and liberall speech Next he speakes in us according to that of Saint Paul 2. Cor. 13.3 Doe you seeke experience of Christ that speaks in me For which voice David prayeth thus Psal 35 3. Say thus unto my soule I am thy salvation O familiar and comfortable speech Thirdly he speakes for us according to that in Saint Iohn 17.24 Father I will that those which thou hast given mee bee there even where I am and in his first Epistle 2. cap. 1. If any man sinne wee have an Advocate with the Father Iesus Christ the righteous Lastly he speakes of us according to that in the Revelation cap. 3.5 I will confesse his name before my Father and the Angells So then hee speakes to us by way of Invitation in us by way of Inspiration for us by way of Intercession of us by way of Commendation he speaks to us by his word in us by his Spirit for us by his bloud of us by his Iudgement But observe the Lords Order first to us next in us then for us lastly he speakes of us If thou wilt not heare the Lord speaking to thee in his Word if thou do'st not finde the Lord speaking in thee by his Spirit if thou dost not rest upon the Lord speaking for thee by his bloud thou shalt never heare him speaking of thee by commendable testimony That the Lord speakes for us is good and gracious but that he speakes of us as in the Gospell Mat. 25. Euge serve bone c. Well done good servant and faithfull is an absolute happy and honorable speech Blessed is that man may heare the Lord Iesus say of him Behold a true Christian 2. The Manner IN the manner of Nathaneels commendation eight things may be observed First the Order of Christ in praising The Lord knew Nathaneel before but yet he never said any thing of him by commendation untill he saw him comming unto him whence we may collect that then a mans actions are laudable in Gods judgement and his life honourable when Christ is made the end and scope thereof It cannot be but that the Lord sees thee comming hee sees thee going hee sees thee hearing praying working trading he is about thy bed and about thy paths and spies out all thy wayes then thy heart hath comfort thine action honour when the Lord may say that hee sees thee comming to him Men talke of faire and goodly sights but how happy for us and how comely a sight were it if the Lord might see us all this day comming unto him But we may now justly complaine with Bernard Vix quaeritur Iesus propter Iesum scarcely is Iesus sought for Iesus sake the falsehood of intention not ayming at Gods glory not respecting the Lords eye which beholds the truth of the inward parts make that though by customary and ceremonious professiō the Lord may say that he sees many comming yet indeed few comming unto him Secondly this praise is given 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in presence Iesus said of him and that before him he prayseth Nathanael to his face which showes that if praise bee free from flattery used with moderation intending the encouragement of vertue and approbation of the good it is no fault to commend in presence though it is the part of a wise man to use it sparingly and of a good man not greedily to heare his owne praise Thirdly this praise is given 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 openly and in publike in the audience of many The Lord is not asham'd to take notice of his poorest servant openly to acknowledge and honour his meanest professor Here have we specimenfuturae retributionis the very Image and token of our future recompence according to that of Christ Mat. 6.4 Thy Father that seeth in secret he will reward thee openly Let us endeavour to abound in good things and to lay up good works as treasures and let us leave it to the Lord to lay them open to shew them forth who hath all things noted in his booke Fourthly this praise is given by certainety of demonstration Behold a true Israelite saith Christ hee is pointed forth by him that is onely able to discerne betweene the Sheepe and the Goats we praise by the censure of charity Christ by the certainty of knowledge we hope well of many wee can point out none We leave them to be discerned and pointed forth by that finger that made them Fifthly this praise is according to the truth of the thing in him for Iesus would never have said this of him if hee had not found it in him It is impossible that the eyes of the Lord which behold the things which are just should be obscured with Error Vanity or Partiality For as Saint Iohn saith 1 Ioh. 3.7 He that doth righteousnesse is righteous so the man which is righteous indeed is so accounted before God and no other Think'st thou that the Lord will account the hypocrite the wanton the unjust person a true Israelite the praise that comes of God is not deceitfull or vaine Hee neither condemnes the righteous nor justifies the wicked And that praise which the scripture gives unto the servants of God is according to the truth of the thing in them not according to imputation Sixthly this praise is according to the favour of the Gospell and the measure of sincerity not according to the rigour of the Law and the fulnesse of perfection Though Christ saith of Nathanael Behold a true Israelite in whom is no guile yet he saith not in whom is no sinne Saint Iohn saith 1 Iohn 1.8 whosoever affirmeth that hee hath no sinne deceiveth himselfe and there is no Truth in him and if Nathanael should have thought that hee had no sinne in him he should have had no truth in him By the grace of Imputation we have no guilt no sinne but by the grace of Sanctification we have no guile no fraud That is in very deed we confesse that in many things we offend all and sincerely and from our hearts indeavour no longer to serve sinne but to please God in all things Before the preventing grace of GOD comes which makes us to walke commendably before God we are all lame from our mothers wombe like the Creeple at Lystra not able to stirre in the waies of GOD having receiv'd grace yet we are many times lame like Mephibosheth 2 Sam. 4.4 by some grievous fall and having present grace he that stands surest may cry with David my foot had well-nigh slipt and the truest Israelite that striveth to walke with God in uprightnes Gen. 32.31 is lame like Iacob that halts on his thigh though not in his heart and though his spirit be willing yet his flesh is weake Though the true Israelite doth not appeare before the Lord empty yet he hath but a Mite in his hand and he that sees clearest by the annoynting of the eye-salve hath yet a mote in his eye and he that is covered with the white
delay breeds danger and opportunity is precious according to that of the heathen 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hesiod opportunity is the best thing If wee were truely wise wee would have a care not to drive away the acceptable time of our salvation but as the Apostle counsells to redeeme the time because the dayes are evill and to thinke that if delay be dangerous in the baser it is madnesse to use it in the best things The Lord Iesus beholding Ierusalem foreseeing her desolation lamenting her misery declares the cause of it in this speech Because thou knew'st not the time of thy visitation Luke 19. So the Holy Ghost ascribes the captivity of the Israelites to their neglect and contempt of the Lords call 2 Chr. 36.15 16. The Lord God of their Fathers sent his messengers unto them rising early and sending for he had a compassion on his people and on his habitation But they abused his Prophets and made a mocke of his messengers till the wrath of the Lord was against them and that there was no remedie The wasting of Israel by the Egyptians is also assign'd to the abusing of Gods grace offered Ier. 2.17 Hast not thou procured this unto thy selfe saith the Prophet because thou hast forsaken the Lord thy God when hee led thee by the way marke how the Lord aggravates their sinne by reproving their ingratitude namely in that they then forsooke the Lord even when he was their guide and leader O how fearefull is that commination of Saint Paul Heb. 6.7 The land which drinkes in the raine that falls oft upon it and brings forth hearbs meete for him by whom it is dressed receiveth blessing from God but if it bring forth bryars and thornes it is reprobate neere unto cursing whose end is to be burned That we are a land which have often received the spirituall raine of Gods Word cannot be denyed whether wee have brought forth fruits meete for him by whom we are dressed our lives may testifie sure I am that whosoever being dressed by the ministry of Gods word doth bring forth still bryars and thornes injurious and noysome workes is certainly neere unto cursing and his end to bee burned The same raine hath divers effects according to the variety of the subjected matter The clay is pierced and softned and made fruitfull the sand is pierced but not softned and remaineth barren the stone is neither pierced nor softned nor yeelds any hope of encrease What mould our hearts are made of our workes demonstrate There is but a little veine of the good earth the fruitfull clay Ceremonious religion lip-labour show of godlinesse without the Truth showes too much of the sandy barrennesse but sacrilegious prophanenes obdurate rebellion ungratefull contempt of Gods grace in these times argues that stony ground where the heavenly raine runnes off as fast as it falls on How neere we are unto cursing for turning the grace of our God into wantonnesse many will not see being blinded with their lusts An unwise man saith David doth not understand this Psal 92.6 and a foole doth not regard it the godly wise prevent the curse but as the heathen man said wel 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hesiod the foole will not perceive till he smart for it 3. His Truth or Sincerity YE have seene the Hast observe the Heart of Nathanael hee comes even in the judgment of Christ himselfe that discernes all commers as a true Israelite seriously without fraud having an earnest desire to see the Glory of Israel He hungers and thirsts after righteousnesse and it is the very joy of his heart to heare of his Saviour Such is the truth and sincerity of all Gods people who come into the presence of God in the hearing of his word and prayer as men that feele their extreame need of Gods blessing of the grace of Christ and so affected with God and his goodnesse in Christ that each one of them in his heart saith with the Prophet David Whom have I in heaven but thee and who is it in earth that I desire in cōparison of thee Thou O God art the thing that I long for There be too many farre from this serious and sincere comming unto Christ Many come unto Christ with prejudicious conceit stiffely holding their fore-conceav'd opinions against the Truth resolved to maintaine them against all the Counsell of God Some againe with a desire of novelty like unto the Athenians that gave themselves to nothing but to heare or tell some newes Act. 17 who seeke not the word of God as a power to save their soules for that is rejected as old stuffe but some new straine of wit some curious conceit to tickle the eare Let but some Eutrapelye some fine-turn'd phrase or acute tricke of wit drop from the Preacher and these take them up as the Manna from Heaven with admiration and great contentment O the wanton childishnesse of our times As if such chaffe such frothe such smoake could feed the soule Such vainely conceited commers had rather have a shell a shale to play withall than the meate the kernell to give strength unto the Heart Some againe come with a mind to calumniate to contradict to carpe at the word like the froward Iewes Acts 13. Many with a politique and proud mind who are so ravisht with the admiration of their owne wisedome and carnall reason that they loath the homelinesse and plainenesse of the Gospell and despise the Counsell of God against themselves as did the Pharisees Luk. 7. If thy heart be stuft with such fraud no mervaile if thou com'st often to no purpose no mervaile if the wisedome of God enter not and thou find no blessing So necessary is the disposition of truth and sincerity in every one that comes to God that he ought to examine his soule and call his heart to account in every action of religion how it stands affected in uprightnesse of intention to that businesse for it is fearefull to dally with God and foolish to trifle in the matter of our salvation and dangerous to thrust in with a false heart 4. His successe BVt as wee have observ'd how Nathanaels heart was disposed with truth in his comming so let us consider of the happy successe of his labour As he comes without fraud so hee comes not without fruit he comes not in vaine to Christ it is no lost labour such heart such hope It is impossible that a true-hearted cōming should goe without a blessing First now having seene and had experience of that to which Philip invited him he hath forgot his curious objection and breaks forth into an earnest free and honourable confession of faith saying Master thou art that Son of God thou art that King of Israel O strange whence Nathanael made a question if any good could come thence hath he found a good so infinite as is confessed to be his Master his King his God A wonderful change from the doubt of
rayment that his filthy nakednes appeare not hath yet a moath in his garment He that turnes his back to the Sunne hath his shadow before him and he that lookes upon the Sunne though his Shadow be not before him yet he hath a shadow He that looks not upon Christ hath no cōfort his sinne being ever before him to torment him and he that lookes upon the Mediatour though his sinne be not before him by way of horrour because there is no condemnation to those that are in Christ Iesus yet he is not without sinne dwelling in him though not raigning over him So farre is Nathanael from the praise of perfection that as Origen saith the just man lives rather in the shadow of vertue than in vertue it selfe There is an insufficiency in the best men Hee that is soundest is not without concupiscence which is as it were naevus in cute a spot in the skinne which though it endangers not our health yet it takes away our beauty so that of no man living can that be verified spoken in the Canticles Thou art all faire Can. 4.7 O my love and there is no spot in thee unlesse it be meant of the spots of worldly corruption injustice intemperance prophannesse concerning which St. Iames saith that pure religion causeth a man to keepe himselfe unspotted of the World Iam. 1.27 the soundest Israelite is not without the difficulty of tentation which is as it were morsus in calce a nibling at the heele a bruising and weakning of our strength so that a man cannot pull on the shooes of the preparation of the Gospell of peace without some pinching paine and difficulty Nay the best man is not free from infirmity ignorance negligence passion which is as it were morbus in corpore a hidden disease a sudden fit of distemperature which though it doth not make it deadly sicke because our heart consents not to the evill yet it makes us farre from the perfect soundnes which needs not the Physitian Seventhly this phrase is spirituall not according to the savour of carnall vanity Christ doth not say of him Behold a man skilfull and learned in the Lawes and yet St. Austin calls him eruditum ac peritum legis a learned man But behold a true Israelite in whom is no guile Here is no mention made of Nathanaels learning or of any outward parts but that which Christ commends in him is the sincerity of his heart the truth of his religion and his upright intention in comming to him Prov. 23.26 Therefore God speakes by Solomon saying My sonne give mee thy heart the Lord cares not for thy head be it never so witty nor for thy face be it never so beautifull nor for thy tongue bee it never so eloquent that which God loves and commends in a man is the truth of profession according to that of David Psal 51. Thou requirest truth in the inward parts and againe The Lord taketh no pleasure in any mans legge Ps 147 10.11 but his delight is in them that feare him and put their trust in his mercy So Solomon speaking of the woman saith Favour is deceitfull Prov. 31.30 beauty is vaine the woman that feareth the Lord shee shall be praised Eighthly this praise is by way of admiration Ecce behold shewing that a true Israelite is the wonder of the world a rare and excellent person So speakes the Prophet Esay 8.18 Behold I and the children which the Lord hath given mee as signes and wonders in Israel And yet this praise is common to all the Israel of God for though in respect of the measure of Gods grace there bee extraordinary gifts and one Israelite excells another and though in respect of the world this froward nation the true Israelite shines as a light rare and supernaturall yet to be a true Israelite without the guile of a false heart in the profession of religion is so common that all the people of God every man that is saved is adorn'd with that praise T' is no prerogative in Nathanael but the generall praise of all Christians indeed to bee true Israelites Hence obserue two things 1. The Honour of praise 2. The Rule of praise The Honour of praise is 1. To be commended of God 2. To be cōmended for Truth 1. Of God FOr whatsoever applause the wicked have amongst fooles and flatterers yet they shall never have the Honour of the sonnes of God their names shall wee Prov. 10.7 the Lord will not make mention of them within his lippes Onely the true Israelite shall have his name confest before the Father and his Angels No contumely no reproch in this world can discourage the minde of him that hath the honour of this testimony Let the Iewes thinke and speake of Christ what they will that voice from heaven sufficiently honours him This is my beloved sonne in whom I am well pleased Matth. 3.17 What though vile wantons make a jest of the servants of God and disgrace them with names of scorne yet the holy Ghost hath graced them with sufficient Honour whilst hee makes their hearts his temple sealing them to salvation whilst hee speakes in them comfortably and Christ of them honourably 2. For Truth FOr what wouldst not thou have true thou desirest a true wife a true friend a true servant Dost thou affect that in another which thou regard'st not in thy selfe know that thy profession makes thy soule the Lords Spouse his servant his friend for every soule is either Gods wife or the devills Concubine Now what more precious than Truth in the Spouse of Christ what more necessary in the Lords servant what more honourable in the friend of God 2. The Rule of praise VVHich is first Not to praise our selves for as St. Paul saith hee which praiseth himselfe is not allowed but whom the Lord praiseth If the Lord say unto my soule I am thy salvation I am glad to heare it If it please the Lord to say of me Behold a true Israelite his testimony carries honour and comfort But of my selfe let mee say with the Publican Luke 18.13 O Lord be mercifull to me a sinner Rom. 7.14 1 Tim. 1.15 and with the Apostle Paul 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 O wretched man that I am what lost the Apostle Paul by saying of himselfe Christ came into the world to save sinners of which I am the chiefe what lost Saint Iohn the Baptist by counting himselfe unworthy of the meanest office about Christ Matth. 3.11 even to unloose the latchet of his shoe In the judgement of Christ the one was nere the lesse a chossen vessell Acts 9.15 the other the greatest man that ever was borne of a woman Matth. 11.11 What can I loose by taking the lowest roome if the Lord say Amice ascende superius Luke 14.10 friend sit up higher Yea let mee have part in Christ Iesus though it be but at the hemme of his garment and
common and receiv'd custome saith another too true and as the Scribes and Pharisees said seeing the multitude to follow Christ Doe ye not see how you prevaile nothing Loe all the world goes after him So these insult and object to Gods Ministers saying Doe you not see how you prevaile nothing with all your paines your labour is but lost men will not leave their pleasure in sinne their profit by deceit for all that you can say or doe and therefore let us doe as most doe O foolish deceit and will this wretch be damn'd for company Is the sin common why what though it be in the mouths of Kings in the reyns of Nobles in the hands of Iudges in the eyes of the Priests yet will that helpe nothing in the day of thine account nor can such example make any Royall Noble Just or Holy sinne Well said Eucherius to his Cozen Valerian Obsecro te alienum delictum semper ut opprobrium respice nunquam ut exemplum I beseech thee alwaies behold another mans fault as a shame to the doer but never as thy patterne Is sin customary why what though evill may plead for it selfe as the Romane Church doth Antiquity Vniversality Consent yet 't is no lesse blemish for thee to be infected with a customed and common sinne than to consort with an old and common whore But me thinkes I heare a swarme of naturall men buzzing about me and urging a conceit of humane frailty that flesh and blood can doe no otherwise deceiving themselves with Information out of St. Paul misunderstood Ro. 7. where the Apostle saith So in my mind I serve the Law of GOD but in my flesh the Law of Sinne. I am verily perswaded that this very fraud sends many thousands to hell For what in their account is the sin of humane frailty under burthen of which the Apostle groaned saying O wretched man that I am Looke into their bill of account and you shall find cursing swearing gluttony drunkennesse couzenage fornication lying hatred and revenge ranked as the sinnes of their infirmity and humane frailty Loe here Salomons sluggard that cryes yet a little sleep yet a little slumber slumber and sleepe infirmity and impiety all is one all but little and all too little for him But O good God! shall we imagine that the holy Apostle did in his flesh serve the Law of sinne after this manner And was hee indeed a couzener a lyer a fornicator a drunkard God forbid There are indeed sinnes of infirmity against which the godly man hath a continuall conflict As concupiscence motions unto evill idle words inconsiderate passions surreptions sinne stealing upon us before wee are aware propter inadvertentiam as the schools speake for want of due circumspection but that sinne which hath the consent of the heart and is done with purpose and deliberation as fornication revenge lying couzenage treason and such like must not be counted infirmities but iniquities and such abominations as cannot stand with the grace of Christ but doth quench the spirit and so long as they are continued by any there is no Seale of salvation in him The Apostle then in the place forenamed doth not meane that he serves in his flesh the law of sinne by actuall and voluntary corruption but by naturall and involuntary Concupiscence which though hee is compeld to obey in respect of evill motions arising yet neither doth his mind consent nor his actions conforme unto them 2. Blaspemous cloake for sinne AS some deceive themselves in lessening their wickednesse by a vaine excuse as ye have observ'd already so there are ungodly men crept in which father all their sinne upon the force of Gods decree affirming a necessity of their sinning through the inclination and secret working of God who say they doth determinate their wills to evill and so every one of their sinnes is their destinie and could never have been avoyded But this is a foolish and damnable fraud seeing that St. Iames faith Iam. 1.13 that God cannot bee tempted with evill and that it is against the very nature and goodnesse of God to infuse evill or to incline the heart to sinne and against the justice of God and his truth who both protesteth that he would not the death of a sinner and also cannot justly damne that in another to which as they say he himselfe inclineth the heart yea by a powerfull decree inforceth it God indeed ordereth and limiteth the corrupt will of man prone of it selfe to evill suffering it to be carried to this sin and not to that according to his wisedome and good pleasure and although God justly leaves men for their unthankefulnes and rebellion in the snare of the Devill yet he neither inclineth nor enforceth them to sinne Some have wrote to make this Spiders webbe whom I will not name for I had rather hide than hit them affirming absurdly that the ancient Fathers gave but a frigid a cold answere when they said that God hardened men by desertion forsaking their rebellious minds and by permission giving way to Sathan to seduce insnare and overcome men Yea one saith Adulterium est opus Dei Adultery is of Gods working another Deus movet latronem ad occidendum God sets on a thiefe to kill which speeches they understand not to be in respect of Gods permission without whose leave nothing can be done nor in respect of that generall ayde and sustentation of the power of God in whom we live and move and have our being but they conceive God particularly and necessarily to incline the Adulterer and the thiefe to their villany by a speciall motion and by a fatall decree Whereby the very nature of sinne is taken away and the filthines therof because as they conceive God hath so deepe an hand in it that it is found to be his speciall worke But from this fraud the true Israelite is free who acknowledgeth that of the Prophet O see Perditio tua ex te Israel thy destruction O Israel comes of thy selfe and that of St. Paul Ye did runne well Gal. 5.8 who did hinder you 't is not the perswasion of him that called you 3. Presumptuous security to lye in sinne YOu have seene how foolishly men deceave themselves by lessening their sinnes by vaine excuse or covering their wickednesse by blasphemous conceit of Gods inclination and fatall decree inforcing their sinne now observe how also many deceive themselves by a secure presuming that continuance in sinne shall never hurt them because of their confidence in the grace of Christ The Apostle 1 Cor. 6.9 notably confoundeth their grosse deceit Know ye not saith hee that the unrighteous shall not inherit the Kingdome of God be not deceived neither fornicatours nor idolaters nor adulterers nor wantons nor buggerers nor theeves nor covetous persons nor drunkards nor raylers nor extortioners shall inherit the kingdome of God What doth the Apostle terrifie here and teach not Is it not rather a fearefull doctrine Are