weather-beaten and to cry out Miserable or spoyled man that I am who shall deliuer me from the body of this death chap. 7.24 The remedie of this disease is the powerfull operation of the Spirit that destroyeth by degrees the cursed worke of Satan in vs and perfecteth the good worke he hath begun within vs. Chap. 8. vers 11. whence we are taught Vse 1 First a reall difference betwixt him that is truly sanctified and the man wholly in the state of full corruption For the one striketh still to cut 1. Ioh. 3.3 and rend this euill tree vp at the roots the other onely to preuent and hinder the outward buds and fruits that it produceth Carnall men neuer looke to the fountaine from whence this bitter water springeth bubleth Vse 2 And here we are instructed whither to runne for help when we cannot stay the fountaine of originall sinne only to the Spirit of God for as Christ had power to heale the woman of the bloody issue which all the Physitians could not cure so hath the holy Ghost and no other this power priuiledge It is a worke that requires an infinite workeman to perfect Pray then with the Prophet Psal 51.11 Lord take not thy holy spirit from me For the third and last euill which is affliction and persecution the Apostle also giueth vs a helpe against it and that is comprehended in the verse read vnto you which is though afflictions be not ioyous but grieuous for the present Heb. 12.11 yet they shall turne to our good at the latter ende In which words for our better proceeding wee may obserue two things The one is an affirmed proposition We know that all things worke together for good The other to whom these contrary things doe worke for good and they are described first by an effect that they loue God secondly by an adiunct that they are called which calling is closely argued by the Author and chiefe efficient God by the maner or rule according to his purpose In the proposition note these particulars First things secondly that these things worke thirdly that they all worke fourthly that they all worke together fifthly that they all worke together for good sixthly and that we know c. This for the proposition the limitation of its obiect or fruit of its operation followeth But before we come to the seuerall doctrines this verse affoordeth wee will clearely and briefly open the meaning We That is I Paul and other grounded and strong Christians men and women as well of the Laity as Preachers of the Gospell Know Knowledge is tooke often in Scripture for faith because they are inseparable companions Rom. 10.14 For how can they beleeue in him of whom they haue not heard And so it is taken where Iob saith I know my Redeemer liueth Ioh 19.25 Ioh. 17.3 that is I beleeue and This is eternall life to know thee that is to beleeue in God and whom he hath sent Iesus Christ And so may it be vnderstood here We know that is we beleeue c. Againe Knowledge is either Notionall or experimentall Notionall is the bare apprehension of the truth of an Art Ioh. 3.11 2. Pet. 2.21 or rule in any science but experimentall knowledge is when we haue seene and felt the truth of a thing verified either in our selues Gen. 3.6.7 or others And so Adam after hee had eaten of the prohibited fruit did know the nature of it in the effects 2 Chron. 33.13 by his owne experience So Manasseh knew God Rom. 1.16 and so Paul the power of the Word And in this place it may be tooke for a knowledge of experience and not notionall onely So that the full sense is this Wee are assured by faith that all shall worke for good and wee know it too by experience in our selues Onely marke this that experimentall knowledge looketh backward faith forward the one which is faith relieth on the truth of the promise to be the other that is experimental knowledge is grounded vpon the word and will of God accomplished That all All is tooke for all kinds and all of all kindes that is collectiuely excluding not any thing or for of each thing some that is to say distributiuely excluding some things For example The Pharisies did tithe all hearbes Luk. 11.42 1. Tim. 2.4 that is of all kinds of hearbs God would haue all men to be saued viz. of all sexes men women and of all callings superiours inferiours or of all nations Iewes Gentiles Barbarians Scythians And in the largest sense it may be tooke in this place For the Apostle seemes to answere a secret obiection Some might say What shall affliction worke for good the answere is Yes whatsoeuer it be good or bad Things Things is any thing from God to the least ens entity and being for sinne it selfe is called a thing as These things Psal 50.21 that is these sinnes hast thou done So that by things here is meant any thing that can be named or conceiued Heb. 12.11 Worke To wit Turne or fall out in the end and euent by Gods disposing Together Not apart or as they be simply to bee considered in themselues for separate affliction from grace or Gods ouer-ruling and disposing hand Gen. 50.20 it cannot worke but for euill As simple poyson by it selfe receiued doth kill but being mixed with other ingredients cureth the sicke patient so doth sinne For good That is for the good of grace here Psal 119.71 and glory hereafter For we exclude naturall and ciuill goodnesse from this good in this place mentioned though in another respect they may haue their prize and praise To them that loue God Deut. 11.1 Mat. 10.37 Loue is sometimes put for all the duties of religion But Paul doth mention it heere before any other thing for two reasons First because without loue al our proceedings are vnacceptable to God 1. Cor. 13.1 c. this is that spirituall salt that seasoneth all our actions Secondly 2. Cor. 5.14 in regard that we cannot suffer any affliction for any person or thing if we doe not loue it and affect him therefore Iacob serued seuen yeeres for Rahel Gen. 29.20 and they seemed vnto him but a few daies because he loued her And are called Calling is manifold either from the subiect place so God called his people out of Egypt or by the instrumentall causes Psal 19.3 so God calleth by his creatures iudgements word and actions or to an office so Iudas Againe it is effectuall or not effectuall Mat. 22.14 Many are called but not truly sauingly Now a man is said to be effectually called in respect of the manner ordinarily or extraordinarily ordinarily is 1. Cor. 1.2 by the Word and Spirit co-operating in a mans conuersion extraordinarily when the Spirit immediately without the Word read or preached speaketh to the heart of a sinner saying Arise thou that art out of
THE GOOD MANS PRIVILEDGE A SERMON LATELY PREACHED AT PLIMMOVTH IN DEVON By I. B. AND NOW PVBLISHED AT the request of some that then were Auditors PSALM 4.6 Who will shew vs any good MICAH 6.8 He hath shewed thee O Man what is good LONDON Imprinted by F. K. for Nathanael Newbery and are to be sold at his shop vnder St. Peters Church in Cornhill and in Popes-head Alley ouer against the signe of the white horse 1618. TO THE WORSHIPFVLL FRANCIS DRAKE OF BVCKLANDDRAKE IN DEVON Esquire I. B. wisheth all grace and glory I Am constrained good Sir to satisfie your desire in so small a request as the publishing of those lines whereunto sometimes you in your owne person gaue attention and after the deliuery an acceptable approbation Now if it be well done you were the first mouer and deserue the honour of the action but if not I cannot impute the fault to any except my selfe Well howeuer it be I haue but done your desire and my owne duty for I freely confesse that your loue many waies manifested to me deserues aboue my abilitie to make equall requital proportionable satisfaction You are well acquainted with my familiar phrase rude manner of speaking therefore I cease to make any apology or defence in my owne behalfe yet truth is truth that as good cloath may haue the coursest colour the most precious stone bee put in the vncleanest corner and sometimes set too in the impurest mettall so may matter of great worth bee couched vnder a meane stile and come to view in a familiar and plaine habit For as the siluer vessell in which the meate is dished doth not adde to the essence of the dyet but comlinesse and content no more doe choise words to the truth deliuered only they may giue some outward glosse which may delight and that 's all Might I speake my opinion then it is this I doe affect and commend Rhetorique and elegancie of speech with any of any for therein the wisedome of God shineth But to haue queint phrase and a neate stile amongst the vulgar is though lawfull not expedient Hee therefore that will benefit the rude people must speake plainely carry a low sayle and descend to their capacities Was not our Lord Christ Wisdome it selfe did hee not notwithstanding draw similitudes from the most familiar and common things as the hiding of leauen the loosing of a groat and children playing in the market place Who wiser except the first and second Adam then Salomon yet none plainer then hee in his Prouerbs He telleth of wringing the nose churning of milke and of a ring in a Swines snout was this want of art wisdome or learning Wherefore let him that can and will amongst the simple grapple with his Greeke flourish with his Fathers bring foorth farre fetcht Etymologies and obscure Hebraismes but as for me I either cannot or will not And thus I commend you with all yours vnto God and to the word of his grace which is able to build further and to giue you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified Amen Your Worships in all dutie IOHN BARLOVV From my Study in Plymmouth Iuly 8. 1618. TO THE READER REader it is concluded for our parts whatsoeuer our aduersaries affirme that there are but two ends for all men at the last either life or death saluation or condemnation Then from this truth I collect this necessary position that All men are either tending to the one or trudging to the other If thou bee in the narrow path which is comfortable these few lines will yeeld thee some though little roome ease and ability to goe on with the more cheerfulnesse the which to a wearie and almost tyred traueller cannot but giue good content But if thou be in the broad which is fearful they may through the good hand of God be of force to cause thee smite thy hand vpon thy thigh and alter thy iourney For the producing of either which effects was the cause I first preached it and now since though requested haue penned it Who knoweth not the frowardnesse of mans will how improne it is to run after the rule of Gods commands And what mā but vnderstandeth that Good or Euill be the proper obiects for to moue and allure it to turne the perfect way Then this being truth reade these though ragged lines for they will giue thee to see into many mysteries secret things that be in the course of godlinesse and declare vnto thee what thing is profitable for all things so that if thou canst but obtaine one thing thou shalt want nothing Thou thinkest this a hard matter Well bee it so yet reade on and then consider consult and giue sentence Thine in the Lord Iesus I. B. THE GOOD MANS PRIVILEDGE Rom. 8.28 And we know that all things worke together for good to them that loue God and are called according to his purpose AMongst many three things haue and doe most molest the children of God One is The guilt of sinne another inbred or originall corruption the last is troubles and affliction Now the Apostle being a skilfull Physition prescribeth a threefold remedie for his distempered patients the which being truly vnderstood and rightly applied will expell the danger of the diseases and restore them that be sicke thereof vnto perfect soundnesse For the first Hee that would escape the guilt of his sinnes and be able to stand iust before God must not relie vpon the merit of his owne workes but by faith beleeue in and rest vpon Christ Iesus Psal 130.3 For if the Lord should marke what is done amisse man were neuer able to abide it neither the rigour of the Law or the seuerity of his iustice But he that beleeueth in the Sonne of God and is by faith made one with him becommeth truly and perfectly righteous 1. Tim. 1.9 so that the law of God cannot condemne him or the iustice of God lay hold vpon him for hee hath in Christ and by him a righteousnesse that can and will giue a full payment and an absolute satisfaction both to the Law and the Author of it Wherefore the Apostle maketh this peremptorie conclusion that to such There is no condemnation vers 1. where by the way wee may learne a double lesson Vse 1 First the vanity of the doctrine of the Papists that relie vpon their owne workes and worthinesse for iustification before the Lord when as Paul though knowing nothing by himselfe 1. Cor. 4.4 yet confesseth ingeniously hee was not thereby iustified Vse 2 Againe this must direct vs what to doe when the number of our sinnes are too heauie for vs viz. to labour to be found not hauing our owne righteousnesse which will neuer answere the iustice of the law Phil. 3 9. but the righteousnesse which is by faith in Christ Iesus For the second Inward and originall corruption will cause the man of God to droope to hang downe the wing like a Hawke that is
we reade 2. Tim. 4.11 that Paul willed Timothy to bring Marke with him for he was profitable to minister A rare spirit was this in Paul and hard to bee found in these dayes that would send from Rome to Troas for an assistant Finally let vs now come to our selues and if wee bee effectually called all that is within vs or that proceedeth from vs shall turne to our benefit not onely the good graces of Gods spirit and all outward fauours with our holy actions but our Originall sinne and actuall transgressions For first this inbred corruption will humble vs to the earth and make vs vile in our owne eyes Secondly cause vs to pray earnestly and often and thirdly will we nill we to denie our owne power and free-will and fourthly to seeke to God for mercy in Christ his Sonne And our actuall sinnes will worke the same effects also And is not he that is burthened wounded humbled in the way to be eased healed exalted I could instance in particulars Sampson some thinke sinned in matching with the Philistim Iudg. 14. yet thereby God brought a great destruction vpon the Churches enemies and made him a liuely type of our Lord. Isaac mist it through circumstance Gen. 26.8.9 insporting with Rebeccah notwithstanding it was a meanes of his safe deliuery out of the Kings hands Iacob may steale his brothers blessing but cannot the Lord sanctifie it vnto him 1. Sam. 21. vlt. Dauids faining of himselfe madde cannot well bee excused what of that God can so worke that thereby he shall escape death and danger And let this be obserued that as a man hauing tumbled in the mire and mudde by occasion whereof washeth off his clothes many lesser spots then which hee before that fall neglected so the faithfull through the commission of some great and fowle offence be brought by repentance to cleanse themselues of smaller sinnes then which had not yet been reformed except the other had befallen them And these may serue to manifest the truth of the thing that actuall sinne shall as it hath worke by the good hand of God for his childrens benefit and great commodity And now I come to render some generall reasons of the generall Proposition Reason 1 And first of all who can hinder the Lord from this action Prou. 21.30 Is there any wisedome counsell or vnderstanding against him cannot he tell that made all things of nothing brought light out of darknesse how to turne all for the good of the godly Who or what is able to preuent it no policy or inuention of man or Angell Reason 2 Againe his power is proportionable to his vnderstanding â—ob 9.4 for as he is wise in heart so is hee mighty in strength He can confound the policy of Achitophel breake the arme of Satan and turne the fierie bullets of his foes bark into their faces to fight for him and his and destroy the aduersaries he can cause all the crooked wheeles of the wicked to runne straight for the execution of his good pleasure This he hath done and this he can and will effect hereafter Reason 3 Moreouer as he knoweth how to doe it and hath power to effect it so hath he a will to execute it and who is able to hinder that irresistable motion â—om 9.19.22 will chaffe cast on the violent streame stay the current thereof from running shall a feather hinder the turbulent wind from blowing or the pismire moue the earth out of the worlds center why then may his will be preuented frustrated Reason 4 And is it not for his owne glory to effect this for the seed of the woman and for the shame of the wicked to bruise the head of that subtill Serpent Yes doubtlesse for if all his plots were not ouerthrowne then Satan and his brood should haue somewhat to glory in God to bee humbled for but they shall neuer effect their willes or the Lord be preuented of his Isa 59.5.6 They may weaue the webbe of the Spider but a winde shall huffe it away sit and hatch the Cockatrice egges but they shall breake forth into a Serpent that shall eate out her owne and their bowels And thus we come to make vse of the doctrine which is profitable euery manner of way Vse 1 First for confutation of the Papists who maintaine that A man effectually called iustified and in some measure sanctified may fall totally and for euer If the Popes position be a truth then the Apostles is a falshood for if one may fall from sauing grace and vtterly perish how can all things be said to worke together for good to such a person And in my opinion no one Text though there bee many for that purpose doth more make against our Aduersaries then this we haue in hand And what a comfortlesse doctrine is that which they defend Vse 2 The next is for reprehension of those which say It is in vaine to be religious Iob 21.15 What profit is there in seruing the Almighty What profit why all profit for all things shall worke together for their good sinne Satan death iudgement and hell Yea the worst thing that befalleth any of his children shall doe them more good then the best shall that can befall the wicked Heb. 11.25.26 It was better for Moses to suffer affliction with the faithfull then to haue been called the sonne of Pharaohs daughter and enioyed the pleasures of sinne for a season Oh that the men of our age did consider but this one thing then doubtlesse they would alter their minds and speedily change their manners For many fall into vtter desolation because they doe not deepely ponder this in their hearts Vse 3 And here it may teach the enemies of Gods children to learne a point of wisedome and if they will not shew themselues mad men to amend Psal 2.2 Psal 11.2 The Papist and Atheist may band themselues against the Lords annointed shoot at the vpright in heart and make hast to the spoyle But the righteous God shall cut their cords asunder Why then doe the Heathen rage Psal 94.8 and the people murmure a vaine thing O yee fooles when will ye be wise I haue often wondred why they still perseuere in their mischiefe But either they beleeue not the truth Psal 14.1 for the foole hath said in his heart there is no God or else with some of the former Pharisies and Alexander they haue sinned vnto death and that is a wickednesse implacable and if not so yet like Elymas the Sorcerer Act. 5.3 and 13.10 they are full of the diuell and pursue them of enuie or for lucre's sake and haue their hearts so set vpon malice Rom. 1.32 that though they are conuinced in iudgement and know that they doe euill and that God will reuenge yet will they persist in their wicked practises Doe wee not see some wrangling Clyants that though their learned Counsell tell them that their case