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
Lords supper 1 Cor. 10.16 The cup of blessing which we blesse is it not the Communion of the blood of Christ As if he had said Is it not the making of it our owne Thus you have seene the first branch of the Doctrine confirmed to you that no man can receive comfort by the bloud of Christ but he that hath it sprinkled upon his heart and applyed unto him The second branch of it that none but the Lord himselfe can thus apply and sprinkle the bloud of Christ upon the heart of any man is also evident by the holy Scripture I will say unto them saith the Lord Hos. 2.23 thou art my people and they shall say unto me thou art my God When God shall once by his spirit say unto any soule of ours thou art mine one of my people of my redeemed ones when hee shall as with a bunch of hysop sprinkle the bloud of his son upon our heart and say to any of us as he did to his people Zac. 9.11 it is the bloud of thy covenant of the covenant which I have made with thee then shall wee have sound comfort in it and bee able with confidence to say to him againe thou art my God and to cry to him as poore weake Thomas the Apostle did Iob. 20.28 My Lord and my God till then we shall never be able to do it The spirit it selfe saith the Apostle Rom. 8.16 heareth witnesse with our spirit that we are the children of God As if he had said Though our owne spirit and conscience be never so confident in this point that wee are Gods children and Christ by his bloud hath made our peace with God this is to no purpose till Gods sanctifying spirit be in us and doth beare witnesse with our owne spirit in this point and assure us that Christ is ours we can never have sound comfort in him It is the spirit that beareth witnesse saith the Apostle 1 Ioh 5.6 because the spirit is truth As if he had said no witnesse is infallible or any thing worth in this case but the spirit of God And in this respect is the spirit of God called the comforter Ioh. 14.26 He could never be our comforter if he did not thus beare witnes with our spirits that we are Gods children that Christ is ours that his bloud was shed for us The reasons and grounds of the Doctrine are two according to the two severall branches of it First If you aske me Why can Christs bloud doe us no good unlesse it be sprinkled upon our hearts and applyed to us I answer Because reason and experience teacheth us that as the propriety a man hath in any good thing doth much increase his comfort in it And to this the holy Ghost alludeth Pro. 5.15 Drinke waters out of thine owne cistern and running waters out of thine owne well and 2 Thess. 3.12 Let them worke with quietnesse and eat their owne bread A little of a mans own is a great deale sweeter to him then a great deale that is another mans though he have some use of it so it is a great vexation and increase of misery to a man many times to see others enjoy a benefit which themselves have as much need of and can have no part in it And the greater they know the benefit to be the more are they vexed in this case Thus is it with a rebell that knoweth a pardon is granted to a great number that were every whit as unworthy of it as deep in the rebellion as himselfe and yet he can have no benefit by it And with a poore man that seeth a great dole given and multitudes releived by it and he can get nothing So is it certainly in this case the more any man knoweth of Christ and of the all sufficiency of that redemption that he hath made by his blood the greater must his torment and horror needs be when he shall find that he hath no part in it When like Tantalus he shall see there is water of life before him which others drinke of quench their deadly thirst by and he can get none of it himselfe This is that which the Apostle saith increaseth the torments of the devils themselves Iames. 7.19 The devils also beleeve and tremble They know Christ full well to bee an all-sufficient Saviour I know thee who thou art saith he Mar. 1.24 even the holy one of God But they tremble so much the more for that because they know withall that they neither have nor ever shall have any part in him Secondly If you aske me Why can none but God himselfe by his holy spirit sprinkle this bloud of his son upon our hearts I answer Because there is in every one of us an evill heart of unbeliefe as the Apostle calleth it Heb. 13 1â— and though in our peace and jolity wee thinke it is nothing to beleeve in Christ it is as easie by faith to feed upon his body and bloud in the Sacrament as it is to take and feed upon the bread and wine when our conscience shall bee once awakened we shall find our hearts not so strongly inclined to any sin as infidelity utterly unable to apply to our selves the bloud of Christ or to beleeve that God should ever love us so dearely as to give his son to dye for us Wee will bee apt then to flye from God as Adam did when his eyes were opened Gen. 3.8 And therefore the Apostle telleth us Ephe. 1.19 it is a worke of the exceeding greatnes of Gods power that any man is able to beleeve this Let us now make some use of this Doctrine unto our selves 1. For instruction 2. For exhortation 3. For comfort First This Doctrine teacheth us how to judge of popery that it is not onely a false and antichristian Doctrine that directly opposeth Christ and that in the most fundamentall point of his holy religion in the Doctrine of justification but that it is also a Doctrine of desperation and such as depriveth them that beleeve it of all true comfort in the houâ—e of death and time of distresse In which respect the holy Ghost hath most fitly resembled the teachers of it by those Locusts mentioned Rev. 9.5.10 1. They had faces like men and their Doctrine in shew hath no terror in it 2. They have the haire of women their Doctrine hath many inticements to allure men to the liking of them and to provoke unto spirituall lust and fornication 3. They have crownes of gold upon their heads they prevaile much and have great reverence and authority where they come But 4. they have tailes like unto scorpions and they have stings in their tailes saith the holy Ghost their Doctrine is such as will certainly in the end torment the conscience of them that receive it intolerably They can never have sound peace and comfort in their conscience that do beleeve it Their torment was saith the text ver 5. as the torment
thou art that art most bitter and violent of either side then art thou certainly thy selfe most wilfully blinde And I doe assure thee in the name of the Lord and by good warrant out of his word that if thou canst not unfeignedly love every one that truly feareth God whither he conforme or not conforme if thou canst not bewaile and strive against these hard conceits thou hast beene wont to entertaine against such thou canst have no comfort at all in thine owne estate before God Let there be no strife I pray thee saith Abraham unto Lot Gen. 13.8 betweene mee and thee for we are brethren And it is noted by the Holy Ghost Verse 7. for a circumstance that did much aggravate the sinne of Lot and the griefe of Abraham for that variance that the Cananite and the Perizzite dwelt then in the land Certainely all that truly feare God are brethren And have not we Cananites and Perizzites enough in our land Papists and Atheists and profane persons that doe mortally hate us all that have any true feare of God in us and rejoyce much in our variances Or is the number of them that truly feare God so great that we must dishearten and weaken one another by nourishing heart burning and discord among our selves But the time will not permit me to enlarge my selfe in this point as I desire to doe I will therefore conclude my speech with the words of the Apostle Iam. 5.9 Grudge not one against another brethren lest yee be condemned Lecture CXLIV On Psalme 51.7 August 2. 1631. IT followeth now that we proceed unto the second of those foure effects and fruits whereby a man may certainly know whether he hath the spirit of Christ and consequently whether he hath Christ and is by his death and obedience perfectly justified in the sight of God and that is constancy in Religion This is then the Doctrine that I am now to insist upon That he that hath the spirit of Christ in him will be constant in his Religion above all things Now before I give you the proofe of the point I must explaine first and prevent the mistaking of it by answering three questions and removing three doubts that may rise in your mindes against it First You may aske me Is it a certaine note of a man that hath the spirit of Christ to be constant in his religion I answer No unlesse it be the true Religion that he doth professe It is indeed a morall vertue and one of the best things that are to be found in a naturall man to be constant in his Religion be it true or false And so the Lord noteth it to be Ier. 2.10 11. Passe over the isles of Chittim and see and send unto Kedar and consider diligently and see of there be such a thing and to be found even among them hath a nation hath any nation changed their gods As if he should have said Hath not even the light of nature discovered thus much unto all nations that it is a shamefull and odious thing for a people to be variable and unconstant in their Religion But my people have changed their glory their Religion he meanes For this constancy in a mans Religion which he is perswaded is true though it be false argueth a zeale of God in him though it be not according unto knowledge And that the Apostle speaketh of you know Ro. 10.2 as of a good thing iâ— it selfe as of one of the best things that can be in a naturall man But yet this is no signe of grace no fruit of the spirit of Christ to be constant in an erroneous and false way It was no commendation either to Ieroboam himselfe or to Iehu or to any other of the Kings and people of Israel that they abode even to the dissolution of that state in that Religion that Ieroboam did at the first establish and would by no meanes be drawne to forsake it The children of Israel saith the Holy Ghost 2 King 17.22 walked in all the sinnes of Ieroboam that he did they departed not from them This constancy in their Religion is oft mentioned in the story to their great shame and reproach It is no praise at all nor signe of grace in a Papist or any other Heretick or Schismatick whatsoever that they have beene constant in their Religion even unto death It is not the punishment that a man indures but the cause for which he suffers that maketh him a Martyr It is not constancy but obstinacy in a man to abide so resolute and unmoveable in any errour as he will admit of no meanes that may informe him better to be like the aâ—afe Adder Psal. 58.4 5. that stoppeth her eare which will not hearken to the voice of the charmers charming never so wisely Yea it is not only a great sin but a fearefull judgement and curse of God too He hath blinded their eyes saith our blessed Saviour Ioh. 12.40 and hardned their hearts that they should not soe with their eyes and understand with their hearts and be converted and I should hâ—â—le them So that when I say constancy in Religion is a note of him that hath the spirit of Christ I meane constancy in the true Religion It is the cleaving to the truth of God that is such a note But then you will aske me secondly How shall I know in that great difference of opinions in Religion that is in the Church and that even among learned and good men too which is the truth Whether that that I hold and professe bee the truth that so I may constantly hold it and cleave unto it When our Saviour had said Ioh. 18.37 38. and it was that good confession that the Apostle 1 Tim. 6.13 saith he witnessed before Poncius Pilate to this end was I borne and for this cause came I into the world that I should beare witnesse unto the truth Pilate said unto him what is truth And certainly wee have many now that were borne and bread in the Church that know no more what the truth is then Pilate did but like men utterly ignorant and unsetled in Religion are as ready to say as he he was What is truth Now to these men I answer with the words of our Saviour Ioh. 17.17 Sanctifie them with thy truth thy word is truth If that Religion that thou professest be no other then that which God hath taught thee in his holy word then is it doubtlesse the true Religion If thou holdest nothing in Religion but that thou canst warrant and prove by Gods Word then holdest thou the truth and thou must hold it fast and cleave constantly to it It is the word of truth Eph. 1.13 it can never deceive thee Thy testimonyes are very sure saith David Psalm 93.5 This sacred booke of the holy Scriptures and writings of the Prophets and Apostles is the foundation upon which God buildeth his Church as the Apostle teacheth us Eph. 2.20 If thou
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
or abroad could do what they list how could Gods people have any quietnesse in their minds But blessed be God they can do nothing without our heavenly father hee sitteth at the sterne he hath both their hands and their hearts in his power This is that glad tidings that God hath commanded us his servants to publish to his people Esa. 52.7 Say unto Zion thy God reigneth when all is done Wicked tyrants may threaten us and brag of their power what they can do unto us as Pilate did to our blessed Saviour Iob. 19.10 Speakest thou not to me makest thou no more reckoning of me Knowest thou not that I have power to crucifie thee and I have power to release thee They may threaten I say and brag what they can doe but they can do nothing of themselves And so our Saviour answered Pilate there Iohn 19.11 Thou couldest have no power at all against me except it were given thee from above Thus doth our Saviour teach his disciples to arme themselves against the feare of trouble that might come to them through the malice of men Mat. 10 29.31 Not one sparrow falleth to the ground without your father but the very haires of your head are all numbred feare ye not therefore for ye are of more worth then many sparrowes And as this knowledge of Gods speciall hand and providence in all the troubles that can befall them hath quieted Gods peoples hearts from feare of troubles before they come so secondly It hath kept them from dejectednesse of spirit and impatiency when they have come Nothing hath more force to quiet the heart in affliction then this This was that that quieted Eli 1 Sam. 3.18 It is the Lord. And Iob 1.21 The Lord hath giuen and the Lord hath taken away And David 2 Sam. 16.10 The Lord hath said to him curse David And Ps. 39.9 I was dumbe and opened not my mouth because thou didst it Will you see the ground of this I will not mention now neither 1. his soveraigne power he hath over us to do with us what pleaseth him nor 2. his justice whereby it is impossible he should do us any wrong nor 3. his wisedome whereby every thing that he doth must needs be so well done that it cannot be bettered these points you have heard of in the handling of the doctrine I will give you but this one ground why the knowledge of Gods providence and the hand that he hath in all our afflictions should quiet our hearts and cause us to beare them patiently because though to our feeling it doth not alwayes appeare so yet to our faith it doth that whatsoever he doth to any of his children he doth it in love unto them All the pathes of the Lord saith David Psal. 25.10 are mercy and truth unto such as keepe his Covenant and his testimonies In which respect David professeth this as a maine ground of his patience in all his afflictions Psal. 119.75 I know ô Lord that thy judgements are right and that thou in faithfulnesse hast afflicted me This will appeare to us in five points principally First He doth not afflict any of his people willingly he taketh no pleasure in it hee never doth it but when need requireth it but when he is even forced unto it Hee will not afflict saith Elihu Iob 37.23 hee hath no will to it Hee doth not afflict willingly nor grieve the children of men Lamenta 3.33 He of his owne disposition delighteth in mercy as the Prophet speaketh Mic. 7.18 It is not with him as with earthly parents they oft correct their children for their pleasure but so doth not our heavenly father at any time as the Apostle speaketh Heb. 12.10 he hath no such pleasure his pleasure and delight is rather to be shewing mercy then to execute judgements upon them How can that be will you say If he be not willing to afflict us how can it bee with us as it is Who can compell him to it Surely the need he seeth we have of it and his love to us compelleth him to afflict us Now for a season saith the Apostle 1 Pet. 1.6 if need be yee are in heavinesse through many tentations As if he should say you should never be in heavinesse no not for the shortest season if need did not require it Vnlesse hee would see us perish everlastingly hee must needs a flict us When we are judged we are chastened of the Lord that wee should not he condemned with the world saith the holy Apostle 1 Corinth 11.32 See this unwillingnesse of the Lord to afflict his but only that the need he seeth we have of it and his love to us compelleth him to it notably expressed Iere. 9 7. Thus saith the Lord of hosts behold I will melt them and try them for how shall I doe for the daughter of my people As if he should have said how shall I save them how should I keep them from perishing everlastingly if I should not correct them and this is the first point wherein his love in afflicting us doth appeare And who would not beare patiently the stripes of such a father that is so unwilling to beate us that never beateth us but with teares in his eyes according to that Esay 63.9 In all their affliction he was afflicted Secondly The end he aimeth at in afflicting us is to do us good yea some speciall good that could not be done so well any other way Time will not permit me to handle this point distinctly particularly shew you how many wayes the Lord useth to do his people good by affliction This in generall is certain 1. that God doth by al outward crosses sorrowes intend to make us partakers of some spirituall blessings comforts Heb. 12.10 He chasteneth us for our profit that we might be partakers of his holines 2 Cor. 4.17 Our light affliction which is but for a moment in comparison worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternall weight of glory Every crosse will bring with it some blessing or other if the fault be not in our selves yea the greatest crosse will bring the greatest blessing And experience hath proved this to be true that such of Gods servants as have beene most exercised with afflictions have usually abounded in more holines and comfort then any other As the sufferings of Christ abound in us saith the Apostle 2. Cor. 1.5 so our consolation also aboundeth by Christ. 2. True it is indeed that this fruit of affliction doth not presently appeare alwayes in Gods children while the crosse is upon them though in hypocrites all the good that affliction doth them appeareth presently and vanisheth as soone as the crosse is gone as you may see Psal. 78.34 neverthelesse afterward saith the Apostle Heb. 12.11 it yeeldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousnes unto them that are exercised therby The Lords manner is to leave a blessing behind him as the Prophet speaketh Ioel 2.14 He humbleth us to do
can do it no better wil be ready to helpe us and make that easie to us by his helpe which was full of difficulty and impossibility before Arise and be doing saith David to Solomon 1 Chron. 22.16 and the Lord will be with thee If we draw neare to God do our best endeavour God will draw neare unto us as the Apostle speaketh Iames 4.8 LECTVRES ON PSAL. LI. 6. Lecture LXXIV On Psalme LI. 6. Novemb. 6. MDCXXVII Behold thou desirest truth in the inward parts and in the hidden part thou hadst made me to know wisedome WEE have already heard out of the former verses of this Psalme that David in seeking to God for mercy in the pardon of his grievous sins doth make confession of his sinne and accuse himselfe before God and that not only in grosse and generall verse 3. but more fully in these three verses following For 1. Hee acknowledgeth his sin in particular that very sin that Nathan charged him with verse 4. I have done this evill in thy sight 2. The fountaine and root from whence this his sin did grow even his vile and cursed nature verse 5 Behold I was borne in iniquity and in sin did my mother conceive me 3. From the consideration of that uprightnesse and truth of heart which the Lord so much desireth and which he found his corrupt heart so farre from specially in the committing of this soule sin For oh what a deale of fraud and cunning did he use in this matter to hide and cloake his sin 1. Hee sent for Vriah home and perswaded him to goe and lodge at his owne house 2. Sam. 11.6 2. When perswasion would not serve hee made him drunke in hope that that would provoke him to lust verse 13. 3. When all this would not serve nor hee could get Vriah to father the child hee procureth him to bee made away that so by marrying of his wife he might cloke his sin the better ver 15. in the beginning of this sixt verse Behold thou desirest truth in the inward parts 4. From the consideration of that measure of saving knowledge and grace which hee had received from God before hee fell into this sin in the last words of this verse And in the hidden part thou hadst made me for so I read it and not thou shalt make me to know wisedome And thus you see the scope and drift of this verse and what coherence and dependance it hath on that which went before The words divide themselves naturally into two parts as they doe containe two arguments and considerations whereby David doth amplifie and aggravate his sin 1. What a one God would have David and all his children to bee that is to say Vpright in heart 2. What a one David was before hee fell into these foule sins that is God had wrought soundnesse of grace in his heart In the hidden part thou hadst made me to know wisedome In the former part three points are to bee observed 1. The thing the grace that God desired that God would have to bee in David and all his children Truth thou desirest truth that is sincerity and uprightnesse which is opposed to guile and hypocrisie So is truth taken Iosh. 24.14 Feare the Lord and serve him insincerity and in truth And 1 Cor. 5.8 Let us keepe the feast with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth And Iohn 1.47 Behold saith our Saviour of Nathanael an Israelite in truth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in whom is no guile 2. The subject the place where God would have this grace to be in the inward parts that is in the heart For so wee find this place interpreted by Iob 38.36 Who hath put wisedome in the inward parts or who hath given understanding to the heart And by our Saviour Marke 7.21 From within out of the heart of men proceed evill thoughts And by the Apostle Ephes. 3. who when hee had prayed for them verse 16. that they might be strengthened by Gods spirit in the inner man He expoundeth himselfe thus verse 17. that Christ might dwell in their hearts by faith The heart is the proper seat of this truth and sincerity For then a thing is said to be spoken or done in truth 1. When that which is said or done agreeth with the heart and proceedeth from it As a good man is said Psal. 15.2 To speake the truth in his heart He speaketh the truth in his heart because he speaketh as hee thinketh 2. When the purpose and intent of the heart is upright in that which a man speaketh or doth My father saith Solomon in his prayer 1 Kings 3.6 walked before thee in truth and uprightnesse of heart therefore in truth because in uprightnesse of heart Therfore also is this sincerity called singlenesse of heart Acts 2.46 When a man in that which he saith and doth hath but one heart not a heart and a heart a double heart Psalm 12.2 one heart for that which hee pretendeth and another for that which he intendeth It is said that the Zebulonites that came to make David King 1 Chron. 12.33 were not of a double heart And that is expounded verse 38 that they came with a perfect or an upright heart A true heart is called a whole heart also Psal. 119.10 a false heart is called a divided heart Hosea 10.2 3. and lastly The note of observation that David prefixeth before this Behold As if he should say this this is that which I cannot but take notice of and thinke much upon that whereas I am by nature so filthy and corrupt and have so much falshood and hypocrisie in my heart which hath beene the maine cause of this my fearefull fall thou art a God that lookest for and requirest yea desirest above all things and delightest in the truth and uprightnesse of the heart and where that is wanting all that a man can doe is nothing in thy sight Now all this cunning and falshood he had used doth greatly augment his griefe and shame when he considereth how much the Lord delighteth in truth and abhorreth hypocrisie Then the Doctrine that wee are to learne from the first part of the verse is this That truth and uprightnesse of heart is that which God highly esteemeth of and desireth and delighteth in above all things Observe the proofe of this Doctrine in five points and degrees First The Lord would have all his servants upright in heart hee would have that obedience and service that is done unto him to bee done in truth and sincerity that is that that hee looketh for at our hands which hee greatly desireth and longeth for Hee cannot abide hypocrisie that wee should counterfeit and halt with him My son saith the Lord Prov. 23.26 give me thine heart that is it that I looke for So Ioshua 24.14 calleth upon the people Now therefore feare the Lord and serve him in sincerity and truth Are not thine eyes upon the truth saith Iere. 5.3 As if he should say Is
not that the thing thou lookest after in all the workes of men in all the services they doe unto thee The true worshippers saith our Saviour Iohn 4 23. shall worship the father in spirit and truth for the father seeketh such to worship him Hee even longeth for such servants as will worship him in that manner Secondly This is that that the Lord delighteth in Such as are upright in their way saith Solomon Prov. 11.20 are the Lords delight I know also my God saith David 1 Chron. 29.17 that thou hast pleasure in purightnesse We can by nothing we are able to doe gratifie and please the Lord so much as in this Thirdly This is all in all with God the onely thing that hee requireth of us let our hearts bee true to him and hee hath enough Indeed this comprehendeth much as wee shall heare and where this is nothing can be wanting and therefore the Lord asketh no more but this This is all that God required of Abram in that covenant that he made with him Genes 17.1 Walke before mee and be thou upright So speaketh Samuel also to the people when hee would renew the covenant betweene God and them 1 Sam. 12.24 Only feare the Lord and serve him in truth with all your heart So runneth the covenant also that God made with David and his posterity 1 Kin. 2.4 If thy children take heed to their wayes and walke before me in truth with all their heart and all their soule there shall not faile thee a man upon the throne of Israel Fourthly The Lord valueth and esteemeth of us and of all our words and actions according to this this is the very ballance of the Sanctuary whereby hee weigheth them all 1. Thus the Prophet describeth a good man Psal. 125.4 Doe good ô Lord to those that be good Who are they And to them that are upright in their hearts 2. A little grace a small measure of knowledge and faith the meanest and poorest service we doe unto God is of a great price and worth with him where hee seeth uprightnesse of heart Philadelphia is said Revel 3.8 to have had but a little strength and yet of all the Churches Christ wrote to hee findeth least fault with her shee pleased him best 3. Nay the Lord will beare with many frailties and faults where hee seeth there is truth in the inward parts See three notable examples of this 1. Asa had sundry great faults which you shall see recorded 2 Chron. 16.10.12 And yet because of this see what a testimony the holy Ghost giveth of him 1 Kings 15.14 Neverthelesse Asaes heart was perfect with the Lord all his dayes As if hee should have said for all his slips and frailties hee was a good man because his heart was upright 2 The second example is of Iehoshaphat his sonne of whom also we read that hee had many great frailties Hee made a league of great amity with Ahab 2 Chron. 18.3 Hee went with him to battell against Ramoth Gilead though hee had heard what Micajah the Prophet spake against it 2 Chron. 18.27 28. Though hee had beene reproved for this by Iehu the Prophet 2 Chron. 19.2 yet doth he after that againe joyne himselfe in speciall league with Ahaziah Ahabs sonne a most wicked man 2 Chron. 20.35 And he bestowed his sonne Iehoram in marriage upon Ahabs daughter 2 Chron. 21.6 And yet for all this God accounted him a good man all his dayes 1 King 22.43 Hee turned not aside from doing that which was right in the eyes of the Lord. And why did God so esteeme of him Surely because his heart was upright with God For saith the Prophet Iehu to him 2 Chron. 19.3 Neverthelesse there are good things found in thee in that thou hast prepared thine heart to seeke God And as it is said 2 Chron. 17.6 His heart was lift up in the wayes of the Lord. He was unfeinedly and zealously bent in the purpose of his heart to please the Lord. 3. The third and last example is of the people that received the passeover in Hezechiahs time of whom it is said 2 Chron. 30.18 that they did eate it otherwise then it was written they swerved in that holy service from the expresse direction and commandement of God For they had not cleansed themselves according to the purification of the Sanctuary they came not so prepared to the Sacrament as they ought to have done And yet did God passe by this fault and imputed it not unto them but at the prayer of Hezekiah healed and forgave them made his Sacrament effectuall to their comfort for all that And why so The reason is given verse 19. They had prepared their hearts to seeke God in that his ordinance the bent of their heart was upright with God in that service You see then what account God maketh of the uprightnesse of the heart 4 On the other side The greatest shewes of goodnesse that can be in a man the best workes he can doe are of no worth with him if this be wanting Iudas repented confessed his sinne in particular and made restitution also of that hee had unjustly got Matth. 27.3 4. and all to no purpose because his heart was rotten and unsound The Pharisee led so civill and honest a life that he justified himselfe before men and was highly esteemed for it as our Saviour speaketh Luk. 16.15 but was of no reckoning with God And why Our Saviour telleth us Matth. 23. â—8 Ye outwardly appeare righteous to men but within ye are full of hypocrâ—sie and iniquity The people in Ezekiels time frequented his ministery diligently tooke as great delight to heare him as as ever they did in any musicke yet were they starke naught in Gods account And the reason is given Ezek. 33.31 their heart was false their heart went after their covetousnesse Iehu shewed great zeale for Gods glory and did much for the advancement of it and gloried of it unto good Iehoâ—adab 2 King 10.16 Come with me saith he and see my zeale for the Lord. And yet did the Lord account of him no better then of a murderer I will avenge saith hee Hos. 1.4 the bloud of Iezreel upon the house of Iehu And why Because in doing that excellent peece of service his heart was not right as you shall see 2 King 10.31 Fiftly and lastly The Lord so highly esteemeth of this truth of heart that hee counteth him that hath this a perfect man a righteous man as if hee had no sinne no defect no frailty in him at all For in the phrase of the Holy Ghost an upright hearted man and a perfect man are all one So God calleth Iob 2.3 A perfect and an upright man So speaketh David Psal. 37.37 Marke the perfect man and behold the upright So Psal. 32.11 Rejoyce in the Lord ye righteous Why who can say he is righteous Hee answereth in the next words Shout for joy all ye that are upright in heart And 97.11 Light is
least I say and shall teach men so there have beene you see formerly as well as now that have taught men it is no matter to breake Gods small commandements hee shall bee called least in the kingdome of God he seeketh applause and credite haply by teaching such things but hee shall certainely misse of his aime but whosoever shall doe and teach them even these least commaundements loe wee must bee doers our selves before wee can preach well the same shall bee called great in the Kingdome of God As if hee had sayd He shall in the end loose no credite by it but though that bee not the thing hee may seeke or aime at yet hee shall bee sure to bee the better esteemed for it in the Church of God And thus much of the second point wherein the upright hearted mans equall respect to all the commandements of God appeareth he maketh conscience of every sin of one as well as of another Followeth the third and last of them He maketh conscience of every dutie God hath commanded him of one as well as of another not of the negative part onely of every commandement of doing any thing that God hath forbidden but of the affirmative also of doing every thing that God hath commanded As there is no one sinne that he doth give himselfe liberty to live in so is there no one grace or good thing that God requireth to bee in us but he desireth and striveth to attaine unto it As yee abound saith the Apostle 2 Corinthians 8.7 in every good thing see that yee abound in this grace also that is to say in mercifullnesse and liberality And hee saith in the next verse that hee requireth this of them to proove the sincerity of their love As if hee had said There can bee no sincerity in him that contenteth himselfe to have some good things in him if hee desire and strive not after every grace And againe Phil. 4.8 9. Whatsoever things are true whatsoever things are honest whatsoever things are just whatsoever things are pure whatsoever things are lovely whatsoever things are of good report if there bee any vertue and if there bee any praise thinke on these things Those things which yee have both learned and received and heard and seene in mee doe Whatsoever good things they had heard of Paul or seene in his example they must strive to attaine unto But the Apostle Peter goeth further 2 Peter 1. for hee is not content to say that the way to make our calling and election sure is by doing of those things that he had spoken of before that is to say by giving all diligence to adde one grace to another and eight severall graces he nameth verse 5 7. that must be thus combined in us but he saith plainly ver 9. that hee that lacketh these things is blind that is hath no truth of grace in him Alas then what assurance can they have of the truth of their hearts that in the duties God enjoyneth them will take and leave at their owne pleasure 1. They that are just in word and deed but the other two duties that God enjoyneth Mic. 6.8 mercy and humility towards God they cannot nay they strive not to attaine to 2. They that love preaching and good preaching well but there is a grace commended to them in Davids example which they will not imitate 2 Sam. 24.24 I will not offer burnt offerings to the Lord my God with that that doth cost me nothing and Gal. 6.6 Let him that is taught in the word communicate unto him that teacheth in all good things They love a life to serve God of free-cost 3. They that are zealous in frequenting the publique worship of God but have no mind to that that is commended unto them in the example of Ioshua 24.15 As for mee and mine house we will serve the Lord much lesse of that that Christ enjoyneth Matth. 6.6 When thou prayest enter into thy closet and when thou hast shut thy doore pray to thy father which is in secret 4. They that are very forward in all other duties almost and yet in one maine duty that Christ enjoyneth as strictly as any and saith Mat. 6.15 If ye forgive not men their trespasses neither will your father forgive your trespasses Yea 5.24 Leave thy gift before the altar and goe thy way first bee reconciled to thy brother and then come and offer thy gift they must bee borne with they cannot overcome themselves in this Certainly the best that these can say of themselves with truth is but that that Agrippa saith of himselfe Acts 26.28 they are almost perswaded to be Christians And as good never a whit as never the better If there be any commandement of God that thou canst not at least in the unfeined desire and endeavour of thy heart yeeld unto and obey certainely thou art no true Christian. He that saith I know Christ saith the Apostle 1 Iohn 2.4 and keepeth not his commandements is a lyar and the truth is not in him Lecture LXXXVII on Psalme 51.6 April 15. 1628. THE third and last respect wherein the universality and large extent of true saving and sanctifying grace appeareth is In respect of the time where once it is in truth it will never dye nor decay utterly Wee must therefore know that among the notes and properties of saving grace that are given us in the holy Scripture whereby wee may every one of us try our selves whether there bee in us that uprightnesse of heart and truth in our inward parts which David saith heere the Lord so much delighteth in this is one principall That true saving and sanctifying grace extendeth it selfe unto the whole course and time of a mans life that hath it in him True saving grace is durable and everlasting Now because this is a truth that behoveth all of us to bee well setled and grounded in therefore before I come to the confirmation of it I must first premise three things which are to bee granted concerning this point which if you marke them well will both make our meaning in it plaine unto you and take out of the way all the maine objections that are made against it First Then it cannot bee denied but that a man may seeme to himselfe and to the Church of God to have true grace and make a good profession of it and yet fall quite away from that againe A man that is a righteous man thus in profession and in the judgement of men may turne away from his righteousnesse as the Prophet speaketh Ezekiel 18.24 and commit iniquitie and doe according to all the abominations of the wicked and dye in that state too So Hymeneus and Alexander are said 1 Tim. 1.19 20. to have made shipwracke of saith They had made profession of the true faith and religion of God and fell quite away from it afterward And they that thus make profession of true righteousnesse and holinesse and of the true faith and
elect Apostles themselves were able to beare Now if a Papist who holdeth and beleeveth that this is not only possible but very easie also for every regenerate man to keepe all the commandements of God so perfectly as he may bee justified thereby in Gods sight and merit also eternall life if such a one I say shall object against this proofe that the Apostle speaketh not there of the morrall but of circumcision and of the ceremoniall law I answer Hee calleth circumcision and the ceremoniall law an intollerable yoke not in respect of it selfe for the ceremoniall law was much more easie to bee kept then the morall was but because by urging the observation of the ceremoniall law then when it was abrogated by Christ they did deprive men of all benefit by Christ and bound them to the observation of the whole morall law and to seeke salvation by it This the Apostle plainely teacheth us Galat. 5.2.3 Behold I Paul say unto you that if yee be circumcised Christ shall profit you nothing For I testifie againe to every one that is circumcised that he is a debtor to doe the whole law The observation therefore of the morall law in that manner that the law required that is exactly in all points and perfectly was such a yoke as no Prophet nor Apostle was ever able to beare This the Lord taught his people by delivering the law unto them in so terrible a manner as he did The sight was so terrible saith the Apostle Hebr. 12 â—1 that Moses said I exceedingly feare and quake and all Gods people were in that terrible feare that they intreated as the Apostle saith verse 19. that the word might not bee spoken to them any more that they might heare no more of it in that manner and the reason is given verse 20. why they were in this horrible feare For they could not endure that which was commanded saith the Apostle The commandements of God in that manner that the law enjoyneth them have nothing but terrour in them the perfect observation of them is so intollerable a yoke as Moses himselfe was not able to beare Thirdly and lastly To observe the commandements of God even in such a manner as the Gospell requireth that is to say in truth and sincerity of heart is a very difficult and painefull thing to the best of Gods servants in respect of those reliques of naturall corruption that doe remaine in them besides the manifold and strong pull-backs and oppositions they shall bee sure to receive from Satan and the world This the faithfull find to bee too true by daily experience The same combate and warre that they find oft in themselves in every good duty and service they would doe unto God betweene the flesh and the spirit the law of their mind and the law in their members the regegenerate and unregenerate part of which the Apostle speaketh Rom. 7.23 Galat. 5.17 certainely putteth them to no lesse paine then Rebecca was in when the two children strugled together within her Genesis 25.22 and as the paine she was in then made her cry out in a sudden fit of impatiency If it bee so why I am thus would I had never conceived would I had never married So doth the paine that this intestine warre putteth them in make the best of Gods servants often times not onely to sigh and grone and cry out with Paul Rom. 7.24 Oh wretched man that I am but even to entertaine such motions as Rebecca did If it bee so why am I thus If it bee so hard and painefull a thing to serve God would I had never entred into his service but contented my selfe to live as other men doe This tentation we know the Prophet himselfe was subject unto when he cryed Ps. 73.13 Verily I have clensed my heart in vaine and washed mine hands in innocency Let papists say what they will how easie a thing it is for a regenerate man to keepe all the commandements of God and to keepe them perfectly it is certainely a painfull thing for such as the best of us are that have so much flesh and corruption remaining in us to doe any service unto God even in that manner as the Gospell requireth of us without labour and paine no service can bee done to God acceptably That which the Apostle saith of prayer Strive together with me in prayer saith hee Rom 15.30 faithfull prayer can never bee well made without striving and labour the same our Saviour saith of all the wayes of God that leade to life faith repentance love keeping of the Sabbath every other good duty and service Lu. 13.24 Strive to enter in at the strait gate As though he should say every way of God is strait and uneasie to our flesh and therefore without striving and labour there is no possibility of walking in it All this notwithstanding to come now unto the second part of my answer the commandements of God are not so hard the service he requireth of us is not so difficult and paineful as need to discourage any of us or make us afraid of it For First Though the commandements of God bee impossible to the naturall and wicked man to the regenerate and true beleever they are possible enough All things are possible saith Christ Mar 9.23 to him that beleeveth Nay as it hath beene truly said of the wicked man hee cannot possibly keepe them he cannot but breake them so may it bee as truly said of the regenerate man he cannot but keepe them he cannot breake them as the other doth How can I saith Ioseph Gen. 39.9 do this great wickednesse and sinne against God Whosoever is borne of God sinneth not saith the Apostle 1 Ioh. 3.9 and he cannot sin because he is borne of God Secondly Though the commandements of God and the observation of them as Moses enjoyned them be an intollerable yoke even to the regenerate themselves yet as Christ enjoyneth them they are not so Though that perfect and strict obedience which the law requireth be utterly impossible for the strongest Christian under heaven to performe yet Evangelicall obedience to the commandements of God an unfeined love to them all and endeavour to keep them which is all that the Gospell requireth is no more then the weakest Christian is able to performe For so saith our Saviour to the poore Christian that is most wearied and over-burdened and broken-hearted Matth. 11.30 My yoke is easie and my burden light Thirdly and lastly Though to the best of the regenerate the coÌ„mandements of God even as Christ enjoyneth them be difficult cannot be performed without labour and paine in respect of the flesh and the remnants of corruption that are in them yet are they unto them in respect of the inward man and the regenerate part most easie and sweet I delight in the law of God saith the Apostle Rom. 7.22 after the inward man And for this wee have not only the expresse testimony of the holy Ghost 1
in our hearts is because we observe it no more nor take our selves with it we feele it no burden nor trouble to us we complaine not more to God of it nor cry more earnestly to him for helpe against it We have not because we aske not as the Apostle speaketh in another case Iam. 4.2 LECTVRES ON PSAL. LI. 6 Lecture XCV On Psalme LI. 6. August XIX MDCXXVIII And in the hidden part thou hadst made me to know wisedome WE have already heard that David suing unto God for mercy in the pardon of those heinous sinnes hee had falne into doth make humble confession of his sinne and accuse himselfe before God for it not onely in grosse and generall ver 3. but more fully in the three verses following For 1. He acknowledgeth his sin in particular that very sin that Nathan had charged him with ver 4. I have done this evill in thy sight 2. He aggravateth his sinne by foure arguments that is to say 1. From the consideration of the person against whom hee had sinned verse 4. Against thee thee onely have I sinned and done this evill in thy sight 2. From the consideration of the fountaine and root from whence this his sin did spring even his vile and cursed nature ver 5. Behold I was borne in iniquity and in sinne did my mother conceive me 3. From the consideration of that delight the Lord taketh in the truth and uprightnesse of the heart which hee found his corrupt heart so farre from specially in the committing of these foule sinnes in the beginning of this sixt verse Behold thou desirest truth in the inward parts 4. Lastly From the consideration of that truth of saving grace which God had wrought in him before he fell into these sinnes in these last words of the sixt verse And in the hidden part thou hadst made me to know wisedome For so I read the words 1. Because the originall will beare this sense as well as the other as might be shewed by many other places of Scripture where words of the future tense are put for the preter-perfect tense and as appeareth by the judgement of the most and best interpreters that is to say the Septuagint the vulgar latine Pagin Vatablus Tremellius Calvin Bucer the Geneva translatours who all understand the words to be meant of the time past not of the present or future time 2. Because this sense doth best agree with the scope of the place for David doth yet continue in the aggravation of his sinne and in professing his humiliation and sorrow for it The summe then of these words is an aggravation of his foule sinnes from the consideration of that sound conversion and truth of grace that God had wrought in him before hee did thus fall And in the words there are these three principall things to bee observed 1. The description David maketh of his owne true conversion and regeneration In the hidden part he had knowne wisedome 2. The author and worker of this his conversion In the hidden part thou hadst made me to know wisedome 3. The end and purpose David had in mentioning the truth of his conversion in this place that is to say to aggravate and increase his sinne by the consideration of it And for the first of these three points before we can receive that instruction which the Holy Ghost intendeth to give us in them three questions must first be moved and answered for the opening of the words First What meaneth he here by Wisedome I answer By wisedome he meaneth true religion and piety the knowledge of the right way how to serve God and to save our owne soules This onely the Holy Ghost calleth true wisedome Vnto man he said saith Iob 28.28 the feare of the Lord that is wisdome Teach us so to number our daies to be so perswaded of and to thinke of the uncertainty of our lives saith Moses in his prayer Psal. 90 1â— as we may apply our hearts unto wisedome As if hee had said As we may seriously study and endeavour to please thee and provide for the salvation of our owne soules But wisedome is justified of her children saith our Saviour Matth. 11.19 As though he should say Though the right way of salvation which Iohn Baptist and I doe teach be despised and rejected by the world yet by all those that God hath appointed unto salvation it is approved of and received Secondly What meaneth he here by the hidden part I answer By it he meaneth the heart which he called before the inward parts Thus the Lord himselfe expoundeth it Iob 38.36 Who hath put wisedome in the inward parts or who hath given understanding to the heart So the Apostle calleth the regenerate part the hidden man of the heart 1 Pet. 3.4 because it is hidden and concealed from all men Who can know it Ier. 17.9 Thou even thou onely saith Solomon 1 King 8.39 knowest the hearts of all the children of men Thirdly And how is hee then said here to have knowne wisedome in the hidden part I answer He did not onely see and discerne in his judgement the right way of salvation but God had made him able also with his heart and in affection to approve and like of it to know it feelingly experimentally effectually And indeed this is the onely right and saving knowledge This was the knowledge of Christ that the Apostle made so high account of Doubtlesse saith he Phil. 3.8.10 I count all things but losse for the excellency of the knowledge of Iesus Christ that I mâ—y know him and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of his sufferings that is experimentally and effectually And they that know not God and his waies thus in their heart but in their braine onely know him not aright As it is said of the Priests Elyes sonnes 1 Sam. 2.12 and may be too truly of many a Minister now even of such as can preach well that they knew not the Lord. The words then being thus opened we see this Doctrine doth naturally arise from them for our instruction That true and saving knowledge is the principall worke of Gods grace in the conversion of a man See the proofe of this Doctrine in three points First In every one whom God doth convert and regenerate hee worketh saving knowledge spirituall understanding This is the tenour of the new covenant Ier. 31 3â— 34. I will put my law in their inward parts and write it in their hearts and will be their God and they shall be my people And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour and every man his brother saying know the Lord for they shall all know me from the least of them to the greatest of them saith the Lord For I will forgive their iniquity and I will remember their sinne no more Every one whom God receiveth into covenant and to favour whose sinnes he forgiveth even the least the weakest of them all
the Sacrament that hath not care before hee goe to it to purge and cleanse himselfe from his sinnes 2. For the ministery of the word Every one saith the Lord Eze. 14.7 8. which separateth himselfe from mee and setteth up his idols in his heart every mans lust wee know is his idoll covetousnesse is idolatry Col. 3.5 and putteth the stumbling blocke of his iniquitie before his face affecteth it loveth it cannot looke of on it and commeth to a Prophet to enquire of him concerning mee seeketh to know my will out of my word I will set my face against that man saith the Lord. Certainely that man that bringeth to the hearing of the word any knowne sinne with him in his heart affecteth it loveth it is not willing to part with it separateth himselfe from God can have no hope that God will joyne or worke with him in this his ordinance nay hee highly provoketh God by comming to it in this manner Wherefore saith the Apostle 1 Pet. 2.1.2 laying aside all malice all guile and hypocrisies and envies and evill speakings as new borne babes desire the sincere milke of the word that ye may grow thereby As if hee had said There is no hope wee should ever grow in grace or thrive by the word in the best ministery under heaven if our care bee not before wee come to it to lay aside all our knowne sinnes with full purpose of heart never to take them up againe 3. Lastly For prayer If thou prepare thine heart and stretch out thine hands toward him saith Zophar Iob 11.13 14. if iniquitie bee in thine hand put it farre away and let not wickednesse dwell in thy tabernacles As if hee had said If a man before hee goe to prayer bee not carefull to cast away all his knowne sinnes nay if hee winke at or beare with any sinne that hee knoweth to be in his family he can have no hope to find audience or acceptance with God in any prayer that hee maketh unto him So that you see how undoubted a truth it is which the Prophet speaketh Esay 59.2 Our iniquities will separate betweene us and our God Certainely this is the maine cause why all Gods ordinances prove so fruitlesse to us wee read and heare and receive the Sacrament and pray ordinarily yea wee sometimes keepe fasts too and yet are never the better Though God have promised hee will meet with his people in his publique worship There that is in the tabernacle of the congregation I will meet with the children of Israel saith the Lord Exodus 29.43 And hee hath bound himselfe every whit as much to meet with his people in his publique worship under the Gospell as hee did then as is plaine Matth. 28. â—0 yet wee frequenting the tabernacle of the congregation ordinarily can seldome or never meet the Lord there nor find his gracious presence there What is the cause of this Surely some knowne sinne we harbour in our selves and which wee have no care to purge our selves of when we should goe to God breaketh the meeting and seperateth betweene us and our God So that to conclude the third Meanes If it bee indeed a trouble to us that we feele no more life and power no more fruit and comfort in any of Gods ordinances let us learne of Saul and do as he did 1 Sam. 14.37 38. When he had sought to God and the Lord answered him not he resolveth to search and find out by the best meanes that he could the speciall sinne that was the cause of it And so should we do Fourthly and lastly If wee doe indeed desire that God would accompany his ordinances and worke with them in our hearts we must beg this of God by fervent prayer This course wee should take in all things we are troubled with the want of in every thing wee doe desire Bee carefull for nothing saith the Apostle Philip. 4 6. but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thankesgiving let your request bee made knowne unto God As if he had said Acquaint God with all your desires But in our spirituall wants especially we should doe this No suit we can make to God pleaseth him so well as this when we beg grace of him It pleased the Lord saith the Text 1 King 3.10 that Solomon had asked this thing that is to say Wisedome and grace to governe well Neither is there any suit that we may be so sure to speed in as this How much more saith our Saviour Luk. 11.13 shall your heavenly father give the holy spirit to them that aske him And thus have I finished the two first things that I promised to handle in the enforcing of this exhortation it followeth that I proceed to the third and last thing that is to say To answer that which many good hearts are apt to object against themselves in this case There is no one thing that many of Gods servants doe more complaine of and mourne for then this that in no action or occasion of their life they are so heartlesse or uncomfortable as in the duties of Gods worship they profit not by any of Gods ordinances the Lord worketh not with them in their hearts For this they mourne and vexe themselves as judging it to be a certaine signe that they are forsaken of God and out of his favour yea they are even apt to resolve with themselves as good never a whit as never the better it is to no purpose for them to frequent the ordinances of God any longer seeing they are never the better for them To these good soules I have two things to say 1. Somewhat for their direction 2. Somewhat for their comfort First For thy direction I must say unto thee that 1 Seeing thou art expressely commanded of God to read and heare the Word to receive the Sacrament to pray 2 and that these are the meanes he hath ordained to work grace in thee and to save thee if ever thou be saved Therefore thou must 1 hold thy selfe bound to use them still even though yet thou think thou dost receive no good by them 2 strive to use them in obedience to God 3 use those foure meanes thou hast beene directed 4 wait for Gods blessing in the use of them Remember what the Apostle saith Gal. 6.9 Let us not be weary of well-doing for in due season wee shall reape if we faint not Thou must do as those poore impotent persons did Ioh. 5.3 they came to the poole of Bethesda and lay waiting there for the moving of the water So must thou still bring thy selfe to these ordinances of God and wait till God shall be pleased to stirre and move thy heart by them We read of Iacob that when the Lord had wrastled with him and seemed desirous to leave him and be gone Gen. 32.26 Iacob resolved he would not let him goe till hee had blessed him So should all true Israelites doe follow the Lord constantly in the use
was the onely ground of all his comfort he rejoiced and gloryed in nothing els God forbid saith he that I should glory save in the crosse of our Lord Iesus Christ. And thus we have heard the Doctrine confirmed unto us sufficiently Let us now proceed to the reasons and grounds of it and they are two principally according to the two severall branches of the Doctrine First No man can expect any mercy from God but onely through Christ Because he knoweth that he is by nature the child of wrath Wee all saith the Apostle Ephes. 2.3 were by nature the children of wrath even as others the elect as well as the reprobate the blessed Apostle as much as any other man was by nature the child of wrath And as he knoweth hee is in this estate by nature so by falling into and living in knowne sinnes he knoweth likewise that he provoketh the Lord afresh oftentimes and maketh him his enemie Thou hatest all workers of iniquity saith David Psal. 5.5 They rebelled and vexed his holy spirit saith the Prophet Esa. 63.10 speaking of Gods owne people therefore he was turned to be their enemy And who can expect mercy and kindnesse from him whom he knoweth to be his enemy No no no mercy no comfort can be looked for at Gods hands nothing but terrour nothing but indignation and wrath while God is our adversary till we be reconciled unto him Till then if a mans conscience be not senslesse there can be nothing in him but a certaine fearefull looking for of judgement as the Apostle speaketh Heb. 10.27 and of fiery indignation which shall devoure the adversaries Now Christ is the onely mediator between God and us to go betweene us and make reconciliation There is but one Mediator betweene God and man saith the Apostle 1 Tim. 2.5 the man Christ Iesus And Col. 1.19 20. It pleased the Father by him to reconcile all things unto himselfe Secondly No man can expect any mercy from God till he know first that the justice of God is satisfied for him As the Lord hath set this law unto all men to looke first to justice and then to mercy not to shew mercy unto any wiâ—h neglect of justice What doth the Lord require of thee saith he Mic. 6.8 but to do justly and to love mercy Thou shalt not respect the person of the poore in judgement saith the Lord Levit. 19.15 As if he had said Thou shalt not out of compassion to his distressed estate neglect to do justice So hath he set this law unto himselfe to looke first to justice and then to mercy not to have compassion upon any mans misery or to shew mercy on him with neglect of his justice For God is infinite in justice and will have his Law satisfied to the full It is easier for heaven and earth to passe saith our Saviour Luc. 16.17 than for one title of the law to faile As though he should say The Lord had rather heaven and earth and all the creatures therein should come to nought and perish everlastingly than that one word or title of his Law should faile and be unfulfilled And this is the irrecoverable sentence of his Law which the Apostle mentioneth Galat. 3.10 Cursed iâ— every one that continueth not in all things that are written in the Law to do them Till therefore a man know that this sentence of the law be fulfilled till a man know that this curse is borne for him he cannot expect to find any mercy with God See how the Lord hath expressed himselfe in this point even in that place where he hath amplified his mercy most and set it forth to the full I meane Exod. 34.6 7. The Lord is mercifull and gracious long sâ—ffering and abundant in goodnesse and truth keeping mercy for thousands forgiving iniquity and transgression and sinne What can be said more for the amplifying of Gods mercy than is said here And yet mark what followeth in the very next words and that will by no meanes cleare the guilty As if he had said As infinite as the Lord is in mercy yet will he by no meanes cleare any man that is guilty of the transgression of his law without satisfaction be made to his justice for him And who is able to make satisfaction to the justice of God for the sinne of man Who is able to satisfie the law and to beare this penalty and curse that is due unto him for the least transgression of it Who can stand before his indignation saith the Prophet Nah. 1.6 and who can abide in the fiercenesse of his anger Surely all the Angels and Saints in heaven and earth could not do it Onely Christ Iesus who was more than a man was able to doe it and did it for his elect to the utmost The Lord hath laid upon him saith the Prophet Esa. 53.6 the iniquity of us all that is the full punishment of all our iniquities Christ hath redeemed us saith the Apostle Gal. 3.13 from the curse of the law being made a curse for us He trod the winepresse of the fiercenesse and wrath of almighty God saith Iohn Rev. 19.15 There was not one jot of the fiercenesse and wrath of God that was due to the sinnes of any of the elect but he trod it out it came all upon him Christ himselfe our blessed Mediator could not make our peace with God nor get him to pardon our sinne and shew us mercy by intreaty or intercession or by any other meanes till he had satisfied the law for us till he had paid every farthing of our debt till he had borne the curse and punishment that was due to us for our sinnes even to the uttermost When we were enemies saith the Apostle Rom. 5.10 we were reconciled to God by the death of his Sonne nothing but the death of his Sonne would do it This truth the Lord taught his people even under the Law Without a sacrifice without shedding of blood there was no remission of any sinne saith the Apostle Heb. 9.22 It is the bloud saith the Lord Levit. 17.11 that maketh attonement for the soule And these are the reasons and grounds of the Doctrine Now before we come to the uses of it a question must be resolved to prevent the misunderstanding of this that hath beene delivered and to make way for the uses that are to be made of it How can it be said that no mercy can be obtained of God for us by any other way but by the bloudy passion of Iesus Christ seeing the Scripture so oft ascribeth our whole salvation to the meere grace and goodnesse of God onely By grace ye are saved saith the Apostle Eph. 2.5 And for the undoubted certainty of this truth he repeateth it againe Verse 8. in the very same words and teacheth us that our whole salvation commeth most freely unto us I will love them freely saith the Lord Hos. 14.4 We are justified freely by his grace saith the Apostle
and unfruitfull in the knowledge of our Lord Iesus Christ as the Apostle speaketh 2 Pet. 1.8 They say they know him to be their Lord and Saviour but this knowledge is no way effectuall in them to the reformation either of their hearts or lives Nay this their assurance hath wrought in them quite contrary effects unto those that I have proved unto you to be the kindly fruits of that assurance which the spirit of God worketh in the heart of any man Nothing doth so evidently discover the falshood of this their assurance as the fruits that it doth produce in them In which respects a man may fitly say of them as our Saviour doth of the false Prophets Matth. 7.20 By their fruits yee shall know them This will the better appeare if the confidence of these men be examined particularly according to those six severall effects of true assurance which we have heard of First Though they say they are assured that Christ so dearely loved them as that he shed his most precious bloud for their sinnes yet the knowledge of this love of God to them never made them to mourne or bee troubled in themselves ever a whit the more for their sinnes Nay this very thing maketh them go merrily away with them all and keepeth them from being grieved or troubled for any sinne that ever they committed because they say they know that Christ shed his bloud for their sins hath made their peace with God Seeing Christs soule was heavy Mat. 26.38 to the death for my sins saith he what need I be heavy for them my selfe Thus turning the grace of God into lasciviousnes as the Apostle speaketh Iude 4. As if he should say The very knowledge of this marvellous grace and mercy of God maketh them so lascivious as they are maketh them so joviall in their sins so void of all remorse and sorrow for sin as they are Secondly They are not the more fearefull to offend God in any thing because of his goodnesse towards them which they say they are so sure of nay this very thing maketh them bold to commit any sinne because the devill hath perswaded them as he would faine have perswaded our blessed Saviour Mat. 4.6 that though they do cast themselves headlong into any sin yet Gods mercy and love to them is such as hee will never suffer them to perish by it Tush saith hee I know God will give mee grace to repent of it before I dye and therefore what need I be so scrupulous or fearefull to enjoy the pleasure or profit of this sinne Hee besseth himselfe in his owne heart as Moses speaketh Deut. 29.19 saying I shall have peace though I walke in the imagination of my heart Thirdly They say they have tasted that the Lord is gracious and that they would not loose the sweetnesse and comfort of the assurance they have of Gods love and of their salvation for all the world and yet they love the word never the better for this Nay this is the very cause why they care not for the word have no desire to it no delight in it because they are sure enough already of their salvation and that Christ dyed for their sins They are like unto that faction in Corinth of whom the Apostle speaketh 1 Cor. 1.12 that gloried they were neither followers of Paul nor of Apollo nor of Cephas but of Christ onely They did so depend upon Christ that they cared for never a preacher in the world nor regarded to heare them Fourthly Though they speake and glory much of the Lords mercy and loving kindnes and though they be such as seeme to beare some love to his word to heare it gladly yet they practise nothing that they heare the assurance they have of Gods love maketh them never a whit the more carefull to walke in his truth Yea this very thing maketh them carelesse of doing or practising any thing they heare because they know that they are not under the law but under grace as Paul bringeth in wicked men objecting Rom. 6.15 Because they know Christ dyed for their sins and that we must not be saved by our works but by faith in him onely therefore they thinke it folly in them to be precise in their practise or to doe any good works at all Fiftly They say they are the Lords and have received his spirit which witnesseth with their spirits that they are his children that the Lord hath set his seale and marke upon them though there is no such thing to be seene upon their foreheads which is the place we have heard God setteth his seale upon None that live by them behold them daily converse with them can discerne any grace in them at all Nay men hold it now a dayes an high point of wisedome to conceale their love to religion to shun carefully every thing that may cause them to be noted for it They had rather bee counted any thing then a strict Christian they hold it no advantage no honour at all to have Gods seale on their foreheads but a matter of disgrace rather And yet these men are confident for all that that Christs bloud was shed for them that Gods spirit hath sprinkled it upon them though he have not set Gods marke upon their foreheads yet he hath set it upon their hearts certainly But if no man be so unwise as to light a candle and set it under a bushell as our Saviour speaketh Mat. 5.15 shall we thinke that the most wise God will set the light of his grace so in any mans heart as that none that are in the house with him are able to discerne it Sixtly and lastly They say confidently the Lord is their father and they are his children yet have they no care at all to honour God or to advance his glory any way If I be your father saith the Lord Malachi 1.6 where is mine honour Such as are by the spirit of adoption assured indeed that God is their father cannot but desire with all their hearts to honour him what they may Ye are bought with a price saith the Apostle 1 Cor. 6.20 therefore glorifie God in your body and in your spirit which are Gods And they that know indeed that they are not their own as the Apostle there saith but bought with such a price cannot choose but endeavour to do so Whether we live saith he Rom. 14.8 we live unto the Lord or whether we die we die unto the Lord whether we live therefore or die we are the Lords He that liveth so as God hath honour by his life and he that dyeth so as that God hath honour by his death may be sure he is the Lords and none but he And surely this proveth demonstratively that most men whatsoever they pretend have no true assurance that they are the Lords because it is neither any trouble at all to them to see God dishonoured by others neither have they any care at all to gaine any
unfeinedly and serve him with upright hearts that yet doe not know they doe so And though such may bee sure as you have heard in the former direction to attaine vnto assurance of Gods favour in the end yet would they certainly attaine unto it sooner and in better measure if themselves did know that they doe unfeinedly feare God and serve him with upright hearts Hereby wee know saith the Apostle 1 Ioh 3.19 that we are of the truth and shall before him assure our hearts When once we know we are of the truth of the number of those that are sincere and upright hearted then shall we assure our hearts even before God Now no man can know this well that is not carefull to observe consider and examine his owne waies Ponder the path of thy feet saith the Holy Ghost Pro. 4.26 and let all thy waies be established As if he had said By pondering and considering our doings well we may have them established make them stable and firme such as we may build sound comfort and assurance upon Hee that doth truth saith our Saviour Ioh. 3.21 that is hee that is indeed and in his practise not in profession onely a godly man commeth to the light that his deeds may bee made manifest that they are wrought in God As if hee should say Hee doth by the Word examine his deeds whether they bee so performed as God may bee pleased with them Certainely there is never a good duty wee performe at any time never a prayer wee make never a Sermon wee preach or heare never an almes wee give nay I say more never a bargaine wee make never a duty wee performe even towards men in our particular callings but it may give us assurance of Gods love if we can find it hath beene wrought in God that is done by the guidance of his spirit and with an upright heart For no man can doe any thing with an upright heart that is in faith and obedience and love to God till he be in Gods favour till he be in the state of grace and a justified man A corrupt tree saith our Saviour Mat. 7.18 a man that is in his naturall estate cannot bring forth good fruit As many as are led by the spirit of God saith the Apostle Rom. 8.14 they are the sons of God certainely Therfore also he telleth poore servants Col. 3.24 that did their service to their idolatrous and bad masters in singlenesse of heart fearing God that they knew even by this that they should receive of the Lord the reward of inheritance They might grow assured of their salvation even by doing the duties of servants with good and upright hearts And as any one duty performed with a good heart will give assurance of this in some measure so the more good works any man knoweth he hath done the longer he knoweth that he hath continued in a constant care to please God in all his waies the stronger his assurance shall be A strong and full assurance of salvation will not be gotten in a day or two by one or two good actions but by a constant continuing in wel doing and by long proofe and experience of the working of Gods grace in our hearts We desire saith the Apostle Heb. 6.11 that every one of you doe shewe the same diligence to the full assurance of hope unto the end As if he should say You have good things in you now and such as accompany salvation such as may give you good assurance of your salvation you shew much labour of love ye have ministred to the Saints and yet do minister but if you would get full assurance of hope you must hold out and doe so still to the end Two things there be that are wont to be objected by many a good heart against this First If a man could certainely know that the duties hee performeth were done with an upright heart that in his conversation and course of life he were led by the spirit of God then he might indeed thereby get this assurance But there is all the difficulty every man may find by experience the truth of that which the Prophet speaketh Ier. 17.9 The heart is deceitfull above all things and desparately wicked who can know it To this I answer that though this be indeed an hard thing yet this is not impossible The Lord that knoweth our hearts as deceitfull as they be as the Prophet there speaketh verse â—0 maketh his children also able to know their owne hearts and the uprightnesse of them Hezekiah knew he had walked before God in truth and with an upright heart as himselfe professeth Esa. 38.3 And Peter certainely knew that hee did unfeignedly love the Lord and durst call the Lord himselfe to witnesse for this Ioh. 21.17 And there is no Christian but if hee would ponder the path of his feet and take heed to his to his waies according to the word and take paines to examine them by the rules thereof he might know the uprightnesse of his owne heart in them it might be made manifest unto him that they are wrought in God as our Saviour speaketh Iohn 3 2â— Yea when he is at the worst and most destitute of his assurance if he could examine his owne heart he should find in it evident arguments of uprightnesse as feare to offend God in any thing longing after his favour and prizing it above all things love of the brethren poverty of spirit and griefe of heart for it upon which he might ground good assurance that he is in the favour of God O the wrong we doe to our selves in the carelesse neglect of observing and examining our own waies This is a maine difference betweene the upright hearted Christian and the naturall man The one is ever best perswaded of his own estate when he thinketh least of his owne waies and doings he cannot abide to examine his owne waies or to thinke seriously of his owne doings If by any hand of God upon him or by a searching ministery they bee brought into his mind it is a death unto him Like unto the broken merchant that cannot abide to goe into his counting house to cast over his bookes On the other side The upright hearted Christian is never so comfortable as when he hath most seriously coâ—siâ—ered his owne waies when his heart hath beene so searched as he can looke into the bottome of it Let every man prove his own worke saith the Apostle Gal 6.4 and then shall he have rejoycing in himselfe alone and not in another A good man shall be satisfied from himselfe saith Solomon Pro. 14.14 He shall if he will take paines to examine his owne heart find sufficient ground of comfort in himselfe The second thing that many a good soule will object against this is That hee hath done what hee can to examine his owne heart and hee can find no truth of grace in himselfe nothing to ground any good assurance upon To this I
15. did me much evill the Lord reward him according to his works of whom he thou aware also for he hath greatly withstood our words And what was the cause of his falling thus fearfully That the Apostle hath told us he forsook a good conscience He gave liberty to himself to sinne against his conscience to live in some knowne sinne Corruption in manners will breed corruption in judgement A man that hath once knowne and professed the truth is seldome knowne to fall into Popery or any other heresie till he had first forsaken a good conscience and by living in knowne sinnes provoked God to give him over thus farre So among other judgements this is one whereby God threatneth to punish the disobedience of his people Deut. 28.36 Thou shalt serve other gods of wood and of stone thou shalt become a grosse and senslesse idolater And the Apostle speaking of them that in this last age should be drawne unto Popery 2 Thes. 2. he speakes of it Vers. 11. as of a fearefull judgement of God upon men for some sinnes they had beene guilty of For the cause saith he God shall send them strong delusiâ—â—s that they should believe a lie They shall be strongly deluded How By the learning or holinesse or miracles of their Priests No but by the most just hand and curse of God upon them God shall send them strong delusions that there shall be no errour in Popery so grosse no lie so palpable but they shall verily and undoubtedly believe it Marvell not then at their confidence For this cause saith the Apostle For what cause What is the sinne 〈◊〉 provokes God to plague men in this manner He nameth two one in Vers. 10 because they received not the love of the truth that they might be saved the second Vers. 12. because they tooke pleasure in unrighteousnesse To conclude then this second direction what hope can there be that many common Protestants though they be willing to heare and make profession of the truth should ever be able to continue constant in the truth in the time of tryall but that they will be apt to turne Papists blasphemers and persecutors of the truth when a time of tryall shall come seeing 1 they beare no love to the truth at all take no delight in it love every trifle and vanity better than it 2 they give liberty to themselves to live in knowne sinnes and take pleasure therein 3 they content themselves with a forme of godlinsse as the Apostle speaketh 2 Tim. 3.5 but deny and renounce the power of it and hate it mortally wheresoever they see it casting the most odious aspersious upon it Lecture CXLIX On Psalme 51.7 Nouem 1. 1631. IT followeth now that we proceed unto the third Direction and that is this He that would preserve himselfe from falling quite away from the truth and forsaking his religion must take heed of declining from or forsaking of the least truth he must not give himselfe liberty to shrink and fall from the least truth that God hath revealed unto him and wherein his conscience hath beene convinced that it is indeed a truth of God Two things there be whereby men do falsly warrant themselves to take this liberty and they be both of them certaine and undeniable truths First That there be many good and worthy men that see not nor make any reckoning of such truths as themselves have been convinced in And indeed a man may bee a right good man and indued with a great measure of saving grace and yet he cannot see nor be perswaded of some truths that God hath taught us in his holy Word but his judgement is erroneous and unsound in some points yea though he hath had great meanes to informe him in the truth yet he cannot see it And that therefore difference in judgement in some things which cannot be without errour on the one side should not alienate the hearts of brethren one from another as I shewed you in my last lecture but two out of Rom. 14 1-6 Secondly That on the other side there be many in whom no life nor power of godlinesse can be discerned that busie themselves altogether and glory in these points And indeed it is an ill signe in any and a shrewd note of an hypocrite to busie his braines about truths of lesâ—e moment with neglect of greater when a man shall seeke to be expert and cunning in those truths which concerne the ceremonies and discipline of the Church and be stiffe in the holding and maintaining of them and yet be ignorant and void of all desire to learne the doctrine of faith and repentance of mortification and newnesse of life the meaning of the ten commandements and articles of our faith of the Lords Prayer and doctrine of the Sacraments For such persons are doubtlesse under that wo that Christ denounceth Mat. 23.24 against them that straine at a gnat and swallow a camell But though these two things I say be so yet for a man to be wilfully ignorant of the truth of God in any thing wherein he is pleased to reveale his will unto us in his holy Word or to forsake it when he hath once beene convinced of it out of this conceit that it is but a small matter a trifle a man may be saved though he never know nor hold such a truth is a very dangerous sinne Observe I pray you the proofe of this in three points First Though some truths of God be comparatively greater than others as our Saviour saith Mat. 23.23 some matters of the Law and Word of God are weightier than others yet is not any one truth of God to be accounted small or of little or no moment even of those points of the law which he cals but gnats in comparison of others our Saviour saith Mat. 23.23 these ought ye to have done and not to leave the other undone even those small things ought not to be neglected ought not to be left undone I have written to them saith the Lord Hos. 8.12 the great things of my Law They are all great things that God hath written and revealed to us in his holy Word All the truths of God which the Apostles when the Spirit fell upon them in cloven tongues like fire did utter and teach are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Acts 2 11. Magnalia Dei the great things of God Yea the least truth of God that he hath revealed in his Word is to be esteemed of greater moment and weight than heaven and earth and all the creatures contained in them It is easier for heaven and earth to passe saith our Saviour Luk. 16.17 than that one title of the law should faile It is therefore a great contempt done unto Gods Word to think so lightly of any thing he hath taught us in it as if it were not worth the knowing or not worth the holding and sticking to when we do know it When David hath professed his high esteeme of Gods Word
affected with the miseries of the Church and bow 562 c. Pray for the Church 567 Onely the Church hath benefit by Christ. 744 Nor all within that Ibid. Church-Assemblies Being come into them we must set our selves as in the presence of God 35 Their sin which behave themselves unreverently in them 36 That sleepe ordinarily there 708 709 That absent themselves from them 710 Reverence due in them in three regards 709 The fulnesse of them a comfort to Gods children 800 Civill-honesty In it selfe a good thing pleasing to God and such as he useth to reward 692 693 The great sinne of Professors that are defective in that 694 695 Yet no sound comfort to be found in this alone 695 696 Comfort Ministers must take care to comfort such as are afflicted in conscience though the greatest part of their audience stand not in need of the word of consolation 135 136 459 649 650 Reasons to perswade such as are afflicted in mind to give way to comfort 137 God intends good to his children by with-holding comfort from them for a time 142 Comfort for those that complaine and mourne for their unprofitablenesse in the use of Gods ordinances 595 Of their doubtings and infidelity 647 648 654 680 682 Common-wealth A great sin to be all for ourselves and to have no care of the common good 125 We must seeke the good of it 806 The Gospell brings blessings to it 806 807 Communion Their sin that forbeare it because they are out of Charity 113 Because we come not to it rightly humbled wee depart without comfort 265 266 There 's great force in that to work assurance of Gods favour in Christ. 635 And constancy in the truth 797 Concupiscence without consent is sin 306 Conference We should conferre of what we heare specially in our owne families 40 41 Good in trouble of mind to make knowne our case to some faithfull friend or Minister 151 Confession He that truly repents will willingly confesse and bewaile his sin 158 He that can rightly and truly confesse his sins may be sure to find mercy in the pardon of them 159 160 The Reasons why Gods people have beene so willing to confesse their sinnes and why the Lord hath so much delighted to see them do so 161 162 How farre forth confession of sinne in private to a Minister or other friend is not necessary 163 164 How farre forth it is profitable and fit 164 165 Those whose sinnes are publike and scandalous must be willing to make publike confession and profession of their repentance 171 c. Three cautions touching this 171 Confession of our sinnes to God is of all other most necessary and usefull 191 192 Five meanes whereby we may be enabled to confesse our sinnes aright 196 c. Five properties of sincere confession of sinne 198 203 Conscience Thy conscience will one day bring thy secretest sinnes to thy mind 207 And smite thee for them 208 No comparison betweene the pleasure of sinne and that 209 A good conscience a speciall meanes to make us beare affliction comfortably and patiently 272 And to get assurance of Gods favour 409 410 638 641 Make conscience of every truth 793 794 Conversion The power and goodnesse of God to us in it is admirable 342 c. God hath set a time for every mans conversion we must count the present time that 345 Reioyce in the truth of grace wrought in thee 346 In it a change and reformation wrought in the whole man 414 Three cautions 415 416 Conversion is to be ascribed wholly unto God and the mighty working of his grace 503 c. 519 The work of grace in the conversion of man is most free 510 511 God in denying the meanes of conversion or grace of conversion to any doth them no wrong because he is a solute Soveraigne 519 520 In that he denies effectuall grace to profit by the meanes to most he manifests his free grace and mercy to his elect 520 God in conversion not onely offers grace but conâ—ers and inâ—useth that grace into the will that actually inclines it 524 Covetousnesse True saith will subdue it 733 Curiosity Take heed of affecting the knowledge of curious intricate and unprofitable points 785 This discerned three wayes 786 788 D. Death ONe chiefe thing that should make the faithfull willing to die is that then they shall sin no more but be freed from all possibility of falling away 11 324 325 In the best an unwillingnesse to die 325 Delay Presently set upon the practice of what you have learned out of the Word 43 Seeke speedily the pardon of sin 9â— Without delay make thy best use of the meanes of conversion 346 Desire Vnfained desire to please God a signe of uprightnesse 438 439 463 Five differences between the desires of the godly and the wicked 442 443 Signes to know a true desire of grace 465 Doubting All doubting is not a signe of infidelitie 242 Yet a dangerous signe not to bee able to believe the Word nor to be troubled with infidelity Ibid. Or to dispute against the Word 243 Comforts for such of Gods children as doubt they are hypocrites 461 A man may be in the state of grace though hee perceive it not 650 651 He that finds least comfort in himselfe yet should rest upon Christ. 653 E. Enemies WE must love them and expresse it in eight duties 752 753 Errours Corruption in iudgement the most dangerous corruption 779 780 The faithfull may erre in matters of smaller moment 780 781 Yea in fundamentall points for a time 782 We must shun the hearing and conâ—erring with seducers 784 Examination Christians should daily examine their wayes 197 198 A meanes to get and increase assurance of Gods favour 641 643 Example Great force in example 298 Experience It is profitable to call to mind the signes of grace we had in former times 643 And the speciall Experiments wee have had of Gods love in temporall blessing 644 But specially in spirituall things 645 Exercises of Religion Every man is to spend some part of every day in them 320 Conscionable use of them is a meanes to mortifie corruption 321 F. Faith WIthout faith we cannot beare afflictions patiently but having it we may 266 267 How to trie it 268 Diverse effects of it 627 True faith is operative 626 Comfort for such as complaine of the weaknesse of it 269 Till faith come into the heart no sin can be mortified but when it commeth it will mortifie sin 326 327 Two reasons of that 327 330 We must exercise and make use of our faith 330 Faith the root of all true piety and love to God 397 There may be true faith where there is no assurance of salvation 411 650 652 Wherein the nature of true faith consisteth 411 413 653 It will bring comfortable assurance in the end 413 The inward instrument to sanctifie the heart 731 All men by nature unable to believe 746 Falls of the godly The truly