of no force of no effect As ordinarily without the Word the Spirit doth not work and therefore the Word is not to be slighted and despised so without the Spirit the Word cannot possibly work and therefore the Word is not to be rested in but the Spirit is to be prayed for that so the Word may be effectual Though the Word be a Light yet except our eyes be opened what are we the better for it This David considered and therefore prayed unto God saying Open thou mine eyes that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law Psal 119.18 3. To labour for such a disposition and frame of heart as God requires in those whom he will teach 1. Therefore we must be humble acknowledging our wants and imperfections our inability to help our selves and our unworthiness that God should help us A scorner saith Solomon seeketh wisdom and findeth it not but knowledge is easie to him that understandeth to wit that understandeth what is requisite for the obtaining of it Prov. 14.6 Humilitatis est totius spiritualis fabricae fundamentum Bern. Epist 87. Seest thou saith he a man wise in his own conceit there is more hope of a fool then of him Prov. 26.12 More hope of any fool then of a proud self-conceited fool Professing themselves wise saith the Apostle they became fools Rom. 1.22 And therefore he bids Let no man deceive himself if any man among you seem to be wise in this world let him become a fool let him know and acknowledge himself to be so that he may be wise 1 Cor. 3.18 Such a disposition Agur was of Surely saith he I am more bruitish then man and have not the understanding of a man I neither learned wisdom nor have the knowledge of the holy Prov. 30.2 3. The want of this disposition was it that made the Pharisees so blinde they thought that none were so acute and quick-sighted as they were See Mat. 15.14 and Mat. 23.16 24 26. with Joh. 9.34 39 40 41. 2. We must be pliable and obedient ready to do the will of God when it is made known unto us If any man will do his will he shall know c. Joh. 7.17 What man is he that feareth the Lord him will he teach in the way that he shall chuse Psal 25.12 And v. 14. The secret of the Lord is with them that fear him and he will shew them his covenant This God promiseth saying To him that ordereth his conversation aright will I shew the salvation of God Psal 50.23 It is true God must first teach us before we can do any thing aright or have any purpose to do it but as our Saviour saith To him that hath that is maketh good use of what he hath shall be given and he shall have abundance Mat. 25.29 David therefore praying unto God to teach him professeth his readiness to observe and practice what he shall learn of him Teach me O Lord the way of thy statutes and I will keep it unto the end Give me understanding and I will keep thy law yea I shall observe it with my whole heart Psal 119.33 34. SERM. II. Psal 15.1 Who shall abide in thy Tabernacle Who shall dwell in thy holy Hill BY God's tabernacle here and by his holy hill some understand the Church some Heaven some by tabernacle the Church and by holy hill Heaven because a Tabernacle properly denotes a temporary place of abode and so the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is translated to abide doth properly signifie to sojourn as the margent noteth But neither is the word tabernacle always taken in that strict sense as I shall shew anon SERM. 2 and the other word also doth sometimes signifie to dwell as Isa 11.6 The wolf also shall dwell 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with the lamb Now for the word tabernacle sometimes the Church is so called as Amos 9.11 Acts 15.16 where by the tabernacle of David is meant the Church of Christ of whom David was a type and therefore he is sometimes called David as Ezek. 34.23 and Hosea 3.5 The Church is termed a Tabernacle either because from Moses unto Solomon God was solemnly worshipped in a Tabernacle and in it was placed the Ark the sign of God's special presence Exod. 40. and 2 Sam. 7 2. in which latter place it is said The ark of God dwelleth within curtains that is in a Tabernacle hung about and covered with Curtains Or because a Tabernacle is sometimes put for any Habitation as Psal 132.3 I will not come into the tabernacle of my house and the Church is God's Habitation the house of God 1 Tim. 3.15 God doth dwell in it as God hath said I will dwell in them 2 Cor. 6.16 In this respect the Church may be called a Tabernacle as there to wit 2 Cor. 6.16 it is called a Temple yet still as it seemeth with reference to the Jewish Tabernacle which Moses erected wherein God did dwell in that there he did in special manifest himself unto his people Again the word tabernacle signifying as we see any Habitation even the House or Palace of a King for so it is used Psal 132.3 by God's Tabernacle here may be meant Heaven wherein God doth dwell that is wherein he doth especially manifest and shew forth his Glory Hear thou in heaven thy dwelling-place saith Solomon in his Prayer to God 1 King 8.30 So v. 39 and 43. So our Saviour calls Heaven his Fathers house John 14.2 Those many Mansions also which he saith are in his Father's House that is in Heaven he calleth tabernacles Luke 16.9 though to distinguish them from other Tabernacles properly so called he calleth them everlasting tabernacles And as Kimchi observes upon the Text by tabernacle may be understood Heaven because the Heavens are spread out like a Tent or Tabernacle See Psal 104.2 and Isa 40.22 For the other word hill or as the word in the Original doth properly import mountain 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it may also either signifie the Church or Heaven The Church in that the Temple was built upon a Hill or Mountain to wit Sion whence the Church in Scripture is frequently called Sion or mount Sion as Isa 28.16 Psal 51.21 Heb. 12.22 or the mountain of the Lord as Isa 2.3 Mic. 4.2 Heaven also may be understood by hill or mountain in that it is above on high therefore it is called the high and holy place Isa 57.15 So then all the Expositions before mentioned are agreeable to the words and indeed they come all to one in effect For whether we understand the words of the Church or of Heaven or partly of the one and partly of the other still the Question is in effect one and the same to wit Who shall enjoy Salvation That this is the purport and meaning of the Question appears by the last words of the Psalm He that doth these things shall never be moved Who shall abide in thy tabernacle Who c.
â—â—â—ctical and Polemical COMMENTARY OR EXPOSITION On the Whole Fifteenth Psalm Wherein the TEXT Is learnedly and fruitfully explained some CONTROVERSIES Discussed sundry CASES of CONSCIENCE are cleared more especially that 〈◊〉 USURâ—E Many common places succinctly handled and divers spiritual holy and seasonable Observations raised For the increase of Christian Knowledge and the better understanding of the holy Scripture the acceptations of the Original words are â—â—â—â—â—fully rendered By Christopher Cartwright late Minister of Saint Martins 〈◊〉 the City of York The Life 〈◊〉 the Reverend and Learned Author is 〈◊〉 1 Cor. 12.7 Their 〈…〉 of the Spirit is given to 〈…〉 Printed for 〈◊〉 at the Angel 〈…〉 To the Right honourable ROBERT HORNER Lord Major of the City of York And the Right VVorshipful the ALDERMEN Right Honourable Right Worshipful I Really blush to appear in a work of this Nature lest some put the gloss of Arrogancy upon my Endeavour but the Spunge wherewith I shall wipe off this Staine is by letting such know That I was obliged in duty to the Author a piece of which will be to perform what I know would have been his will even bequeath this his VVork to you upon whom he never thought his Labour ill bestowed Besides the Book being Motherless it pitied me it should be Fatherless too and therefore I thought it better to run the hazard of a harsh censure then that this poor Orphane should be exposed to the wide World without either Father or Mother to fawn upon it I should not have presumed to have troubled you with the Tuition of this Child but that I know you did Reverence and Respect the Authors Person and therefore I hope will smile upon this his VVork Besides as you are Magistrates you are Defenders of the Faith and therefore I hope will not refuse to defend this so agreeable to the Faith once delivered to the Saints I need not say any thing in the behalf of this Treatise though it be but young newly come into the World I doubt not but it's sufficient to speak for it self One Paradox Indeed I find in it The Author writes against Usury and none improved his Talent more then he yet no contradiction his Usury was not biting the improvement of this Talent was not to the detriment but advantage of others the Church of God I hope will be improved by that improvement he hath made And that your Honour and your Worships may reap some benefit to your Souls by this his Labour shall be the real Prayers of him Who wishes all happiness to you and your City JO. TYREMAN July 12. 1658. To the Christian READER READER I Being desired to give my Testimony concerning that Reverend Divine and my worthy Friend Mr. Christopher Cartwright and his learned Commentary on the fifteenth Psalm I was easily induced thereunto there being in his lifetime an intimate League of Friendship between us and he being one of rare Accomplishments Not long after my publishing of my first Book of the Divine Promises I had the happiness to be acquainted with him and he told me of a little mistake in one passage at the beginning thereof which was corrected in the second Edition I growing more and more familiar with him and perceiving his great Abilities made him ever after the * He was a Grammarian under Ptolomy of so exact a Judgement that no Verse was esteemed Homers but what he had allowed Aristarchus of my Labours and submitted them to his judicial perusal before I published them to the World Observing his great skill in the Hebrew Language I urged him to bend his Studies that way for the better elucidating of some part of the Old Testament He sending two of his Sermons up to London to me written with his own hand I caused them unknown to him to be printed and in the Epistle gave Notice of a worthy Work he had in hand on Genesis wherein the World should perceive his skill said I then for which he after blamed me in the Oriental Tongues though I should have said In the Hebrew Language and Rabbines †Of which work he himself thus wrote to me in a Letter as Scaliger to Drusius Certè expedit ut quae in libello hoc non vulgaria tractavi non ignorari For the New Testament which takes up almost half the Book it is incomparably above any thing in that kind Drusius seems to have applyed himself that way yet either saw not or had not leasure to peruse either Bereshith Rabba Midrash Tillim or Midrashin there is one long Chapter of Proverbs and Apophthegm's found in Jewish Writers which passage of mine hastned his Annotations on Genesis which with those on Exodus and also his * Mellificium Hebraicum when it comes forth in the Appendix of the Bibliotheca Criticorum abundantly shew his accurate Knowledge of the Hebrew Language and Writers And as I was his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 putting him on those Studies wherein his Excellencie lay so I by my interest in Mr. Selden and Bishop Usher procured him the use of some rare Hebrew Books very useful for the carrying on of his Designe and also bought of Manasseh Ben Israel three Hebrew Books for him very beneficial for his purpose As he was singularly expert in the Hebrew so he was very skilful both in the Latine and Greek He wrote an Elegant Latine stile and with ease as his Latine Epistles frequently written by him will Evidence For the Greek his Works in general shew his skill therein and there is yet a Divine Living in Staffordshire to whom he was used to write in Greek His English Books are all useful in their kinds For positive Divinity the two Sermons before mentioned his others unprinted and his double Exposition of the Apostles Creed shew his Ability therein the larger whereof would be more compleat if those Sermons he once sent up for the supplying of some things he had omitted were annexed thereunto For Polemical Divinity not onely his Rejoynder to the Marquess of Worcester but two other Autographs of his which I have seen shew his Knowledge therein For Expository Divinity this Learned and Laborious Work on the fifteenth Psalm shews him to be a good Interpreter of Scriptures wherein as Bishop Downham before him upon that very Psalm he discusseth accurately that great and most vexed Controversie of Usury and both removes the several shifts and pretences made for it and also shews the unlawfulness thereof by strong and evident Arguments One that reads his Writings or heard him Preach might easily see he was both copious and pertinent in Scripture-Quotations a Gift in which Mr. Arthur Hildersham that eminent Divine excelled It was very Commendable also in my Worthy Friend Mr. Cartwright his great Modesty I having sent him my Book of Religion and Learning wherein amongst others I gave him as there was reason a fair Character he after a while by accident meeting with it presently wrote me Word that he could
things shall never fall In the Answer as it is more fully and distinctly set down the person about whom the inquiry is made is described 1. by his inward integrity of heart and affection He that walketh uprightly 2 By his outward conformity of Life and Conversation and that 1. more generally and worketh righteousness 2. More particularly and that in nine Particulars 1. And speaketh the truth in his heart 2. He that backbiteth not with his tongue 3. Nor doth evil to his neighbour 4. Nor taketh up a reproach against his neighbour 5. In whose eyes a vile person is contemned 6. But honoureth them that fear the Lord. 7. He that sweareth to his own hurt and changeth not 8. He that putteth not out his money to usury 9. Nor taketh reward against the innocent Lord In the Original the word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which we pronounce Jehovah and so usually when the word LORD is written all with great Letters excepting some few places where the Original word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Jah which is taken to be a contract of Jehovah The word Jehovah comes of a word that signifies to be and God is so called because he hath his being from none and all other things have their being from him So that this Name Jehovah is peculiar unto God and not communicable to any besides him Thou whose Name alone is Jehovah art most high c. Psal 83.18 From hence that the Question is propunded unto God Doct. we may fetch this Observation God is he that must instruct all and teach them the things which concern Salvation David here in a matter of Salvation seeks unto God and desires to learn of him So Psal 119.33 Teach me O Lord. And v. 34. Give me understanding And v. 66. Teach me good judgement and knowledge And Psal 143.8 Cause me to know the way wherein I should walk This may further be confirmed by these Arguments Reasons why the Way of salvation must be learn'd of God 1. All true knowledge is from God I say all true knowledge for there is science falsly so called 1 Tim. 6.20 Some are wise to do evil but to do good they have no knowledge Jer. 4.22 But if it deserve the name of knowledge if it be of things meet to be known God is the Author and Worker of it It is he that teacheth man knowledge Psal 94 10. The Lord giveth wisdom out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding Prov. 2.6 The knowledge of cunning Artificers is from God Then wrought Bezaleel and Aholiak and every wise-hearted man in whom the Lord put wisdom and understanding to know how to work all manner of work for the service of the sanctuary c. Exod. 36.1 See also Exod. 31.16 So the knowledge of the Husbandman his skill in plowing sewing and threshing this also is from God For his God doth instruct him to discretion and doth teach him Isa 28.26 This also cometh from the Lord who is wonderful in counsel and excellent in working v. 29. More especially then that knowledge Edocuit autem Dominus Mat. 11.27 quoniam Deum scire nemo potest nisi Deo docente hoc est sine Deo non cognosci Deum Iren. lib. 4. cap. 14. which concerns Salvation is from God the knowledge of God and of the things of God must needs be from God No man knoweth the Son but the Father neither knoweth any man the Father but the Son and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal him Mat. 11.27 If every good gift and every perfect gift be from God as it is Jam. 1.17 then surely the more good and the more perfect any gift is the more clear and evident it is that it is from God 2. Salvation is from God it is called the salvation of God Psal 50.23 So Psal 51.12 Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation saith David unto God Therefore it is God that must teach the things that concern Salvation the way how to attain unto it In the first Verse of the Psalm we are in hand with David calls the Tabernacle and the Hill which he speaks of the Lord's Tabernacle and his Hill good reason therefore why he should as he doth consult the Lord and ask of him how he should be so qualified as to be admitted into it and so abide and dwell in it for ever Quest But may some say how doth God teach and instruct Answ I answer God doth teach and instruct both by his Word and by his Spirit 1. By his Word as the outward means It is true The Light of Nature may afford some knowledge of God The heavens declare the glory of God and the firmament sheweth his handy-work Day unto day uttereth speech and night unto night sheweth knowledge There is no speech nor language where their voice is not heard Psal 19.1 2 3. That which may be known of God is manifest in them for God hath shewed it unto them For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen being understood by the things that are made even his eternal power and Godhead Rom. 1.19 20. But such knowledge as is requisite and necessary unto Salvation cannot be had by the Light of Nature but the Light of God's Word is it by which it must be attained In Judah is God known Psal 76.1 to wit because in Judah they had the Oracles of God committed unto them Rom. 3.2 As for the Gentiles that were without the word they were even without God in the world Eph. 2.12 without the true saving knowledge of God the Gentiles which know not God 1 Thess 4.5 Salvation is of the Jews said our Saviour to the woman of Samaria to wit because the Jews onely had the Word of God which doth shew the Way of Salvation David therefore having said Blessed is the man whom thou chastenest O Lord he adds and teachest him out of thy law Psal 94.12 And Psal 119.105 Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my paths And v. 130. The entrance of thy words giveth light it giveth understanding to the simple 2. By his Spirit as the inward and principal Agent I will put my law in their inward parts and write it in their hearts Jer. 31.33 This God doth by his Spirit I will put my Spirit within you saith he Ezek. 36.27 Ye are manifestly declared to be the epistle of Christ ministred by us written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God not in tables of stone but in the fleshy tables of the heart saith the Apostle to the Corinthians 2 Cor. 3.3 Christ by his Spirit did open the understandings of his Disciples that they might understand the Scriptures Luk 24.45 And by his Spirit he opened the heart of Lydia to attend unto the things which were spoken by Paul Act. 16.14 This then serves first to convince all such as think to Use 1 promote and further their Salvation by observing and
practizing such things as God never taught them but they themselves or others for them have devised The Papists are most gross in this kind the most of their Religion being Superstition and the greatest part of their Worship being will-Worship Their Crosses and Holy-Waters their Pilgrimages and Images their praying in an unknown Tongue and praying unto Saints these and many other such-like things as these they set much by and think they please God and profit themselves by them whenas yet God hath taught them no such matter Justly may that be said to them which Christ said to the Pharisees In vain do they worship me teaching for doctrines the commandments of men Mar. 7.7 But to let them pass some among our selves are very precise in observing and practizing divers things as pleasing unto God and profitable to their own Souls for which they have no instruction nor direction at all from God as their coming fasting to the Lord's Table their abstaining from certain Meats at certain times and the like Yea although they do observe those things which God doth teach and require yet they do it not upon that ground but upon the same ground that they observe other things which God did never teach nor require The most that they have to alledge for what they do is 1. Custom the Example of their fore-Fathers and others among whom they live But when the woman of Samaria said Our fathers worshipped in this mountain Joh. 4.20 our Saviour answered Ye worship ye know not what v. 22. And when the Pharisees taxed Christ's Disciples for not observing the tradition of the Elders Mar. 7.5 Christ taxed them saying Laying aside the commandment of God ye hold the tradition of men as the washing of pots and cups and many other such-like things ye do v. 8. And Peter telleth us that Christ hath redeemed us from our vain conversation received by tradition from our fathers 1 Pet. 1.18 2. Good intent and meaning hereupon they think God will accept that which they do though they know no ground or warrant at all from God for it But the example of Uzzah may sufficiently shew what a broken reed this is to lean upon He had a good intent and meaning in that which he did when he put forth his hand and laid hold on the Ark for he thought only to stay it and to keep it from falling when he saw that the Oxen did shake the Cart wherein it was carried yet God was so far from being pleased with that which he did that immediately he smote him that he died for it 1 Chron. 13.9 10. David shews the reason of God's inflicting this judgement saying The Lord our God made a breach upon us because we sought him not after the due order 1 Chron. 15.13 It is not enough therefore to seek God but we must know how we do it we must do it after the due order that is so as God himself hath prescribed Paul confesseth of himself saying I verily thought with my self that I ought to do many things against the Name of Jesus of Nazareth Act 26.9 It was out of his zeal he saith that he did persecute the Church Phil. 3.6 But was that therefore which he did pleasing unto God No because his zeal was such as he speaketh of Rom. 10.2 where he saith of the Jews They have a zeal of God but not according to knowledge So our Saviour told his Disciples that the time would come when they that killed them would think they did God service John 16.2 Yet certainly God would be far from accepting such service That service which is acceptable unto God must be reasonable service as it is called Rom. 12.1 it must proceed first from the Understanding the prime and principal Faculty of the reasonable Soul and then from the Will and Affections which are reasonable only by participation Be ye not unwise but understand what the will of the Lord is saith the Apostle Ephes 5.17 Whatever service it be that is performed without Understanding it is but the sacrifice of fools as Solomon terms it Eccles 5.1 And as he adds v. 4. God hath no pleasure in fools Secondly This makes for the reproof of such as regard Use 2 not to learn of God though he affords them time and means whereby to attain to the knowledge of Salvation yet they heed not to make use of them How justly may we complain of many When for the time ye ought to be teachers ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God Heb. 5.12 Yea many are not only ignorant but as Peter speaks they are willingly ignorant 2 Pet. 3.5 They say unto God Depart from us we desire not the knowledge of thy ways as Job says of the wicked Job 21.14 How do they think to be saved who are so ignorant and still will be ignorant of those things which concern Salvation who neither know these things nor care to know them The Apostle telleth us that whom God will have to be saved them also he will have to come to the knowledge of the Truth 1 Tim. 2.4 so that without coming to the knowledge of the Truth no coming to Salvation Knowledge is the key as it is called Luke 11.52 So that if thou hast no knowledge the Gate of Salvation is fast shut and lock'd there is no entrance for thee My people is destroyed for lack of knowledge saith God Hos 4.4 The very want of knowledge is enough to cause destruction how much more the contempt of it This is the condemnation of the world saith our Saviour that light is come into the world and men loved darkness rather then light Joh. 3.19 What will they here say That God is merciful and will have mercy on them so some use to speak in this and the like case but what saith the Prophet Isaiah It is a people of no understanding therefore he that made them will not have mercy on them and he that formed them will shew them no favour Isa 27.11 Use 3 Thirdly and lastly here is Exhortation for all to learn of God and to that end Means whereby to learn of God 1. To acquaint themselves well with God's Word for that is the ordinary means whereby God doth teach those things which concern Salvation as I have shewed before Disce cor Dei ex verbis Dei Gregor Therefore consult God's Word give heed unto it and follow it Thy word have I hid within my heart saith David unto God that I might not sin against thee Psal 119.11 And v. 24. Thy testimonies also are my delight and my counsellours And v. 99. I have more understanding then all my teachers for thy testimonies are my meditation 2. To pray unto God for his Spirit to enlighten the minde and to enable to understand his Word and to profit by it for as I have also shewed before the Spirit is the principal Agent without which the Word is
which we must learne Gods will because in his word it is that he hath revealed his will unto us In his word it is that he hath shewed us what is good and what he doth require of us Mic. 6.8 Therefore let us take heede lest he complaine of us as he did of some I have written unto them the great things of my law but they were counted as a strange thing Hos 8.12 Let us take heede lest he upbraide us as he doth the wicked saying Thou hatest instruction and castest my words behinde thee Psal 50.17 3. We must pray unto God for his Spirit to inable us to worke righteousness It is God that must worke all our works in us Isai 26.12 We are not sufficient of our selves to thinke any thing as of our selves but all our sufficiencie is of God 2 Cor. 3.5 It is God that worketh in us both to will and to do of his good pleasure Phil. 2.13 And God hath promised to worke that in his people which he doth require of them This is one part of the new covenant I will put my law saith he in their inward parts and write it in their hearts Jer. 31.33 A new heart also will I give you and a new spirit will I put within you and I will take away the stonie heart out of your flesh and will give you an heart of flesh And I will put my spirit within you and cause you to walke in my statutes and ye shall keepe my judgments and doe them Ezek. 36.26 27. We must therefore pray as David doth Create in me a cleane heart O Lord and renew a right spirit within me Psal 51.10 Teach me O Lord the way of thy statutes and I will keepe it unto the end Give me understanding and I shall keepe thy law Yea I shall keepe it with my whole heart Make me to goe in the path of thy commandments for therein doe I delight Incline my heart unto thy testimonies and not unto covetousness Turne away mine eyes from beholding vanity and quicken thou me in thy way Psal 119.33 34 35 36 37. But againe may some say how must we worke righteousness Quest I answer 1. We must do it sincerely Answ but this hath been insisted on before in the handling of those words How to worke righteousness He that walketh uprightly 2. It must be done entirely and universally as well in one point as in another Thus it becometh us to follow all righteousness said our Saviour to John Baptist Mat. 3.15 So it behoveth us to follow all righteousness diligently to follow every good worke 1 Tim. 5.10 To walke worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing being fruitful in every good worke Col. 1.10 3. Willingly and chearfully God will meete him that rejoyceth and worketh righteousness Isai 64.5 If I doe it willingly I have a reward 1 Cor. 9.17 If there be first a willing minde it is accepted according to what a man hath and not according to what a man hath not 2 Corinth 8.12 Evil by how much it is done the more willingly is so much the more evil It was an aggravation of the sin of Ephraim that he willingly walked after the commandment to wit of Jeroboam who set up the golden calves to be worshipped Hos 5.11 So good by how much it is done the more willingly by so much it is the more good As for me said David unto God in the uprightness of mine heart I have willingly offered all these things Nemo invitus benè facit etiamsi bonum sit quod facit Aug. and now have I seen with joy thy people that are present here to offer willingly unto thee 1 Chro. 29.17 And vers 14. But who am I and what is my people that we should be able to offer so willingly after this sort 4. Humbly We must take heede lest we be proud and puffed up because of any thing that we doe When we have done all things that are commanded us we must say we are unprofitable servants we have done but what our duty waas to doe Luke 17.10 We must take heed of resting in what we have done and of thinking to merit by it Not by workes of righteousness which we have done but according to his mercy he saved us c. Tit. 3.5 Good workes are the way to heaven Via regni non causa regnandi Bern. but not the cause why we come to the enjoyment of it The meritorious and deserving cause they are not because 1. It is God that doth inable us to do good works as hath been shewed before And 2. We fail and come short in the best things that we doe so that if God should contend with us we could not answer to one of a thousand Job 9.3 Nehemiah therefore having spoken of a good worke that he had done saith Remember me O Lord concerning this and not reward me according to the greatness of my merit but spare me according to the greatness of thy mercy Neh 13.22 5. Constantly He that is righteous let him be righteous still and he that is holy let him be holy still Revel 22.11 Hold that fast which thou hast that no man take thy crowne Revel 3.11 Be thou faithful unto death and I will give thee the crowne of life Revel 2.10 But if any man draw backe my soule shall have no pleasure in him Heb. 10.38 When a righteous man turneth away from his righteousness and committeth iniquity and dieth in them for his iniquity that he hath done shall he die Ezek. 18.26 It had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness then after they have known it to turne from the holy commandment delivered unto them 2 Pet. 2.21 In the last place here is comfort for all that truely set Use 5 themselves to worke righteousness Though they be exposed for their well doing unto scorne and derision unto obloquie and reproach unto hatred and persecution in the world yet they may eate their bread with joy and drinke their wine with a merry heart for God now accepteth their workes Eccles 9.7 Who is he that will harme you if ye be followers of that which is good but and if ye suffer for righteousness sake happy are ye and be not afraid of their terrour neither be ye troubled But sanctifie the Lord God in your hearts and be ready alwayes to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and feare Having a good conscience that whereas they speake evil of you as of evill doers they may be ashamed that falsly accuse your good conversation in Christ For it is better if the will of God be so that ye suffer for well doing then for evil doing 1 Pet. 3.13 17. Blessed are they that are persecuted for righteousness sake for their's is the kingdome of heaven Matth. 5.10 But let none of you suffer as a murderer or as a thief or as an evil
against his brother in your heart But they refused to hearken and pulled away the shoulder and stopped their ears that they should not heare Yea they made their hearts as an adamant-stone lest they should hear the law and the words which the Lord of hosts hath sent in his Spirit by the former Prophets this was the aggravation of their sin therefore came a great wrath from the Lord of hosts c. Zach. 7.10 11 12. 4. Such as have been convinced of the evil which they have unjustly done unto others and confessed it promising to do so no more and yet do it Thus Saul was convinced of his injurious dealing with David he did confesse it and promise that he would desist from it This we finde 1 Sam. 24.16 c. Yet when he saw his opportunity he fell to persecute David as much as ever 1 Sam. 26.1 2. And though again he confessed his fault and promised amendment saying I have sinned returne my son David for I will no more do thee harme c. 1 Sam. 26.21 yet the Scripture intimates that Saul would still have persecuted David but that David fled into another country and so got him out of Sauls reach And it was told Saul That David was fled to Gath and he sought no more for him 1 Sam. 27 4. Because he saw he had no hope to find him otherwise he would have sought him still his heart was still malitiously bent against him 2. Evil is aggravated in respect of the persons to whom it is done As 1. If it be done to parents He that smiteth his father or his mother shall be surely put to death Exod 21.15 And he that curseth his father or his mother shall surely be put to death vers 17. 2. If evil be done to Magistrates When David had Saul at advantage and some perswaded him to lay hold on the opportunity and to free himself from ever being molested by him any more The Lord forbid said he that I should do this thing unto my Master the Lords anointed to stretch forth mine hand against him seeing he is the anointed of the Lord 1 Sam. 24.6 And again when upon the like advantage Abishai desired David to let him smite Saul David would not give way to it saying Destroy him not for who can stretch forth his hand against the Lords anointed and be guiltless 1 Sam. 26.9 Curse not the king no not in thy thought saith Salomon Eccles 10.20 Curse not any but not him especially 3. It is an aggravation of the evil that is done if it be done to Ministers Doe my Prophets no harme saith God Psal 105.15 Do none harme but especially not them Moses before his death blessing the several tribes when he comes to the tribe of Levi he saith thus Blesse Lord his substance and accept the work of his hands smite thorough the loines of them that rise against him and of them that hate him that they rise not again Deut. 33.11 When king Jeroboam being offended with the Prophet that came and spake against the altar that he had set up put forth his hand to lay hold on him the Lord was so offended with him for it that immediately he made his hand to drie up so that he could not pull it in again unto him 1 King 13.4 R. Salomon upon the place observes that God shewed more zeale in revenging the injurie done to the Prophet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 R. Sal. in 1 Reg. 13. 4. then in revenging the injury done immediately to himself For when Jeroboam burnt incense in an idolatrous manner his hand did not drie up but when he offered to doe violence to the Prophet then it dried up So when the people of the Jews mocked the messengers of God and misused his Prophets then the wrath of the Lord arose against them till there was no remedy Therefore he brought upon them the king of the Chaldees c. 2 Chron. 36.16 17. c O Jerusalem Jerusalem said our Saviour thou that killest the Prophets and stonest them that are sent unto thee how often would I have gathered thy children together even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings and ye would not Behold your house is left unto you desolate Matt. 23. verses 37 38. 4. So when evil is done to Masters Judas ought not to have betrayed any but especially not his Master What a faithful servant was Jacob unto Laban though he had a very hard Master of him Ye know said he to Labans daughters that with all my power I have served your father Gen. 31.6 And pleading with Laban himself These twenty years said he have I beene with thee thy ewes and thy shee-goates have not cast their young and the rams of thy flocke have I not eaten That which was torne of beasts I brought not unto thee I bare the losse of it of mine hand didst thou require it whether stolne by day or stolne by night Thus I was in the dâ—y the drought consumed me and the frost by night and my sleep departed from mine eyes Gen. 31.38 39 40. So the Apostle requires that servants be obedient into their Masters and please them well in all things not answering again Not purloyning but shewing all good fidelity Tit. 2.9 10. 5. The evil also that is done to others is aggravated if it be done to those that are professours of the true religion such as have special relation unto God and in a peculiar manner belong unto him Why do ye not rather take wrong why do ye not rather suffer your selves to be defrauded Nay ye do wrong and defraud and that your brethren 1 Cor. 6.7 8. Though they were Jews or Turks or whatsoever they were yet they were not to be wronged or defrauded much lesse are brethren Christians such as professe the true God and Jesus Christ to be so used How grievous then is their sin who the more any appeare to be religious and godly the more they seek to do them hurt such especially shew themselves to be of their father the devil who is the professed enemy of God Plus possidetur à diabolo qui non solum ipse malus est verum etiam gratis odit servientes Deo Aug. and of those that have any thing of God in them Cain was of the wicked one that is the devil and slew his brother and wherefore slew he him because his own works were evil and his brothers righteous 1 John 3.12 How God is provoked against such as do evil to his people may appeare by his dealing with Amalek for this very cause Because when the Israelites were travelling towards Canaan Amalek came and fought against them God commanded Moses saying Write this for a memorial in a booke and rehearse it in the eares of Joshua for I will utterly put out the name of Amalek from under heaven Exod. 17.8 14. And vers 16. The Lord hath sworne that the Lord will have war with Amalek from generation to
daily Then I said I will not make mention of him nor speak any more in his name But his word was in my heart as a burning fire shut up in my bones and I was weary with forbearing and I could not stay Jerem. 20.8 9. So the people of God make their complaint unto him saying Thou makest us a reproach to our neighbours a scorne and a derision to them that are round about us Psal 44.13 See also Psal 123.3 4. So David in like manner complaines Thou hast known my reproach saith he unto God and my shame and my dishonour mine adversaries are all before thee Reproach hath broken mine heart and I am full of heaviness Psal 69.19 20. Mockings are reckoned among the grievous persecutions which the godly endured Heb. 11.36 Ismaels mocking of Isaac is called by the Apostle a persecuting of him Gen. 21.9 with Gal. 4. vers 29. 2. Such as reproach others are foolish Make me not a reproach to the foolish saith David Psal 39.8 Why do any reproach others Is it for wel-doing What more abâ—urd and unreasonable then to reproach any for that for which they should praise them Wo unto them that call evill good and good evill that put darkness for light and light for darkness that put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter Isai 5.20 Such as speak evil of others and revile them because they will not run with them to the same excesse of riot they shall be sure to give an account to him that is ready to judge both the quicke and the dead Nil habet infelix paupertas durius in se Quà m quod ridiculos homines facit Horat. 1 Pet. 4.4 5. Do any reproach oâ—hers because they are poore and of low estate This also is against reason Whoso mocketh the poore reproacheth his Maker Prov. 17.5 For it is God that both maketh rich and maketh poor as he pleaseth The rich and the poor meet together the Lord is the maker of them all Proverb 22.2 The Lord maketh poore and maketh rich 1 Sam. 2.7 God might have made thee poore and the other rich yea for ought thou knowest he may yet doe it So if thou re-reproachest others because of any affliction that they are in consider that God might have sent and yet may send the like affliction or worse upon thee Besides such as are poore or any way afflicted ought to be pitied and succoured if it may be To him that is afflicted pitie should be shewed c. Job 6.14 Do not then by reproaches adde more affliction unto such as are afflicted enough already See what bitter imprecations David not by his own spirit but by spirit of God doth powre out against those that persecute him whom God hath smitten and talke to the grief of those whom he hath wounded Psal 69 22 26. Is it for sin that any reproach others Yet even that is no just cause why they should do it If others sin we should mourne and pray for them and as we have opportunity admonish and reproove them but not reproach them For 1. This is the way to make them worse and not better It is true God can bring light out of darkness and make a reproach work for the conversion of a sinner as Austine relates that his mother by this meanes was reclaimed from a vice with which she had been infected Aug. Confâ—ss lib. 9. cap. 8. but the nature of reproach is such as that it is more apt to work a quite contrary effect They that are reprooved are ready to construe it so as if they were reproached Master said one to Christ thus saying thou reprochest us also Luke 11.45 This makes people so to distast reproof how much more will they distast it when it plainly appears that they are reproached Salomon therefore requires wisdome in a reproover as well as obedience in him that is reprooved As an ear-ring of gold and an ornament of fine gold so is a wise reproover upon an obedient eare Prov. 25 12. Now the wisdome of a reproover consists much in this that he reproove so as that it may appeare to be a reproofe but not a reproach that his aime and indeavour is to reforme not to defame 2. Either thou hast falne thy self into as great sin or mayest fall and this consideration should keepe from reproaching others though it be for sin We ought to speak evil of no man to be no brawlers but gentle shewing all meekness unto all men For we our selves also were sometimes foolish disobedient deceived serving divers lusts and pleasures c. Titus 3.2 3. If a man be overtaken with a fault ye that are spiritual restore such as one with the spirit of meekness considering thy self lest thou also be tempted Gal. 6.1 Especially if it appeare that one hath repented of his sin he is not to be reproached for it nor upbraided with it If the wicked will turne from all his sins c. all his transgressions that he hath committed they shall not be mentioned unto him Ezek. 18.21 22. God will not mention them so as to impute them therefore much lesse should we mention them so as to reproach for them It is observable that Matthew mentioning himself among the Apostles calls himself the Publican Matth. 10. vers 3. So magnifying the grace of Christ towards him in making him an Apostle who had been a Publican but Mark and Luke rehearsing the names of the Apostles never terme him so Mark 3.18 Luke 6.15 lest they might seeme to reproach him So Paul after he was converted and called to be an Apostle for the same reason acknowledgeth what he had been namely a blasphemer and a persecutor and injurious 1 Tim. 1.13 But Peter speaking of him saith Our beloved brother Paul 2 Pet. 3.15 And so Paul speaking of Onesimus who had been a fugitive one that had run away front his master and as it seemeth had also purloyned from him yet now that he was become a convert Paul speaks most respectively and affectionately of him I beseech thee saith he to Philemon for my son Onesimus c. Philem. v. 10. And vers 12. Thou therefore receive him that is mine own bowels And vers 16. Not now as a servant but above a servant a brother beloved specially to me but how much more unto thee both in the flesh and in the Lord 3. Reproaches are many times a cause of much mischief Grievous words stirre up anger saith Salomon Proverb 15.1 Now reproachfull words are grievous words and so apt to stir up anger and consequently to cause much mischiefe For wrath is cruel and anger is outragious as the wise man also observes Prov. 27.4 The men of Ephraim reproaching the Gileadites and saying Ye Gileadites are fugitives of Ephraim among the Ephraimites and among the Manassites the Gileadites were so exasperated against them that they slew forty and two thousand of them Judg. 12.4 and 6. Thus a fools lips enter into contention and his mouth