else that speech could not stand what ye lease on earth shall be loosed in heaven and what ye bind on earth shall be bound in heaven We bind when by declaring of mens sins we denounce the judgment of God against such sins and so pronounce men to stand under the wrath of God that remain in those sins saith Christ what you thus bind on earth shall be bound in heaven that is Gods act shall ratifie and confirm the same sentence in heaven which we denounce here upon earth by vertue of this word So when we come to distressed souls and declare to them that they stand acquitted and that by the Word of God and so as Ministers of the Gospel by vertue of the truth revealed to us declare that they are freed from the bond and guilt of their sins upon those evidences of repentance that they manifest I say it is ratified in heaven Therefore you see there is no other way of proceeding but look as Christs own words when he was upon the earth so the same that are as his own words that is those truths that are drawn from Christs truths have the same power upon the hearts and consciences of men now to cammand them and shall have after to judge them as ever they had But here it may be objected it should seem that all men shall not be judged by the Law because there are some men to whom the Law hath never been published for what shall we say to a great part of the world that have not yet received the Scriptures we know that the Scriptures have not been published to a great part of the world at this day there are many Heathens many Pagans that never had the Scriptures therefore how shall they be jndged by the Law except you say that only those shall be judged by it that have been under the preaching of the Gospel and have had the help of the Scriptures We answer that all man-kind and every particular man is under the Law only the Law is not alike expressed to them it is not revealed alike to all sorts All have the Law and the Law written too but either it is written in the hearts of men and so it is naturally in the hearts of all the Sons of men Or else in the Scrptures and so it is more clearly and evidently manifested in the Churches but yet nevertheless in the hearts of men is the Law written as much as shall be sufficient to condemn them as we see Rom. 2.14 saith the Apostle If the Gentiles which have not the Law do by nature the things contained in the Law they having not the Law are a Law to themselves and shew the effect of the Law written in their hearts their consciences accusing or excusing them before God The Gentiles that had not the Law that is not the Law written in the Scriptures yet nevertheless they are a Law to themselves that is they have certain principles certain rules which remain in their natural consciences whereby they either accuse or excuse as they do good or evil And even these do shew that they have a Law that doth bind them and shall condemn them because that when they would not obey even that Law that is even those principles whereupon their consciences wrought to accuse or excuse they were sinners against the Law So that we see no man shall be condemned at the day of judgement but by vertue of the Law and however all have not the Scripture yet they have a natural conscience and the Law written there whereby it accuseth or excuseth Howsoever it be true that things are not alike expresly manifested to other people and to us that have the Scriptures yet they have so much manifested to them as shall condemn them And the reasons of it are these why it must be so First because the Law of God is Gods Scepter whereby he governs and rules the Church Psal 110.2 he shall bring the rod of thy power out of Sion The rod of thy power that is the Scepter of thy power that Scepter whereby thou dost authoritatively and by power rule over the Churches and what is this Scepter It is the Word as we shall see Isa 2.3 4. The Law shall come out of Sion So then the Scepter the rod of the word that is brought out of Sion is the Law that comes out of Sion the word of God the Law of works and the Law of faith for both these come out of Sion the Law of works as far as it is the rule of life and then the Law of Faith both come in to rule the Church of God Yea this is the rod of Christs power therefore he will manifest his power and make all men subject to it What power There is a power of Christ such a power whereby he manifests his own greatness and soveraignty over all his creatures over those creatures that have not sence that have not reason that is not this Law But this power here the Scepter of his power is that whereby he manifests his soveraignty over reasonable creatures Angels and men therefore if they will not obey him yet it shall be a Scepter of Iron to crush them in peeces Therefore we see the very Angels themselves that would not obey the directing commandement of God the rule of life in that particular place wherein they were they found it a Scepter to crush them down and they were cast out of their place for their sin So likewise men you see what the Apostle Peter speaks of those that perished in the time of Noah because they would not receive the Word preached to them but they would be lawless and disobedient or like men that would be under no Law therefore they felt the force of it in the effect of the Law in the fruit and penalty of the Law upon them So I say Christ still rules by power in the Law in so much as that when the Law and command prevails not then the punishment prevails and they that will not subject themselves to the Law they shall be subdued under the punishment of the Law that is the first thing Again secondly it must be that Christ must proceed in judgement according to the Law because the Law is the rule Now you know a rule is a note of distinction it is that that being straight right in it self which doth distinguish and discover things that are crooked So the Law of Christ it is a straight rule in it self therefore whatsoever is contrary to it is crooked and perverse And he will declare a righteous proceeding contrary to the unrighteousness of men How by that rule that discovers unrighteousness How shal Christ appear to be righteous in his Law except he have a rule whereby unrighteousness shall be discovered Now that is discovered by the Law the right rule as it is Psa 19. The statutes of the Lord are right Now rectum is index sua oblique
but churlishly but yet her Patience held her to the third tryal at last she received her desire had she not been Patient to go on with her request she had lost her petition The Apostle Paul in 2 Cor. 12. for this thing faith he I besought the Lordthrice He would have given over at the first seeking of the Lord if he had not had Patience to uphold him to the second and third petition to the renewing of his suit twice nay thrice Come from praying to hearing the Word preached how can a man hear the word profitably without Patience therefore the good ground is said to hear the Word and to bring forth fruit with Patience and it is the commendation of the Church of Philadelphia Thou hast kept the word of my Patience There is a necessity of Patience if a man will profit by the Word For first if a man will obey the Word he shall be sure to have many set against him in the world he had need of Patience then or else he will leave the rule of the Word because of the reproaches of the world Again there are many secret corruptions in his own heart that will be met with in the preaching of the Word which a man cannot abide to hear of but he will be vexing and fretting and discontented at it as we see in Ahab and divers others unlesse he have Patience to keep him from raging against the Preacher and preaching of the Word You have need of Patience then as the Apostle faith that you may bear thereproofs and exhortations of the Word Therefore faith the Apostle James Receive with Patience the ingrafted Word or receive with meeknesse the ingrafted Word that is able to save your souls There is no ingrafting the Word in the heart except those forms of impatience those hinderances of the growth of the Word be taken away But further there is yet a further end the whole life of a Christian is a continual exercise of Patience there is a necessity of it for he cannot persevere without Patience it is impossible for a man to begin in the spirit but he shall end in the flesh if he have not Patience to persevere in well doing Therefore faith the Apostle You have need of Patience that after you have obeyed you might receive the promise You have need of Patience for between the time of the making of the Promise and the time of the accomplishment of the Promise to the soul there is a great distance many times therefore ye have need of Patience to waite that after you have obeyed the Word you might receive the promise Let us run with Patience the race that is set before us looking to Jesus the Authour and finisher of our faith Our Lord Jesus himself had not perfected the worke of our redemption if he had wanted Patience neither can we finish our course of Christianity wherein we must follow Christ and run the race that is set before us except we have Patience added to other graces You see then a Christian cannot be perfect without Patience First because he cannot have all the parts of Christianity that is one thing Secondly because he cannot keep and preserve the graces he hath that is another thing Thirdly because he cannot act and work according to the rule that is the third Lastly because he cannot perservere in the course he is in except he have Patience There is a necessity of Patience to the prefection of a Christian Secondly the second point was That it is the duty of a Christian to strive to bring Patience to the uttermost perfection to be as perfect in the degrees of Patience as he can attain to to make this the strife of his life that Patience may have her perfect work that there may be no defect in it The Apostle prayeth for the Collossians that they may be strengthned in the inward man to all long suffering And when our Saviour setteth God as a pattern before men Be you perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect What aymeth he at in that place but this that we should strive to the uttermost extent and highest degrees of Patience for our Saviour intendeth of Patience in that place This then is the duty of a Christian Why so First because a Christian is to follow the best pattern the best patterns are propounded in the Scripture And God doth not propound examples and Patterns to men in vain but as he giveth them rules to tell them what they should do so he giveth them examples and patterns to lead them to that degree and direct them in the manner of doing Therefore ye have God himself set as a pattern of Patience Follow God as dear children wherein In all those examples wherein you have a rule For all the examples of God and Christ and the Saints bind no further then there is a rule in the Word There are many things wherein we cannot follow God and Christ and we need not follow every one of the Saints but those things that are injoyned by the rule these examples are set to direct us in obedience to that rule Amongst other things the Patience of God is set forth as a pattern for us to follow In that glorious proclamation made of him in Exod. 34.7 8. Among other of his attributes he is set out to be a God long suffering and Patient You see how patient God is faith the Apostle And God that he might shew his long-suffering and Patience bore with the world faith Saint Peter With what world with the world of ungodly men God hath born with the world many Ages of years many thousand years already and yet beareth still with the world The most holy God that perfectly hateth wickednesse yet to shew his Patience he beareth with ungodly ones Yea and he beareth with men too the mighty God that is able to destroy all the world with the very breath of his mouth that as with a word he made the world so with a blast he is able to bring it to nothing yet this mighty God beareth with men this holy God with ungodly men yea and this God that might suddenly destroy the earth as he did the old World with water he beareth so many thousand years with the world of ungodly men that his Patience and long-suffering may appear You have God for an example then And Christ for an example too and you are predestinated for this very end to be like the Image of the Son to be made conformable unto Christ Wherein In all imitable and necessary graces I say in all those graces that are necessary by vertue of a rule and that are imitable wherein we may or can follow him Amongst the rest this is one his Patience See the Patience of Christ In his carriage toward his Father how he bore the displeasure of his Father In his carriage toward men when he might have
God for by faith we are become the children of God This Faith in Christ the Law doth not teach the former Covenant would not accect What to bring to the Law the Righteousness of another the satisfaction of another and to trust upon that to be entertained and received the Law rejects it Thou must pay thy self in thy own person and with thy own goods thou must yeeld perfect obedience to the Law and fully accomplish it in thy own person it will not receive payment of another for thee it will not accept satisfaction of the righteousness of another on thy behalf But oh the sweetness of the Doctrine of the Gospel If we have a Treasurer that is able and willing to pay the debt that will tender and make payment of it we shall be accepted for his sake so that we give him the glory of resting upon this payment and be not so absurd as to mix any action of our own to that payment that â—…e hath made fully and compleatly for us This is a Doctrine of sweetness and favour and great compassion that though we cannot do it of our selves we shall be accepted if our Surety will do it for us so that we give our Surety the glory of being a prefect and able pay-master and relye wholly upon his satisfaction The last part of the condition on our side is that we yeeld New obedience to the Law Perfectly to obey it to which we are tyed hy the former Covenant But now this is the obedience of the Gospel a thing far different from the obedience of the Law that was formerly required in the old Covenant there a man was tyed and bound to obey perfectly fully compleatly without any defect In a word he must pay the uttermost farthing he must do his duty his whole duty in in all the parts and degrees with all fulness of perfection absolutely without any defect or want without any imperfection at all An impossible labour for corrupted men a service that none all having lost those abilities that God gave man at the first can ever reach to But then cometh the sweet Gospel the Doctrine of grace and favour of tender compassion and faith thus If thou wilt consent to obey thou shalt eate the good things of the Land If you mortifie the deeds of the body by the spirit you shall live Rom. 8.13 But if you though never so much in shew under the Covenant of Grace live after the flesh you shall die Ye see New Obedience is required absolutely as a Condition of the Gospel for the obtaining of everlasting happiness for the escaping of Death and Saint John faith If we walk in the light we have fellowship one with another and the bloud of Christ shall purge us from all sin so that this walking in the light and New Obedience is obsolutely required of all those that intend to be made partakers of Christ and his benifits they must give up their souls and bodies as instruments of his glory and not serve sin any longer in the lusts thereof they must not give their members as weapons of unrighteousness to sin but live as becometh them that are one with Christ mortifying all the lusts of the flesh and quicken themselves or being quickened with him to parctise all good things required in his word and to obey all his commands which was first written in Adams heart and then in Tahles of stone This New Obedience is the same in substance that was required in the former Covenant but now with a gracious acceptation of endeavour after perfection instead of perfection the former tyed us to the obedience of all that was required in all fulness and then promising acceptance but the obedience that the Gospel requires is striving to this perfection in truth and sincerity desiring and labouring after it in putting out our selves towards it and then promising acceptance through the perfection of Christ in and by which our imperfections are done away Now Brethren you understand what this saying of the Lord Christs is by vertue of the keeping of which we must be secured if we be secured from the hurt of Death What is it now to Keep the saying of Christ It is to inform our Judgements in the understanding of these truths and assent to them as truths and to practise and follow them to do the duties which we have heard to practise the Doctrine of Repentunce and Beleeving and Obedience I confess our Saviour doth proclaim it thus Repent and beleeve the Gospel but for the more clear explaining of it we make new Obedience a thing of it self and not included in the Doctrine of Repentance for it is an act of that whereof Repentance is a resolute wishing and desiring A man cannot possibly rest on Christ for salvation till he hath so asked pardon as he resolveth an amendment and when he hath this resolution and relyeth on Christ for the pardon of his sin then from him he receiveth power to amendment of life and so his purpose cometh to action and his desire to execution Thus alone these two things differ as far as I conceive Now I say this is the Doctrine of the Gospel and to keep it is to know and beleeve and follow it to beleeve and obey as Christ faith If you know these things there is one part of the duty happy are you if you do them there is a second for they can never be done except they be done as known And thus I have interpreted the first part of the Proposition namely the Antecedent Let us say somewhat of the latter too the benefit that followeth upon the former duty and for the obtaining of which the former duty is necessary namely that he shall never see death What is it to see Death And what Death is meant here To see good things in the Scripture phrase is as much oftentimes as to enjoy them to have the benefit and commodity of them to receive them to entertain them Without holiness no man shall see God that is no man shall enjoy God Blissed are the poor in spirit for they shall see God that is thay shall enjoy God On the contrary to see a thing that is tearmed Evil is to be annoyed with it to have the hurt of it lying upon a man and pressing him down as they in Jeremy said Let us go into Egypt where we shall not see sword or famine meaning that they should not be pursued by war and want of things needful so that by seeing evil is meant the evil lying upon one and annoying and hurting one and so I suppose it is meant here And by Death is meant Natural and as we may tearm it supernatural and eternal Death For the keeping of Christs sayings so freeth men from the latter as they never come neer it and so freeth them from the former as they never dread to be under the power of the latter And the first Death of
And this will cut sore and lie heavy on our conscience and therefore let us do it betimes Not only to prevent the Divel and his temptations but because you see how suddenly they may be taken away from us in a moment So Children should be admonished to learn to know the Lord God in the dayes of their youth how soon that evil day may come we know not that the wise man speaks of therefore betimes while ye have opportunity do it And for our own part let us learn this First when God crops such flowers that rise in the bud when he takes away such Children be thankful to God that he hath given us a longer time that he hath enlarged our dayes and prolonged our years that he hath given us such a great deal of space and opportunity to glorifie him here to do him service in the land of the living to get evidence of our Calling and election and to get assurance of our peace with him Let us praise God for the length of our dayes a blessing of God in it self and a blessing to us if we improve it Again every one remember if Children do die old men must die any man may die For it Death strike such as do but begin to live then we that have lived long it is time and reason to expect death and not to fear it I speak not this as if we should be slavishly afraid of death while we are so our lives are not comfortable What is the reason that we fear it inordinatly because we love our lives we love our bodies and the world inordinatly and not in and for God And then by the continual spectacles of mortality let us be acquainted with death A vizour and apparition to a Child scares him and he runs from it at the first but at last he grows throughly acquainted with it and fears it not so it is in regard of death many men will not endure to hear of death they will not endure to think of it they will not endure to hear a Funeral Sermon or to come to the hous of mourning to be put in mind of their latter end Death is a strange vizour to these men and women they are afraid of it and run from it but if we did oft think of it as oft as we think of sin in the cause of it And when we feel sorrow think here is a harbinger of death I feel pain in me ere long I must surrender to the stroak of Death And as oft as we see spectacles of mortality to read a lecture of Death And when we lay our selves down in our beds think of Death And upon all occasions come to the house of mourning and think of Death If the Serpents sting be plucked out a man may handle it he is shie at the first but after finding it cannot hurt him he fears it not So we have cause to thank God for death as well as for other things thus far because he hath changed the nature of it and made it a sweet passage to another life And then though God take Children or friends or goods or any thing in this world he will be our exceeding great reward he will be All in all to us here and hereafter THE RIGHTEOUS JUDGE OR THE RULE OF JUDGEMENT SERMON XXVIII JAM 2.12 So speak ye and so do as they that shall be judged by the Law of Liberty VPon the like sad occasion I have already handled something out of these words The last thing that I came to was That in the day of Judgement God will call both the words and actions of men to account He will bring their words and their actions to judgement not only their works 2 Cor. 5.10 God will bring every work to judgement and so Eccles 12. He will bring every thing to judgement whether good or evill But besides that he will bring every word to judgement too even the very vain words of men of every idle word men shall give account Matt. 12.36 And the very rash and passionate speeches of men what they speak in passion and repent not of even those passionate speeches that they thought might have easily been passed by He that calls his Brother fool shall be in danger of hell fire Matth. 5.22 Then much more those evil speeches against God Jude 13 14. He shall come with thousands of his angels in judgement against all those that have spoken against him They have spoken against God they have reviled him he shall judge them for all their evil and cursed speakings against him saith the Apostle They in fury and madness fell to evil and cursed speaking and slighted God and despised him therefore he shall come in great glory with thousands of his Angels to make it appear that he is more glorious then they thought him to be and he will now stand for the vindicating of his honour and the manifesting of his glory in such a terrible appearance at that day Against all those that speak evil and against all their cursed speakings against him saith the Text evil speaking against God is cursed speaking Because it exposeth a man to a curse it leaves him under a curse that shall appear at that day to be just against him so we see God will bring both words and works to judgement at that day And the reasons are First because the Law of God binds men in their speeches as well as in their actions I say the Law that shall judge them doth now bind them in their very speeches as well as in their actions You have two commandements expresly taking notice of the words of men The third commandment of the words of men concerning God he that takes the name of Godin vain he will not hold him guiltless And then the ninth commandment of the words of men concerning men Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour Now God that hath made a Law to bind and to order men in the matter of speech certainly he will judge men by that Law You know that Kings and Princes and Parliaments and Kingdoms they make not Lawes in vain but they are the directions whereby the judges proceed in their course of judgment upon malefactours So I say Gods Law it is not in vain it is not a bare direction onely to us in point of obedience but also the express rule whereby Christ himself will proceed in matter of judgement Again secondly there is great reason that words as well as actions should be brought to judgement because God and men are injured by words as well as by actions First concerning God you read of some Psal 73. that set their mouths against God and against heaven Indeed they can do no more hurt to God then a man that shoots an Arrow at the Sun can hurt the Sun by shooting at him but in their intention they set themselves against God in as much as their tongues are set against
not your souls with these vain conceits with your Popish and carnal imaginations I say and testifie from this place that that man or woman which careth not to be taught out of Gods book cannot die like a Christian Who can teach thee the way to die well but God And where doth God teach but in the Scripture If our thoughts of Death if our provision and preparation for Death be not warranted and guided by Gods word it is all in vain Lord faith Simeon my desire of dissolution is according to thy Word my care to be prepared hath been ordered by thy Word he cannot die with comfort that cannot make the like profession And this may serve for the next general part the ground of this desire and preparation for Death it is Gods word Lord now lettest thou thy servant depart according to thy Word The third and last part follows the nature and quality of the death of the Righteous A departure in peace or a peaceable dismission Here are two things first a dismission secondly a dismission accompauied with peace The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 translated Let thy servant depart may well be Englished thus let thy servant loose Lord free me enlarge me set me at liberty Hence we learn that The servants of God do by Death receive a final discarge from all manner of misery This is evident out of the force of the phrase here used Simeon knew that so long as he lived his soul was as it were imprisoned in his body and in it he was held in bondage under the remnants of Original corruption subject to the assaults and temptation of Satan in continual and daily possibility to trespass and sin against Cod beside other afflictions and grievances in the body and estate but he had withal this knowledge and understanding of the nature of Death that it was an enlargement to the soul and a freeing of it utterly and finally from all those and the like incumbrances The same may be gathered from the phrase used by Saint Raul I desire faith he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be dissolved and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 read the time of my departure the words shew that there coms a liberty by death to the souls of Gods servants The phrase that Saint Peter useth is worthy our observation for this purpose First he terms death 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the laying down of a burden and by that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the laying down of a burden and by that means the soul is lightned and eased Secondly he terms it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a going out from a place and condition of hardship The second book of Moses which relates the dyparture of the Israelites out of Egyptian bondage hath the same name Exodus As for the point it self namely that the death of the Righteous is to them a discharge from all misery the Scripture bears witness to it Blessed said he are the dead which die in the Lord even so faith the spirit that they may rest from their labours As long as they live here they are diversly troubled when they die their labours are at an end and they are received into rest Saint John tels us that in his vision he saw the souls of them that were slain lye under the Alter Now the Alter in the time of the law was a place of resuge and safety and thence it appears that by death the servants of God are est-soons received into a place of holy security where there is no expectation of any further misery They are said to be received 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 into Abrahams bosome into the fellowship of the same happiness with Abraham the Father of all true believers The Doctrine in the first place makes against those of the Church of Rome which maintain a place of torment even for the servants of God after this life where they must be tryed for a time before they can enter into Rest and happiness This place they term Purgatory the torment here they hold to be unspeakable far surpassing any torment which the wit of man is able to devise But this place among others is sufficient to overthrow this dotage for how were death to the Righteous a dismission a loosing a freedom from misery if there followed after it a torment of far greater extremity then at any time before was ever tasted of So that the death of the servants of God being as I have proved it to be an enlargment from misery certainly the soul is not bound in any new Prison whence it must expect and wait and pray for a second dismission In the next place this Doctrine makes much for the comfort of Gods servants the face of Death to the wicked is very dreadful the day of it is to them the beginning of sorrows their souls are instantly arrested by the damned spirits and kept in everlasting chains of darkness but to those that are the servants of God it is otherwise I may by way of allusion to the phrase of my Text compare their day unto that which happened unto Joseph in which he was brought out of prison to be Ruler over all the land of Egypt So is their death unto them a day of Bailment out of prison a day in which all tears shall be wiped away In which they shall have beauty for ashes and the oyl of gladness for the spirit of heaviness and the long white robes of Christs Rightcousness by which they shall be presented blameless unto God That day shall be to them even as was the day of escape to the Jewes a feast and a good day in which they shall see God as he is and know him as they are known of him But happily thou maist say how shall I know that the day of Death is the day of dissolution and this kind of dismission A very necessary quaere indeed this is for every man almost is ready to challenge to himself a part of this happiness and it is a matter presumed upon by many which shall never enjoy it I will therefore give you one certain mark by which we may know assuredly that the day of our death shall be to us a day of enlargment and of final discharge from all both former and following miseries and that is this if in the time of our life here our being subject to corruption and sin hath seemed unto us the greatest burden and bondage They which have groaned and mourned under their own natural corruptions as it were under some heavy and tyrannous yoak or as the Israelites mourned under their Egyptian Task-masters to them only shall the day of death be a day of freedome If sin be not a burden to thee if thou dost not many times lament and even mourn to think how thou art carried captive unto evil if thou dost not with griese feel how thou art clogged with corruption
fear is Kinds off fear 1 Natural 2 Carnal fear 3 Servile fear Act 2. 4 Filial fear Isa 8 12. Reas We are delivered from our enemies either Luke 1.47 1 By reconciliation 2 By conquest Vse 1. The power of grace must reflect on a mans self Vse 2. Possible to live without fear Psalm 23 Vse 3. Reproof for inordinate fear 1 We fear too soon 2 Too much 1 It brings a great deal of ill Isa 66.4 2 It unfits the heart to bear evils It hurts the body It doth hurt to the soul 1 Natural 2 Spiritually Fear the ground of most sins Vse 4. To sence our hearts against it No cause of fear 1 Of spiritual enemies 2 Of worldly evils Ier. 46.28 Object Answ Object Answ Quest Answ How to get the conquest of fear 1 Labour for the spirit 2 Keep covenant with God 3 Strengthen faith 4 To place our love aright August Simile Doctr. Both words and actions shall be called to account Matth. 5.22 Iude 13.14 Reas 1. The Law binds men in speeches Reas 2. Words injure God and man Levit. 24.11 Act. 8. Vse To condemn those that make light account of words Pal. 39. Psal 131. Doctr. God will proceed in judgement according to his Law Ioh. 12.48 Object Answ All men judged by the Law The Law not alike expressed to all Rom. 2 14. Reas 1. The Law is Gods scepter that he ruls by Reas 2. Because the law is a rule Vse 1. Reproof of those that neglect the law Quest Answ To despise Gods commandement what Matth. 25.41 Vse 2. Admonition to observe the Law 1. For direction 2. For tryal Doctr. The consideration of the day of Judgment should move to holiness 1 It hath drawn some to obedience Eccles 11.9 1 To forsake the world Phil. 3.7 2 Disposing the heart to obedience Eccles 12.10 Heb. 12. Rev. 14â—… 2 It quickens to actions of obedience 1 Of particular calling 2 General calling 3 It confirms in obedience Vse Shewing the cause of the worlds prophaness and the Saints dejectedness 2 Pet. 3. Vse 2. To strengthen faith of the judgment Jerome Parts of the Text. Meaning of the words Doctr. Death due to sin as wages Quest Answ What death due to sin 1. Temporal Object Answ How Adam died a natural death as soon as he sinned Object Answ How Christians freed from temporal death Christians undergo temporal death why Simile 2 Eternal death Answ Sin infinite three wayes 1 In respect of the object 2 The subject 3 The sinners desire Vse 1. Original lust a sin Basile Vse 2. Confuration no sin in it self venial 1 Joh 3.5 Sins mortal and venial how Vse 3. In spectacles of death to see the heinousness of sin Vse 4. To deterre us from sin Similles Joh. 2. 1 Sam. 14. Vse 5. To be humble and thankful Life twofold 1 Natural 2 Spiritual 1 In this life Job 17.5.2 In deathy 3 Afterth e Resurrection A thing eternal three wayes Doct. Salvation the feee gift of God Quest Answ Austin Quest Answ Joh. 3. Vse 1. Confutation of merit Rom. 8. Vse 2. To humble us Vse 3. Comfort Vse 4. Thankfulness Isa 45 24. The Analysis of the Chaper Propos 1. God is pleased to set himself to procure the profit of his people Proved by instances 1 In his instituting Ordinances in the Church 1 The preaching of the Word Act. 26.18 2 Tim. 3.16 2 The Sacrament of the Supper 3 Prayer Unprofitable living under the ordinances a taking the name of God in vain 4 Sending of Christ into the world in our nature 2 In his command and injunction Deut 10 13. Matth. 5.29 3. In his several administrations 1 Permitting sin to remain 2. To prevail 3. Withdrawing his presence 4. Suspending his answer to their prayers 5. Denying their particular suites 6. Deprives them of their dearest blessings James 5.11 Use of exhortation Vse 2. Of instruction Propos 2. Gods aim in afflicting his children is their profit Gen 41.52 Afflictions they are profitable The blessed fruit of afflictions 2 Chron. 33.12 Deut. 8.15 Isa 27.9 Hab. 1.12 The Saints of God have walted for the profit of afflictions 2 Sam. 16.12 2 Sam. 16.12 Isa 37.4 Vse 1. For reproof Gods children prone to misconster the intent of God in their afflictions 1 Sam. 27.1 Esa 6.5 Lam. 3.16.18 Isa 49.14 Vse 2. For comfort Isa 10.57 Simile Isay 12.12 Vse 3. Exhortation to a patient expectation of the fruit of affliction Object Answ Iob 17.4 The sum of the words Division Explication Simile Doct. 1. Ground 1 From God Psal 84. Why God withdraws the light of his counâ—eâ—ance from his people 1 For correction of their former abuse of his mercies 2 Of the neglect of their duty Cant. 5. 3 Of their carnal security 3 To teach them wherein their present comsort and happiness consifts Simile 3 For prevention 1 Of pride 2 Of considence in the creature or in habits of grace Ground 2 From Satan How Satan causeth trouble in the hearts of Gods servants 1 By stealing out of thest hearts the promises of the Gospel Heb. 12. Matth. 13. 2 By presenting to the soul the truths of God in false glosses Ground 3. From our selves From some distemper of the body 2. Prevailing of some strong lust Heb. 12.1 3 Inordinate passions Heb. 1. Vse 1. To teach us compassion toward those that are in trouble Isa 53.4 God suffers his servants to be in inward distress and why Doctr. 2. Faith is a special means to quiet the soul 2 Cron. 20.20 2 Tim. 1 12. Vse Doctr. 3. Faith that quiets the soul must be pitched upon God in Christ Doct. 4. Vse Quest Answ What it is to believe in Christ What it is to receive Christ as a Prophet As a King As a Priest Quest Answ Object Answ Quest Answ Quest Answ Quest Answ Devision of the words Doct 1. Strong trials befall strong Christians 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. Job 1.8 Wherein the strength of a trial consists Why God laieth strong tryals on strong Christians Reas 1. Reas 2. Doct. Faith acquits a man in great tryals Reas 1. Reas 2. Reas 3. Reas 4. Reas 5. Vse 1. 1. 2. Vse 2. The sum of the words Parts of the Text Coherence The first branch of the Text Explication 1 What life it is that is here meant Eternal life proper to the Saints Begun in this world Gal 2.20 Heb 2 3. Consummated in the world to come Phil 1.21 1 Thes 4.17 Joh. 5.26 Joh. 6 33. Vse 1. For instructiou Vse 2. For demonstration 1 Tim 5.6 Ephes 2.1 Vse 3. For consolation 2 Tim 3.12 Act 14.22 Mark 5.26 Eccles 9 4. Job 2.4 Phil. 1.7 Rom. 14.17 2 Cor. 12.2 1 Cor. 2.9 Rom. 8.18 2 Cor 4.17 The second branch of the Text. Eternal life cometh from divine grace Tit. 3.7 Eph. 2.8 Reas 1. Reas 2.2 Cor. 3.5 Vse 1. For confutation Vse 2. For Consolation Vse 3. For Instruction Vse 4. For exhortation The third branch of the Text. The