy selfe unto him Remember the fearefull sentence of God against such as despise or neglect the meanes of their conversion Ezek. 24.13 Because I have purged thee that is offered to doe it given thee the meanes whereby thou mightest have beene purged and thou wast not purged thou shalt not bee purged from thy filthinesse Because thou hast neglected the time of thy visitation as our Saviour speaketh Luk. 19.44 either the meanes shall bee taken from thee or being continued shall bee as a dead letter to thee and never doe thee good And doubtlesse God in his eternall and secret counsell hath set a just time to every one of us that by such a time the meanes shall worke upon us and convert us or they shall never doe us good That which Iob saith of the life of man Iob 14.5 may as truly bee said of all things that fall out in the life of man and specially of his conversion his dayes are determined the number of his moneths are with thee thou hast appointed his bounds that hee cannot passe There is mention made of the times of the Gentiles Luke 21.24 Ierusalem shall bee troden downe till the times of the Gentiles bee fulfilled which is expounded by the Apostle in another phrase Rom. 11.25 untill the fulnesse of the Gentiles bee come in Every nation hath her time set her of God how long shee shall have the meanes of grace and how long the meanes shall become effectuall in her and accompanied with the life and power of Gods spirit and in this time all her fulnesse the full number of those that God hath appointed unto life shall come in God hath set a time for Bohemia and for Germany and for the Palatinate and so hath hee set a time for England also certainely And as God hath set a time for whole Nations so hath he for every Towne and for every person also God hath set a time for this place and God hath set a time for every soule of us that are here if wee come not in by such a time wee may feare wee shall never come in As it is said of Iezabel Revel 2.21 I gave her a space to repent so may it bee said of every one of us here God hath given thee and mee a space too If wee come not in that space we shall never come in When once the master of the house saith our Saviour in a parable Luke 13.25 is risen up and hath shut to the doore and yee then begin to stand without and to knocke at the doore saying Lord Lord open unto us then it will bee to late Now the just period of this time that God hath set to any nation or person is knowne to God alone No man can say of any nation their time is out nor of any person his time is out no nor of himselfe neither my time is out the master of the house hath shut the doore it is to no purpose for mee now to knocke and cry Lord Lord open to mee it is too late for mee to repent It is not for you to know the times or the seasons which the father hath put in his owne power as our Saviour telleth the Apostles themselves Acts 1.7 This is too great a secret for the wisest or learnedst man in the world to know Every man is bound so long as he liveth to use the meanes of grace and hath no cause to despaire of mercy while life lasteth To him that is joyned to all the living there is hope saith Solomon Eccle. 9.4 But yet seeing 1. God must convert thee or thou canst never bee converted and 2. God hath directed thee to meanes whereby hee will doe this worke if ever hee doe it and 3. Hee hath set a certaine time how long thou shalt have these meanes and in which space these meanes shall worke upon thy heart or they shall never work and 4. Thou knowest not how neere this thy time is to an end how soone the master of the house will shut the doore Therefore it standeth thee upon presently and without delay to make thy best use of the meanes of thy conversion God giveth thee and to yeeld thy selfe to his word and spirit whereby hee offereth to draw thee Heb. 3.7 8. To day if yee will heare his voice harden not your hearts Behold
prosper and thrive most in grace Surely thou hast set them in slippery places Surely the times and places wee live in are so slippery as it is strange any of us should hold our feet or keep our selves from falling fearefully This made the Prophet complaine so Esa. 6.5 Woe is me for I am undone because I am a man of uncleane lips As if hee had said My speech is too uncleane too prophane to bee a Prophet and how can it choose but be so I dwell saith he in the midst of a people of uncleane lips Secondly Consider what the malice and subtilty and power of Satan our enemy is and wee shall see just cause to wonder that any of us should bee able to continue in the state of grace for any time When our first parents were created after the image of God in holinesse and true righteousnesse his eye was evill toward them hee could not endure they should continue in that blessed estate for any time And his envy and malice is still the same towards any in whom he seeth this image renewed he cannot rest till he have defaced it againe as our Saviour speaketh Matth. 12.43 When the uncleane spirit is gone out of a man he walketh through dry places seeking rest and findeth none And the old Serpent hath a thousand waies to worke his owne ends in this Yea his envie and malice is most bent upon them whom he discerneth the greatest measure of grace in Sathan hath desired to have you saith Christ to Peter of himselfe and all the elect Apostles Luke 22.31 that he may sift you as wheat And there is no faithfull soule that observeth himselfe well but he may oft say of this his enemy as David did of his Psal. 118.13 Thou hast thrust sore at me that I might fall but the Lord helped me This made the Apostle so jealous and fearefull of the Thessalonians that made so great proceedings in grace 1 Thess. 3 5. he sent Timothy to them to confirme them lest by some meanes the tempter might have tempted them and his labour amongst them should have beene in vaine Thirdly Consider how fearefully many others have fallen some to scandalous and foule sins some to popery and other heresies some to profanesse some to worldlinesse some to an utter hatred of all religion that were once farre before us in knowledge and profession of zeale and piety How many there be in whom we may see that fulfilled which our Saviour speaketh Matth. 19.30 Many that were the first the forwardest in their love to the Word and in every good duty are now become the last the backwardest of all others How many there be that with the dog are fallen againe to the vomit that once they had cast up and with the sow lie wallowing in that mire that once they were washed from as the Apostle speaketh 2 Pet. 2 22. And shall we not then see cause to wonder that our selves have been preserved in the state of grace thus long When we have seene so many to fall on our left hand and so many on our right hand as the Psalmist speaketh Psalme 91.7 have wee not cause to wonder that our selves stand still in any measure of uprightnesse and truth of heart But fourthly and lastly The greatest cause of all that we have to wonder at our perseverance is the state of grace is the consideration of the naughtinesse and corruption of our owne hearts For if we had better hearts of our owne then other men have had or were better by nature then they it were nothing strange that we should stand when they have fallen that we should overcome all those tentations of Satan and the world that other have bin so foiled by But alas if we know our owne hearts well if we have well observed this Doctrine of originall sinne as it hath beene delivered unto us we cannot but acknowledge we have as bad hearts as any other have had 1. We are by nature as weake as water as unable to stand against the strength of those mighty enemies we are daily in danger of and have cause to cry with Iehosaphat 2 Chron. 20.12 We have no might to withstand this great company that commeth against us 2. We have no corruption in us that we are more strongly inclined unto then to inconstancy in goodness and pronesse to decline and fall away from God to be quickly weary of well doing In respect whereof the best of us have cause to complaine of our selves as the Lord doth of Ephraim Hos. 6.4 Our goodnesse is as a morning cloud and as the early dew it goeth away This people is of a revolting heart saith the Lord of Israel Ier. 5.23 And none of us all are any better then they were in that point 3. There is such a deale of corruption remaining still in every one of our hearts of pride and infidelity and hypocrisie and malice and worldlinesse that it is certainely as great a miracle that grace should live and grow and continue in such hearts as ours are as to see a candle or fire continue burning in the water That this fire of God that came downe from heaven should burne in water as that did that consumed Elias sacrifice that lay soked in such abundance of water so as the water ran round about the altar and the trench was also filled with water as we read 1 King 18.35 38. this is doubtlesse the wonderfull and miraculous worke of God onely Our Saviour tells us Mar. 4.19 That the cares of the world and lusts of other things will choake the Word and make it unfruitfull And what heart of all ours is there that hath not in it these cares of the world and lusts of other things And is it not then strange that any grace should live and grow in us and not be quite choked with all these thornes The nature of sinne is to grieve the spirit of God and to quench grace If he see any uncleane thing in thee saith the Lord to his people Deut. 23.14 he will turne away from thee And is it not then strange that the spirit of grace should abide in us and not forsake us utterly in whose hearts he seeth so much uncleannesse as he doth in every one of us That he that once said Gen. 6.3 My spirit shall not alwaies strive with man for that he also is flesh should yet strive with us though we be flesh And whereunto then shall we ascribe this that any of us do persevere in the state of grace Surely to the Lord alone The admirable worke of God is to be acknowledged in this that the best of us have not fallen totally and finally long before now First His admirable power is the cause of this For nothing but a divine power could uphold us against such enemies and such assaults as we are subject to Be strong in the Lord saith the Apostle Ephes. 6.10.12 and in the power of his might For we wrestle against principalities
then to behold evill and canst not looke on iniquity Hee will by no meanes cleare the guilty as the Lord speaketh of himselfe Exod. 34.7 Therefore shall thy campe bee holy saith the Lord. Deuterono 23.14 lest hee see any uncleane thing in thee and turne away from thee Now let us come to the third point I told you was to bee considered though there be so much filthines in us and all our best services and though the Lord doe so loath all filthinesse of sin yet doth he not loath us nor our services but hath great respect to us and to them for all that And this shall appeare unto us in foure points especially First He taketh notice of all the good things that his poore servants doe and will not forget the least of them but keepeth a register of them I know thy works and thy labour and thy patience and how thou canst not beare them which are evill saith Christ to the poore Angell of the Church of Ephesus Rev. 2.2 that had lost his first love and was much decayed and fallen away in his goodnesse There is not any patience that the poore weake Christian hath shewed in suffering ought for Christs sake not any paines hee hath taken to get to heaven not any zeale hee hath shewed against sin but the Lord taketh notice of it bee it done never so secretly Actes 9.11 Yea he will remember it also and never forget it David knew this and therefore prayed Psal. 56.8 Put thou my teares into thy bottle are they not in thy register Hee taketh notice of the teares wee shed for our sinnes and in our prayer and will not forget them And surely this is a matter of great admiration and so David conceived of it Psal. 144.3 Lord what is man that thou takest knowledge of him or the son of man that thou makest account of him Secondly As hee doth take notice of the least good duties wee doe in love and obedience to him so he taketh not notice of nor regardeth those staines and spots whereby the best services of his children are defiled but passeth by them and imputeth them not unto them but seeth them as it were through his fingers Even as sundry blemishes that are in our children as a mole in the face or pock holes or a squint eye which to another man seeme great deformities to us seeme none at all even so is it with the Lord in this case Hee seeth no iniquitie in Iacob as Baalam himselfe was constrained in the spirit of prophecy to confesse Numbers 23.21 nor transgression in Israel Hee doth not for these spots and blemishes that are in our services wee doe unto him reject us or our services but accepteth of them and taketh them in good part as if there were no spot or defect in them at all He did not reject the service that Rahab did him in saving of the spies though she had blemished and stained it with a lye Ioshua 2.4 5. but accepted and commended it Hebrewes 11.31 The prayer that Ioshua made when out of impatiency he cryed Iosh. 7.7 Would to God wee had beene content and dwelt on the other side of Iordan and never come into Canaan the Lord rejected not for all that When David in his prayer was so full of infidelity that hee said in his hast I am cut off from before thine eyes neverthelesse saith hee Psalme 31.22 thou heardest the voice of my supplications when I cryed unto thee And at another time when he was in that distresse that he saith his soule refused to bee comforted hee remembred God and was troubled and his spirit was overwhelmed as he saith Psal. 77.2 3. A poore prayer you may thinke it was that a man in that case could make yet did not God reject that prayer that was so foully stained but as he saith verse 1. when he was in that case I cryed to God with my voice even to God with my voice and hee gave eare unto mee When Moses had shewed a great deale both of impatiency and infidelity when God bad him only speake unto the rocke before the people as you shall read Num. 20.10 11. yet did not God reject his service for this but wrought with him and shewed his marvellous power even in that work neverthelesse And surely so he doth still he doth not reject our prayers for our manifold infirmities he doth not refuse to work with and blesse our poore labours that are his ministers though alas we bewray much of our owne ignorance and other our corruptions in them when we preach best of all And even in this also his marvellous goodnesse and mercy is to be admired by us which maketh the Church breake forth into that speech of admiration and so would wee all if wee did rightly consider it Mic. 7.18 Who is a God like unto thee that pardoneth iniquitie and passeth by the transgressions of the remnant of his heritage Thirdly Hee delighteth in us and in our poore services notwithstanding all these corruptions whereby they are desiled The Lord taketh pleasure in them that feare him saith David Psal. 147.11 and 149.4 The Lord taketh pleasure in his people If yee will obey my voice indeed saith the Lord to the children of Israel Exodus 19.5 and keep my Covenant then ye shall be pecuculiar treasure vnto me above all people And Mala. 3.17 They shall be mine saith the Lord of hosts in that day when I make up my Iewels and I will spare them as a man spareth his owne sonne that serveth him Yea those poore duties wee performe to him in his service which our selves take so small comfort in yet hee delighteth in them Hee delighteth in the way of a good man saith David Psalm 37.23 And Solomon Prov. 15.8 The prayer of the upright in his delight Thy voice is sweet saith Christ to his Church Cant. 2 14 In which respect hee compareth the hearts of his people that are able to pray Revel 5 8. unto golden vialls full of sweet odours And the faithfull minister is said by the Apostle 2 Cor. 2.15 to be unto God a sweet savour of Christ in them that are saved and in them that perish whether the people receive good by our labours or no. And for this cause also hee desireth to heare us pray to see us keepe his Sabbaths preach and heare his word give almes to his poore members c. as much as ever man did desire any thing hee most delighted in Let me see thy countenance saith Christ to his Church Cant. 2.14 let me heare thy voice And Iohn 4.23 The father seeketh such worshippers as worship him in spirit and truth as a great man would seeke farre and neere for a faithfull and profitable servant And have not every one of us cause to wonder at this and to say to the Lord as Iohn Baptist did to Christ Matth. 3.14 I have need to bee baptized of thee and commest thou to me I have need to seek to
thee to have my best services washed and cleansed from their filthines and seekest thou to mee for such poore services as I am able to doe Fourthly and lastly Hee doth also reward every service wee doe unto him notwithstanding all the imperfections and staines of it Whatsoever good thing any man doth saith the Apostle Ephes. 6.8 the same shall he receive of the Lord whether he be bond or free Not onely great services and such as much glory redoundeth to his name by but even the meanest and poorest and such as may seeme to bee of least use unto him See what Christ saith of the poore widdowes two mites Luke 21.3 of a cup of cold water given to one of his little ones in the name of a Disciple Matth. 10.42 and what the Apostle saith Colos. 3 24. of the conscionable service that a poore drudge that had an infidell to his master did Know that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of inheritance Therefore when Christ speaketh Matth. 25. of the good workes that shall bee rewarded in heaven hee speaketh not of Martyrdome nor of building of Colledges nor fighting the Lords battell nor redeeming of impropriations and such like great and excellent workes but of such as the meanest Christian almost may bee able to performe The poore mans sacrifice who was able to bring but a turtle Dove or a young Pigeon was an offering of as sweet a savour unto the Lord as you shall find Levit. 1.17 as the rich mans was that brought never so many sheepe or oxen either Yea those very services that have beene apparantly polluted with mixture of corruption have beene rewarded by him neverthelesse Because the mid-wives feared God saith Moses Exodus 1.20 21. and saved the childrens lives therefore God dealt well with the mid-wives and made them houses though they in doing this service had excused themselves by a lye as yee may see verse 19. Yea those services that we do unto God with sensible untowardnesse unwillingnesse and reluctancy of our flesh against them those God will bee most sure to reward God is not unrighteous saith the Apostle Heb. 6.10 to forget your worke and labour of love Now if wee will search the Scriptures and enquire into the reason of this admirable goodnesse of God and demand how it commeth to passe that so perfect and pure and righteous a God should so farre respect so imperfect and impure services as we are able to doe unto him we shall find three reasons given of it in the holy Scriptures First In these poore services that the faithfull doe unto God their heart is set to please him that is the end they aime at They would faine doe them in faith and love to God with fervency and vigour of spirit To will is present with them as Paul speaketh Rom. 7.18 They would faine doe better They would faine serve God even in that exact manner that hee requireth Their spirit is willing as our Saviour saith Matth. 26.41 though the flesh be weake And they oft-times pray unto God as David doth Psal. 119.5 O that my wayes were directed to keepe thy statutes And can say as Esa. 26.8 The desire of our soule is to thy name and to the remembrance of thee They that are after the spirit saith the Apostle Rom. 8.5 doe mind the things of the spirit The poore servants will was to pay his master even the ten thousand talents that he required of him Matth. 18.24 16. The faithfull doe not please themselves in any of their failings but are troubled with them and mourne for them As the poore man in the Gospell was that hee could beleeve no better Mar. 9.24 In all their coldnesse in prayer in all their wandrings and evill thoughts they find then they can say with the spouse Cant. 5.2 I sleep but my heart waketh And this is a thing that highly pleaseth God hee will beare with much when hee findeth this If there be a willing mind saith the Apostle 2 Cor. 8.12 a man is accepted according to that that a man hath The good Lord pardon every one saith good Hezechiah in his prayer 2 Chron. 38.18 19. and the Lord hearkened to him verse 20. that prepareth his heart to seeke God though hee bee not cleansed according to the purification of the Sanctuary The Lord will pardon and passe by much where he seeth the heart is thus set to please him Secondly These poore services that we doe are for the substance of them the fruits the thoughts and desires the words and actions of his owne spirit in us It is God worketh in us both to will and to doe as the Apostle speaketh Phil. 2.13 In those poore prayers that the faithfull soule maketh when his spirit is overwhelmed so that hee knoweth not what to pray as hee ought the spirit it selfe maketh intercession for us with groanings that cannot bee uttered as the Apostle speaketh Rom 8.26 And though God dislike never so much that that is ours the corruptions and staines that cleave to our best works yet that that is his owne the worke of his owne spirit hee cannot but like and delight in This reason wee shall find given by David Psal. 37.23 The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord and hee delighteth in his way Therefore hee delighteth in the good mans way because hee by his spirit doth order and direct it And thus the Church reasoneth Esay 26.12 Lord thou wilt ordaine peace for us for thou also hast wrought all our works in us Thirdly and lastly The faithfull are in Christ and God beholdeth them in him and because hee is in Christ well pleased with and loveth them therefore doth he take in good part their poore services He hath made us accepted saith the Apostle Ephes. 1.6 in the beloved And when we our selves are once reconciled unto God and in favour with him it is no marvell though he take our poore services in so good part The Lord had respect to Abel and to his offering saith Moses Genes 4.4 Wee that are evill ye know can beare with much in them that wee love dearely Yea the services that the faithfull doe unto God they doe not present them to him in their owne name but in Christs onely they doe not looke to have them accepted for their owne but for the Lords sake as Daniel speaketh Dan. 9.17 18. And Christ hath borne all these our blemishes and defects and fully satisfied for them As it is said of Aaron the high Priest Exod. 28 38. that he did beare the iniquity of the holy things that Gods people did offer in all their holy gifts Our spirituall sacrifices are acceptable to God by Iesus Christ as the Apostle speaketh 1 Pet. 2 5. For he presenteth them to his father in the merit of his sacrifice and in presenting them casteth of these his sweete odours and incense into them as you shall read Rev. 8.3 And being so perfumed it is no marvell though our
poore services be as a sacrifice of a most sweet smelling savour unto God Lecture LXXIII on Psalme 51.5 Octob. 30. 1627. THis point may not be passed over without some application And it is to bee applied 1. By way of prevention unto carnall and wicked men who are apt to draw that comfort unto themselves from it that belongeth not unto them 2. By way of incouragement unto the people of God who receive not that comfort from it that they ought to doe First Many a carnall man is apt to stumble at this Doctrine and to blesse himselfe in his grosse sins by it after this manner The Lord saith he you see is not so strict and rigorous as to marke every thing that his people doe amisse hee is apt wee heare to passe by their slips and infirmities but the good things they doe at any time those hee taketh notice of and remembreth and taketh delight in and will undoubtedly reward And therefore saith hee why should my slips and infirmities disquiet mee And what are these slips and infirmities I pray you that he speaketh of Surely swearing ordinarily making himselfe merry now and then with deriding religion and good men breaking the Sabbath wantonnesse drunkennesse and such like Why should I saith hee suffer my mind to be troubled for these things Nay why should I not rather comfort my selfe and rejoyce in those good things I doe For I thanke God I am no Papist but professe the true religion I goe to Church I pray I heare the Word and receive the Sacrament I give to the poore I make conscience of my word I doe no man wrong And these are things I know that God liketh and delighteth in This was just the presumptuous conceit and perswasion of that Pharisee our Saviour speaketh of Luke 18.11 12. And certainly the world is full of such Pharisees even in these dayes Now to beat downe the presumption of these Pharisees I have three things to say First Consider who they are that the Lord standeth so graciously affected unto whose slips and infirmities hee useth thus to winke at whose imperfect services hee is wont thus to delight in and reward Not every one but such onely as are in Christ. Such onely are his children by adoption and grace But what is that to thee Seeing it is certaine thou art not in Christ. Because thou walkest and goest on impenitently in knowne sinnes There is no condemnation saith the Apostle Rom. 8.1 to them that are in Christ Iesus But who are they Hee answereth Which walke not after the flesh but after the spirit It is certaine thou art not the child of God because thou art not led by the spirit of God For so saith the Apostle likewise Rom. 8.14 As many as are led by the spirit of God they are the sonnes of God and none but they Secondly Admit thou wert the child of God admit thou wert in Christ yet could not God beare with such faults as thine are nor take in good part such service as thou usest to doe unto him The Lord hath promised Mat. 3.17 To spare and beare with his children as a man spareth his son that serveth him In those good duties wherein he seeth our heart is set to serve him he wil beare with many defects and failings But he will not beare with the dearest child he hath in any grosse sinne Did he beare with David when he fell to adultery No no he beat him so sore for it as David complaineth heere ver 8. that he brake his bones with beating of him For such sinnes God is very terrible in the assembly of his Saints especially as the Prophet speaketh Psalme 89.7 Nay I say more the Lord will not passe by nor winke at in the dearest child he hath those very defects and failings that are in their best duties if they be reigning corruptions and not infirmities that is if they be not felt and striven against and mourned for Therefore we are required in doing of good duties to watch and observe our owne hearts Continue in prayer and watch in the same saith the Apostle Colos. 4.2 And to strive against our owne corruptions therein Strive with me and for me in prayer saith he Romanes 15.30 And to bewaile unto God our failings in them Spare mee according to the greatnesse of thy mercy saith Nehemiah 13.22 And if God will not winke at such faults as thine are in his dearest children canst thou hope that he will winke at them in thee that art still a child of wrath If God will not accept of the services that his dearest children doe unto him unlesse they be sensible of those corruptions wherewith they are stained canst thou hope that he will accept of thine And what talkest thou of thy serving of God or of any good thing that ever thou didst Alas thou couldest never serve God nor doe any good thing in thy life That which the Prophet saith Ieremie 6.10 of such as thou art their eare is uncircumcised and they cannot hearken thou couldst never in thy life heare one Sermon to any purpose the same may be said of all other duties of Gods service thou couldst never pray nor receive the Sacrament in thy life Yee cannot serve the Lord saith Ioshuah 24.19 to them that lived in idolatry And that which I say of the duties of Gods worship the same I say likewise of all other good workes Thou never didst worke of mercy in thy life thou didst never make conscience of dealing justly and truly with thy neighbour Matthew 12.34 How can ye being evill speake good things Luke 6.43 A corrupt tree bringeth not forth good fruit They that professe that they know God saith the Apostle Titus 1.16 but in their workes denie him being abominable and disobedient are reprobate unto every good worke The good things that such men seeme to doe are not onely defective in the manner or in the measure or in matter of circumstance as the best workes of the faithfull may be but they are utterly void of that which is the very substance and that giveth life and being to a good worke that is faith that worketh by love Gal. 5 6. The third and last thing I have to say to this man is this Thou not being Gods child nor being in Christ but living in the state of impenitency as thou dost and continuing therein shalt find the Lord every whit as austere and rigorous towards thee as he is indulgent and gracious towards his owne children This will appeare in three points First Though he beare with so many faults and frailties in his own children he will not beare with the least fault in thee But thou shalt give account even for every idle word that thou hast spoken at the day of Iudgement as our Saviour speaketh Mat. 12.36 Yea the Lord will bring every secret thought of thine into judgement Eccl. 12.14 Secondly Though he take the poorest and weakest services that his children doe him in
corruptions yea that little fire they have is covered in them with such an heape of ashes that little corne that is in them is hid in them in such a deale of chaffe as they can hardly discerne that truth of grace that is them To this case that proverbe may fitly be applyed Pro. 13.7 There is that maketh himselfe rich and hath nothing there is that maketh himselfe poore yet hath great riches See an example of this in David in that prayer he maketh ver 10. of this Psalme Create in me a cleane heart ô God and renew a right spirit within me He had certainely at this time a cleane heart and a right spirit but he could not perceive nor discerne it in himselfe at this time and therefore prayeth God would create it and renew it in him as if it had beene quite gone It is a farre easier thing for a regenerate man to see and discerne the corruption that is in him then the truth of grace that is in him When the Apostle speaketh of the fruits of the flesh he saith of them Gal 5.19 The workes of the flesh are manifest but when he commeth to speake of the fruits of the spirit ver 22. he saith not so of them The grace of Gods spirit is an hidden and secret thing called therefore that hidden man of the heart 1 Pet. 3.4 and cannot be certainely knowne unlesse a man take paines to search into it In this respect it is said the wise merchant Mat. 13.44 when he had found the treasure hid in the field withdrew himselfe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as merchants use to do that have great accounts to make that he might try whether it were the true treasure or no. 2. The difficulty of this worke may appeare by the expresse testimony of the Lord himselfe Ier. 17.9 The heart is deceitfull above all things who can know it It is so deceitfull this darke den hath so many corners and turnings in it that the wisest man in the world by the strength of nature is not able to find it out to know whether it be true or false sound or rotten A man may be an hypocrite and have a false heart and himselfe not know it though some hypocrisie be grosse and palpable yet all is not so This is plaine by that which our Saviour speaketh to the Angell of the Church of Laodicea Rev. 3.17 Thou knowest not that thou art wretched and miserable and poore and blinde and naked 3. The difficulty of this worke is evident by reason also For there be many good things so like unto true grace that may be in a meere naturall man as it is no easie thing to discerne and put a difference betweene them but a man may easily be deceived and think he hath truth of saving grace when he hath nothing but nature in him 1. There are certaine remnants of Gods image in many naturall men that are very like unto true grace The Gentiles that know not the law saith the Apostle Rom. 2.14 doe by nature the things contained in the law They make conscience of and hate many sinnes they may practise many morall vertues as justice mercy and fidelity which our Saviour Matth. 23.23 calleth the weightier points in Gods law And these are certainely in themselves and materially good things and it is said Mar. 10.21 our Saviour looking upon the rich man that had these things in him loved him So that it is no marvell though so many be deceived in them and take them for true grace 2. There are certaine common graces and beginnings of sanctification in many hypocrites that live in Gods Church and in the profession of the Gospell which are yet more like to saving grace then the other are Some of those that fall into the unpardonable sinne have beene inlightned as the Apostle speaketh Heb. 6.4 5. and have tasted of the heavenly gift and have beene made partakers of the Holy Ghost Some such have escaped the pollutions of the world left their knowne sinnes even through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour as the Apostle Peter speaketh 2 Pet. 2.20 3. Yea it is certaine there is a kind of truth and uprightnesse of heart in many a man that never had any truth of saving grace in him I know saith the Lord to Abimelech the King of Gerar an heathen man Gen. 20.6 that thou didst this in the integrity of thy heart Paul even whilst he was a persecuter had a kind of truth and uprightnesse of heart in that which he did I have lived saith he Acts 23 1. in all good conscience before God unto this day He did nothing but that which he was perswaded in his heart he ought to doe I verily thought saith he Act. 26.9 with my selfe that I ought to do many things contrary to the name of Iesus of Nazareth The intent and purpose of his heart was to please and honour God in it In all these three respects it is certainely an hard thing for a man to know whether his heart be right or no if he doe not carefully and diligently observe his owne heart and examine it he will never be able to know it It behoveth us to use all diligence in this businesse it will never els be well done Give diligence saith the Apostle 2 Pet. 1.10 to make your calling and election sure And by making this sure unto our selves that our hearts are upright wee shall make both our calling and election sure And this is the first Motive The second is from the possibility of this worke Though most men be deceived in this point though their heart be so deceitfull though there be so great a resemblance betweene those good things that may be in naturall men and hypocrites and the truth of grace yet if we will take paines to examine our selves well we may certainely know that our hearts are upright if they be so that there is truth of grace in us that there is more in us then can be in any naturall man or hypocrite in the world This also shall be made evident to you in three points First Because the faithfull are exhorted so oft and earnestly to prove and examine themselves whether they be in the faith or no 2 Cor. 13.5 To prove every man his owne worke Gal. 6.4 To make sure to themselves their owne calling and election 2 Pet. 1.10 Now these exhortations had beene in vaine if it were not possible for the faithfull to know they have true faith that the workes and duties they doe are done in uprightnesse if a man might not be certaine and sure that he is effectually called For though God in his law require that of the naturall man which it is impossible for him to do as the Apostle speaketh Rom. 8.3 and may justly do it 1 because when God first gave the law to mankind in Adam he made him able to keepe it 2 because by exacting this of him which he is not able to do he
religion are called by the holy Ghost and wee may not teach him to speake righteous men and beleevers though there bee no true righteousnesse or faith in them at all So it is said Iohn 2.23 24. Many beleeved in Christs name when they saw the miracles that he did Had these men true and saving faith No verely as appeareth plainly by the next words But Iesus did not commit himselfe unto them because hee knew all men As though the Evangelist had said Hee knew there was no truth of faith in their hearts though they made such a profession of it So it is said of Simon Magus Actes 8.13 that hee beleeved Why had hee ever a true justifying faith in him No verely for hee was even then though neither Philip nor Peter perceived it till a little after in the gall of bitternesse and in the bond of iniquitie as Peter testifieth of him verse 23. yet all that are baptized are said to be regenerated and borne anew yea all the infants of the faithfull are said by the Apostle 1 Cor. 7.14 to bee holy Are all infants holy indeed and truly sanctified Are all men that are baptized regenerated indeed No verily But by profession and sacramentally they are so all But why are they then by the holy Ghost called so not being so indeed Surely because the Church and people of God are bound to judge them beleevers and righteous persons that outwardly professe themselves to bee such till God shall bee pleased to reveile and discover them to bee otherwise The secret things belong to the Lord our God saith Moses Deutero 29.29 but those things which are reveiled belong to us and to our children for ever And therefore Simon Magus as bad a man as hee was inwardly and in heart was without all scruple admitted by Philip the Evangelist unto baptisme and so accounted a true beleever Acts 8.13 even for this cause because hee professed the true faith So then the beleevers the righteous and regenerate persons that are such only by profession and in the judgement of the Church may quite fall away and loose all that goodnes that seemed to be in them Secondly It cannot bee denyed but that a man may have in him in truth sundry common gifts of the spirit of God that are very like unto saving and true grace and yet loose them againe and fall quite from them The hearer that is compared to the stony ground that receiveth the word and beleeveth it and findeth joy and comfort in it yet may fall away as is plaine Luke 8.13 A man that hath beene enlightned and hath tasted of the heavenly gift of Christ and hath beene made partaker of the holy Ghost may so fall away saith the Apostle Heb. 6 4.6 as it is impossible for him to bee renewed againe unto repentance A man that hath escaped the pollutions of the world forsaken all foule grosse sins may be yet so intangled againe and overcome by them as the Apostle teacheth 2 Peter 2.20 that his latter end may become worse with him then ever his beginning was And what shall wee say of these men and of the good things that are spoken of them Were they such in shew and profession onely No verily They were indeed enlightned they did indeed beleeve they did indeed rejoyce and found comfort in the word they did indeed forsake the pollutions of the world Yea these good things in them were the workes and effects of the word and spirit of God and not of nature onely that that sprung up in them came from the seed of the word that was sowen in their hearts Luke 8.6.13 It was the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Iesus Christ as the Apostle speaketh 2 Peter 2.20 and the sweetnesse that they found in that that made them to forsake all foule and grosse sins How then Had these men ever any truth of saving or sanctifying grace in them No verily For our Saviour saith 1. Of these Luke 8.13 that they had no root in themselves the goodnes worke of the spirit that was in them was overly it never went low enough deep enough to the giving of them a root to the reforming of the inward man 2. Of the hearer that is compared to the good ground Luk. 8.15 that he he only of all the foure sorts of hearers had on honest and a good heart there was no goodnes of heart no truth of grace in any of the other three Thirdly and lastly A man that hath had in him truth of saving grace may seeme to others and to himselfe also to have lost it utterly and even to have quite quenched the spirit in himselfe For 1. he may loose the comfortable sense and feeling of it and not perceive in himselfe that he hath any grace in him at all Lord why castest thou off my soule saith the Prophet Ps. 88.14 15 while I suffer thy terrours I am distracted 2. He may loose the vigor and powerfull operation of it it may like a sparke of fire be so covered and hidden in an heap of ashes that neither himselfe nor any other can by any light or heat that commeth from it discerne any other but that it is quite dead and gone If Nathan himselfe had come to David when after the committing of his shamefull adultery he was practising with all the cunning he had the murther of Vriah or if any of the Apostles had bin with Peter when he denied Christ so oft with such bitter oathes and execrations against himselfe Mat. 26.74 what sparke of grace could they have discerned in them In these three points then you see how farre foorth it may be granted that men may fall from grace And yet is this that I have taught you a certaine truth that true sanctifying and saving grace is of a lasting permanent and continuing nature See this confirmed 1. By that which the holy Ghost expresly affirmeth of sundry particular graces and fruits of the spirit of sanctification I will instance but in three 1. The feare of the Lord is cleane saith David Psal. 19.9 enduring for ever 2. So speaking of the upright man Psal. 112.2 3. he saith his righteousnesse endureth for ever 3. And the Apostle speaking of that meekenes of spirit which Gods sanctifying grace worketh in the faithfull he calleth it Pet. 3 4. a thing that is not corruptible it can never dye See this also confirmed 2. By that which the holy Ghost expresly affirmeth of the whole habit and quality of renewed holinesse created and infused by the spirit of God into our soules at our first conversion The grace of regeneration is called by the Apostle 1 Pet. 1.23 an incorruptible seed which he amplifieth by this comparison verse 24.25 All flesh is as grasse and all the glory of man is as the flower of the grasse the grasse withereth and the flower thereof falleth away but the word of the Lord endureth for ever As if he should say Whatsoever excellency we have
every mans conscience and men shall bee judged according to the things that are written in those bookes according to their workes Every mans owne booke his owne conscience will plead for God against himselfe at that day At that day it will appeare that not the Lord but every wicked man himselfe is the onely cause of his owne destruction that he is not saved because he had no desire nor will to bee saved hee did not his endeavour nor what lay in him to come to grace and salvation that the Lord was not wanting to him this way but he was wanting to himselfe In that day the Lord will say to every wicked man as hee saith to Ierusalem Matth. 22.37 O wretched man and woman how oft would I have gathered thee but thou wouldst not How oft would I have converted thee what meanes of grace did I give unto thee how often have I shewed my selfe willing by such and such a Sermon by such and such an affliction to have changed thy heart but thou wouldst not Certainely all wicked men perish wilfully they perish because they will perish they have no desire to be saved Why will ye die O house of Israel saith the Lord Ezek. 33.11 As if he had said Ye die because ye will die Now that men do perish thus wilfully that they have no true desire nor will to be saved appeareth evidently by these foure things that may be observed in them First They will use no meanes nor take any paines to escape damnation to obtaine grace and to get to heaven as they would doe to escape any great danger they desire to avoid or to obtaine any good thing they desire to have Salvation is farre from the wicked saith David Psal. 119.155 how should they come by it for they kept not thy statutes As if he had said They will not use the meanes nor labour to get it Secondly When they may have the meanes to bring them to grace and salvation without any labour or charge to them they flâ—ight and neglect them they account them rather a burden and trouble then any benefit or blessing unto them they shew no desire to them but say in their hearts to God as those wretches did of whom we reade Iob 21.24 Depart from me for wee desire not the knowledge of thy waies Thirdly When the Lord doth sometimes by his Word sometimes by his judgements force them to have some thoughts of heaven some good motions and desires they resist the spirit of God therein as Stephen saith the Iewes did Acts 7.51 They hold the truth in unrighteousnesse as the Apostle speaketh Rom. 1.18 They violently withstand and oppose these good motions and will not yeeld to them Fourthly and lastly which is the root of all the rest They doe in their hearts basely esteeme of and despise grace and salvation and the meanes thereof and preferre any trifle before them And as it is said of Gallio the profane deputy Act. 8.17 he cared for none of those things so may it be said of them the matter of religion and of their salvation is the least of their care when they have nothing els to doe or thinke of then they will thinke of heaven So that as it is said of Esau that he despised his birth-right Gen 25.34 because he sold it for one morsell of meat for one meales meat as the Apostle speaketh Heb. 12.16 so may it be truly said of all wicked that they despise grace and salvation because there be so many trifles that they preferre before it And so the Holy Ghost expressely speaketh Pro. 11.33 He that refuseth instruction despiseth his owne soule So that it is evident you see that every wicked man is utterly inexcusable he perisheth justly because he perisheth wilfully he hath no desire at all no will to be saved but an utter aversnesse and unwillingnesse to go to heaven or to walke in the way that leadeth thither Now if any man shall object against this and say How can this be seeing the spirit speaketh expressely in the holy Scriptures 1. That man hath by nature no freedome of will to any thing that is good but is dead in trespasses and sinnes as the Apostle speaketh Ephes. 2.1 He cannot desire to have grace or to be saved no more then a dead man can desire to live nay he cannot accept of Gods grace when it is offered 1 Cor. 2.14 The naturall man receiveth not the things of the spirit of God for they are foolishnesse unto him he cannot choose but be unwilling and averse from good things 2. That the matter of mans salvation dependeth wholly not upon the will of man but upon the will and free grace of God as the Apostle speaketh Rom. 9.16 It is not of him that willeth nor of him that runneth this matter dependeth neither upon the desire of man nor upon any endeavour neither that he can use but of God that sheweth mercy And verse 18. He hath mercy on whom he will have mercy and whom he will he hardeneth And he worketh all things according to the counsell of his owne will saith the Apostle Ephes. 1.11 3. Gods grace is irresistible and able to overcome and subdue this unwillingnesse and aversenesse that is in our nature God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham as Iohn Baptist speaketh Matth. 3.9 And that in these three respects it should seeme that the wicked man is not the cause of his own destruction but the Lord rather To this I answer First That the Lord is not the cause why man is by nature dead in trespasses and sinnes but himselfe onely he killed himselfe and deprived himselfe of this spirituall life the Lord did it not God requireth nothing of man for not doing whereof the condemneth him but he made him well able to doe it God made man upright saith the Holy Ghost Eccl. 7.29 not the first man but man indefinitely mankind God made man upright And as in Adam all men were made upright so in Adam all men voluntarily and unconstrainedly sinned as the Apostle saith Rom. 5.12 killed themselves lost this spirituall life So that even in this respect that standeth good which you heard out of Hos. 13.9 O man thou hast destroyed thy selfe Secondly Though God be able to restore to every wicked man this spirituall life againe and to quicken him by his grace yet is he not bound to do it he doth no man wrong if he doe it not Is it not lawfull for me saith the Lord Mat. 20.15 to doe what I will with mine owne Who hath first given to him saith the Apostle Rom. 11.35 who hath made God a debter to him and it shall be recompensed to him againe Thirdly Though every naturall man be dead in trespasses and sinnes so as he can doe nothing that is spiritually good and pleasing unto God nothing that hee can save himselfe by Yet may every naturall man doe much more then he doth to further
this Neh. 1.11 that he desired to feare Gods name The third example is the Apostle Pauls who desiring the prayers of Gods people for himselfe Heb. 13.18 mentioneth this for their encouragement therein and for his owne comfort that hee had a good conscience in all things desiring to live honestly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And againe Rom. 7. he professeth verse 20 It is no more â— that doe it he did not transgresse Gods law Why so Because as he saith ver 15 hee did not in his mind allow himselfe in any evill that which I doe I allow not And because whatsoever evill he did was against his will verse 16 I doe that which I would not And verse 19. The evill which I would not that I doe and verse 15. What I hate that doe I. So on the other side hee professeth verse 25. that hee himselfe did serve the law of God hee kept Gods law How could that bee when hee confesseth verse 18. that hee found no ability in himselfe to performe that which is good Yes he telleth us how he kept the law for all that Because 1. in his mind hee did consent to the law that it is good verse 16. and verse 12. The law is holy and the commandement is holy and just and good and verse 25. With the mind I my selfe serve the law of God 2 In his will he did desire to obey God in every commandement To will is present with me saith he ver 18. and ver 19. The good that I would I doe not and verse 21. When I would doe good evill is present Certainely these holy men would never have made such mention of the goodnesse of their minds and desires if they had not held this a certaine evidence that they were in the state of grace if they had not beleeved that no sinne shall bee imputed to us which wee doe not allow our selves in and which wee commit against the desire and purpose of our hearts if they had not beleeved that that man hath truth of grace in him that doth unfeinedly desire grace hee doth truly beleeve that doth thus desire to beleeve hee doth truly repent that thus desireth to repent hee doth obey God in all things and lead an holy life that doth thus unfeinedly desire to doe so But see a second proofe of this in the sentence and testimony that God in his word hath given of such men Of this sort I will alleage but two only The first is that of the Apostle 2 Cor. 8.12 If there bee first a willing mind a man is accepted it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 If a man have a mind unfeinedly willing to doe good hee is accepted of God and that that is said of doing good may bee sayd likewise of beleeving of repenting and of every other grace if a man have a mind unfeinedly willing and desirous to beleeve to repent to love and feare God hee is accepted of God And how could he bee accepted of God if hee had not these graces in him indeed The second testimony is that which our Saviour giveth Matth. 5.6 Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousnesse And how could they be blessed that hunger after righteousnesse if they be not righteous how could he that hungreth after faith or any other saving grace be a blessed man â—f this unfeined desire were not a certaine evidence that there is truth of saving faith and grace in that man The third and last proofe is taken from the reasons and grounds of this and those are two First Because this unfeined desire of grace cannot grow from nature seeing while wee were in the state of nature wee were like to him which had a spirit of an uncleane Devill who cryed out with a loud voyce saying Let us alone what have wee to doe with thee thou Iesus of Nazareth Art thou come to destroy us I know thee who thou art the Holy one of God Luk 4.34 but is the worke of Gods sanctifying spirit It is God that worketh in us saith the Apostle Phil. 2 â—3 to will as well as to doe and that of his good pleasure his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his speciall favour and love Secondly This is a speciall part of that purchase that Christ hath made for us That whereas in the first covenant that God made with man no obedience pleased him but an exact doing of whatsoever hee commanded and the sentence of the law raâ—ne thus Galathians 3 10. Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things that are written in the booke of the law to doe them Christ by performing in his owne person this exact obedience to the law for us hath procured that our poore and imperfect obedience which standeth more in an unfeined desire and endeavour to doe the will of God then in any performance we are able to make should be acceptable unto him as the Apostle saith 1 Pet. 2.5 Yet is there a third objection that these poore soules are apt to make against themselves and my desire is to give them as full satisfaction in all their doubts as I can I grant all this saith one that if I had a true and unfeined desire of grace then I had truth of grace in mee indeed I had all the signes of uprightnesse in mee if I did indeed unfeinedly desire them But alas the good desires that seeme to bee in me are most hypocriticall and unsound If I did unfeinedly and with a good and upright heart desire grace I could not be so void of grace as I am For the Lord hath promised to fulfill the desires of them that feare him Psalme 145.19 Hee filleth the hungry with good things Luke 1.53 To this I answer Take heed of denying the work of Gods grace in thy selfe It is an high degree of unthankefulnesse to doe so But take these for certaine evidences that the desire of thy heart is right First Thou esteemest more of the favour of God and of his grace then of any thing else in the world and canst say with David Psalm 4.6 I would joy more in the light of thy countenance then ever worldling or Epicure did in his wealth or pleasure Secondly Thou allowest not thy selfe but strivest against every sinne and corruption thou findest in thy selfe and feelest in thy selfe that blessed combate that Paul speaketh of Galath 5.17 The spirit lusteth against the flesh Thirdly Thou seekest by prayer and all other good meanes to get more grace and cryest with that poore man Marke 9.24 Lord helpe mine unbeliefe Lord helpe my impenitency my worldlinesse c. Yea even when thou hast hardest conceit against thy selfe that thou art but an hypocrite but a cast-away yet thou cryest and prayest still to God for grace as David did Psalme 31.22 Fourthly and lastly Thou mournest and grievest unfeinedly that thou hast no more faith no more grace Thou dost as that poore man Marke 9.24 hee cryed out of his infidelity and watered
of his will in all wisedome and spirituall understanding that yee may walke worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing being fruitfull in every good worke and increasing in the knowledge of God Strengthened with all might according to his glorious power unto all patience and long suffering with joyfulnesse Marke 1 how earnestly he prayeth for increase of knowledge in them that had already greatly profited in it 2 that he desireth this as the meanes whereby all other graces that were in them were to receive their strength specially the grace of patience to beare the crosse of Christ with comfort As if he had said thus I know it is not possible for you to be strengthened in patience nor to hold out in the fiery triall with comfort unlesse you be filled with the knowledge of Gods Word in all wisdome spirituall understanding This the Apostle teacheth us Rom. 15.4 Whatsoever things were written aforetime by the holy Prophets were written for our learning to teach us to breed knowledge in us that we through patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope As if he should have said All true patience and comfort and hope in the time of affliction is grounded upon that which we have learned in the holy Scriptures This David confirmeth to us by his owne experience in many passages of the 119. Psalme That Psalme appeareth plainely to have beene made in the time of great affliction both outward and inward that David was exercised with and we shall find that in all his affliction he cryeth there unto God for nothing so much for nothing so earnestly as he doth for knowledge in the Word of God See this in verse 124 125 143 144 169. And why doth hee thus cry for knowledge Certainely he knew nothing was able to support and stablish his faith and hope his patience and comfort in his affliction but onely this If any man shall object against this That many of the Martyrs were most constant in their profession and shewed marvellous patience and comfort in their sufferings that yet had very little knowledge we read in the book of Martyrs of some that suffered who were so ignorant as they could not tell how many Sacraments there were or what a Sacrament is nay one of them answered she had heard there was one Sacrament but what it was she knew not Page 2091. of another we read that was so simple as he was commonly reputed litle better then an idiot Pag 2232. of another who in a letter of his doth admire this himselfe that knowing himselfe to be so unlearned and ignorant as he was yet he found such strength and assistance from God in his sufferings as he did Page 2080. To this I answer 1. That all these had full and certaine knowledge out of Gods Word of those truthes that they did suffer for though they were very ignorant of many other 2. They were filled with the knowledge of Gods will according to their measure their knowledge was fully proportionable to the measure of the meanes and capacity that God had given them and the least pot may bee as full as the greatest vessell that is 3. That little knowledge that they had was saving and spirituall they were taught it of God in the hidden part God had made them to know wisdome or els they could never have held out in such sufferings with such constancy and patience as they did And this is the first reason why the Holy Ghost in the Scripture doth ascribe so much unto knowledge it is the foundation of all other graces and that that giveth strength and stability unto them Secondly Knowledge is the seed from whence all other graces doe grow it is the meanes whereby they are bred and begotten in us This point is evident even in nature for the will and affections are moved by the understanding that sitteth at the sterne in the soule of man A man can neither love nor hate desire nor feare rejoyce norâ— mourne for any thing but according to the apprehension hee hath of it first in his understanding But see the proofe of this out of the holy Scripture in these two points 1. God doth never ordinarily worke any saving grace in any that hath no knowledge 2. Where knowledge is once truly wrought by the spirit of God all other saving graces will follow For the first See what the holy Apostle saith 2 Pet. 1.2 3. Grace and peace bee multiplied to you through the knowledge of God and of Iesus our Lord. Knowledge is the meanes to bring us to the sense of Gods free grace and to that sweet peace that is the fruit of it yea to have them multiplied in us But he goeth further in the next words According as his divine power hath given us all things that pertaine to life and godlinesse through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and vertue Knowledge is the meanes whereby God giveth and worketh in us every other grace also No man can attaine to true saith till hee have knowledge How shall they beleeve in him of whom they have not heard Rom. 10.14 And Esa. 53.11 By his knowledge shall my righteous servant justifie many No man can pray aright or do any other service unto God till hee have knowledge Know thou the God of thy father and serve him with a perfect heart saith David to Solomon 1 Chron. 28.9 My lips shall utter praise when thou hast taught me thy statutes saith David Psalme 119.171 As if hee had said Till then I can never doe it Bee more ready to heare saith Solomon Eccles. 5.1 then to give the sacrifice of fooles Till by hearing of the Word wee have gotten knowledge all our prayers and services we doe unto God are but the sacrifice of fooles they are not the fruits of Gods grace and spirit nor acceptable unto him To conclude this first proofe God will have all men his elect of all sorts saith Paul 1 Tim. 2.4 to bee saved and to come unto the knowledge of the truth This knowledge of the truth is the meanes whereby all those shall bee saved whom God will save Secondly Where knowledge is once truly wrought all other graces must needs follow 1. Sound knowledge will breed holy affections and desires If thou knewest that gift of God saith our Saviour to the woman Iohn 4 10. and who it is that saith unto thee give me to drinke thou wouldst have asked of him and he would have given thee living water If a man knew Christ aright he could not choose but thirst after him and prize him above all the world If a man did rightly know and were perswaded of the comfort that is to bee found in godlinesse and the reward thereof it were not possible for him not to desire and be in love with it And if men did rightly know the torments that are prepared for wicked men they must needs tremble and be afraid of them 2. It will
in those torments where the worme shall never dye and the fire shall bee never quenched as our Saviour speaketh oft Marke 9.44.46.48 2. Though the ignorance of that man that wanted either meanes or capacity may find some mitigation of torments in hell yet is there no hope that thy ignorance that is willfull should doe so Secondly Knowledge I meane sanctified knowledge such as you heard described unto you the last day is a certaine signe a man is the elect child of God and in the state of grace To speake distinctly of this point 1. It is a signe of a mans election So Ananias speaketh of it as of an high favour of God unto Paul and signe of his election Actes 22.14 The God of our fathers hath chosen thee that thou shouldst know his will And so doth our blessed Saviour also unto his disciples Matthew 13.11 To you it is given to know the mysteries of the Kingdome of heaven but to them it is not given As if hee had said It is a speciall favour and gift of God And verse 16. Blessed are your eyes for they see and your â—ares for they heare Surely it is a great blessing of God or else Christ would not have said so Yea hee rejoyceth in his spirit on their behalfe for this and said Luke 10.21 I thanke thee ô father Lord of heaven and earth that thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent and hast reveiled them unto babes even so ô father for so it seemed good in thy sight Certainely it is a singular favour and blessing of God that our blessed Saviour made such high reckoning and account of 2. It is a signe a man is in covenant with God reconciled to him in Christ. So wee shall find it promised as a favour peculiar to them that are in covenant with God Ieremy 24.7 I will give them an heart to know mee that I am the Lord and they shall bee my people and I will bee their God And 31.34 They shall teach no more every man his neighbour and every man his brother saying know the Lord. As if hee had sayd They shall not bee taught of men onely nor rest upon this outward and ordinary meanes of knowledge I will bee their teacher my selfe for they shall all know mee from the least of them to the greatest of them saith the Lord for I will forgive their iniquity and will remember their sinnes no more It is a signe that God hath received thee into covenant that he hath forgiven thee thy sinnes and is reconciled to thee in Christ when hee hath given thee an heart to know him to understand what thou hearest and readest in the matters that concerne God and their owne salvation 3. It is a speciall signe of an honest and good heart a false and naughty heart cannot attaine to this What man is hee that feareth the Lord saith David Psalme 25 1â— him shall hee teach in the way that hee shall choose So speaketh the wisedome of God likewise Proverbs 28.5 Evill men understand not judgement they have no judgement in the things that belong to God and their owne salvation but they that seeke the Lord desire nothing so much as his favour and to know how they may best please him understand all things So that if God have given thee an heart to understand his word to carry away what thou hearest to profit in knowledge and to have a cleare and setled judgement in religion it may bee a comfortable testimony to thy conscience that thy heart is upright and that thou dost indeed seeke the Lord and feare him in truth On the other side 1. It is a great judgement of God and signe of his reprobation when having the meanes of knowledge hee can learne nothing nor profit by them This our Saviour giveth for the reason why many of the Iewes profited not either by his miracles or ministery Iohn 12.40 God hath blinded their eyes and hardened their heart that they should not see with their eyes nor understand with their heart and bee converted and I should heale them A signe it is God never decreed to save them whom hee so blindeth that they cannot understand and learne nothing 2. This is a signe of a man that remaineth still under Satans government and is in his power to bee led which way pleaseth him For hee is the ruler of the darkenesse of the world as the Apostle calleth him Ephes. 6.12 Therefore the Lord telleth Paul he sent him to open the eyes of the blind and to turne them from darkenesse to light and from the power of Satan unto God Acts 26. â—8 Therefore also you shall find in the parable of the sower Mat. 13.19 that of all the three sort of bad hearers hee that understandeth and learneth nothing is the worst and most under the power of Satan The wicked one commeth and catcheth away that that was sowen in his heart 3. Lastly This is a signe of an ungracious and wicked heart when a man under good meanes can learne nothing nor get any knowledge None of the wicked shall understand saith the Prophet Daniel 12.10 hee meaneth feelingly and savingly And the Apostle speaking of certaine women 2. Timothy 3.7 that were ever learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth giveth this for the reason of it verse 6. that thâ—y were laden with sinnes and led away with divers lusts A wicked and naughty heart is certainely the chiefe cause why many enjoying excellent meanes and frequenting them also diligently yet can never attaine to any cleare and certaine and savoury knowledge of the truth Thirdly He that hath knowledge and a well grounded and setled judgement will bee constant in religion and not wavering hee will hold fast the truth and not hearken unto or bee seduced by new opinions and doctrines of men The Apostle having prayed for the Collossians Col. 2.2 that God would give them all riches of the full assurance of understanding giveth this for the reason of it verse 4. This I say thus I pray for you lest any man should beguile you with entising words As if hee had said The onely meanes to preserve you from being beguiled by false teachers that will seeke to draw you from the sincerity of Gods religion and worship is to get knowledge and to ground your selves well that way On the other side They are children in understanding are apt to bee tossed too and fro as the Apostle speaketh Ephesians 4.14 and carried about with every wind of Doctrine And what kind of persons have the seducers in all ages beene wont most to prevaile withall and to lead captive That the Apostle will tell you 2 Tim. 3.6 7. silly women that were never able to come to the knowledge of the truth Such as are ignorant and have not grounds in themselves for that which they hold and professe in religion will bee apt to pinne their conscience upon other mens sleeves and to bee carried
it was God alone that begot us by it This made that Convert mentioned 1 Corinthians 14.24 25. when hee had felt in the hearing of Gods Prophets and Ministers the searching and piercing power of the Word in his heart to fall downe on his face and to worship God and to professe God is in you of a truth As if he had said Certainely God is in your ministery it is not in the words that I have heard you speake nor in your manner of uttring and delivering of them that my heart hath beene so mightily wrought upon but in the divine power of God that speaketh in and by you So the Apostle telleth the Corinthians 2 Cor. 13.3 it was Christ that spake in him who to them-word was not weake but was mighty in them As if he should say It was not I nor any thing that I said when I preached to you but Christ that spake in me that was so mighty in your hearts to convert them But then from hence there ariseth a second Question What Is the Word and the ministery thereof in it selfe but as a dead instrument or toole that God worketh by Is it but as a truncke through which Christ speaketh Is there no more vertue and power then so in the Word it selfe My answer to this Question must have two parts For 1. I must shew you what vertue and power the Word hath in it selfe 2. What vertue and power it hath not For the first It cannot be denied but that there is some vertue and power in the Word it selfe and in the ministery thereof For First There are in the Word most strong and effectuall arguments to move and perswade men both unto repentance and unto faith It setteth before men life and death blâ—ssing and cursing as Moses speaketh Deut. 30.19 And Agrippa was almost perswadad to be a Christian by hearing of that which Paul spake concerning Christ Acts 26.28 Secondly Some doctrines that Gods Ministers teach out of Gods Word are more effectuall to perswade and move and worke upon the affections then other some are Which maketh the Apostle give speciall charge both to Timothy and to Titus also for teaching and pressing some Doctrines above others These things command and teach saith he 1 Tim. 4.11 and Tit. 2.15 These things speake and exhort and rebuke with all authority Thirdly and lastly There is much force this way even in the manner of handling and delivering of the Word Some of Gods servants are men of so excellent gifts such as Apollos was said to have beene Acts 18.24 25. so eloquent men and mighty in the Scriptures and fervent in spirit that no man almost can heare them but he must needs understand them and be affected with that that they teach But the second part of my answer to this second Question is That the power to convert the soule of any man lieth neither in the excellency of any teachers gifts no not in the Doctrine and Word of God it selfe but in the spirit of God onely that worketh by these meanes And thus the Apostle who had said as you have heard that he was the Corinthians father he had begotten them to Christ they were his worke interpreteth himselfe in other places He ascribeth all the power that was in his ministery though both his doctrine doubtlesse and his manner of deliuering it his ministeriall gifts were most excellent yet he ascribeth all I say to the worke of Gods spirit onely My preaching was saith he 1 Cor. 2.4 in demonstration of the spirit and of power As if he had said It was such as the power of the spirit was evidently to be seene and felt in it all the power that it had was from the spirit And 2 Cor. 4.7 he saith that the excellency of that power that was in his and his fellow Apostles ministery was wholly of God and not of them The weapons of our warfare saith he 2 Cor. 10 4. are mighty through God As if he had said All that mighty power that is in our ministery to pull downe strong holds and cast downe imaginations and every high thing that exalteth it selfe against the knowledge of God and to bring into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ is from God alone Yea he professeth in another place that he durst not for his life ascribe any thing to himselfe in this worke of converting men to God by his ministery I will not dare saith he Rom. 15.18 to speake of any thing which Christ hath not wrought by me to make the Gentiles obedient both in word and deed As if he had said That the Gentiles that heard me were brought to that obedience and reformation God forbid I should say or thinke it was my doing I dare not for a world say so No no it was Christ and hee alone that did worke it by me as by his poore instrument Nay when he had said 1 Cor. 3.6 that he as an Apostle and master workman had planted and Apollos as an Evangelist and under workman had watered the plants that he had set he addeth not onely that it was God that gave the increase all the successe and fruit of their labours was from God alone but he addeth further verse 7. so then neither is he that planteth any thing nor hee that watereth but God that giveth the increase As though he should say As excellent as the gifts of these men were they did nothing in this worke the whole glory of it was to be â— given unto the Lord alone And thus have you seene the first point I propounded confirmed unto you that it is of God onely that the meanes of grace become effectuall unto the conversion of any man And now let us come to the second point which I propounded unto you for the proofe of the Doctrine This worke of Gods spirit in making the meanes of grace effectuall in them that enjoy them is no common worke This powerfull and effectuall grace is not given of God to every man to profit by the Word unto his conversion For first It is expressely said of some Iohn 6.41 45. that this was the cause why they profited not by Christs ministery but murmured against him and his Doctrine because his father did not draw them because they were not taught of God And Iohn 12.38 They beleeved not that the saying of Esaias the Prophet might be fufilled which he spâ—ke Lord who hath beleeved our report and to whom is the arme of the Lord revealed 1. The arme of the Lord was not revealed to them no not in Christs ministery the mighty spirit of God did not work with the Word in their hearts 2. That was the cause why they did not beleeve and profit by the Word 3. That the onely cause why they were not converted was not because they would not themselves but because the Lord did not give them that grace whereby they should be converted Secondly It is expressely said that Gods intent and
purpose in giving his Word to some is that some should be made inexcusable by it When the Lord sent the Prophet Ezekiel to preach he did not absolutely intend in sending him that all to whom he should preach should profit by him for hee telleth and assureth him of the contrary Ezek. 3.7 The house of Israel will not hearken unto thee for they will not hearken unto me for all the house of Israel are impudent and hard-hearted What was the Lords intent then in sending him unto them That is expressed Ezek. 2.5 Yet they shall know that there hath beene a Prophet among them As if he had said To make them without excuse to make their condemnation more just the Lord sent his Word unto them So when our Saviour saith Matth. 24.14 that before the destruction of Ierusalem the Gospell should be preached in all the world hee declareth that the intent of God in sending his Apostles to preach to all nations was for a witnesse to all nations that is to make them without excuse And our Saviour himselfe speaking of his owne ministery saith Iohn 9.39 For judgement am I come into this world not onely that those that see not might see but also that they which see might be made blind Thirdly and lastly It is expressely said that this grace of Gods spirit whereby men are made to profit by the meanes to repent and beleeve is peculiar and proper to the elect of God and not common to all men As many as were ordained to eternall life beleeved saith the Holy Ghost Acts 13.48 And Rom. 8.30 Whom he did predestinate them hee also called that is to say with an inward and effectuall calling And 11.7 The election hath obtained it and the rest were blinded And thus you have seene also the second point proved that every man to whom God giveth the ministery of the Word hath not so powerfull and effectuall grace given him as whereby he shall be converted Now let us come to the third and last point I propounded for the proofe of the Doctrine namely That the worke of Gods spirit whereby he maketh the meanes of grace effectuall to the conversion of any is most free it proceedeth meerely from Gods free grace and good pleasure The sonne quickneth whom hee will and whom he will he hardeneth Of his owne will saith the Apostle Iam. 1.18 begate he us by the word of truth So when our Saviour fell into an admiration at the worke of God in this case that he should hide the mysteries of his kingdome from the wisest men in the world and reveale them to babes Luke 10.21 hee could find no other reason of it but onely the good pleasure of God Even so ô father saith hee for so it seemed good in thy sight The conversion of a man you see dependeth wholly on the will and good pleasure of God upon the will of man it dependeth not at all They that beleeve in Christ saith the Evangelist Iohn 1.13 are borne not of bloud nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man but of God This will appeare clearely to us in two points First Nothing that is in man before his conversion can moove or procure God to convert him Hee hath called us with an holy calling saith the Apostle 2 Timothy 1.9 not according to our workes but according to his owne purpose and grace Even when wee were dead in trespasses and sinnes hee quickened us saith the Apostle Ephesians 2.5 and addeth these words upon it By grace yee are saved As if hee should thus say Nothing but Gods free grace could bee the cause of the conversion of a man that had no goodnesse in him to move God to it but was dead in trespasses and sinnes Secondly Nothing that is in man before his conversion can hinder Gods worke in his conversion True it is the best of Gods Elect have beene apt to draw backe and to resist Gods grace in the worke of their conversion and even of them the Lord may complaine as Rom 10.21 All the day long have I stretched out my hands to a disobedient and gaine-saying people But when God is pleased to convert them hee doth by his grace overcome this rebellion that is in their will that they resist no longer Yet doth hee not convert any man against his will nor force the will of man to obey his call but hee changeth the will of man and taketh from it that frowardnesse and rebelliousnesse that was in it by nature and maketh it heartily willing to yeeld unto God I will take the stony heart out of them saith the Lord Ezek. 11.19 and will give them an heart of flesh God worketh in us to will of his good pleasure saith the Apostle Phil. 2.13 This may fitly bee resembled by the change that God wrought in the heart of Esau toward his brother Iacob Esaus heart and will was most strongly bent against Iacob he came against him with a great power and with a most cruell mind Genesis 32.6 yet when hee met him hee had no power to hurt him what was the cause of this Did God by force restraine him or bind him from hurting Iacob No verily God changed his will and heart that he was naturally affected towards him Gen 33.4 Hee ran to meet him and embraced him and fell on his necke and kissed him and wept in kindnesse over him And even so is it in this case The Lord in converting of a man doth not onely perswade him by effectuall arguments out of the word to repent and turne to God nor onely give a man so much grace as hee may bee able to repent and turne to God if hee wiâ—l himselfe but hee doth also infuse and worke the grace of repentance in him hee doth so change his will that hee doth most willingly repent and obey the call of God A new heart will I give you saith the Lord Ezechiel 36.26 27. and a new spirit will I put within you and I will put my spirit within you and cause you to walke in my statutes and yee shall keepe my judgements and doe them And so saith the Apostle of Christ Act. 5.31 God hath exalted him to be a Prince and a Saviour not onely to perswade men to repent or to give them power to repent if they would themselves but to give repentance unto Israel to infuse this grace into them and to worke this change in their hearts So that you see the worke of mans conversion is wholly to bee ascribed to the grace of God to his will and good pleasure not to the naturall will of man at all It lyeth not in man either to further or absolutely to hinder it In which respect we shall find it is compared to the worke of creation 2 Cor. 5.17 and to the worke of raising men from death Iohn 5.25 and to the worke of generation Iohn 3.5 And what use had man of his owne will in any of these works What power
was there in him either to further or to hinder any of them And if the efficacie of grace that God giveth to men for their conversion were no more but this that they are made thereby able to convert and repent if they will how could that bee true which the Apostle speaketh 1. Cor. 4.7 Who maketh thee to differ from another and what hast thou that thou hast not received Who made Peter to differ from Iudas that when they had both fallen the one truly repented the other did not Surely if this were so Peter might have said not the Lord but I made my selfe to differ from Iudas he had as sufficient grace given him of God for his conversion as I had he had power given him to repent if he had listed as well as I but he did not make right use of his free will for the accepting of Gods grace as I did and that was it that made the difference betweene him and me Lecture CIII On Psalme 51.6 Nouemb. 11. 1618. IT followeth now that wee proceed to the latter branch of the Doctrine namely to shew That the sound and saving knowledge of the truth that is in any man is to bee ascribed only to the worke of Gods grace and holy spirit not unto any power and ability that is in man himselfe In the hidden part saith David here thou hadst made mee to know wisedome See this confirmed unto you in three points 1. No man is able without the supernaturall grace of Gods spirit to attaine unto that knowledge of the truth as is sufficient unto his salvation 2 This supernaturall grace of Gods spirit is not common nor actually vouchsafed unto all that doe enjoy the meanes of instruction 3. No cause can bee given why this grace should bee vouchsafed unto one rather then unto another but onely the good pleasure and will of God For the first of these points I can no way better confirme it unto you then by answering two objections that may be made against it 1. Concerning the cleare and evident manifestation of the truth in the word and the ministery thereof 2. Concerning the great measure of knowledge that many a man by his naturall abilities without any supernaturall worke of Gods grace hath attained unto For the first It cannot bee denyed that all those truths the knowledge whereof is necessary unto salvation are not darkely and obscurely but plainly and clearely set downe in the holy Scriptures Thy word saith David Psal. 119.105 is a lampe unto my feet and a light unto my path And the Apostle 2 Peter 1.19 calleth the word of prophesie the Scripture of the old Testament a light that shineth in a darke place An evident demonstration of the plainnesse and easinesse of the holy Scripture to be understood is this that it was written for the use not of the learned onely but of all Gods people I have written to him saith the Lord Hosea 8.12 that is to say to Ephraim to the whole people and congregation of Israel the great things of my law but they were counted as a strange thing And how could Ephraim be blamed for counting them as a strange thing if they had beene written so obscurely and darkely that they could not bee understood by them So our Saviour speaking to the multitude to the common people Iohn 5.39 commandeth them to search the Scriptures that is to read and studie them diligently and giveth this for his reason For in them saith hee you thinke to have eternall life and they are they that testifie of mee which hee would never have done if he had thought the Scriptures had beene so darke that the common people could never understand them Neither would the Apostle have commended this in Timothy 2 Tim. 3.15 that from a child hee had knowne the holy Scriptures nor noted it to the praise of his grandmother and mother that they had trained him up so if hee had not knowne that the holy Scriptures are so plaine that even children may bee able to understand them Certainely they are so plaine in those points the knowledge whereof is necessary to the obtaining of eternall life as no man no woman no child need to bee discouraged from the reading and study of them Yea it was purposely written by the holy Ghost in that manner that it might bee understood of the simplest of them that read it and bring them unto knowledge The testimony of the Lord saith David Psal. 19.7 8. is sure making wise the simple the commandement of the Lord is pure enlightning the eyes And 119.130 The entrance of thy words saith hee or the doore of them as it is in the Originall giveth light it giveth understanding unto the simple As if he had said So soone as they doe but open the doore and make any entrance into them they shall see light and get understanding by them And if these necessary truths of God were so plainly delivered and set downe in the word of prophesie in the Scripture of the old Testament how much more in the new wherein all things are plainer then they were in the old and which doth open and interpret those things that were more darkely delivered by the prophets The mystery which was kept secret since the world began saith the Apostle Rom. 16.25 26. is now made manifest and by the Scriptures of the Prophets he meaneth as they are now opened and interpreted according to the commandement of the everlasting God made knowne to all nations for the obedience of faith And if all necessary truths be so plainely set downe and delivered in the written word how much more in the ministery of the word preached For this is a chiefe worke and duty of the ministery to open the Scriptures and make the meaning of them plaine unto the people as those Levites did Nehem. 8.8 They gave the sense of the law of God and caused the people to understand the reading And if all necessary truths be with such evidence and plainnesse delivered in the word and the ministery thereof why may not any man having the use of reason and judgement and being attentive in reading and hearing without the helpe of any supernaturall grace attaine to the sufficient knowledge of them nay how can he choose but doe it To this I answer The whole truth of God that is necessary to be knowne unto salvation is indeed plainely and clearely revealed in the holy Scriptures there is in the word and ministery thereof a bright and shining light But alas every man by nature is blind Hee that lacketh these things saith the Apostle 2 Peter 19. he that is unregenerate and lacketh saving grace is blind And what use can the blind man make of the light while he remaineth blind and till his eyes be opened Till the Lord annoint our eyes with that eye-salve that Christ speaketh of Revel 3.18 and cure us of this blindnesse till he open our eyes till he by his spirit inlighten
if you judge them the worst men upon whom Gods hand lighteth most heavily in this kind Secondly See what promises the Lord hath made and appropriated to such as judge wisely and charitably of such as God hath humbled by his judgements which they shall never taste of that are thus censorious against them Psal. 41.1 3. Blessed is the man that judgeth wisely of the poore And he mentioneth sixe speciall blessings wherewith God will blesse that man The summe of all is this that it is a singular grace of God and shall never go unrewarded to be able to judge wisely of them that are most afflicted to be so farre from despising or thinking the worse of any for his afflicted estate as that we can pity and love him the more esteeme the better of him and shew the more respect unto him even for this Certainly it is our duty so to doe not the magistrates duty only whose speciall care must be to doe so as we see Psalm 82 3 4. but every Christian mans also as is plaine by many places of scripture Iob 6.14 Prov. 29 7. and 31.9 And in this we shall resemble our heavenly father Hee doth not 〈◊〉 nor abhorre the affliction of the afflicted nor hide his face from him as David speaketh Psal. 22. â—4 no more ought we to doe nay no more will we do if we be his children indeed And consequently it must needs be a great sin in any man and such as God will surely punish to judge rashly and uncharitably of such persons Thirdly See how God was offended with Iobs three friends for the censure they passed upon him My wrath is kindled against thâ—e saith the Lord to Eliphaz Iob 42.7 8. and against thy two friends for ye have not spoken of me the thing that is right as my servant Iob hath therefore goe and offer up for your selves a burnt offering and my servant Iob shall pray for you lest I deale with you after your folly Observe in the words two things 1. That God was highly offended with and threatneth to take vengeance on these three good holy men even for judging so hardly of Iob by reason of his afflictions though they were strange and wonderfull greater then ever we read any other meere man did indure 2. That the Lord chargeth them they had not spoken of him the thing that was right Why what did they speake against God All that they spake was for God for the clearing of his justice and out of zeale to his glory and so Iob chargeth them 13.7 Will yee speake wickedly for God and talke deceitfully for him All the bitter censures they passed against Iob was out of their zeale to God But yet the Lord saith that misinterpreting his judgements and thinking he alwayes hated them most whom he doth most afflict they spake against him and dishonoured him The second sin that we are by this Doctrine to be reproved for in this case is this That as we are apt to judge too hardly of the people of God whom he is pleased to scourge and afflict so are we on the other side as apt to esteeme too lightly of the judgement it selfe and be much lesse affected with it then we ought to be None of us do so consider of nor are affected with the miseries of the Church as we ought to be But we may well take up now that old complaint of the Prophet Esa. 57.1 The righteous perisheth and no man layeth it to heart Observe two things in the Prophets phrase 1. The people of God are not onely taken away but they perish Abad is the word he useth even the very same that Eliphaz useth Iob 4.7 they are cut off by most violent kinds of death by most strange and extraordinay judgments and yet no man layeth it to heart 2. He saith not the righteous have perished but in the present tense he perisheth still still the enemy prevaileth against Gods people The Lord hath stretched forth his hand against them and hath smitten them as the Prophet speaketh Esa. 5.25 and the hills did tremble and their carkasses were torne in the midst of the streetes great and unspeakable miseries have for a long time befallen them and for all this his anger is not turned away but his hand is stretched out still the righteous perisheth still and yet no man layeth it to heart The heinousnesse and danger of our sin in this our senslesnesse will the better appeare by discovering to us foure duties that the Lord looketh for at our hands in this case First We should by the best meanes we can informe our selves how it fareth with the Churches of God We are too inquisitive after newes behold this is the newes we should enquire after When Gods people were in battell against the Philistins and had the Arke of God with them in the camp it is said 1 Sam. 4.14 that old Ely sat upon a seat by the way side watching and hearkning how Gods people sped and the reason is given For his heart trembled for the Arke of God and therefore he sat in that place watching that he might heare with the first what became of it So when there came one to David out of the campe of Israel 2 Sam. 1.3.5 see how inquisitive David was to know how it fared with the Lords hoast How went the matter saith he I pray thee tell me And when he had told him that Saul and Ionathan was slaine see how desirous he was to know the certainty of it How knowest thou saith he that Saul and Ionathan be dead The same spirit you shall see in Nehemiah 1.2 so soone as Hanani was come to him the first question hee asked was concerning the state of the people of God that were at Ierusalem And yet was he then in the palace as it is said verse 1. a Courtier in great place and favour with a mighty King And yet Moses did more then this for when he was in the height of his honour and greatnes in Pharaohs court he did not content himselfe to inquire but it is said Exod. 2.11 that he went out unto his brethren and looked on their burdens that he might be the more affected with their estate And though we cannot doe as Moses did we cannot go out unto our brethren and behold with our owne eyes their miseries as he did Yet may all these examples teach us that it is our duty by the best means we can to informe our selves of the estate of the Church and certainly if our hearts trembled for the Arke of God if we had any care of the cause of religion we could not choose but doe so Nay wee would looke on their burdens thinke oftner and more seriously of their miseries then we doe Come and see the workes of God saith the Psalmist Psalme 66.5 he is terrible in his doings toward the children of men But alas we doe not so but we are like to those the Prophet complaineth of Esa. 5.12
The Harpe and the viole the Tabret and the Pipe and wine are in our feasts but we regard not the worke of the Lord in this his marvellous severity towards his people neither doe we consider the operation of his hands While wee enjoy our delights in all fulnesse wee care not a rush what becommeth of the Church of God But marke how wee provoke God against us by our profane stupidity Because they regard not the workes of the Lord saith David Psalme 28.5 nor the operation of his hands hee shall destroy them and not build them up We cannot take a readier way for the hastning of our owne ruine then to be thus carelesse and senslesse of the judgements of God upon his people Lecture CXIII On Psalme 51.6 March 17. 1628. THE second duty which we owe unto them that are in misery is this We are bound to take to heart the miseries of the Churches abroad to work our hearts unto unfeined griefe and sorrow for them Certainly none of us can have any comfort in our estate till wee can heartily grieve for the miseries of our brethren It is our dutie we know to condole any man that we see to be in miserie Iob tooke great comfort in his greatest affliction in this that he had done so Did not I weepe saith he Iob. 30.25 for him that was in trouble Was not my soule grieved for the poore And if we must be thus affected with the miseries of all men then much more with the miseries of Gods people Three sorts of proofes I will give you for this 1. Examples 2. A precept 3. The reasons and grounds both of the examples and of the precept also And the examples that I will give you shall be of two sorts First When the holy servants of God did but fore-see by the spirit of prophesie the troubles and afflictions that should befall the Church they have bin wont to be exceedingly affected and grieved for it though they were not to happen untill many yeares after themselves were dead and gone Three notable examples we have for this The first is of Elisha of whom we read 2 Kings 8.11 12. that when he looked stedfastly upon Hazaâ—l the man of God wept And when he asked him why he did so Because I know saith he the evill that thou wilt doe unto the children of Israel their strong holds wilt thou set on fire and their young men wilt thou slay with the sword and wilt dash their children and rip up their women with child And this was certainly no more nor so much neither as the bloudy Papists have done to many of Gods people where they have come The second example is of the Prophet Esay I will weepe bitterly saith he Esay 22.4 5 labour not to comfort me because of the spoiling of the daughter of my people Why There was no such spoile made of Gods people in all his time in the dayes of Vzzia Iotham Ahaz and Hezechia in whose times he prophesied as you may see Esa. 1.1 No but he did foresee by the spirit of prophesie a day of trouble and of treading downe as he saith verse 5. and of perplexity by the Lord God of hoasts in the valley of vision breaking downe the walls a day of crying in the mountaines The thinking upon the miseries that the valley of vision the true Church of God should endure from the Caldeans which was to be above an hundred yeares after his owne death and considering that this was to be done by the Lord God of hosts it was to bee the Lords doing and a fruit of his wrath I say the consideration of this made the holy man to weepe bitterly and refuse to be comforted The third example is of Daniel Dan. 8. who when he did fore-see the miseries that Gods people were to endure under Antiochus Epiphanes which was not to be before above two hundred yeares after his owne death how Antiochus should take away the daily sacrifice verse 11 12. and by reason of the transgression of Gods people should cast downe the truth to the ground how both the sanctuary of God and the host and armies of Gods people should bee given unto him to be troden under foot as it is verse 13. how hee should destroy wonderfully the holy people and prosper in it as it is verse 24. When I say he did by the spirit of prophesie fore-see these miseries that should befall Gods people it is said verse 27 that he even fainted and was sicke of griefe for it certaine dayes What would these holy men have done how would they have mourned if they had lived in the times wherein all this had beene fulfilled which they did prophesie and fore-tell If all these evills had fallen upon the Church in their dayes as they have done in ours Alas we have seene a day a long day of trouble and of treading downe and of perplexity by the Lord God of hosts in the valley of vision We have seene and knowne the daily sacrifice the true worship of God taken away from many Churches We have seene the truth of God cast downe to the ground in many places and abominable heresies and false doctrine set up in the roome of it We have seene and known both the sanctuaries of God and the hosts and armies of his people given of God to the enemie to be troden under foot and trampled upon We have seene the dayes wherein the proud enemy hath destroyed and made havocke of the holy people wonderfully and prospered in it Certainly those holy men that were so affected with the evills they did foresee would befall the people of God would have beene much more grieved for them if they had fallen out in their daies And it is therefore promised as a great favour and mercy to Iosiah 2 Chron. 34.28 that he should be gathered to his grave in peace neither should his eyes see all the evill that God would bring upon Iudah and Ierusalem The Lord knew well how much it would have affected good Iosiahs heart if he should have lived to see though hee had beene out of the gun-shot himselfe all the evills and miseries that Gods people did endure in the captivitie of Babylon Let me give you also foure famous examples of this how the servants of God that have lived in such times as these are have beene affected with them The first is that of the men of Gibeah mentioned 1 Sam. 11.2.4 when tidings was brought them of the misery of one poore city Iabesh Gilead how Nahash the Ammonite that besieged them would admit of no covenant of peace with them but upon this condition that he might thrust out all their right eyes and lay it for a reproach upon all Israel And wee know that the Papists have to the poore Christians in the Palatinate and other places offered farre worse and more reproachfull articles and conditions of peace then this was When this tidings I say was told them of Gibeah
it is said verse 4 that as the people lift up their voices and wept The second example is that which is mentioned 2 Sam. 1.11 12. When David heard how the Philistines had prevailed and what an overthrow they had given unto Gods people As alas we have heard of a great many overthrowes that within these few yeares Gods people have received from as bad people as ever the Philistines were it is said there that David and all the men that were with him all his souldiers though many of them hated Saul mortally and one would have thought that the cutting off of that wretched man in that battell should have mitigated much their sorrow for the losse of all the rest yet it is said there that David and all the men that were with him rent their clothes and they mourned and wept and fasted for it The third example for this is that of Nehemiah when Hanani and the rest had told him Neh. 1.3 that the remnant that were left of the captivity in the province of Iudaea were in great affliction and reproach and that the walls of Ierusalem were broken downe and the gates thereof were burnt with fire no worse newes then we have often heard of late of many of the Churches of Christ When I heard these words saith he verse 4. I sat downe and wept and mourned certaine daies The fourth and last example is that of the Levites the holy Musicians mentioned Ps. 137. who as they were Church-officers ordained of God for the service of the Temple so did they receive such gifts from God for the discharge of that function as that they did excell in skill all the musicians that have beene in the world Of them we read five remarkable things in that Psalme 1. Verse 1. By the rivers of Babylon they sat downe and wept when they remembred Zion The pleasantnesse of the countrey could not make them forget Zion nor keepe them from griefe nor from weeping when they remembred Zion 2. Verse 2. They hanged up their harps As if the Psalmist had said As great as their skill was they had no mind of musick all that while that they remembred Zion and the miseries she was in 3. Verse 3 4. Though they that carried them captives and were now their masters that had power and authority over them and had heard doubtlesse of their excellent skill that way required mirth of them were earnest with them to use their skill in singing and playing upon their instruments to make them and themselves merry yet could they not get them to sing so much as one of the songs of Zion 4. Verse 5 6. The reason that they give for this If I forget thee ô Ierusalem if I doe not remember thee Marke 1 the change of the number they had spoken all the while before in the plurall number and expressed so the joint affection of them all in this case now they speake in the singular number every man in his owne person so say I and so say I. 2 Marke the reason why they would not obey their masters in this alas saith every one if I should now give my selfe to mirth and musicke it would be an evident signe I remembred not what case Ierusalem is in I had quite forgotten the miseries of Gods Church 5. Lastly Observe in the same verses 4. 5. the imprecation they make against themselves whereby as by an oath and vow they bind themselves from mirth and jollity during the time of Ierusalems misery If I forget thee ô Ierusalem if I doe not remember thee As if they had said one by one If any thing make me forget Ierusalem and her distresses nay if as well as I love mirth and musicke specially this or this kind of mirth or recreation and delight as ill as I could live without it yet if I cannot be content to abridge my selfe of it for Ierusalems sake let some strange curse of God fall upon me And these are certainely two strange judgements that they wish against themselves in this their imprecation 1. Let my right hand forget her cunning 2. Let my tongue cleave to the roofe of my mouth For a Minister whom God hath endued with excellent gifts for his service to have his gifts blasted and taken from him to be strucken dumbe and loose the use of his tongue as Zachary did for a time these are certainely great and strange judgements In all these examples we see beloved how the holy servants of God have beene affected with the afflictions of Ioseph and how they have mourned for them And I doubt not also but you see that we all ought to bee so affected likewise and that we could not choose but be so in some measure if the same spirit were in us that was in them And that you may see they did in this no worke of supererogation I will shew you now which is the second proofe I promised to give you that they did no more the◠they were commanded to do When the Lord had executed a strange judgement but upon two of his servants Nadab and Abihu though the cause why he did it the sinne whereby he was provoked to it was apparant and notorious to all the people yet see what a commandement is given concerning this Levit. 10.6 Let your brethren the whole house of Israel bewaile the burning which the Lord hath kindled That fire was quenched and ended in the death of those two men But the Lord hath now kindled a burning which hath lasted many yeares and burneth still outragiously and hath consumed not two of Gods servants onely but many whole Churches of Christ and ought not then the whole house of Israel all Gods people much more to bewaile such a burning as this which the Lord hath kindled But let us see the reason why this ought to be which is the third proofe of the point which I promised to give you And that is this they that can thus take to heart the miseries of the Church though themselves be in peace may have great comfort in their estate and none but they For first this is a signe that they are true living members of Christs mysticall body If one member suffer saith the Apostle 1 Cor. 12.26 all the members suffer with it he meaneth if they be true living members for a woodden leg or an artificiall eye cānot Say not thou art a member of the Church of England thou art not a member of the Church of France or of Germany or of Bohemiah for all the Churches of the world that professe the same faith and religion are but one body There is one body and on◠spirit saith the Apostle Ephes. 4.4 It is not the distance of place nor the difference of language that can fever us There is neither Iew nor Greek bond nor free saith he Gal 3.28 but we are all one in Christ Iesus I believe one Catholique and Apostolique Church saith the Nicene creed The true Catholique
of that which my brother spake the last day touching their estate But to you beloved I am to direct my speech at this time that have more then a forme of godlinesse that have felt the life and power of it in your owne hearts to every one of you that can say with David here unto the Lord out of the feeling and experience of his owne soule In the hidden part thou hast made mâ—e to know wisedome To every one that is such I have two words of exhortation to speake from the Doctrine that you have heard 1. Be thou above all men most afraid to fall into any sin for the time to come 2. Be thou above all men most humbled for the sins that since thou wert in this estate thou hast fallen into For the first No man hath so great cause to bee afraid to sin as the child of God as the regenerate man hath O feare the Lord ye his Saints saith David Psalme 34.9 As if he had said Though you be his Saints in the state of grace and in his favour yea because yee are his Saints in his favour and in the state of grace therefore you must feare him none have more cause to feare him then yee But to speake distinctly of this point I will shew you 1. How farre forth this feare of sinning must extend 2. Reasons why the regenerate the child of God hath more cause to feare sin then any other man For the first The extent of this feare is to be observed 1. In the object of it the kinds and degrees of sin that we must be afraid of 2. In the continuance and durablenesse of it For the first of these for the helpe of your understanding and memory you shall see it in seven degrees First The child of God hath cause to be afraid of falling into grosse and scandalous sins As Ioseph was when he was strongly tempted to adultery and might have committed it most secretly and securely yet he durst not doe it How can I doe this great wickednesse saith he Genesis 39 â— and sin against God And David when hee was as strongly tempted to take revenge of his mortall enemy and had such opportunitie also as flesh and bloud would never have let slip insomuch as Saul himselfe wondred at it 1. Samuel 24 18 19. yet hee durst not doe it And why durst he not doe it Was it out of basenesse of mind because he was a coward No no he was as valiant a man as ever drew sword Why then durst hee not doe it Surely hee durst not sinne nor doe that that would so offend God Who can stretch foorth his hand or offer to doe such a thing saith he 1 Sam. 26 9. against the Lords annointed and be guiltlesse These were grosse sins you will say and he can be no better then an hypocrite that is not afraid to doe such things I say therefore secondly If thou be Gods child be thou afraid to do the least thing that might offend God Daniel was afraid of the Kings meat Dan. 1.8 Because it was such as God in the ceremoniall law had forbidden he knew it would have defiled his conscience Nay thirdly If thou be Gods child be thou afraid to do any thing that thou seest cause to doubt thou shalt sin and offend God in doing it He that doubteth is damned if he eat saith the Apostle Rom. 14.23 Nay fourthly If thou be in the state of grace thou hast cause to be afraid not only to speake amisse but even to thinke evill to offend God in the very thoughts of thy heart Beware that there be not a thought in thy wicked heart saith the Lord Deut. 15.9 saying the seventh yeere the yeere of release is at hand Fiftly If thou be a Christian thou hast cause to be afraid of doing good duties loosely perfunctorily carelesly Serve the Lord with feare saith David Ps. 2.11 Yea sixtly Thou hast cause to be afraid even of standing at a stay and not growing better under the means of grace Worke out your own salvation saith the Apostle Phil. 2.12 with feare and trembling As if he should say If the worke go not forward if it be not forwarder then it was many yeares since you have cause of feare and trembling even for that Nay seventhly and lastly If thou be Gods child be thou afraid to do any thing that thou seest is of evill report and will cause thy religion and profession to be evill spoken of though thou know never so assuredly that the thing in it selfe is not sin but lawfull enough Dare any of you having a matter against another saith the Apostle 1 Cor. 6.1 goe to law before the unjust and not before the Saints Yea why not I pray you might some of them have said What sin what unlawfulnes is there in that Hast thou not taught us Rom. 13.1.4 that the law and magistracy is ordained of God for our use and benefit whatsoever the man be that executeth it And didst not thou thy selfe seeke the benefit of law before an unbeleever when thou didst appeale unto Caesar Act. 25.11 Yes might the Apostle say But though the thing in it selfe be never so lawfull yet because it exposeth your religion to the scorne and reproach of the unbeleevers you that feare God may not dare to do it saith he All things all such kind of things as he there speaketh of are lawfull saith the Apostle 1 Cor. 6.12 but all things are not expedient Though the thing be never so lawfull yet if thou see cause to think that hurt will come of it thou must be afraid to do it You see in these seven degrees how tender hearted how cautelous and precise the child of God had need to be The Prophet calleth them Esa. 35.4 such as are of a fearefull heart and you see they have just cause to be so But how long must they be so will you say which is the second thing I told you was to be observed in the extent of this feare Surely so long as we live we have cause to nourish this feare in our selves My son saith Solomon Prov. 23.15.17 let thy heart be in the feare of the Lord all the day long And the Apostle 1 Pet. 1.17 Passe the time of your sojourning here all the time of your life in feare If any man shall object How can this be Seeing the Apostle saith of the faithfull 2 Tim 1.7 God hath not given us the spirit of feare And Rom. 8.15 We have not received the spirit of bondage to feare againe but the spirit of adoption whereby we cry Abba father As if he had said Before we beleeved in Christ we were indeed subject to much feare but now wee have received another spirit and are freed from those feares And the life of a Christian is the greatest bondage and slavery in the world if he must be alwayes of so fearefull an heart To this I answer That to live continually in
a slavish feare of Gods wrath is indeed a great bondage Feare hath torment saith the Apostle 1 Iohn 4.18 That which the Apostle saith of worldly and carnall sorrow 2 Cor. 7.10 may bee said also of worldly and carnall feare The feare of the world worketh death And from this feare the faithfull are freed But it is no bondage no enemy to the comfort of a mans life to live in a continuall feare of sinning of offending and angring our heavenly father The Churches walking in the feare of the Lord Actes 9.31 and in the comfort of the holy Ghost were multiplied As if the Evangelist had said This feare is no opposite but a great helpe and furtherance unto true comfort Happy is the man that feareth alwayes saith the holy Ghost Prov. 28.14 As if he should say It is an happines to a man to feare thus But what reason can be given will you say why the child of God should be more afraid to sin then any other man Which is the second generall point I propounded to handle in this first exhortation To this I answer There be two principall reasons of it First Because God will beare lesse with them when they sin and deale more severely and sharply with them then with any other in this life Beware of him saith the Lord of the Angel of his Covenant whom he sent to conduct his people to the land of promise Exod. 23.21 and obey his voice provoke him not for hee will not pardon nor winke at your transgressions Such sins as carnall men go cleare away withall in this life and never sinart for if Gods child commit them he may not hope to do so You only have I knowne that is chosen to be mine owne and loved with a speciall love saith the Lord to his people Amos 3.2 of all the families of the earth therefore will I punish you for all your iniquities Them whom he knoweth best and loveth best can have least hope of all other men to escape his correcting hand when they sin against him The Lord thy God is a jealous God among you saith Moses Deut. 6.15 And a small thing you know will much offend a jealous husband he cannot abide the least shew of neglect from his wife A sharp and heavy judgement we know fell upon the faithfull Corinthians even for going carelesly and unpreparedly to the Communion For this cause saith the Apostle 1 Cor. 11.30 many are sicke and weake among you and many sleepe O how often shall I put you in mind of this place before you will beleeve it and be moved by it And as the Lord is sooner provoked to anger by the sins of his owne children then of any other men so is his anger wont to be hotter and his corrections sharper on them then on any other When the Lord saw it saith Moses Deut. 32.19 that is to say that his own people fell to idolatry and other their grosse sins he abhorred them because of the provoking of his sons and of his daughters As who would not take the contempt and indignities that are done to him by his owne children a great deale worse then from any other man Secondly The child of God hath more cause to be afraid of sinning then any other because as we know the more any man hath the more fearefull he is to runne into the danger of the law so the child of God having more to loose then any man in the world hath besides hath even in this respect more cause to bee afraid of offending God then any other man hath Why will you say unto me what meane you by this What hath he to loose more then any other man I answer Every child of God hath received above all other men three inestimable jewels from God which by sinning against God he is in danger to loose First He hath the spirit of adoption which assureth him of his peace with God and that he hath his favour which maketh him able to call God father to go to him with boldnes in all his necessities We have received the spirit of adoption saith the Apostle Rom. 8.15 wherby we cry Abba father In Christ we have â—oldnes and accesse with confidence saith he Eph. 3.12 Now this is such a jewell as he would not loose for al the world Thy loving kindnes is better then life saith David Psal. 63.3 And this he knoweth he is in danger to loose if he give himself liberty to sin Indeed his adoption and son-ship and birth-right is of a stronger tenure The servant saith our Saviour Ioh. 8.35 abideth not in the house for ever but the son abideth ever Yet may he by his sin utterly loose this fruit and operation of the spirit of adoption he may loose the assurance of his fathers love his peace his joy his accesse with boldnesse and that not only by grosse and scandalous sins but even by his carelesnesse and negligence and carnall security as we see in that example of the Church My well-beloved had with-drawne himselfe and was gone saith she Cant. 5.6 And of this uncomparable losse the Church hath ever had many wofull examples Secondly He hath received the spirit of sanctification whereby there is an holy change wrought in his whole spirit and soule and body as the Apostle speaketh 1 Thess. 5.23 whereby he is made a vessell unto honour sanctified and meet as the Apostle speaketh 2 Tim. 2.21 for his masters use and prepared unto every good work Now he setteth as much store by this jewell as his life Psal. 51.11 Cast me not away from thy presence take not thy holy spirit from me and he may loose the comfortable sense and the vigour and operation of it and bee strucken with such a dead palsy in his soule as he shall have little or no use of that life of grace that is in him And this losse he may come to not onely by giving liberty to himselfe in grosse and scandalous sins but even by his carnall security and carelesse neglect of the meanes whereby he might grow and increase in grace Quench not the spirit saith the Apostle 1 Thess. 5.19 despise not prophesyings even by despising of prophesyings the spirit may be quenched Thirdly and lastly He hath received a greater Iewell then either of these he beareth Gods owne name And as it is said of the Apostle Act. 9.15 that God had appointed him to beare his name before the Gentiles So it is said of all the faithfull also Phil. 2.16 that they hold forth unto men by their profession and example the word of life The Lord hath committed unto us that are his children his holy name and religion to keepe and that with a charge that we should so hold it out to the world by our holy example that we may gaine honour to it And that charge which the Apostle giveth to Timothy 2 Tim. 1.14 though it be chiefly given to us Ministers yet it is given of God
unlesse he understand what I say as the Apostle teacheth 1 Cor. 14.16 so neither can I have confideâ—ce to receive any good by mine own prayer unlesse I know I pray according to Gods will as the Apostle saith 1 Iohn 5.14 Therefore hearing is the first duty that is injoined to them that goe into Gods house When thou goest into Gods house saith Solomon Eccl. 5.1 bee more ready to heare then to give the sacrifice of fooles As though he should have said All our prayers and other services we doe to God in his house are but the sacrifice of fooles till we have first by hearing beene instructed how to doe them according to Gods will For God hath no pleasure in fooles as he there saith verse â— hee taketh no pleasure in the prayers or other services that fooles and ignorant sots doe offer unto him Fiftly Our singing of Psalmes pleaseth not God nor can doe us any good unlesse we endeavour to understand what we sing Sing ye praises with understanding saith â—â—avâ—â— Psal 47.7 Sixtly and lastly No man can please God in taking of an oath which is also a part of Gods worship and a duty iâ—joined in the first table but he onely that can doe it with understanding Thou shalt swear in truth in judgement and in righteousnesse saith the Lord Ier. 4 2. As if he should say Though it be never so true that any man sweareth though the oath be taken in righteousnesse and no man wronged by it 〈◊〉 if it be not taken also iâ— judgement with good advisednesse and understanding it is an unlawfull oath Therefore in one of the best oathes that ever was taken wherein men women and children did bind themselves to walke in Gods law Nehemiah 10 28 29. there was care taken that this holy and necessary oath should yet be taken onely of every one having knowledge and having understanding You see then in all these particulars that we must labour to understand what we do in every part of Gods service and that no ordinance of God will do us any good unlesse we use it with understanding The reason of this first branch of the Doctrine is this That as God is a spirit and therefore delighteth in that service that is spirituall The true worâ—â—ippers shall worship the father in spirit and in truth saith our Saviour Ioâ— 4 23 for the father seeketh such to worship him he longeth for such worshippers as worship him with feeling and affection and they that doe not so worship him not in truth are no better then hypocrites So is it not possible to serve God spiritually and with feeling in any part of his worship if wee doe not understand what we doe in it For the devotion and good affections that grow not from knowledge are vaine and of no worth in the sight of God Knowledge is the root and foundation of all holy affections This I pray saith the Apostle Phil. 1 9. that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgement And this shall suffice to have beene spoken of the first branch of the Doctrine David did understand the meaning of the ceremoniall worship and so must we labour to understand what we do in Gods service Now wee must proceed to the second branch of the doctrine and for the plaine and distinct handling of it we must observe these foure things First Every part of Gods worship is spirituall and there is in it both an outward and bodily action done by man and an inward and spirituall worke that is done by the Lord himselfe In these purifications that David here alludeth to man did wash the body and sprinkle with hysope the water blood upon it for the legall purging and cleansing of it and God did wash the soule in the bloud of Christ and sprinkle it upon the consciences of his people So in circumcision man did cut of the fore-skin of the flesh and God did circumcise the heart Deut. 30.6 In baptisme Iohn baptized the body with water as hee saith Matth. 3.11 and God himselfe baptized the soule with the holy Ghost So in the ministery of the word man speaketh to the eare and outward man and God openeth the heart to attend unto that that is taught and beleeve it as we see in the example of Lydia Acts 16.14 Lastly In prayer man worketh and God worketh too The spirit it selfe maketh intercession for us as the Apostle speaketh Rom. 8.26 Secondly The Lord hath bound himselfe by promise to his people that hee will thus accompany his owne ordinances and worke with them in their hearts God will worke with us in every part of his worship he will doe his part if we doe ours This promise God made concerning that worship of his which he ordained under the law Exod. 20.24 In all places where I record my name where I establish my publique worship I will come unto thee and I will blesse thee saith the Lord to his people And this promise he hath likewise made concerning his worship under the Gospell Matth. 28.19 20. Goe and teach all nations baptizing them c. preach my word administer my sacraments and loe I am with you alwayes even unto the end of the world Where men do their parts in the use of any of his ordinances God will not faile to doe his part also Thirdly Whatsoever man can do in Gods worship is nothing worth unlesse God worke with it All the outward parts of Gods worship are indeed great helps to us and the least of them as we heard the last day may not be neglected by us for they are the meanes and instruments that God hath sanctified and appointed to worke by in our hearts But if God withdraw his hand and refuse to worke by them they can do us no good at all no more then the best toole that is in the world can if the workemâ—n doe not put to his hand I have planted saith Paul 1 Cor. 3.6 7. and Apollo watered but God gave the increase so then neither is he that planted any thing neither he that watered but God that giveth the increase And verse 9. Wee are labourers together with God ye are Gods husbandry ye are Gods building And that which the Prophet speaketh of the materiall building Psalme 127.1 may much more truly be said in this case Except the Lord build the house they labour in vaine that build it All that the best man can do in Gods worship is nothing worth unlesse God do his part if he worke not with him The inward vertue and power that God by his blessing and worke doth give unto it is the very life and soule of every part of Gods worship without it it is no better then a dead and loathsome carkasse The kingdome of God saith the Apostle speaking of preaching a chiefe part of Gods outward worship 1 Cor. 5 20 is not in word but in power As if he had said That is the right
Holy Ghost intendeth to teach us in it wee must call to mind that which wee heard in the opening of the words the hysop had no other use in the purging of them that were legally uncleane but onely to sprinkle the bloud of the sacrifices and of the water of expiation upon them In which respect scarlet wooll also was used with the hysop to take up the more of the bloud and water which by the bunch of hysop was to bee sprinkled upon them Moses tooke the blood of calves and of goats saith the Apostle Hebrewes 9.19 with water and scarlet wooll and hysop and sprinkled both the booke and all the people And by this sacramentall rite of sprinkling the bloud and water upon the people with a bunch of hysop the Lords meaning was to apply the bloud of the covenant particularly unto them and to teach them sensibly that it did belong unto them This appeareth by the words that Moses used to the people when he sprinkled the bloud of their sacrifices upon them Behold saith he Exod. 24.8 the bloud of the covenant which the Lord hath made with you As if he had said the covenant is made with you this bloud whereby the Lords covenant is ratified belongeth to you So that Davids meaning here is to beg this of God that he would sprinkle the bloud of Christ upon him and as with a bunch of hysop apply it particularly unto him assure him it was shed for him and so purge him from his sins by it This was the onely way by which he hoped to receive benefit by the bloud of Christ and whereby hee looked to obtaine comfortable assurance of the pardon of his sins if the Lord would please as with a bunch of hysope to sprinkle the bloud of that sacrifice upon his heart The Doctrine then that we are to receive from hence for our instruction is this That no man can receive comfort by the bloud of Christ till it be sprinkled upon his heart and applyed to him by the spirit of God till God by his spirit do assure him that it is his that it was shed for him Two branches there bee of the Doctrine you see 1. No man can receive comfort by the bloud of Christ but hee that hath it sprinkled upon his heart and applyed unto him 2. None but the Lord himselfe by his holy spirit can apply and sprinkle the bloud of Christ upon the heart of any man and assure him that it doth belong to him For the first branch of the Doctrine I will give you three sorts and degrees of proofes First That the Lord in his word ascribeth the vertue and benefit that Gods people have by the bloud of Christ to the sprinkling of it upon them As it was in the type that David here alludeth too the Leper could not bee cleansed by the bloud of his sacrifice till it was sprinkled upon him Levit. 14.7 nor hee that had touched a dead body by the water of expiation till it was sprinkled upon him Num. 19.18 19. So speaketh the Scripture likewise of the bloud of Christ which was signified by those types it ascribeth the vertue of it and the benefit Gods people receive by it to the sprinkling of it upon them I will not trouble you with many proofes I will give you two only out of the old Testament and two out of the new The Prophet fore-telling Esa. 52.15 the benefit that the Gentiles aswell as the Iewes should receive by Christ saith he should sprinkle many nations As though he had said he should by his Gospel apply himselfe and his merits unto them and perswade them that they aswell as the Iewes had interest in them And I will sprinkle cleane water upon you Eze. 36.25 that is I will by my spirit apply unto you the bloud of my son and you shall be cleane from all your filthines and from all your idols I will cleanse you Then we shall be cleane from all our filthinesse when this bloud is once sprinkled upon us and not before And in the new Testament the Apostle Peter saith 1 Pet. 1.2 that we are elected to be saved through sanctification of the spirit unto obedience and through the sprinkling of the blood of Iesus Christ. As if hee had said None are elected unto glory but they must come to it this way they must bee sanctified by the spirit of God and made obedient to the will of God in all things and they must bee justified by the blood of Christ from all their sinnes And this our justification is thus expressed by the Apostle it is said to consist in the sprinkling of the bloud of Iesus Christ in the applying of it unto our selves and making it our owne And the bloud of Christ which is said to speake better things then the bloud of Abel that is to plead and cry for mercy unto God for us is called by the Apostle Heb. 12.24 the bloud of sprinkling that is that bloud which is sprinkled and applyed to us It is the purging of us with hysope you see the sprinkling and applying of the bloud of Christ to our owne hearts that yeeldeth us all the comfort that we have by it Secondly Christ and his bloud are oft compared in Scripture to such things as though they bee profitable and necessary yet can doe us no good unlesse they bee applyed as to a garment that must bee put on Rom. 13.14 to a healing and soveraigne salve Esa. 53.5 that must be laid to the very part that is sore to meat and drinke Iohn 6.53 that must be eaten and digested unto every part before it can nourish us Thirdly and lastly This is the maine thing that the Lord aimeth at both in his word and sacraments to apply Christ particularly unto his people As this was the forme of Gods covenant with Abraham and all his seed all the faithfull Genes 17.7 I am thy God and the God of thy seed So hath he commanded his servants in the ministery of his Gospel to make particular application of Christ and his merits to his people Speake to the heart of Ierusalem saith the Lord to his servants Esa. 40.2 and cry unto her that her warfare is accomplished that her iniquity is pardoned And so our Saviour chargeth the Apostles Mark 16.15 to preach thâ— Gospel to every creature to every man that he should send them unto And what is it to preach the Gospel unto a man but to say unto him as the Angels did unto the shepheards Luke 2.11 Vnto you is borne this day a Saviour which is Christ the Lord And as for both the Sacraments the chiefe use they were ordained for is to apply Christ particularly to every worthy receiver and to assure him of his owne speciall interest hee hath in all his merits Thus speaketh the Apostle of baptisme Galat. 3.27 As many of you as have beene baptized into Christ have put on Christ. Thus speaketh he also of the
of a scorpion when he stingeth a manâ— so intolerable as men shall seeke death and shall not find it shall desire to dye and death shall flyâ— from them Marke but foure Doctrines which they teach and this will be evident unto you 1. Their Doctrine of justification that a man must be justified in Gods sight by a righteousnesse inherent in himselfe and by his good workes a broken reed God knoweth for a weary and fainting soule to rest upon 2 Their Doctrine of purgatory that when men dye there is a fire prepared for them in purgatory that their soules must goe to and remaine in no man knoweth how many hundred yeares which fire is no lesse painful intolerable then the fire of hell is 3. Their Doctrine of doubting that no man can be in this life certain that he is in the state of grace hope well he may but sure he can never be that his sins are so forgiven that they shal never be laid to his charge againe he must be in doubt continually nay it is sin and blasphemy say they for any man to say he is certain of his salvation 4. Lastly Their Doctrine of saving justifying faith that it is nothing but a perswasion of the mind that whatsoever God hath revealed is undoubtedly true which we have learned out of the Apostle is in the devils themselves That speciall faith that applyeth Christ and his merits particularly to every beleever that hath in it an affiance of the heart a resting upon Christ for a mans owne salvation this bloud of sprinkling that you have now heard of that they disdaine and scoffe at and persecute as vaine presumption Alas how can these poore wretches that receive these teachers that beleeve these Doctrines have any comfort in death How can they chuse but be then in intolerable terrour and torment of conscience certainly many Papists are so and all would bee were it not that they are made drunke with a wine of spirituall fornication which the whoore of Babylon hath made them to drink of as the spirit of God in Rev. 17. â— hath fore-told it should be And who would wonder to see senslesnesse and stupidity in a drunken man O therefore beloved 1. Pity your friends and kinsmen that are seduced by these wretched teachers do what you can to reclame them 2. Consider how small cause there is that we have so long enjoyed professed the Gospel which is the only way of peace as Zachary calleth it Lu. 1.79 And of which the Lord hath so oft spoken by his spirit to our hearts as he did Esa. 28.12 This is the rest wherwith yâ— mâ—y cause the wâ—ary to rest this is the refreshing As if he had said this is the Doctrine wherin the weariest faintest and most afflicted soule may find rest and refreshing How small cause is there I say that wee should now grow weary of the Gospel entertaine thoughts with those rebels Num. 14.4 of returning into that Egypt againe that house of bondage Exod. 13.3 where no true rest or comfort is to be found for the conscience Nay consider 3. how just cause of feare we have lest the Lord because we have lost our first love to him his blessed Gospel will remove our candlesticke deprive us of it as he threatneth Ephesus Rev. 2.4 5. And take heed we grow not weary of him as he chargeth Israel Esa. 43.22 and loath his Gospel lest he loath us and grow weary of us and spew us out as he threatneth the Laodiceaus that had lost their zeale Rev. 3.16 And let us take heed of doting upon antichrist his altars and his images his apish ceremonies or any part of his damnable doctrines left the Lord let antichrist enter and prevaile againe in this land that we may know by wofull experience the difference of his service the service of Christ the difference betweene popery and the Gospell as the Lord threatned his people 2. Chr. 1â— 8 The second use that this Doctrine serveth unto is to exhort us that seeing none can have comfort in the blood of Christ till it be sprinkled upon him and applyed to him till the spirit of God have made him to know it belongeth unto him that therfore every one of us would labour to find that it is so with himselfe that we would give no rest to our selves till wee find we have our part in this blood of sprinkling till the spirit of God have applyed it unto us assured us that it all the vertue and merit of it belongeth unto us O beloved 1. Content not thy selfe to know that God loveth thee so far as he giveth thee life and health he letteth thee live in peace and wealth and credit here alas hee loved Cain and Dives and many more that now fry in hell so far but labour to know that he loved thee so farre as that he gave his sonne to dye for thee let no fruit of Gods love so satisfie thee but that In this was manifested the love of God towards us saith the Apostle 1 Ioh 4 9 10. because that God sent his only begotten son into the world that wee might live through him herein is love No fruit of Gods love is worth the having is worth the speaking of in comparison of this Neither content thy selfe to know this in generall that God so loved the world that he gave his Sonne to redeeme all that can beleeve in him but labour to know in particular that which Paul knew Gal. 2.20 that he loved thee and gave himselfe for thee 3. Neither content thy selfe to thinke and hope well that Christ died for thee Go not by thinking in this case but make this sure to thy heart upon good grounds Give diligence to make thy calling and election sure saith the Apostle 2 Pet. 1.10 Neither 4 content thy selfe to say carelesly though not yet sure of this I hope I shall be before I die I hope God will purge mee with hysope one day and sprinkle this bloud of his Son upon my heart but labour speedily and without delay to get this assurance and cry with the Church unto God Psal. 90.14 O satisfie us early with thy mercy that wee may rejoyce and be glad all our daies But to inforce this so necessary an exhortation both upon my selfe and you I will 1 give you some Motives to perswade you to seeke this assurance 2 I will give you some signes whereby you may discerne whether you have yet obtained it or no. 3 I will shew the meanes that must be used for the attaining to it And for Motives I will give you but two the one taken from the possibility of attaining in this life to this assurance and the other from the necessity and benefit of it For the first Know this beloved that though 1 It be a very difficult thing to get this assurance and few attaine to it 2 They that have attained
hearken unto them and examine diligently by them whether his assurance be sound or no whether God have purged him with hysope and sprinkled the bloud of Christ upon his heart and assured him it is his or whether he hath only done it himselfe or Satan hath done it for him Two things there be that may assure you of the necessity of this First That there be many whom Satan and their owne foolish heart have extreamely deluded in this point Many very wicked men are strongly perswaded Christ is theirs God is their God Baalam could call God his God Numb 27.18 I cannot goe beyond the word of the Lord my God saith he And of Israel the Lord saith Hos. 8.1 2 3. that even then when they had transgressed his covenant and trespassed against his law when they had cast off the thing that is good yet even then Israel would cry unto him my God wee know thee Yea the lewdest men are usually more strongly perswaded of this make lesse doubt have lesse feare of this then the best of Gods servants are wont to have The wise man saith Solomon Pro. 14.16 that is the godly man feareth but the foole the profane and ungracious man is confident maketh no doubt of his salvation at all Yea it is certaine many notorious sinners live and die in this strong perswasion One dieth saith Iob 21.23 in his full strength being wholly at ease and quiet no trouble of mind no scruple or doubt of this matter ever entreth into his heart no not upon his death bed And can any of you thinke that the assurance that such men have is of God These men seeme to be purged with hysope to have Christs bloud sprinkled upon their hearts and applyed unto them but by what hand by what spirit was it done Certainely not by the hand and spirit of God God will speake peace to his people and to his Saints saith the Prophet Psal. 85.8 He never spake peace to such men as these are he never gave them assurance of his favour Secondly That such a kind of assurance as is false and is not of Gods working will do a man no good at all but much hurt many waies It were farre better for a man to live in continuall doubt of his salvation though that breed feare and terrours in his heart then to have the confidence and peace of these men I will give you three reasons of it For First The man that is subject to these continuall doubts and feares is thereby kept in awe and restrained from many sinnes that otherwise he were in danger to fall into Whereas the man that is so full of this false confidence and peace walketh licentiously and runneth like the horse that hath the bridle on his neck whither he listeth feareth no sinne The wise man feareth saith Solomon Pro. 14.16 and departeth from evill his feares restraine him from sinne but the foole rageth and is confident the more confident he is the more outragiously he sinneth Secondly The man that is subject to continuall doubts and feares is thereby stirred up to a diligent use of the meanes whereby hee may come to true assurance and peace the meanes of grace are sweet unto him Whereas the man that is most full of false assurance and confidence careth least for the meanes of grace nay he loatheth and despiseth them The full soule saith Solomon Pro. 27.7 loatheth an hony combe the sweetest the best meanes of grace but to the hungry soule every bittter thing is sweet the meanest the coursest ministery is sweet to that man Thirdly and lastly These doubts and feares use to end in peace and sound assurance Yea proportionable to the measure of doubts and feares men are troubled with in this kind the measure of their assurance and peace is wont to be in the end Your sorrow saith our Saviour Iohn 16.20 shall bee turned into joy Marke the perfect man saith David Psalme 37.37 and behold the upright for the end of that man is peace Whereas on the other side false assurance and confidence useth to end in despaire and the lesse doubt the more assurance any man seemeth to have now of his salvation if it bee false the more danger hee is in to fall one day into desperate feares and terrours His confidence shall bee rooted out of his tabernacle saith Bildad Iob 18.14 and it shall bring him to the king of terrours It standeth us therefore upon you see to examine well and try that assurance wee seeme to have that Christ is ours whether it bee wrought in us by Gods spirit yea or no. No assurance of our spirituall estate can bee sound or such as will yeeld us true comfort but such as the good spirit of God worketh in us David prayeth heere to God to purge him with hysope to sprinkle Christs bloud upon his heart none but the Lord can doe it It is the spirit that beareth witnesse because the spirit is truth as you heard the last day out of 1 Iohn 5.6 No witnesse is sure and beyond exception in this case but the spirit onely And in this respect the spirit of God is called the Comforter Iohn 14 26. There is also an assurance and peace of the divells working he can cause peace too Luk. 11.21 When a strong armed man keepeth his palace all his goods are in peace But that peace cannot be found and true peace that spirit cannot be a true comforter He is a roaring lyon 1 Pet. 5.8 He is a fierce red dragon Rev. 12.3 And so shall they all find him in the end whom he seemeth to give greatest peace unto Try thy assurance therefore whether it be of God yea or no. And there be three sorts of signes and notes whereby we may judge of this 1. By the qualification of the subject of the person in whom this assurance is wrought 2. By the ground upon which this assurance is built 3. By the effects and fruits that this assurance produceth in him that hath it For the first The spirit of God is not wont to sprinkle the bloud of Christ nor to worke this comfortable assurance in any heart that was not first humbled and troubled with much feare and doubting Yee have not received the spirit of bondage againe to feare saith the Apostle Romanes 8.15 but yee have received the spirit of adaption whereby wee cry Abba Father Intimating plainely that the spirit of adoption that beareth witnesse to our spirits that wee are Gods children useth not to enter into any heart where the spirit of bondage hath not beene before that is Where the spirit of God hath not first effectually discovered to a man his bondage unto sinne and to the curse of God and wrought feare and terrour in his heart thereby The spirit of the Lord is upon me saith our Saviour Luk. 4.18 because he hath anointed me to preach the Gospell unto the poore to heale the broken hearted to preach deliverance to the captives and
healing in his wings This sunne did never arise and shine upon any heart but it brought an healing vertue with it See the proofes of this in foure particulars First This will soften the heart more and make it apter to mourne for sin then any other thing is able to doe I will powre upon the house of David and upon the inhabitants of Ierusalem saith the Lord Zach. 12.10 the spirit of grace and of supplications and they shall looke upon mee whom they have pierced and they shall mourne for him as one mourneth for his only sonne As if hee had said thus When the spirit of grace hath made a man able to see that his sins pierced Christ that Christs bloud was shed for his sins this will breake his heart and make him mourne and grieve more for his sins then for any other thing in the world Secondly this will make a man more afraid to sin to offend God then any other thing is able to do The children of Israel shall returne and seek the Lord their God and David that is Christ the sonne of David their King and they shall feare the Lord and his goodnesse in the latter dayes that is in the dayes under the Gospel saith the Prophet Hos. 3.5 As though he should say When Gods people have once by seeking found the Lord their God and Christ their King know him to be their God and their King and tasted of his marvellous goodnesse and love unto them this will make them ever after more fearefull to offend him then any other thing can possibly doe Thirdly This will breed in a man a greater delight in the word and meanes of grace a greater desire and appetite unto them then any other thing is able to doe As new borne babes desire the sincere milke of the word that yee may grow thereby saith the Apostle 1 Peter 2.2 3. if so bee that yee have tasted that the Lord is gracious As if hee should have said The man that knoweth the Lord is gracious and gracious to him and that hath also tasted the sweetnesse of this assurance of Gods speciall love to himselfe must needs desire and long after Gods word as much as ever babe did after the mothers breast Fourthly and lastly This will make a man more carefull in all his wayes to please God then any other thing is able to doe I have walked in thy truth saith David Psalme 26.3 and made conscience to doe and practise what thou teachest me in thy word and he had given this for the reason of it in the beginning of the verse For thy loving kindnesse is before mine eyes As if hee should say I know and am fully assured as if I saw it with mine eyes of thy loving kindnes and speciall favour towards me and that maketh me walke in thy truth And these are the effects that the true assurance will worke in the heart and inward man But secondly It will not rest there hee that hath it cannot content himselfe with the reformation of his owne heart and life hee cannot but declare openly and professe himselfe to bee Gods servant hee cannot but put forth himselfe to doe him all the service and honour that hee is possibly able to doe 1. For profession it is to be observed that those whom Gods spirit sprinkleth the blood of Christ upon whom he setteth this marke and seale upon he setteth it not upon their hearts only but upon their fore-heads also as you may read Ezek. 9.4 Rev. 7.3 so as those among whom they live may discerne and take notice that they are Gods people When once God hath said to any mans heart by his spirit as he doth to his people Esa 43.1 I have called thee by name thou art mine that man cannot choose but say to him againe as David doth Psal. 116.16 O Lord truly I am thy servant I am thy servant Nay what he hath heard in the eare as our Saviour speaketh in another case Matth 10.27 he cannot but preach on the house tops He cannot but declare and professe himselfe openly to bee Gods servant and one of his people Thus the Prophet Esa. 44.5 bringeth in the faithfull glorying in this open profession of their homage One shall say I am the Lords another shall call himselfe by the name of Iacob and another shall subscribe with his hand unto the Lord. As if he had said Every one shall be ready upon all occasions and by all meanes to declare himselfe to be one of Gods people of his Church and houshold And 2. for that care that all such have to doe God all the honour that possibly they can in the places and callings that God hath set them in wee have three notable examples The first is of Ioshuah as hee was the master of a family Who as he was a man that had obtained this particular assurance that God was his God God had said unto him Iosh 1.15 As I was with Moses so will I be with thee I will not faile thee nor forsake thee So doth hee professe not onely that hee would be Gods servant and at his command but that his whole family should be so too As for me and mine house saith he Iosh 24 15. we will serve the Lord. The second example is of Paul a minister and preacher of the Gospel Who when he had spoken of his marvellous diligence and faithfulnes in his ministery giveth this for the reason of it 2 Cor. 5.14.15 For the love of Christ constraineth us saith he because we thus judge that one dyed for all then were all dead we were all by nature dead and damned men and that hee dyed for all that they which live should not henceforth live to themselves but unto him which dyed for them and rose againe As if hee had said I that know I was a dead and damned man and that Christ dyed for mee to save and deliver mee out of that estate hold my selfe bound to doe him all the honour and service that I can by enlarging his kingdome and know I can never doe enough for him that hath done so much for mee as hee hath done The third and last example is of David a magistrate of whose noble resolution you may read Psal 1 18.28 Thou art my God and I will praise thee saith he thou art my God and I will exalt thee As hee was confidently assured that God was his God out of the aboundance of his heart his mouth speaketh thus once and againe so was he resolutely determined to improve his power and authority to the uttermost in standing for God and advancing of his honour Let us now make some application of this and examine our selves by this third and last signe and we shall find that the assurance of their salvation that most men glory in is vaine and counterfeite such as Satan or their owne deceitfull hearts not the holy spirit of God hath wrought in them Because they are so barren and
answer That this may bee indeed for a time the case of a deare child of God as we shall heare in the next use They cannot discerne in themselves for the present any goodnesse But even in this case observation and examination of their owne waies will be of great use unto them For then it will be good for them to call to minde the times that are past and those evidences they have had of the truth of grace in them in former times This course Iob took to recover his comfort sundry times as you shall find Chap 23.11 12. and in three whole Chapters together 29.30 31. And so did the Prophet likewise Psal. 77.6 I call to remembrance my long in the night I commune with mine owne heart and my spirit made diligent search He did by communing with his own heart and searching it diligently call to mind that there was a time when hee could sing in the night when the spirit of adoption had given him such assurance of Gods love as made him full of joy and comfort even in the night season And this course the Apostle prescribeth to Gods people Heb. 10. â—2 as a singular meanes to preserve and recover their confidence and assurance of Gods favour Call to remembrance saith he the former daies in the which after ye were illuminated ye endured a great fight of afflictions Alas will you say what comfort is it to mee to remember what goodnesse hath beene in me in times past which I am now fallen from and have lost I answer That if ever thou hadst grace in thee in truth although the sense and feeling of it thou mayst loose for a time the vigour and operation of it may be nipt and interrupted for a time but the grace and seed of regeneration is an incorruptible seed as the Apostle calleth it 1 Pet. 1.23 where it is in truth it is lasting I will pray the father saith our Saviour Iohn 14.16 17. and hee shall give you another Comforter that hee may abide with you for ever Even the spirit of truth whom the world cannot receive because it seeth him not neither knoweth him but ye know him for he dwelleth in you and shall bee in you Looke what heart the spirit of God did ever dwell in there he shall be there he will abide for ever Christ hath prayed the father that it may bee so The poore humbled sinner therefore that did ever in his life at any one time in any one action discerne the truth of grace in himselfe though now he can discerne none may from thence conclude infallibly that there is truth of grace in him still and consequently may receive great helpe from thence for the recovery of his assurance againe O what cause is there then that we should continually in all our wayes commune with our owne hearts about this and search diligently to find this truth of grace in our selves seeing this will stand us in such stead at a dead lift as wee say in our spirituall desertions to recover our assurance againe Lecture CXXVI On Psalme 51.7 August 18. 1629. A Third helpe that he must use that would get assurance of the favour of God in Christ that would preserve it when hee hath it and recover it when he hath lost it is carefully to observe and call to mind the experiments he hath had of Gods speciall favour and love formerly This course Gods people have taken in this case and found great successe in it Take the Psalmist for an example of this Psal. 77. who when he had so farre lost his assurance that it was a trouble to him to remember God and his spirit was overwhelmed in him as he complaineth ver 3. and that he cryed out ver 7 8 9. Will the Lord cast off for ever and Will he be favourable no more Is his mercy cleane gone for ever Hath God forgotten to be gracious He had strong tentations to doubt he should never recover Gods favour againe Now to raise himselfe out of this wofull estate he resolveth thus with himselfe ver 10. But I will remember the yeares of the right hand of the most high that is the yeares and times of my life wherein I had sweet experience of Gods mercy and love For so is this phrase interpreted Psal. 17.7 Shew thy marvellous kindnesse ô thou that savest with thy right hand them that put their trust in thee And 80.17 Let thy hand be upon the man of thy right hand This course also David tooke at another time Psal. 143.5 6. When his spirit was overwhelmed within him and his heart within him was desolate then I remember saith he the daies of old I meditate on all thy workes I muse on the workes of thy hands Hee called to mind and seriously thought upon the passages of Gods providence toward other of his people but specially toward himselfe in former times and sought to recover his comfort and assurance this way And see what successe Gods servants have found in this case how they have grounded their assurance upon this I will cry unto thee saith David Psal. 61.2 3. when my heart is overwhelmed for thou hast beene a shelter for me and a strong tower from the enemy Because thou hast beene my helpe saith he Psal. 63.7 therefore in the shadow of thy wings will I rejoyce And 71.20 Thou which hast shewed me great and sore troubles shalt quicken me and shalt bring me up againe from the depthes of the earth And whereupon grounded hee this assurance and confidence That he had expressed before ver 5 6. Thou art my hope ô Lord God thou art my trust from my youth by thee have I beene holden up from the wombe thou art he that tooke me out of my mothers bowells my praise shall be continually of thee But you will haply object and say Can any man ground true assurance of Gods love upon the experience he hath had of Gods goodnesse towards him in these temporall and common favours Such experiments of Gods love as these are I could record a great many But alas these are poore grounds for any man to build his assurance and comfort upon 1. No man can say because God hath formerly beene good to him in this kind therefore he will be good to me againe God repented that he had made Saul King 1 Sam. 15.35 God giveth such gifts as these unto many and taketh them quite away againe and so seemeth to repent the bestowing of them Nay 2 no man can judge of Gods love or hatred by such things though he were sure to enjoy them alwaies as the Holy Ghost teacheth us plainely Eccl. 9.1 Many castawayes and Esau by name have had abundant experience of Gods goodnesse in such things and yet the Scripture saith expressely that God hated him for all that Mal. 1.3 But to this I have two things to answer First Though these outward blessings bee to reprobate men no arguments of Gods speciall
it yet is there not any of Gods people among you but may have need of this comfort you know not how soone you may loose the sensible assurance you have of Gods favour in Christ and have the light of his countenance hidden from you In which respect I may say to you all of this use of comfort as the Prophet doth of another matter Esa. 42 23. Who among you will give eare to this who will hearken and heare for the â—â—me to comâ— As if hee had said who is there among you all that hath not just cause to give eare and hearken unto it if not for the present need you have of it yet because of the need you may have of it in time to come Two things there bee that I have to say for the comfort of such of Gods people as being humbled for their sinnes and carefull in all their wayes to please God cannot yet attaine to a sensible assurance of the favour of God in Christ. The bloud of Christ may be sprinkled upon thee and applyed uâ—to thee by the spirit of God though thou perceive it not 2. The bloud of Christ is certainely sprinkled upon thee and applyed unto thee by the spirit of God though thou perceive it not if thou have any measure of true faith in thee First A man may bee in the favour of God in the state of grace a justified man before God and yet want the sensible assurance of his salvacion and of the favour of God in Christ. For this wee have an evident example in David here So soone as ever hee had humbly confessed his fouâ—e siâ— and repented he presently obtained pardon of it from God and consequently hee was justified from it in Gods sight For so Nathan the Prophet doth in the name of God assure him 2 Sam. 12.13 The Lord also hath put away thy sin thou shalt not dye And yet though hee were now reconciled unto God and in the state of grace it appeareth plainely by many petitions in this Psalme and specially by the next words to my text that hee had not now the comfortable assurance of his reconciliation with God in his owne heart It falleth out oft with Gods servants as it did with the two disciples that were travelling toward Emaus Luke 24.14 15. Christ drew neere unto them and was with them and that in a most gracious manner and yet they perceived it not Their eyes were holden saith the Evangelist that they should not know him And as it was with Mary Magdalene Ioh. â—0 14 15. Christ was with her and stood by her and spake to her and she perceived it not but sought for him and wept because she could not find him Many a good soule have Christ dwelling in their hearts by faith and yet perceive it not their eyes are holden so as they know him not to be with them they have him already yet they seeke for him with Mary and weep because they cannot find him As in the bodily senses it is one gift and blessing of God to have them and another to have ability to make use of them and to exercise the operation of them for our comfort The bearing eare and the seeing eye the Lord hath made even both of them saith Solomon Pro. 20.12 Where God giveth the one he denyeth the other sometimes Those that were in Pauls company when Christ strucke him down spake to him from heaven had at that time the faculty of hearing but God suspended the exercise and operation of it so that though Christ spake many words to Paul in a most audible voice yet they could not heare them as you may see Act. 22.9 And Hagar had her eye-sight well enough when the water being spent in her bottle and her child ready to perish with thirst she sate her downe in the wildernesse of Beersheba over against the child as you may read Gen. 21.16.19 but God with held from her the use of her sight so at that time as though there was a wel in the place and she had doubtlesse sâ—ught about every where for water yet she could not see it till the Lord upon her owne and the childs vehement crying unto him had opened her eyes And even so it is in the sanctifying and saving graces of Gods spirit Having eyes see yee not saith our Saviour to his owne Disciples Mar. 8.18 and having eares heare ye not Gods owne people oftentimes though they have eyes yet see not though they have eares yet heare not though they have faith yet want the comfortable use and operation of it for a time It is one grace and mercy of God to have true faith repentance love and the like and another to know and perceive sensibly in our selves that we have them So speaketh the Apostle 1 Cor. 2.12 We have received the spirit which is of God that we might know the things that are freely given us of God He maketh the things that are freely given us of God under which words doubtlesse all saving graces which God worketh in us are comprehended one thing one gracious worke of the spirit of God and the knowing and perceiving that wee have these things freely given us of God that he maketh another distinct worke grace of Gods spirit And where the Lord doth give the one of these graces he is sometimes pleased to deny the other for a time At that day meaning after his ascension into heaven saith our Saviour to his elect disciples after Iudas was gone from them Iohn 14.20 Ye shall know that I am in my father and you in me and I in you Christ was already in them they in him as he plainly telleth them Ioh. 15.5 I am the Vine ye are the branches But they knew it not yet they had no feeling no comfort of it to speake of It is therefore evident you see that a man may have saving grace in him and not perceive it himselfe a man may have true justifying faith in him and not have the use and operation of it so farre as to worke in him a comfortable assurance of his reconciliation with God Nay I will say more a man may bee in the state of grace and have true justifying faith in him and yet bee so farre from sensible assurance of it in himselfe as in his owne sense and feeling hee may seeme to bee assured of the contrary I will give you three most plaine and pregnant examples for this and so conclude this first point Iob was certainly in this case when hee cryed thus unto God Iob 13.24 Wherefore hidest thou thy face and holdest mee for thine enemy And 16.9 Mine enemy sharpeneth his eyes upon mee Hee saw not Gods loving countenance at all hee apprehended him as a mortall enemy And David was in this case when hee cryed unto God Psal. 22.1 Why hast thou forsaken mee And He man was in this case when he prayed thus Psalm 88.14 Lord why castest thou off my soule
have said All Gods people throughout the world should greatly rejoyce in Christ. And the Apostle maketh this a speciall note of a true Israelite Phil. 3.3 that hee is such a one as doth rejoyce in Christ Iesus And the Apostle Peter 1 Pet. 1.8 saith of all the elect strangers to whom he wrote that beleeving in Christ they did rejoyce with joy unspeakable and glorious And though all these places doe proove that we are in a wofull and wretched estate none of Gods Israel no better then infidells if Christ be not the only ground of our consolation if we cannot rejoyce in him yet alas to many that thinke themselves to bee good Châ—istians this Doctrine yeeldeth no comfort at all they heare it without all joy the reason is because they have no need of comfort they have other comforts that doe fully satisfie and content their soules for the time The full soule loatheth an houy combe saith Salomon Proverbs 27.7 The sweetest and comfortablest Doctrine that is is but unsavoury to the soule that is full of comfort already but the humbled soule the soule that hath need of comfort and such may the soule of every one of us be we know not how soone will find more sweetnes and comfort in this Doctrine then in any thing in the world besides To the hungry soule saith Salomon there Pro. 27.7 every bitter thing is sweete that that seemeth bitter to others is sweet to him To the soule that doth indeed hunger and thirst for comfort Christ is most sweet notwithstanding all the bitternesse that the flesh findeth in him and in those termes and conditions upon which he is to be received by us And to these hungry and thirstie soules am I to direct the word of consolation that I shall now deliver and to none other persons Hoe every one that thirsteth saith the Prophet in the name of Christ himselfe Esa. 55.1 come yee to the waters Thou that art most deepely afflicted in spirit that thinkest thy thirst to bee insatiable such as can never be quenched come thou to these waters and thou shalt find them aboundantly sufficient to quench and satisfie the thirst of thy soule come unto Christ and thou shalt find there is in him and in that that he hath done for thee comfort enough to raise up to refresh thy spirit though it be never so much dejected in thee Whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall givâ— him saith our Saviour Iohn 4.14 shall never thirst with a tormenting and deadly thirst but the water that I shall give him shall bee in him a well or fountaine of water springing up into everlasting life Come unto me saith hee againe Mat. 11.28 all ye that labour and are heavy laden and I will give you rest Certainely the cause why wee have so little rest so little comfort is because we come not to him because we seeke not comfort in him if we would come to him wee might find comfort enough in him against all the angvish of our soules bee it never so great A man shall be saith the Prophet Esa. 32.2 speaking of Christ as an hiding place from the wind and a covert from the tempest as rivers of water in a dry place as the shaddow of a great rocke in a watry land See in how many words and with what variety of most apt Metaphors the holy Ghost teacheth that there is no kind of affliction or distresse of mind that any of Gods people can bee subject unto but there is sufficient ease and comfort to bee found in Christ against it He is able to save them to the uttermost saith the Apostle Hebr. 7.25 that come unto God by him And what are the grounds of this aboundant and all-sufficient comfort that the humbled and afflicted soule of every believer may find in Christ Surely these inestimable benefits that wee have heard in the Doctrine every true beleever receiveth by him 1. Because hee hath purchased by his precious blood our pardon and blotted all our sinnes out of God debt-booke and made us as cleane in Gods sight as if we had never sinned 2. Because by his perfect righteousnesse and fulfilling of Gods law for vs and in our stead he hath made us more perfectly righteous before God then if we had in all points observed the whole law our selves Both these points I will handle distinctly and shew you that they are sound grounds of comfort yea the only sound grounds of true comfort For the first of these See how just a cause of comfort it is to every afflicted soule to know his sins are pardoned Esa. 40.1 2. Comfort yee comfort yee my people saith your God speake ye comfortably to Ierusalem See how earnest God is in charging his ministers to comfort his people yea to comfort them effectually to be diligent and zealous in this worke and beat much upon this and whereas they might have said Alas how should wee comfort thy people that are so much dejected and afflicted in spirit To this the Lord answers Cry unto her that her warrefare is accomplished all the enemies of her salvation are fully vanquished her iniquitie is pardoned for shee hath received at the Lords hand in Christ her surety double for all her sinnes As if hee had said perswade her in this assure her of this and this will comfort her aboundantly So when our Saviour would comfort Mary Magdalene who was as much humbled and troubled in mind as any poore Christian can be her sorrow was so aboundant as she was able to wash his feet with her teares how doth he seeke to comfort her Woman saith hee Lu. 7 48 50. thy sins are forgiven thee goe in peace As if hee had said Thou hast cause to be comfortable and cheerefull for thy sins are forgiven O this peace of God the comfort and joy that riseth from the knowledge of the pardon of our sinne and reconciliation with God is said Phil. 4.7 to passe all understanding No heart can conceive how sweet how blessed and comfortable a thing it is but that only that hath felt and enjoyed it David could tell what it was from his owne experience and therefore saith Psal. 32.1 2. Blessed is hee or the blessednesses of that man for the word that hee useth there is not an adjective but a substantive hee speaketh not in the concrete as wee say but in the abstract neither is it a word of the singular but of the plurall number that hee useth to expresse himselfe by As if hee should say ô the compleate the full the infinite happinesse of that man whose transgression is forgiven whose sin is covered ô the infinite and unspeakable happinesse of that man unto whom the Lord imputeth not iniquity As though hee had said This is even enough to make a man perfectly happy if his sinnes bee forgiven him nothing can make that man miserable that hath once obtained this And the reason of this is evident For 1. sinne is the
onely cause of all the evills and miserie that can befall a man In them all it may bee said as the Church speaketh Lamentations 3.39 Man suffereth for his sinne 2. Sinne is the onely thing that maketh all miserie to bee miserie indeed all crosses and afflictions so intolerable to us as they be Ieremy 8.14 The Lord our God hath put us to silence and given us water of gall to drinke because wee have sinned against the Lord. The sting of death is sin saith the Apostle 1 Corinthians 15.5 6. Neither poverty nor sicknesse nor death it selfe could sting and paine us as they doe if our sinnes were pardoned 3. If all the crosses and miseries of the world should fall upon us the burden and bitternesse of them could not bee so intolerable unto us nor torment us so much as our sinne will doe when God shall charge it upon us O that will bite like a serpent saith Salomon who spake this from experience too Prov. 23.32 and sting like an adder A wounded spirit saith he Proverbs 18.14 who can beare 4. Lastly Sinne and nothing but sinne separateth betweene God and us Your iniquities saith the Prophet Esay 59.2 have separated betweene you and your God and your sinnes have hid his face from you that hee will not heare You see then how sound a ground of true comfort this is and how just cause every humbled soule hath to rejoyce in Christ in respect of this first benefit wee receive by him that through him our sinnes are pardoned that the bloud of Iesus Christ hath cleansed us from all our sins As the Apostle speaketh 1 Ioh. 1.7 And for the second of those benefits which every true beleever receiveth by Christ see also how just a cause of comfort it is to every afflicted soule Esay 61.10 I will greatly rejoyce in the Lord saith the true beelever my soule shall bee joyfull in my God for hee hath cloathed mee with the garments of salvation hee hath imputed and given unto mee the perfect holinesse and obedience of my blessed Saviour and made it mine hee hath covered mee all over from top to toe with the robe of righteousnesse as a bridegrome decketh himselfe with ornaments and as a bride adorneth her selfe with her jewells Great is the comfort that the soule of a Christian findeth in that inherent righteousnesse which God by his spirit hath wrought in him though it bee so poore and unperfect and maimed and slained as it is When he can find that he hath been able to pray or to confesse and mourne for his sinne or to do any other service to God with an honest and upright heart O what a comfort it is unto him And certainly if Christians did thinke well of this it would make them looke better to their hearts when they performe good duties and take heed of slubbering them over it would make them carefull to performe spirituall duties spiritually The people rejoyced saith the Holy Ghost 1 Chronicl 29.9 for that they had offered toward the building of Gods house willingly because with a perfect heart they had offered willingly to the Lord. And our rejoycing is this saith the Apopostle 2 Cor. 1.12 even the testimony of our conscience that in simplicity and godly sincerity not in fleshly wisdome but by the grace of God we have had our conversation in the world And it is joy saith Salomon Proverb 21.15 unto the just man to doe judgement As if he had thus said He joyeth not so much in all the gaine that he getteth by his trading his buying and selling and dealings with men as he doth in this that his conscience beareth witnesse with him that he hath dealt justly with all men he hath gotten it justly whatsoever he hath But if this poore and imperfect righteousnesse that is in us will yeeld us such comfort how just cause of comfort and rejoycing hath every true believer in this that he hath another manner of righteousnesse than this is the perfect righteousnesse of Christ Iesus is his Iob saith of his inherent righteousnesse whereby hee had beene so rich in good workes so abundant in the workes of mercy to all that stood in need of him Iob 29.14 that he put on his righteousnesse and it cloathed him my judgement saith he this care I had to deale justly and uprightly with all men was as a robe and a diademe unto me And a goodly garment and robe doubtlesse that was As comely apparell is knowne to set forth much and adorne the person of a man O that men and women specially knew not this too well O that by their pride in this by their over-much care to adorne and decke their bodies this way they did not make both their bodies and soules loathsome unto God as comely apparell I say if it be used in sobriety and moderation doth much set forth and adorne the body in the eye of man so doe those graces of the Spirit that Iob speaketh of even our inherent righteousnesse much more beautifie and adorne us in the eye both of God and man Be ye cloathed with humility saith the Apostle 1 Pet. 5.5 to all Christians As if he had said That is a goodly garment a goodly robe for any Christian to weare And speaking of Christian women he saith 1 Pet. 3.3 4. their adorning should not be that outward adorning of plaiting the haire no nor of cutting and shearing it would he have said if he had lived to see the fashions of these dayes nor in wearing of gold or jewels saith he nor in putting on of any apparell Why how then should a Christian woman dresse and decke her selfe will you say Surely with the ornament of a meeke and quiet spirit saith he which is in the sight of God of great price Grace is a goodly garment certainely But if this garment of inherent righteousnesse that hath so many spots and rents in it will adorne us so much if that be so much to be joyed in what a beauty and glory is that which the Lord our God hath put upon us wretched sinners in cloathing us with the robe of Christs righteousnesse In that he hath not onely taken from us our owne filthy garments as he did from Iehoshua Zachary 3.4 but cloathed us with change of raiment with a righteousnesse sufficient and more than sufficient to make us comely and beautifull in his eyes In graunting to us that wee should bee arrayed in that fine linnen cleane and white as wee heard the last day out of Revelation 19.8 This robe the Lord hath put upon thee beloved I speake to the poorest to the weakest of all Gods servants that heareth me this day this perfect righteousnesse of Christ is thine O that thou hadst eyes to see thy happinesse in this O that thou hadst an heart to be affected with it and rejoyce in it as thou oughtest to doe Great was the glory of man in his first creation and in that righteousnesse wherewith hee was cloathed
the Spirit of Christ may be known which I will not therefore now make any mention of I will instance onely in foure effects of the Spirit whereby you may be able to judge whether you have received not the spirit of the world but the Spirit which is of God as the Apostle speaketh 1 Corinth 2.12 The first is your Charity the second is your Constancy in cleaving to the truth which you have received the third is your Taking to heart the cause of God and religion the fourth and last is your Sympathizing with the fellow-members of Christs mysticall body For the first of these There is no one grace whereby the Spirit of Christ may be better and more sensibly known to dwell in us than charity and meeknesse of spirit Iohn Baptist saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove and it abode upon Christ as we read Iohn 1.32 I beseech you saith the Apostle 2 Corinthians 10.1 by the meekenesse and gentlenesse of Christ. As if he had said Of all the graces of the Spirit that did abound in Christ his meekenesse and gentlenesse did most excell And we shall finde that this is oft mentioned for a certaine signe of a man that is in Christ. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples saith our Saviour Iohn 13.35 if ye have love one to another As if hee should say This is so evident and conspicuous a marke of one that is in Christ as not themselves onely but others also all men may know them by this Beloved let us love one another saith the Apostle 1 Iohn 4.7 for love is of God and every one that loveth is borne of God and knoweth God He that loveth not knoweth not God for God is love saith he Vers. 8. And Vers. 12. If wee love one another God dwelleth in us and his love is perfected in us And Ver. 16. He that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God and God in him My little children saith he againe 1 Iohn 3.18 19. let us not love in word neither in tongue but in deed and in truth And hereby we know that we are of the truth and shall assure our hearts before him As if he had said A man may confidently assure himselfe that hee is in Christ and that hee hath the Spirit of Christ in him if hee love his neighbour unfeignedly not in word onely but in deed if hee unfeignedly desire to doe him what good he can O that we would impartially examine our selves in this first point beloved now especially that we are to prepare our selves to the Lords Table If thou be not in charity certainely thou hast not the Spirit of Christ and consequently thou art none of his I know well that many that have not Gods Spirit but are meere carnall men use to glory much in their charity and thinke they farre excell any that professe religion in this vertue But if there could ever have beene any true love to man and such as God approveth of in any soule that is not regenerated and sanctified by the Spirit of God certainely neither our Saviour himselfe nor his holy Apostle would have spoâ—ken so of love as you heare they have done No no the holy Scripture is most plaine in this point that no man hath any true charity in him but he only that is truly regenerate By this we know that we love the children of God saith the Apostle 1 Ioh. 5.2 when we love God and keepe his commandements As if he should say All true love to men proceedeth from the love we beare to God as from the root and fountain This is love saith he 2 Ioh. 6. that we walk after his commandements As if he had said We cannot love our neighbour as we ought unlesse we love him out of conscience towards God and in obedience to his commandement The end of the commandement is love saith the Apostle 1 Tim. 1.5 out of a pure heart and of a good conscience and of faith unfeigned As though he should have said No man can have true love till he have first a pure heart and a good conscience and faith unfeigned I will therfore shew you how true Charity is to be tryed how you may discern and know whether you love your neighbour as you ought to love him and as no man that hath not the Spirit of Christ was ever able to do Try this First By the love thou bearest to all men Secondly By the loue thou bearest to them that have wronged thee and are thine enemies Thirdly By the love thou bearest to them that feare God especially Lecture CXLIII On Psalme 51.7 March 23. 1629. NO man hath true charity in him First that doth not love all men Secondly that doth not love his enemy Thirdly that doth not love such as feare God especially For the first They that have the Spirit of Christ in them do unfeignedly love all men See this plainely in that prayer of the Apostle 1 Thes. 3 12. The Lord make you to increase and abound in love saith he one toward another and towards all men How can this bee will you say Must wee love such as are wicked men Doth not the Holy Ghost make this a speciall note of a lewd and gracelesse man to love them that are wicked They hate the good saith the Prophet Mica 3.2 and love the evill Was not Iehosophat though otherwise so good a man greatly blamed for this Shouldst thou love them saith the Prophet Iehu to him 2 Chron. 19.2 that hate the Lord Therefore is wrath upon thee from before the Lord. Doth not David glory in this as in one principall evidence of the truth of his heart that he did hate wicked men I have hated them saith he Psal. 31.6 that regard lying vanities that is I have hated all idolaters And 139.21 22. he appealeth to the Lord concerning this and glorieth of this even before the Lord Do not I hate them O Lord saith he that hate thee I hate them with a perfect hatred I count them mine enemies I answer That in all these places there is no more meant but this First That wee must hate their sinne and that that is evill in them And that we are bound to hate even in the best men and in those persons whose persons we are most bound to love Ye that love the Lord saith the Psalmist Psalme 97.10 hate that that is evill There is no love of God in that man that hateth not sinne wheresoever hee seeth it even in his owne child in them whom he doth most dearely love Secondly that we must shew our dislike even to the persons also of scaâ—dalous and lewd men For first we may give them no countenance but shew our dislike by shunning all voluntary familiarity and kindnesse unto them while they continue such Have no company with him saith the Apostle 2 Thes. 3.4 that he may be ashamed I have hated the congregation of evill doers saith David Psalme
true Religion is a sure argument that he hath indeed the Spirit of Christ and that that may give him great comfort in his estate Lecture CXLV On Psalme 51.7 August 16. 1631. IT followeth now that we proceed to the reasons and grounds of this point shew you why it must needs be so that he that hath the Spirit of Christ is constant in his religion he cannot be like the reed shaken with the wind variable and wavering in his religion nor apt to be drawn away by any means from the truth that he hath learned and received from the Word of God Two evident reasons there be for this 1. The Spirit of Christ wheresoever it dwels will teach and perswade the conscience effectually in the truth of God 2. He that is taught his religion by the Spirit of God will certainly be constant in it The first reason because it is of great importance and concernes the maine ground of that certainty that any of Gods people have in their faith and religion I will distinctly and plainely for the helpe of your understanding and memory declare and confirme unto you in six severall propositions and then I will answer the maine objection that is made against it First the Lord hath promised that he will by his holy Spirit instruct and teach his people in the way to life See this promise Ioh. 14.26 The comforter which is the Holy Ghost saith our blessed Saviour whom my father will send in my name through my merit and mediation he shall teach you all things All things he meanes that are necessary unto your salvation for you to know and to be perswaded of And if any man shall say as the Papist doth tush this promise was made to the Apostles onely who represented the whole Church of Christ and that therefore from hence it may be well concluded indeed that to the whole representative Church in a generall Councell lawfully assembled the Spirit is promised to teach and guide them infallibly in all things but can every private man or woman conclude from hence that the Spirit of God will teach them all things I answer That though these words were spoken to the Apostles onely for they were spoken in that Sermon our Saviour made at his last Supper where none were present but they yet doth it not follow from thence that they were spoken of the Apostles onely as not concerning any other but them for there were many things spoken in that Sermon that do undoubtedly concerne all the faithfull as much as them viz. that which is in Chap. 13.34 â—5 14.21 23 24. 15.1 10. 16.23 24. But for further answer unto this I add this second proposition That the promise is made not unto the Apostles and Teachers of the Church onely but unto all the faithfull All thy children saith the Lord to his Church to his Catholique Church the whole company of his elect and called ones Esa. 54.13 all thy children shall be taught of the Lord. And our Saviour citing this place Iohn 6.45 delivers the promise in these generall termes It is written in the Prophets saith he and they shall be all taught of God He is then no member of the Catholike Church out of which as out of Noahs Ark there can be no salvation hee is none of Gods elect that in the matters of his religion hath no other teacher then man that is not therein taught of God and instructed by his holy spirit Ye have an unction saith the Apostle in his generall Epistle that he wrote to all the faithfull 1 Iohn 2.20 Yea even to such among them as verse 18. he calls little children the weakest and meanest of all the faithfull ye have an unction from that holy one saith he even unto them and know all things that is ye have received from Christ the Holy Ghost the Comforter and hee hath taught you and instructed you in all things that are necessary to the salvation of your soules for you to know and to be instructed in Thirdly Of all the workes of the spirit of God in the soule of man this is the first and principall to inlighten the mind and to give a man a good understanding and judgement in those things that concerne his salvation As light was the first of all Gods workes in the Creation of the world Gen. 1.3 so is it also in the new creation Be ye transformed saith the Apostle Romanes 12. â— by the renewing of your mind So soone as a man is transformed and hath that blessed change wrought in him his minde will bee renewed and his judgement cleered in spirituall things When their heart turneth unto the Lord saith hee 2 Cor. 3 16. so soone as a man is once converted by the spirit of God the vaile that darkned the understanding and kept a man from seeing and discerning the things of God shall bee taken away That man whom Gods spirit hath not enlightned to see the truth in some comfortable measure in the matter of religion that is ignorant therein or hath no knowledge but such as he hath received by tradition from men had never any other teacher then man holds nothing in religion but humanafide upon that credit that hee gives unto man it is the religion of the time of the state and countrey hee lives in it is that which he knowes many learned and good men doe teach and hold and therefore hee holdeth and professeth it but he was never inwardly and firmely perswaded in his conscience of these things that man certainely never had the spirit of Christ It cannot be idle wheresoever it is it will be working and if it have not renewed thy mind and judgement if it have not taught instructed thee which is the right way to heaven which is the true religion it never had any work in thy heart at all thou hast certainely no one work of saving and sanctifying grace wrought in thy soule Fourthly The knowledge that this heavenly teacher worketh in us is a cleare and certaine knowledge And even as Gods people when the spirit of God spake unto them in visions and dreames and other extraordinary revelations were undoubtedly certaine of that that he revealed unto them they needed not the testimony of the Church to assure them that it was indeed the will of God that was so revealed unto them If Abraham had not beene undoubtedly certaine of that he would never have beene so ready as hee was Gen. 22.2 3. to sacrifice his own sonne Neither would Ioseph being a just man have taken Mary his wife after she was found with child as he did Matth. 1.20 24. nor would he have taken her and our blessed Lord immediatly after he arose by night and have fled into Egypt as he did Mat. 2.13 14. if hee had not been certainely assured that that was the will of God that was so revealed to him the spirit spake expresly in those cases as the Apostle teacheth us 1 Tim. 4.1 So
doth make and which may rise in your mindes against it And indeed if it were an objection of Papists onely I would never trouble you or my selfe about it But wee are all by nature ranke Papists in this and in many other points of religion and I know this first reason will seeme strange and absurd to many of you and that you will be ready to say what Shall every man in the matter of religion rest upon the instruction and perswasion hee hath from his owne private spirit This fond conceit saith the Papist hath already and still must needs bring into the Church an infinite variety of opinions in religion Quot capitatot sensus so many men so many mindes and opinions there must needs bee in religion if every ones private spirit bee supreame judge and determiner what is truth in the matter of religion Is it not a farre surer way for all men to depend and rest upon the Doctrine and instruction of the Church according to the ordinance of God then upon that which their owne private spirit teacheth them Aske the priests concerning the law saith the Lord Hag. 2.11 and againe The priests lips shall keepe knowledge saith the Prophet Mal. 2.7 and the people should seeke the law at his mouth Now unto this I have Foure things to answer First That though this Doctrine that every true beleever hath the spirit of God and that the spirit of God will teach him bee strange and ridiculous to such as are sensuall not having the spirit as the Apostle speaketh of some Iude 19. and indeed to every naturall man yet to the regenerate man it is not so The spirit of truth saith our Saviour Iohn 14.17 the world cannot receive because it seeth him not neither knoweth him but ye know him for hee dwelleth in you and shall bee in you Every true beleever every true Christian hath the spirit of God and knowes and finds in himselfe that hee hath it Because ye are sonnes saith the Apostle Galathians 4.6 God hath sent forth the spirit of his sonne into your hearts crying Abba father Hee could not pray els nor cry Abba father unto God And he that hath it not let him scoffe and â—lout at it never so much is in a wofull case certainely and will find it to be so one day He that hath not the spirit of Christ is none of his saith the Apostle Rom. 8.9 Secondly The spirit that every faithfull man hath to teach and instruct him is not his owne private spirit as they scornefully and blasphemously call it for 1 it is the spirit of God even the same that first indited the holy Scriptures and inspired the holy Prophets and Apostles in the writing of them and is therefore best able to instruct and teach us in the true meaning of them Wee have received saith the Apostle â— Cor. 2.12 not the spirit of the world but the spirit which is of God that wee might know the things which are freely given us of God And 2 besides it is not mans private spirit because it is one and the same in all the faithfull throughout the world and teacheth them all one and the same thing By one spirit saith the Apostle 1 Cor. 12.13 wee are all baptized into one body whether we be Iewes or Gentiles bond or free and have beene all made to drinke into one spirit As if hee should have said As all the faithfull throughout the world enjoy the same outward Sacraments so is the inward grace that is sealed thereby one and the same in all the faithfull throughout the world and teacheth them all one and the same thing So that this teaching that every true beleever hath and must have from the spirit is no cause of the diversity of opinions that is in the world no no it is the following and hearkning unto our own naturall and carnall spirits that is the true cause of that if we were all taught by the spirit of God we should agree better in opinion then we do Yea it is one and the same spirit that is in all the faithfull that are now living that it was in all the faithfull in old time and teacheth us now no other thing then it did teach all the faithfull from the beginning of the world So the Apostle alluding unto David and to the faithfull in his time saith 2 Cor. 4.13 We having the same spirit of faith according as it is written I beleeved and therefore have I spoken we also beleeve and therefore speake Thirdly Wee doe not say that that teaching and perswasion which every faithfull man receiveth inwardly in his owne heart from the spirit of God is the supreame judge and determiner what is true and what erroneous in the matters of faith and religion from which no appeale is to bee made for all hereticks and selfe-conceited persons will bee apt to pretend that but wee have a certaine rule given us whereby that which the spirit of God teacheth a man inwardly may be knowne and discerned from all opinions and motions that come from a false and fantasticall spirit and that is the written Word of God That Doctrine that is consonant to the Word is of the spirits teaching that that swerves from the Word comes certainely from a false and erroneous spirit By this rule we must judge of the spirit that is in other men Beloved beleeve not every spirit saith the Apostle 1 Iohn 4.1 but try the spirits whether they bee of God But how shall wee try whether the Doctrine that our teachers bring us bee such as they received and learned of Gods spirit or no Why wee must try it by this rule To the law and to the testimony saith the Prophet Esa. 8.20 if they speake not according to this Word it is because they have no light in them As if hee should have said they were never taught of God And this is also the rule whereby wee must try every opinion in religion that wee hold every motion and inclination that wee find in our hearts whether it bee of the spirit of God yea or no the spirit never disagreeth from the Word Behold saith the wisdome of God Proverbes 1.23 I will powre out my spirit unto you I will make knowne my words unto you And Esa. 59.21 This is my covenant with them saith the Lord my spirit that is upon thee and my word which I have put in thy mouth The spirit and the Word goe alwaies together Fourthly and lastly The spirit of God useth to teach the conscience by the ministery of the Word that is in the Church of God and not either by immediate inspirations and enthusiasmes or by any other outward meanes ordinarily but by this onely And by this also a man may judge whether that that hee holds in religion bee of the spirits teaching yea or no. Whether the good things that seeme to bee in him were wrought by the spirit of God that is if hee have learned and
received them by the ministery of the Church and preaching of the Word Therefore the Apostle calls the ministery of the Gospell 2 Cor. 3.8 the ministration of the spirit As if hee had said The meanes whereby the Lord conveyes his spirit into the heart of man and whereby the spirit worketh grace in mans heart is the ministery of the Word Received ye the spirit saith he Galathians 3.2 by the workes of the law or by the hearing of faith that is the Doctrine of faith preached So speaking of faith the greatest worke of the spirit he saith Rom. 10.17 faith comes by hearing Therefore when our Saviour had said Iohn 6.45 It is written in the Prophets they shall bee all taught of God hee addeth immediatly every man therefore that hath heard and learned of the father commeth unto me As if he had said The father teacheth no man ordinarily but in and by the hearing of his Word preached Therefore when the Lord makes that gracious promise to every faithfull man that hee will by his spirit plainely teach and direct him which way to take even then when he is in most danger to be mislead and seduced Esa. 30.21 Thine eares shall heare a word behind thee saying this not that but this is the way walke yee in it continue goe on in it leave it not when thou turnest unto the right hand and when thou turnest unto the left As if he should have said When thou shalt be in danger to be seduced and drawne out of the right way even then my spirit shall resolve and confirme thee in the truth and keepe thee in it I say when the Lord doth promise thus plainely and particularly to teach and guide his people aright by his spirit even in controverted truthes you shall find in the former verse 20. how and by what meanes the spirit will thus teach and guide his people Thy teachers saith he shall not bee removed into a corner any more but thine eyes shall see thy teachers and then followeth and thine eares shall heare a word behind thee As if hee should say I will accompany the ministery of my Word with the efficacy and operation of my spirit and by the ministery of thy teachers my spirit shall instruct and guide thee in the right way And thus you see the first reason of the Doctrine opened and confirmed unto you that the spirit of God wheresoever hee dwells will teach and perswade the heart in the truth of religion The second reason of it is this That when once a man is taught of God and instructed by his spirit in the truth hee will certainely cleave unto it and hold fast whatsoever hee hath learned of that heavenly teacher Teach mee O Lord saith David Psalme 119.33 the way of thy statutes that is that way unto life and salvation which thou hast in thy Word prescribed a plaine periphrasis of the true religion of God and I shall keepe it unto the end As if hee had said I shall never fall nor bee drawne away from it when once thou hast by thy spirit instructed and resolved me in it And verse 102. I have not departed from thy judgements saith he but have beene constant in thy truth for thou hast taught mee So saith the Apostle also of all that are taught of God 1 Iohn 2.27 The same anointing saith hee the spirit of God hee meanes teacheth you of all things of all things that are necessary for you to know and it is truth and is no lie this teaching of the spirit is cleare certaine and even as it hath taught you ye shall abide in him As if he should say Ye shall abide in Christ and in the profession of every truth of his because ye have beene taught by his holy spirit And thus have I shewed you the reasons and grounds of this point that he that hath the spirit of Christ will be constant in the Religion of Christ and firmly cleave unto the truth of God Lecture CXLVI On Psalme 51.7 Aug. 30. 1631. IT followeth now that we proceede to make some application of it unto our selves For seeing as wee have heard the Spirit of God wheresoever it dwels will teach and resolve the heart in the truth of Religion and he that is thus taught of God cannot but be constant in the truth seeing the Lord makes so great account of them that cleave to his truth and the faithfull themselves have found such comfort in this when they have beene in great distresse wee are therefore to be exhorted that every one of us would labour by this note to approve our selves to have the Spirit of Christ and so to be his even by our resolution and constancy in our Religion and cleaving fast unto the truth of God which we have received and doe make profession of This is an exhortation which we shall finde much pressed upon Gods people by the Holy Ghost specially in the New Testament Watch yee take heed unto your selves saith the Apostle 1 Cor. 16.13 stand fast in the faith in the Doctrine of faith quit yee like men in withstanding manfully all such as would seduce you bee strong and resolute in the truth Observe his earnestnesse in the many words he useth So Phil. 4.1 Stand fast in the Lord in the faith and Doctrine of Christ my dearely beloved And 2 Thes. 2.15 Therefore brethren saith hee sland fast and hold the traditions the doctrines delivered unto you which you have beene taught whether by word by lively voice in the Ministery of the word preached which you heare or by our Epistle or by the holy Scripture which yee reade And againe Heb. 4.14 Let us hold fast our proâ—ession saith he And againe Heb. 10.23 Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering Remember how thou hast received and heard saith our Saviour Revel 3.3 and hold fast And if the people of God then had such need to have this exhortation pressed upon them while the Apostles themselves lived by whom they had beene taught and confirmed in the truth with farre more evidence and demonstration of the spirit and of power as the Apostle speaketh 1 Cor. 2.4 then is it to bee found in the Ministery of any of Gods servants now how much more necessary is this exhortation for us all in these dayes No not so will you say For those were dayes of bloudy persecution and of a fiery tryall The Magistrate was a mortall enemy to Christ and his Gospell and the Iewes every where incensed him against it but we thankes be to God live under a Christian Magistrate and in dayes of great peace we have peace at home and peace abroad To this I answer that though we through the great mercy of God doe enjoy the Gospell in great peace and have it also maintained and countenanced by publike authority and though the religious disposition of our gracious King who hath both heretofore and of late so fully declared himselfe
to be for the Gospell and against Popery may give us great hope of the continuance of this blessing and may seeme to free us from feare of any alteration of Religion in our dayes Yet are there three things that make this exhortation every whit as needefull for our times and for us as it was for the people of God in the Apostles dayes First The great danger wee are in that popery may prevaile and steale in upon us and with it a fiery tryall before we be aware not withstanding all that hath beene said of the hopes we have Surely the great increase of Papists that we daily heare of together with the marvellous declining of many declared by the ready receiving of such Doctrines as any seducing Spirit will offer to them may give us just cause of this feare Secondly admit that wee were in no danger at all of a fiery tryall through popery yet are there a number of other new and strange opinions lately sprung up in our Church that do make this exhortation as needfull now as ever it was They are so many that I cannot name them all unto you though I would and they are some of them so fantasticall some so blasphemous and dangerous that I would not offend your Christian eares with rehearsing of them though I could Every yeare almost yeelds us some new conceit in Religion When the servants in the parable of the tares Matth. 13.27 28 spied their Masters field so full of tares they said unto him Sir didst not thou sow good seed in thy field from whence then are these tares They doe not lay the fault upon the seed their Master did sow The Papists and Atheists when they heare either of Heresies that spring in the Church or of hypocrites and scandalous sinners that break out amongst such as professe Religion are apt still to impute all to our Masters seed This comes of following Sermons a goodly Gospell say they this is that brings forth such fruits And the servants of God themselves that know how good the seed was that their Master did sow in this field how sound and pure the Doctrine hath beene which our state and Church hath professed and which hath beene preached in it above 70. yeares without interruption and see what a number of strange opinions are now risen in it are apt to wonder and cry Lord whence come all these tares But marke what answere the Lord of the field gives unto his servants The enemy hath done this saith he Satan the enemy of God and mankinde is the sower of all these tares the authour of all the heresyes and scandalls too that rise in Gods Church And the men that broach these errours how learned or good soever they may seeme to be as Satan himselfe saith the Apostle 2 Cor. 11.14 is of transformed into an Angel of light are set on work by him his agents his seeds-men they are Our Saviour foretelling the destruction of Ierusalem and of the whole state and the judgements whereby God would plague that nation for the contempt of the Gospell and which should bee signes and forerunners of his taking it away from them and bestowing it upon some other nation that would bring forth better fruits of it names this for one Matth. 24.11 Many false Prophets saith he shall arise and shall deceive many Certainly the many sects and errours that arise in our Church as it is to be esteemed a most just judgement of God upon this nation for the contempt of the Gospell so is it a fearefull signe of a more grievous judgement approching and namely of the removing of our candlesticke and taking away the Gospell from us And surely these false teachers increasing as they doe will steale away the truth of Religion from us before we be aware as the Lord speaketh of the false Prophets in Ieremies time Ier. 23.30 unlesse wee stirre up our selves to hold it fast and to cleave so much the more stedfastly unto it because wee see it so many wayes questioned and contradicted by fantasticall spirits Thirdly and lastly The generall decay of the love of Religion in all places and among all sorts of men and the strange increase of irreligiousnesse and profanesse every where will as an epidemicall disease and common contagion infect us all and by little and little steale our hearts away from all care of Religion and respect unto it if we doe not carefully take heed and stirre up our selves to hold fast both the knowledge and practice of the truth which we have received Our long enjoying of the Gospell of Christ together with our long peace and plenty makes us to esteeme lightly and to grow weary of it as Israel of old was of Mannah though it were both the most wholesome and the most delicate foode also that ever man tasted of In which respect the Prophet Psal. 78.25 calls it Angels foode such a foode as if they had needed meate the very Angels might have fed upon Yet grew they so weary of it that they preferred the cucumbers and onyons and garlicke of Aegypt before it Num. 11.5 6. any thing rather then Mannah then that food that came downe from heaven And so doth the Apostle prophesie 2 Tim. 4.4 of a time that should come and we have just cause to judge that this is the very time hee prophesieth of wherein such as had professed the Gospell should turne away their eares from the truth be turned unto fables No doctrine can be so fabulous and fantasticall but men will be ready to turne unto it and to embrace it rather then the present truth as the Apostle calls it 2 Pet. 1.12 Any thing that will oppose and contradict the present truth this Mannah that is before our eyes as the Iewes speake there Num. 11.6 shall be welcome unto them This is not the disposition of a few of here and there one but it is the humour of the very age and time we live in that strongly inclineth unto epicurisme and irreligiousnesse Therefore the Apostle in another prophesie of his 2 Tim. 3.1 wherein he sets downe the generall sinnes of those perilous times that shall come in the last dayes whereinto we are fallen notes this as a chiefe one Verse 5. Having a forme of godlinesse an outward profession of the true Religion but denying the power thereof that the Gospell should have such a commanding power over them as to restraine them from any sinne they were inclined unto especially if it be in fashion this they should not abide this being the generall disease of the time we shal all be in danger to be carryed away with the streame and sway of it if we discerne it not to be a forerunner of the removall of our candlesticke the Gospell and in time take heed and repent and doe our first workes Rev. 2.5 and if the generall inclination unto profanesse that we discerne in all men cause us not to love the truth and cleave to it
Psal. 119.127 I love thy commandements saith he above gold yea above fine gold adds presently Ver. 128. Therefore I esteem all thy precepts concerning all things to be right and I hate every false way He that doth not esteeme highly of that that God hath taught us in his Word concerning all things concerning the smallest matters as well as concerning the greatest he that doth not hate every false way every errour in the matters of religion errour about the smallest things as well as errour about the greatest certainly he doth not love and esteem of Gods Word as he ought to do Secondly As a man may make himselfe abominable unto God by transgressing wittingly the least of his commandements Ye shall not make your selves abominable saith the Lord Lev 11.43 with any creeping thing by eating of it he meaneth and what commandement did ever God give that was lesse than those concrning meat and drinke so may a man do by receiving wittingly the least known errour or forsaking wittingly the least known truth See how earnest the Apostle is 2 Thes. 2 1-3 in disswading them from receiving an errour which of all errors that they could receive might seem the least dangerous yea a most wholsome errour that is that the day of Christ was then at hand Yet see I pray you and marke how earnest he is in this matter Now I beseech you brethren by the comming of our Lord Iesus Christ and by our gathering together unto him that yee bee not soone shaken in minde or bee troubled neither by spirit nor by word nor by letter as from us as that the day of Christ is at hand Let no man deceive you by any meanes To receive any thing as a divine truth which God hath not taught us in his Word though it carie never so good a shew of piety and devotion is certainly a very dangerous thing els would not the Apostle have beene so earnest in this case as he was Thirdly and lastly The surest way to keepe our hearts from forsaking and falling from the truth in maine and fundamentall matters is to make conscience of holding fast the truth even in the least matters of cleâ—ving constantly to the least truth that God hath revealed unto us and convinced our consciences in the surest way to keepe our selves from grosse and enormious sinnes is to make conscience of the least thing we know to be a sin This Iob knew well and therefore to preserve himselfe from the odious sin of adultery or fornication he durst not give himselfe liberty to looke or think of that that might provoke him to lust I made a covenant with mine eyes saith he Iob 31.1 why then should I thinke upon a maid David also knew this well and therefore that he might keepe himselfe innocent from the great transgression he was afraid to commit any presumptuous sinne any sinne against his knowledge and conscience yea he was afraid even of his secret faults of such sinnes as he knew he was many wayes guilty of in thought word and deed though he knew them not in particular nor discerned them to be sinnes This is evident by that earnest prayer he makes Psal. 19.12 13. Who can understand his errours cleanse thou me from secret faults keep back thy servant also from presumptuous sinnes let them not have dominion over me then shall I be upright and I shall be innocent from the great transgression And even so it is in this case the surest way to keep our judgements uncorrupted in the matters of greatest moment is to keepe them sound in those matters that are of least weight He that will give liberty to himselfe to reject and forsake the truth in the smallest matters will be in danger to forsake it and fall from it in the greatest matters if hee bee pressed to it Our Saviour speaking of that marvellous blindnesse of minde that by the just judgement of God was come upon the Iewes Matthew 13.14 Hearing they should heare but should not understand and seeing they should see but they should not perceive hee gives this for one reason of it that they had closed their owne eyes first If a man do wilfully refuse to see any truth that God would reveale unto him it is just with God to blind him so that he shall not be able to see or to have any comfortable certainty in any truth of God When the Apostle speakes of his zeale and resolution against such false brethren as taught circumcision to be still necessary even after the abrogation of the ceremoniall law had beene sufficiently published for it was above foureteene yeares after Pauls conversion as you may see Gal. 2.1 We gave no place by subjection to them saith he Ver. 5. no not for one houre If some politicians had been then to confer with him they would have said to him alas Paul why art thou so obstinate and peevish in such a trifle Circumcision is nothing and uncircumcision is nothing as thy selfe hast taught 1 Cor. 7.19 But he gives this reason why he was so resolute in opposing an errour even of that nature that the truth of the gospell saith he might continue with you These errours in smaller matters being received will by little and little deprive us of the truth and sincerity of the Gospell and usher in such errours as are more grosse and fundamentall Let no man say what unlawfulnesse is there in bowing before a crucifix in a decent manner for if we shall comply with Papists in such things it may be just with God to give us over to greater delusions and to apostate quite with them When Ioshuah a little before his death exhorts Israel to cleave constantly to the Lord and to take heed of being drawne by the Canaanites that lived among them unto their idolatry he inforceth his exhortation thus Iosh. 23.12 13. Els saith he if yee doe in any wise goe backe and cleave unto the remnant of these nations know for a certainty that the Lord your God will no more drive out any of these nations from before you but they shall bee snares and traps unto you and scourges in your sides and thornes in your eyes untill you perish from the good land which the Lord your God hath given you If wee shall in any wise goe backe from the truth of God bee it in greater matters or in smaller if wee shall in any wise goe backe and decline to gratifie the Papists and to conforme unto them wee may know for a certainty that God will forsake us and Poperie will prevaile against us So that to conclude this third direction wee must every one doe that for our selves which Epaphras did for the Colossians Colossians 4.12 Wee must labour fervently in our prayers with God that wee may stand perfect and compleat in all the will of God If we be desirous to hold fast our profession we must labour to stand perfect and compleat in all the will of God stand stedfastly in
faithfull Iewes that had beene before much offended with Peter for going unto Cornelius heard of the fruit and successe of his Ministery there it is said Acts 11.18 That they hâ—ld their peace and glorified God saying then hath God also to the Gentiles granted repentance unto life Though we know that the Iewes naturally fretted at nothing so much as this to heare that the Gentiles should become Gods people as every naturall man doth to see others more Religious then him selfe yet the Iewes that were converted joyed greatly in this When Paul and Barnabas Acts 15.3 declared to them the conversion of the Gentiles they caused great joy unto all the brethren He that hath any grace in his owne heart will joy in the conversion of others And on the other side he that hath the spirit of Christ in him cannot choose but grieve to see how unfruitful the Gospel is in most places how little power it hath in the hearts of men This the Prophet foretold Esa. 53.1 should be the complaint and lamentation of the Ministers of the Gospell and daily experience proves it to be so Who hath beleeved our report and to whom is the arme of the Lord revealed And of our blessed Saviour it is said Mar. 8.12 that when he saw the infidelity and hardnesse of heart that was in the Pharisees and Iewes who though they had seene so many miracles of his and heard so many of his gracious and powerfull Sermons could not beleeve but asked still for a signe from heaven that he sighed deepely in his spirit to see and thinke of this And so will every one in some measure doe that hath the spirit of Christ in him when hee seeth the marvellous senselessenesse of most men under the powerfull and excellent meanes of grace that they doe enjoy The reasons of this point and the application of it I must deferre till the next day Lecture CLI On Psalme 51.7 November 29. 1631. IT followeth now that we proceed to give you the grounds and reasons of this point and then make some application of it unto our selves The reasons then why we should thus take to heart the cause of God and of his holy Religion why we should joy in the liberty of the Gospell and in the fruitfulnesse and good successe of it and mourne for the contrary are three principally according to the respect we ought to have unto three severall persons that are interested in it in respect had 1. Vnto other men 2. Vnto our selves 3. And principally unto the Lord. The first reason I will for the helpe of your understanding and memory deliver distinctly unto you in three degrees First we are bound in conscience to love the persons of all men and we can have no comfort in our owne estate unlesse our hearts can beare us witnesse we doe so The Lord make you saith the Apostle 1 Thes. 3.12 to increase and abound in love one towards another and towards all men Secondly If we do not love their soules unfeignedly desire their salvation there is no true love to them in our hearts I know well the most of you thinke otherwise you thinke you love your neighbours your friends your Wives your children well and dearely though you have no care at all of their soules but leave the care of them to God alone Nay they are of all others accounted the most loving and kind natured men that have least care of all either of other mens or of their owne soules whose kindnesse and good fellowship shewes it selfe in nothing more then in poysoning and destroying one anothers soules But be not deceived beloved the holy Word of God by which thou must be judged at the day of thy appearing before the judgement seat of Christ defineth love otherwise then thou doest and saith thou bearest no true love at all to the person whose soule thou hast no care of Thus Paul expressed and proved his unfeigned love to the Iewes his country men Rom. 10.1 Brethren my hearts desire and prayer to GOD for Israel is that they might be saved Because we are bound to love all men we are bound to desire the salvation of all men that God would give to all places to all people the meanes of their salvation and make them effectuall in their hearts This is plaine by that prayer of the Church Psalm 67.2 3. That thy way may be knowne upon earth thy saving health among all nations let the people praise thee O God let all the people praise thee If we doe not grieve to see how people lye in ignorance and infidelity and profanenesse and so under the power of Satan we beare no true love to them at all The Apostle professeth his love this way also unto his country men Rom. 9.1 2. his conscience did beare him witnesse in the Holy Ghost that he had great heavinesse and continuall sorrow in his heart for their blindnesse and obstinacy Nay he hateth them in his heart that cannot grieve to see them live in this estate Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thy heart saith the Lord Levit. 19.17 thou shalt in any wise rebuke thy neighbour and not suffer sinne upon him If we suffer men to live in any sinne were it in our power to helpe it if we be utterly carelesse of it and it never trouble us to see it the Lord you see saith plainly that we hate them in our hearts And whosoever hateth his brother is a murtherer saith the Apostle 1 Ioh. 3.15 and ye know that no murtherer hath eternall life abiding in him or is in the state of grace If this be so as doubtlesse it is alas how hainous a sin are we all guilty of that neither doe any thing to bring them out of this misery they lye in nor are at all grieved and troubled for it Thirdly If we doe truly desire the salvation of men and grieve to see them perish in ignorance and profanenesse then will we desire that sound preaching may abound and will grieve to see the preaching of the word hindred any way Because the meanes whereby the soules of men must be saved is preaching It hath pleased God by the foolishnesse of preaching to save them that beleeve saith the Apostle 1 Cor. 1.21 that is first by preaching hee workes faith in men according to that faith commeth by hearing Romans 10.17 and then by faith hee saveth them But why doth hee call it the foolishnesse of preaching Not that it is so indeed but that carnall men doe account it so for so he expoundeth himselfe Verse 18. The peeaching of the crosse is to them that perish foolishnesse they that perish and shall goe to hell account so of it But you will object and say cannot men be saved without preaching I answer that preaching is the meanes that he hath appointed to doe this worke by ordinarily Other sheepe I have saith our Saviour Iob. 10.16 which are not of this fould are not yet come
sent as we read verse 8 9. Levites and Priests throughout all the cities and townes of Iudah to teach the people and as it appeares verse 7. he sent of his chiefe Princes and Nobles with them to countenance them in their work when he had done this I say it is said ver 12. that Iehosaphat waxed great exceedingly he and his kingdome prospered wonderfully by this meanes Consider now from this day saith the Lord Hag. 2.18 19. he had spoken before verse 16 17. of a strange curse had beene upon them while his house and worship had beene neglected consider now from this day even from the day that the foundation of the Lords Temple was laid consider it saith he againe from this day I will blesse you with outward blessings he meanes as appeareth by the former verses Certainely the place where Gods house and worship is erected and maintained shall bee blessed of God with blessings of all sorts It is said of Vzziah the King of Iudah ◠Chro. 26.5 that he sought God that is professed and maintained the true religion of God in the daies of Zechariah who had understanding in the visions of God and as long as he sought the Lord God made him to prosper and yet there was no truth of heart in him at all For it is said verse 4. that he did that which was right in the sight of the Lord according to all that his father Amaziah did and of his father it is said 2 Chron. 25.2 that he did that which was right in the sight of the Lord that is he professed and maintained the true religion of God but not with a perfect heart Let the true religion of God bee professed and maintained in any kingdome though many that professe it have no power of religion in their hearts yet will God make that kingdome to prosper even for that Beleeve it beloved beleeve it true religion never found entertainement any where in any family towne or kingdome but it brought a blessing with it to the place While the Arke of God was in the house of Obed-edom 2 Sam 6.12 God blessed the house of Obed-edom and all that pertained unto him because of the arke of God But what speake I of Obed-edom that was a good man and entertained it with a good heart I will say more then so it will bring temporall blessings upon them that give entertainement unto it though themselves be such as regard it not nor make any reckoning of it The religion and piety of Iacob brought a blessing even into Labans house so sensibly that he could say Gen. 30.27 Tarry with me I pray thee for I have learned by experience that the Lord hath blessed me for thy sake And the religion and piety of Ioseph brought a blessing into Potiphars family for so we read Gen. 39 5. The Lord blessed the Egyptians house for Iosephs sake and the blessing of the Lord was upon all that he had both in the house and in the field On the other side no sinne that a land can bee guilty of wil sooner deprive it of all Gods blessings nor bring all manner of calamities upon it then this neglect of religion will do See a plaine proofe of this 2 Chron. 29.6 9. Where Hezekiah imputeth all the miseries that had come upon the state and kingdome of Iudah unto this though doubtlesse they were guilty of many other grievous sinnes besides this that they had turned away their faces from the habitation of the Lord and had turned their backs they had shewed no respect nor zeale towards the house and worship of God they had shut up the doores of the porch and put out the lamps and had not burnt incense nor offered burnt offerings in the holy place unto the God of Israel therefore the wrath of God was upon Iudah and Ierusalem saith he He saith nothing there of the idolatry and false worship they had set up which doubtlesse was a higher degree of sinne but he speakes only of the neglect of the true worship and want of respect and love unto it even to this sinne he imputeth all the calamities which that state and Church had endured And so doth the Lord by the Prophet Hag. 1.9 and 2.15 17. impute many strange curses that hee had brought upon that people after their returne from the captivity even to the neglect of building his house and setting up of his true worship among them And if the neglect of religion will make a land so lyable to Gods curse what will the setting up of a false religion or the hindring and stopping of the course of the Gospell do Surely this must needs provoke God much more Forbidding us to preach to the Gentiles that they may be saved saith the Apostle 1 Thess. 2.16 to fill up their sinne alway this doth fill up the measure of sinne it is the height and perfection of sinne in any person in any nation to do so So that to conclude this second reason he that desireth the prosperity and wealth of the kingdome that it may be kept free from famine and pestilence and all other calamities will joy to see the pure religion of God to be maintained and countenanced in it to see the sound preaching of the Gospell to abound and become fruitfull and he will grieve to see it otherwise The third and last reason of the point respecteth the Lord himselfe No man can have the spirit of Christ that doth not desire unfeignedly and rejoyce to see Gods honour and glory advanced among men to see his kingdome enlarged to see men live in dutifull obedience unto him This our Saviour teacheth us in the Lords prayer to make our chiefe suit to God whensoever we pray to him Our three first and principall petitions Matth. 6.9 10. Hallowed bee thy name thy kingdome come thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven And he that cannot heartily desire this yea desire it more then any thing els never knew what it is to pray aright never made any prayer that was acceptable unto God in all his life And he that desireth this cannot but rejoyce to see the Gospell soundly and freely and plentifully preached to see Gods pure religion professed and practised For 1 nothing advanceth Gods glory so much as the faithfull preaching of the Gospell doth It is called therefore 2 Cor. 4.2 the Gospell of the glory of Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And 1 Tim. 1.11 The Gospell of the glory of the blessed God And the faithfull Ministers are called the glory of Christ 2 Cor. 8.23 Christ receiveth not so much glory by any as by them The preaching of the word is the Scepter of Gods kingdome and the meanes wherby he subdueth men and brings them under his obedience This is that rod of Gods strength which he sent out of Zion spoken of Psal. 110.2 whereby he ruleth in the midst of his enemies And it is therefore called the Gospell of the kingdome Mat. 4.23
suffering and doctrine The fourth and last objection is this that though preaching hath beene in time past necessary and of good use yet it may be well spared now for we see it doth little or no good now a dayes looke into such places where it is most used and see how few are bettered by it To which I answer first that this is too true indeed and in this two fearefull evidences of Gods wrath are to be observed both mentioned in that speech of our Saviour Matth. 18.7 Woe unto the world because of offences for it must needs bee that offences come but woe to the man by whom the offence commeth First Woe to the world because of offences It is a fearefull signe of Gods wrath upon thee and such as thou art that thou hast such stumbling blocks laid before thee to worke thy ruine and sinke thee deepe in hell that thou hadst such occasions given thee to mislike Religion and this ordinance of God Secondly Woe be to the man by whom the offence commeth woe be to you all that by your ignorance profanenesse drunkennesse filthines backsliding cause this ordinance of God to be derided and hated The name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles through you as the Apostle speaketh Rom. 2.24 Certainly you will one day wish that you had lived rather among the Indians and Canibals then in such a place where you have so long enjoyed such a ministery and so much dishonoured it But then secondly I answer that the preaching of the word is not blessed be God altogether without fruit at this day in any place that doth enjoy it It doth good daily the Church is increased by it God addeth to the Church daily such as shall be saved as it was said in those first times Act. 2.47 though not so many nor so eminent persons as he did then Yet even those few young folke and meane persons that are woone to God daily by the preaching of the word will rise up in judgment against thee one day and confound thee so as thou shalt have nothing to say for thy selfe that they who have lesse helpe by nature then thou have profited so much and beene drawne on forward by it and thou profitest not but growest more backward and backward every day For so saith the Apostle 1 Cor. 1.27 God hath chosen the weake things of this world to conâ—ound the things that are mighty So that to conclude my answer to this last objection I will say to these men as the Apostle doth in a case not much differing from this Rom. 11.7 What then Israel hath not obtained that that hee seeketh for the most of our hearers obtaine not that good by our preaching which they seeme to seeke for but the election hath obtained it and the rest were hardned The elect of God are made the better and the rest the worse by it and God will be glorified in them both FINIS An Alphabeticall Index of the principall matters contained in this Booke A. Affections THe necessâ—y of good affections 489 Affliction In all distresses 〈◊〉 to God by prayer and seeke comfort that way 59 In all afflictions we must cleare and acquit God of all rigour and injustice 245 Every child of God must looke for affliction 253 God hath a speciall hand in all afflictions 256 God afflicts his people in love 257 c. Think of affliction 〈…〉 260 Willing bearing of affliction is a means to mortifiâ— corruption 322 We may in two respects judge of mens sinnes ly their afflâ—ction 559 We may therein offend two wayes Ibid 560 Though the afflictions men indure be in their owne nature punishments yet are they not so to all men 664 665 Afflictions inflicted upon the godly for sinne are not properly punishments but chastisements 665 In extreame affliction our case will be wofull without Christ. 684 Six remarkable things concerning affliction Ibid. 685 He that hath Christ may be safe and comfortable in any affliction 686 Almsdeeds Motives to them 116 117 c. How to be performed Ibid. How faulty men are this way 119 c. Anabaptists Confutation of their errours touching infants 281 Application Hearers must apply the Word to themselves 39 Ministers must apply the Word particularly to the people 44. c Every man must labour to have Christs blood sprinkled upon his heart and applyed to him 614 c. Assurance Labour to get assurance that Christs blood was shed for us 617 618 Many deceive themselves in this and the danger of this deceit 620 Signes of false assurance 628 629 Signes of true assurance 621 c. Every Christian hath the Word to assure him in particular that he is in the state of grace 623 Means to get true assurance 632 c. Attention We must diligently attend to what we heare 36 37 Beneficence Gods children are ready and carefull to do good and to be usefull to others 121 125 Birth No cause to be proud of parentage or birth 28â— Blessinge of God The godly have beene often confirmed in assurance of Gods love by the experience of Gods favour to them in temporall blessings 645 689 True believers may take great comfort even in these outward blessings 688 Such things as are blessings in themselves are not so to wicked men 686 They have no spirituall title to them 687 To them they are fruits of Gods common love not of his speciall Ibid. Catechising A speciall meanes to breed sound knowledge 789 Censoriousnesse Men are apt to thinke them greatest sinners whom they see most afflicted 557 The folly and wickednesse of it 560 561 Charity The knowledge of Gods love in pardoning us should provoke us to forgive those that have wronged us 111 Signes whether we have indeed forgiven such as have wronged us 114 115 Charity is a speciall fruit of the Spirit 747 748 Signes of it 748 c. Towards all men 748 752 Towards our enemies 752 753 To them that feare God 754 755 We love no man unlesse we love his soule and unfeignedly desire his salvation 803 804 Children To honour and reverence their parents 284 Parents should do their uttermost to breed grace in their children 287 Children owe honour and subjection to their parents be they never so poore 291 Correction necessary for children 293 Christ. The riches of Gods grace appeares to his people in Christ in five regards 103 104 No mercy to be hoped for from God but in and through Christ. 596 Though salvation were not free to Christ but he paid deaâ—â— for it yet is it to us free 600 601 Every one should labour to know that Christ is his 607 Motives to that 608 609 Signes that Christ is ours 610 611 Meanes to get this assurance 611 613 Esteeme of Christ above all and labour to be found in him 683 c. All men shall not have benefit by Christ but few in comparison 744 c. The reason of that 745 Church We should be
Meanes to get assurance of Gods favour 641 c. Wicked men Lâ—wd persons are a curse to the place they live in 124 Have no cause to stumble at this that God is so apt to passe by the sâ—ips of his children 361 363 Wicked men must pray and do other good duties and they may receive good theâ— by three wayes 363 364 We must love their persons and yet shew detestation to their vices 749 Works Good works the fruits of Gods sanctifying Spirit in us good grounds of hope and comfort 104 105 The maine foundation of any comfort in them is wholly in Gods mercy 106 Why no man can make them the maine ground of his comfort Ibid. God doth greatly respect the poore and imperfect services of his people and three reasons for that 357 361 Good works must be performed in a right manner 433 438 Word of God The Lord must be justified in whatsoever he hath spoken 238 We must believe it 239 Allow and approve of it as just 240 Take it to heart Ibid. The Word a speciall meanes to enable us to beare afflictions christianly 263 To mortifie our corruptions 321 322 Why so much is ascribed in Scripture to the Word it selâ—e and to the Ministry thereof 507 509 The least thing God hath appointed in his Word may not be neglected 577 579 Try our estate by the Word of God 624 625 The Word a speciall meanes to get comfortable assurance that Christ is ours an 〈◊〉 633 634 A singular good thing to love the Word 700 Worship of God We must depend upon the direction of the Word for 〈◊〉 581 Conscience to be made of the outward parts of Gods Worship and exercises of Râ—ligion 581 582 We must labour to understand every thing we do in the service of God 583 589 Els we shall receive no good by it 584 585 In every part of Gods Worship labour to find God with us in it 587 588 591 Foure motives to stirre up this â—are 591 Foure means to make Gods Ordinances effectuall 592 593 We must not neglect Gods Ordinances though we find no fruit 594 Gods solemne Worship and conscionable use of his Ordinances a meanes to worke 〈◊〉 and recover assurance that Christ is ours 632 True love of God will appeare towards his Worship 799 Z. Zeale EVery one that 〈◊〉 the Spirit of Christ must needs be zealous for God and his worship 799 FINIS Doct. 1. Reason 1 2. Vse 1. 2. The respect we owe even to those parts of the Word which we understaÌ„d not Doct. 2. Reason Vse Doct. 4. Reason 1 2. 3. Vse 1. 2. Doct. 5. Reason 1 2. 3. Vse Object Answ. Quest. Answ. Doct. 6. Reason Vse 1. Vse 2. Doct. 7. Reason Vse 1. Vse 2. 1. Sort. 2. 3. Vse 3. Object Answ. Applic. Applic. Applic. Applic. Applic. Applic. Applic. Applic Applic * So it is in the margent Applic. Applic. Applic. Applic. Applic. Applic. Applic. Applic. Doct. 8. Reason 1 2. 3. Vse Vse 2. Vse 3. Object 1 Answ. Object 2 Answ. 1. 2. Object 3. Answ. Object 4. Answ. Object 5 Answ. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Nota. Doct. 9. Reason 1 2. 3. 4. Vse Vse 2. Motive 1 2. Object 1 Answ. Object 2 Answ. Object 3. Answ. Reason 1 Aâ—sw Reason 2 Answ. Reason 4 Answ. Reason 4 Answ. Answ. 2. Nota Quest. 1 Answ. Quest. 2 Answ. Quest. 3 Answ. Quest. 4 Answ. Doct. 10 Reason Vse 1. Quest. 1 2. 3. Object 1 Answ. 1 Object 2 Answ. Applic. Object 3 Answ. Vse 2. 1 Sort of Motives 2 Sort of Motives Meanes Signes Applic Applic. Applic. Applic. Nota. Doct. 11 Object 1. Answ. Object 2 Answ. Reason Object Answ. Vse Vse 2. 1 Duty Object Answ. Applic. Object Answ. Object Answ. 2 Duty Applic. Applic. Object Answ. Object Answ. Applic. 1. Duty Object Answ. Duty 2. Vse 3. Object 1 Answ. Object 2 Answ. Object Answ. Object 1. Answ. 1. Answ 2. Object Answ. 1. Object Nota. Doct. 12. Branch 1 Branch 2 Reason 1. Reason 2 Reason 3 Vse 1. Three sorts of conâ—ession of sin Object Answ. Appli 1 Appli 2 Appli Quest. Answ. 1 2. Doctr. Proofe Reason Appli Object Answ. Object Answ. Answ. 2. Object Answ. Object Answ. Applic. Applic. Applic. Applic. Applic. Nota. Doct. 13 Object Answ. Object Answ. Reason Reason 2 Reason 3 Quest. Answ. Vse 1. Vse 2. Object 1 Answ. Object Answ. Object 3 Answ. Quest. Answ. Nota. Quest. 1 Answ. Quest. 2 Answ. Quest. 3 Answ. Quest 4 Answ. Doct. 14 Branc. 1 Branch 2 Reason Reason 2 Attribute 1 Attribute 2 Attribute 3 Attribute 4 Vse 1. Object Answ. Object Answ. Applic. Vse 2. Vse 3. Object Answ. Vse 4. Nota. Doct. 15 Quest. 1 Answ. Quest. 2 Answ. Reason 1. Reason 2. Vse Nota. Quest. 1 Answ. Quest. 2 Answ. Quest. 3 Answ. Quest. 4 Answ. Doct. 16 Reason 1 Reason 2. Vse 1. Vse 2. Applic. Applic. Applic. Object Answ. Applic. Applic. 1 Applic. Applic. Applic. Applic. Applic. Applic. Nota. Object 1 Answ. 1. 2. 3. 4. Quest. 2. Answ. Doct. 17 Object 1 Answ. Object 2. Answ. Object 3 Answ. Proofe 1. Proofe 2. Object Answ. Object 2 Answ. 1. Reason 1. Reason 2. Vse 1. Vse 2. Vse 3. Vse 4. Doct. 18 Reason 1 Reason 2 Vse 1. Vse 2. First sort of Motives Second sort of Motives The third sort of motives Meanes Quest. Answ. Applic. Means 2. Applic. Object 1. Answ. 1. 2. 3. Object 2. Answ. Means 3. Applic. Means 4. Applic. Means 5. Applic. Nota. Doct. 19 Branc. 1 Branc. 2 Reason Vse 1. Applic. Vse 2. Vse 3. Motives Means Means 1. Applic. Mans 2 Means 1 Means 2 Means 3 Object 1 Answ. Object 2 Ans. Meanes 4 Applic. Applic. Means 5 Applic. Meanâ— 6 Means 7 Applic. Applic. Quest. Answ. Applic. Object 1 Answ. 1 2. Object 2 Answ. 1. 2. 3. Object Answ. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Vse 4. 1 Restraining grace Applic. Object Applic. Applic. Object Answ Applic. 1 CoÌ„verting grace Applic. 3 Confirming grace Applic. Object Answ. TentatioÌ„ 1 Preservative 1. Object 1 Answ. Quest. Answ. Quest. Answ. Object 2 Answ. 1. 2. 3. Preservative 2. Quest. Answ. TentatioÌ„ 2. Preservative Quest. Answ. 4 Saving grace Applic. Object Answ. 1 2. Doct. 20 Reason 1 Reason 2 Reason 3 Reason 4 Vse 1. Motive 1. Motive 2. Motive 3 Applic. The first signe of uprightnesse of heart Applic. The second signe of uprightnes of heart Object Answ. The first property of obedience and true righteousnesse Applic. The second property of true goodnesse and righteousnesse Branch 1 Object Answ. 1 Answ. 2 Branch 2 Applic. Object Answ. Object Answ. Doct. Reason 1 Reason 2 Object Answ. Applic. Motives Motive 1 Motive 2 Motive 3 Motive 4. Motive 5. Motive 6. Mean 1 Mean 2. Means 3 Means 4. Means 5 Object Answ. Object Applic. The third property of true goodnesse and righteousnesse 1 The subject of sancâ—â—fying grace Caution 1â— Caution 2 Caution 3. Applic. The 〈…〉 Quest. 1 Answ. 1. Quest. 2 Answ. 1. Applic. Applic. Answ. 2. Applic. Applic. Applic. 2 The continuance of saving grace Applic. 1 Object Answ. 1. 2. 3. 4. The â—ourth property of true goodnesse and righteousnesse Applic. Applic. Applic. The third signe of uprightnesse of heart Answ. 1. 2. Applic. 1 Quest. Answ. 1 Answ. 2. Applic. Answ. 1. 2. 3. Quest. Answ. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Quest. Answ. 1. 2. 3. Applic. 2 Object Answ. Object Answ. Vse 2. Motive Quest. Answ. Applic. Means 1 Means 2 Means 3 Means 4 Means 5 Nota. Quest. 1. Answ. Quest. 2. Answ. Quest. 3. Answ. Doct. 21 Reason 1 Object Answ. Reason 2 Object Answ. Vse 1. Applic. The object of true knowledge The properties of saving knowledge The effects of saving knowledge Applic. Applic. Applic. Applic. Motive 1 Motive 2 Meanes to attaine to sound knowledge Means 1 Means 2 Means 3 Object Answ. Applic. Means 4 Means 5 Means 6 Means 7 Nota. Doct. 22 Branch 1 Applic. Applic. Applic. Quest. 1. Answ. 1. Answ. 2. Answ. 3. Quest. 2 Answ. 1. Answ. 2. Branch 2 Object 1 Answ. Object 2 Answ. Reason 1 Object Answ. Answ. 2. Reason 2 Object Answ. Object Answ. Quest. Answ. Vse 1. Applic. 1 Applic. 2 Vse 2. Caution 1 Caution 2 Applic. Nota. Doct. 23 Caution Object 2 Answ. Proofe Object Answ. Quest. Answ. Reason 1 Reason 2 Quest. Answ. Reason 3. Vse 1. Vse 2. Quest. Answ. 1. Answ. 2. Applic. Vse 3. Object Answ. Reason 1 Reason 2 Applic. Applic. Quest. 1 Answ. Quest. 2 Answ. Quâ—st 3 Answ. Nota. Doct. 24 CautioÌ„ 1 CautioÌ„ 2 Reason 1 Reason 2 Vse 1. Vse 2. Motive 1 Motive 2 Motive 3 Motive 4 Nota. Doct. 25 Branch 1 Reason Branch 2 Vse 1. Vse 2. Applic. Motive 1 Motive 2 Motive 3 Motive 4 Means 1 Means 2 Means 3 Means 4 Object Answ. Nota. Doct. 26 Branch 1 Branch 2 Reason 1 Reason 2 Quest. Answ. Vse 1. Applic. Motive 1 Motive 2 Means 1 Means 2 Means 3 Means 4 Means 5 Vse 2. Motive 1 Motive 2 Motive 3 Motive 4 Object Answ. Signe Meanes Nota. Doct. 27 Branch 1 Branch 2 Reason 1. Reason 2. Vse 1. Applic. Vse 2. Motive 1 Motive 2 Signe 1. Applic. Signe 2. Object 1 Answ. Object 2 Answ. 1. Answ. 2. Applic. Signe 3. Applic. Means 1 Applic. Applic. Applic. Applic. Object 1 Answ. Object 2. Answ. Object Answ. Object Answ. Applic. Object 1 Answ. Object 2 Answ. Applic. Vse 3. Object Answ. Quest. Applic. Object 1. Object 2 Answ. Object 3. Answ. 1. 2. Nota. Doct. 28 Quest. Answ. Reason 1 Reason 2 Reason 3. Vse 1. Applic. Errour 1 Object Answ. Object 2. Answ. Object Answ. Object 1 Answ. 1. Answ. 2. Object 2 Answ. Reason 1 Object Reason 2 Object Answ. 1. 2. Reason Object 1 Answ. Object 2 Answ. Object 3 Answ. Vse Applic. Object 1 Answ. Object 2. Answ. 1. 2. 3. Object 3. Answ. Vse 2. Motive 1 Contrâ— Motiv 2 Applic. Motive Applic. Object Answ. Applic. Object Answ. Answ. Object Answ. Object Answ. 1. Answ. 2. Answ. 3. Applic. Object Answ. Object Answ. 1. Object Answ. Applic. Motive 4 Signes Object Answ. Applic. Applic. Object Answ. Applic. Aplic Quest. 1. Answ. Quest. 2. Answ. Quest. 3. Answ. Proof 1 Proofe 2 Reason 1 Object Answ. Reason 2 Aplic Object Answ. Motive 1 Motive 2 Object Answ. Meanes Doct. Reason 1. Object Answ. Object Answ. Reason 2 Reason 3. Applic. 1 Object 1 Answ. 1. Answ. 2. Answ. 3. Object 2 Answ. Object 3 Answ. Object 4. Answ. 1. Answ. 2.