in the very pulpits showers of reproaches which ambitious and malicious temporizers poure out to strengthen the hands of the wicked and discourage the hearts of the righteous they thinke they may revile securely because they heare that way every where evill spoken of that cause and language is the cause and language of the multitude Fifthly because many ignorant persons when they are confuted yet are so foolish that they will wilfully persist in their objections upon this pretence that though they cannot reply against the answer yet they thinke if such and such were there that have more experience and learning they would confirme and make good what they say Sixthly because malice hath no eares they hate the truth and godly men and therefore are utterly unwilling to abate any thing of the disgraces of the truth or godly persons If it be not as they say yet their malice would faine have it so and if it may disgrace the godly they care not whether it be true or no. Seventhly because many times God gives them over to such a reprobate sense that through custome and evill thoughts and evill surmises they think verily they doe not much amisse to oppose and hate such persons This was the case of such as reviled and persecuted the Apostles they thought they did God good service as Christ prophesied of them The Uses of this doctrine follow Uses First therefore we should not wonder if we see this daily come to passe that men of all sorts should reproachâ— the good way of God so unjustly so foolishly so pertinaciously Secondly it shewes that godly men had need to be circumspect and to watch their words and workes with all exactnesse and that they which will confute ignorant men must strive to be very able and throughly furnished with wisedome of words and abundance of good works Thirdly it shewes that ignorant persons are in a lamentable case that are so inwrapped in the snares and cords of their owne folly that so willingly and wilfully run towards the gates of death and ruine that are so hardly cured of this spirituall blindnesse Fourthly it imports that study self-will'd perverse Christians that cannot be diverted or advised are to be reckoned in the rank of these fooles what shew soever they make of a better estate Fifthly it doth comfortably import that when one is teachable and hates reproaching and will doe or say nothing against the truth and is not pleased with his ignorance but judgeth himselfe for it and useth the meanes to get the knowledge and love of the truth that such a person is escaped from the congregation of these fooles and is in some measure enlightned with true wisdome from above Sixthly it may warn all that love their owne soules hereafter to take heed and with care to avoid wilfulnesse and self-conceitednesse Let men take heed they be not wise in themselves but strive to frame themselves to be true workers of wisdome and withall to take heed of a multitude of words hee that cannot be silent cannot be wise of godly And thus of the fifth doctrine Doct. 6. Sixthly we may here note that wel-doing is the best way to confure wicked and unreasonable men A sound and fruitfull life is the likeliest and surest way to still them if any thing will doe it it is the best way for divers reasons 1. Because we see here it is a course of Gods chusing and he saith it will even muzzle them and binde up their mouthes and he will give successe to the obedience of his owne commandements 2. Because by a conversation full of good workes we doe not only confute them our selves but we make others able to answer for us in all places 3. Because if a man undertake to answer them by words he is in danger to be provoked to speake unadvisedly and so many prove like those fools whom he reproves Pro. 26.5 4. Because the naturall conscience of the wicked is as it were feared to take notice of a good conversation and will struggle and resist within the wicked man so as he cannot so securely vent his reproaches 5. Because it is a way that brings most peace and comfort to ones owne heart If he deale with them by words his heart may afterwards smite him for some absurdity or other he hath committed whereas he is safe that fights against them by his good workes 6. Because it is the surest way of revenge to overcome their evill with goodnesse especially if thou canst get but the advantages to doe good to them that reproach thee Rom. 12.18 19. Use. The sound consideration of this truth should subdue in us that over-eager desire of answering such as wrong us by bitter words or workes of revenge yea it should compell upon us a consultation whether it be best to deale with them at all by words Gods way is by works and thou must get a great deale of temperance and wisedome if thou think thy selfe able to confute them throughly by words It is true also that in some cases we may resort to the Magistrate to punish them that abuse us but yet still this counsell of God that bids us silence them by well-doing should intimate that other courses must be used with much caution and without rashnesse or confidence in them Secondly this may reprove that unquietnesse and impatience which is found in some Christians when they are reproached and wronged they are much vexed at the indignities offered to them think it strange that wicked men should not cease traducing of their names whereas perhaps if they examine themselves they may finde that they have not used the meanes to still them they have not muzzled these dogs and therefore no wonder if they bark and bite too and muzz'ed we see here they will not be but by their good works And therefore if they be barren and unfruitfull they must take notice of the fault in themselves There are other things that may be noted out of these words but I will only touch them as Doct. 7. That onely foolish men doe reproach godly men Such as revile and censure many are usually either openly carnall men as they were drunkards that reproached David and abjects Psal. 35.15 and 69.13 They were either fooles or the children of fooles but viler they were than the earth that had Iob in derision cap. 30.1,8 men that ranne into excesse of riot as the Apostle writeth 1 Pet. 4.5 or else hypocrites that have nothing in them but words and empty shewes Or if at any time there bee a sinne found in godly men it is in such as are but babes and looke like carnall men and have a great deale of their naturall folly and madnesse unsubdued in them 1 Cor. 3.1 2 3. But for the most part it is a fault found onely in wicked men Doct. 8. That it is a great paine to a wicked man to be restrained from reproaches Hee is as much vexed when hee cannot or dare not speake
hearts are washed by the Word Eph. 5.25 Psal. 119.9 the law in their hearts Psal. 37. 119.80 4. Keep still in Gods presence walke before him thou darest not then come in thy uncleannesse 5. Avoid the beginnings of pollution dally not with sinne 6. Informe thy selfe throughly of the vanity of all the things unto which thou art likely to be tempted 7. Come not neere uncleane persons 2 Cor. 6.18 8. Get the assurance of faith Act. 15.9 Heb. 10.22 Promises to such as labour for a cleane heart Mat. 5.7 â—say 1.16 20. 2 Pet. 1.3 Prov. 22.11 Psal. 24.4 125.5 Rom. 8.34 38. Hitherto of the subject of sanctification The manner of exercising or expressing this purification followes In obeying the truth Foure things must be considered 1. What is truth 2. What it is to obey the truth 3. How their hearts are said to be purified in obeying the truth 4. The observations and uses which may be here gathered 1. Truth is taken diversly in Scripture 1. Sometimes it signifieth the verity of our words as opposed to lying 2. Sometimes faithfulnesse in performing of promises and so mercy and truth are given both to God and men 3. Sometimes for uprightnesse as opposed to hypocrisie and so it is to doe a thing with all our hearts 1 Sam. 12.24 4. Sometimes for the substance of a ceremonie Iâ—h 1.17 5. Sometimes for Christ Ioh. 14.6 6. Sometimes for the word of God and so here The word of God is called the truth Ioh. 17. â—1 Ps. 119.142 1. because it agrees with the eternal pattern of Gods will 2. because there is no error nor falshood in it 3. because it shews us a true way for the infallible attaining of blessednesse 4. because it effects truth and uprightnesse in us 2. Now to obey the truth is to conforme and subject our selves in practise and workes unto the will of God revealed in his word 3. The heart of man is said to be purified in obeying the truth inasmuch as there is an inward obedience to the truth required in the hearts of men as 1. the obedience of the Gospell in beleeving this is called the obedience of faith When a man from his heart doth assent to and relye upon the promise of God in Christ thus to beleeve is to obey 2. In the practise of all outward duties there is required the inward purity of the heart and the exercise of the grace of Gods Spirit without which all mens workes are impure Besides by the outward obedience of the truth men shew that their soules are purified There are foure things may be observed from hence 1. That the word of God must be the rule of all our actions as wee were begotten by the word of truth Iam. 1.18 so we must live by it Gal. 1. 16. Psal. 119. This is that light to our feete and lanthorne to our pathes The Use is for instruction Therefore first we should study this truth and buy it Prov. 23.23 2. Wee should pray to God to direct us in this truth Psal. 25.5 43.3 and never to take it out of our mouthes and lives Psal. 119.43 Yea hereby we may shew our selves to be truly sanctified if wee sticke to the word of God as our onely guide as these places shew Esay 26.2 Psal. 26.3 119.30 2 Cor. 13.8 and let us therefore come to the truth to know whether our workes are wrought in God or no Ioh. 3.21 And therefore woe unto them that are destitute of the truth both in respect of the meanes without and in respect of knowledge within these sit in darknesse and in the shadow of death Finally here we see our liberty wee are bound to obey nothing but the truth 2. That there can be no true sanctification without obedience God stands precisely upon obedience and practise It is not knowing the truth or praising the truth or hearing the truth or speaking the truth or thinking the truth or purposing the truth will serve the turne 1 Sam. 15.22 Ioh. â— â— 1 Ioh. 1.6 8. This should serve mightily to urge us to practise to be doers of the word Mat. 7. Iam. 1.22 c. to follow the truth and to expresse the power of it Without this obedience we can never prove our selves to be truly sanctified and therâ—fore let us that have the meanes take heed wee examine our selves how we grow in the practise of it How miserable then is the state of such as onely give God good words Mat. 7. and such as resist the truth 2 Tim. 3.8 and such as blaspheme the way of truth 2 Pet. 2.2 and such as fall away from the truth 2 Tim. 2.18 Heb. 10.26 Oh who hath bewitched men that they should not obey unto the truth Gal. 3.1 â— That wee must exercise the inward purity of the heart in all the parts of outward obedience In all good duties we must looke to the obedience of the heart The heart must adde divers things to the manner of our obedience From the heart must flow judgement attention care and affections of all sorts This is true of all duties both to God and man The Use is therefore to teach us to set our hearts to worke when wee goe about well-doing and to looke to the inside as well as the outside 4. The indefinite propounding shewes that our obedience must bee without limitation for we must obey 1. Aâ— all times Psal. 106.1 Gal. 5.7 2. To all truths both of Law and Gospell of piety and righteousnesse inward and outward c. 3. In all places absent as well as present in all companies as well as one at home as well as abroad before inferiors as well as superiors 4. All persons must obey learned unlearned rich poore high low c. This serves notably for the ransacking of hypocrites and unmasking them for here we may note divers things wherein they may be evidently taken tardy For either 1. They obey not at all they practise not but only give good words 2. Or they obey but in shew It is not true obedience that will leave the tryall oâ— Gods truth 3. Or they obey not out of conscience of the word of God but onely for fashion sake or other carnall ends not for the truths sake 4. Or their obedience is not from the heart for either it is constrained and not ready and voluntary or they doe not imploy the heart in the good worke they doe The affections of godlinesse they want 5. Or they obey not the Gospell in seeking assâ—rance of Gods favour though they practise some things of the Law 6. Or they obey but for a fit Hos. 6.5 Demas returnes to the world 7. Or they obey but in some things Herod will not obey the seventh Commandement They will not crosse their profits lusts credit c. 8. Or they will obey but in some places and companies Quest. Now if any godly person should bee dismayed and aske How might I know
murderer is in a fearefull case but thou art a murderer therefore thou art in a fearefull case Now that that reason which concludes thus in him is his conscience is most apparent For the minde gives only the first part of the Syllogisme which is that a murderer is in a fearfull case or that the minde sees either by the naturall principles planted in it or by the Scriptures The other branch the conscience takes out of the memory that is that thou hast committed murder Now the concluding of both and applying them to the murderer is the proper work of conscience conscience is that within us that so concluds upon our actions Now for the definition of conscience omitting the diversity of frames given by divers men I expresse that which I take to be the cleerer and fullest to shew us what it is Conscience is a divine faculty in the soule of all reasonable creatures applying the principles or propositions of their minde in their particular actions either with them or against them I say it is a faculty to note that it is more then the act or the habite of the minde judging or determining For acts and habits may be lost but conscience cannot Besides the Scriptures shew that conscience doth act as it excuseth or accuseth and therefore must be a faculty it selfe and not the act of a faculty I say a faculty in the soule because I dare not assigne it or confine it to any part of the soule as they doe that make it a part of the understanding for the understanding hath no parts properly and to make it a part Analogically is not to be borne in a definition as Logicians know I say moreover it is in all reasonable creatures to note that beasts that have only a sensitive soule have no conscience And whereas God also is no creature therefore he hath no conscience For God being holinesse it selfe needs no faculties to governe himselfe by nor any conscience to witnesse or prompt him And I say it is in all that none might imagine that some men have a conscience and some have none For every man hath a conscience either good or bad Secondly the proper worke of conscience is imported in the other words of the definition viz. applying the principles of the minde For the understanding whereof we must know that there are certain notions or frames of truth planted in the minds of all men being infused by God as a naturall law in their minds shewing what is good or evill and those principles are increased in the mindes of such as have the benefit of the Scripture more or lesse according to the degree of their knowledge Now that which conscience doth is this it repaires to these formes of truth or light in the minde and takes such of them as concerne the businesse in hand and with the force of them either comforts or affrights men according as the occasion is Note that I say it is a divine faculty I wanted a fit terme to expresse my meaning for that I would â—â—ter I say that it is a wonderfull speciall faculty in us it is a most celestiall gift Conscience is so of God and in man that it is a kinde of middle thing betweene God and man lesse then God and yet above man So then Conscience concludes about a mans owne actions for if conscience trouble it selfe about other mens actions it is either the weaknesse or the errour of conscience and I adde particular actions because conscience never imployes it selfe properly about generals and lastly I adde for the successe or end it is either with a man or against him to note that conscience is such an Arbiter between God and us that sometimes it speakes for God against us and sometimes for us to God But that we may be more distinctly informed about conscience I therfore come to the second point which is to consider what conscience can doe or how it is imployed in us and conscience is imployed both for God and for man which worke I will consider first apart and then joyntly For God then Conscience works diversly and hath many offices under God and for God for it is Gods speciall spy set in the heart of man to watch him and his intelligencer and notary to set downe what man hath done it is Gods hand-writing the Law of God written in our hearts or rather worketh by the helpe of that body of the Law written by the finger of God upon the tables of mens hearts it is a co-witnesse with God Rom. 9.1 It is also Gods Lievtenant and a great commander placed within us that severely requires homage and service to bee done to God and especially diverts man from ill directing him in the carefull manner of serving of God for God will not accept any service that conscience doth not order 2 Tim. 1.3 It is a taster for God in point of doctrine of Religion for all doctrines must bee brought to the conscience to bee tried whether they bee of God or no 2 Cor. 4.2 And finally it makes a man endure grief and suffer wrong for God and his glory as this Text imports For man conscience is many waies imployed as first it is imployed in viewing and surveying the things of man especially the hidden things of man and here the power of conscience is wonderfull For other creatures may see the things without them but have no power to see the things within them only man he hath a knowledge reflexed The eye of a man too can see other things but without a glasse it cannot see it selfe But now conscience can discerne it selfe and the whole actions of man and so it differs from science or the knowledge of the minde for to know other things is science but to know our selves is conscience The soule then by conscience knowes it self it views the thoughts memory affections of the soule and can tell what wee thinke desire love feare hate c. Secondly in matters of Religion conscience is specially imployed for instance both in the Word and the Sacraments For the Woâ—d the mystery of faith even all the grounds of Religion they are laid up and are in the keeping of conscience 1 Tim. 3.9 And in Baptisme where as God makes a covenant with us and likewise requires a restipulation or promise on our part conscience is herein imployed and without conscience God will do nothing in the businesse It was the forme in the Primitive times that the party which was to be baptised was to be examined before God whether he did beleeve tâ—e question was Credis Doest thou beleeve And he was to answere Credo I doe beleeve Now this answer God would not take unlesse the conscience would say that hee did beleeve as hee said this is the answer A good conscience is mentioned 1 Pet. 3.21 Againe a good conscience serves in all the offices of our life or affairs even in all things to be a
conversation in the world but have no taste of religion or conscience of zeale for Gods glory fourthly all open worldlings that minde not heavenly things and savour nothing but the things of this world and lastly all hypocrites that make a shew of mortification and yet are not mortified and then suppose how small a number will be left in every place to be reckoned in this lift of true Christians Doct. 2. Mortification is the very first step of grace and the entrance into all power of godlinesse Till our sins be soundly crucified and dead no worke of Religion that is acceptable to God can be done and therefore Iohn Baptist and Christ and the Apostles call for repentance as the first thing that opens a way into the kingdome of heaven because else sin unrepented like a prison will infect all wee doe Esay 1.13 to 16. Besides the heart of man being naturally like a stone or iron till it be softned no impression of grace can be fastned upon it and if the ground of our hearts be not well plowed up the seed of the Word cannot but be lost Ier. 4.4 The seed cast upon the high way will be picked up by the fowles of the aire and not grow or if any seed or plant of grace did grow for a while in the heart yet the weeds of sin would overgrow and choake all as is evident in seed sowne iâ— thorny ground or plants set in ground that is not digged and weeded And fâ—â—ther while the person is evill the worke will be vile and abominable An evill tree canâ—ot bring forth good fruit And therefore this shewes that such Christians as leape into the profession of Religion so easily and thinke it is no more but to give-ovâ—r ill courses and fall to the practice of good duties are deceived for if by â—ound mortification their sins past be not bewailed and they soundly humbled either their sins will after a while grow and revive againe or else the conscience of these sins will secretly throughout their lives torment them or else the Divell on a sudden may seize upon them with deâ—paire having so manifest a reason against them that they did never practise mortificâ—tion for their sins Besides lamentable experience shewes in those places where Christians are not soundly formed at first in the exercise of mortification they leade their lives in a dull course of profession and have not the experience of the life and power of Religion in themselves for the joyes of it or towards others in the practice of it The mourners in Sion and such as are broken-hearted are the most glorious and the most fruitfull Christians Is. 61.1 2 3 4. and continue in the greatest power of Religion And further it may be noted in the best of those that their separation from the love of the world is most really performed as hath appeared when in any speciall workes of men or for the help of the Church of God they are called upon to shew their zeale by their bounty in such cases one poore Macedonian would shame a hundred of those rich Corinthians 2 Cor. 8. Doct. 3. True repentance for sin doth in divers respects kill a man it strikes him dead to repent is to be a dead man not only in respect of the world which casts off a man that will not run in the excesses of the time as a dead man indeed Col. 3.3 but in respect of themselves For first by the assise a man must keep upon himselfe he will be found dead by sentence when he judgeth himselfe before the Lord he stands as a man condemned in the flesh he sentenceth himselfe to eternall death for his deserts by confessing what he meriteth 1 Pet. 4.6 Now a condemned man is reckoned for a dead man in Law Secondly repentance destroyes the senses and affections and conceits and reason that were wont to be alive in men it dissolves the very frame of the old conversation The word rendred dead signifies to undoe what was done about the life of man to unmake him as I may say so as all the old things passe away and all becomes new 2 Cor. 5.17 Rom. 6.6 1 Iohn 3.8 In the new Convert there is not left the savour sent lust or affections after sin and the sinfull profits and pleasures of the world he doth not find that inflammation or inticement he was wont to feele from evill example or the glory of the world or evill compaâ—y or the things before he most esteemed and delighted in Thus he is dead to himselfe because he denies himselfe and could be well contented to forget that ever he had beene such as he was before Thirdly in some of Gods children their repentance is performed with such griefe and sorrow as brings their life almost to the buriers as is noted Iob 33.19 20 21. Fourthly they may be said to be dead in repenting because repentance is never fully finished till their naturall death sin sticks so fast as they have daily cause of mortification in some degree and it will never be gotten wholly out till they be indeed dead men though in the mean time God accepts of their first repentance as if it were perfect This Doctrine serves effectually to discover the estate of multitudes of Christians not to be right as they That doe nothing at all about their sins That excuse their sins and hide them and favoâ—r them and cast the fault upon others Pro. 28.13 Gen. 3. Iob 20.11 12 13. That blesse themselves in their hearts when their iniquity is found worthy to be hated Psal. 36.2 That haunt with such persons as may make them sin more That say It is no profit to walke humbly before the Lord Mal. 3.14 and rather blesse the proud That hate and revile such as are mortified That are dead rather in faith and good workes and finde a deadly savour in the Word That have sense and savour onely in the things of the flesh Secondly this should teach all that mind their owne salvation to looke carefully to the truth of their mortification and not to thinke it is such a sleight and easie worke but to consider that in repenting for sinne they must never cease till they be like Christ dying for sinne and that is in the sense before given So our bearing of the similitude of Christs death in our repentance notes divers particular things in our repentance as 1. That our sorrowes be voluntary not inforced he gave his life it was not taken from him we must not tarry till the Divell fire us with the terrors of despaire 2. That we be pained at the very heart for our sins so was Christ it must be a hearty griefe 3. That wee shew forth the fruits of our repentance so hee suffered openly 4. That he suffered by degrees and ceased not till he died so must we by degrees resist sin and never cease untill it be quite abolished Hence also we may know whether we have truely
deliverance it is with us according to our faith Faith makes us whole faith delivers us as soone as we can get our hearts to trust upon God the Crosse is gone the Lord staied but till we would beleeve in him with all our hearts Now is this so doth God stand so much upon our faith in affliction How is it then that wee doe not beleeve Oh unbeliefe unbeliefe is ever worse than the crosse it selfe There is nothing the tempter would rather deceive us of then our faith Oh how is the heart of man turned away from true faith there are a great number of us as it were â—eprobates concerning the faith we are of no judgement wee are altogether blockish in this point of beleeving in God But in the second place let this doctrine perswade with us when wee feele impatiency or any other perturbation rising in us to check our selves and say to â—ur own soules where is my faith now and with the poore man in the Gospell let us run to Christ with teares in our eyes crying and saying I beleeve Lord help my unbeliefe and with the Disciples let us still pray Lord increase my faith Yea thirdly since the Lord accounts so much of our faith wee should strive after perfection even to get a strong faith and to shew our selves unmoveable in affliction and to this end wee should be much in the Apostles prayer that God would so fulfill the Counsell of his owne will that hee would be pleased to fulfill the work of our faith with power But some one may say what is it in affliction to shew our faith or what must we doe to approve our selves to God that we doe beleeve He that would approve his faith in affliction must doe foure things 1. First if he be conscious to himself of any evill that he hath too much favoured hee must speedily repent and give glory to God and make his peace with God Dan. 12.10 2. Secondly he must be sure he hold fast his assurance so as he call not the love of God into question For as the Lord will still owne his people in all their adversities saying they are his people so must they still stick to this the Lord is my God This is to beleeve to hold fast this assurance whatsoever befall us Zach 13. ult 3. Thirdly hee must be sure to lose no ground either in the affections of godlinesse or in the confession or profession of the truth No affliction must abate his love to godlinesse or the Word or Gods children nor hinder his free profession of the truth 4. Fourthly hee must commit his way to God and rely himselfe and all his aâ—tions upon God putting his trust upon Gods promises and goodnesse Psal. 37. Phil. 4.6 But especially the praises of faith in affliction will be greatly enlarged if we can adde these things following 1. First if wee can trust upon 〈…〉 â—â—mmit ouâ— waies unto him resting upon his promise though we see no meanes to accomplish it Rom. 4. 2. If patience may have her perfect worke so as we could goe through afflictions with that firme unmoveablenesse that we would resist all perturbations and that in all sorts of trials 3. If we would beleeve though God himselfe did seeme to withdraw or to neglect us This was the great faith of the woman of Canaan 4. If we can hold out without hasting to use any ill meanes or unlawfull courses to deliver our selves Esay 28.16 5. Fiftly if wee can in affliction be wise to sobriety resting contented though God doe not discover the reason of his proceedings with us Rom. 12.3 6. Sixtly if wee can preserve a tender sense of our owne vilenesse being glad of smaller favours rejoicing when God is pleased to give us but a little help thankfully acknowledging any degree of succour not seeking great things for our selves But might some one say What should move us thus in affliction to rely upon God and to approve our faith in him Seven things should perswade us to trust upon God in all adversity 1. First Gods promise Heb. 13.4 Psal. 50.15 Iob 34.23 Esay 30.18 20. Psal. 94.12 13 14. Psal. 97.11 Psal. 125.3 Psal. 126.5 6. and it is certaine we may trust God upon those promises For Gods words are pure and sure words and have been tryed in the fire seven times 2. Secondly the liberty of asking what wee will of God Wee have reason to beleeve in him when wee are sure to have whatsoever wee aske of him 3. The consideration of Gods unchangeable counsell and decree wee are appointed unto all our afflictions 1 Thes. 3.2 3. 4. Fourthly the example of all the worthies of God as a cloud of witnesses should perswade us with faith and patience to run the race of godlinesse set before us For these all lived by faith Heb. 12.1 Their afflictions were as great as ours and they rested upon God and were not disappointed therefore we should be followers of them Heb. 6.12 5. Fiftly the speedinesse of our help and succour For yet a little while and he that shall come will come and will not tarry and therefore the just should live by faith their tentations shall not last long 6 Sixtly our owne experience Did we ever lose by resting upon God Was he not a help in trouble ever ready to be found Can wee say that wee ever beleeved in God and were ashamed of it afterwards Or can wee tell the time that by our care wee could ever adde one cubit to our stature Matth. 6. Rom. 9.33 7 Seventhly the recompence of reward proposed to them that will glorifie God by beleeving in him He will be made marvellous in them that beleeve 2 Thess. 1.11 A crowne of life is prepared for them that by faith and patience prove their love to God in enduring tentations Iam. 1.12 Lastly in that the Lord stands so much upon faith in the time of tryall it may serve for singular comfort unto us if the Lord be pleased so to leade us through afflictions that our faith hath proved unmoveable unto the end This is in a manner all that God would have of us certainly he is happy in whom Christ may finde faith when he comes to try him in the furnace of tribulation Thus of the effect of tentations as is briefly propounded in these first words of the Verse Now followes the amplification of it and that first by comparison with gold More precious than gold These words more precious then gold may be referred eyther to the persons of Gods children tryed or to affliction by which they are tryed or to faith that was tryed For the first it is most certaine that Gods servants are most precious in his sight He esteemes them more then all treasures They are his portion and inheritance He bought them at a high price and accounts of them at a wonderfull high rate They are his peculiar people and his jewels
had informed themselves in some good sufficiency of knowledge herein and therefore they might not neglect his exhortation that might be proved by such a known reason For as much This word notes a dependance with the doctrine of the former reason and shewes that these reasons are linked in a chaine you cannot pull the one but you draw the other also And from hence wee may note 1. The sacred combination of holy truth in the mysteries of religion they hang all as in one chainâ— and 〈…〉 as in one body there is a wonderfull agreement amongst them they point one to another whereas in the writings of men by reason of their imperfection they are oftentimes discording not from other men but from themselves also their assertions sound as if they were afraid one of another or ready to fight one against another 2. That the right knowledge of Christs first comming to redeeme us serves generally to inflame our hearts to a desire after and care of his second comming to judge us For by his first comming 1. We know he hath satisfied for our sins and therefore need not feare the sentence of condemnation or Gods anger 2. We know how dearly he paid for our sins and therefore we should for ever hate sinne 3. We know that he cannot but doe us honor then since for our sakes he himselfe was judged on earth and did shed his owne bloud for us 4. We know that at that day we shall be fully redeemed and receive all the inheritance prepared for us What shall I say if this his first comming were so full of love pitty care grace and profit for us how then should we long for his second comming when he shall give himselfe not for us but to us for our eternall delight and happinesse The Use may be for tryall of the truth of our faith in his first comming if we can stirre us up with care and cheerfulnesse to provide for his second comming then we doe effectually beleeve it else it is very doubtfull whether we doe indeed know Christ crucified Thus of the coherence the insinuation followes Yee know From hence foure things may be noted 1. That we may be profitably put in mind of the things wee know yea we need to be put in mind of them for thereby wee may know things the better and more fully but especially wee need it for the use of knowledge This is true in rebuâ—es for sinne in consolations in affliction in directions for our lives and as here in the doctrine of the mysteries of our religion they and we know the doctrine of redemption perhaps but the powerfull use of that doctrine we are altogether wanting in besides what we know we know but in part The Use is for great reproofe of those vaine persons that neglect hearing reading admonition c. upon pretence they know it already if that were true yet this doctrine shewes we need to be put in mind even in the things we know yea wise men will receive commandments yea and rebukes too Prov. 9. It is a discreet commendable charity sometimes the better to perswade and winne affection to insinuate the praises of others as here the Apostle so did Paul to Agrippa Act. 26.3 It is certaine that by nature we are pleased highly with others opinions of our knowledge and contrariwise the aâ—peâ—sion or ignorance is wonderfull hatefull there be some sins that vexe us more then others to have them imputed as lying and divers others so ignorance the devill knew this well in Eves case the intimation of ignorance made her ruine her selfe and her prosterity and so doth the devill still What makes many goe to hell for want of direction how to be saved even this they will not have their ignorance seene What makes many leap from the cradle of religion to the throne of censure so as to think themselves fit to judge whole Nations when troops of learned men are extreamly toyled with advising Is it not this opinion of knowledge Now as the devill useth it for hurt so may the godly make advantage of the weaknesse of our natures herein the better to direct us to good 3. Of all doctrines we must be sure to know the doctrine of our redemption for this is the most fundamentall doctrine of all others It is impossible to be saved without the knowledge of this 2. Of all doctrines this is most clearly taught in Scripture 3. Of all doctrines wee have most need of this against the discomforts of temptations infirmities afflictions and death it selfe 4. This most exalts the glory of Gods grace and mercy and all others are in a manner built upon this 5. Lastly this hath exceeding great force to perswade us to holinesse of life for it both shews us to whom wee belong and what reason we have to obey him and withall implyes how vile we are in our selves First so labour for knowledge herein that thou mistrust thy own nature and the policie of the devill even the slower thou findest thy disposition to it the more strive after it let not the devill rob thee of this knowledge above all other We are not redeemed with corruptible things as silver and gold In these words is contained the first principall point namely the invalidity of all earthly things to redeeme us they containe the disabling of the riches of this world and as the words lye two things are said against the treasures of this world First that we are not redeemed by them Secondly that they are corruptible things That they cannot redeeme the soule of man is evident 1. By proofe Psal. 49.6 7. 2. By experience we see wicked men abound in these things and yet goe to hell Psal. 17. ult 73.12 Eccles. 9.11 3. This may appeare by a distribution of the parts of redemption for they cannot appease Gods anger Prov. 11.4 they cannot restraine the devils power they cannot buy us a righteousnesse answerable to that the law requires they cannot be a ransome to keepe the soule from hell Iob 29.9 19 20. they cannot cover our imperfect workâ— they cannot buy us a better nature but rather choke the word of God Mat. 13. and make men carelesse of repentance and conceited of theâ—â—elves and wilfull to entertaine sinne Prov. 28.11 Hosea 12.8 and drowne men in noysome lusts 1 Tim. 6.9 yea how hard is it for a rich man to enter into the Kingdome of heaven Mat. 19. Lastly they cannot make us immortall Iam. 1.10 11. Thus it is cleare they cannot redeeme us For the second they are corruptible This is manifest Solomon saith they have wings Prov. â—7 they vanish subject to violence or vanity Mat. 6.13 yea many times they goe away with an ill loose it may be the ruine of the owners Iob 20.18 Eccles. 5. Ier. 17.11 nor can they goe with their owners when death comes Psal. 49.17 The Use may be 1. For information It should raise the price of true grace and
For I meddle not with Pagans or Antichristians 1. The first is of Christians in name such as are so onely in appearance or profession or the account of man 2. The second is Christians in signe that is such as are so onely by baptisme that have onely received the outward badge of Christianity 3. The third iâ— such as are so indeed and such onely are they that beleeve in God and that by a lively saith in Christ Jesus 2. Doctrine iâ— that every one that doth beleeve is redeemed Iohn 3.16 Heb. 10.39 The Use is First for comfort to the abject God accepts not persons it matters not what money meanes clothes dyet thou hast onely if thou beleevest be of good comfort Ob. The devils beleeve and yet are not happy Sol. They beleeve that Christ is but they beleeve not in Christ they trust not in him or they beleeve that he is their Judge but not their Saviour Ob. But divers in Iob. 2. beleeved and yet Christ trusted them not Sol. They beleeved his doctrine but they trusted not on his merits they had historicall but not justifying faith Ob. But those that received the word with joy beleeved and yet fell away Mat. 13. Sol. They had a temporary faith but not a saving faith they could neversuffer for his sake nor were they ever new creatures to desire to be rid of all sinne nor did that joy arise from a particular application The second Use is not to have the glorious faith of Christ in respect of persons Iam. 2.1 2. c. Thus of the generall Now in particular concerning faith five things may be here noted 1. The subject of faith viz. you that are begotten againe 2. The object of faith viz. God 3. The nature of faith viz. to beleeve in God 4. The cause of faith viz. Christ by him you beleeve c. 5. The time of the exercise of faith Doe beleeve For the first when he saith for you he meaneth such as he had described before verse 3. so that the doctrine is that faith is seated onely in the hearts of regenerate men onely in the godly It is called the faith of Gods Elect. Tit. 1.1 and their hearts are purified thaâ— have faith Act. 15.9 they are turned from darknesse to light Act. 26.28 1. This doctrine shewes us a way how to try our faith whether we have faith or no namely by the tryall of our regeneration as 1. If our hearts be purified Act. 5.9 that is if wee have been humbled for secret and inward sinnes so as the filthinesse of them is abated and washed away 2. If we have overcome the respect of profits and pleasures of the world so as we can use them as if we used them not 1 Ioh. 5.4 3. If we love our kindred in grace best Gal. 5.6 1 Ioh. 3.14 4. If we find the new gifts of the spirit for faith alwaies dwelleth amongst them Gal. 5.22 2. This doctrine shewes againe the true Christians prerogative God hath dealt better with him then with other men It is no matter if God have not given them so much money or meanes or credit or health as they it is enough God have given them faith 3. It should awaken wicked men in the midst of all their pleasures and riches if they misse faith it should tame their jollity if they consider that they must perish for all those things what hope or comfort can they have when God shall take away their soules Ob. But might some of these say It seems the Lord puts a difference and shuts out men from faith and keeps them without it Sol. 1. The condemnation of the unbeleeuer is of himselfe Iohn 3.20 2. The Lord commands all to beleeve even every creature Mar. 16. 1 Ioh. 3.23 3 He sends the Word to offer grace to all the proclamation is generall and no man excepted that hath desires after God Esay 55.1 4. We see of every condition of men God retaines some to mercy and that shews he takes no pleasure in thy death and that he would have all men be saved Yea 5. the Lord doth beseech men to be reconciled 2 Cor. 5.20 For the second The object of faith is God God is the object of faith not generally in his nature but particularly in his mercies and promises of grace in his word of truth the Goâ—pell When I say God is the object of faith I meane hee is that which faith both looks upon 〈◊〉 relies upon Faith is alive when it beholds Gods face in Christ. It thinkes of God it admires God it longs for God it trusts onely upon God it carries us unto God it is imployed for God it is contented with God it desires no more but God Ob. But what reason hath man to beleeve in God For God is terrible in his nature he abhors sinne and revengeth it with all severity it is hee that will judge men for sinne yea it is hee that woundeth the very particular sinner c. Sol. Yet faith carries men unto God because of his own commandement that men should beleeve because of the gracious promises he hath made to beleevers because of the experience of as miserable sinners as he have beleeved and were not disappointed because faith stils Gods displeasure and makes the Lord put on the bowels of tender kindnesse yea here appeares the wonder of faith that though it know that it is Gods own hand that fighteth against sinne yet it will run onely to God to heale them againe Hosea 6.1 Ob. But must we not beleeve in Christ as well as in God Sol. If by this title of God wee understand the essence of God then CHRIST is included for wee beleeve in the promises of the whole Trinity and so in Christ who is the second person But if by God wee meane the first person in the Trinity and the holy Ghost then it is spoken to our capacitie the more fitly to expresse the meanes of our reconciliation which is by the mediation of Christ the middle person of the Trinity so that the word God doth not exclude Christ from being the object of our faith with the Father but it includes that Christ is more then the object for he is a meanes of our acceptance with the Father c. The Use is twofold 1. Here againe we may take occasion to try our faith If thy faith be a true faith thou maist know it by the object of it if it set thy thoughts and affections on God if thou canst say as David Psal. 73.25 then certainly thou hast faith and so contrariwise 2. Is God the object of faith then be of good comfort hee will never deny his promise Tit. 1.2 Hee is able to keepe what thou committest to him 2 Tim. 1.12 He is an Ocean able every way to fill thee with all sufficiency and happinesse The third thing followes viz. the nature of faith which is to beleeve in God To beleeve is more then to understand
119 2â— esteeming it above all riches Ps. 119.14 72 110. exercising our our selves in it day and night redeeming some time constantly to be imployed in it labouring most for the foode that perisheth not Ioh. 6.27 Amos 8. 12. being resolved to deny our reasons profits pleasures credits and carnall friends and all for the words sake Marke 10.2 Thus in generall In particular two things may be noted in this verse First the praise of the word for the continuance it abideth for ever Secondly the explication of the kind viz this is true of the word which we preach unto you The first thing theÌ„ is that the word abideth for ever which other scriptures with like plainnesse avouch Ps. â— 17.2 Mat. 5. 24. Two things would be explained 1. how the word abideth for ever 2. of what word of God this is true For the first the word of God abides for ever in divers respects 1 In the Archetipe of it in God the plotforme in the minde of God though all Bibles were destroyed yet the word of God could not because the originall draught of it is in God himselfe 2. In the very writings of the word it shall last for ever that is till time be no more If all the power on earth should make warre against the very paper of the scriptures they cannot destroy it but the word of God written will be to be had still It is easier to destroy heaven and earth than to destroy the Bible 3. In the sense of it all that is said in scripture shall be performed the counsell of the Lord shall stand not a word of Gods promises or threatnings shall faile Psal. 33.11 12. 4. It abideth for ever in the hearts of the godly the impressions made in the mindes of the godly are indelible every godly man hath the substance of Theologie in his owne heart which seed will abide in him 1 Ioh. 3. 5. Lastly it abideth for ever as it makes us abide for ever and so it abideth in the gifts of the minde wrought by it in the life of grace quickened by it and in the fruits of righteousnesse to which it perswaded men Rom. 11. The gifts of God are without repentance and the word begets an immortall seed in us and the fruits of the faithfull will remaine and their righteousnesse for ever Ps. 111. 3. 1 Pet. 2.3 Ioh. 15.16 1 Cor. 3.14 1 Cor. 13. ult 2. Now for the second It is true of every word of God of every jott or tittle of it that it abideth for ever The Law and the Gospell by the law I meane the morall law for the ceremoniall law lasted but for the Jewish eternity which was till Christ repaired the world and made all things new The Use may be First for information and so in five things 1. Concerning the vanity of all outward things the perfection of them doth come to an end but of Gods word there is no end Psal. 119. 2. Concerning the estate of hypocrites and such whose righteousnesse is but as the morning dew Hosh. 6.5 this shewes they have not received the power of the word in that it doth not abide in them 3. Concerning the misery of all wicked men heaven and earth shall passe away before one tittle of the curses and woes denounced against them shall faile or be unaccomplished yea it will remaine to judge them at the last day Ioh. 7. 4. Concerning the morality of the Sabbath For since this is one of the ten words of Gods law even this word of the Lord must abide for ever else more then a tittle of it should faile before heaven and earth faile 5. Concerning the madnesse of two sorts of men 1. Such as account all diligence in preaching reading and hearing to be foolishnesse 1 Cor. 1.18 2. Such as are scorners and jest at the threatnings of scripture and say with them in the Prophet let the word of the Lord come that wee may see it Ezech. Secondly for instruction and so it should teach us all to adde to â—ur cares and desires after the word as that which will doe us good another day since in the lasting profit of it it will indure above all things else and therefore is better then all treasures yea to get this perpetuity of good wee should not thinke much to be at any labour or cost for it and the rather seeing it is such a sufficient portion or heritage Lastly this is comfortable to the godly divers waies 1. Against their unbeleefe when they are in distresse especially of spirit they thinke the word of God was wonderfull comfortable to David and such like but they cannot beleeve it should be so to them this doctrine assures them that the word of the Lord endureth through all ages and is as able to save their soules and sanctifie and comfort them as ever it was 2. Against the weaknesse of their memories The word will abide for ever some seeds of holy truth will never be lost and the spirit will lead them to all truth and bring the sayings of the word to their mind when they shall have need 3 Against the scornes of the world though men deride their counsell in making the Lord and his word their refuge yet they may be well pleased in themselves and resolve with the Psalmist still in God to praise his word For the profit of it will last to them when riches and honor and pleasures fade like the flower of the grasse to wicked men 4. Against their feare of falling away For the word of God in effect abideth for ever and it makes them abide for ever This is the word which is preached unto you These words explaine the sense of the former and direct mens minds to that use of the word which is most proper and powerfull to effect immortality in us and so there is a threefold limitation 1. That the word of God doth then cheefely beget in us eternall graces and abiding fruits when it is preached to us The intent of the Apostle is to exalt preaching not to deny efficacy to the translation or reading of the word but to shew that then it is most lively when it is in preaching fitted and applied to us and this may both instruct us what to doe and informe us what to thinke It should teach us especially two things the one is to depend upon hearing as the especiall meanes by which our soules may live for ever Heare and your soules shall live Esay 55.4 2. and it should also settle us in the resolution to heare if this be so let him that heareth heare Ezech. 3.7 It may likewise informe us in two things 1. of the misery of all such as have not the benefit of the word preached how doe their soules perish for ever 2. of the honor God doth to his poore servants the Ministers of the word when he treâ—â—â— about eternall life he sends the people to their Ministers as if he would tell
it still if thou live free from it For the first if any body hate thee observe these rules 1. Render not evill for evill to any man at any time Rom. 12.17 2. If thou have any way done wrong seek to be reconciled Mat. 5. 3. If the contention be secret complain to no body but goe and debate the matter with thy neighbour himselfe and discover not thy secret to any other Prov. 25.4 4. Be courteous and patient and tender hearted and ready to doe any good to them speaking no evill of them without a calling Rom. 12.17 Ephes. 4.3 Tit. 7.2 To keep thee from other mens malice observe these rules First keep thee from other mens strife meddle not with the strife that belongs not to thee Prov. 26.17 Secondly Wrong no man but follow that which is good both among your selves and toward all men 1 Thess. 5.14 Thirdly strive to shew all meeknesse and softnesse to all men Tit. 3.2 Iames 3.13 17. Guile The second sin to be avoided is Guile The word here rendred Guile is diversly accepted in scripture Sometime it is taken in good sense and so there is a justifiable Guile so Paul caught the Corinthians by craft he wonne them by his discretion and godly policy 2 Cor. 12.6 So Samuel by a godly policy giving it out that hee came to sacrifice did safely performe his chiefe businesse of anointing David 1 Sam. 16. and so did Paul deale cunningly when in the broile hee cryed out he was a Pharisee But most usually this word is taken in ill sense and so sometimes it is all one with hypocrisie as Hos. 11.12 Psal. 17.2 But so it is not taken here by all likelyhood because hypocrisies are mentioned in the next words sometimes it signifieth fraud and falshood in opinions either in the matter when the doctrine is strange and false and so the false Apostles were deceitfull workmen when they put in that for good stuffe which was counterfeit and devillish 2 Cor. 11.13 Or when good doctrine is handled corruptly deceitfully for wicked ends 2 Cor. 42.1 The. 2.3 Sometimes it signifieth deceit in words and so flattery is Guile Psal. 12.2 3. And lying is Guile Mich. 6.12 Zeph. 3.13 And so is all false testimony Sometimes it signifieth deceit in workes and so false weights and ballances and all fradulent dealing and cousenage in buying and selling is Guile Mich. 6.10 11. So there is Guile in Tything Mal. 1. ult And so all lying in waite to seek occasion against others and all subtle dealing to oppresse others is Guile Psal. 105. 2 Cor. 11.12 13. Mat. 26.4 Mar. 14.1 and such Guile was in them that would make a man sin in the word Isay 29. Bribery also is Guile Iob 15. ult Now if any aske me why this sin should be avoided in them that desire to profit by the word I answer it is to be avoided as it is a sinne that much dishonours God and the profession of godlinesse It is a â—â—amefull offence in any that would seeme to love the word but more particularly the sinnes of deceit are a great impediment in hearing the word For first the guile of false opinions and strange doctriâ—e is like a poison to the sincere milk of the word and to bee eschewed of all that follow the Truth Ephes. 4.14 15. Heb 13.7 Secondly a heart accustomed to deceit and subtlety cannot be a plaine and honest heart and without a plaine honest and good heart men can never receive with any fruitfulnesse the seed of eternall life Luke 8. Thirdly he that is false to men will never be true to God he that will lie to men will lie to God Also he that is not faithfull with men will compasse God about with deceit Hos. 11.12 He will never be faithfull in the true treasure that is unjust in outward things Luke 16. Fourthly it is a sinne that God in a speciall maner hates Psal. 5.7 Fiftly the sinnes of deceit usually attend upon some Idoll in the hearts of men which hath such command over the deceitfull person that he cannot attend to the word of God or not have leisure to practise it he is so mastered by this particular corruption Ier. 9. The use of this may be threefold For humiliation to all deceitfull persons that use lying fraud subtlety and guilefull dealing in their trades and callings and course of dealing and conversation with men they shall never prosper in spirituall things The Ordinances of God are blasted to them Moreover there are two considerations which should wonderfully affright such as are accustomed to lying and deceit First it is certaine they are wicked men and have not the feare of God before their eyes they are the children of the Devill and enemies of Righteousnesse as these places fearefully shew Psal. 36.1 3. 10.7 Rom. 3.13 1.29 Acts 13.10 Secondly the curse of God is upon them God will weigh them in the balance Iob. 31.5 They are an abomination to the Lord Prov. 11.1 20.23 The Lord will surely visâ—t and his soule will be avenged on such persons Ier. 8.26 27 29. They shall be destroyed Psal. 52.4 They shall not love 〈◊〉 halfe their dayes Psal. 55. ult And as this is terrible to all deceivers so especially to such as are guilty of the aggravations of the sinne As 1. When deâ—eit is covered with smooth words and a flattering stile Ier. 9.8 Prov. 26.24 c. 2. When men delight in it and take a contemplative kinde of pleasure in their â—uilefull projects as the voluptuous person doth in his lust When â—ens belâ—â—â—â— prepare deceit Iob. 15. ult not their heads but their bellies Psal. â—â— 2 4. 3. When men make a trade of it give their tongues to evill and will frame deceit Psal. â—0 19 Bend their tongues to lyes and teach their tongues to speake lyes and weary themselves to commit iniquity Jer. 9.5 4. When men think all time spent about Gods service too long they would have the Sabbaths over that they might practise deceit Amos 8.5 5. When men sweare deceitfully Psal. 24.4 6. When men boast of it Psal. 52.1 3. And as deceit is aggravated by the maner so may it be by the persons upon whom it is practised so it is an aggravation to deceive ones neighbour and ones brother Jer. 9.5 and so it is to deceive the harmlesse and quiet of the Land Psal. 35.20 And as by the persons so by the time It is an aggravation when men imagine deceit as the Prophet David saith all the day long Psal. 38.12 Now if the former terrors belong to deceitfull persons in the generall how much more to them that are guilty of deceit with all these or any of these aggravations Some one might here say wee feele the sweetnesse of it wee grow rich by it and wee see many men in the world waxen great by the same courses and if wee should not lie and deceive wee
you two things First the signes and markes of a man without Guile even of a true Israelite Secondly the encouragement and comforts that belong to such men c. For the first a true Nathaniel hath these praises and especiall markes 1. He shunnes Guile in his spirit as well as in his words or workes Psal. 32.2 What hee accounts vile to speake hee accounts vile to thinke 2. His praise is of God and not of men Rom. 2.26 Hee more strives to doe good then to get credit and applause and if God accept him hee cares not though all the world deride him 3. When he confesseth his fault to God he will not hide his sinne but confesseth all his sins that is all sorts of sins and his sin without extenuation or excuse Psal. 32.2 5. 4. If he offend it is of ignorance and he will not receive doctrine of trust and if he be shewed the truth he quietly yeelds and gives glory to God Iohn 1.46 47 48. 5. He is a plaine man and speakes the truth in his heart What hee saith he saith without fraud or dissembling he saith it from his heart his heart and his words agree he hateth lying and all deceit Psal. 15.2 Zeph. 3.13 though he might gaine never so much yet will he practise no untruth 6. He is a constant man just of his word he will performe his promise though it be to his owne hinderance Psal. 15.4 He will not deny the truth though it be to his extreame danger Such men as these have many encouragements to hold on their courses It was a chiefe praise of Christ that he was without Guile 1 Pet. 2.7 and so was it in the Martyrs and Saints Rev. 14.15 It is one of the signes and markes of Gods houshold servants Psal. 15.2 Of a true Convert Zeph. 3.13 These men are faithfull with the Saints and rule with God Hos. 11. 12. Such as these will abide the Balance to be weighed and God will acknowledge their integrity Iob 31.5 The wealth of these men gotten by labour and just dealing shall increase when riches gotten by vanity shall diminish Prov. 13.11 And those lips of Truth shall be established for ever when lying tongues shall be but for a moment Prov. 12.19 And thus much of Guile Onely before I passe further it is worthy the noting that he sayes of these two first sins that all Malice and all Guile must be laid aside which imports that howsoever some other infirmities bee in the godly yet they should be found farre from all Malice and Guile not a jot of either of them should be found in them Malice must bee in them in no kinde nor in no measure neither secret nor open Malice neither grudge nor desire of revenge neither at home nor abroad neither in civill things nor in matters of Religion neither in any of the aggravations nor in the least drop of it And the like may be said of Guile It were a shamefull thing that any kinde of Guile should be found in a Christian in any of his dealings at any time with any sort of men or in any measure For if but a drop of Malice or Guile bee left in us it may breake out againe and our hearts prove like a festered sore Malice is like leaven a little of it will sowre the whole lumpe It is like Poyson a drop may spoile us It is like a coale of fire within it wants nothing but the devill to blow it and then into what a flame may it kindle And therefore we should all looke to our hearts to see that we be free from Malice and look to our wayes that we be guilty of no kinde of Guile Such as are reconciled should note this point to see to it that they keepe not the least drop of the poysonfull grudge in their hearts It is not enough that they say daily they will forgive or can receive the Sacrament For if they cannot respect them with a free heart without reservation they are still infected with the disease of Malice Hypocrisie The third sin to be avoided is Hypocrisie Concerning Hypocrisie I propound two things to be considered First how many wayes men commit Hypocrisie Secondly what reasons there are to disswade us from Hypocrisie For the first the Scriptures discover many wayes of the practise of Hypocrisie In the 23. of Matthew our Saviour notes eight wayes of being guilty of Hypocrisie 1. To say and not doe ver 3. 2. To require much of others and plead for great things to be done by others and not at all doe it our selves as we prescribe it to others ver 4. 3. To doe what we doe to be seen of men ver 5. This is at large opened Mat. 6.1 to the middle of the chapter 4. To affect greatnesse in the respects and entertainments of others ver 6. to 12. 5. To doe duties of Religion of purpose to hide some soule sinne ver 14. 6. To be curious and strict in small matters and neglect the greater duties ver 23 24. 7. To be carefull to avoid outward faults and to make no conscience of the inward foulnesse of the heart ver 25 27. 8. To commend and magnifie the godly absent or of former ages and to hate and abuse the godly present and of our owne times verse 29. to 36. There are divers other Hypocriticall practices noted in other Scripture As 9. To serve God outwardly and yet our hearts to be caried away with vile distractions Esay 28.13 This is a chiefe Hypocrisie to be avoided in such as come to the word 10. To pray onely in the time of sicknesse or danger when we are forced to it and to shew no love of prayer or delight in God in time of prosperity or deliverance Iob 27.8 9. 11. To judge others severely for smaller faults and to be guilty themselves of greater crimes Mat. 7.5 12. To be just overmuch I meane to make sins where God makes none Luke 13.15 13. To be convinced in his owne conscience and yet not confesse it nor yeeld though they know the truth Luke 12.56 57. c. Thus of the divers wayes of Hypocrisie There are many reasons to declare the hatefulnesse of this sin of Hypocrisie I will instance onely in the reasons from the effects The effects of Hypocrisie are either first to others Or secondly to the Hypocrite himselfe First to others the Hypocrite is a continuall snare He walkes in a net that converseth with an Hypocrite Iob 34.30 Secondly to himselfe the effects of Hypocrisie in the Hypocrite are both privative and positive The privative effects which the Scripture instanceth in are chiefly three The first is that the Hypocrite loseth all his service of God In vaine doe Hypocrites worship God Mat. 15. Secondly hee infecteth all his gifts and praises Hypocrisie is like leaven Luke 12.1 It sowreth all gifts and graces a little of it will marre all his praises and gifts whatsoever for the
Apostle here exhorteth and withall we should bring with us faith to beleeve that Godâ— word shall turne to our nourishment Shall we trust nature for the goodnesse of milk and shall we not trust God for the efficacy of his word when he tels us it will nourish like milk And the rather should wee make our recourse with gladnesse to the word because it is so cheap a food we may buy this milke without money that is without merits only if we will heare our soules shall live Esay 55.2.4 yea let us for ever be thankfull to God for his word in this respect Was it so great a blessing that God brought the Israelites to a land that flowed with milk and hony for their bodies for the greatnesse of which blessing God doth so often put them in minde of it How great then is the marvellous goodnesse of God that hath made us to live in these times of the Gospell when the Land flowes with this spirituall milk and hony Let us labour to be thankfull and bring forth fruits worthy the bounty of God left the Lord send the men of the East to dwell in these palaces and to eat our milk and wee be cast out as it was said in the Letter Ezech. 25.4 Oh that we could see our happinesse in these daies of salvation this is that milke of the Gentiles prophecied of which wee enjoy and sucke now from the breasts of Kings living under Christian Magistrates that command the preaching of this sincere word of God Esay 60.16 Sincere The word may besaid to be sincere in two respects First in it selfe secondly in effect in it selfe it is sincere because it is without error without sinne and there is no deceit in it at all Prov. 8.7.8 Psalm 19.8.9 And because it hath no composition in it but is the very pure word of God as it came from God himselfe at first there is not a word in it but it was written by men inspired immediately by the holy Ghost 2. Pet. 1. ult And as it is in it selfe so it is by effect It makes men sincere It makes crooked things straight It purgeth out hypocrisie and all leaven out of the minds and hearts of men it both teacheth and worketh in the godly a spirit without guile Psalm 19.8.9 The Use may be both for instruction and reproofe For instruction both to the people and to Ministers To the people and so men should here learne First to love the word and long after it for this very reason because it is so pure and sincere so void of harme or danger so did David Psalme 119.146 Secondly when we finde our natures crooked and corrupt and deceitfull and tending to hypocrisie we should bring our hearts to the word to be mended For this you see is a property of the word it will make men sincere Psal. 19. 8 9. and 119. Iohn 17. 20. and as any men have more betaken themselves to the word the more sincere they have alwayes growne Thirdly to receive the word with full assurance we may trust upon it it cannot deceive us what we finde for comfort or directions in Scripture we may build upon it Never man was disappointed of his expectation that trusted upon the word of God but in God they have ever praised his word 2. Pet. 1.20 Psal. 56.10 and 10.1 Fourthly as the Ministry of Gods servants doth more declare the sincerity of the word so we should bee more in love with it wee should like praier preaching I meane not witlesse and unlearned preaching but such preaching as maketh demonstration to the conscience out of the pure word of God in things that concerne the good of the soules of men and the glory of God the word doth ever profit men most when it is most sincere that men onely speake the words of God Fiftly to stick to the word of God without going to the right hand or the left there can be no sinne but what is condemned in the word nor can there be duty not commanded therein nor can there be matter of faith not propounded therein Oh how happy were we if we could stick to the old foundation even the sincere word of God and not adde nor diminish the hatefulnesse of departing from the word on the left hand is in most places discovered But Oh the deceitfulnesse of mens hearts and the wretched pronenesse of men to sinne by finding out many inventions Men runne out and that very fast on the right hand we have new opinions and strange fancies coyned every day Little doe the better sort of people many of them think of traditions on the right hand their faith is led into bondage when they can yeeld no better reason than it is such a mans judgement or else he thinketh so himselfe or the reasons brought are urged without any demonstration from the word of God and Scripture Happy above the most Churches under heaven were this nation if this point were understood and carefully observed if we could sticke to our first grounds in parting from the Church of Rome viz. to admit no opinions nor charge our conscience with more obligations but out of the word of God Ministers also may learne from hence what and how to preach that is the best preaching which is eminent for two things First that tends to beget sincerity clearnesse of judgement distinct evidence of assurance and strict holinesse of life in the hearers Secondly that shines in the native lustre of the word in it selfe without mixture when men know no matter no stile no wisdome comparable to that which may be had in the word This also may serve for reproofe First of such Ministers as preach not sincerely and such are they that preach for corrupt ends though they preach true doctrine Phil. 1. 17. and they that preach obscurely and carelesly and strive not to set out the glory of the truths they propound and they that are like lewd Vintners which mixe the word with the errour of their owne braines or with the traditionâ— of men or with a manifest strife to bring in mans wisedome to Gods word more desiring to shew their owne wits and learning than the glory of the scriptures 2. Cor. 4. 2. and 1. Cor. 1. 17. and 2.4.5.13 2. Of the people for that great wanâ— of appetite to Gods pure word and the plaine preaching of it Thus of the second reason the third is taken from the effect and the profit which will follow viz. they shall grow thereby That ye may grow thereby This point of the growth of a Christian is of singular use and meet to be fully and particularly opened and therefore I will observe five things concerning it more especially First that we ought to grow in grace Secondly in what things we should labour to grow and abound Thirdly what are the rules to be observed that we might grow Fourthly the signes of growth Fiftly the uses of the whole First for the first Christians
are bound not onely to get grace but they must labour to encrease in the gifts they have received it is not enough to begin the worke of God but we must labour to abound in it and increase in well doing we must goe on and finish the measure of the worke required of us these places evidently prove that God looks for growth at our hands 2. Pet. 3.18.1 Cor. 15.58.1 Thessa. 4.1 Prov. 4.18.1 Cor. 14.12 Secondly for the second before I number particulars I might tell you of divers kindes of growth or increase in the kingdome of Christ. Christ himselfe is said to increase Ioh. 3.10 The word is said to grow Act. 6. and in other places and Christians are said to grow and so either first joyntly in the mysticall body Ephes. 4. 16. Col. 2. 19. or secondly severally every one by himselfe Christ was said to increase not onely in stature and the declaration of his gifts Luke 2. 40 but also in the glory of his kingdome and the advancing of his dominion amongst men The word grew when the number of faithful labourers was increased and when the light of the truth was more glorified received by the people Christians are said to grow chiefly in two respects First in the number of beleevers when there are daily added to the church Secondly in the power and practice of their gifts and this last is here intended the word rendred Thereby might be read either in him or in it or as it is thereby In him that is in Christ In it that is in the word or thereby that is by the word this last is intended here in all probability Now then to the point there are certaine things wherein a Christian should strive to grow it is true wee should grow in every good gift and worke but if we marke the Scriptures these things in particular are especially to be laboured after as being things that doe wonderfully honour God and credit the Gospell and bring a singular increase of happines to a Christian mans life and it is wonderfull profitable to keep a Catalogue of these particulars still before us that wee may every day bee put in mind of what we should especially labour after These are the things then we should distinctly labour to grow in First we should labour to grow in wisdome Gods people should appeare to be a wise people above all the people of the earth Christ grew in wisedome Luke 2.40 Now wisedome hath two things in it First knowledge and secondly discretion In both these we should grow For knowledge the word of God should dwell plentiously in us Col. 3. 16. and we should encrease in the knowledge of God Col. 1.10 and for discretion we should abound in knowledge yea and saith the Apostle in all judgement too Phili. 1.10 Secondly we should grow in faith that which is lacking to our faith must be made up 1. Thess. 3.10 and we should still bee praying with the Apostles Lord increase our faith Luke 17.5 2. Thess. 1.11 Now there bee two things distinctly which we should grow in about faith viz First assurance and secondly the exercise of it For assurance we should heâ—eunto give all diligence that we might get the full assurance of faith and hope to the end we should never be quiet till it bee established and rooted and soundly grounded in our particular assurance of Gods favour in Jesus Christ and our owne eternall salvation Heb. 6.11 Col. 2.6 7. And for the exercise of faith we should strive to learne every day to live by faith in all the occasions of our life spending the remainder of our lives in the faith of the Sonne of God holding fast our confidence and not withdrawing our selves Heb. 10. Gal. 2.20 yea we should strive to be examples one to another in our faith in God 1. Tim. 4.12 Thirdly we should abound in love one to another and towards all men this the Apostle praies earnestly for and this we should shew by all diligence in preserving peace and unity amongst our selves so as there should bee but one heart and mind amongst us to this end bearing and forbearing and supporting one another wee should grow also in the tendernesse and heartinesse of our affections one after another longing one for another and delighting one in another yea our love should grow even in seeking to enlarge our acquaintance with such as feare God but especially in the labour of our love to doe good to such as feare God should we grow c. Fourthly we should grow in mercy and that both in the bowels of pitty and in the abundance of the fruits of mercy Col. 3.12.2 Cor. 8.2 7. and 9.11 Iames 3.18 Fiftly we should grow in patience and meeknesse and lowlinesse of mind Patience should have his perfect work and it wonderfully would become us if we could increase in the image of Jesus Christ for meeknesse and lowlinesse to be free from passions and pride oh how it would adorne us It is that one grace Christ so much urgeth upon us and was most eminent in himselfe Matth. 11.29 Iames 1.4 Sixtly We should grow in praier and the gifts that concerne our communion with God we should labour to be mighty and powerfull in praier able to wrastle with God himselfe and overcome him as Iacob did and to this end we should pray alwaies and learne to pray all manner of praiers in all things making our requests knowne to God with supplication especially we should strive to abound in thanksgiving to God in all things giving thanks this is the greatest honor we can doe to God 1. Thessa. 5.18.19 Philip. 4.7 Psal. 50.23 Col. 1.11 Ephes. 6.18.2 Cor. 4.15 Seventhly we should grow in the contempt of the world and the lesser estimation of the things of this life we should strive more and more to expresse a mortified conversation using the world as if we used it not setting out affections on the things that are above and having our conversation in heaven confessing our selves to be strangers and pilgrims and with all eagernesse embracing the praises of a better life Hebrews 11.13 Philip. 3.20 in nothing being carefull Philip. 4.6 hastning to the comming of Jesus Christ. 2. Pet. 3.11 Eighthly We should exceedingly strive to grow in the holy and reverent use of Gods ordinances striving to come with more feare and sense of the glorious presence of God This is a wonderfull hard lesson and little heeded of the most Oh that we could get it to serve the Lord with feare and to rejoice but yet with trembling Oh blessed is the man that can feare alwaies and worke out his salvation with feare and trembling Ninthly there is another gift we should grow in and it is marvelously necessary and comely and yet extreamely neglected and that is utterance of which the Apostle makes mention in his short Catalogue 2. Cor. 8.7 Utterance I say to be able to speake one to another with profit and power
then when we are dejected in the true feeling oâ— our owne unworthiness God will give grace to the humble And further wee must get an appetite or affection to the word For the full stomacke loatheth an hony-combe but to the hungry soule every little thing is sweet Proverbs 27.7 and lastly we must take heed that wee marre not our tastes before we come as they doe that have sweetned their mouthes with wickedness and spoyled their rellish with the pleasures of beloved sinnes Iob 20.12 Such as live in the delight of secret corruptions even thâ—y that account stoln waters sweet may be the guests of Hell but Gods guests they are not onely they that overcome eate of the hidden Manna Rev. 2. Secondly when we have found hony let us eate it Prov. 20.13 That is if the Lord be gracious unto us in his word let us with all care receive it into our hearts and with all affection make use of it Lose not thy precious oportunitie Thirdly it should teach us in all our griefes and bitterness to make our recourse to the word to comfort and sweeten our hearts against our feares and sorrowes For at this feast God wipes away all teares from our eyes Esay 35.6 8. Fourthly the sweetnes of the word when we feele it should satisfie us yea satisfie us abundantly Wee should give so much glory to Gods goodnesse as to make it the abundant satisfaction of our hearts Psal. 36.6 Fiftly Yea further we should labour to shew this sweet savour of the word in our conversations by mercy to the distressed by gracious communication by our contentation and by all well-doing that the perfume of Gods grace in us may allure and affect others that the very places where wee come may savour of our goodnesse even after wee are gone Sixtly we should bee alwaies praising of God for the good things of his Sanctuary acknowledging all to come from his free grace without our deserts Psal. 84.4 entertaining his presence with all possible admiration saying with the Psalmist O Lord how excellent is thy goodnesse Psal. 36.9 Seventhly wee should pray God to continue his goodnesse to them that know him and to vouchsafe us the favour to dwell for ever in his house Psalm 36.11 Eighthly and constantly the experience hereof should set us a longing our soules should long for the courts of Gods house and our hearts cry for the daily bread in Sion and we should constantly walke from strength to strength till we appearâ— before God in Sion Psalm 84 and the rather because besides the sweetnesse there is a plentifull reward in keeping Gods word Psalm 19.20 Secondly from hence we may be informed in two especiall things 1. Concerning the happinesse of the godly in this life notwithstanding all their afflictions and sorrowes Thou seest their distresses but thou seest not their comforts The stranger doth not meddle with their joyes Oh how great is the goodnesse of God in giving his people to drink out of the rivers of the pleasures in his house when he makes their eies to see the light in his light Psal. 36.8 9. Psal. 65.4 2. Concerning the office of Gods Ministers They are the perfumers of the world the Church is the perfuming-pan and preaching is the fire that heats it and the Scriptures are the sweet-waters Or the Church is the mortar preaching the pestle and the promises of God in Christ are the sweet spices which being beaten yeeld a heavenly and supernaturall smell in the soules of the godly hearers 2 Cor. 2.14 15. But then Ministers must take heed they corrupt not Gods VVord and see to it that their preaching be in sincerity and as of God and in the sight of God in Christ and with demonstration of the truth to mens consciences 2 Cor. 2.17 else any Preacher will not serve the turne And in both these respects Ministers have reason to cry out with the Apostle Oh! who is sufficient for these things If every Sermon must leave so sweet a savour behind it in the hearts of the hearers and in the nostrils of God too who can bee without the speciall assistance of God fit for these things Lastly this may serve for singular reproofe and terror to the wicked and that in divers respects First for such as are mockers and call sweet sowre that is speake evill of the good word of God Secondly for the miserable neglect of that they should account the life of their life Alas whither shall we goe or what is this miserable and wretched life if we want the sweet comforts of the word To dwell without the word is to dwell in the parched places of the wildernesse and this Ministery is the more dangerous in such or to such as are daily invited and have all things ready made and yet will not inwardly obey Gods calling nor profit by the meanes but find excuses to shift off the invitation of God How justly may that curse be inflicted upon them these men shall never taste of my supper Luke 14.17 c. 24. Thus much of the second doctrine Doct. 3. The third doctrine out of these words may be this that such as find a true taste of the sweetness of God in his VVord may conceive hopefully that their soules doe and shall prosper and growe There is no doubt to be made of our growth if once we come to feele the sweetnesse of the VVord For the clearer understanding of this doctrine I must answer two questions Quest. First what this true taste is Secondly whether this taste may not be in wicked men Answ. For the first A true taste of the sweetnesse of the VVord and Gods graciousnesse in it may bee knowne both by the cause and by the effects The cause of this taste is faith for by faith onely doth the soule taste Or that thing that raiseth so sweet a rellish in our hearts is a perswasion in particular of the graciousnesse of God to us even of that graciousnes which the VVord doth discover The effects of this taste are three For first it revives the heart and raiseth it from the dead and frames it to bee a new creature working an unsained change in the heart of man from the world and sinne to the care of Gods glory and salvation of their owne soules and thus it is called A savour of life unto life 2 Cor. 2.15 Secondly it sesleth in the heart an estimation of the VVord and spirituall things and the assurance of Gods favour of all earthly things in the world Phil. 3.9 Psal. 84.10 Thirdly this taste workes a heavenly kind of contentment in the heart so as the godly when they have found this are abundantly satisfied they have enough Psal. 36.10 and 95.4 For the second question concerning wicked men and their rellishing of the sweetnesse of the VVord I say two things First that the most wicked men are without spirituall senses and finde no more taste in God or his VVord than in the VVhite of
without testimony of his favour For by his word of promise and by his Spirit bearing witnesse to our spirits hath hee manifested even from heaven his acceptation and in particular when the beleever stands before the Lord with his sacrifice duly offered when the Lord doth suddenly fill his heart with the cloud of his presence or warme his soule with the joyes of the holy Ghost what is this but the signe of his acceptation Quest. VVhat if we be accepted in our service of God what great thing is that to us Answ. VVhen God accepts thine offerings thou maist be assured of three things First Thaâ— all thy sinnes be forgiven thee God hath purged away thine iniquity he hath received an atonement in Iesus Christ Psal 65.2 3. Secondly God is exceedingly delighted in them Thy sacrifice is a sweet smell unto God he rejoyceth over thee with joy Phil. 4.18 Thirdly It is a pledge unto thee that God will supply all thy necessities out of the riches of his glory in Iesus Christ our Saviour Phil. 4.19 Verse 6. Wherefore also it is contained in the Scripture Behold I put in Sion a chiefe corner-stone elect and precious and he that beleâ—veth therein shall not be ashamed HItherto of the proposition of the exhortation The conformation followes where the Apostle gives reasons why we should make our recourse to Christ to seek holinesse of life from him and the reasons are two The first is taken from the testimony of God verses 6 7 8. The other is taken from the consideration of the excellent priviledges of Christians unto which they are brought by Christ verses 9 10. The testimony of God is both cited verse 6. and expounded verses 7.8 In the testimony of God observe first where it is to be found viz. In Scripture secondly how it is there It is contained there thirdly what is testified Now the matter testified concernes either the giving of Christ for the good of the Church or the safety of the Christian that by faith receiveth Christ. The giving of Christ is exprest in these words Behold I lay in Sion a chiefe corner stoâ—e elect precious the safety and happinesse of the Christian that receiveth Christ in these words And bee that beleeves in him shall not be confounded First of the place where this testimony is found viz. In the Scripture By the Scripture is usually meant all the Books of the old and new Testament written after an extraordinary manner by inspiration of the holy ghost But here he meanes it of the Books of the old Testament but yet so as the word doth agree to all the Books of both Testaments Now this very word gives us occasion to consider of the nature of these Books and of their use and of their excellency and of their harmony These Books are called Scripture because they containe in writing the whole will of God necessary to be known of us they are the Treasures of all truth The doctrine which was before delivered by tradition for 2000. yeares was afterwards written downe and explained in these Books so as nothing needfull was left out or omitted Secondly this word imports the excellency of the Bible above all other bookes because it is called Scripture as if no other writings were worthy to be mentioned in comparison of these The Scripture exceeds all others in divers respects First because these vvritings vvere inspired all of the holy ghost 2 Tim. 3.17 2 Pâ—t 1.21 so vvere no other vvritings Secondly those vvritings containe a vvisdome far above all that that can be had by the Princes and men of this vvorld the platform of the wisdome that is in God himselfe 1 Cor. 6.7 Thirdly they vvere penned by more excellent men then any other vvritings the greatest vvisest holiest men Moses David Salomon the Prophets Euangelists Apostles c. Fourthly they have such properties as no other vvritings have they are more perfect pure deep and immutable then any mans vvritings These containe all things necessary unto faith and a good life 2 Tim. 3.17 18. These vvritings onely are pure vvithout fault or error or any corruption in them and for depth â—nd majestie never any vvritings came neare them and for unchangeabâ—nes Heaven and earth must passe away but a jot of Gods word shall not passe away Matth. 5.24 1 Pet. 1.23 Fiftly if we consider the effects that must be acknowledged to the praise of the Scriptures vvhich can be true of no writings besides no writings can describe God so fully to us no writings do so bring glory to God no Scripture but this can convert a soule to God Heb. 4.12 13. Other writings may shew us some faults to be avoided but give no power to subdue them Psâ—l 19.8 These writings onely can minister solid comfort to us in adversity and these onely can make us wise to salvation and perfect to every good word and work The consideration whereof should work in us a singular love to this booke above all other books in the world yea above all the treasures in the world we should account them with David more sweet then hony and more precious then gold Psal. 19.11 Psal. 119.14 15 27. Thirdly the third thing may be noted from hence is the harmony of all these books they all agree as if they were but one writing yea but one sentence yea one word though the books were written by divers men yet they agree so perfectly that they all sound one thing for they were all inspired by the same Spirit of God which should teach us when wee meete with doubts or objections or scorning contradictions to condemne our owne ignorance and to be fully resolved that there is a sweet harmouy though we doe not see it And secondly and especially it should knit our hearts to the Scriptures wee should be affected as with the most delightfull musick of the world or in the world Fourthly The fourth thing concernes the use of Scripture and so we may note two things First That wee must receive no opinions but what can be proved by Scripture To the law and to the testimony if they speake not according to these it is because there is no truth in them Isaiah 8. Secondly we may note hence that the best men must prove what they teach by Scripture If the Apostles did it who were men priviledged from error then much more must other men we must beleeve no man above what is written 1 Cor. 4.6 and hee is accursed that teacheth other things then what is written Gal. 1.7 though he were an Angell from heaven Which should teach us to get proofes into our heads for all that we beleeve and to take heed of receiving traditions even from good men For there be traditions on the right hand as well as on the left Ioh 5.30 Acts 17.1 Thes. 5.21 Secondly Thus of the place where this testimony is The manner how it is there is in the word Contained It is contained in Scripture Contained 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
or in particular it should note the sinnes of the stubborne Jewes who offended in word when they blasphemed Christ and denyed him But I rather take it as here it is translated and so it notes the causes why many men fall into scandall and from thence into despaire viz. because they bring ill hearts to the Word of God they have mindes that are rebellious and will not be subject to the Gospell but intertaine it with diseased and cavilling mindes Those persons are likely not to receive any good by Christ that quarrell at the word of Christ. Now that this may not be mistaken or neglected I will shew first what it is not to stumble at the Word leâ—t some weake ones should be dismayed then secondly how many waies wicked men stumble at the Word For the first To be grieved in heart for the reproofes of the Word is not an offence but a grace so wee are troubled not with dislike of the Word but of our owne sinnes Secondly to inquire of the truth and that which is delivered and to trie the doctrine by turning to the Scriptures as the Bereans did this is not condemned here nor is it a stumbling at the Word to put a difference betweene the teaching of Christ and the teaching of the Scribes and Pharisees Secondly but men are said to be offended at the Word when their hearts rise against it or they ensnare themselves through their owne corruption by occasion of the Word To speake distinctly wicked men are offended at the Word with a threefold offence First with the offence of anger when they rage and fret at the Word or the teachers thereof because their sinnes are reproved or their miseries foretold And this offence they shew either when they envie the successe of the Word Acts. 4.2 or raile and revile Gods Saints as Ahab did Michaiah for telling him the truth or when they mocke at the Word as the Pharisees did Luk. 16.14 Secondly with the offence of scandall when they take occasion from the doctrine they heare to fall off from hearing or from the true religion or from the company of the godly Thus they stumbled at those hard sayings of Christ that departed from him for that cause or reason Ioh. 6. Thirdly with the offence diabolicall when men pervert the good word of God to inflame themselves the more greedily to sinne making it a doctrine of liberty or taking occasion to commit sin from the Law that rebukes sinne Uses The use may be first for information and so two wayes For first we may hence see the reason why many hearers profit not by the Word It is not because the Word wants power but because they stumble at it They nourish cavils and objections against it they oppose reason to faith Secondly we may hence take notice of the difference of a regenerate and unregenerate heart To the one the Word is a savour of life to the other it is a deadly savour and full of offence to them And withall this may humble wicked men For this is a sure truth that so long as they are offended at the Word so long they have no part in Christ and withall it may comfort all those that love the Word and receive it with joy constantly For that is a meanes and signe of their interest in Christ. Being disobedient These words containe another cause why Christ was no better rellished by them and why they found such an ill taste in the word of Christ it was the wickednesse that was in them Sinne had marred their tastes Sweete meates have but an ill rellish with those who have corrupt and diseased stomackes and the cause is apparent the ill humors in their stomackes and nothing in the meates they eate But of their disobedience before and therefore this shall suffice in this place And thus of the cause in themselves The cause in God followes Whereunto they were appointed There is much difference of the reading of the originall words in the translations Some read thus They stumble at the Word and beleeve not in him in whom they are placed or set and expound it thus In whom they live move and have their being some read in stead of disobedient They beleeved not but for these words read them as here But then their meaning is that the Jewes beleeved not though they were thereunto appointed that is though they had the promise of salvation and were a people separate thereunto and so it is an aggravation of their unbeliefe This sense and reading is not to be despised But I take it as I find it in the translation and so the sense is That these men whether Jews or Gentiles that are here spoken of were appointed to this misery by the decree of God and so they are words that expresse the substance of this part of Gods decree which Divines call Reprobation And so it is to bee observed from hence That wicked men are appointed from everlasting to the enduring of the miseries which are inflicted upon them in this life or in hell This is a doctrine which is extreamly distasted by flesh and blood and proves many times more offensive to the common people and is alwayes to be reckoned as strong meat and therefore that I may fairely get off this point I offer two things to your considerations First the proofes that plainly avouch so much as is here observed Secondly I will set downe certaine infallible observations which tend to quiet mens minds and perswade them against the seeming difficulty or absurdity of this truth For the first the Apostle Iude saith that the wicked men he treateth of were of old ordained to this condemnation Iude 4. and the Apostle Peter saith that the ungodly were reserved unto the day of judgement to bee punished 2 Pet. 2.9 and vers 12. he saith that they are naturall brute beasts made to be taken and destroyed and it is manifestly implied 1 Thess. 5.8 that God hath ordained wicked men to wrath so Rom. 9.22 For the second though this doctrine seeme wonderfull hard yet to assure us there is no hard dealing at all in God there be many things may confirme us and ease our mindes though for the present we cannot understand how this should be and perhaps are much troubled about this point and therefore seriously consider First for thy selfe that if thou have truly repented and doe beleeve in Jesus Christ and hast in thee the signes of a child of God for thy part thou art free from this danger and out of all question art in safe estate and therefore oughtest not to grieve but rejoyce with singular praise to God Secondly seeing God hath comforted us with many doctrines and trusted us with many cleere points of knowledge can we not be contented that God should speake darkely to us in one point especially when wee are told beforehand that there is an Abyssus a depth yea many depths in this doctrine Shall we bee wayward because
God and mans salvation and so it is an argument taken from the hatâ—â—ulnesse of the flesh and her working in us The lusts and desires of the flesh ought to be hatefull and we should suspect and abstaine from the projects of the flesh if we consider 1 That the flesh savoureth not the things of God Rom. 8. 2 That she opposeth all good wayes partly by objecting against them and partly by making evill present when we should performe them 3 That her wisdome is against God her fairest reasons are pleaded for things that are hatefull to God such also are her excuses and extenuations and promises 4 That if shee be followed she will lead us by degrees into all abominations as whoredomes murders debates heresies c. these are her fruits Gal. 5. 5 She will betray us to Sathan that he may by himselfe set up strong fortifications in our soules and her treason is the more dangerous because shee is a domesticall enemy and by his working in secret our hearts may become a very cage or stie of uncleane spirits 6 She hath already spoiled the Image of God in us and made us looke most deformedly 7 If shee once get power shee is most tyrannicall no respect of credit profit no nor salvation it selfe can stirre shee will be served whatsoever come of it 8 We should abhorre her for the very mischiefe she doth to our posterity we cannot looke upon our children but wee may see what wofull hurt shee hath done by the infection they received in their propagation Uses The use may be First for reproofe of such as lay the blame of their faults upon their evill lucke or evill counsell or the divell whereas they ought to lay the fault upon their oâ—ne flesâ— even their owne ill nature The divell noâ— the world could never hurt us if the flesh did not betray us by defect or consent or evill action Secondly for information We may see what we should mortifie and abstain from Religion doth not binde men to mortifie the substance of the flesh but the lusts of the flesh we are not to destroy any faculty of the soule or in the soule or part of the body but the inordinate appetite and desires of either we are not to abstaine from the necessary meanes of life as house lands diet apparell company c. but the evill concupiscence about these Thirdly for instruction It should teach us therefore to restraine the flesh as much as we can and therefore we shall with the same labour restraine the lusts of the flesh and to this end 1 Wee must with all feare and jealousie watch our owne natures as mistrusting 2 We must silence the flesh and not suffer it to plead for sinne 3 Wee must by a daily course of mortification judge the flesh that so wee may be as it were condemned in the flesh 4 We must keepe from it what may pamper it as idlenesse excesse of diet apparell recreation c. Which warre against the soule These words may bee considered either in their coherence or in themselves in their coherence and so they are the third reason taken from the evill effects of those lusts In themselves there are two things to be opened both what the soule is and what this warre in the soule is The point is cleare that fleshly lusts do much hurt the soules of men and so both the soules of wicked men and of godly men First of wicked men These lusts hurt their soules 1 Because they provoke the wrath of God upon them The Israelites were not estranged from their lusts and therefore the wrath of God came upon them Psal. 78.29 30 31. 2 Because they make us resemble the divell Ioh. 8.44 3 Because they hinder the power of the Word from them they will never come to the knowledge of the truth 2 Tim. 3.6 4 Because it brings the soule in bondage so as all the conversation of the soule is in a manner about those lusts of the flesh Eph. 2.2 5 Because they make all their prayers abominable Iam. 4. 6 Because sometimes they are scouâ—ged with a reprobate mind being given up to their lusts Rom. 1. 7 Because they may drowne the soule inperdition 1 Tim. 6.9 If godly men entertaine these inward evills in their thoughts and affections many evills will follow 1 They hinder the Word 2 They grieve the good Spirit by which they are sealed to the day of redemption 3 They harden the heart and blind the understanding 4 They hinder good cuties Gal. 5.17 5 They wound the soule 6 They make the mind soule and lothsome they defile 7 They may bring outward judgements upon thee or inward terrours of conscience Use. The use may bee partly to declare the misery of such Christians as are fallen away from the acknowledgement of the truth by intertaining these lothsome lusts of whose fearfull estate at large 2 Pet. 2.18 to the end Partly it should worke in all the godly obedience to the Counsell of the Apostle here in abstaining from these lusts as grievous hurts to the soule or their soules they shouâ—d put on the Lord Jesus in sincerity and never more take care to fulfill these lusts of the flesh Rom. 13.13 Thus of these words in the coherence The sense will be more full if wee consider more at large two things in the words First what the soule is Secondly what this warre in the soule is Two things have made the inquirie about the soule exceeding difficult The first is the nature of the soule For it is a spirituall essence and therefore wonderfullhard to be conceived of There be three things cannot fully be conceived of or defined by man first God secondly an Angel and thirdly the soule of man Now besides this transcendencie as I may call it of the soule the fall of man and custome in sinne and the remainders of corruption in the best have made this doctrine so hard that wicked men scarce discerne that they have a soule and godly men are very ignorant and impotent in conceiving the condition of the soule This word Soule is diversly accepted in Scripture for it signifies sometimes The life of man as Matt. 6.25 Be not carefull for your soules what yee shall eate c. Christ because looke what the soule is to the body that is Christ to the whole man so Psal. 16.10 Thou wilt not leave my soule in hell that is Christ Act. 2.25 29 c. and 13.35 36. The dead bodies Levit. 19.28 The whole man to Gen. 46.26 by a Synecdoche But here it signifies that part of man which is called his spirit By the soule then we understand that part of man which is invisible and invisibly placed within the body of man Now the things which are fit for us to inquire into and know concerning the nature and excellency of the soule may be comprised briefly in this description of the soule The soule of man is a substance incorporeall invisible
glory is it if sinning and buffeted yee take it patiently The word rendred Sinning signifies properly to erre from the way or misse the marke and so it shewes us the nature of sinne which swarveth from the direction of Gods Word that agreeth not to the way there appointed Where God hath appointed a way not to walk in it or to goe besides it is sinne and in what things God hath not in his Word appointed a way there men have liberty and they are to be reckoned indifferent and there are a world of such things Doct. 4. We may further note from the word sinning that where servants displease disobey and vexe their masters and will not do as they are bidden they sinne The holy Ghost useth the same word to censure the fault of a servant towards his master which is used to censure the fault of any man towards God Doct. 5. Servants that will not be corrected by words may bee corrected by blowes they may be buffeted Prov. 29.17 19. Doct. 6. Men many times inflict shamefull and sudden punishments for trespasses against them as here they buffet their servants And therefore how just is it if God for sinnes against him powre out exquisite shame and confusion upon wicked men that are impenitent Doct. 7. To suffer for our faults and not take it patiently is a detestable and hatefull vice in the judgement of all sorts of men Doct. 8. It is no true glory to be patient when a man suffers for his faults not but that patience is a duty and praise-worthy in all sufferings but it is no glory comparatively with theirs that suffer and are not faulty and besides it is no glory at all so long as the fault is not repented of while it remaines a fault and so it doth whilst men doe not judge themselves for it and reforme it it is no true praise to endure punishments For patience ariseth either out of a naturall defect of sense or judgement or else it is forced by feare of men or is directed to vaine ends as the applauses of men or the extenuating or hiding of their faults or the like Thus of the first part of the verse out of the latter part divers things may be also observed c. Doct. 1. Such is this evill world that a man may suffer evill for doing well Doct. 2. We must not be weary of well doing though we suffer for it Doct. 3. To suffer for wel-doing may befall any sort of men as here it is supposed to be the case of servants Doct. 4. It is by accident and not from the nature of wel-doing or any necessity that is absolute that men suffer for wel-doing it doth not necessarily follow that men must suffer alwayes or all sorts of men for goodnesse It may befall them it doth not follow that it must befall them and therefore the Apostle saith If you suffer Doct. 5. To suffer for wel-doing patiently is wonderfull glorious and acceptable before God Doct. 6. Many things may be gracious with men that are no whit regarded with God Doct. 7. To suffer for wel-doing when it is not patiently taken is not thank-worthy with God though the cause men suffer for be good yet they lose their praise when they use ill meanes to be delivered or carry themselves impatiently Doct. 8. To know that God favours us or accepts of what we doe will make a man endure strange things as here servants that were used many times little better than beasts yet endure it because it is at all times acceptable to God Doct. 9. Lastly it would here be noted that to suffer for any kind of wel-doing is acceptable before God though a man doe not suffer for Religion but for the duties of his particular calling as the case was here yet every such suffering is gracious before God Ver. 21. For hereunto yee are called for Christ also suffered for us leaving us an example that yee also should follow his steps THus of the first reason taken from Gods acceptation the same reason followes in the beginning of this Verse and that is taken from their calling and for these words For thereunto were ye called the sense is that unto patient suffering for well-doing they were tied by their calling if need did require Now God calls men to suffering divers wayes First by his decree for he hath here destinated men to be made like to his Sonne in suffering unjustly they were ordained to afflictions Rom. 8.29 1 Thes. 3.3 Secondly 〈◊〉 his Word or Law we are called to it because the Word of God doth require that we should take up our crosse and suffer for the truth as many Scriptures shew Thirdly by the worke of Gods grace when he make us againe new men in Jesus Christ for by the same calling that he calls us to be Saints he calls us to suffer for sanctity and this seemes to be intended specially here Fourthly God calls us to suffer by his speciall gift for as he hath given us to beleeve so hath he given us to suffer for his sake Now God by every gift doth really call us to the execution and use of it when there is occasion Fiftly Servants and other Inferiours are called to suffer correction though it should be unjust even by their particular Calling Sixtly the coherence shewes that the example of Christ suffering unjustly is a pattern that calls us also to suffer and so to walke in his steps This last and the third way of Calling are especially meant in this place and so from thence divers things may be briefly noted by way of doctrine For of our effectuall Calling I have at large intreated both in the former chapter and the tenth verse of this chapter First all Gods people or servants become his by Calling it is the way by which God hires servants and makes a people to himselfe for by nature even the Elect are not a people but live in darknesse dead in sinne sensuall and carnall as other men and re-creation is such a linke in the chaine of salvation as cannot be wanting Rom. 8.30 And therefore men should labour to make their Calling sure as ever they would have comfort that they are Gods servants or people Secondly God workes great things many times without any great toile or power of instruments as here To convert a man is but to call him To make him live is but to bid him live Thus God can call up generations of men out of the heape of dead and forlorne mankinde Thus the dead shall be raised at the last Day by the voyce of the Sonne of God which should teach us to live by faith in all estates and rest upon Gods power by which we are kept to salvation Thirdly Gods Calling accepts not the persons of men it puts no difference all are called alike as to honour so to labour and danger The Apostle puts-in all Christians by this Calling to suffer if need require as well as servants
that he was never guilty of any offence against God or man Thus of the sense of the words Divers Doctrines may be gathered out of these words but because one is principall I will but touch the rest Doct. 1. Mens sinnes are of mens making man made sinne God made none Doct. 2. It is a hatefull thing to be a maker of sinne As it was most glorious for God to make a world of creatures so it is most ignominious for man to make a world of sinnes Doct. 3. Christ made no sinne This is the chiefe Doctrine and plaine in the Text He was not only free from the first and worst kinds of making of sinne mentioned before but he was free from all sinne in all estates of his life he knew no sinne he did none iniquity he was that just One by an excellency Quest. But how came it to passe that the man Jesus had no sinne seeing all other men bring sinne with them into the world and daily sinne Answ. He was sanctified from the wombe being conceived by the holy Ghost which no other are so as both originall sinne was stopped from flowing in upon him in his conception and besides hee was qualified with perfect holinesse from the wombe and therefore is called that holy thing borne of the Virgin Luke 1.35 And it was necessary his humane nature should bee so holy and that hee should doe no sin because his humane nature was to be a tabernacle for the Deity to dwel in Col. 2.9 and besides from his very humane nature as well as from his Deity must flow unto us life and all good things and therefore he must needs be undefiled The man-hood of Christ is as the conduit and the God-head as the spring of grace unto us Besides his sufferings could not be availeable if he were not innocent himselfe The Uses follow and so Uses First we see the difference between the two Adams the first made sinne and infected all the world with it the other made no sinne but redeemed all the world from it The first Adam as he had power not to sinne so he had power to sinne but the second Adam had not only a power not to sinne but also no power to sinne not only as they say in Schooles Posse non peccare but also Non posse peccare Secondly we may hence see in what a wofull damnity against goodnesse the world stands when this most innocent Man that never did any sinne that never offended God or man in all his life when he I say comes into the world how is he despised and rejected of men Who looked after him unlesse it were for his miracles few honoured him for his holinesse How is the world set on wickednesse that it should account him without forme or handsomenesse that shone before God and Angels in such a spotlesse innocency Oh what wit had the rulers of this world that condemned him as a malefactor that had no spot in him from the crowne of the head to the soale of the foot that never did man wrong or sinned against God Isa. 49.7 and 53.2 3 4. Thirdly we may hence see cause to wonder at the love of Christ to us Oh how is it 〈…〉 of such a world of sinnes that yet himselfe never knew sinne What heart of man can sufficiently admire his love unto us that can abase himselfe to be made sinne for us that never did sinne himselfe Fourthly is it not hence also most manifest that impenitent sinners shall not be spared or pitied of God Did not God spare his owne Son that never offended in all his life and shall he spare them that never left offending of him Oh what madnesse hath besotted men so as with stubborne wilfulnesse still to trust upon an unknowne mercy in God yea such a mercy as God could never conceive in the case of his Sonne that was not to him as they are in any respect Were these men but throughly beaten from this sinfull plea of mercy in God they would repent of their sins in time and seeke true mercy from God which never is with-held from penitent sinners Lastly Did our Saviour Christ suffer so patiently such extreme things that never deserved any evill in himselfe What a shame is it for us to be so unquiet and dejected or so froward or so unsettled when any crosses or afflictions fall upon us who yet have deserved at Gods hands to suffer a thousand times more and worse things than those that doe befall us In his mouth was found no guile We reade in the Scripture of guile in the spirit when we have false hearts and guile in the hands by false weights and ballances and guile in the mouth in deceitfull words Guile in words is committed many wayes First by lying when men speake what they thinke not Secondly by flattering when men praise others after a corrupt maner or for corrupt ends Thirdly by backbiting when men censure others behind their backs of malice or whisper evill against others Psal. 41.7 Fourthly by wresting the words of others to their hurt Psal. 56.11 and 52.1 2. Fiftly by with-holding the just praises of others or Apologie Sixtly by fearefulnesse in evill times when men will not stand for the truth or speake against their Consciences Seventhly by disgracefull jests Ephes. 5.4 Eighthly by telling the truth of malice 1 Sam. 22.9 10. Ninthly by boasting of a false gift Pro. 27.1 Tenthly by hypocrisie and dissimulation and that divers wayes as 1. When men speake faire to mens faces but reproach them behinde their backs or flatter them meerely to catch them and intangle them in their talke as the Pharisees often tempted Christ. 2. That reproveth sinne in others and yet commits it himselfe Rom. 2.19 3. That colours sin under pretence of Religion Marke 12.40 4. That professeth Religion in words and yet denieth it in his heart 5. That hideth his sin by deniall or excuses to avoyd shame and punishment 6. That gives good words to men in affliction but relieves them not 1 Iohn 3.17 18. None of these nor any other wayes of guile were found in Christ though they called him a deceiver and sought all occasions against him Thus of the sense the doctrines follow Doct. 1. Guile in words is a vice that wonderfully dishonours a man it was a fault would give great advantage to the enemies of the truth As it is a sinne which is in a speciall manner hatefull to God Psal. 5.7 so it is shamefull amongst men and therefore as any man would enjoy good dayes let him refraine his tongue from evill and his lips that they speake no guile Psal. 34.13 Doct. 2. When he saith that they found no guile in his mouth it imports that they sought it And so we learne that the godly are so hated of the wicked that they seeke occasion against them when they see not or heare not of any faults in them they search and inquire and lie in waite
the mysteries of Religion in that first moment than they did all the dayes of their life before This is that new spirit the Prophet speaks of He that sate in darknesse before now sees a great light he sees and wonders at divine things in Religion whereas before he was a â—ot and understood nothing with any power or life and by the comforts of this light he can heare as the learned understands doctrine in a moment which before was altogether harsh and dark unto him 2 Pet. 1.19 Ezek. 36.28 Psal. 119.130 Mat. 4.16 Esay 50 4. Thirdly by his vehement desire to righteousnesse or after righteousnesse Mat. 5.5 Which he shewes many wayes as by the loathing of himselfe for his want of righteousnesse and for all his wayes that were not good Ezek. 36.35 and by his estimation of righteousnesse above riches and all worldly things Psal. 3.8 9. and by his affectionate enquiry after directions for righteousnesse Men and brethren what shall we do to be saved Act. 2.37 and by his longing after the Word of truth by which he may learne righteousnes Fourthly by his estimation of righteousnesse in others he honours them that feare the Lord as the only Noble Ones all his delight is in them and he loves them and longs after them for righteousnesse sake Fiftly by the covenant he makes in his heart about righteousnesse he not only consents to obey Esay 1.19 but hires himselfe as a servant to righteousnesse resolving to live to righteousnesse and spend not an houre in a day but a life in the service of righteousnesse Rom. 6.13 18. And as the righteous man growes more strong and better acquainted with God and his Ordinances and the workes of righteousnesse other signes break-out upon him which doe infallibly prove the happinesse of his condition such as are First vexation in his soule at the wickednesse and unrighteousnesse of others 2 Pet. 2.8 Secondly rejoycing with joy unspeakable and glorious when he feeles the comforts of Gods presence and begins to see some evidence of Gods love to him in Christ 1 Pet. 1.9 Thirdly the personall and passionate love of the Lord Jesus Christ the fountaine of righteousnesse though he never saw him in the flesh esteeming him above all persons and things 1 Pet. 1.9 Phil. 3.8 9. longing after his comming with great â—rivings of affections 2 Cor. 5. 2 Tim. 4.8 c. Fourthly flourishing like a Palm-tree when he is planted in the house of the Lord and enjoyes powerfull meanes in the house of his God growing like the Willowes by the water-courses Psal. 92.12 13. and 1.3 Fiftly resolution to suffer any thing for righteousnesse sake Mat. 5.12 so as he will forsake father or mother house or lands yea life it selfe rather than forsake the truth and the good way of God Mat. 16.23 Mark 10.29 Sixtly he lives by faith The just lives by faith In all estates of life hee casâ—eth his cares and himselfe upon God trusting on the merits of Jesus Christ and is in nothing carefull but patienâ—ly waits upon God Gal. 2.2 Heb. 10.38 Gal. 3.11 And thus he is described in himselfe Now his righteousnesse is distinguished from the righteousnesse of the Scribes and Pharisees by divers signes and markes as First in the ends of it His righteousnesse is not intended for the praises of men for his praise is of God Rom. 2.26 He doth not his work to be seen of men Mat. 6.1 c. He had rather be righteous than seem so Secondly in the parts of it The Pharisees righteousnesse is outward his is inward also The very thoughts of the righteous are right Pro. 12.5 Hee strives to get a cleane heart as well as cleane hands and is as well grieved for evill thoughts and lusts and desires within as for evill words or works whereas the Pharisee is but like a painted sepulchre all full of rottennes and filth within his soule desires evill when he dares not practise it in his life Pro. 21.10 Againe the Pharisee makes conscience of great commandements but not of the least Hee refraines whoredome murder perjurie swearing by God sacriledge c. but makes no conscience of filthy speaking anger swearing by that which is not God or by lesser oathes deceit covetousnesse or the like whereas a righteous man indeed makes conscience even of the least commâ—ndements Mat 5.19.20 Again a Pharisee may be good abroad but is not usually so at home but he that is truly righteous is so at home as well as abroad hee becomes a good husband master father friend c. as well as a â—â—od man Finally the righteous man hath respect to all Gods Commanâ—ements whereas the Pharisee in some one or other of the commandements lives in the breach of it wilfully and without out desire of râ—formation some in covetousnesse and extortion some in lust and filthinesse Thirdly in the degrees or measure of righteousnesse The Pharisee is carefull of some few workes of which he seekes glory but the righteousnesse of the just man is as the waves of the sea he is industrious to increase in all well-doing and to bee filled with the fruits of righteousnesse every day Esay 48.18 Fourthly in the continuance of righteousnesse The just man doth righteousnesse at all times Psal. 106.2 Luke 1.75 his desire is for ever to bee imployed in good workes whereas the Pharisâ—â—s righteousnesse is but by fits and as the morning deaw and if trouble come for righteousnesse he fals away and forsakes his righteousnesse c. And thus of the Use for triall Use 2. Secondly the excellent living of such as live righteously may greatly reprove such as cannot be stirred with these things to a conscionable care of forsaking their sinnes and of living righteously Quest. What should be the cause that such men as heare so much of the excellent estate of righteous men are not perswaded to convert and embrace that kinde of life Answ. The cause is divers in divers men as First in some it is long of certaine corruptions that discover themselves about the hearing of the doctrine of righteousnesse For either mens hearts are like a beaten path in the high-way that the sound of doctrine cannot enter into their understanding Mat. 13. Or else they understand not with application to themselves but thinke only how the doctrine may fit others Luke 13.1 2. Or else they meet with some hard condition that they are not willing to observe as the rich young Pharisee did or some other harsh doctrine as they account it which doth so vex and offend them that they fall cleane off from the respect of Christ and holinesse as Iob. 6.59.66 Or else they have some vile opinions that let them in the time of hearing as to thinke that one is not bound to doe as the rules of Scripture doe require or that if one be not a grosse offender God will not impute lesse faults contrary to our Saviours doctrine Mat. 5.18 19 20. Or else their
our faces toward Zion Ier. 51.4 5. Hosh. 14.2 3. 2 Chron. 6.24 37. Ierem. 3.13 Ioel 2.12 Thirdly we must order our wayes to a generall reformation The Prophet complaines that they would not frame their doings to turne to the Lord importing there can be no returning to God unlesse men cast their courses into a frame of reformation Hos. 5.4 Men must amend their doings and their workes Ier. 35.15 Fourthly we must returne in sincerity and that hath divers things considerable for 1. We must returne with our whole hearts nor fainedly Ier. 3.7 2 Chron. 6.38 our very faces must be turned from so much as looking after our abominations Ezek. 14.6 2. We must returne from our owne evill wayes every man from his way note it from his way that is from those courses in which he hath specially offended Iames 3.8 Esay 55.7 the wicked must forsake his way 3. WE must forsake not only outward sins but inward sins also we must reforme the wandring of our hearts as well as our lives the unrighteous must forsake his very thoughts Esay 55.7 and put downe the very Idols of his heart Ezek. 14.7 4. We must turne from all our transgressions It is not enough to forsake sin as some outward or inward sins but we must forsake all sorts of sins Ezek. 18.30 5. We must returne with resolution never to start backe we must not be like a deceitfull bow Hos. 7.16 Fiftly we must so returne as we must consecrate our selves to God to wait upon him continually Hos. 12.6 and to â—erve the true and living God 1 Thes. 1.9 and to doe workes meet for repentance Acts 26.20 The ninth point is the signes of returning or how we may trie whether we be effectually returned and that may be partly gathered by some of the points before and partly by some other things may be added He that is truely turned may know it First by the cause of his returning It was somewhat above his own power or disposition It was God that turned him by his Word neither did hee turne out of despaire as Iudas did but faith in God and perswation of Gods goodnesse in Christ made him returne He feares God and his goodnesse Secondly by the manner of his returning For if he returne in the manner before mentioned he needs not doubt the truth of his repentance especially if he be sure to have no hypocriticall or carnall ends of his reformation and that he doe desire to returne from all his transgressions making conscience of the least Commandement of God as well as the greatest and of secret sins as well as open and of the evill that leaves to his best workes Esay 1.16 Thirdly by the fruits of repentance of returning and so he may comfort himselfe 1. If he esteeme Christs pasture above all worldly things finding the sweetest savour in the Word of all things in this life Psalm 19. and 119. 2 Cor. 2. 2. If he have a mind to know God that he find that out of habituall disposition he have an earnest desire to know God and to be knowne of him Ier. 24.7 he will follow on to know the Lord Hos. 6.3 3. If he doe distinguish betweene the precious and the vile Ier. 15.19 and discerne betweene the righteous and the wicked betweene him that serveth God and him that serveth him not Mal. 3.18 esteeming godly men to be the onely wise men Luke 1.17 4. If he be carefull to put iniquity far from his Tabernacle if he be carefull to reforme his house and cannot abide to dwell where sin dwels unreformed Iob 22.23 5. If he become as a little childe for humility and trust upon God for all things necessary as the little child trusts upon his father for diet clothes inheritance preferment c. without any doubting or carking care 6. If he be earnest with God to heale his nature and to perfect his worke Esay 19.22 Ier. 31.18 19. He prayes and that earnestly for the mending of his disposition to wander 7. If he be profitable according to his bignesse and pasture if he be full of mercy and good fruit if he be zealous of good workes These be things meet for repentance that is things that be of equall weight with it in the scales they each of them weigh just as much as repentance The last point is what should be the reason that men have so little minde to returne they will not be driven home againe though they know that they live sinfully and heare of Gods wrath and discerne vanity in all their pleasures and that sin hath usually proved it selfe to be a lie and that they are in danger of strange punishments and of eternall torment What I say should be the lets of returning or rather the causes that they minde not to returne Answ. The causes are First the Divell is the cause he hath blinded their eyes and workes effecâ—ually in them and leads them wandring and captive at his will 2 Cor. 4.3 Ephes. 2.2 2 Tim. 2.26 Secondly impotency of consideration is the cause they neither can nor doe thinke of the arguments should make them to returne or move them they cannot spend an houre in the consultations upon it whether they doe well not to returne Thirdly ignorance of the glory of Religion and the Kingdome of Jesus Christ Col. 1.26 there is a vaile upon their hearts 2 Cor. 3. Fourthly opinion that it is dishonour and shame to return this makes divers continue in erroneous and humorous conceits or in fantasticall conformity to the wicked yea the very excuses of sinning because they feare they shall be vilified laughed at and censured for it Fiftly expectation to have their particular courses to be proved to be sins Thus doe almost all men in their times persist in their sins under the coverture of this question Who can prove them to be sinners Thus scapes usury excesse and vanity of apparell excesse likewise in drinking of healths till the wine inflame them swearing prophanation of the Sabbath c. being willingly ignorant of this that God hath condemned sin in the generall in Scripture and layes it to men to looke unto it that they fall not into his hands for transgressing and if they doubt they must be ruled by their teachers Sixtly forgetfulnesse of their latter end Therefore is their iniquity in their skirts still because they remember not their last end for both the terrour of that day and the shortnesse of their life and the judements they would meet with of those things if they were to die would fright them out of those courses But they will not apply their hearts to wisedome because they cannot remember their dayes Lam. 1.9 Psal. 90.12 Seventhly evill teachers are a great hinderance for they strengthen the hands of the wicked and by preaching peace perswade them they are in no danger Ier. 23.14 Ezek. 13.22 Eighthly in some there is a very spirit of fornication in the midst of them they
meant carnall Christians that had turned from Gentilisme and received the profession of Christian religion but yet followed their carnall courses we may then note that the bare change from a false religion to the profession of the true is not sufficient to salvation A man that hath professed a false religion had need of two conversions the one is from his false religion to the true and the other from profanenesse to sincerity in that religion The corne must be fetched from the field into the barne but that is not enough for so is the chaffe but it must then be taken from the barne into the garner To leave Popery and turne Protestant is not in it selfe sufficient unlesse a man turne from the profanenesse that is in the multitude in true Churches to embrace the sincere profession of the Gospel And there is reason for it for in changing from a false religion to a true a man doth but change his profession or his mind at best but he that will be changed effectually must change his heart and whole conversation and become a new creature So that then these words describe a carnall man viz. that he is such a one as doth not obey the word of God By the Word he meanes here the doctrine published by the Prophets and Apostles and now contained in the Scriptures Many Doctrines may be hence observed 1 The Scripture is Gods Word because God thereby doth expresse the sense of his mind as men doe by their words The Scripture is not the word which God the Father begate but is the word which God the Father uttered and is the word which God uttered to us bodily creatures God though he be a Spirit yet doth speake both to spirits and bodies to spirits by a way unknowne to us to bodies he hath spoken many wayes as by signes dreames visions and the like so by printing the sense of his mind in the minds of creatures that could speake and by them uttered in word or writing what he would have knowne Thus he spake by the Patriarks Prophets Christ and the Apostles They that deny that God hath any words either deny that God is as Psal. 14.11 or else that conceive him to be like stockes or stones or beasts as Rom. 1.23 or else thinke he can speake but will not because hee takes no care of humane things as Iob 22.23 These are Atheists 2. The Scripture is called the Word by an excellency because it is the only word we should delight in God since the fall did never speake unto man more exactly than by the Scriptures and we were better heare God talke to us out of the Scriptures than â—eare any man on earth yea or Angell in heaven yea it imports that we should be so devoted to the study of the Scriptures as if we desired to heare no other sound in our eares but that as if all the use of our eares were to heare this Word Let him that hath eares to heare heare 3. This Word of God now in the time of the New Testament belongs to all men in the right application of the true meaning of it Once it was the portionof Iacob and God did not deale so with other Nations to give them his Word but now that the partition wall is broken downe the Gospel is sent to every creature That is here imported in that unbeleeving husbands are blamed for not obeying the Word which should teach all sorts of men to search the Scriptures and â—o heare the Word devoutly and withall know that the comforts terrours and precepts coâ—â—ained in it will take hold upon all sorts of men respectively 4. The Word of God ought to rule all sorts of men That is implied here in that fault is found with these unbeleevers that they obeyed it not It was given of God to that end to instruct reprove and direct men in all their waies 2 Tim. 3.16 17. It is the Canon or rule of mens actions Gal. 6. 16. It is the light and lanthorne God hath given to men it hath divine authority If we will shew any respect to God we must be ruled by the Scripture which is his Word 5. Unregenerate men have no mind to obey the Word and the reason is because they are guided by other rules which aâ—e false as their owne reason the customes of the world the suggestions of the divell and the like and because too the Word is contrary to their carnall desires and therefore they yeeld themselves to be guided by such rules as are most pleasing to their corrupt natures and besides too the light of the Word is too glorious for his eyes he cannot see into the mysteries contained in it because they are spiritually to be discerned and the naturall man therefore cannot perceive the things of God 6. It is a dangerous thing not to obey the Word of God they are accounted for lost and forlorne men here that doe not obey the Word Men be deceived if they thinke it is a course may be safe for to disobey Gods Word for Gods Word will take hold of them and destroy them and it will judge them at the last day Zech. 1.4 5. 2 Thes. 1.8 They are but lost men cast-awaies that care not for Gods Word 7. Nothing is to be reckoned a sin which is not disobedience to the Word That which is not contrary to some Scripture is no transgression and therefore men should take heed of burthening themselves with the vaine feare of sinning when they breake no commandement of God but only unwarranted traditions either on the left hand or the right 8. The constant omission of religious duties and good workes proves a man to be a carnall person as well as the committing of manifest injuries or grosse offences Here the Periphrasis of a carnall person is That he did not doe what the Word required 9. Men that obey not the Word may be won which should be a great comfort to penitent sinners It is true that disobedience clothed with some circumstances or adjuncts is very dangerous as when men have the means and love darknesse rather than light Iohn 3.20 and when men are smitten with remorse and have blessing and cursing set before them and see their sins and feele the axe of Gods Word and yet will on in transgression Deut. 11. 28. Mat. 3 10. or when men are called at the third or sixth or ninth houre and will put off and delay upon pretence of repenting at the eleventh houre Ma. 20. or when men are powerfully convinced and will raile and blaspheme and contradict the Word Acts 13.45 46. 18.6 and when God pursues men with his judgements and they refuse to returne Ier. 5.2 3 or lastly when men despight the spirit of God and sin of malice against the truth Heb. 10. 26 27 28 29 30. 10. The chiefe doctrine is That sound obedience to the Word of God is the Character of a true Christian a marke to distinguish the true
spirit as Solomon shewes in the whole booke of Ecclesiastes Now if worldly things be corruptible things then in generall we should all learne divers lessons first not to set our affections upon these things here below we should not set our hearts upon that which wee cannot keepe long All wee have though it bee not yet corrupted yet it is all corruptible why should wee then make such haste to bee rich especially why should wee trust upon uncâ—rtainâ— riches Secondly seeing wee shall have these things but a â—hile wee should use them as such things as wee cannot enjoy long and so wee should take our part of them in a sober and Christian freedome while wee have them Psalme 49.18 Eccles. 9.7 10. and especially wee should employ them to the best uses wee can And the best use to put worldly things to is either to make friends with them by liberalitie to the poore Luke 16. or to buy wisedome with them by spending freely for the procuring of the meanes of salvation for our selves or others Proverbs 17.16 and in generall the chiefe use of them is by them to make our selves rich in good workes 1 Tim. 6.19 20. Thirdly seeing earthly things are corruptible wee should not envie the prosperity of wicked men that abound not in any thing that will â—arry long with them all their portion is in these things that will away Psalme 37.1 2. 49.15 16 18. Lastly wee should all therefore bee of Moses minde rather to suffer affliction with Gods people that shall possesse eternall things than with the wicked to enjoy the pleasures of sinne for a season Heb. 11.26 And in particular both poore and rich may bee instructed hereby for rich men should not glorie in their riches but rather râ—joice if God have made them low by true grace which will last for ever Iames 1.9 10. 1 Tim. 6.17 20 and poore men that have a portion in spirituall things should not bee troubled for want of these â—â—rthly things seeing if they â—â—d them they would last but a while Iâ—â—â—s 1.9 and therefore having food and raiment they should bee content Thus of the first Doctrine Doct. 2. Earthly things doe not adorne a man As they are corruptible so they doe not make a man any whit the more comely which is true in these foure senses following First they doe not adorne a man in the sight of God he respects it not whether a man be poore or rich bond or free cloathed or naked in robes or in rags Gal. 3.28 Secondly they adorne not the inward man they add nothing to the mind or heart of man Thirdly they adorne not with true ornament but onely with a shew for if the glory of the world be like a withering flower what true ornament can it be to weare such withered things Fourthly they adorne not for continuance All apparell for the body of a man and all ornaments for his house or state any way they are the worse for wearing and will weare cleane out in the end And therefore for the use first how vaine a thing is the pride of life and secondly we should therefore know no man after the flesh but to reckon of mans worth by better things than worldly things Doct. 3. A third doctrine is evidently to be observed out of these words and that is very comfortable for godly Christians such as the Apostle supposed these to be to whom he writes and that is That godly Christians have right to all incorruptible things That which is not corruptible if they seeke they may possesse It is their owne God would have them put it on as they put on their apparell He hath adorned his children with the gift of all incorruptible things heavenly treasures are theirs and they may lay hold on them and lay them up as their certaine riches and portion Mat. 6. â—0 He grants eternall life to them that seeke glory and honour and incorruptible things that is he grants them an eternall possession of spirituall things Rom. 2.7 Now that this doctrine may be more evident and full of comfort it is profitable to inquire distinctly what is incorruptible and will last alwaies and so we shall find by the testimonies of the Scripture that seven things are incorrupâ—ible 1. â—od is incorruptible Rom. 1. and God is their God by covenant and as David saith he is the strength of their heart and their portion for ever Psal. 37.26 1â—9 57. and God his mercy and his love and his power is everlasting His mercy endures for ever Psal. 136. and his loving kindnesse â—â—all never be taken from him Psal. 89.33 and with everlasting compassion he hath received them to favour Esay 54. and with everlasting love hath he loved them Ier. 31.3 and in the Lord Iehovah is everlasting strength for the protection and preservation of his people and therefore they may trust upon him for ever Esay 26.4 and therefore if all people will walke every â—ne in the name of his God godly men ought much more to waâ—ke in the name of the Lord their God for ever and ever Micah 4.6 2. The Word of God is incorruptible and lasts beyond all end 1 Pet. 1.24 Psal. 119.89 And this is the heritage of the godly Psal. 119.111 127. The truth shall be with us for ever 2 Iohn 2. 3. The righteousnesse of Christ is everlasting Dan. 9.24 and this righteousnesse is theirs â—o as they may put it on as a garment and it makes them righteous before God Rom. 13. ult 1 Cor. 1.30 2 Cor. 5.21 4. Gods covenant is incorruptible and everlasting Esaâ— 55.4 and it cannot be abrogared but the godly shall have the benefit of it for ever 5. The gifts of saving grâ—ce are incorruptible and their hearts can never â—ee drawne dry but the spring of grace will bee in some measure in them And through these graces the godly have everlasting consolation for Gods gifts and calling are without repentance Iohn 4.14 2 Thes 2.10 Rom. 11. This love is incorruptible 2 Cor. 13. and everlasting joy shal be upon their heads Esay 61. So the seed of saving knowledge will abide in the godly for ever 1 Iohn 3. and their meeknesse and a quiet spirit is reckoned an ornament that is not corruptible But of this afterwards 6. Good workes are incorruptible so the righteousnesse of the just will last for ever 2 Cor. 9.9 and though he die yet his workes will follow him to Heaven Rev. 14.13 Psal. 139.24 Lastly Heaven and the glory of it is everlasting Gods kingdome is an everlasting kingdome 1 Tim. 6.11 and that glory is an eternall waight of glory 2 Cor. 4.14 We have an house that is eternall in the Heavens 2 Cor. 5.1 our inheritance there is immortall and undefiled and withereth not away 1 Pet. 1.3 The uses may be divers Use 1. For first it should teach us to strive to be such as may have our portion in incorruptible thing and so wee must first
that God accepts holinesse in them as well as in men 2. That all holy women did make conscience of subjection to their husbands and therefore the Apostle speakes indefinitely of all holy women And this is the more evident because amongst all the infirmities noted in any godly woman in the Scriptures yet there is no example of a godly woman that did customarily live in the sinne of frowardnesse or rebellion against her husband the instance of Zipporah is but of one onely fact and the errour seemes to be as much in her judgement as in her affections And this doctrine should light verie heavie upon many wives that professe Religion in these times and compell them to reforme their hearts and behaviours in their carriage towards their husbands for this Text doth import that they want holinesse that are not subject to their husbands and live in customarie frowardnesse and unquietnesse 3. That Christian women ought to studie the example of holy women in old times and therefore they should do well to get a catalogue of the praises of godly women in Scripture to lay before them for their imitation and so they should learne of Sarah reverence to their husbands and of Rahab and the Midwives of Egypt to shew mercy to Gods servants in distresse and of Ruth obedience to their parents and constant love to religion and of the Shunamitish woman 2 Reg. 4.8 c. and of Lydia Acts 16.14 and of Phâ—be Rom. 16.2 to be entertainers of Gods servants and to succour them and of Hanna to be humble and patient and devout in prayer and of the good woman in the Proverbs chap. 31. and of Priscilla and Salâ—mons mother Pâ—â— 30.1 2. and Timothies mother and grand-mother 2 Tim. 1.4 to get the law of grace into their lips to instruct others and of that woman in the Proverbs to bee painfull in labour and to be wise in oversight of the labours of their servants and children and of Hester to keepe religious Fasâ—â— to God with their maides and children Hess 4.16 and of the Virgin Mary to lay up the words of Christ in their hearts and with Mary Magdalen to love Christ with all tendernesse and to bewaile their sinswith sorrow and to sit as Christs feet to heare his words and of Elizabeth to live without offence Lâ—â—e 1. and of Dorcas to be merciful to the poore and of the holy women mentioned Heb. 11.3 to be constant professors of the truth in the times of persecution That trusted in God The fourth thing is the cause of their subjection and that is their trust in God about which foure things are to be observed 1. That trust in God is such a grace as is found in all the godly even womâ—n that were holy had attained to trust in God All holy women trusted in God therefore if women that are the weaker sexe cannot get holinesse but withall they trust in God it is impliedly cleere That all the godly doe trust in God The house of Israel and the house of Aaron Priests and people even all that feare the Lord must trust in the Lord Psal. 115.9 10 11. and all the Gentiles must trust in the Lord. Rom. 15.12 It is the Periphrasis of God to be the confidence of all the ends of the earth Psal. 65.5 And the reasons why the godly must and doe all of them trust in God are first Gods Commandement that requires it of all which the former places shew secondly Gods promise that he will be the hope of his people even of all his people Ioel 3.16 and they have a sure word of the Prophets to warrant their trust 2 Pet. 1.19 thirdly without faith and trust it is impossible to please God Heb. 11. 6. fourthly because they have nothing else to trust in Of all people the godly are most miserable if their trust were to be placed in other things than God for as all earthly things are vain and transitorie so can they make least shift for themselves and are most opposed in these things And therefore the Use should be to teach us to trie our hearts soundly whether we be such as trust in God seeing in this thing lyeth one great part of our evidence about true grace If all the godly trust in God then we are not godly nor holy men and women if we doe not trust in God The question then is By what signes doe godly men prove that they doe trust in God and the answer is 1. By making God their refuge in all their distresses and by pouring out their hearts before him in prayer and supplication 2 Sam. 22.3 4. Psal. 62.8 2. By their feare in any thing to displease God and their care to keepe his Commandements and to cleave to God 2 Reg. 18.4 5 6. doing his worke whatsoever come of it 3. By relying upon God in times of distresse without using any ill means or courses that they know or feare to be unlawfull Esay 28.16 with 1 Chron. 10.13 14. but still wait upon God till he help them Psal. 33.20 4. By accounting God to be their portion and sufficient heritage Psal. 16.1 5 6. 5. By setting the Lord alwaies before them Psal. 16.1 18. for if we put all our trust in God then our hearts doe continually thinke of God and are lifted up to God 6. By committing all their wayes to God and leaving the successe of things to his disposing Psal. 37.5 7. By their patience in the case of wrongs and indignities having their hearts free from desires of revenge and their tongues from words or reproach or reproofe they are as deafe or dumb men Ps. 38.13 14 15 1 Tim. 4.10 8. By contemning the glory of the world and not regarding or seeking dependancies upon proud and sinfull persons Psal. 40.4 9. By the joy and contentment they take in the house of God their hearts flourishing like a greene Olive tree when they heare of the doctrine of Gods goodnesse and feele the refreshing of his name Psal. 52.8 9. 10. By their thankfulnesse and great desires to praise God when they find the experiences of Gods providence in grace and bounty towards them Psal. 13.5 6. 52.8 9. Yet by the way we mâ—â—t know that godly persons that do truly trust in God may be burdened with cares but yet they cast their burthens upon God when they feele them Psal. 55.22 They may be affraid and yet trust in God Psal. 56.3 They may cry and make great moane and that a long time Psal. 69.3 They may seeme to want strength and yet renew their strength Esay 40 ult 2. From â—â—nce we â—â—y gather That it is a great praise and an excellent gift in any to trust in God to have and exercise this trust in God and therefore of all parts of holines fâ—nctification in this place trust in God iâ— mentioned And therefore in divers Scriptures they are pronounced to be very blessed that can doe it Psal. 84.12 34.8 and it
in their consciences or in their estates It may be observed that all the while a man is in contention about his divers or strange opinions in which he dissents he is not quiet in himselfe nor enjoyes firme rest and peace in his owne heart and conscience And experience shewes that many both Ministers and private Christians have brought a great deale of trouble upon their estates by dissenting Now out of other Scriptures we may observe divers other ill effects of diversities in opinions as first it breeds confusion in the Church as the Apostle shewes 1 Cor. 14.32 33. Secondly it breeds division and schisme 1 Cor. 1.10 When men begin to broach new opinions schismes begin in the root of it though it may be a long time before it come to the full growth Thirdly it much disquieteth the hearts and heads of many weak Christians in which respect S. Paul wished they were cut off that troubled the Galathians chap. 5. Fourthly it not onely troubles Christians but many times workes still in them as it proves the subverting of their soules as the Apostles shew in the case of difference about the Ceremoniall Law Act. 15.24 Eph. 4.14 2 Tim. 2.14 16 17. Fifthly it drives men many times into divers acts of hypocrisie or passion or pride or such vices as are contrarie to singlenesse of heart Act. 2. 46. Sixtly it breeds many times strange censuring the authors of new opinions censuring of others as if because they received not their doctrine they were not spirituall enough but too carnally minded and that they were fâ—rre behinde them in knowledge as we may gather 1 Cor. 14.36 37. Thus the false Teachers vilified Saint Paul and the Apostles Thus of the motives to unitie in judgement Before I come to the Use I must put you in minde of a limitation that concernes this doctrine We must be of one minde but then it must be according to Christ Jesus Rom. 15.5 that is this consent in juâ—gement must bee in the truth and in such truth especially as may further the edification of the mysticall bodie of Christ else agreement in judgement is a conspiracie rather than unitie The Use may be both for instruction and reproofe for instruction and so we should all be affected with a great estimation of unitie in judgement and strive by all meanes to attaine to it and keepe our selves so all of us that we doe live in unity with the Church of God Now that we may doe thus 1. Wee should beseech the God of patience and consolation to give us to be like minded even to worke in us the unity he requires of us Rom 15.5 2. We must take heed of private interpretations Men should with much feare and jealousie here or reade of such opinions or interpretations of Scripture as have no authors but some one or few men Of such authors of doctrines we should say with the Apostle What came the Word of God out from you or came it unto you only 1 Cor. 14.36 Especially men must take heed of receiving opinions from meere private persons that are not Ministers of the Gospel for I suppose it cannot be shewed from any place of Scripture that ever any truth was revealed to or by a private man that was unknowne to all the Teachers of the Church yea if the Authors of divers and strange doctrines be Ministers yet that rule of the Apostle should hold that the spirits of the Prophets should be subject to the Prophets Such doctrines as may not be approved by the grave and godly learned that are eminent in the Church must not be broached 1 Cor. 14.32 And this rule hath one thing more in it viz. that men should not expresse difference of opinion without open and manifest Scripture Avoid doubtfull disputations Rom. 14.1 Esay 8. 3. A great respect must be had to the Churches peace so as such doctrines as are likely to breed either scandall or division in the Church are either not to be received or not uttered except in some speciall case Yea moderate Christians that make conscience of unity should hold themselves in conscience bound to be affraid to depart from the judgement of the Church in which they live unlesse it be when doctrine is brought in with great demonstration to the conscience To preserve the unity of the spirit we must have great respect to the bond of peace Rom. 14.19 1 Cor. 14.33 Eph. 4.3 We must greatly reverence the forme of doctrine in the Church where wee live Rom. 6.17 4. That we may be of one mind every Christian must be sure to know the truth which is given to the Churches and to make himselfe fully perswaded in his mind about such truths as are fundamentally necessarie to salvation â— Tim. 1.1 3. 5. Private Christians in receiving opinions should have great respect unto such Teachers as have beene their fathers in Christ God hath bound them to a speciall reverence towards them which they should shew by reverencing their judgements more than any other men in meet comparison 1 Cor. 4. 15 16. 11.1 2 4 5. Phil. 3.15 17. 6. To preserve a further unity it should be the care of such as have gifts of knowledge and utterance to helpe forwards such as are weake in judgeâ—â—nt and to comfort the feeble minded lest they being neglected become a pâ—â—y to deceivers of mindes 1 Thes. 5.14 and to warne such as are not of the same minde Phil. 4. Lastly we should marke such as cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which we have lâ—â—rned and avoid them Rom. 16.17 18. The second 〈◊〉 may be for the reproofe of multitudes of Christians in all places that 〈◊〉 greatly against this doctrine by their dissenting in opinions without due respect of the former rules There is almost no Congregation in the kingdome but is disquieted with this sin yea many times the glory of such as professe religion is greatly obscured by this sin and the sincerity of religion much exposed to contempt and the profane reproach of the wicked And this sin is the greater 1. When men not only bring in new opinions but also bring them in with an opinion that they are more holy and more spirituall than such as receive them not or resist them 1 Cor. 14.37 2. When the opinions are meerely new and unheard of before in the Christian world 3. When they are brought in by private persons that goe from house to house to inferre upon others the singularity of their conceits 4. When themselves are doubtfull inwardly of the truth of what they affirme and are not fully perswaded but doubt both waies and yet take to that side that differs from the generall judgement of the Churches Rom. 14.5 1 Tim. 1.6 7. 5. When men urge their dissenting so violently that a Schisme is made in the Church or Christians are divided from the exercise of brotherly love and mutuall fellowship 1 Cor. 1.10 11. 6. When men are
in his own heart even then when God threatneth him Deut. 29.19 Secondly when a man blesseth wicked men and praiseth them notwithstanding their vile courses Psal. 10.3 Thirdly when a man useth blessing with his mouth and yet curseth inwardly Psal. 62.4 Fourthly when a man blesseth his friend by way of flattery Pro. 27.14 Fiftly when a man blesseth Idols by worshipping them and by setting his affections upon them Esay 66.3 Thus of blessing as it is a vice As blessing is a vertue it is performed divers waies as first from Superiours to their Inferiours so parents blesse their children Gen. 27. Ministers blesse the people Num. 6.23 1 Cor. 14.16 Secondly Inferiours blesse their Superiours as the Subject the King 2 Sam. 14.22 the Child his Parents Pro. 30.11 the People their Teachers Mat. 23.39 In this place I take it blessing is considered of as it is required of all sorts of men towards all sorts of men and in particular towards their enemies or such as wrong them or revile them and so a true Christian should blesse both in deeds and words He blesseth in deeds when either he is a meanes to keepe others from evill 1 Sam. 25.33 or by doing good or shewing mercy to others and so a man blesseth his enemy when he relieveth him in his misery and overcommeth his evill with goodnesse Rom. 12.20 21. Yea a man may be said to blesse when he causeth others to blesse either God or himselfe for his well-doing Thus Iob blessed when hee caused the poore to blesse him Iob 31.20 It is required also that we blesse one another in words and in particular it is required that we blesse them that curse us Mat. 5.44 Rom. 12.14.1 Cor 4. 12. And this we doe 1. By gracious communication in generall when we use such words as may not onely expresse to the life the power and truth of the gifts of grace in us but also may minister grace to the hearers if it be not their owne fault 2. By acknowledging the just praises of others 3. By praying for them Mat. 5.44 Psal. 109.4 4. By giving soft answers Pro. 15.23 and entreating them to avoid strife Gen. 13.8 9. 5. By a discreeâ— reproofe of their sin for as he that slattereth curseth so â—e that wisely reproveth blesseth Pro. 27.14 Psal. 141.5 The Use should be to stirre up all true Christians to practise true vertue of blessing and to carry themselves so as all their words and actions may be blessed and a blessing to them that converse with them and may appeare to be so even to their enemies It is a hard lesson but yet if we seeke constantly to God for this helpe it may be attained in some acceptable manner Knowing that yee are thereunto called Many things may be here observed Doct. 1 That a Christian should be vehemently affected with the consideration of his calling and that for divers reasons 1. Because of the cause of it which was Gods purpose election and free grace in Jesus Christ. Wee were sinners and we were not called for any workes of ours Rom. 8.28 9.11 2 Tim. 1.9 The winde bloweth where it listeth wee are taken and others refused And this is the more to be thought on because this grace was given us in Jesus Christ before the world began 2 Tim. 1.9 It could not be had but by a mediator and it was granted from all eternitie 2. If we consider from what we were called from grosse darknesse 2 Pet. 1.9 from this present evill world Gal. â— from the lump of forlorne mankinde from innumerable sins and curses from the danger of eternall damnation of body and soule for ever 3. If we consider the wonder of the meanes of our calling which is by the Gospel which is the voice of Christ raising us out of the graves of sin even that voice that shall make mens dead bodies arise at the last day doth now raise the dead â—oules of men in this world One resurrection in this life another at the day of judgement Eph. 2.1.2 Thes. 2.14 4. If we consider to what we are called viz. to be partners and companions with Jesus Christ 1 Cor. 1.7 and to great and precious promises Acts 2.39 and to obtaine the glory of the Lord Jesus and a kingdome with him for ever Phil. 3.14 1 Tim. 1.6 The called are vessels of Gods mercie and upon them he will make knowne the riches of his glory Rom. 9.24 6 Because the gifts and calling of God are without repentance Rom. 11.29 This a linke in that chaine can never be broken this takes hold before the world of election and after the world of glorification Rom. 8.30 7. Because the great wise noble and mighty men of the world are not called and God hath looked upon such poore and weake creatures 1 Cor. 1.26 The Use should be to teach us with all possible affections to magnifie Gods grace in our calling and to strive to walke worthy of our calling Eph. 4.1 and to pray hard unto God to fulfill the worke of his grace in our calling that we may live to his glory and abound in all faith and well-doing 2 Thess. 1.11 12. The second Use may be for great reproofe of mens wickednesse in neglecting the voice of Christ in the Gospel and in entertaining so many excuses and delaies hardning themselves in their evill waies and suffering the Divell to keep them without this high preferment Mat. 22. Doct. 2 From the coherence it is plaine That all Gods servants are called to holinesse of life as well as to happinesse Their calling is a holy calling and they are called to be Saints Rom. 1.7 so also 2 Thes. 2.13 14. 1 Pet. 1.15 1 Thes. 4.7 The Use is to discover false Christians from true by their fruits you shall know them Such as make not conscience of their waies to serve God all the dayes of their lives in holinesse and feare are not right Christians And therefore as men desire to have comfort in their calling they must take heed that they abuse not their liberty to licentiousnesse Gal. 5. â—3 Doct. 3. The calling of a Christian is a hard calling to flesh and bloud he is called to hard work As in the coherence here to be so humble and unmoveable and holily disposed as when he is grossely abused and wronged in words deeds yet not only to be patient but to blesâ—e so it is in other parts of their worke as when a man must deny himselfe and take up his crosse daily and follow Christ. For a man to forsake every thing his heart naturally desireth and to be daily crossed is a hard taske The Use should be to raise up the hearts of Christians to a care to live above the course of this world and to presse forward towards the marke not caring for the difficultie of the race but looking to the price of his calling Phil. 3.14 Doct. 4. A true Christian may know his calling know it I
say that is he may be insallibly assured of it And this is true in two respects first he may know that he is truely called and converted and elected of God secondly he may know his calling in respect of the warrant of all his particular actions as here he may know what is required of him in his carriage towards his enemies Now that every true Christian may be sure of his calling and election and may know his conversion is most apparent by these Scriptures 2 Cor. 13.5.1 Cor. 3.16 2 Tim. 1.12 Heb. 8.11 1 Iohn 2.3 3.14 4.16 5.13 19. And that every Christian is bound to seeke this assurance and knowledge is apparent by many reasons As first from Gods Commandement he requires it of us that we should with all diligence seeke to make our calling and election sure 2 Pet. 1.10 Secondly many reasons may be gathered from the effects and benefits such knowledge and assurance will bring to us Assurance is profitable for many things In generall it is our best riches on earth Col. 2.2 and in particular 1. It estates us in all the promises of God when we know we are truely called then we know our right to all the promises of Gods Word 2. It purifieth the heart and life of man Acts 15.9 for when we know we are the children of God we are thereby stirred up to the greater care to please God and walke in his waies 3. It greatly staies and supports the heart of man in the evill day when temptation or afflictions befall us yet the comfort of our assurance sustaines us and refresheth us greatly For helpe in the evill day the Apostle saith we should above all things put on the shield of faith which if it remove not the crosse yet it quâ—ncheth the fiery temptations of Sathan with which we may be assaulted Eph. 6.16 and it greatly helps us against the feare and terrour of death Heb. 10.19 20 22. In a word it overcomes the world 1 Iohn 5.4 5. 4. The faith of a Christian is all his living he lives by faith in all the occasions of life as his faith helps him when all other meanes faile him and makes all other meanes more successfull when he useth them The just man lives by faith The people in captivity that were Gods children raised a living for themselves in a strange land by their faith Hab. 2.5 5. It puts life into all the duties of religion or righteousnesse it worketh by love it â—ets all our affections on worke towards God and his people and creatures Gal. 5.6 6. It opens a spring of grace in the heart of a Christian every good gift from above is excited and made to flow from within him by the benefit of his certaine knowledge and assurance of faith Iohn 7.38 Now if any aske how a Christian comes to know his calling I answer 1. By his sensible feeling of his sins to be a heavie burthen to him of which he is truely wearie so as he desireth more to be rid of them than of any burthensome crosse whatsoever Mat. 11.29 9.13 2. By his manner of receiving the voice of Christ and the preaching of the Gospel not in word but in power The voice of Christ hath a marvellous power over him above all things in the world which appeares by the effects of it for he seeles in hearing the word first such an estimation of it as he acknowledgeth nothing like it for power and wisedome 1 Cor. 1.23 24 Secondly he finds at some times especially such an assurance of the truth of his religion and the doctrine he heareth that he is fully established and freed from his naturall uncertainties about the true religion Thirdly the Word worketh in him spirituall senses and very life from the dead which he feeles in all parts of his conversation making conscience of his waies in all things bewailing his frailties and striving to be such as God would have him to be Fourthly it makes him to separate himselfe from the world avoiding all needlesse societie with the wicked and exciting in him constant desires to use the world as if he used it not Fiftly much spirituall joy before the Lord even then when in respect of outward things he is in much affliction The most of these effects are noted 1 Thes. 1.4 5. 3. By the image of the vertues of Christ in his heart by new gifts in some measure for when God calls a man he reveales his Son in him Gal. 1.15 16. There is begotten in him a likenesse of Christ his very disposition is changed into the similitude of the vertues of Christ God gives him a new heart with the image of Christ stamped upon it and he is like Christ in respect of lowlinesse of minde and meekenesse and contempt of the world and love of God and the godly mercy wisedome patience love of his very enemies and desire to live without offence and praying to God as to his Father Quest. But if Christians may know their calling what should be the reason that so many Christians are so unsettled and are not assured of their calling Answ. Distinguish of Christians some are Christians in name and outward profession but not in deed being not at all converted though they have the meanes of conversion and this is the estate of the most men and women in all places Now some are indeed converted but are weake Christians as it were infants that lie but in the cradle of religion Now for the first sort the answer is easie They know not their calling because they are not called yea they are so far from knowing it that they generally are offended at it that we should teach that any body can know his owne calling certainely Carnall Christians then know it not because they have it not and in particular the causes why these Christians attaine not assurance is because they rest upon common hope of mercy in God which house is but like the house of a Spider and will give up the ghost when the evill day commeth upon them And besides they live in knowne sins which they love and preferre before all things can be offered to them by the Gospel Now it is impossible to have true assurance and to lie at the same time in knowne grosse sins without repentance And further many Christians by their wilfull unteachablenesse and incurablenesse in sinning doe so provoke God that all meanes notwithstanding yet those things that concerne their peace are hidden from their eyes Luke 19.42 Now for the weake Christian the causes of his want of assurance are such as these sometimes ill opinions about assurance either that it may not be had contrary to the charge given 2 Pet. 1.10 or if it be had it will not be profitable contrary to the reasons given before Sometimes it is their ignorance they are so unexpert in the Scriptures that not discerning the frame of godlinesse in generall they can never tell when
called 272 Wherein it exceeds all other writings ibid. Servants Service How we are to serve God 473 Who are rejected from the number of Gods Servants 474 It is an excellent freedome to be a Servant of God 475 Their prerogatives ibid. Servants are of divers sorts 486 For what cause Servitude came in ibid. How a godly Servant may comfort himselfe in his estate 488 They must be subject three wayes 490 Helps in their subjection ibid. They are to shew their feare of God in their callings 492 Their feare towards their Masters shewed divers wayes 493 Sheep Signes of a lost Sheep 557 Hopes of returning 558 Motives to returne 559 The time when the number and meanes 560 The maner and signes of returning 561 The lets 562 Shepherd What attributes are given to Christ as a Shepherd 563 564 He is the one true great and good Shepherd 564 The happinesse of such as live under this Shepherd appeares in ten things 565 Shew Seven wayes whereby we may offend by outward Shewes 333 Motives to the Shew of vertue 334 Sicknesse Vide Healing How it comes into the soule 548 The Sicknesse of the soule grievous many wayes 549 Why many feele not the Sicknesse of the soule ibid. Silence To put to Silence is diversly accepted 455 Sin Sixe wayes by which one mans Sin is derived on another 141 How many wayes Sin hinders the growth of the word 200 A man may be said to make Sin many wayes 522 523 How Christ had no Sin 524 Inwhat respect Christ bare our Sins 531 His sufferings fitted to our Sins 532 Men are said to be alive in Sin many wayes 535 Their miserie great that so doe ibid. Sinner To be a worker of Iniquitie what and three wayes manifested 397 Sion The Church is like Mount Sion in many respects 276 How the Citizens of this City may be knowne 277 Their speciall priviledges 279 Sober Sobrietie A fixefold Sobrietie 104 Sojourners Vide Saints and Strangers 4 5 132 Soule What it is 76 Soule taken many wayes 367 Its description ibid. Seven things considerable in it ibid. c. It is a substance but not bodily 368 It is immortall 369 Its originall 371 Anima non est ex traduce 372 God creates the Soule 373 374 Objections against it answered 374 375 Of the union of the Soule with the body 376 Shewed by many similies 377 By what band the Soule is bound to the body ibid. The faculties of the Soule 378 Its five senses 379 The inward senses three 380 The Soule gives to the body a threefold motion 311 The facultie of reason in the Soule and wherein it excells 382 The end of its creation 383 Foure kinds of warre against the Soule 384 The Flesh wars against the Soule five wayes ibid. How the Soule comes to be diseased 548 The sicknesse of the Soule grievous many wayes 149 Many feele it not ibid. The Soule synechdochically signifieth the whole man 17â— Speaking Vide Evill-speaking and Report Spirit What need our Spiritâ— have to be sanctified â—5 In what its sanctification consisteth ibid. Eight things belong thereto 16 Why the Spirit is called the Holy Ghost 93 Why the Holy Spirit ibid. Sprinkling The meaning of that ceremonie of Sprinkling Christs bloud 22 A fourefold legall Sprinkling 22 23 c. The manifold passages of Sprinkling the Passeover opened 25 26 Statutes God hath foure Statute books 149 Foure praises of those Statutes ibid. Stone How Christ is said to be first a Stone secondly a living Stone 249 250 This Stone disallowed how and by whom 251 252 Wicked men compared to Stones in many respects 258 So the godly also ibid. Reasons why we ought to be lively Stones 259 That Christ is laid as a foundation Stone imports many things 276 A corner Stone 282 Elect and precious ibid. Strangers Who and why man is a Stranger even in five respects 3 4 The Elect are Strangers 4 And in foureteene things they should be like Strangers 4 5 The word Stranger literally and mystically taken 132 Prettie allusions from Israels being in Egypt 132 c. We should carry our selves as Strangers 364 Submission The Submission which belongs to Princes and Magistrates hath sixe things in it 425 Objections against this Submission answered 427 Suffer The markes of such as truely suffer with Christ 315 Divers wayes of Suffering 514 Christ Suffered for us in divers respects 517 518 His Sufferings were for our examples 519 Ten things to be followed by the examples of Christs Sufferings 521 Christs Sufferings 〈…〉 532 He suffered in his body and soule 533 Why he suffered on a tree 534 T TAbernacle Christ hath a fivefold Tabernacle 261 A godly man like a Tabernacle in many respects 262 Excellent uses hereof 263 Taste What will bring us unto a good Taste of Gods goodnesse 239 240 Our true Taste is seene both by the causes and effects 241 Wherein the Taste of the godly and wicked differ 242 How far the Taste of the wicked may goe 243 The uses of it 243 244 We can have but a Taste of Gods sweetnesse in this life 244 The uses of it ibid. The true causes of the want of Taste to the Word 245 When we have tasted of it we must not lose our Appetite 246 Temptation Foure sorts of it 57 Sathan tempts five wayes 58 Thirteene degrees of it ibid. c. How Sathans Temptations differ from our owne concupiscence 59 60 Comforts against Temptation 60 Twelve rules in Temptation 61 God tempts man sixe wayes 62 Seven wayes in affliction 62 63 Testimonie The Scripture is our sure Testimonie and thence how our Testaments are to be fetcht 124 125 Time Times Foure sorts of men have enquired about Times 1. The curious 2. The weake 3. The superstitious 4. The wise 83 Tradition The word is taken five waies 89 90 How many wayes children are infected by the Tradition of their fathers 142 Why those Traditions should be so infectious ibid. c. Trust. Five things pertaining to a perfect Trust 105 Nine wayes to shew our Trust 108 Truth What it is 175 What it is to obey the Truth how 176 V VAine-glory Wherein it is seene 512 Verily The word oft used in Scripture and that for three speciall causes 150 151 How many wayes we shew forth the Verilies of Christ 332 333 Why the Verilies that are in us are called Christs Verilies 334 Vertue How the word is taken in the Originall 327 Nine Vertues in Christ which we should shew forth 329 Vertue and Grace are a Christians best riches 618 Vessell The word Vessell diversly taken 642 Visit Visitation Men are said to visit diversly 412 So God also ibid. c. First in judgement 413 Secondly in mercy 414 Signes of such as he visits in mercy 415 What glorious things the day of Visitation brings forth 419 Uncleannesse Two waies contracted 25 Unitie Of Unitie in mind or judgement 674 675 Helpes thereto 676 Aggravations against discord in opinion 677 Many ill causes of