are in his hand he loveth to oppresse And what saith he to this v. 8. yet am I become rich I have found me out substance in all my labours they shall find none iniquity in me that were sin 3ly The wicked continueth in this sin as the Psalmist chargeth him Thou givest thy mouth to evil and thy tongue frameth deceit Psalm 50.19 But assoone as the Lord bringeth a soul to true repentance either initial or renewed then he confesseth his fault with sorrow and shame as Zacheus did Luk 19.8 If I have taken any thing from any man by false accusation I restore him fourfold And Peter after he had denied with swearing and cursing that he knew his master he went out and wept bitterly Mat. 26.70.72.75 and with David he prayeth the Lord to remove from him the way of Lying Psal 119.29 and thence forward he renounceth the hidden things of dishonesty and walketh no longer in craftiness 2 Cor. 4.2 but studiously according to the Apostles rule he putteth away lying and speaketh the truth with his neighbour knowing that we are members one of another 4ly And though there remaineth guile in his flesh or unregenerate part yet is there none in his spirit or regenerate part Psal 32.2 In his spirit there is no guile This distinction Saint Paul maketh when he found in himself experimentally a bitter-sweet contrarietie Rom. 7.18 In me that is in my flesh saith he dwelleth no good thing for to will is present with me but how to performe that which is good I find not c. and v. 22. I delight in the law of God after the inward man But I see another law in my members warring against the law of my mind and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members 5ly Though there be guile in him yet after his repentance for it the Lord doth not impute it to him witness the royal-prophet Psal 32.12 Blessed is the man whose transgression is forgiven whose sin is covered Blessed is he unto whom the Lord imputeth not iniquity in whose spirit there is no guile He will confess of himself I have a treacherous heart and false tongue who shall deliver me from it I will do this thing for thee saith the Lord which you desirest for I have found a ransome Oh this maketh him to cry out with the blessed Apostle Blessed be God through Jesus Christ Thus God dealt with the prophet Isaiah c. 6. v. 5. Wo is me saith he for I am undone because I am a man of unclean lips and I dwel in the midst of a people of unclean lips for mine eyes have seen the King the Lord of hostes Then flew one of the Seraphims unto me having a live coale in his hand which he had taken with the tongs from off the altar And he laid it upon my mouth and said Lo this hath touched thy lips and thine iniquity is taken away and thy sin purged v. 6.7 Here I cannot pretermit Nathanael in my text in whom there was rooted a very dangerous Error as before hath been shewed that Jesus Christ was not the right Messias because he came out of Nazareth yet our Lord Jesus foreseeing that after he was better informed he would embrace the truth by way of anticipation as I may so speake gives him this report that he was a true Israelite in whom was no guile Upon which words * Laudat in eo candorem in profitendâ animi sui sententiâ Etsi vitium erat quod Nathanael offendebatur humilitate patriae Christi non mediocris tamen virtus est sententiam suam nullo dolo malo celare sed eam aperte et perspicuè profiteri 2. commendat in ipso simplicitatem obsequii Invitatus enim à Philippo ut accedat ad Jesum etsi videbatur non infirmun habere argumentum quod Jesus non esset Messias tamen non resistit duriter non repugnat odiosè sed sequitur obedientèr Brentius dilateth thus 1. Christ saith there was no guile in Nathanael because he uttered candidly his opinion 2. being invited by Philip to come and see Jesus he resisted not stifly but obediently followed him to which I add a third particular that being convinced of his error he believed readily and constantly adhered to him for life and salvation By this signal Application all fraudulent persons are detected to be none of this number of Israelites indeed who therefore are advised in time to cast off all guile and to repent of their former dâ—ceit for though they deceive others and themselves more then any yet God cannot be mocked Gal. 6.7 Among these self-deluders we 1. meet with all such as dissemble with God who shall get the curse for their pains Mal. 1.14 Cursed be the deceiver saith the Lord who draw nigh to God with their mouthes but remove their hearts far from him Isa 29.13 2 Such as corrupt the word of God mingling falsehoods with truths for sinister ends 2 Cor. 2.17 3 Papists who speak lies in hypocrisie 1 Tim. 4.2 practising themselves and teaching others the art of lying fall under that double dreadfull censure of our Saviour whosoever shall break one of these least commandements much more the greatest and shall teach men so he shall be called the least in the kingdom of Heaven Mat. 5.19 The Iesuites teach a Parsons mitigat c. 7. and 11. zanchez oper moral tom 1. l. 3. c. 6. disputat 35. num 13. that it lawfull to use aequivocation not only in ordinary discourse but in very oathes even before the civil magistrate not only about civil but also religious matters These may passe for Saints in the Romish calendar but shall never be owned for true Christians in Gods register yea this their practice is condemned by the moral Heathen who herein teach better divinity then the papists O b Plutar in apoph Cic. l. 1. offiic Plutarch and Cicero stigmatize Cleomenes the Lacedaemonian who making a truce with the enemie for thirty daies nevertheless destroyed their fields in the night time alledging for his excuse that the truce was made for daies not nights This and other passages like to it are yet extant in Cicero's Offices of former editions but are not to be found in bookes which I have seen printed c Diog. Melius est in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quà m 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 incidere in corvâ—s quà min parasitos hi viventis animum corrumpunt illi solum mortui corpus among the Papists for their index expurgatorius hath expunged the same as he retical 4ly All ordinary liars false witness-bearers false-swearers Sycophants and flatterers together with all cheaters and fraudulent dealers who promise and performe not borrow and repay not though it be in their power to do it who use false lights false weights false measures shall never be numbred among these citizens of the new Jerusalem unless they repent in time for thus holy Augustin * Aug.
2 As Iacob was in covenant with God Levit. 26.42 where God promiseth to remember his covenant with Iacob with Isaac and with Abraham with Iacob first because it was established with him last and the blessings of Iacob prevailed above the blessings of his progenitors Genes 49.26 So must you take hold of his covenant and keep it that all his pathes may be mercy and truth to you Psal 25.10 All then Isa 56.4 that are not under this covenant or refuse to bring their children to it in due time and manner or that despise Baptisme the token of it as circumcision was of old Gen. 17.11 are not yet in this rank and they who have listed their names in this holy Catalogue but profane and violate this Covenant made with the fathers Malach. 2.10 shall certainely be cut off their iniquity shall be upon them and they shall be found among the rabble mentioned Rom. 1.31 Instance 3 3. Jacob was humble and lowly in Spirit and esteemed himselfe utterly unworthy of the least of all Gods mercyes and all the truth which God had had shewed him By truth understand the Promises which God had made and performed unto him as * Luth. in Gen 32. veritas est promissio Luther interpreteth it Gen. 32.10 was Jacob thus humbled and Jesus Christ who was equall to his Father lowly in spirit and will you be proud what have you that you have not received 1 Cor. 4.7 why should dust and ashes be proud There can be no shreuder signe of an approaching fall then elevation of spirit This dead Flie will soon infect the whole box of the Apothecaries precious oyntment and God hath engaged himselfe in due time to exalt them who humble themselves before him Jam. 4.10 Away therefore with a proud heart and high looks which otherwise will render you abominable to God Prov. 6.16 17. Instance 4 Fourthly Jacob desired above all things whithersoever he went Gods presence to goe a long with him Gen. 28.20 and better it were for us never to stir one foot further than to proceed without it as Moses desired of God if thy presence goe not with us carry us not up hence Exod. 33.15 Let this teach us to acknowledge him in all our wayes and he shall direct our pathes Prov. 3.6 As for them who say to God depart from us we desire not the knowledge of thy wayes Job 21.14 God shall in like manner abandon and dismiss them for ever with a malediction and say Depart from me ye accursed into everlasting fire and then shall they know whether God had more need of them or they of him and be enforced to confesse We are justly served But who be they that say to God depart from us Answ All that desire not the knowledge of his waies Consider this all you that refuse to frequent the places where his honour dwelleth the assemblies of his people and that neglect to read and meditate on his word to get the true knowledge of his will that you may do it you doe as much in effect as if you had said Depart from us and he that knoweth the meaning of your dealings toward him will let you know his mind towards you that he is well agreed to grant you your desire in your life time even when you are dead depart you did and depart you shall for ever and ever See who will have the worst of it Instance 5 Fifthly Israel was both instant and constant in prayer to God Gen. 32.24 25 26. he wrestled with God till the breaking of the day and would not let him goe till he had blessed him and by his prevalency he obtained the Sirname Israel By his strength the prophet saith he had power with God yea he had power over the Angel and prevailed Ambros Arma nostra sunt preces Lacrimae he wept and made supplication to him Hos 12.3 4 5. Right prayer is an infallible cognizance of a genuine Christian for whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved Rom. 10.13 1 All here required for salvation is the right calling upon the name of the Lord 2. far we need not to goe the Lord is in all places 3. none are debarred from this liberty whosoever he or she be that call shall speed 4. the rewards of so small a service as calling on his name is no lesse then salvation 5. Gods willingnesse to hear and help us is seen in this that he calleth upon all to call upon him that they may be saved by him We need not to awaken him but he wakneth us to aske him he is more ready to hear us then we are to aske of him Quest But what is right prayer Answ This is duly to be considered for the work is honourable and profitable 1. the party that performeth this service aright must 1. be righteous for the fervent effectual prayer of the righteous availeth much Jam. 5.16 But if I regard wickednesse in my heart God will not hear my Prayer Psalm 66.18 * Greg. Moral Tum cor nostrum fiduciam in oratione accepit cum sibi vitae pravitas nulla contradicit 2. he must pray according to his will 1 John 5.14 This is the confidence that we have in him that if we aske any thing according to his will he heareth us 3. our suits must be commenced to God in the name of our mediator Jesus Christ John 16.23 for so runneth his direction and promise joyned together verily verily I say unto you whatsoever you shall aske the Father in my name he will give it you 4. acceptable prayer proceeds from Faith coupled with charity Mark 11.24 25. whatsoever ye desire when ye pray believe that you receive them and he shall have them And when ye stand praying forgive if ye have ought against any that your Father which is in Heaven may forgive you your trespasses On the contrary all they that do not call upon God are wicked and shall be accursed Psalm 14.4 for God hath threatned to pour out his fury upon the Families that call not on his name Jer. 10.25 2 All they that worship Idols instead of the true God Ier. 10.25 shall be sent by him to their Idols for help if they will have any for God will afford them neither audience nor assistance in their time of need Judg. 10.13 14. ye have forsaken me and served other Gods wherefore I will no more deliver you Goe and cry unto the Gods which ye have chosen let them deliver you in the time of your tribulation 3. He that prayeth not in faith hath no ground to thinke that he shall obtaine any thing of the Lord Jam. 1.6 7. 4 He also that wanteth charity shall want successe in his supplications Prov. 21.13 Who so stoppeth his ears at the cry of the poor he also shall cry himselfe but shall not be heard and unlesse you forgive others neither will your Father forgive your trespasses Mat. 6.15
who call not upon God dayly and duly in private and with their families upon whom the Lord hath threatned to poure out his fury Jer. 10.25 and yet alas how many families are there in every Town City that make little or no conscience of family prayer 6 covetuous and malecontented murmurers 7 unthankfull soules 8. rash false-swearers and such as swear by creatures instead of God 9 who put the evill day far from them 10. such as are contentious and injurious much more Murtherers Raylers Cursers 11 Stubborn and Disobedient Children with all false purloyning servants 12 neglecters of Gods publick worship with all Idolaters 13 unnaturall parents and bitter and cruell husbands 14. Apostates and backsliders All these together with all sorts of men women and children by nature of what nation or condition soever they be are as yet forreigners to the Common-wealth of Israel Eph. 2.12 and have neither part nor portion in all or any of the honour or happinesse which appertains to true Christians and if they continue in the state wherein they are till death the wrath of God shall surely seize and abide upon them for ever Branch 2 Secondly This might serve though I know nothing can serve to convert any till the Lord take away the scales from their eyes and hardness from their hearts to take downe the pride of all unbelieving and carnal Jewes who call themselves the holy seed the people of God Israelites and the children of Abraham whom Iohn Baptists reproves Mat. 3.9 for haveing so much as a thought to say we have Abraham for our father and our Saviour proves them to be degenerate Ioh. 8.39 by this demonstrative argument If ye were Abrahams children ye would do the works of Abraham But ye do not the works of Abraham therefore you are not Abrahams children but of your father the devil v. 40 41 42. And Saint Paul in sundry places disproveth them by distinguishing between right and titular Iewes Rom. 2.17.25 26 27 and between children according to the flesh and children according to promise Rom. 9.6 They are not all Israel which are of Israel saith he neither because they are the seed of Abraham a e they all children v. 7. But the children of the promise are counted for the seed And this distinction is held forth in the old Testament as a most certain truth from the beginning for king Saul an Israelite according to the flesh of the tribe of Benjamin 1 Sam. 9.1 2. is yet by the spirit of God termed an heathen Psal 59.5.8 compared with the title of the Psalm for Saul was an Israelite by descent but an heathen in his manners On the other side Ithra was an Ishmaelite by birth for so he is called 1. Chron. 2.17 and yet is he termed an Israelite because he was a proselyte or an Israelite by grace 2 Sam. 17.25 And unless all the rest of Abrahams posterity can demonstrate their descent from Abraham to be spiritual as well as carnal all the benefit they shall gaine thereby will be the greater indignation and wrath as Paul hath foretold Rom. 2.8 9. Tribulation and anguish shall be upon every soul of man that doth evil of the Iew first and also of the gentile Vse 3 3ly This serves for direction and consolation to them who among Iewes or Gentiles will follow this direction Direction Quest If any here demand Is there not then any door of hope left for all those who are excluded out of the number of true Israelites as yet by the foregoing characters and instances Answ Yes there is hope in Israel concerning these not onely the Iewes but also the sinners of the Gentiles by nature as scripture stileth them Gal. 7.15 But this hope and consolation is propounded only conditionally To begin with the Iew there is hope layd down for him that he may be graffed into Christ upon this condition that he become a true believer on his name as the great Apostle of the gentiles declareth Rom. 11.23 They also Rom. 11.23 if they bide not still in unbelief shall be graffed in for God is able to graffe them in again Then come to the gentiles yea take the worst in all the series or pack of them who is alive or hereafter shall live in this world there is a conditional ground of hope comfort for every one of them except they have committed that unpardonable sin against the holy Ghost for they may become Israelits by grace and so be made partakers of the highest priviledges and forementioned glory For blessed be the Lord of the whole earth as he is entituled Psal 95.5 He hath 1. Prophesied of the conversion of the Gentiles that they shall come unto him from the ends of the Earth Jerem. 16.19 2 Sam. 22.44 45. 2. He hath invited all the ends of the earth to looke unto him and be saved Isa 45.22 3. He hath promised that in Abrahams seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed Genes 22.18 and that all the ends of the world shall remember and turne unto the Lord and all the kindreds of the nations shall worship before him for the kingdom is the Lords and he is governour among the nations Psal 18.27 28. and in him shall the Gentiles trust Isa 11.10 4. Many fervent prayers have beene made on our behalf for this end recorded in the oracles of God witness Noahs prayer God perswade Iaphet to dwell in the tents of Shem Genes 9.27 and the Churches supplications in after ages Psal 67.2 3 4 5. Cantic 8.8 c. 5. From the beginning the Lord gave to his son Iesus Christ the heathen for his inheritance and the uttermost parts of the earth for his possession Psal 2.8 6. Some of the Gentiles in all ages have beene brought in to embrace the faith as Rahab the harlot Jam. 2.25 Ruth the Moabitess Ruth 3.11 and the widdow of Sarepta Luk. 4.26 with many others forerunners of the residue of the heathen in the fulness of time to be brought home to Christ 7. God gave his son to be a light to the Gentiles as well as the glory of his people Israel Luk. 2.30 8. When our Saviour Christ the Lord was newly born the Angel brought to the shepheards glad tydings of great joy appertaining to all people Luk. 2.10 9. The precious blood of the Lamb of God was shed to take away the sin of the world Joh. 1.29 and he is the propitiation for our sins saith Saint John and not for ours onely but also for the sins of the whole world 1 Joh. 2.2 10 By the death of Jesus Christ the middle wall of partition is broken down who abolished in his flesh the enmity for to make in himself of twain one new man so making peace Eph. 2.14 15. This is to be accounted an unspeakable mercy to us sinners of the Gentiles 1. It is such a mercy as was denyed to all nations that ever lived before Christ excepting some few persons whom
sinking I might give Jonah for an instance Ch. 1.4 but his sleep was corporal theirs is altogether spirituall the marriners awakened him they continue sleeping and will not be so easily awakened he repented God give them also repentance to life A 7th Let is inconstancy 7. Inconstancy proceeding from hypocrisie and ending in apostacy Orpah attended her mother in law as well as Ruth when she came from the countrey of Moab to returne to the land of Judah but she was perswaded by her mothers words to go back to hâ—r owne countrey * Pellicanus Ruth adhaesit socrui futura una ex ma tribus è quibus mundi salus proditura erat whereas Ruth continued stedfastly minded to cleave to Naomi till death should part them saying to her Thy people shall be my people and thy God my God Ruth 1 16. and great was her reward in the end 8. Many are kept from becoming true Israelites by selfe delusion thinking but falsely that they are converted have repented doe believe and shall be â—aved and what need they to do any more Thus the five foolish virgins â—he proud Pharisee and many hypocrits â—ondly imagine their case is good their â—aith is sound and their hearts are cleane when as indeed they deceive their own soules Jam. 1.21 Diverse other inward impediments there are but these chiefly must be removed the mind must be rightly informed the judgment must be rectified prejudice must be laid aside and true faith attained and often examined and for these ends let the word of God be hidden in the heart the greatnes of Gods majesty his presence justice and truth the incertainty of our lives and the strictness of the impartial Judg before whom we must all appeare be considered of and let profanes spiritual sloth together with levity and inconstancy of Spirit and all delusion be avoided lest any of us faile of the grace of God Heb. 12.15 or come short of the promise of entring into his rest Heb. 4.1 and I cannot pretermit how seriously and frequently the same Apostle doth caution us to take heed of deceiving our selves or being deceived by others charging us all once that no man deceive himselfe 2 Cor. 3.18 Twice that no man deceive us Eph. 5.6 againe that no man deceive us by any meanes 2 Thess 2.3 Thrice that we be not deceived either by ourselves or others 1 Cor. 6.9.15.33 Gal. 6 7. hereby warning all 1. that we are apt to be deceived in spirituall matters 2. that this is the most dangerous deceit of all others 3. That therefore we should continually looke well to ourselves that we be not over-reached in matters pertaining to eternity Sect. 15 2. Branch of the exhortation followeth 2. Branch of the extation having thus dispatched the former part of mine advice to all in general I now descend to certaine sorts of men and 1. To begin with Magistrates called heires of restraint Judg. 18.7 I earnestly entreat them to become Israelites indeed to rule with God and to be faithfull with the Saints Hos 11.12 to execute judgment and justice without partiality or delay to judg the cause of the poore and needy for then it shall go well with them and the common wealth under them Jerem. 22 15.16 yea not onely subjects at home but forreiners abroad shall have great cause to blesse God for them as the Queen of Sheba blessed God for king Solomon and pronounced â—is people happy Her words to Solomon run thus Happy are thy men and blessed be the Lord thy God which delighted in thee to set thee on the throne because the Lord loved Israel for ever therefore made he thee king to do judgment and justice 1 King 10 9. 2ly Might this counsel from God be accepted of counsellors and attournies with Nathanael to wash their hearts and hands dayly from guile they should not need any regulation by others for they would be a law to themselves neither should they have any cause to feare either levelling or antinomian aspersions or designes for a good conscience would be a brasen wall to them and God the righteous Judge would plead their cause better than they can their clients or their own Then would none of them take with both hands nor receive bribes which is a sin inseparable from hypocrysie Job 15.34 and blindeth the eyes of the wise Exo. 23.8 and maketh the tongue mercenary either to keepe silence when they ought to speak or to speak when they should be silent They would never desert any righteous cause Isa 1. 17. but keep themselves far from every false matter as the great Law giver requireth Exo. 23.7 3ly Though I take not upon me to teach them who are called to be teachers of Gods people yet give me leave to exhort you as brethren first to become true Christians yourselves and then to improve all your skill and strength to draw all those who belong to your charge into this blessed society Let your exhortations be without guile and as you are allowed of God to be put in trust with the Gospel even so speak not as pleasing men but God who tryeth your hearts 1 Thess 2.3.4 Then shall you teach transgressours Gods wayes and sinners shall be converted unto him Thus shall a numerous and blessed off spring be raised up to God as of old the Lord restifieth of Levi The law of truth was in his mouth and iniquity was not found in his lips he walked with me in peace and equity and did turne many away from iniquity Mal. 1.6 Then also will the Lord soone wipe away all disgrace and obloquie from your persons and function which hath been too long cast upon you and it for neglect hereof as the Lord admonisheth the priests Mal. 2.9 Saying to them therefore have I made you contemptible and base before the people according as you have not kept my wayes but have beene partial in the law 4ly From ministers I passe to students in the universities the hope of their succession to perswade them with blessed Paul * 2 Cor. 1.12 Theophyl enarrat 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to prefer both in their studies and practice simplicity and godly sincerity before fleshly wisdom and sophistry which will afford unto themselves cause of solid and permanent joy and ascertain both our Church and state of future felicity 5ly I desire also merchants tradesmen to find time freed from the hurry of their affaires to learne to write after this copy of Jacobs plaine dealing not to abuse the buyers simplicity nor to make too much use of his necessity And suppose their gaines be not so great as formerly they were yet they may be sure a greater blessing shall accompany what they honestly get and make that * Dimidium plus toto little to do them and their 's more good then a farr greater store of treasure unjustly gathered together can do others Herein if they dare not credit me I commend to them Gods