heart and could haue wisht that himselfe bad beene accursed from Christ for restoring of them into Gods fauour See what affection Christ did beare vnto them Luke 19. 41 42. he wept and expressed exceeding compassion towards Ierusalem 2. For their Ancestours sakes the most honourable Nation vnder heauen they haue beene Christ himselfe was a Iew. No nation is able to deriue their pedigree nor bring so Authenticall Records for it as they See how Paul euen before the Corinthians that were Gentiles glorieth in this 2. Cor. 11. 22. Are they Hebrewes so am I are they Israelites so am I are they the seede of Abraham so am I This reason the Apostle giues for the affection he bare to them Rom. 9. 5. For if such respect was had to Iezabel because she was a Kings daughter though otherwise she had beene a wicked woman 2. King 9. verse 34. How much more respect deserueth this Nation euen for this 3. The promise we haue heard God hath made vnto that Nation that he will call them and make them his people againe should prouoke vs to pray for them See the force of this reason 2 Sam. 7. 27. For thou O Lord of hostes God of Israel hast reuealed to thy seruant saying I will build thee an house therefore hath thy seruant found in his heart to pray this prayer vnto thee 4. The glory that shall redound to God by their conuersion For then shall he be more purely worshipped then he is hitherto by all his Elect throughout the world 5. The good that we our selues haue receiued from them For they before the time of our calling prayed for vs and earnestly desired our conuersion as appeares We haue a little sister and she hath no breasts what shall we do for our sister in the day when she shall be spoken for Cant. 8. 8. and by sundry Psalmes Psal. 87. And from them we receiued the Gospell and worship of God in which respect also we may be called their debters as Rom. 15. 27. To comfort such as haue at any time had good euidence of Gods loue to them in Christ. For such may by this example be assured that though they haue iustly deserued he should cast them off and though through the tokens of Gods anger that are vpon them either inwardly or outwardly their owne reason and sense may perswade them he hath cast them off indeed yet whom he hath once loued in Christ and receiued into his couenant and called effectually to be his people and giuen his Spirit vnto them he will loue to the end and can neuer cast them off Ier. 31. 3. I haue loued thee with an euerlasting loue therefore with louing kindnesse haue I drawne thee And Iohn 13. 1. whom Christ loueth he loueth to the end And Rom. 11. 29. the gifts and calling of God are without repentance Let vs therefore giue all diligence to make our calling and election sure and seeke good euidence to our selues that God loueth vs in Christ 2. Pet. 1. 10. There is no certainety in the loue of any mortall creature which yet thou so much dotest vpon but the loue of God is certaine and vnchangeable For the comfort of Christian parents Many are the priuiledges which the Lord hath vouchsafed vnto our children but this is the chiefe that if we know our selues to be the children of God we may be assured that some of our posterity shall be so likewise So that this may quiet and secure our hearts though we haue many children and little to leaue them not only in the whole course of our liues but euen in the houre of death If 1. Wee haue good assurance that ourselues are within Gods Couenant 2. That we haue done our endeauour to bring vp our children in Gods feare and to make them his children THE NINE AND THIRTIETH LECTVRE ON IANVARY XXIII MDCIX IOH. IIII. XXIII XXIIII But the houre commeth and now is when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth for the Father seeketh such to worship him God is a Spirit and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth WE haue already heard that the answer our Sauiour maketh to the question which the woman of Samaria mooued vnto him consisteth of two parts 1. A commendation of that outward worship the Iewes vsed in comparison of that of the Samaritans 2. A discommendation of that outward worship of God which the Iewes vsed in comparison of that which God would shortly establish in his Church The former part of this answer is set downe in the 22. verse which we finished the last day The latter part of his answer is contained in these words which I haue now read vnto you The summe and effect of this part of his answer is this That though the worship which the Iewes then did to God were farre better then that of the Samaritans yet this ceremoniall worship which the Iewes vsed though it were commanded of God himselfe was not so much to be esteemed as she conceiued but should shortly be abolished and in stead thereof another forme of Gods worship should be established which should not consist in ceremonies and shadowes which suited best mans carnall and corrupt nature but should be spirituall as best agreeing to the nature of God and haue in it the truth and substance of all that which was figured and shadowed in those ceremonies The parts of this Text are two 1. A proposition or Doctrine concerning the true worship that Christians are to giue vnto God Now the true worshippers shall worship the father in spirit and in truth which is repeated with some increase they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth 2. The Reasons of this doctrine and Proposition and they are two 1. Because the Father euen seeketh or desireth to haue such worshippers 2. Because God is a Spirit and must therefore haue such worship and seruice done vnto him as is suitable to his nature The Proposition or Doctrine is inlarged or set forth by two circumstances 1. The Person to whom this spirituall worship is to be giuen the Father 2. The time when this spirituall worship shall be giuen vnto him the houre commeth and now is First then it is here to bee obserued that our Sauiour speaking of the worship that Christians should giue vnto God which should be farre better then that which the Iewes then vsed calls God to whom this worship was to be done the Father and that so oft euen three seuerall times once verse 21. and twise in this verse What should bee the reason of this Surely our Sauiour doth hereby intimate one chiefe cause why the Christians vnder the Gospell should doe God better seruice then the Iewes had done vnder the Law because they shall conceiue of God as of their Father True it is the Lord was a Father to his people vnder the Law and so they conceiued of him but the Lord hath reuealed
of righteousnesse it was fit that at his rising all those mists and shadowes should vanish away It was fit that God should honour and solemnize the marriage of his Sonne with his Church and his triumph ouer Sathan c. by bestowing his gifts and graces more aboundantly vpon men then hee had done before To this the Apostle hath respect when he saith Ephesians 4. 8. When hee ascended vp on high hee lead captiuity captiue and gaue gifts to men Lecture the one and fortieth February 13. 1609. IOHN IIII. XXIII WEe haue already heard that these II. Verses consist of a Doctrine and of two reasons that are vsed to confirme it The Doctrine is this that they onely worship God aright specially now vnder the Gospell as worship him not with a ceremonious worship but in spirit and truth The Doctrine we finished the last day it remaineth now that we proceed to the Reasons that our Sauiour giueth here to proue that they that should now worship God with a ceremonious worship as the Iewes had done hitherto should not worship him aright but they onely that worship him in spirit and in truth The 1. Reason is in these words for the Father requireth euen such to worship him or the Father euen seeketh and desireth such worshippers The force of this reason stands in three points 1. That worship onely is to be giuen to God not which pleaseth and seemeth best to vs but which himselfe requireth and delighteth in It is no better then Idolatry and spirituall whoredome for vs to follow our owne heart and good meaning in this case Num. 15. 39. Yea a man shall highly prouoke God if he doe him any seruice that he requireth not Nadab and Abihu were destroyed with fire from heauen for offering incense with fire that he had not commanded them to vse Leuit. 10. 3. yea the care of a Christian must be not onely to doe God that seruice that he requires but to doe it also in that manner as he may please God in doing it or else he doth but loose his labour Dauid was exceeding carefull of this in all his prayers Psal. 19. 14. Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart bee acceptable in thy sight And he professeth that if God when he prayed did not answer him that is giue him some comfortable assurance that he accepted and tooke his prayer in good part it would be euen a death to him Psal. 28. 1. Bee not deafe to me least if thou answer me not I bee like to them that goe downe to the pit And this should bee euery Christians care Heb. 12. 28. Let vs haue grace to serue him so as wee may please him 2. The Lord seekes and desires to haue such to serue him as worship him in spirit and in truth he euen seekes such worshippers yea he is greatly delighted with such a worship A strange thing it is that God should seeke or desire this at our hands that we should worship him For he hath no need of our seruice neither can he receiue any benefit at all by any worship we doe vnto him If we pray constantly in secret and constantly frequent the publike assemblies the benefit is wholly our owne Pro. 9. 12. If thou be wise thou shalt bee wise for thy selfe what shall the Lord gaine by it Iob 37. 5. If thou be righteous what giuest thou to him or what receiueth he at thy hand Nay the best seruice we can doe is so weakely and vnto wardly done as it is a wonder that God abhorres it not Esay 64. 6. All our righteousnesse is as filthy clouts Insomuch as the best of Gods seruants seldome please themselues in any seruice they doe vnto him but see cause of shame in the very best actions and seruices they haue done vnto him Nehe. 13. 2. Pardon me O my God according to thy great mercy Why what had he done that he craues pardon for Surely he had done an excellent peece of seruice vnto God he had shewed a marueilous zeale for the sanctifying of the Sabbath but he knew that good seruice of his was so imperfect so full of staines that he had need of pardon And yet such is the wonderfull goodnesse of God to them whom he loues in Christ such is the delight that he takes in his owne graces in the fruits of his owne spirit that as if hee should receiue some great benefit by it he seekes to vs and desires vs to serue him Call vpon me in the day of trouble Psal. 50. 15. seeke aske knocke that is pray earnestly and importunately Matth. 7 7 pray without ceasing 1. Thess. 5. 17. ye he professeth that he takes marueilous delight in our poore seruices we do vnto him This is plainely prooued by that speech the Lord vseth to his Church which is the company of all the faithfull Cant. 2. 14. My doue that art in the holes of the rocke in the secret places of the staires that is whose state is most stable and sure and against whom the gates of hell shall neuer be able to preuaile shew me thy sight let me see thee often come often vnto me let me heare thy voice pray often to me And marke the reason why he sues thus to his Church For thy voice is sweet and thy sight comely As if he should say howsoeuer thou thinkest of thy selfe whatsoeuer thou iudgest of thine owne prayers I assure thee that in my eare there is no musicke to that in mine eye there is no person in the world so well fauoured as thou art That euen as the affection that is in vs that are parents towards our little children when they begin to speake makes vs delight to heare them prattle though to another that hath not that affection it be very troublesome and though in anothers eye they seeme hard fauoured yet this fatherly affection makes vs thinke them to be very pretty and well fauoured children so is it with the Lord our God the fatherly affection he beares to vs in Christ makes him desirous to haue vs come oft to him to pray and worship him oft and to delight so much in our poore prayers though in themselues they be not worthy to be delighted in The Father seekes such worshippers Apoc. 5 8. The hearts of all the faithfull are compared to golden Viols full of odors What were those odors The prayers of the Saints of these true worshippers that worship in spirit and truth Why are the prayers of the godly called odors 1. In respect of the godly themselues because for the most part they yeeld a sweet sauour and vnspeakeable comfort vnto their owne hearts Iohn 16. 24. Aske that your ioy may be full But 2. Chiefly in respect of the Lord for the faithfull themselues sometimes feele no sweetnesse in their prayers but to the Lord their prayers are euen as the sweetest odors euen such prayers as themselues feele small sweetnesse or delight in are most pleasant
and delightsome to the Lord. Hezechia felt small sweetnesse in that prayer he made when in his sicknesse he turned his face to the wall and wept sore when his heart was so oppressed with griefe that he could not speake but in his prayer chattered like a swallow and mourned like a doue Esay 38. 14. But the Lord tooke great complacencie and delight in it as may appeare by the reward he gaue him for it presently for before the Prophet Esay whose message from the Lord you know had beene the occasion of that good Kings heauinesse was gone out into the middle of the Court the Lord bad him turne againe with a quite contrary message and tell Hezechia that he had heard his prayer euen that vncomfortable prayer and seene his teares and healed him so as within three daies he should be able to goe vp into the house of the Lord yea that he would also adde vnto his daies 15. yeares 2. King 20. 4 5. Dauid felt small sweetnesse in the prayer he made at that time when he said in his hast he was but a cast-away but euen that prayer was a sweet odour vnto God as appeares by the comfortable answer he receiued from God euen at that time Psal. 31. 2â—… Though I said in my hast I am cast out of thy sight yet thou heardest the voice of my prayer when I cryed vnto thee Will God so farre foorth respect the prayers that his poore seruants make vnto him in spirit and in truth euen when their hearts are so oppressed with griefe that they cannot pray with any cheerefullnesse yea then when in affliction of mind they haue so farre forth yeelded to their infidelity as that they doubt they are no better then Hypocrites and Reprobates that he desires euen then such prayers he would haue them euen when they are in that case to pray to him yea he delights and takes pleasure euen in such prayers Then is this most true which our Sauiour here teacheth vs that the Father euen seekes and desires such worshippers as can worship him in spirit and in truth though they doe it weakely and vnperfectly 3. Yet will the force of this reason the better appeare if we consider the third point Viz. How the Lord stands affected to that worship which hypocrites doe vnto him that worship him onely in ceremony not in spirit and in truth 1. He regards not such seruice men doe to him nor takes any pleasure in it Esay 〈◊〉 What haue I to doe with the multitude of your sacrifices as if he should say what care I for them Gen. 4 5. Vnto Cain and to his offering the Lord had no respect No not when they pray to him with most deuotion and earnestnesse as in their extreame affliction yet the Lord regards it not no more then you regard the roaring of the Beare or Bull when they are baited This the Hypocrites complaine of Wherefore haue we fasted and thou seest not Wherefore haue wee afflicted our soule and thou takest no knowledge Esay 58. 3. And thus the Lord threatneth Pro. 1. 26 27. 28. I also will laugh at your calamity I will mocke when your feare commeth when your feare commeth as desolation and your destruction commeth as a whirle-wind when distresse and anguish commeth vpon you then shall they call vpon me but I will not answer they shall seeke me early but they shall not finde me Though such a man doe the very same seruice vnto God that the Lord hath in his Word commanded though he say good prayers heare the Word sincerely taught receiue the Sacraments sincerely administred he doth but loose his labour he hath done a thankelesse office because God desireth no such matter at their hands Psal. 50. 16. Unto the wicked God saith What cause hast thou to doe to declare my statutes or that thou shouldest take my Couenant in thy mouth As if he should say What hast thou to doe to serue God Therefore it is added in that place of Esay 1. 12. Who required this at your hands to tread in my Courts As if he should say fitter for you to be in your shops or in the ale-house or any where else then here Psal. 118. 20. This is the gate of the Lord the righteous shall enter into it Many others come in that are not righteous nor haue so much as a desire to be godly or purpose to leaue their sinnes but hate them that are godly with all their hearts but alas the Lord takes no pleasure to see such here but askes them who gaue them authority to come hither It is not so dangerous a presumption I assure you for a Rogue that hath the plague running on him to presse into the Kings priuie Chamber and there to offer to waite at his Table as for the drunkard and whoremonger and swearer and hater of godlinesse to come into Gods House or to take vpon him to doe God any seruice Marke how the Lord casts this in the teeth of vngodly men Ier. 7. 9 10 11. Will you steale and commit adultery and sweare and come and stand before mee in this house whereupon my name is called Is this house become a den of theeues or a receptacle for whores and adulterers for swearers and drunkards behold euen I see it saith the Lord. 2. He desires not their seruice but reiects it Esay 1. 11. I desire not the blood of bullocks nor of lambs nor of goates No Did not the Lord himselfe require and command these sacrifices yes to his people the true worshippers he did but not to the hypocrite and wicked man 3. He abhorres the best seruice they can doe to him and detests them euen for praying to him and taking vpon them to doe him seruice Esay 1. 13. Incense is an abomination to mee I cannot suffer your new Moones nor Sabbaths my soule hateth your new Moones they are a burden to mee I am weary to beare them It is a thing the Lord abhorres and hates to see a wicked man vse prayer frequent the Church-assemblies A strange and fearefull yet a most true saying marke vpon what warrant I speake it Pro. 21. 27. The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination how much more when hee brings it with a wicked heart As if he should say Though he doe not meane ill in it but haue a good meaning in it to serue God yet is it an abomination to the Lord. If any shall say this is strange Doctrine if we be neuer so bad would you not haue vs come to Church would you not haue vs pray and serue God Many a bad man hath receiued much good by comming to Church I answer 1. God indeed hath commanded all men to serue him the Morall Law was giuen to Adam and all his posterity wicked men shall be damned because they haue not vsed to pray and heare his Word yea it shall be easier in the day of iudgement for that wicked man that hath vsed to serue
him must worship him thus Now for the right vnderstanding of this Doctrine sixe questions must be mooued and resolued 1. What our Sauiour meaneth here by worshipping God in spirit The answer is that to worship God in spirit is to worship him without such ceremonies as were vnder the Law This appeareth by this note of diuersity which our Saulour here vseth but as if he should say the worship the Iewes now vse which chiefely consisteth in their sacrifices oblations purifications and such like ceremonies is good because it is done vpon knowledge of Gods will reuealed in his Word but now such as worship God aright shall worship him in another manner namely not in such ceremonies but in spirit and truth So that to worship God in spirit is opposed to the ceremoniall worship because that was not a spirituall but a carnall worship See this in that opposition Paul makes Gal. 3. 3. Are yee so foolish hauing begun in the spirit are yee now made perfect by the flesh So the ceremoniall Law is called a carnall commandement Heb. 7. 16. and all the ceremonies are called carnall rites Heb. 9. 10. A strange terme to be giuen to the worship that God himselfe ordained But the ceremonies are so called Because 1. They were all outward and bodily actions Yea if we looke ouer all the ceremoniall Law we shall finde nothing inioyned either to the Priests or people but externall and bodily things the seruice of the spirit and conscience is seldome or neuer mentioned Heb. 9. 9 10. The first Tabernacle was a figure for the time then present in which were offered both gifts and sacrifices that could not make him that did the seruice perfect as pertaining to the conscience which stood onely in meates and drinkes and diuers washings and carnall ordinances imposed on them vntill the time of reformation Whereas the seruice God requires vnder the Gospell is in a manner wholly inward and spirituall For thus the Lord speaketh of the daies of the Gospell wherein he will make a new Couenant with his people Iere. 31. 34. They shall all know me from the least of them to the greatest of them saith the Lord. And verseâ—…3 â—…3 I will put my Law in their inward parts and write it in their hearts Now the Lord still calls for the seruice of the spirit and heart at our hands Our preaching pleaseth not God vnlesse it be the action of our spirit Paul serued God with his spirit in the Gospell of his Son Rom. 1. 9. Our hearing pleaseth him not vnlesse it be the action of our heart and spirit the Holy Ghost opened the heart of Lydia to attend Acts 16. 14. Our prayers please not God vnlesse they be the seruice of the heart and spirit pray with all prayer and supplication in the spirit Ephes. 6. 18. Our singing making melody in your hearts to the Lord Ephes. 5. 19. Our communicating in the Sacrament pleaseth not God vnlesse it be the seruice of our spirit no man receiueth worthily vnlesse he examine himselfe before and be able to discerne the body of the Lord in that ordinance 1. Corinthians 11. 29. 2. They are called carnall because they were all transitorie and to inindure but for a time To this reason the Apostle hath respect Heb. 7. 16. 18. When he calls the Law of the Leuiticall Priest-hood a carnall commandement because it was to bee disanulled Whereas our worship shall continue and neuer be altered and in this respect the Apostle preferres the state of the Church now before that of the Old Testament Heb. 1. 1 2. that whereas the Lord deliuered his will to his Church not all at once but at sandry times by the Prophets he hath by his Sonne fully made his minde knowne vnto vs in these last daies not at sundry times but at once And therefore also the Apostle Iude calls it the faith that was once for all deliuered vnto the Saints Iude 3. In which respect the whole time since Christs Ascension is called also the end of the world 1. Cor. 10. 11. And the last times 2. Tim. 3. 1. Acts 2. 17. 1. Pet. 1. 20. 1. Ioh. 2. 18. 3. Because the effect and fruit of them reacheth no further then to the body and outward man they could not make holy concerning the conscience him that did the seruice Heb. 9. 9. and 10. 1. they could not make the commers thereunto perfect but sanctified onely as touching the purifying of the flesh Heb. 9. 13. Therefore they are called Gal. 4. 9. Weake and beggarly elements Whereas the seruice of God vnder the Gospell worketh wholly in a manner vpon the conscience and inward man the Kingdome of God the true Religion and the sincere profession of it is not in word but in power 1. Cor. 4. 20. If the Word be preached and heard the Sacraments administred and receiued prayer vsed as they ought they will worke vpon the conscience not vpon the outward man onely Therefore it is called 2. Cor. 3. 8. the ministration of the Spirit 4. It is called a carnall worship because it is very pleasing to the naturall and carnall man hee makes great conscience of it and delights much in it In which respect also the Apostle saith Gal. 4. 3. it was a seruice fit for Gods people when they were children Our Sauiour obserues the Pharisees to haue beene very precise in the obseruation of the ceremoniall Law and to haue made much more conscience of it then of the morall they paid tithe of mint and annise and commin and omitted the weightier matters of the Law Iudgement Mercy and Fidelity Matth. 23. 23. And the Lord by his Prophet speaking of such as for their wickednesse he calls Princes of Sodome and people of Gomorrah saith they offered a multitude of Sacrifices brought many oblations to God and much incense obserued diligently the new Moones and Sabbaths and solemne dayes Esay 1. 11. 13. Yea all heathen men and pagans haue had their sacrifices and ceremonies Balaam and Balak vsed them Numb 23. 1 4. Whereas the seruice that God requires of vs vnder the Gospell is such as no naturall man can relish or finde any sauour in Nay none but such as haue the spirit can make any account of our worship can heare receiue pray with conscience and delight 1. Iohn 4. 6. Hee that is of God heareth vs hee that is not of God heareth vs not So 1. Cor. 2. 14. The naturall man receiueth not the things of the spirit of God for they are foolishnesse vnto him neither can hee know them because they are spiritually discerned Thus wee see what our Sauiour here meaneth by worshipping God in spirit Lecture the fortieth Ianuary 30. 1609. WHat meanes he by worshipping God in truth The answer is to worship God in truth is to worship him without such ceremonies as were vnder the Law This appeareth by that note of diuersity here vsed but which I obserued before Truth then is not
acceptable and pleasant vnto God Phil. 4. 18. So then we see now what our Sauiour meanes when he saith the true worshippers shall worship God in truth The Sacraments and sacrifices of the Iewes were but shadowes and figures the true worshippers of God vnder the Gospell shall haue in them the truth and substance of that which was shadowed in those ceremonies The true and substantiall worship of God consisteth in a liuely faith vnfained repentance absolute obedience to the will of God in all things hearty prayer loue iustice mercifulnesse sincerity and such like graces of Gods Spirit Thus haue I gone through the two first questions I propounded for the better vnderstanding of this Doctrine In the foure other that follow I will be briefer The third question is What meanes our Sauiour by the houre that commeth and now is When should the true worshippers worship God in Spirit and in truth When should this spirituall and substantiall worship of God that we haue heard of begin was the ceremoniall worship at an end when he spake this I answer no For after this time Matth. 8. 4. Christ sends the Leper to the Priest and bids him offer his gift appointed in the Ceremoniall Law And Christ himselfe obserued the feast of vnleauened bread at which time the Text saith Luke 22. 7. The Passeouer must bee killed This houre and time began not till Christ had suffered and was glorified and ascended into heauen Presently when Christ had said in his Passion Iohn 19. 30. It is finished It is said Matth. 27. 51. The vaile of the Temple was rent in twaine from the top to the bottome then was the Ceremoniall worship abrogated And when Christ ascended and was glorified then began the time when the true worshippers should worship God in spirit and in truth This is plaine Iohn 7. 39. This spake he of the Spirit which they that beleeued in him should receiue for the Holy Ghost was not yet come because that Iesus was not yet glorified Now because this time of Christs Passion and Ascension was at hand euen now therefore our Sauiour saith here the houre commeth and now is The fourth question is Was not God worshipped in Spirit and truth before the time of Christs Passion and Ascention Did all Gods people vnder the Law and such as liued in Christs time Simeon Anna Mary Zachary and Elizabeth worship God onely in ceremony and shadow not in spirit and truth I answer 1. That euen vnder the Law the Lord was neuer satisfied with a ceremoniall worship but did euer require to be worshipped in spirit and truth So said Samuel to Saul 1. Sam. 15. 22. Hath the Lord as great pleasure in burnt offerings and sacrifices as when the voice of the Lord is obeyed To obey is better then sacrifice and to hearken is better then the fat of Rams So Psal. 51. 16. Thou desirest no sacrifice though I would giue it thou delightest not in burnt offerings Hos. 6. 6. I desired mercy and not sacrifice and the knowledge of God more then burnt offerings Mic. 6. 8. Hee hath shewed thee O man what is good and what doth the Lord require of thee but to doe iustly and to loue mercy and to walke humbly with thy God Mark 12. 33. To loue the Lord with all thy heart and with all thy vnderstanding and with all thy soule and with all thy strength and to loue a mans neighbour as himselfe is more then all burnt offerings and sacrifices 2. The people of God vnder the Law did not worship him onely in ceremony but in spirit and truth So Dauid when he had said Psal. 40. 6. Sacrifice and offering thou dost not desire he adds verse 8. I desired to doe thy will O my God yea thy Law is within my heart And the Ministry they enioyed was not the Ministry of the letter only but of the Spirit also So it is said of the Ministry of Leui Mal. 2. 6. Hee did turne many away from iniquity But though this be so yet our Sauiour saith here The houre commeth and now is as if he should haue said it hath not been so before because 1. Though God gaue his Spirit to his people then yet not so generally then as now but then onely to the Iewes now Acts 2. 17. In the latter dayes I will powre out of my Spirit vpon all flesh Nor so fully to them that did receiue it as now The Prophet speaking of the daies of Christ saith Esay 11. 9. The earth shall be full of the knowledge of God as the waters that couer the sea Zach. 12. 8. Hee that is feeble among them in that day shall be as Dauid 2. Though the Lord did then also require a spirituall worship and the faithfull performed it yet they did not serue God onely in spirit and in truth but also in ceremonies and shadowes and so God required them to doe Leuit. 4. 3. yea he required it of them vpon a great penalty Exod. 5. 3. Let vs goe and sacrifice vnto the Lord least hee fall vpon vs with pestilence or with the sword yea he was much pleased and delighted in it and it is therefore called an oblation made by fire for a sweet sauour vnto the Lord Leuit. 1. 9. So that these words are to be vnderstood comparatiuely as if he should say Though the Father were worshipped in spirit and truth before yet in comparison of that he shall be after my death and Ascension he was not worshipped in spirit and truth before So is that place also to be vnderstood Heb. 9. 8. The way into the holiest of all into heauen was not yet opened while the first Tabernacle was standing That is not so wide not made so common not so fully opened as afterward From hence ariseth the fifth question Must we now vnder the Gospell serue God onely in spirit Doth God now require of vs no other worship but that onely that is spirituall I answer 1. That God hath appointed for vs a bodily and outward worship also yea he hath giuen vs some significant ceremonies to vse in his worship and seruice namely both our Sacraments which are visible signes of inuisible grace He requires not onely the seruice of our hearts but also the seruice of our tongue and knee in calling on his name and singing of Psalmes the seruice of our eare in hearkening to his Word the seruice of our eye in beholding that that is done in the administration of the sacraments the seruice of our whole body in presenting our selues before him in the publike assemblies So that it is but the speech of a prophane Hypocrite to say thus Though I make not that shew as others doe though I vse not to kneele and say my prayers either with my family or apart though I go not so much to Church as other doe yet I serue God as well as they I serue him in my heart I lift vp my heart vnto him I
152. Paines must be taken in foure things to profit by that we heare and reade 173. Consider of the true cause why thou profitest not by the means of grace and be troubled for it 250. We may lawfully frequent that Ministry we can best profit by 253. Cautions for them that leaue their owne Pastors to heare others 268. 270. Their goodnes badnes is of great force to hearten or discourage their ministers 293. 295 Though they may affect some Minister more then other yet must they reuerence loue euery faithfull Minister 305. 309. They that haue truth of grace will gladly shew kindnesse to Gods faithfull Ministers 315. 285. The chiefe kindnesse they can shew to their Teachers is to make vse of their gifts and obey their Doctrine 319 320 321. A good signe of Election to profit by that thou hearest presently and by all thou hearest yet all the Elect do not so 305. 308. They must yeeld honour to their Ministers that consists in foure things 358. 362. The Ministers weakenesses should not cause any to despise their Ministry 371. 372. They should esteeme their own minister best the true cause why they do not 366 367. 342. When they are said to receiue Gods Ministers 374. Try thy estate by the iudgement thou hast to discerne of sound teaching 313. The sin both of curious careles hearers 151 A dangerous signe to enioy long good meanes and not to profit by it 305 ◅06 Praise God euen for the great variety of able teachers thou enioyest 308 309. Seeke to liue vnder such a ministry as thou maist profit by 199. What hearers they be that do rightly commēd and praise their Teachers 199. Heare with iudgement 291. They should propound their doubts to their Teachers 227 228. Hearers duty 227. Hearing men of better gifts breeds a loathing of the gifts of their owne Pastor ◅09 It is the Hearers fault that he profits not by the meanest Minister 309. Hearers ought to go with an open heart willing to learne whatsoeuer shall please God to teach them 312. Hearers ought likewise to go with a resolutiō to obey what shall be taught thē of God 312 Hearers ought not to dispute against any truth reuealed of God by their Minister though it be contrary to their reason humour 312. Hearers may not refuse information from any though their inferiour 312. It argues an vngracious heart when a man cannot be perswaded of a truth 314. Partiality in bearers and the grounds thereof 306 307. Holines of places or things Though before Christs death some places were holier then others yet now none are so 153 150. Reasons against popish superstition in this point 15◅ Humiliation It pleaseth God highly to see vs hunbled when he shewes himselfe angry 403. Hypocrisie The naturall man hath selfe respects in all the shewes he makes of goodnesse 55. 58. Many loue Religion for their worldly aduan tage 56. God cannot abide the seruice that hypocrites do vnto him 193. Yet must they serue God for all that 194. There be three kinds of hypocrites 198 199. He strengthens himselfe in his sin euen by the Word 57. The Hypocrite is in a wofull case 58. 465. Yet many good things may bee in him 467. 481 482. I. Idlenesse It is a sin and prouocation to lust 92. I◅wes The Church of the Iewes was extreamely corrupt in Christs time 165. The Church of the Iewes is the Mother and Primitiue Church from which all true Churches are deriued 175. 179. How vnlikely it is that that people should find mercy with God aboue all other people 177. Yet so it shall be and the reason of it 177 178 How wee should stand affected to the name and nation of the Iewes 179 180. Ignorance It is the chiefe cause of prophanes al sin 16 The danger of it 16 17. 137 138. How men are kept from the sense of that danger 17 18. The extreame ignorance of most people 18. 152 Wilfull ignorance will bee no aduantage to any 424. Comfort for the faithfull that complaine of it ◅15 The extreame blockishnesse of all men by nature 27. Impatiencie It is a iudgement that iewd men haue cause to feare 83 84. Impenitencie Sin is neuer the lesse dangerous to a man because men punish it not 77 78 79. 388. Impenitencie in sin 68. Infidelity Men are apt to belieue God no further then they see meanes of helpe 30. Remedies against this corruption 31 32. It is a most hainous sin 32. Gods people need not despaire of helpe from him in any distresse 3◅ Foure preseruatiues against the doubting of the truth of Gods Word 415. The danger of them that cannot belieue the Word and that most that liue in the Church are such 416. And of such as cannot be perswaded of many truths though most clearely taught 424 Infirmities God will not reiect the seruices of his people for their infirmities 97. The regenerate haue infirmities but no reigning sins 452. All men are too apt to despise their brethren for their infirmities see remedies against this corruption 458. The Lord is displeased euen with the infirmities of his children 452. Yet will not reiect his children for their infirmities 452. Intent A good intent how farre forth it makes mens actions good 433. Ioy. We should ioy much in the conuersion and forwardnesse of others 266. 268. Faith breeds ioy in the heart 336. 436. Foure meanes of sound ioy 436. 440. Vaine is the ioy of all carnall men 437. Day of Iudgement Why the Lord hath appointed it to be at the end of the world 297. Iudgements of God The Lord cannot endure to see men sleight and contemne his iudgements 403 404. See commonnesse of sin and signes and Common-wealth Iudging rashly Despaire of none so long as they haue the meanes and are willing to heare 30◅ How far forth we are bound to esteeme well of all that professe the feare of God 457 458 See infirmities K. Kneeling It is the fittest gesture to bee vsed in prayer 124. 134. The sin of such as drink healths kneeling 134. Knowledge We should labour to breed it in all we haue charge of 18. 205. The meanes to bring men vnto it 20. 140. All knowledge in Religion argues not truth of grace 21. 203. 204. How many wicked men attaine to a great measure of it 204. Sauing knowledge is to be sought for 22. He that hath it feeles the want of it and desires increase 22. How it may be differenced from that that is naturall ◅3 206. 469. It cannot be attained without an effectuall knowledge of sin 64. More is required of some then others yet all must seeke for a cleere and certaine knowledge in Religion 1◅6 No man can know God aright but by his Word and the difference of the knowledge got by other meanes and this 160. No vprightnes of heart without sanctified knowledge 468 469. Carnall men attaine to knowledge of the truth and how 204. Why God imparts it vnto them
by such in whom they discerne any infirmity 365. Remedies against this corruption 371 Temperance It is necessary euen in our diet 92. Temples Our Churches need not to be stately and glorious as the Temple of Ierusalem was 119. Neither is there that holinesse to be ascribed to or reuerence due to our Churches as was to that Temple 119. 154. Neither is there that necessity of temples now as there was vnder the law 119. Yet is it fit we also should haue places set apart for Gods publique worship and hauing such it is no where so well done as in them 119. 129. Euen our Churches should be decently kept 120. 127. The temple of Ierusalem was a Type of Christ and how 155. Tentation We must carefully shun tentation 89. Tentations incident to our lawfull calling God will preserue vs in 89. Terror Wicked men haue cause to be in continuall terror 33. Testament See Ceremoniall worship Though in temporall things Gods people had more particular direction then we now yet not in spirituall 207. The Ministry of the New Testament is more fruitfull then that was vnder the law 287 Vnder the law God reuealed himselfe to his people moresensibly and bodily then vnder the Gospell 196. The estate of sinners is far more damnable now then it was vnder the law 291. Thankesgiuing Of Sacrifices of Thankesgiuing 187. Thoughts Conscience to be made euen of them 91. Trouble of minde All men must looke to be brought one day to a painefull sight and sense of sin and of Gods anger due vnto it 42 43. No wordly thing can content or comfort the heart in that case 44 45. Meanes wherby they that haue lost the assurance of their saluation may recouer it 346. 347. V. Vnity Vnity in all points among Gods seruants in this life is not to be expected 302. Vowes We should in our affliction vow amendment performe it when we are deliuered 405. W. Walking with God We should labour to walke with God how we may know whether we do so or no 70. Will-worship No worship is to be giuen to God but such as he likes of and delights in euen such as is done by the direction of his Word and in obedience to it 160. 192. In will-worship men serue not God but the diuell 161. God requires more seruice of euery man then he hath expressely particularly commanded him yet this is no will-worship 242 243 He that hath an vpright heart will make conscience of such things onely as God hath commanded or forbidden 473. Women How iust causes they haue to be humbled in themselues 225. How they may adorne the Gospell 226. Word of God No man can know God aright but by his Word and the difference betweene the knowledge gotten so any other 160 161 It is the saluation of men 1â—…8 169. All that haue it are not saued by it 169. Saluation not to bee ascribed to any vertue that is in it 169. By it all other meanes of grace are made effectuall 169 170. It is exceeding powerfull and effectuall to saue men 170 171. We ought highly to esteeme it 172 173. Notes to trie whether we esteeme and loue it indeed 173. The wicked hardens himselfe in sin euen by it 98 99. It is to bee esteemed a high fauour of God that we enioy it 162. It is the onely ground of true faith and assurance of saluation 338. The faith and Religion of Gods Elect is not grounded vpon any thing but the word only 348 349. 418. 419. Seeke good ground in the word for that thou holdest in Religion 429. Dangerous to doubt of the truth of it see Infidelity The word to be heard on weeke daies 241. The word to be examined 467. Rules thereto 499. Word to be heard with heart prepared 486. How that may be 489. The word ought to bee receiued for the senders sake 313. Difference betwixt the good workes of regenerate and naturall men 476. Good Workes That only is a good worke that is commanded of God 474. Workes of God Men may be prepared vnto faith and much confirmed in it by the workes of God 417. We should obserue the workes of God and how God doth by them ratifie his Word 417. 497. What vse we should make of the strange workes of God 379. World By this word sometimes the Elect onely are meant and why Christ is called the Sauiour of the world 329 330. Worldly things No worldly thing can satisfie or comfort the soule in distresse 44 45. It is great folly to set our heart vpon or esteeme too much of any worldly comfort 390. 438 439. He that is truely conuerted makes not that reckoning of worldly things as he did before 238. Worship of God See Adoration Ceremoniall Law Exercises of Religion Reuerence Most men worship not God according to his Word 163. Reasons for the altering of the manner of Gods worship at Christs comming 190. 191 No seruice pleaseth God but that which is spirituall 191 192. He requires spirituall worship more vnder the Gospell then he did vnder the Law 19â—… 197. All the parts of Gods worship may in some cases be vsed in priuate houses 120. 129. And are as acceptable to God in one place as in another 156. Christ himselfe did diligently vse to worship God in religious duties and why 163 1â—…4 The difference betweene Gods worship vnder the Law and vnder the Gospell â—…87 1â—… 189. God requires bodily worship of vs as well as spirituall but not so much as vnder the law 189 190. Euen the wicked est men that liue are bound to worship God 195. Y. Young men The sins that they must chiefly take heed of 224. Z. Zealous Both Magistrates and priuate men should shew their zealous hatred to sin 78. Zeale is required of all Christians and what the notes and properties of true Zeale are 260 261 263. 267. Zeale in the people warmes their Ministers 295. True Zeale will make a man to forget and neglect himselfe 275. Seuerall places of Scripture opened and applyed in this Treatise Booke Chap. Verse Folio Genesis 17 18 391 Genesis 18 12 30 Genesis 19 9 106 Genesis 29 18 80 Genesis 32 26 402 Genesis 45 28 3 Genesis 50 19 370 Exodus 4 24 452 Leuit. 19 2 196 Leuit. 23 10 9 Leuit. 26 11 12 166 Num. 12 14 403 Num. 23 21 452 Deut. 12 32 161 Deut. 14 26 92 Deut. 25 3 117 Iosh. 1 8 20 1 Sam. 2 12 470 1. Sam. 2 30 368 1. Sam. 15 29 6 2. Sam. 6 20 22 116 2. Sam. 12 20 24 c. 441 2. Sam. 21 1 404 1. King 8 6 473 1. King 12 28 161 2. King 17 33 41 36 1. Chron. 16 29 129 2. Chron. 16 9 484 2. Chron. 26 18 19 21 359 Nehem. 1 11 8 Nehem. 2 1 493 Nehem. 8 1 123 Iob. 3 13 14 43 Iob. 5 7 388 Iob. 6 24 424 Iob. 20 11 80 Iob. 29 4 220 Iob. 31 1 91 Iob. 32 23 395 Iob. 36 8
may want and begge and famish before they die For though the Lord in infinite bounty do bestow those blessings on wicked men in great abundance Psal. 145. 9. yet can no wicked man be assured of sufficient food and raiment for him and his because he hath no promise for it nay the contrary they haue cause to looke for Thirdly But if thou be assured that thou art one to whom these promises do belong then 1. Know that God doth this to humble thee Deut. 8. 2. and labour to find out thy sinne and to make peace with God Lam. 3. 39. 2. Know that God is able to helpe thee either by inclining the hearts of the rich hard though they be to shew compassion on thee yea such as of all other thou hadst least hope to receiue reliefe from he can make Esau kinde to Iacob Gen. 33. 15. and the Egyptians bountifull to Israel Exod. 12. 36. 3. If he giue thee no better meanes then thou hast yet he can make them stretch out and suffice thee Daniel and his fellowes that did eate nothing but pulse and dranke nothing but water were fatter and fairer then all the children that did eate the Kings meat Dan. 1. 12 13. A little that the righteous man hath is better then the riches of many a wicked man saith Dauid Psa. 37. 16. But will God work miracles now Yes surely rather then his promise should faile that he hath made to his people Is my hand shortened saith the Lord Esa. 50. 2. This resolue vpon 2. Chro. 16. 9. The eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth to shew himselfe strong in the behalfe of them whose heart is perfect toward him And of this also Mark 9. 23. All things are possible to him that belieueth And therefore be thou confident with Iob Chap. 13. 15. Though he slay me yet will I trust in him and with the three nobles to die rather then to helpe thy selfe by vnlawfull meanes Dan. 3. 13. Lecture the eight March 21. 1608. IOHN IIII. XII IT remaineth now that we proceed to the second reason she giueth against the speech of Christ and that is set downe in this Verse she could not vnderstand or belieue that Christ could giue her any other water that was better then the water of that Well because Iacob gaue them that Well and it was the best water he could giue for it was the same that himselfe and his children and cattell did drinke of and she thought it was not possible that he could be a greater or better man then Iacob or be able to giue a better water then he was able to giue Art thou greater then our father Iacob saith she Now for the better vnderstanding of these words that so we may receiue instruction and profit by them three errours are to be obserued in this reason the woman vseth For 1. Iacob gaue not that Well to the Samaritans but he gaue both it and that part of the country where it stood to his sonne Ioseph as the Euangelist hath said ver 5. They and their ancestors were placed in that country by Shalmaneser the King of Ashur and not by Iacob as you shall see 2. King 17. 24. 2. Iacob was not their father neither according to the flesh for you shall read who were the ancestors of whom the Samaritans were descended 2. King 17. 24. nor according to the spirit for in this case those onely were to be accounted the children of Iacob that were of Iacobs religion and walked in his steps Psal. 24. 6. This is Iacob Iohn 8. 39. If ye were Abrahams children ye would do the works of Abraham But so did not the Samaritans for Iacob neuer worshipped any Idoll nor Image nor would suffer any in his family to doe it as ye shall find Gen. 35. 2. But the Samaritans worshipped many false gods 2. Kings 17. 29 30. and Images verse 41. 3. Admit Iacob had beene their father and had giuen them that Well yet was Christ able to giue her better water then that which Iacob gaue to his children And though Iacob were of great authority and credit in the Church for his faith and piety yet was it great ignorance and infidelity in her to preferre him before or match him with Christ or to alleadge his authority to the discrediting of that which Christ had said for the grace Iacob had he had it from Christ and he was but a seruant Christ was his Lord Heb. 3. 5 6. The Doctrine then that we are to learne from this reason and argument that the woman vseth against the speech of Christ is this That the credit of good and holy men is oft abused by the ignorant and wicked to the discredit of Gods truth This woman alleadgeth not against Christ the credit and authority of any of her neighbours or of their true ancestors but Iacob is the man whom she setteth against Christ. Yea the more holy and vertuous that Iacob was the stronger she takes her argument to be against Christ. I will not trouble you with many proofes Take the example of the Iewes in Christs time and you shall find proofe enough of this doctrine The worthiest men that euer liued in the Church and such as would haue counted it their happines to haue liued in that time when God was manifested in the flesh as our Sauiour teacheth vs Luke 10. 34. They were euer the men whose name and credit was set in opposition against Christ. The Iewes oft aduance the credit of Abraham and Moses and the Prophets as if they had beene admirers of their vertues when they saw that they might thereby discredit Christ and his Doctrine Iohn 8. 53. Art thou greater then our father Abraham which is dead and the Prophets are dead whom makest thou thy selfe and Iohn 9. 28. 29. Be thou his Disciple we are Moses Disciples but this man we know not from whence he is Was Abraham indeed or Moses or the Prophets on their side against Christ or were they indeed the true children of Abraham or of the Prophets Nothing lesse but if any of them had beene liuing they would haue beene as bitter enemies to them as they were to Christ and this our Sauiour often telleth them of Ye seeke to kill me saith he Ioh. 8. 40. a man that hath told you the truth which you haue heard of God this did not Abraham And Ioh. 5. 45. There is one that accuseth you euen Moses in whom ye trust And Mat. 23. 30. He taxeth them for grosse hypocrisie because they said that if they had been in the daies of their fathers they would not haue been partakers with them in the bloud of the Prophets The reasons why they did so and why all wicked men haue beene so apt to abuse the name and authority of the most holy and worthy seruants of God are principally two 1. To gaine credit to themselues with the people For they know that all men
generally haue a reuerent opinion of such men This reason is giuen why the Pharisees durst say nothing against Iohn Mat. 21. 26. For all held Iohn as a Prophet Herod himselfe thought reuerently of him Mar. 6. 20. 2. To secure their owne hearts in their errours and sinnes The finding of this little goodnesse in themselues that they hate not all good men but can thinke and speake reuerently of them doth strangely quiet the conscience of hypocrites for a time as that little goodnesse he found in himselfe did that Pharisee Luke 18. 11. The Vses of this Doctrine are three 1. To discouer vnto vs the weake foundations of the Popish faith and religion which yet I would not be large in had I not two reasons to moue me to it 1. That though I see no cause to doubt that any of you should be inclined that way yet partly the great increase of Papists of late and partly their strange boldnesse and confidence in their religion and readinesse to maintaine and broach their opinions in euery company may cause you sometimes to stagger and thinke they haue some truth on their side if you be not the better grounded and confirmed against them 2. My text here giues me direct occasion to do it yea more direct then any other that I can thinke of in all the Scripture Consider therefore that as the Papists do resemble the Samaritans in many other things so in this point especially that is described in this text namely in aduancing the credit of good and holy men to the discrediting of the truth of God The Papists are right Samaritans and do resemble them in many things 1. The Samaritan in many points of Religion agreed with the people of God for he worshipped the true God Ezra 4. 2. 2. King 17. â—…8 He acknowledged the fiue Bookes of Moses he vsed Circumcision and the Sacrifices of the Law 2. Kings 17. 32. he looked for the Messiah that was to come Iohn 4. 25. So doth the Papist agree with vs in many points of Religion 2. The Samaritan corrupted these parts of the true Religion with grosse Superstition and Idolatry for he had many things besides the Lord that he gaue diuine honour vnto 1. Kings 17. 29. Euery nation made gods of their owne and put them in the houses of the high places which the Samaritans had made euery nation in the cities where they dwelt He worshipped the true God in Images These nations feared the Lord and serued their grauen images saith the text 2. King 17. 41. And in that respect though the Holy Ghost say of them 2. Kings 17. 33. They feared the Lord because they retained many parts of Gods true worship yet in the very next verse he saith They did not feare God they did not worship the true God because they serued him not according to his Word And our Sauiour denieth Ioh. 4. 22. that there câ—…uld be any saluation had in their religion In this point also the Papist is like the Samaritan he hath many petty gods that he giueth diuine honour vnto he worshippeth the true God by Images and in that respect we may as truly say of him as it was said of the Samaritan he worshippeth not the true God at all because he worshippeth him not according to his Word how then can saluation be found in the religion of the Papist 3. The Samaritan was euer the chiefe practiser against the re-edifying of the Temple and of the holy city See some of their practises They weakned the hands of the people of Iudah and troubled them in building and hired Counsellours against them to frustrate their purpose all the dayes of Cyrus as we read Ezra 4. 4. 5. And Neh. 6. 12. 14. They made some of the Prophets and Prophetesses their instruments to hinder the worke So hath the Papist euer beene the author of all the means whereby the growth of religion hath been hindered amongst vs The strange slanders whereby many of the seruants of God haue beene discredited both with the Magistrate and with the people haue come from the Papist The domesticall dissentions and iarres we haue had among our selues haue come from the Papist also But in nothing hath he better resembled the Samaritan then in this case that is here described in this Text namely in pretending great loue and respect to the Saints departed and in aduancing their credit and authority to the discredit of the truth of God The Samaritan pretended great reuerence to Iacob they pretended for this Well from which they fetcht their water that Iacob gaue it them The Papist pretendeth for the power and authority of their Pope from whence in very deed all their religion is deriued and vpon which it is grounded that Peter gaue it him that Peter vsed it himselfe and left it to the Bishops of Rome that are his successours and for their whole religion they pretend that the ancient Fathers and Doctors of the Church deliuered it vnto them And therefore let vs bring neuer so good euidence out of the Word of God against them they are ready to put vs off as the Samaritan doth here Are you or the founders of your religion Luther and Caluin greater then Saint Peter Are you or they better or more likely to see the truth in religion then all the Fathers who gaue vs this religion and themselues professed it and all such as were taught by them We honour the Fathers say they you reiect and despise them The ancient Doctors of the Church are for vs and against you and your new religion Now for answer vnto them we say that the very same errours will be found in this plea of theirs as wee haue found in the argument of this Samaritan-woman for 1. As Iacob gaue no such Well to the Samaritanes so it is euident Peter gaue no such power and authority to the Bishops of Rome as they pretend Marke how we proue this 2. He had no such power and authority himselfe as the Pope exercises Peter exercised no such temporall and ciuill iurisdiction nay he might not do it The king of the Gentiles saith our Sauiour vnto him and the rest of the Apostles Luk. 22. 25 26. exercise lordship ouer them and they that exercise authority vpon them are called Benefactors But yee shall not be so Peter neuer tooke vpon him nor thought hee might take vpon him to depose Princes that should abuse their authority against the true Church and Religion or to absolue subiects from their Oathes of allegiance for he taught the contrary submit your selues to euery ordinance of man for the Lords sake saith he 1. Pet. 2. 13. He had no such ecclesiasticall supremacy ouer the whole Church as the Pope exerciseth for all the rest of the Apostles were equall to him Paul professeth so of himselfe in nothing am I behind the very chiefest Apostles saith he 2. Cor. 12. 11. The same commission the same gifts of the Holy Ghost the same keyes
ioy such as may make thy heart glad and comfortable when thou shalt haue most need of comfort Thou must come to be one day in that case that Hezekiah was in labour that thou mayst haue that comfort that he then had when the message was brought him from God that he must die and not liue and he by examination of his owne heart and feruent prayer sought to prepare himselfe for death this was that that he found comfort in in that case remember now O Lord I beseech thee saith he Esay 38. 3. how I haue walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart and haue done that which is good in thy sight The vprightnesse of his heart and constant care he had to please God in all his waies yeelded him comfort in that estate If thy conscience shall say in that day as Psal. 90. 9. All our daies are passed away in thy wrath If thou neuer hadst in thy life any good euidence of Gods speciall fauour Oh how great will thy misery then be 3. Flatter not thy selfe with this conceit that Christ died for thee and thou beleeuest in Christ for if thou haue not the Spirit of Christ thou art none of his Rom. 8. 9. 3. To encourage such as begin inwardly and vnfainedly to affect good things let not the scornes of others nor the difficulties thou findest in a good course discourage thee for thou shalt finde the sweetnesse of it one day That which Salomon saith of one may bee said of all good duties Thou shalt finde it after many daies Ecclesiastes 11. 1. and 1. Corinthians 15. 58. Bee yee stedfast vnmooueable alwaies abounding in the worke of the Lord for as much as you know that your labour is not in vaine in the Lord. 4. To reprooue such Christians as yeeld too much to the dumpishnesse and heauinesse of their owne hearts I doe not wish men that feare God to giue too much liberty to themselues in hunting after carnall ioy or the meanes thereof after recreations and keeping company with prophane men Of such mirth we may say as Eccl. 2. 2. I said of laughter it is mad and of mirth what doth it I know the best Christians haue oft-times iust cause to be sad 1. In respect of their owne sinnes 2. In respect of the state of the Church of God If I doe not remember Ierusalem let my tongue cleane to the roofe of my mouth if I preferre not Ierusalem aboue my chiefe ioy saith the Prophet Psal. 137. 6. But if such as are indeed in the state of grace and continue not in any one sinne wittingly which they haue not repented of doe not stirre vp themselues to bee ioyfull and comfortable they are in a great fault The Lord would haue such to be cheerefull Reioyce euermore saith the Apostle 1. Thess. 5. 16. and Philippians 4. 4. reioyce in the Lord alwaies and againe I say reioyce The Lord would haue such to be merry at worke and merry at meat Deut. 12. 18. Thou shalt reioyce before the Lord thy God in all that thou puttest thine hand vnto And if they be not cheerefull they offend much For first they sinne against God who delighteth most in the seruice that is done to him with cheerefulnesse and with a glad heart God loues as well a cheerefull worshipper as a cheerefull giuer 2. Corinthians 9. 7. That was the cause why Anna abstained from the sacrifice because she could not be cheerefull 1. Sam. 1. 7. Marke what account God makes of this Deut. 28. 47. Because thou seruedst not the Lord thy God with ioyfulnesse and with gladnsse of heart for the abundance of all things therefore shalt thou serue thine enemies in hunger and in thirst c. 2. They sinne against themselues both against their bodies in making them more vnseruiceable to their soules in any good duty Prou. 17. 22. A merry heart doth good like a medicine but a broken spirit dryeth vp the bones And against their soules in making them lesse able to resist Sathans tentations Neh. 8. 10. The ioy of the Lord is your streâ—…h 3. Against men in causing them to thinke very hardly of Religion as of that that will depriue a man of all the comfort of his life and cast him into continuall melancholy and doubts and sadnesse of heart Lecture the eleuenth Aprill 11. 1609. WE haue heard the last day that this verse containes in it a commendation of the water of life the Spirit of regeneration from two arguments viz. first from the efficacie and sufficiency of it it is able to quench the thirst of the soule and fully to satisfie and quiet it secondly from the durablenesse and perpetuity of it The first of these we finished the last day Now it remaines that wee come to the second From this then that our Sauiour saith here 1. Whosoeuer shall drinke of the water that he shall giue him shall neuer be more a thirst 2. That the water that he shall giue shall be in him that hath once receiued it a Well of water springing vp to euerlasting life We learne That hee that hath once truely receiued the Spirit of grace can neuer lose it Before I confirme this Doctrine to you I will first cleere the meaning of it vnto you For it may seeme an absurd and incredible Doctrine contrary to reason contrary to sense and experience to say that a man that is once regenerated and hath receiued grace can neuer lose it I will shew you therefore how farre forth we grant that a man may lose the good things he hath had 1. There be certaine gifts of the spirit that may be lost viz. outward gifts whereby men are fitted to the outward duties of their calling The Spirit of the Lord departed from Saul 1. Sam. 16. 14. But what was that Spirit of the Lord The spirit of prophesie 1. Sam. 10. 10. and the spirit of gouernement 1. Sam. 11. 6. but it is the spirit of Sanctification of which we say it cannot neuer be lost 2. There be certaine shewes of sanctification and reformation which are the fruits of nature and they may be lost A naturall man doth oft-times many good things 1. Out of a carnall respect to his credit that he might be well thought of so did the Pharisee and hypocrite pray and fast and giue almes Mat. 6. 2. 6. 15. 2. Somtimes out of a seruile feare of Gods wrath while he is vnder the whip yee shall haue him cease from sin speake many good words seeme very religious Psal. 78. 34. When he slew them then they sought him c. Now in these good things there is no durablenesse or constancie For all flesh is grasse 1 Pet. 1. 24. Whatsoeuer excellency is in it or comes from it hath no durablenesse in it But of true sanctification that comes of grace we affirme that it can neuer be lost 3. A man that hath onely tasted of this wateâ—…â—…f life and receiued certaine
particular which direct vs how to carry our selues in euery part of Gods publike worship And those I am now to deliuer vnto you let me intreat your attention and patience while I finish this doctrine the rather because it is not so pleasing I know vnto the eare as many other things that may be taught vnto you But 1. It is a truth Christ hath taught vs in his Word and whatsoeuer God is pleased to teach we must be content to heare For thus saith the Lord of Christ Ye shall heare him in all things whatsoeuer he shall say vnto you Acts 3. 22. 2. It is a truth naturally arising out of this Text and such as there be few places in Scripture from which it may be so fitly deliuered as from this 3. It is a truth of continuall vse and therefore we are bound to teach it I haue kept backe nothing that was profitable vnto you saith the Apostle Acts 20. 20. and if we be bound to teach it you are bound to heare it also 4. It is a truth you haue not oft heard and my desire is to speake so fully of it now that I may not need to teach it againe I told you the last day that there bee sixe duties of Gods worship vsed in our Assemblies and all of them by the ordinance and commandement of the Lord. For 1. We pray togeher 2. We heare the Word read 3. We heare the Word preached 4. We sing Psalmes 5. We haue both the Sacraments administred 6. We heare and receiue the blessing of God pronounced by his Minister Now the Word of God hath giuen vs particular direction how to carry our selues in euery one of these For prayer we finde three directions 1. We should if conueniently we may kneele at prayer The fittest gesture in prayer is kneeling because we haue no gesture in vse amongst vs so fit to expresse our humilitie by For this we haue a plaine commandement to vse it when we may Psal. 95. 6. Come let vs worship and fall downe and kneele before the Lord our maker So Paul taking his leaue of the Elders of Ephesus kneeled downe and prayed with them all Act. 20. 36. And so all the Christians at Tyrus accompanying Paul to the ship with their wiues and their children kneeled downe on the shore and prayed Acts 21. 5. Yea we haue the example of farre greater persons for this namely of Salomon 1. King 8. 54. And of one that was greater then Salomon euen out Sauiour himselfe Luke 22. 41. 2. They that cannot conueniently kneele should stand or at least doe as much reuerence with some other gesture and posture of their body as they can Some cannot conueniently kneele at prayer through age and other infirmities and we know God preferres mercy euen in this kind to our selues before sacrifice Matth. 12. 7. Some by reason of their Seates cannot kneele conueniently If the Minister should kneele at prayer in many Churches the people could not heare him no more could many of them doe if they should kneele downe themselues at his prayers And edification should bee more respected then gesture or any other thing that is but a matter of circumstance the Apostle blames the neglect of this as a chiefe fault in Gods publike worship 1. Cor. 14. 17. and professeth verse 19. that himselfe had a chiefe respect vnto this in all the parts of his Ministry and vers 26. giues this charge to the Church concerning euery thing that is to be done in the Church-assemblies Let all things bee done to edifying Such I say as cannot conueniently kneele should either by standing or by some other gesture shew as much bodily reuerence as they can For standing vp at prayer wee haue direction Nehemiah 9. 2. 5. Marke 11. 25. Luke 18. 13. And for the bodily reuerence that they should striue to shew that can neither kneele nor stand vp wee haue old and weake Iacobs example Gen. 47. 31. And Israel worshipped or adored towards the beds head If it be obiected that Dauid sate at prayer 2. Samuel 7. 18. I answer the word there vsed signifies as properly and vsually to remaine and abide in a place or at a thing as to sit as Genesis 27. 44. Leuiticus 14. 8. 1. Samuel 1. 22. and 20. 19. 2. Samuel 19. 32. in all which places the very same word is vsed in the originall tongue and must be vnderstood not of the gesture of sitting but of continuing and making some abode as all the best translators doe render it And so it is also to be taken and vnderstood there Dauid continued before the Lord. 3. All should with silence ioyne in heart with the Minister and in their vnderstanding and affection goe with him in his prayer and at the end of prayer witnesse their consent by saying Amen And that this is the part and duty of the people in publike prayer is euident both by the example and direction of the Word in these places 1. Chron. 16. 36. Nehemiah 8. 6. 1. Corinthians 14. 16. 2. At the hearing of the Word preached all must attend and hearken diligently and our whole carriage must bee such as may no way hinder but stirre vp and helpe our attention to that that is taught Acts 8. 6. The people gaue heed to those things which Philip spake with one accord And wee are commanded to hearken diligently Esay 55. 2 3. From day light till noone the eares of all the people were attentiue Nehemiah 8. 3. and Prouerbes 2. 2. cause thine eares to hearken Therefore it is noted to haue beene the vse of the people of God for the helpe of their attention to fasten their eyes vpon the Teacher Luke 4. 20. and to keepe their places Nehemiah 8. 7. So that to sleepe at Sermon or to talke or to suffer the eyes to wander here and there or to reade yea though it be on the Bible if wee hinder our attention thereby to that that is taught argueth want of reuerence and is a kind of contempt done to Gods Ordinance Iob speaking of the reuerence that men did beare to him saith Iob 29. 9. When hee spake the Princes stayed talke and layed their hand vpon their mouth and verse 21. vnto me men gaue eare and waited and held their tongue at my counsaile and ver 23. they waited for mee as for the raine In this respect writing and taking notes at Sermons because 1. It helpes to keepe the mind attentiue to that that is taught And 2. It helpes the memory is not vnfit how euer it be thought by some to be some hinderance to the words working vpon the affection in hearing 3. At the hearing of the Word read some further gesture and outward signification of reuerence is to be vsed then is required at the hearing of the Sermon See a proofe of this in the example of the Teacher Luke 4. 16. Our Sauiour when he read his Text stood vp to reade When he beganne his Sermon he sate downe
forefathers 2. Of such as liue vnder better meanes of instruction more is required then of such as liue vnder a dumb and ignorant Ministry The Apostle sharpely reprooues the Hebrewes Chap. 5 12. for that whereas considering the time they liued in and meanes they had inioyed they ought to haue beene teachers yet had need to be taught their first principles and tells them Heb. 6. 1. 3. That vnlesse they were carefull to grow forward to perfection they were in great danger to fall into the vnpardonable sinne 3. Of such as haue more leisure and fewer distractions through worldly businesse God requires a greater measure of knowledge then of others That which the Apostle speakes of vnmarried persons holds good proportion with Gentlemen and others that by reason of their estates are freed from that toyle in worldly businesse that others haue 1. Cor. 7. 32. The vnmarryed careth for the things of the Lord how hee may please the Lord verse 33. He that is marryed careth for the things of the world 4. Of such as God hath giuen best naturall parts best wits and best memories vnto he requireth more knowledge then of others For that speech of Christ is generall To whomsoeuer much is giuen of him shall bee much required Luk. 12. 48. Yet remaines the Doctrine true that euery Christian of what sexe and condition soeuer is bound to seeke to be resolued and setled in the knowledge of the true Religion of God Obserue the confirmation of this Doctrine in three seuerall points 1. Euery one is bound to seeke the knowledge of the truth 1. Tim. 2. 4. God would haue all men all sorts to bee saued but how and to come to the knowledge of the truth Though the Lord be infinite in mercy yet they can haue no comfort in his mercy that haue no knowledge Esay 27. 11. It is a people of no vnderstanding therefore he that hath made them shall haue no compassion of them and he that formed them shall haue no mercy on them Say a man lead an honest and vertuous life that will not serue his turne without knowledge 2. Pet. 1. 5. Ioyne to your vertue knowledge Say a man hath a good meaning and be deuout and carefull to please God this will doe him no good without knowledge Rom. 10. 2. The Iewes had the zeale of God but it was not according to knowledge and therefore for all their zeale the wrath of God came on them to the vtmost 1. Thess. 2. 16. 2. No man is to content himselfe with some smattring or small measure of knowledge but euery one is bound to seeke for certainety and to haue a sound iudgement and setled resolution in the matters of his Religion Rom. 14. 5. Let euery man be fully perswaded in his mind that he may be able to say as Rom. 14. 14. I know and am perswaded through the Lord Iesus And Paul's prayer to God for the Colossians was and if he desired it for them they were bound to desire it for themselues that they might know the mysteries of Religion in all riches of the full assurance of vnderstanding Coloss. 2. 2. and verse 7. requireth that they would seeke to be rooted and established in the faith And Peter reports of all the faithfull he wrote to that they had knowledge and were stablished in the present truth 2. Pet. 1. 12. And 2. Pet. 3. 17. Beware least yee fall from your owne stedfastnesse verse 18. but grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord. And Paul tells the Colossians Chap. 1. 22 23. That Christ will present them holy and vnblameable vnto God if they continue in the faith grounded and setled and bee not mooued away from the hope of the Gospell Though it be not required of euery Christian to be able to answer euery thing that is obiected yet should hee be propositi tenax so sure of that truth which he hath learned out of Gods Word that nothing that is obiected by any aduersary may draw him from it 1. Cor. 2. 15. Hee that is spirituall discerneth all things and he is iudged of no man Insomuch as though the learnedst man in the world yea an Angell from heauen should obiect against it yet he would not yeeld to him Gal. 1. 8. 9. In this respect the faithfull man is compared to a tree that growes by the riuers of water and is well rooted But the hypocrite to the chaffe Psal. 1. 3 4. 3. Euery one that hath meanes is bound so farre forth to take notice of the controuersies of Religion as may serue for the setling of his owne heart in the truth 1. Cor. 14. 20. Brethren bee not children in vnderstanding but of a ripe age Phil. 1. 9 10. And this I pray that your loue may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all iudgement and verse 11. that you may allow those things that are best that you may bee pure and without offence vntill the day of Christ. It is the commandement of God to his people Ier. 6. 16. that they would stand in the waies and behold and aske for the old way which is the good way When a man seeth there are diuerse waies and broad ones too 't is not good to goe on carelessely but he should stand still and consider and behold which is the likelier way and aske of such as can direct him It would be a good confirmation to a Christian that hath meanes to direct him to compare the Doctrine of Papists with ours and the weake grounds they haue to build vpon 1. Our Religion is our chiefe inheritance Psal. 119. 111. and our glory Psal. 4. 2. Euery one seekes certaintie in his inheritance if he see any hole in his lease or euidence he will giue no rest to himselfe nor spare cost till he haue made it sure 2. It is necessary to the saluation of euery man that he professe the true Religion and be a member of the true Church For out of the true Church and Religion no man can finde assurance of saluation and comfort See the necessity of this profession Rom. 10. 10. With the mouth man confesseth to saluation Isay 44. 5. One shall say I am the Lords another shall bee called by the name of Iacob another shall subscribe with his hand to the Lord and sirname himselfe by the name of Israel Marke how the profession of the true Religion yea the very hope of saluation and ioyning to the true Church goe together So Noah desiring the saluation of Iaphets posteritie prayes that God would perswade Iaphet to dwell in the tents of Sem Gen. 9. 27. And 2. Chron. 11. 16. All such as set their hearts to seeke God came to Ierusalem So it is said God added to the Church such as should be saued Acts 2. 47. And it was Dauids comfort and glory that he was the sonne of Gods handmaid Psal. 116. 16. As if he should not else haue beene Gods seruant Therefore the true Religion
and Church is called oft the Kingdome of heauen Matth. 13. 44. 47. And that promise that is made Esay 33. 24. the people that dwell there shall haue their sinnes forgiuen though it be to be vnderstood of the Church Catholique as it is in our Creed and not of any particular visible Church Yet may it thus farre forth be applied to the Church visible as that a man may say boldly none can ordinarily attaine to saluation that is not a member of the true visible Church Now there is but one true Church and Religion there may be in matters of lesse moment sundry differences in the true Church as betweene vs and the Lutherans and Brownists and among our selues but these make vs not seuerall Churches because in the fundamentall points of Religion the knowledge whereof is absolutely necessary to saluation and the profession whereof maketh a true Christian we all agree It is a damnable conceit of some that a man may be saued in any Religion There is but one faith Ephes. 4. 5. one way to life and one gate Matth. 7. 13. Gods promise is to all his Elect that he will giue them one heart and one way Ier. 32. 39. It stands men therefore vpon to enquire diligently which is the onely true Church which is the onely true Religion 3. Such as are not well grounded in Religion and carefull to attaine to certainty and resolution in it are in continuall danger to be seduced and to fall from their profession either on the right hand or on the left The Apostle giues the reason why hee desired the Colossians might attaine to all riches of the full assurance of vnderstanding least any should beguile them Col. 2. 24. That that is halting is easily turned out of the way and therefore it is necessary to goe steddily and strongly in the right way Heb. 12. 13. They that are children in vnderstanding and wauering will bee easily carried away with euery wind of vaine doctrine Ephes. 4. 14. Whom did the seducers in old time preuaile with 2. Tim. 3. 6 7. With simple women that were euer learning and neuer able to come to the knowledge of the truth And 2. Pet. 2. 14. With vnstable soules And no maruell For though we are wont to wonder at the absurdities of euery contrary Religion and thinke a simple man may easily be able to answer whatsoeuer they can say And the confidence we haue in our selues this way is a chiefe cause why we doe not more carefully seeke to ground our selues in the knowledge of the truth yet it is certaine that the grossest aduersaries of the truth are able to vse such reasons and perswasions as haue in them great probability and shew of truth The Apostle saith of the Seducers of his time that they had Coloss. 2. 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Ephes. 4. 14. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a notable veine in perswading a great deale of cunning euen such as cheaters and coggers at dice doe vse much craft to beguile and circumuent them that they deale with 4. No man can be saued vnlesse hee bee willing to suffer for his Religion yea euen to die for it If any man will come after mee saith our Sauiour Luke 9. 23. let him deny himselfe and take vp his Crosse daily and follow mee And Luke 14. 26. If any man come to mee and hate not his owne life that is bee not willing to part with it for my sake hee cannot bee my Disciple And Reuel 3. 10. Be thou faithfull vnto death and I will giue thee the crowne of life And who can doe that but he that is well grounded and certaine of the truth of his Religion No man can haue peace in his conscience nor comfort in the euill day in the houre of death or time of great affliction that is vncertaine in his Religion 5. A good conscience that giues a man assurance that he is in the state of grace in the right way to life will yeeld a man vnspeakeable comfort at all times when a man is sure that God accepteth his worke then may he well say to himselfe Goe eate thy bread with ioy and drinke thy wine with a cheerefull heart Eccl. 9. 7. Yea in the time of greatest affliction such a one may haue much comfort On the other side how can he haue comfort in that day that is vnresolued when he shall consider that he must either goe to heauen or hell and that there is but one way to heauen and that he is vncertaine whether he be in that one way or no how can he chuse but be in extreame perplexity As the man that trauells in a tempestuous weather ready to be benighted and knowes not the way and is sure that if he misse the right way he shall fall into the hands of theeues or other certaine perill of his life must needs be in extreame feare and anguish of heart so it is in this case Say such an one doe vse to pray and doe good workes all this can yeeld him no comfort He that doubteth saith the Apostle Rom. 14. 23. is condemned if he eate because he doth it not of faith and whatsoeuer is not of faith is sinne Euen the doubts that the faithfull feele in themselues though they be not quite void of faith and certainty cause much discomfort to them as it appeares by the teares that that poore man shed 〈◊〉 â—…is vnbeliefe Mar. 9. 24. and by that sadnesse and sorrow of heart which â—…e two Disciples of Emaus felt in themselues when they doubted whether Christ were the true Messiah Luke 24. 17. How much more such as haue no faith no certainty at all mixed with them Therefore the Lord bids them that would find rest to their soules vse all meanes to finde out the good way and walke in it Ier. 6 16. And the Apostle giues this for one reason why he did so much desire that the Colossians might attaine to all riches of the assurance of vnderstanding that their hearts might bee comforted Col. 2. 2. 2. The example of the Papists Though this haue beene a maine principall in their Religion that ignorance is the mother of deuotion yet now euen women among them grow perfect and ready in the grounds of their Religion and are able to giue a reason of that they hold and to teach their children also And what shame is that for vs 1. For exhortation to diligence in the vse of all meanes whereby we may grow to certaintie in our Religion 1. We must liue vnder and frequent an ordinary Ministry For that is ordained for this end that we may be no longer as children tossed to and fro with euery wind of doctrine Ephes. 4. 14. And ye heare of few seduced either by Papists or Brownists that did enioy an ordinary and setled Ministry 2. We must giue our selues to reading of good bookes specially of the Scriptures for they are able to make vs wise
their life time might yet find mercy with him specially in the most fundamentall point of faith the doctrine of iustification at the houre of death which we haue no cause to doubt of not only because the Scripture hath reuealed that the Lord vseth to call some at the last houre Matth. 20. 6 7. But because we find by experience that euen now adayes though men be now farre more obstinate and more setled in Popery then our forefathers could be as hauing stronger meanes to corrupt and poyson them then they had and though their sinne be farre greater then the sinne of our forefathers was because they sinne against the light that is so clearely reuealed yea many of them in Apostasie from the truth they had formerly professed Yet euen now adayes many Papists finde that mercy with God as to renounce Popery at the houre of their death in that maine doctrine of iustification by workes 3. We haue the rather cause to hope and iudge that our forefathers many of them did finde that mercy with the Lord because we know by those monuments of pietie that they left behind them that they had the zeale of God in them which is a good ground of hope as we may see Pauls hearty desire and prayer to God for Israel was that they might be saued because they had the zeale of God Rom. 10. 1 2. 4. Say the Papists could certainely prooue that our ancestors did both liue and die Papists yet is it no vndutifulnesse in vs to swerue from their example in that wherein we are sure they swerued from the Word of God and we are oft charged in the Scripture not to make the example of our forefathers the rule of our conscience in this case as we haue heard 3. For the discouering of the weake foundations that most Papists haue to build their conscience on in the matter of their Religion which is no more but this that their parents and ancestors were of that faith and not Papists onely but euen the greatest part of ignorant people haue no other ground for many things they hold in Religion but onely this the custome of their neighbours and of their forefathers 4. For the conuincing of Popery to be a false Religion euen by this their owne argument that it is a new Doctrine and hath no true antiquity to commend it vnto vs. 1. We are well able to shew that many of their errors were not receiued into the Church 600. yeares after Christ. Wee are able to name the first authors of many of their corruptions 2. Though we could not prooue they sprung vp since the Apostles times nor name the time when they first were broached it would not follow from thence that their Religion is the faith that was first deliuered by the Apostles For 1. Many heresies began in the Apostles dayes 1. Iohn 2. 18. and 4. 1. yeá of Popery it is said that it began to worke then 2. Thess. 2. 7. 2. It is oft noted in the word of sundry spirits of error that they vse to creepe in so priuily that they cannot easily be spied or discerned Matth. 13. 25. Gal. 2. 4. 2. Tim. 3. 6. 2. Pet. 2. 1. Iude 4. And aboue all heresies Popery is called a mystery Thess. 2. 7. No maruell therefore though men could not discerne when first it began to worke 3. There be many grosse errours that haue beene held in the Church as the Papists themselues will confesse the first author whereof can not be named 4. The Reason is euident why the errours of Popery were not easily discerned at the first nor opposed because they many of them especially carried so great shew of holinesse and were haply first broached by such as were esteemed holy and good men 1. Timothy 4. 3. They teach lyes through hypocrisie 3. Though we had no other reason to prooue their Religion to be new this is sufficient that it is not grounded vpon the holy Scriptures THE TWO AND THIRTIETH LECTVRE ON NOVEMBER XXI MDCIX IOH. IIII. XXI XXII XXIII Iesus said vnto her woman beleeue mee the houre commeth when ye shall neither in this mountaine nor at Ierusalem worship the Father Yee worship that which ye know not wee worship that which wee know for saluation is of the Iewes But the houre commeth and now is when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and truth for the Father requireth euen such to worship him THese words containe the answer that our Sauiour giueth vnto that question and doubt which the woman of Samaria had propounded to him in the former verse Her question was as we haue heard concerning the place of Gods worship yet not concerning the place of Gods morall worship for she knew well enough that the Iewes vsed to pray and to reade and preach not in Ierusalem onely but in all their Synag gues But her question was concerning the place of Gods solemne worship which stood in sacrifices and other ceremonies appointed in Moses Law which the Iewes held might be performed onely in Ierusalem the Samaritans only in the Temple they had vpon mount Gerizim This she being ignorant and superstitious esteemed to be the onely worship of God And concerning the place where this worship was to bee performed she desires to be resolued by our Sauiour Christ. Our Sauiours answer to her question consists of two parts First concerning the place of Gods worship which shee desired to be resolued in and that is set downe verse 21. The second concernes the worship itselfe which she did so highly esteeme of and that is set downe in the three verses following The summe of the first part of his answer which is contained in this 21. verse and concernes the place of Gods worship is this that though the time had beene that the Iewes by good warrant of Gods Word had held Ierusalem and the Temple there and the Samaritans out of their superstition had held mount Gerezim and the Temple there holier then any other place in the world besides and that the worship done there euen for the place sake was more acceptable to God then if it had beene done in any other place yet the time was now at hand that all difference of places for Gods worship should bee taken away and this partition-wall that was betweene the Iewes and the Samaritans and all other nations should be broken and that therefore there was no cause she should trouble her selfe about the place of Gods worship to know whether of the two places were the holier or the better to serue God in And this he is not content barely to affirme but confirmes it to her by a vehement asseueration Woman belieue mee this is so For the interpretation of the words and clearing them from all obscurity we must obserue 1. That by the houre he speakes of here he meanes the iust time and moment that God in his eternall counsaile had set for the abrogation of the ceremoniall Law and that was
his fatherly affection and loue in Christ more fully and cleerely to vs then hee had done to his Church vnder the Law Gal. 4. 3. 4 5. We when we were children were in bondage vnder the elements of the world But when the fulnesse of the time was come God sent forth his Sonne made of a woman made vnder the Law To redeeme them that were vnder the Law that wee might receiue the adoption of sonnes From hence then we haue this Doctrine to learne That No man can worship God aright till he know God to be his Father the better a man is perswaded and assured of Gods fatherly loue to him in Christ the better seruice he shall doe vnto him Therefore our Sauiour teaching vs to pray bids vs say Our Father Matth. 6. 9. As if he should say presume not to aske any petition of God till thou canst so conceiue and be perswaded of him And the Apostle tells vs it is the spirit of adoption that makes vs able to pray and makes this the voice of the spirit of prayer it cryes Abba O Father Rom. 8. 15. Yea he makes it an impossible thing for any man to pray aright without this assurance Rom. 10. 14 How shall they call on him in whom they haue not beleeued The reason of it is first because till we know God is our Father and Ioueth vs in Christ we cannot be assured that he will accept vs. When we know he is our Father in Christ it makes vs goe to him with boldnesse and confidence in Christ we haue boldnesse and accesse with confidence through faith in him Eph. 3. 12. I will arise and go to my father saith the Prodigall Luke 15. 18. and will say vnto him father I haue sinned against heauen and before thee Though he had sinned so outragiously yet the consideration of this that it was his father he was to go vnto gaue him boldnesse It giues vs assurance that not withstanding our infirmities he will accept vs I will spare him and deale gently and indulgently with him saith the Lord Mal. 3. 17. as a man spareth his son that serueth him When the Prodigall was yet a great way off his father saw him and had compassion and ran and fell on his necke and kissed him Luke 15. 20. And nothing graceth our prayers more with God then this confidence and boldnes Let vs come boldly to the throne of grace that we may obtaine mercy and finde grace to helpe in time of need saith the Apostle Heb. 4. 16. But without this faith and perswasion that God is our Father we can haue no assurance that any thing we doe in his seruice pleaseth him without faith it is impossible to please God Heb. 11. 6. And the best thing we doe in his seruice without this assurance that we please him in so doing is sinne Rom. 14. 23. Whatsoeuer is not of faith is sinne Secondly because till a man be perâ—…waded of Gods loue and fatherly affection towards him in Christ he can neuer serue him of loue nor with a good heart but vpon some by-respects vpon a seruile feare or hope of merit Heb. 10. 22. We can neuer draw neere to God with a true heart till we haue assurance of faith and our hearts sprinkled from an euill conscience No man can truely loue God till he be perswaded by the spirit of Gods loue to him Wee loue God because he loued vs first 1. Iohn 4. 19. true loue comes from a pure heart and a good conscience and faith vnfained 1. Tim. 1. 5. And whatsoeuer seruice we doe to God vnlesse it proceed out of a good heart and from loue to God it cannot please him though a man should giue his body to be burned in Martyrdome yet if that proceed not from his loue to God it would profit him nothing 1. Corinthians 13. 3. For what man would accept of any seruice from him that hee knowes loues him not The Vse of the Doctrine is to exhort vs to get good assurance to our hearts that God is our Father that he beares a fatherly affection to vs aboue all sinnes striue against infidelity Examine your selues whither yee bee in the faith prooue your selues 2. Cor. 13. 5. Many want this assurance and seeke it not many seeme to haue it and haue it not I will giue you foure notes to trie it by 1. God is a Father to no man but in and through Christ Iohn 1. 12. So many as receiued him to them gaue hee power to become the sonnes of God euen to them that beleeue in his name Galathians 4. 5. Hee hath redeemed vs that were vnder the Law that wee might receiue the adoption of sonnes so that vnlesse a man ground his assurance and confidence that God is his Father onely vpon Christ if hee ground it vpon this that God hath made him and preserued him c. his assurance is in vaine 2. He that is perswaded indeed that God is his Father will â—…adly and boldly resort to him in prayer Because yee are sonnes God hath sent forth the spirit of his Sonne into your hearts crying Abba Father Gal. 4. 6. They that seldome pray or pray with no willingnesse and cheerefulnesse or pray with no confidence doubtlesse are not perswaded that God is their father 3. He that is perswaded that God is his Father will not murmure against nor be put out of heart by any of Gods corrections but be perswaded of his loue euen in affliction according to that of the Apostle Heb. 12. 7. 9. If yee endure chastening God dealeth with you as with sonnes for what sonne is hee whom the father chasteneth not And Rom. 15. 3. Being iustified by faith wee glory euen in tribulation They that in the time of their peace and prosperity onely are confident in Gods loue but haue no heart no comfort in affliction are not indeed perswaded that God is their Father 4. He that is indeed perswaded that the Lord beareth the affection of a Father vnto him will beare the affection of a childe vnto God will loue him and be carefull to please him fearefull to offend him Mal. 1. 6. If I bee your Father where is mine honour Heb. 10. 22. No drawing neere to God in assurance of faith till wee be sprinkled in our hearts from an euill conscience and washed in our bodies also They that haue no care to please God nor feare to offend him doubtlesse are not perswaded that God is their Father Now come we to the principall Doctrine which our Sauiour teacheth vs in this place namely That the onely true worship of God the onely worship that pleaseth God now especially vnder the Gospell is that which is spirituall the worship that is proper to the Gospell the true Christian worship is spirituall For so saith our Sauiour here The houre commeth and now it is that the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth and againe They that worship
1. 20. And this is then much more true of the clearer light he giueth men by his Word Ioh. 15. 22. If I had not come and spoken to them then they should not haue had sin but now haue they no cloke for their sin Let euery man say thus to his own heart it is the Lords doing that thou art borne in these dayes of light that thy lot is fallen into such a place where thou hast good meanes of knowledge that thou hast attained to knowledge aboue many others if thou profit not hereby and be not wonne vnto God certainely God hath determined to glorifie himselfe in thy condemnation more then in a thousand others that he hath not done so much for The second Reason is in respect of the Elect that God may vse this knowledge they haue as a preparatiue and helpe to their conuersion in the day of their visitation True it is that the naturall man hath nothing in him whereby he is able to prepare himselfe to his conuersion Yea he is ready to become the worse as we haue heard for this knowledge he hath of the truth But if he be the Lords Elect one whom he hath determined to call this shall be his aduantage and he shall haue cause to praise God for it that he hath liued in Gods Church and among Gods people where he hath heard somewhat of Religion and seene some profession of it that he hath had some knowledge in the grounds and principles of the truth yea if he haue but liued vnder an ignorant Ministry where he hath heard the Word read onely though that cannot conuert him nor any are to rest in it yet that small light he may get by it shall be an aduantage to him So was it with this poore Woman The knowledge she had gotten by hearing Moses read and by liuing so neare the Iewes now the time of her visitation was come prooued an aduantage to her So that which the Iewes heard of Iohn concerning Christ though for the present they regarded it not but rather were offended at it in the day of their visitation prooued an aduantage to them Iohn did no miracle but all things that Iohn spake of this man were true and many belieued on him there Iohn 10. 41 42. So the Apostle saith that the elect Gentiles that had liued among the faithfull to heare them and see their good examples though they hated them for the present yet in the day of their visitation they should praise God and account this a great benefit 1. Pet. 2. 12. The Vse of this Doctrine is first for conuincing of them that mislike wee should deny the Church of Rome to be a true Church of Christ or teach that they that die in the faith thereof cannot be saued or inueigh with any bitternesse against Papists because say they they hold many truthes By this reason both the Samaritans of old and the Iewes and the Turkes now may bee held to be true Churches and in the state of saluation 2. To teach euery one of vs to seeke for knowledge which is the foundation of all other graces without it can no man ordinarily be saued God will haue all men to bee saued and to come to the knowledge of the truth 1. Tim. 2. 4. Though many misse of saluation that haue some knowledge yet there is much more hope of the worst man that hath knowledge of the truth then of the ciuillest man that is void of knowledge Of all the sorts of ground where the seed was cast that by the high way side was the worst Matth. 13. 9. Let Ministers therfore principally labour to ground their people by Catechising in the Principles of Religion because him in whom thou mayest discerne a competencie of knowledge in the fundamentall Principles of Religion thou mayest with comfort admit to the Sacrament if his life be not scandalously wicked though thou cannot otherwise discerne any fruit of the Spirit in him because that man hath in him as I may say the matter and seed of regeneration And this should incourage parents to traine vp their children in the instruction and information of the Lord for though 1 many so trained proue vngratious 2 little ones haue little sense of that they learne yet if they belong to God this will one day prooue an aduantage to them 3. To teach professours not to glory in that they haue some knowledge but to labour for that which is proper to the Elect. Three differences may bee obserued betwixt a Samaritans knowledge and a true Christians 1. She receiued Moses some parts of the truth but reiected the Prophets we desire to know the whole truth so farre forth as God shall giue vs meanes we refuse not to know any truth that God hath reuealed nor winke with our eyes nor content our selues with fragments but seeke to be informed in the whole body of Religion in the whole forme of Doctrine Rom 6. 17. Yea we seeke to grow and increase daily in knowledge 2. Pet. 3. 18. grow in grace and in the knowledge of the Lord. 2. She though she knew somewhat which she learned of Moses yet that that concerned specially her owne direction and practise she knew not Moses had plainely enough condemned all Idolatry Take yee therefore good heed to your selues for yee saw no manner of similitude on the day that the Lord spake to you in Horeb out of the midst of the fire least yee corrupt your selues and make you a grauen image the similitude of any figure Deut. 4. 15 16. which yet the Samaritans vsed We desire chiefly the knowledge of those points that are most necessary and profitable and most concerne our selues as all Iohn Baptists good hearers did as appeares by the direction craued of him Luke 3. 10. 12. 14. 3. Her knowledge had no power in her heart for shee liued in grosse whoredome notwithstanding it and therefore was no true knowledge of God of the sonnes of Ely it is said that because they were sons of Belial lewd men that they knew not the Lord 1. Sam. 2. 12. our knowledge reformeth and ruleth vs and that onely deserues the name of true knowledge the feare of the Lord that is wisedome and to depart from euill is vnderstanding Iohn 28. 28. Lecture the foure and fortieth March 6. 1609. IOHN IIII. XXV THe last day we heard that this Woman hearing our Sauiour speake of an alteration that should shortly be made in the manner of Gods worship was thereby put in mind of the Messias comming Concerning which she professeth two things 1. That she knew well he was comming his comming could not be far off 2. That when he should come he would tell them all things In the former we obserued the last day what knowledge of the truth there may be in an vnregenerate and wicked man It remaineth now that we proceed to that which she speaketh touching the office of Christ When hee is come saith she he will
the Passeouer Exodus 13. 8. how much more now 3. The third Vse is for exhortation and incouragement to learne of Christ Matth. 11. 29. this will bring much rest to our soules which we must now doe by the written word and ministry thereof God hath committed to vs the word of reconciliation and we are in Christs stead as the Apostle teacheth 2. Cor. 5. 19. 20. And seeing his office is to teach vs all things let vs seeke in all things in euery place as well at home as at the Church in euery condition of life in prosperity aduersity as we are Masters Seruants Landlords c in euery thing that we goe about as buying selling apparell recreations c to receiue direction from him In euery thing inquire what saith Christ concerning this What would he haue me doe That which Paul saith of marriages and meates may be said likewise of apparell recreations all the commodities and gaines of this life they are good to vs when they are sanctified by the Word and prayer 1. Tim. 4. 4 5. Many will heare Christ willingly in some things but in many things they will doe as they list whereas Acts 3. 22 23. Wee should heare him in all things that bee shall say vnto vs and euery soule that will not heare this Prophet shall bee destroyed from among the people THE FIVE AND FORTIETH LECTVRE ON MARCH XIII MDCIX IOH. IIII. XXVI Iesus saith vnto her I that speake vnto thee am He. WE heard the last day what a confession this Woman of Samaria made of the Messiah 1. She knew he would come 2. She knew his comming was then at hand 3. She knew that when he should come he should teach his Church all things that concerned Gods true worship and the saluation of man In these words that I haue now read and the verse following two things are set downe 1. How Christ made himselfe knowne vnto her to be the Messiah which she spake of verse 26. 2. How this conference betweene them was broken of by the comming of the Disciples verse 27. In the first we are to obserue that it is somewhat strange that he thus plainely reuealeth himselfe vnto this Woman here and to inquire what may be the reason of it that so we may receiue a doctrine and instruction from it 1. We shall not finde that in any Sermon he made to the Iewes hee did euer manifest himselfe so plainely to be the Messiah as he doth here to this Woman of Samaria and yet we know he was not sent to the Samaritans but vnto the lost sheepe of the house of Israel Matth. 15. 24. We reade Iohn 10. 24. That the Iewes came about him as he was walking in Salomons Porch and compassed him round that he might not get from them and expostulated with him in this manner how long doest thou hold vs in suspense If thou bee the Christ tell vs plainely yet would he not in plaine tearmes tell them that hee was he yea when Iohn the Baptist sent two choise Disciples to him to know whether he were he that should come or they should waite for another he makes them not a plaine and direct answer but bids them shew Iohn what workes of his they had seene done Luke 7. 19. 22. yea he straitly chargeth his Disciples Matth. 16. 20. That they should tell no man that hee was Iesus the Christ and yet behold he plainely makes himselfe knowne to this poore Woman 2. The Reason why he vouchsafeth this rare fauour to this poore Woman is for that he saw her heart was now prepared to receiue the truth hee told her not so much at the first till he saw her heart was prepared to receiue it he saw her heart was now truely humbled in sense of her sin he saw she esteemed reuerently of his person he saw she was very desirous of sauing knowledge he discerned in her a longing desire for the Messias comming because she knew when he came he would teach his Church all things and therefore now he thus plainely reueales himselfe vnto her In this manner did Christ also deale with the poore man that was borne blinde when he had heard what zeale and grace he had shewed in answering of the Pharisees and enduring of their excommunication he sought him out and finding him made himselfe more plainely knowne vnto him then he did vnto any other almost Ioh. 9. 3â—… 37. To the Iewes in Iohnâ—…0 â—…0 â—…4 he did not make himselfe so plainely knowne because he saw they sought it out of an euill purpose And he charged his Disciples not to make him knowne because he saw the people were not yet prepared to receiue this truth This then is the Doctrine that we are to learne here That the Lord will cleerely reueale himselfe to all such as with an humble and honest heart doe desire to know him When God hath thus prepared the heart of any and made it 1. Humble in sense of his owne ignorance and sinne 2. Vnfainedly desirous of sauing knowledge 3. Desirous of it with an honest heart and purpose to obey the truth he neuer vseth to leaue it there but is wont further to reueale his sauing truth vnto that soule See how this is confirmed in all these three particulars For the first Psal. 25. 9. They that be meeke shall he guide in iudgement and teach the humble his way The man that seeth his ignorance and corruption is poore in spirit and mournes for nothing so much as for it you see God hath promised he will teach him his way For the second the blessed Virgin saith in her Song that this hath euer beene Gods manner Luke 1. 53. To fill the hungry with good things and to send the riâ—…h away empty to such as vnfainedly and earnestly desire to know Christ he will vndoubtedly reueale himselfe For the third Psal 25. 12. What man is he that feares the Lord him shall he teach in the way that he shall chuse And verse 14. The secret of the Lord is reuealed to them that feare him and his Couenant to giue them vnderstanding Iohn 14. 21. He that loueth me shall bee loued of my Father and I will loue him and shew mine owne selfe vnto him And Psal. 50. 23. To him that disposeth his way aright will I shew the saluation of God Such as with an honest heart desire to be taught of God because they feare to offend him because they loue him and desire to please and serue him such he will teach the way they should chuse he will reueale his secrets to them euen the secret of all secrets his decree touching their eternall election The Reasons of this are three 1. The good pleasure of God The free and infinite loue the Lord beareth to them that are his This Reason our Sauiour giueth Mat. 11. 26. euen so Father for so it seemed good in thy sight 2. The vnchangeablenesse of this loue of God and care he hath to perfect
saith he Matth. 11. 19. yea he was wont to take the benefit of Gods creatures not of such onely as serue for mans necessity but of such also as God hath giuen vs for our delight It was noted of him by his carping enemies that he was wont to drinke wine Luke 7. 34. And it is said of him twice that he suffered his feet to be annointed with very precious oyntment Luke 7. 38. and Iohn 12. 3. 5. neither refused he to goe to feasts when he was bidden no not vpon the Sabbath day Luke 14. 1. And for his Disciples we know there was offence taken at him because he did not teach them to fast Luke 5. 33. Why then doth he forbeare his meate at this time surely because he would not let slip a notable occasion and opportunity of winning soules to God which he knew was now to be offered vnto him Hee had another matter in hand which he calls his meat which he did as earnestly desire as any hungry man can desire meat and which he knew would delight refresh and comfort him as much as any meat can doe him that stands most in need of it and that was to winne and conuert soules vnto God Why but may some say he might haue eaten somewhat in the meane while in the space wherein the woman was going to fetch her neighbours and they in comming out of the City vnto him So that his eating of somewhat need haue beene no hinderance to that good worke he so much desired to do but a furtherance rather vnto it I answer it is true he might haue done so but his heart was so taken vp either in secret prayer to God for them or in meditation of that he was to teach them when they should come or with the ioyfull expectation of their comming and of the good he knew he should haue occasion to doe as it made him quite to forget all hunger and thirst Now that we may receiue our instruction from this notable example of our Sauiours zeale which is here set forth for our imitation let vs obserue these three points in it 1. That he is so carefull to take the occasion and opportunity that is here offered of inlarging his Fathers Kingdome that though he was hungry he neglects his meat for it 2. That he calls this his meate to doe the will of his Father in instructing and conuerting of men 3. That though he had time to eate without any hinderance vnto that worke yet the care he had of this businesse and ioy he conceiued in the expectation of the good hee was to doe made him forget his hunger And from hence this Doctrine will arise for our instruction That he that will be a true Disciple of Christ must be zealous in the Lords businesse zealous in seruing God and seeking to honour him It is not sufficient to a mans comfort that he hath professed the truth serued God in his calling done the duties God hath required of him vnlesse he haue done it with a zealous heart and earnest affection This is required of vs that would approoue our selues to God in preaching of his Word Apollos is commended for this Acts 18. 25. that being feruent in the spirit hee taught diligently the things of the Lord This is required in them that heare the Word Luke 24. 32. Did not our hearts burne within vs when hee opened to vs the Scriptures This is required of them that would pray with comfort Iames 5. 16. The effectuall feruent prayer of a righteous man auaileth much This is required in euery part of that seruice that we doe vnto God we must be Rom. 12. 11. Feruent in spirit seruing the Lord. Yea this is in generall required of vs in our whole profession and practise of Religion Tit. 2. 14 Christ gaue himselfe for vs to purifie to himselfe a peculiar people zealous of good workes Therefore it is noted to the praise of Iehosaphat that hee lift vp his heart to the waies of the Lord 2. Chron. 17. 6. And of Hezechia it is said that in all the workes he began for the seruice of the house of God to seeke his god hee did it with all his heart and prospered 2. Chron. 31. 31. And of Iosiah that he turned to the Lord with all his heart and with all his soule and with all his might 2. King 23. 25. They maintained and held out the profession and practise of Gods pure Religion with great zeale and earnestnesse of affection The Reasons and grounds of the Doctrine are principally three 1. Euery one that lookes to be saued by Christ must be a follower of Christ He that saith he abideth in him saith the Apostle 1. Iohn 2. 6. must himselfe walke also euen as he walked The best euidence that we can haue that we remaine in him is when we are conformed vnto his example and by his spirit made like vnto him 2. The Lord cannot abide such as serue him without zeale This is plaine by that speech of Christ to the Laodiceans Reu. 3. 16. 1. He professeth that he liketh not so ill of him that is cold that is an Idolater or a worldling a man of no Religion as he doth of the Christian that is lukewarme 2. That he will spue such a one out of his mouth yea he threatneth the Church of Ephesus that because she had lost her first loue her zeale that once she had he would come against her shortly and remooue her candlesticke if she did not repent and amend this fault Reu. 2. 5. 3. The Spirit of God is said to be like vnto fire in all them that haue receiued it and from thence comes that speech quench not the spirit 1. Thess. 5. 19. And all that are regenerated by the Spirit of Christ are said to be baptized with the Holy Ghost and with fire Matth. 3. 11. and where fire is there must needes be some heate The Vse of this Doctrine is 1. To conuince a great error in iudgement that is common in the world We see this is held as a perfect definition of a good Protestant that he is a man found in iudgement and in the knowledge of the truth but not forward nor zealous either in the profession or practise of it yea it is counted the wisedome of a Christian and euen of a Minister too to be a moderate man in Religion not forward nor hot nor zealous in it Whereas we haue heard that such as are regenerate and haue Gods Spirit cannot be without this heate and zeale 2. That in Gods account neither Papist nor Turke is in so bad an estate in some respect as the Gospeller is that is void of zeale 3. That God hath threatned to depriue them of the Gospell that professe it without zealous loue vnto it 2. To exhort vs to examine our selues well whether there be any true zeale in vs yea or no that if we want it we may be humbled and seeke
and like their ordinary food the better but they who vse it so oft as that their stomacke is thereby ouerthrowne and they made vnable to feede on their ordinary foode abuse this good ordinance of God and finde not his blessing but his curse in it So doe many abuse this that they should vse as Physicke for their soule After they haue heard a while a man of excellent gifts they begin to distaste the Ministry of their ordinarie Pastours and can like of none profit by none vnlesse they be of rare and excellent gifts yea they become at length like vnto those who by accustoming themselues to drinke hot and strong waters bring their stomacke to that passe that they can finde no relish in any drinke or water be it neuer so hot or strong 3. He that leaueth his owne Pastour to heare another must be carefull to approoue his heart to God that he seeke nothing in it but sound edification onely he goeth to the other onely because he findeth he can profit in knowledge or faith or sanctification by him more then by his owne Pastour This caution will be found very necessary if wee consider the great want of iudgement that appeareth in Christians in the choise they make of their teachers and applause they giue vnto them Some admire and follow another rather then their owne Pastour because hee can make more ostentation of eloquence and reading and learning and such like humane gifts then their owne Pastour doth So the Corinthians preferred sundry teachers they had before Paul which makes him enter into these termes of comparison and commendation of his owne gifts I suppose I was not a whit behind the very chiefe Apostles But though I be rude in speech yet not in knowledge but wee haue beene throughly made manifest to you in all things 2. Cor. 11. 5 6. Some leaue their owne Pastour and goe to others onely for varieties sake Say their owne haue neuer so excellent gifts yet can they not like any one man long they haue itching eares and must haue an heape of teachers 2. Timothy 4. 3. Some preferre others before their owne Pastours onely because they shew more zeale in their voice and gesture and phrase of speech and manner of deliuery though haply the Doctrine it selfe be nothing so wholesome or powerfull or fit to edifie their conscience as the Doctrine of their owne Pastour is These though they be the best of the three sorts and pretend much loue and zeale yet we may wish to them more knowledge and iudgement as the Apostle doth I pray saith he that your loue may abound more and more in knowledge and in all iudgement Philippians 1. 9. Some dislike their owne Pastour because as hee knowes them better then a stranger so he vseth in his Ministry to meet oftner with them then a stranger can doe which is indeed a chiefe thing wherein the faithfulnesse of a Minister may be seene Preach the Word saith the Apostle bee instant in season and out of season reprooue rebuke exhort 2. Timothy 4. 3. and for this cause they hate him as Ahab did Eliah and Micaiah 〈◊〉 Kings 22. 8. and 2â—… 20. 4. When thou doest leaue thine owne Pastour and goe to another though thou doe it in vprightnesse of heart onely in a desire to edifie thy selfe yet must thou seeke to doe it with the consent and good leaue and liking of thine owne Pastour for 1. Thou must acknowledge that by Gods ordinance thou owâ—…st a duty to him as to thy superiour in the things that belong to thy soule Know them which labour among you and are ouer you in the Lord 〈◊〉 Thess 5. 1â—… 2. Thou art bound to seeke his comfort and to giue him all good incouragement that he may doe the worke of his Ministry with ioy and cheerefulnesse Heb. 13. 17. And these are the cautions which the hearer that would with comfort and Gods allowance leaue his owne Pastour to heare another must obserue Now to those Pastours that are thus left of their people three directions I haue to giue 1. If thou know any that out of a factious humour and in contempt of thy Ministry without a sincere respect to his edification doth leaue thee thou maist lawfully dislike and thinke ill of him and reprooâ—…e him sharply neither art thou bound to thinke well of him till he haue shewed himselfe penitent for this his offence if he turne againe to thee saying I repent thou shalt forgiue him Luk. 1â—… â—…4 2. Seeke to draw them backe vnto thee and to hold them by encreasing thy diligence in thy Ministry and labour to teach more profitably Follow that direction that is giuen Cause them to heare thee How shall that be Not by presenting them and troubling them but by searching forth and preparing many parables by seeking to finde out pleasant words and an vpright writing euen the words of truth as Salomon speaketh Eccles. 12. 9. that is Shew thy selfe painefull in study and carefull to come so prepared to the worke of thy Ministry that thou may teach soundly and profitably Hea ken to the exhortation Paul giueth to Timothy 1. Tim 〈◊〉 13. Giue attendance to reading first then to exhortation and doctrine As if he should say That thou maist be able to exhort and teach study hard Verse 14. Despise not the gift that is in thee as if he should say Suffer it not by idlenesse to decay but stirre it vp nourish and increase it Verse 15. These things exercise and giue thy self vnto them that it may bee seene how thou profitest among all men as if he should say Striue so to teach as it may appeare thy gifts encrease daily When the Apostle fore-telleth that in these latter times men should haue itching eares and should after their owne lusts get them an heape of Teachers 2. Timothy 4. 2 3. hee prescribeth to Timothy this remedy to cure it Preach the Word bee instant in season and out of season improoue rebuke exhort with all long-suffering and doctrine as if he should say Teach diligently teach zealously teach profitably vsing not onely doctrine but application grounding thy exhortations and reproofes substantially vpon sound doctrine Gods people in these daies are past children neither is it sufficient for a Minister to giue them that food that in it selfe is wholesome and good but they must giue them that food that is fit for their age and condition for some milke is fit food for some stronger meate 1. Corinthians 2. As it is a shame for a people that haue had good meanes of growth to be vnable to beare strong meate and to stand still in neede of milke Heb. 〈◊〉 12. so is it a great shame for a Teacher to haue nothing but milke to set before his people that are able to beare and stand in neede of strong meate Hee that in these daies would approoue himselfe to be a Scribe taught to the Kingdome of God fitted of God for
the regenerate saith Iohn 5. 19. We know that we are of God that is borne of God as is plaine by the former Verse This then being so that a regenerate man may certainly know he hath soundnesse of grace in him let vs consider how and by what notes we may know it And because if a man haue any one grace in him in truth and soundnesse he may be certaine that his heart is vpright and that he is truly regenerate I will therefore insist onely vpon foure graces by which we may make triall of the soundnesse of our owne hearts sufficiently and those foure are these 1. Knowledge 2. Repentance and forsaking of sinne 3. Obedience and practice of good duties 4. Faith and confidence in the mercy of God First then euery regenerate man hath a sanctified knowledge and vnderstanding of the will of God reuealed in his Word and the man that hath any measure of sanctified knowledge doubtlesse hath a good heart This is the first worke of grace and the foundation of all the rest The new man is renewed in knowledge saith the Apostle Col. 3. 10. without that there is no vprightnes nor grace in the heart When the Wise-man had said Pro. 19. 1. Better is the poore man that walks in his vprightnesse than the foole that abuseth his lips he adds Ver. 2. For without knowledge the mind is not good or is destitute of goodnes And this is said to be the first and chief work of the ministry of the Word to open the eys of men and to bring them from darknes vnto light from the power of Sathan vnto God till mine eyes be opened and they be turned from darknesse to light they remaine still vnder the power of Sathan Acts 26. 18. and Psal. 36. 10. Extend thy louing kindnesse to them that know thee and thy righteousnesse to them that are vpright in heart He that saith he hath a good heart towards God and hath no knowledge cares not for it or he that praiseth such and such men for good men that haue no knowledge of the Word is a lyar and the truth is not in him Quest. But may a man conclude thus I haue knowledge therefore I haue grace and an vpright heart Answ. No for many a naturall man and hypocrite haue attained to a great measure of knowledge the Apostle saith of the hypocriticall Iews Rom. 2. 18. Thou knowest his will and allowest the things that are excellent in that thou art instructed by the Law And v. 20. Which hast the forme of knowledge and of the truth in the Law As if he should say thou art exercised in and acquainted with the whole body of Religion set down in the Law And He. 6. 4. of such hypocrites as may fall into the impardonable sin he saith They may be enlightened But the knowledge of the naturall man and of the regenerate do differ in these points First the man that hath sauing knowledge is willing and desirous to know the whole will of God reuealed in his Word as Act. 10. 33. We are present here before God to heare all things that are commanded thee of God yet chiefly those things that are most necessary and profitable and that do most concerne his own practice he is most desirous to heare and learne As it is noted as a speciall fruit of grace in the poore Publicans and Souldiers that came to heare Iohn euery one desired to heare what they should do Luk. 3. 10 12 14. Yea he is willing to heare that part of the Word that makes most against him he likes that Preacher best that with most plainnesse and power discouereth and rebuketh his sinnes so he do it by the Word of the Lord. As it is said of Eli that though he saw iust cause to think that the message Samuel had to deliuer was much against him yet he chargeth him 1 Sam. 3. 17. God do so to thee and more also if thou hide any thing from me of all that the Lord hath said vnto thee On the contrary side the naturall man though he may busie himself in seeking the knowledge of some points that minister questions rather than godly edifying which is in saith as the Apostle speaketh 1 Tim. 1. 4. is vnwilling and affraid to know some parts of Gods truth such as he hath conceiued a preiudice against such as touch himself in particular at such he winks with his eyes as our Sauiour saith Mat. 13. 15. Esa. 30. 10. He saith vnto the Seer See not such truths as these though they offer themselues neuer so clearely in thy Text and to the Prophets Prophesie not vnto vs right things I may not stand to apply euery particular note vnto you do it your selues if ye desire to know the vprightnes of your own harts examine your knowledge by this first note Secondly the regenerate man seeks the knowledge of God with no other intent but that he may practice that he knowes and direct his life by it Psal. 119. 34. Giue me vnderstanding and I will keepe thy Law yea I will keepe it with my whole heart 1 Peter 2. 2. As new borne babes desire the sincere milke of the Word that ye may grow thereby On the other side the naturall man seekes knowledge onely for knowledge and speculation sake or that he may maintaine talk with it as occasion shall serue Ezek. 33. 31. My people sit before thee and heare thy words but they will not do them Thirdly the regenerate man is apt to approue of Gods truth when it is reuealed vnto him and to belieue and receiue it Indeed he may be ignorant of many truths and may oppose them for a time euen when the meanes are vsed to reueale them vnto him but he is able to discerne the truth from erour when both are laid before him how soeuer he did not see it before Ioh. 10. 4 5. The sheepe follow him for they know his voice and they will not follow a stranger but they flie from him for they know not the voice of a stranger And of the Noble Bereans it is said Acts 17 11. That they receiued the word with all readinesse And in this respect the Apostle saith that the Lords intent in suffering heresies to spring vp in his Church was That they that were approued among them and had sound hearts might be knowne 1 Cor. 11. 19. Therefore the Apostle speakes so fearefully of the Iewes for not receiuing the truth when it was clearely manifested vnto them Hearing ye shall heare and shall not vnderstand and seeing ye shall see and not perceiue for the heart of this people is waxed grosse and their eares are dull of hearing and their eyes haue they closed lest they should see with their eyes and heare with their eares and vnderstand with their hearts and I should heale them Acts 28. 26 27. On the other side the naturall man though he haue much knowledge and excellent gifts yet is he of a corrupt mind and