in our repentance Luk. 4.44 Act. 6.20 Every tree must not only beare fruit but his own fruit proper to his kind as the proper fruit of rich men is mercy and if they had never so many praises otherwise that they were courteous wise just chaste c. yet if they be not mercifull their workes are not good workes Ninthly his workes must bee full before God It was an objection against the Church of Sardis that her workes were not perfect or full before God therefore she is threatned if she repent not to feele the heavie hand of God Rev. â— 1 2. Noâ— as I conceive a mans workes are not full when he is not carefull of every good worke which he knowes concernes him as for instance if a man pray and yet be not carefull of hearing the Word his prayers are abomination to God because his workes are not full There be some duties which he makes no conscience to obey in though he know they be required hee that turneth away his eares from hearing the Law his prayers are abominable Pro. 28.9 If a man would be never so carefull about Gods service and yet make no conscience of the works of mercy required of him his sacrifice is not accepted Hos. 6.6 7 c. Thus the long prayers of the Pharisees will not be regarded if they devoure widowes houses Mat. 23. and so on the other side if a man were never so mercifull a man if he were not also a religious man in the things of Gods service his workes would not abide triall before God they were not good because they were not full And for this reason the workes of civill honest men are not good such were Pauls workes Phil. 3.6 which hee accounts but drosse and dung in comparison vers 8. of such as these Thus of the rules of good workes the kinds follow The vulgar commonly when they heare of good workes thinke of nothing but almes and hospitality or other courses of shewing mercy Now though it be true that workes of mercy be good workes yet they are but one sort of good workes whereas the Christian is bound to be ready to every good work 1 Tim. 3.17 and therefore it will bee profitable to informe our selves of the many wayes by which we may do good workes for thereby such Christians as are not able to give almes may see a way how to enrich themselves in well-doing other wayes These then are the sorts of good workes First to beleeve is a good work yea it is instead of many good workes yea in some sense it is to us instead of the works of the whole Law as it is a means to lay hold on all the good works that ever Christ Jesus did To put on the â—ord Jesus is a good worke in a high degree and so every act of faith in all the passages of a mans life is a good worke for this is the worke of God to beleeve as our Saviour shewes when hee gives that for answer for such as asked what they must doe to doe the workes of God Ioh. 6.28 Rom. 13.12 13 14. This is clearly acknowledged in these other Scriptures 1 Thes. 1.3 2 Thes 1.11 Secondly all workes of piety are good workes all workes of worship that is such workes by which a man doth service to God are all in the number of good workes and so to pray to fast to heare the Word to receive the Sacraments c. are good workes for godlinesse hath the promises of this life and of the life to come and therefore it is profitable to all things 1 Tim. 4.8 And these workes must needs be accounted good workes for they are deare works the blood of Christ was poured out that wee might be cleansed from dead workes to serve the living God Heb. 9.14 Thirdly all workes of repentance all that a Christian doth about his humiliation or reformation are evangelically good workes as if he confesse his sinnes and do execution upon his sinnes if hee make satisfaction for his trespasses to men if he reforme himselfe or his houshold or his charge these and the like are all good workes 2 Chron. 19.3 Fourthly to suffer for a good cause is reckoned in the number of good workes as to forsake father or mother house or land wife or children liberty or life for Christs sake and the Gospels it is in the number of those good things that shall have a good reward Mat. 19.29 Ier. 31.16 Ruth 2.11 12. Fifthly workes of mens particular callings whether in the Common-wealth or Church or family or any vocation or trade of life so workes of Justice are good workes and to obey Magistrates is called well-doing vers 14. of this chapter so to preach the Gospel is a good worke 1 Tim. â— 1 So in the family for parents to bring up their children well is a good worke 1 Tim. 5.10 yea the labours of servants in the family are such workes as shall have reward of God as well as workes of piety Esa. 6. Col. 3. Sixthly workes of mercy are good workes whether it bee spirituall mercy to instruct admoniâ—h or reprove or comfort Psal. 140. or whether it be outward mercy in giving lending visiting defending the poore or the like All confesse these to be good workes Act. 9.16 But that almes may be a good worke these three rules must be observed First that it be given of goods well gotten else no good workes Secondly that he that gives it have a good eye to distribute where there is need for to keepe a good house and to entertain russians and drunkards and gamesters is not a good work nor hospetality because here is not a good eye Thirdly almes muâ—t be given to a good end not for the praise of men or to merit thereby Mat. 6. Thus of the kinds of good workes The questions follow Quest. 1. How can any workes done by any man in this life be accounted good seeing there is none that liveth and sinneth not yea all our workes even the workes of the most righteous are as a menstruous cloth Esa. 64.6 For ansâ—er hereunto I say It is true that if God looke upon the best workes of the most godly in this life and examine them by the rigour of his covenanâ— which he called His covenant of workes then no flesh living can have comfort of his workes but all will appeare lothsome as a menstruous garâ—ent But the workes of the beleeving Christians are otherwaies to bee considered of for First they are tried by the covenant of grace by the benefit of which covenant he is delivered from the rigorous perfection of the Law his uprightnes is accepted instead of perfection he is now no more under the Law but by Gods grace and acceptation his workes are taken as if they had been perfect Secondly he hath the benefit of Christs intercession who presenteth his workes before God covering the evill of them and tendring them to God who accepts
them for the love hee beares to his Sonne And thus wee read in Scripture that Christ presents the prayers of the Saints Besides that the Christian may not thinke too vilely of his workes but be comforted in the Lord concerning them let him further consider these things First that his good workes have the Spirit of Jesus Christ which is in him for the fountaine of them 1 Cor. 12.11 Esa. 26.12 Secondly that the blood of Jesus Christ was shed not onely for his justification but also for his sanctification Heb. 9.14 Thirdly that though his workes are not good effectu yet they are good affectu they are good in desire his desire was to have them as good as God himselfe did require And this God is pleased to accept as if the worke were perfectly done Quest. 2. What are workes good for in that they are called good workes Answ. I answer first affirmatively they are good 1 To testifie our thankfulnesse to God for all his benefits in respect of which we are debteâ—s unto God Rom. 8.12 2 To assure the truth of our faith as the fruits of faith Mat. 7.17 1 Tim. 1.19 Iames 2. 3 To witnesse our election and to make our calling sure 2 Pet. 1.10 4 To discharge our duty of obedience unto which we are bound even in the covenant of grace 5 To further the edification of our brethren whom we helpe both by example and by well-doing to them 6 To winne wicked men to a better estimation of our Religion and to stop their mouthes as here so vers 15. 7 To glorifie God as is in this place mentioned 8 They are good to make us capable of rewards from God in heaven Heb. 10.36 Rom. 2.7 8. yea and in this life too 2 Tim. 4.8 Secondly I say they are not good 1 To justifie us before God as it is at large proved by the Apostle in the Epistle to the Romans and Galatians onely they are good to justifie us before men Iam. 2. 2 Not to merit or deserve heaven by them mens evill workes do merit punishment for the wages of sinne is death but our good workes cannot merit both because the Scripture denies it expresly Eph. 2.8 as also to omit other reasons because the nature of merit casteth away our workes for there must be three things in a worke that must merit First it must be a free worke that was not due by any debt whereas our workes are a part of ouâ— duty and we owe more to God than we can doe Luk. 17.9 Rom. 11.35 Secondly the worke that should merit must be profitable to him of whom wee would merit but no goodnesse of ours can reach to God to profit him Psal. 16.3 Iob 22.2 Thirdly the worke that must merit must be of equall value with the thing that is given for it but neither our sufferings nor our deeds in this life can be worthy of the glory that is to be revealed Rom. 8.18 and therefore is eternall life called The gift of God Rom. 6 2â— The uses follow and are especially for instruction for this doctrine of good workes should teach us First to take notice of this doctrine and as we are carefull to beleeve so to be carefull to maintaine good workes and hereby to confute the malicious Papists that falsly charge us to deny and disgrace good workes Tit. 3.8 14. Secondly every man should bee ready to doe good workes yea to every good worke since they are required of God and are so many waies good and serve us for such excellent uses yea wee should bee zealous of good workes wonderfull eager and desirous to inrich our selves that way Tit. 3.1 2.14 yea wee should hereby shew that wee are indeed wise Christians and well skilled in the use of our Religion Iam. 3.13 and not men onely but women also should be forward in good workes 1 Tim. 2.10 It is their best apparell which should be a speciall motive to them that are so carefull of their attyre And indeed good workes are to be desired and laboured for as the best apparell of any Christian yea they are his armour too Rom. 13.13 yea they are a principall way for his inriching and preferment 1 Tim. 2.20 so as it is a great curse upon a Christian to have no minde to do good workes to bee reprobate to every good worke Tit. 1. ult Thirdly since there are so many things necessary to the constitution of a good worke Christians should in stead of prying into the lives of others every one trie his owne workes and turne often to the light that it may bee indeed manifest that his workes are wrought in God Gal. 6.4 for one day every mans workes shall be tried in the fire when times of triall by great afflictions either upon mens Consciences or otherwise come that mans workes that never seeme glorious and praise worthy will be rejected and cast away even by our selves as vile and unprofitable Besides at the best in our prosperity if the most of our workes be tried by the fire of these rules of Gods Word it is much to be doubted that our workes will burne though upon our repentance for the evill that cleaves to our best workes our selves may bee saved in the day of the Lord. Let Christians therefore be carefull that they lose not the things which they have wrought Now a Christian may lose his workes divers waies First if he be but a Christian in shew he may nay he shall lose all he doth The Pharisees lost all their workes because they were done in hypocrisie Secondly the Christian that hath some kindes of heavenly gifts and temporary graces by falling away in the time of temptation loseth all that hee had wrought before God requires patient continuance in well-doing Rom. â— 8 Thirdly the true Christian may lose what hee wrought if he doe his workes without respect of these Rules If it be not manifest that his works are wrought in God they are lost to him so many of his workes as are so wrought Besides he loseth the comfort of all that he hath wrought and the sense of it if he fall into grosse sinne after calling for so long time as he continueth in sinne without repentance Thus of good workes Which they shall behold It is manifest from hence that good workes may and ought to be so done as that men may see them It is not true that all good workes must be hid from the view and beholding of other men This may seeme strange because the Pharisees were blamed for doing their workes to be seene of men but yet it may be easily and plentifully proved I will first prove it and then explaine it For proofe our Saviour Christ requires that the light of mens good workes should shine that men may see their good workes Mat. 5.16 Christians in respect of their practice should be as shining lights in the midst of a froward and crooked generation Phil. 2.15 16. They must
yet it is so rich as the tongue of man cannot utter if it be in any measure true and sincere Besides how should this fire our desires after wisedome and spirituall understanding in the world of Christ seeing it is our life and in the same degree we encrease in eternall life that we encrease in acquaintance with God in Christ and therefore above all gettings we should be getting understanding And finally it shewes the wofull estate of ignorant persons that are carelesse of the studie of the Word of God and of hearing of the Gospel preached This is their death and will be their eternall death if they prevent it not by repentance and sound redeeming of the time for the service of the soule about this sacred knowledge Now for the fourth point the things that nourish life are greatly to be heeded both to shew us what we should apply our selves to and with what thankfulnesse to receive the meanes of our good herein 1. We must know that the principall cause of the nourishment and increase of spirituall life is the influence of vertue from Christ our mysticall head by the secret and unutterable working of the spirit of Christ which is therefore called the spirit of life because it both frees us by degrees from the feares of death and from the power and blots of sin Rom. 8.2 and withall it quickens and encreaseth life in us for the better exercise of righteousnesse Rom. 8.10 2. The contemplation of Gods favour and presence doth wonderfully extend and inflame life in us To marke God any where or by any experience to find effectually his love and to taste of the sweetnesse of his goodnesse this is life from the dead better than all things in naturall life it doth a godly mans heart more good than all things in the world can doe as these places shew Psal. 30.5 63.7 8. 36.3 16. ult with coherence 3. The entertainment God gives his people in his house is one speciall cause of encrease of this life in us as it encreaseth both knowledge and joy and all goodnesse and satisfies the heart of man especially amongst all the things that are without us the Word of God as it is powerfully preached in Gods house is the food of this life called the savour of life unto life 2 Cor. 2.16 Christ words are the words of eternall life Iohn 6. see Psal. 36. 8. Iohn 12.50 Pro. 4.22 4. Fellowship with the godly is singular to quicken and excite the life of grace and joy and knowledge in us therefore it is an amiable thing for brethren to dwell together in unity because there God hath commanded the blessing even life for evermore Psal. 133. ult Pro. 2.20 The mouth of the righteous is a veine of life Pro. 10.11 Yea the very reproofes of instruction are the way of life Pro. 6.23 And therefore weake Christians should be instructed from hence with faith to rest upon the God of their lives who by the spirit of Christ can enable them to eternall life and with thankfulnesse to embrace all signes of Gods favour and presence and above all things in life to provide for themselves powerfull meanes in publike and good societie in private and not to be turned off from either of these by slight either objections or difficulties and to resolve to labour more for these than carnall persons would doe to have their naturall lives if they were in distresse or danger It is also excellent counsell which Saint Iude gives in this point concerning eternall life he would have us looke to foure things The first is to edifie our selves in our most holy faith striving to get in more store of Gods promises and divine knowledges and to strive to establish our hearts in our assurance of our right to them The second is to pray in the holy Ghost for he knew that powerfull prayer doth greatly further eternall life in us The third is to keepe our selves in the love of God avoiding all things might displease him chusing rather to live under the hatred of all the world than to anger God by working iniquity The fourth is to looke as often and as earnestly as we can after that highest degree of mercy and glory we shall have in the comming of Christ Iud. 1.19 20. I will conclude this point with that one counsell of Solomon Keepe thy heart with all diligence for thereout come the issues of life Christians that would prosper in spirituall life should be very carefull of the first beginnings of sin in their thoughts and desires and be very diligent in nourishing all good motions of the holy Ghost preserving their peace and joy in beleeving with all good consciences Pro. 4.23 Thus of the fourth point 5. Now for the differences of life in these degrees especially the first and last degree they are very great for though eternall life in the first degree be a treasure of singulaâ— value yet the glory of this life doth greatly excell as it is to be held in another world I intend not to compare life in heaven with naturall life here for that is not worthy to be mentioned in the ballance with that eternall life of glory but with eternall life it selfe as it is held by the godly only in this world And so the difference is very great 1. In respect of the place where the godly live in each degree 2. In respect of the meanes of preservation of life in each degree 3. In respect of the company with whom we live in each degree 4. In respect of the quality of life it selfe 5. In respect of the effects of life eternall in each degree For the first There is great difference betweene the life of grace and the life of glory in the very place of living Here we live in an earthly tabernacle in houses of clay there we shall live in eternall mansions buildings that God hath made without hands 2 Cor. 5.1 Here we live on earth there in heaven Here we are strangers and pilgrims far from home Hâ—b 11. there we shall live in our Fathers house Here we are in Egypt there we shall live in Canaan Here wee live where death sorrow and sin and Divels dwell there we shall live in a place where God and immortality and all holinesse dwels 2 Pet. 3.13 Here we are but banished men there we shall live in the celestiall Paradise Here we have no abiding City but there we shall abide in the new Jerâ—sâ—lem that is above The glory of the whole earth can but shadow out by similiâ—ude the very walls and gates of that Citie Rev. 21. Here wee can but enter into the holy place there we shall enter into the most holy place Heb. 10.19 To conclude there we shall enter into the heaven of heavens which for lightnesse largenesse purenesse delightfulnesse and all praises almost infinitely excells the heavens we enjoy in this visible world For the second In this life unto the
divers respects Marks of such as are true members of Sion 1 King 19.1 21 Revel 14.5 Psal. 65.1 Speciall prerogatives of Siâ—n and the true members of it Esay 4.5 Esay 33.20 Vse 8. Esay 49 1â— Note How we may get an esteeme of Christ above all things How we manifest our account of Christ as precious Note Note Psal. â—27 5 Meanes by which God keeps the beleever from being confounded In what things the beleever shall not be confounded Rom 3.25 How far the godly may be confounded Conditions of such as wil not be confounded What sorts of men shall suffer shame and confusion Rules for the applying of the Word 〈◊〉 Rules for meditation What it is to beleeve and in how many things it is seen Marks of a true saving faith Signs of a weak but yet a true faith in weak Christians Vse Vnbeleeveâ—s are guilty of disobedience in divers respects Disobediencâ— aggravated How far wicked men may be called Builders How it comes to passe that many great and learned men oppose the truth of the Gospell By what means an ignorant simple man may stay his heart notwithstanding the oppositions of learned and wise men Mat. 11.15 1 Cor. 1.18 Châ—ist is many waies refused How Church-men viz. builders mâ—y refuse Christ. Note Vses Iudgements inflicted on some particular offenders belong to all for divers reasons Spirituall plagues are worse than temporall crosses for divers reasons Note Scandall defined and distinguished Quest. Answ. Wicked men wâ—re offended as Christ in many things Eâ—a 53.2 Ioh. 18.36 Mat. 9.10 Object Sol. Note Wherein wee are not to regard the offence of wicked men In what things we may be guilty of giving offence to wicked men Rules for the preventing of scandall How many waies wicked men may despaire Rev. 1.7 6 16. Preservatives against despair Speciall differences between the despaire of the godly and the wicked How wherein men take offence at the Word Proofes of reprobation Certaine observations for the quieting of our mindes in the doctrine of reprobation The specialties of Election Signes of Election Mâ—rks of such as truly suffer with Christ. Rules to live so as becomes thâ— assurance of Election Godly Christians come of the bâ—st kinred which â—pâ—eares by many reasons Godly men are Royall many wayes Differences between spirituall and earthly Kings Christians are holy many wayes Speciall rules for the right ordering of us in an holy conversation Meanes for obtaining an holy conversation Differences between the holinesse of conversation in civiâ—l honest men and Gods elect Differences beâ—weene the hypocrite and Gods elect in the holinesse of conversation The sixth prerogative is their number The acceptation of the words Doct. The sense as the word is taken for praises The division The first 〈◊〉 Five things we are not to 〈…〉 Nine vertues in Christ which we must shew forth in our lives 1 Wisedome How we should shew it viz. five wayes What it must not have in it 2 Mâ—eknesse shewed in 〈◊〉 things 3 Humility which is shewed three wâ—ies 4 Contempt of 〈◊〉 world sâ—â—wed in foure things 5 Mâ—rcy shewed 〈◊〉 wayes 6 Patience to be shewed foure wayes Three motives 7 Compassion to enemies 8 Inoffensivenes 9 Love to the godly How many wayes we shew forth the vertues of Christ. Seven wayes wherein wee may offend by outward shews Use. Motives to the shew of vertue Why the vertues in us are called the vertues of Christ. Sorts of callings Seven gifts of God Distinction of calling Foure things in the order of working our calling Eight signes of an effectuall calling Five rules that shew us how to walke worthy of our calling The misery of such as refuse their calling shewed in eight things Of the estate of such as have temporary grace The remembrance of our misery past is profitable in six respects The â—â—ceptations of the word Darknesse Degrees of darknesse Nine aggravations of the darknesse is in wicked men Foure signes of spirituall darknesse Sixe Differences betweene the darknesse iâ— in godly men and that which is in wicked men Acceptations of the word Light In how many respects the light of the godly is marvellous Of the calling of the Gentiles in generall Use. Many sorts of people in Scripture Why wicked men are said not to bee a people Who are not Gods people Men are Gods people three wayes Ier. 31.3 How Gods people excell all other people Rules for Gods people how to carry themselves to God Excuses of wicked men refuted What wicked men in particular are not under mercy Why many obtain not mercy Foure properties of Gods mercy 1 It is tender many wayes 2 It is immense 3 It is free mercy and that divers wâ—ies Gods mercy is eternall Nine effects of Gods mercy Use 1. Use 2. Helpes to obtaine merâ—y How many waies Gods people are the onely beloved ones Use. How Christians may preseâ—ve this love Lusts to beâ— especialy avoided Three differences of lusts in godly men and wicked men Helpes to avoid lusts Use. Lusts are fleshly in divers respect Eight evill properties and effects of the flesh How these lusts hurt the soules of wicked men as also the souls of godly men Soule taken in divers senses A discription of the Soule Seaven things very considerable in mans Soule Psal. 49.18 The Soule is a substance The soule is not a bodily substance The soule is immortal Eus. Eccl. Hist. l. 2. c 26. Aug. tom 6. de haeres c. 8.3 The originall of the soule Anima non est ex traduce God creates the Soule Union of the soule with the body how The faculties of the soule 1 Vegetation 2 Sense 1 Outward 2 Inward senses Of the facultie of reason in the soule wherein it excels The end why the soule was made Foure kinds of warre against the Soule The flesh wars against the soule five waies Why God doth suffer this war How many waies wee get victory over our lusts Signes to know whether we be overcomne of our lusts Six things to be looked to to expresse a faire conversation Use. In what cases it is lawfull to converse with wicked men Causes why godly meâ— are evill spoken of In what cases it is hurtfull to speake evill of godly men Reasons against evill speaking In what cases in particular it is odious to speake evill Helpes against reproaches to â—eare them Wherein workes are good Rules to be observed in doing good workes Kindes of good workes Esa. 16.8 How a godly man may comfort 〈◊〉 in his workes What workes are good for How a man may lose his workes What workes may be shewed What workes ought not to be shewed How God is glorified by himselfe How God is glorified of us in generall How God is glorified of us in particular Motives to the care of glorifying God Helps to glorifie God By what means God may bee brought into our mindes Helps to conceive aright of God How God is to be magnifâ—ed in our hearts and by what means The
the Messias to come 2. By the whole ceremoniall law and service For all those were shadowes of Christ to come But the Gospell is said to be hid and concealed from ages and generations c. Rom. 16.26 Eph. 3.5 Col. 1.26 The text is as it is now It did appeare but not so clearly But how doth this doctrine of the Gospell differ from other Scripture especially from the law 1. In the manner of revelation The law is written in some sort in the heart of man Rom. 2.15 but the Gospell now may not be knowne to nature but revealed by Christ Mat. 16.17 2. In the subject of doctrine The Law tels us what we should be but not how we can be so Now the Gospell shews us a full and sufficient righteousnesse in Christ that will be availeable The Law saith pay what thou owest doe this and thou shalt live But the Gospell saith beleeve the promise and thou shalt be saved 3. In the continuance of the force of it The gospell is an everlasting gospell God will never alter his mind whereas he hath changed his mind for the covenant of works But is it the Ministers duty onely to publish the gospell in that the Apostle saith by them which preached It is chiefly For to produce the effects before mentioned it is his calling who hath commission from God to be his embassador yet private persons may comfort one another with these things But is the gospell onely effectuall when it is preached It is most effectuall then and that is the ordinary meanes God hath appointed 1 Pet. 1. ult The Uses are First for Ministers and so 1. For consolation For the excellency of the subject exalts the dignity of their calling they are trusted with a very glorious embassage Rom. 15.16 17. 16.26 therefore never be ashamed of it Rom. 1.16 and this was taught by Christ himselfe Mat. 4.13 and those Eph. 3.4 2. For Instruction Therefore to serve God in their spirits even with their whole hearts Rom. 1.9 and suffer all things rather then hinder the Gospell 1 Cor. 9.12 Paul saies It is better for mee to dye then to make my glorying void Secondly for the people 1. For instruction 1. To pray for their teachers that God would open their mouthes and make their hearts fat with his goodnesse herein Eph. 6.19 and to esteeme them as Rom. 1â— 15 2. To receive it with all gladnesse and power yea and affliction too 1 Thes. 1.4 5. 2. For terror to wicked men that contemne or neglect so great salvation this is preached for a witnesse against worlds of them Mat. 24.14 The anger of â—od will be revealed from heaven against them Rom. 1.18 God will search mens hearts both for desires and care and for contempt too 1 Thes. 2.4 Act. 15.7 8. and at the day of judgement the terrible vengeance of God shall fall upon them 2 Thes. 1.8 1 Tim. 1.9 10 11. This makes their judgement greater Thus of the lesse principall The most principall cause is the holy Ghost sent downe from heaven By the holy Ghost sent downe from heaven The meaning is to affirme that the things propounded in the Gospell are the more eminent because they were effected by the very holy Ghost This that is here â—â—id that the holy Ghost was sent from heaven was first and principally fulfilled in the dayes of the Apostles and chiefly then also in the day of Pentecost as is shewed in the second of the Acts. But secondarily it is true of all faithfull Ministers that the holy Ghost works wonderfully from heaven in the power of the Gospell Ghost It is an old English word and signifieth a spirit and the Spirit of God is called an holy Ghost or spirit 1. for distinction sake and 2. by effect For Gods Spirit is holy that is it hath all holinesse and it hath it in it selfe not by illumination from any other higher cause and so are not the spirits of men and Angels holy mens spirits have sinne in them on earth and the Angels and blessed soules in heaven have no holinesse but what they received 2. Gods Spirit is holy by effect For it his proper work to sanctifie the elect and so to work holinesse upon the spirits of men by spirituall regeneration But why is Gods Spirit called a holy Spirit rather â—hen wise or mercifull c First when we call him holy we comprehend all that in it for wisdome and mercy are but parts of holinesse Secondly in respect of us and his working in us it is a most proper word for it notes his working in the Elect above all reprobates Fâ—r a man may be a wise man and yet perâ—sh Mat. 11 2â— 1 Cor. 1.19 and a man may give all his goods to the poore and yet it is nothing 1 Cor. 13.3 but now if a man be made a holy man hee is sure to be saved Well then the first doctrine is that Gods Spirit is a holy Spirit which may serve for divers uses 1. To exalt in us a further sense of Gods goodnesse that is pleased to put his Spirit within us seeing our hearts are so uncleane and his Spirit so holy 2. It may humble uâ— and feare us from sinne if we belong to Christ we carry about with us the Spirit of Christ Rom. 8.9 Now think of it then thou canst not sin but thou hast a witnesse and a Judge within thee Besides the very respect of the holy Ghost should move thee to feare sinne for sinne grieves the holy Ghost and hinders his work of sealing thee up to the day of redemption Eph. 4.30 3. It should encourage uâ— in the works of mortification for Gods Spirit hath his name of holinesse and though it be never so hard yet by the Spirit wee shall be made able in some measure to mortifie the deeds of the flesh Rom. 8.10 and to walk in Gods statutes Ezech. 36.27 Secondly if we consider why the holy Ghost is hâ—re named wee may learn that the holy Spirit of God is the first and chiefe cause of all that grace which either Ministers or people enjoy in the gospell Which may first comforts us against all the impediments of the gospell Oh might some men have thought a 100. yeares agoe how is it possible to bring downe the power of Antichrist why by the Spirit of Christs mouth he will consume him 2 Thes. 2. In the mouth of Christ in the preaching of the Gospell there is a Spirit even the Spirit of God which will doe more then 10000. armed men to pull him downe Oh might some one think I shall never understand or never remember so many holy comforts and instructions why the Spirit of God will teach us to profit and leade us into all truth and help our infirmities when wee deale with God and his ordinances and pull downe those strong holds which Sathan hath to hinder the obedience
Solomon Eccles. 11.9 Dan. 7. Mal. 4. and many more after the Law by Christ Mat. 24. Paul 2 Thes. 1. Peter 2 Pet. 3. Iohn Rev. 2â— 2. The types of it which are so many pledges doe certainly though fearfully foretell it such as were those dreadfull executions done upon wicked men in all ages as the drowning of the world the burning of the Cities Sodome c. the opening of the earth to swallow Corah Dathan and Abiram the destruction of Ierusalem c. yea he spared not the very Angels Iud. 6.2 Pet. 2.4 These stupendious works are monuments of a strange judgement to come 3. The exact fulfilling of the signs so many of them as belong to times past and present which were given as fore-runners of that judgement such as were 〈◊〉 Christs warres the apostacie of the Church the detection and falling of Antichrist c. 4. From the need of it for in this world the godly are oppressed and not righted and the wicked flourish and are not punished many times therefore of necessity there must be a time wherein all these things must be set in order 1. Let every man repent Act. 17.30 Here is no trifling it will certainly be and therefore repent or perish 2. Judge nothing before the time let us not judge one another but leave all judgement to God 1 Cor. 4.4 3. Let us not be impatient or fret at the prosperity of the wicked or be discouraged at the afflictions of the righteous for there shall come a time wherein the godly shall have full reward and honor and wicked men everlasting shame and paine Every man The whole world must come to judgement good and bad wee must all appeare before the Tribunall seat of Iesus Christ 2 Cor. 5.10 not onely all the godly but all the wicked of all sorts which will appeare by a distribution 1. The Pagans shall come to judgement such as have sinned without the law Rom 2. 2. The Iewes that crucified Christ or still doe deny him to be come in the flesh Rom 2. 3. Papists 2 Thes. 2. 4. Atheists that mock at his comming 2 Pet. 3.3 In the true Church 1. Grosse offenders Mal. 3.7 Rev. 21. 22. 2. Civill honest men Mat. 5.19 3. Rich and mighty men of the world God will not accept the person of Princes Iob 34.19 Iam. 5.1 3. 4. Hypocrites Mat. 23. Psal. 5â— 16 5. The unmercifull Mat. 25. Iam. 2.13 6. Apostates Heb. 10.27 2 Pet. 2. 7. All that trouble the godly 2 Thes. 1. Gal. 5 1â— 8. Inordinate censurers Rom. 2.1 2.3 Iam. 3.1 9. All unruly persons that will not be ordered according to Gods ordinances Mat. 25. goates 10. All that use scant measures wicked balances and false weights Mat. â— 10 11. Yea as I said before all the godly must be judged we must all appeare It is said the godly shall not be judged Iob. 3.18 6.54 They shall not be judged with the judgement of condemnation The Use. Therefore every man should stir up his heart to a carefull examination of himselfe and make his account and provide for his answer at that day and the rather should wee attend hereunto because the most men are after an unspeakable manner forgetfull of their latter end and suffer themselves to be drowned in the cares of life as if there were no time of chaâ—ging or reckoning The fourth and last point is the cause of the judgement imported in these words according to their works According to their works It shall be tâ— every man at that day according to his works if his works be evill he shall be damned if his works be good he shall be saved 2 Cor. 5 1â— Rom. 2. For the better understanding of this doctrine divers questions and objections are to be resolved It seemes then faith shall not be inquired after It shall yea and that chiefly as appeares in the 7. verse of this Chapter and in many other Scriptures which avouch we are saved by faith yea and works are mentioned to this end because by them Christ shall evidently prove to the world the faith of his Elect hee will thâ—n shew their faith by their works yea faith is comprehended under the word works as being indeed the noblest of all works and that which most shineth in the life of a Christian it is the chiefe obedience required in the Gospell and the just live by their faith But how can works be looked upon in the Elect seeing they are not acknowledged as having merit in them Can they be saved by their works Works shall be inquired after in the godly not as meritorious causes of their salvation for the merit of heaven is onely in Christs works which onely are perfect But works shall be examined and judged 1. As the witnesses in that Assise that give in evidence concerning their calling and faith 2. As the conditions of Gods promises concerning reward in heaven not for their merit but of Gods free grace that will so crowne them Observe that the Scripture no where saith for their works but according to their works But how can the works of men be numbred they are so infinite The books shall then be opened viz. first the booke of Gods remembrance in which are fast graven the deeds of all men Rev. 20. Mal. 3.16 Secondly the consciences of all men shall be extended to an exact view of all the works of their life past By what law shall mens works be examined seeing the Pagans have not the Scriptures to guide them and the faithfull have not fulfilled the morall law in their owne persons The infidels shall be judged by the law of nature Rom. 2. the wicked in the Church by the morall law and the godly by the Goâ—pâ—ll Shall not wicked men be judged for their originall sin but onely for their evill works By works may be meant 1. both the worke of our fall in Adam as well as 〈…〉 worke 2. This phrase according to workes doth include all workes and yet not exclude the respect of other things besides workes aâ— faith in the godly and originall sinne in the wicked 3. Workes are but the â—ruits of corruption of nature and so synâ—â—dochically it is comprehended under them But shall no man be then judged for other mens workes as well as for their owne may not children be iudged for their fathers sinnes or one man iudged for the evill done by another as the Pharises for the blood of Abel and Zacharâ—as God as an absolute Monarch and iust governor may with temporall punishments chastise the posterity of wicked Parents and to warn the world 〈…〉 but hee cannot iudge them to eternall damnation further then they be guilty of their fathers sinnes either by consent assistance or 〈…〉 the Pharises be sent to hell for Abels bloud onely to farre as they were not warned by that example to avoid bloud To con 〈◊〉 no man
thereby to a flint stone which being smitten the sparkles as if it had fire in it give fire and light to other things It is true that Christ hath life in himselfe and doth give the sparkles upon the flames of life and light to other men But I thinke the stone here doth not import so much by any likenesse in it because it is a corner stone in the building which usually neither is nor can be of flint But he is said to be a living stone to distinguish him from materiall stones and by that word living to shew what the metaphor stone cannot resemble For though a stone might shadow out the continuance and eternity of Christ by the lastingnesse of it yet life is given here to Christ not onely because he lives himselfe and can doe no more Rom. 6.9 But because he is by effects life that is he makes life in the godly whereby they become living stones also The maine doctrine here intented is that Christ is the onely foundation of the Church Ob. David is said to be a stone and a hard stone of the corner Psal. 118. Sol. David was so onely by way of type his life being somewhat like the state of Christ in respect in the oppositions of men and preferment from God and that that place doth specially belong to Christ appeares by the application of Christ himselfe Matth. 21.32 Ob. But the Apostles are said to be the foundation of the church Eph. 2.20 Sol. The place is to be understood of the doctrine of the Apostles which treats in one maine point of Christ. Ob. But the Church is founded upon Peter Sol. The Church is not builded upon Peter but upon the rock which was the confession of Peter and so the doctrine of Christ for the text doth not say super banc Petrum but super banc Petram Vse The use may be first for confutation of the Papists about their blasphemous doctrine in ascribing this glory of being the foundation of the Church unto Peter and so to the Pope which they doe most absurdly for that place Matth. 16.18 is not understood of Peters person but of his confession And besides if it had beene true of Peter by what word of Scripture shall it be proved that it is true of the Pope who is not once named in Scripture except hee bee described as Antichrist Besides if the Church be built upon Peter or the Pope then it will follow we must believe in Peter and the Pope else wee cannot bee founded on them which is extremely blasphemous but that it may bee put out of all doubt let us heare the testimonie of Peter himselfe who best knew his owne right and you see in this text Peter saies Christ is the living stone and not hee This likewise imports the misery of all such as runne after other gods their sorrowes shall be multiplied Psalm 16.4 They build in the sand quite besides the foundation and so doe the Papists that put their trust in Saints and Angels But especially this should teach us as wee are here exhorted to build all our faith and hope in Christ and to cleave to him in all uprightnesse of heart and life and the rather because this stone hath seven 〈◊〉 and most perfectly viewes all and every part of this building that every stone bee set right c. Zachar. 3.9 Especially we should rest upon this stone when wee have any great sute to God and have occasion to continue to hold up your hands in praier and so we shall prosper as it was with Moses Exod. 17.12 Lastly it should bee the singular joy of our hearts when wee see the corner stone cast downe and God begin to build in any place the work of godlinesse and religion Wee have more cause to rejoice for that spirituall worke then the Iewes had to shout when the corner stone of the Temple was brought out to bee laid for a foundation of the building Zachar. 4.7 10. Thirdly the third thing said of Christ is that he was disallowed of men Disallowed of men This is added of purpose to prevent scandall which might arise from the consideration of the meane entertainment the Christian Religion found in the world The point is plaine that Christ was disallowed of men and this is evident in the stone The greatest part of the world regarded him not The Gentiles knew him not and the Iewes received him not Though three things in Christ were admirable his doctrine his life his miracles yet the Iewes beleeved not in him Hee came unto his owne and his owne received him not Nay they reviled him called him Samaritane and said he had a Divell They preferred a murtherer before him and their wise men even the Princes of this world crucified the Lord of life and glory This as it was storied by the Euangelists so it was foretold by the Prophets Esay 53. and 49.8 and so we see he is still of almost the whole world The Pagans yet know him not The Iewes yet renounce him The Turk receiveth him but as a Prophet The Papists receive him but in part and wicked men denie him by their lives Vses The first impression this should make in our hearts is admiration and astonishment This should be marvellous in our eies that men refuse the Sonne of God miserable men their Saviour captives their Redeemer and poore men such unspeakable riches as is offred in Christ that almost all mankind should be guilty of this sinne so as in comparison he should be Elect onely of God Secondly since this was foreseene and foretold we should be confirmed against scandall and like never a whit the worse of Christ or Religion for the scornes and neglects of the world Thirdly since the world disallowes Christ we may hence gather what account wee should make of the world and the men of the world we have reason to separate from them that are separated from Christ and not to love them that love not the Lord Jesus 1 Cor. 16.23 Fourthly we may hence see how little reason we have to take the counsels and judgements of carnall men though our friends and never so wise in naturall or civill wisdome their counsels were against Christ they disallow Christ and all Christian courses Fiftly why are we troubled for the reproaches of men and why doe we feare their revilings Shall we heare that Christ was disallowed and shall we be so vexed because we are despised Nay rather let us resolve to despise the shame of the world and to follow the author of our faith even in this crosse also Sixtly wee may be hence informed that indiscretion or sinne is not alwaies the cause of contempt For Christ is disallowed and yet without all spot of indiscretion or guile Seventhly and chiefly we should looke every one to our selves that we be not of the number of those that disallow Christ. For Christ is still disallowed of men and if any aske Question Who are they
any aske what is good to quicken us against the deadnes of our hearts Answ. I answer First faith and assurance makes a mans heart alive wee live by faith Secondly wee must goe still to Christ who is the life and by praier still draw the water of life out of his wells of salvation Thirdly the word of God is lively Heb. 4.12 Fourthly godly society and a profitable fellowship in the Gospell puts life into men there is a great deale of provocation to good workes in it Fiftly wee should often meditate of the gaine of godlinesse and of the privileges of the promises belonging to the godly Vse This doctrine implies a great deale of reproofe also First to Hypocrites that have a name that they live but they are dead Revel 3. â— Secondly to deelining Christians that suffer their first love to abate in them and can bee contented to lose sensibly the power of affections which formerly they had Thirdly to many drooping Christians which out of melancholy and unbeliefe affect a kind of wilfull sadnes and heartlesues hindring thereby their own assurance and causing the easie yoak of Christ to be ill thought of besides many other inconveniences Thus of the second thing Be yee built up It may be read either in the Imperative mood or in the indicative I think the imperative answers more to the scope here it being the drift to shew what we must doe when we come to Christ. The third thing then we must doe that wee might extract vertue out of Christ for holinesse of life is we must be built up which imports two things First progression in faith and secondly repentance Wee must not beging only 〈◊〉 say the foundation but we must still labour to be built up further we 〈◊〉 be â—â—ill edified in our most holy faith Iude 20. verse Now that this may be attainted unto that we may be built up the fimilitude imports divers things First preparation A man that will goe about the worke of godlinesse 〈◊〉 think he goes about the building of a town and therefore must cast up his 〈◊〉 for 〈◊〉 charge of it and get his stuffe prepared before hand Secondly a constant relying upon Christ if we build we must build upon the rock and not on the sands Mat. 7. and 16. Thirdly the warrant of 〈◊〉 our actions out of the word of God VVhen Moses was to build the tabernacle he made it just according to the patterne in all things about it c. Fourthly a respect of things necessary wâ—e must not be intangled with 〈…〉 and doubtfull disputations The building of a Christian must be a 〈◊〉 palace He must build gold silver precious stones be must keep his 〈…〉 choice and necessary things 〈…〉 8.9 1 Cor. 3.1 Timoth. 1.4 Fiftly Counsell and Direction Men must endure the hewing and squarâ—â—◠〈◊〉 5.17 18. To this end are Ministers given Eph. 4. 12. The world 〈◊〉 Aâ—â—â— 20. 32. and so good conference may ediâ—ie or 〈…〉 Eph. 4. 29. Sixtly 〈…〉 building must have her distractions cast out â— Cor. 7. 52. David could not build 〈◊〉 Temple because of his warres and his â—â—rest on every side Seventhly Order and distinction Men must not take together a great deale of stuffe without order confusedly This is to build Babel and not Sion Eighthly Unity with the godly The building must hold proportion with the walls as well as with the foundation Psal. 122. 3. 1 Cor. 8. â— and 13. Rom. 15.2 Eph. 4.12 16. Ninthly Sobriety in the use of lawfull things All things are lawfull but all things edifie not 1 Cor. 10.23 Tenthly Prayer for except the Lord build the house in vaine doe they labour that build it Psal. 127.1 Out of all this wee may informe our selves concerning the causes of not profiting in many The reason why many Christians are not built up or why they encrease not in godlinesse is that they are guilty of these or some of these things implied in these directions First some profit not by reason of their irresolution about the taking up of their crosse in following Christ They thrust into the profession of Religion before they have sitten downe to câ—st what this profession may cost them and so in the evill day fall away Luk. 14.28 Secondly some can never thrive because they place their godlinesse onely in the frequencie of hearing the Word and the outward observance of Gods ordinances These build in the sands they lay no sure foundation Math. 7. 26. Thirdly others faile through unbeliefe and so either by neglecting the assurance of Gods savour in Christ or by misplacing their confidence trusting upon their owne works or Saints or Angels or the pardoâ—s or penances granted or enjoyned them These are not built upon the rock Mat. 16. Fourthly others prosper not because they come not to the light of the Scriptures to set whether their works be wrought in God or no. Fifthly others are distracted either with unnecessary disputations Rom. 14.1 or with excessive cares of life Luke 21.34 Sixthly others are undone with selfe-conceitednesse they are stubborne and will not be advised or directed or reproved Seventhly disorder or confusednesse in matters of Religion is the cause in others This is a wonderfull common defect men doe not goe to worke distinctly to see their works finished one after another Eighthly others are kept back with personall discords and jangling Envie or malice or contention or misrule eaâ—â— out the very heart of godlinesse Ninthly others are letted by intemperancie in being drowned in the love of pleasures They build they sowe they eat and drink and follow pastines neglecting the care of better things Lastly neglect of prayer is an usuall let and grievous impediment A spirituall house This is the fourth thing required of Christians They must be as a spirituall house unto Christ they must be that to Christ that was signified by the Tabernacle or the Temple For every Christian is the substance of that which was signified by the Tabernacle Christ hath a five-fold Tabernacle For first in the Letter the Tabernacle or Temple at Ierusalem was the House of God and Christ. Secondly the whole world is but the Tent of Christ who hath spred out the heavens like a curtaine c. Thirdly the heaven of the Blessed is the Tabernacle of Christ the place where God and Christ dwell with the Saints Revel â—â— â— and 13.6 Fourthly the body of Christ is a Tabernacle for the Godhead Col. 2.9 And so it is that the Word is said to become flesh and dwelt amongst us viz. in his body as in a Tabernacle Iohn 1.14 And thus Christ calleth his owne body a Temple Iohn 2.21 Fifthly the heart of man is the Tabernacle of Christ and so both the whole Catholique Church is his Tabernacle Eph. 2.21 or the publick assembly of the Saints Psalm 15.1 or else the heart of every particular beleever and so the power of Christ did rest upon Paul as
in a Tabernacle 2. Cor. 12.9 so are we said to be the Temple of God 2 Cor. 6.17 I take it in the last sense here Every particular beleever is like the Tabernacle in divers respects First in respect of the efficient causes and so there are divers similitudes For as the Tabernacle did not build it selfe but was the worke of cunning men so is it with us our hearts naturally are not Temples of Christ but are made so Secondly as God raised up skilfull men for the building of the Temple or Tabernacle so doth God raise up Ministers for the erecting of the Frame of this spirituall House to Christ. Hence they are called Builders 1. Cor. 3. And thirdly as there was difference of degrees and Bezaleel and Aholiab were specially inspired of God with skill above the rest so hath Christ given some to be Apostles Master-builders and some Evangelists and Pastors and Teachers for the building up of the Church till hee come againe Secondly in respect of the adjuncts of the Tabernacle and those were two First moveablenesse secondly furniture For the first The Tabernacle though it were Gods House had no constant or certaine resting-place till Salomon at the building of the Temple tooke it into the most holy place and was taken asunder and easily dissolved such are we though honoured with the presence of Christ yet our Tabernacle must be dissolved and we shall never be at rest till we be setled in the most holy place in heaven 2 Cor. 5.1 7. For the second which is the furniture of the Tabernacle it must be considered two wayes either on the in-side or on the out-side First for the in-side there were curtaines of fine linnen and blue silk and scarlet c. and it was furnisht with admirable houshold-stuffe as I may so call it Within it was the Mercy-feat the Table of shew-bread the Manna the Altar of incense and for burnt offrings the Candlestick and such like Secondly without it was all covered with Ramms-skins died red and Badgers skins upon them and what dothall this signifie in generall but that the Godly though they be outwardly black and tanned with sinne and affliction yet they are glorious within and have curtains like the curtains of Salomon all richly hanged as the chambers of Princes with spirituall tapestry Cavt 1.5 And in particular for the in-side of Christians how glorious is the place of Christs Tabernacle in them There is the Propitiate Gods true feat of mercy whence also he uttereth his Oracles even his divine answers There is the heavenly Manna that is hid Revel 2. There doth Christ spiritually feast it there hee dines and sups on the table of their hearts and upon that table stands the shew-bread inasmuch as the heart of a Christian doth preserve a standing manner of affection to the Saints There are also both sorts of Alâ—â—â— accordingly as faith offereth up to God either the redemption or th intercession of Christ. There also is the great Laver to wash-in called the Sâ—â— because in the heart of every Christian is opened the fountaine of grace able like the Sea to wash them from all their filthinesse There are the golden Candlesticks with the lamps of saving knowledge continually 〈◊〉 in themâ— and upon the Altar of Christ crucified and now making intercession doe they daily sacrifice their owne affections which resemble those sweet odoâ—â— with which the Tabernacle was perfumed The outward coverings of the Tabernacle doe assure safety and preservation to the Godly and the rather because the cloud rested upon them as is affirmed Esay 4.5 6. Besides the double covering of slaine beasts may signifie that God hath two wayes to provide for the Church The red skins of Ramms may note Christ crucified which is that which on the in-side of the Tabernacle was onely sewed The covering of Badgers skins may note that God will serve himselfe of the wicked their skinnes shall protect the Church If Israel want roome Canaan must die for it Now thirdly the Tabernacle was a type of every beleever if we respect the end of it For the Tabernacle was erected of purpose as the place of the presence of God God's visible House such are the hearts of Christians they are prepared of purpose for the entertainment of Iesus Christ that by his Spirit he may live and dwell therein Galath 2.20 Col. 1.27 2 Corin. 12.9 2 Cor. 13.5 Vse The use of all may be both for instruction and consolation For instruction and so it should teach us divers things First to abhorre fornication seeing our bodies are the temples of the holy Ghost 1 Cor. 6. 21. Secondly to keepe our selves for being unequally yoked Because there can be no communion betweene light and darknesse the Temple of God and Idols Thirdly to looke to our hearts in respect of inward sinnes and to keepe the roome cleane for the Lord to dwell in 2 Cor. 7.1 Fourthly to stir up our selves to much prayer if our hearts be the house of God let them be a house of prayer also Fifthly let us still lift up our hearts as everlasting doores for the Lord of Glory to come in Psal. 24.7 For consolation Shall we not say as Paul doth Wee will rejoyce in our infirmities that the power of Christ may dwell in us How should wee hold up our head against all tentations and afflictions Is not the grace of Christ sufficient for us 2 Cor. 12.9 And shall wee not be confident that through Christ we can do all things Will he forsake the house upon which his Name is called Will hee not perfect his owne worke and repaire his owne dwelling place Was the Tabernacle safe in the wildernesse while the cloud was upon it and are not our hearts safe while Christ is in them How are the abject Gentiles honored Col. 1.27 whose hearts are so enriched by Christ that dwels in them If the outward Sanctuary were like high Palaces Psal. 78.69 what is the heart of man the true Tabernacle and if he established it as the earth how much more hath hee established us in his favour and grace so that it may comfort us in respect of honor done to our hearts and against tentations and afflictions and in respect of hope of perseverance and also in respect of encrease of power and well-doing He wil work our works for us And it shewes us also the honor cast upon our good works they have a noble beginning in respect of Christ and as they come from him Howsoever wee ought to be abased for our owne corruptions that cleave unto them Yea how should it wonderfully establish our hearts in all estates to think that Christ is with us wheresoever we goe not onely as our witnesse but as our guide and our protector If God be with us who can be against us As also it is comfortable if wee consider the comparisons imported in the furniture of the outward Tabernacle And thus much of the fourth thing The fifth
whom God will shew mercy not for what cause Secondly when he saith he will shew mercy it evidently excludes merit For it is mercy that God will bestow such great things upon men for their workes for there is no proportion betweene our workes and the goodnesse we receive from God When we have done all we should account our selves unprofitable servants Ob. But it seemes Gods mercy is caused by merit for God shewes us mercy for the merits of Christ If Christ deserve it then it seemes it is not free Sol. First mercy excludes merit in us though not in Christ. Secondly it was mercy that God gave us Christ to merit for us And thus of the third property of Gods mercy Fourthly Gods mercy is the more admirable yet in that it is eternall God will not change his Word Hee keepeth his covenant and mercy with his servants 1 King 8.23 Gods mercies have beene from all eternity Psal. 25.6 and he will not take away his mercy from his servants Psalm 89.34 but his mercy and loving kindnesse shall follow them all the dayes of their life Psal. 23. ult His mercies are new every morning hee hath never done shewing of mercy Lament 3.23 Isaiah 33.3 He is still building up his mercies and will never leave till he have finished them in an everlasting frame of unspeakable glory Psalm 89.2 His mercy is everlasting and endureth for ever Psalm 103.3 and 136. from everlasting to everlasting Psalm 103.17 God may forsake his people for a moment to their thinking in a little wrath he may hide his face but with everlasting mercies he will receive them As he hath sworne that the waters of Noah shall no more cover the earth so hath hee sworne hee will no more be wrath with his people The hills may be removed and the mountaines may depart but Gods covenant of peace shall not bee removed saith the Lord that hath mercy on thee Isaiah 54.7 to 11. If Gods covenant be not with day and night and if he have not appointed the ordinances of heaven and earth then may he cast away his servants and their â—eed Ierem. 33.25 26. But we see the course of nature is firme and therefore ought to be more assured of the firmenesse of the covenant of Gods mercy to his people The effects of mercy follow To obtaine mercy is to obtaine those benefits which God hath promised to his people as the fruits of his mercy Where God shewes mercy First he will heare their prayers graciously this is promised Esa. 30.18 19. and pleaded by David Psal. 4.1 Secondly he sanctifies all afflictions so as whatsoever befalls the godly proceeds from mercy and not justice in God and shall worke for the best Rom. 8.28 It is Gods love that maketh him correct Heb. 12.6 7. Thirdly he heales their natures from the diseases of their mindes for to shew mercy is likewise to cure us and sanctifie us and God promiseth it Hos. 14.3 Fourthly he multiplies pardon Isa. 55.7 It is not grievous to forgive sâ—n daily when they seeke to him for forgivenesse Fifthly he delivers the soule absolutely from the pit they are free from condemnation Iob 33.27 Psal. 86.13 c. Sixthly in all dangers and weaknesses his mercy holds them up even when the godly say their foot slippeth Psal. 94.18 Seventhly he guides them in all their waies He that hath mercy on them saith the Prophet shall leade them even by the springs of water shall hee guide them Esa. 49.10 The World is like a wildernesse the wicked are like wild beasts in a desart Gods children are so provided for that God preserves them yea and himselfe findes them out meanes of singular refreshing all their dayes Eighthly he crownes them with blessings Psal. 103.4 Ninthly he gives them assurance of an immortall inheritance 1 Pet. 1.3 4. The consideration of this marvellous mercy which the godly have obtained may teach us divers things First with all thankfulnesse to acknowledge the mercy of God we should alwayes mention the loving kindnesse of God in all the experiences we have of the truth of his mercies toward us Esa. 63.7 Wee should frame our selves to an easie discourse of the glory of Gods Kingdome and talke of his power Psal. 145.8 9 10. We should bee so perswaded of this truth as freely to say that we know that the Lord is gracious and very mercifull Psal. 116.5 It is a great sinne not to remember the multitudes of Gods mercies Psal. 106.7 Oh that men would therefore indeed praise the Lord for his goodnesse c. Psal. 107. foure times repeated in that Psalme Christians should glory in it not in their riches strength wisdome c. but in this that they know God that exerciseth mercy Ier. 9.24 Secondly in all our wayes heartily to disclaime merits of workes or opinion of our worthinesse or deserts say still with the Prophet in the Psalme Not unto us not unto us Lord but to thy Name give the glory for thy mercy and truths sake Psal. 115.1 The whole frame of our salvation depends upon Gods grace not on workes Eph. 2. Tit. 3.5 Thirdly let us with David resolve to dwell in the house of the Lord for ever since our happinesse lieth in mercy and since we have the tidings of mercy in Gods house there the fountaine of this grace is daily opened unto us and we may draw water still with joy out of this Well of salvation in the Gospel Psal. â— 7 and 23. ult Fourthly wee should learne of God to be mercifull let us strive to comfort others with shewing them mercy as wee have received merâ—y from the Lord. Oh let us be mercifull as our heavenly Father is mercifull Luk. 6. Fifthly we should hence bee incouraged and resolved since we know our priviledges to goe boldly unto the throne of Grace upon all occasions to seeke mercy to helpe in the time of need We have obtained mercy of the Lord and therefore may and ought to make use of our priviledge Heb. 4.16 Secondly this doctrine of Gods mercy may serve for singular comfort to the godly and that both in the case of sinne and in the case of afflictions 1 Against the disquietnesse of the heart for sinne it should much refresh them to remember that they have obtained mercy yea though innumerable evils have compassed them about Psal. 40.11 12. and though our offences are exceeding grievous Psal. 51.1 Exod. 34.6 7. 2 Secondly in the case of afflictions many things should hence comfort us 1 That howsoever it goe with our bodies yet God hath mercy on our soules 2 That it is mercy that our afflictions are not worse that wee are not consumed Lam. 7.22 3 That in the worst afflictions God doth many waies shew mercy his mercies are new every morning Lam. 3.23 4 That though God cause griefe yet hee will have compassion to regard us according to our strength he will deale with us in measure Lament 3.32 Isaiah 27.7
and not rest satisfied till they can make all sorts of men discerne that Religion hath made them even in those things to goe beyond them And thus they should not suffer themselves to bee put downe by Papists or any carnall persons in workes of mercy or truth in their words and promises or quietnes of disposition or magnanimity or the like and the rather because their praise is of God whereas carnall men have onely the praise of men And besides the true Christian shall have a recompence of reward in heaven Ephes. 6.8 whereas the Pharisee hath his reward onely in this life And further we should bee more carefull to winne praise to our God and the true Religion than they are to get applause to themselves or a strange god And wee are in the light they are in darknes it were a shame they should do their worke better in the darke than we in the light Rom. 13. Thus of the first reason The second reason why they should be careful of their conversation is because the Gentiles are apt to speake evill of the Christians as evill doers That where as they speake evill of you as of evill doers From hence three things may bee observed First that it hath beene the lot of godly men to bee evill spoken of and traduced as wee see the Christian Churches in the primitive times were exposed to the infamous reports of the Gentiles Two things would be here explained First that it hath alwaies beene so And then the causes of it For the first that it hath alwaies beene so is cleare by instances of all times before the Law under the Law and in the time of the Gospell 1. Before the Law Ismael scoffes at Isaacâ— and Iosephs brethren scorne and revile him Iob was accused as an Hypocrite by his owne friends and scorned by the basest of the people Iob. 30.1 So was it with Moses and the Israelites Heb. 11.26 2. Under the Law David was slandered by many Psal. 31.12 The abjects tare his name and ceased not Psal. 35.15 the drunkards sang of him Psal. 69.13 he was a reproach of men a by-word a proverb c. So in the Prophet Esays time Esay 8.18 and 59.16 and 51.8 Ieremy complains that they consulted how to devise devices against him and to smite him with the tongue 3. Under the Gospell 1. Look to the Author and finisher of our faith Christ Jesus he was charged with gluttonie Mat. 11.18 blasphemy Mat. 26.65 madnes Ioh. 10.20 to bee a deceiver Ioh. 7.22 and to have a divel work by the prince of divels 2. The Apostles were made a spectacle to men and Angels and accounted as the off-scowring of all things 1. Cor. 4.9 10 13. 3. Yea it is foretold to be the case of all Christians Mat. 5.12 Gal. 4.29 The causes of those reproaches follow First in wicked men it is their naturall hatred of the truth and goodnes 1. Ioh. 2. and 3. Secondly in the divell it is his policy hereby 1. To keepe men from embracing a religion that is so traduced Acts 28. 2. To discourage and hinder the weake Christian and to make him fearefull in the way of God 3. To pull back certain men which were going towards the Kingdom of God Thirdly in Gods will hereby to trie the constancy of his servants â— and to make them live more watchfully Fourthly in Christians themselves it is Sometimes long of hypocrites that breake out into scandalous courses and so make the way of God evill spoken of Sometimes it is the indiscretion and weaknesses of some Christians which first set wicked men aworke But chiefly it is their goodnesse because they will not run with the wicked into the same excesse of riot 1 Pet. 4.5 Psal. 38.1 Ioh. 3. Thus of the first doctrine Doct. 2. The second thing may be noted from hence is That to speake evill of the godly is a property of wicked men of men not yet visited of God Such as dishonour godly Christians did never indevour to glorifie God himselfe 1 Cor. 6.9.10 Psal. 15. Rom. 1.29 30. and therefore their tongues that are given to reviling of the godly are said to bee set on fire from hell Iam. 3. Doct. 3. The third thing is That to speake evill of the good is a vice that all wicked men are guilty of as here hee supposeth it to bee the sinne of all the Gentiles so of all men by nature Rom. â— 12 13. It followeth that I should shew the uses may be made of the three doctrines together but first a question may be asked and that is Quest. Whether may not evill bee spoken of godly men at all and in no case I answer Evill may not at all be spoken of them in these cases following First in things that are hidden thou maist not judge them as thou maist not meddle with them for the thoughts and intents of their hearts 1 Cor. 4.5 Secondly in things doubtfull of which there is no proofe for in such cases all men must speake and judge the best Thirdly in things indifferent they may not bee censured either for their judgement or practice Rom. 14. Fourthly things secret though evill yet may not bee carried about or discovered for hee that reveales a secret goeth about as a slanderer Fiftly they must not bee evill spoken of for meere frailties and infirmities for love must cover a multitude of those evils and their nakednesse herein must bee covered Sixthly they must not be evill spoken of behind their backes for any evils unlesse it bee when they are incorrigible or may infect others or otherwise that their sinnes bee spoken of for some manifest glory of God Backbiting is directly condemned Seventhly not for any faults for which they have truely repented Eighthly not in any case so as to judge them with a finall sentence to pronounce absolutely of their estates that they are hypocrites or shall be damned Lastly evill must never bee spoken of them for weldoing no man may dare to call good evill Otherwise in things that are apparently evill they may bee reproved by Magistrates or Ministers or Parents or Masters yea and by any that is able to admonish so as their sinnes bee not spoken of with hatred or meere desire to disgrace them The uses of all this are for instruction and so both to wicked men and godly men And so it is needefull to bee attended because all of us either doe reproach or are reproached Wicked men should be warned if it be possible to repent of this sinne and forbeare it and that for many reasons First if they consider Gods commandement which forbiddeth all excesses of this kind Psal. 33.13 Tit. 3.1 Secondly if they consider the causes of their evil speaking which as was shewed before is the malice of their owne hearts against the truth and the especiall working of the divell who is the fire of hell that sets their tongues aworke Iam. 3. Thirdly if they consider that
the case of prayer he is called a God that delighteth to heare prayer in the case of infirmities a God that takes away iniquity and passeth by transgression and in cases of great difficulty he is conceived of as Almighty and so forth Doct. 4. It is evident from hence that God is a Judge and this point is both terrible to the wicked and comfortable to the godly It is terrible to the wicked many waies First because he is Judge of all the world all must bee judged by him Gen. 18.25 Heb. 12.23 1 Sam. 2.10 He is not a Judge of some one circuit as Judges amongst men are Secondly because hee is a Judge that needs no evidence be brought in for hee knowes all causes and is witnesse himself Ier. 29.23 and so Judges among men are not Thirdly because he judgeth for all offences he tries the hearts and the reines as well as the words and works of men Psal. 7.9 11. Earthly Judges try malefactors but in one or some few cases Fourthly because hee hath Armies of executioners hee can call to the heavens or speake to the earth and have hostes of servants to doe his will and execute his judgements Dan. 7.9 10. Psal. 50.4 22. so as none can deliver out of his hands Fiftly because hee is Judge himselfe Psal. 50.6 and 75.8 He doth not doe justice by Deputies but will heare all cases himselfe Sixtly because his judgement is the last and highest judgement and therefore there lieth no appeale from it Seventhly because he can bring men to judgement without any warning hee standeth before the doore and often seizeth upon the offender without serving any writ or giving him any summons Iames 5.9 And therefore wicked men doe very foolishly that ruffle here in the world and lift up their hornes so high and speake with such a stiffe neck and walke on in their sinnes and injuries so securely Psal. 75.5 6 7 8. Againe if God be Judge it is comfortable to penitent sinners First because repentance will alter the judgement if it be after the fact and before the sentence even in such offences as deserve everlasting death as appeareth in the case of David and the Ninivites is notified to the world Act. 17.31 whereas earthly Judges must proceed in their judgement whether the parties be penitent or no. Again it is the more comfortable that God is Judge because all parties wronged or grieved may have accesse to God and put up their supplications at any time he is ready to be found and willing to hear which is seldome true of earthly Judges Thirdly because godly men know their sentence already God hath acquitted them by his Word and by his Sonne and by his Spirit and therefore they need not feare his last judgement Doct. 5. God will judge righteously Gods judgement is a most righteous judgement Psal. 9. 8. Rom. 2.5 2 Tim. 4.8 Hee is the righteous Judge by an excellency because there is no Judge but misseth it some way only Gods judgement is alwaies righteous and it must needs be so for many reasons First because he judgeth the high as well as the low Iob 21.22 Secondly because his judgement extendeth to every offender in the world Iude 15. Earthly Judges may punish some malefactors but they leave thousands of men that are as great as they I meane as great offenders as they as for other reasons it is because they cannot apprehend them Thirdly because he judgeth for the breach of most righteous Lawes Fourthly because he will take no gifts Iob 36.18 19. Fiftly because he hateth heartily what he condemnes severely so the day of judgement is called A day of wrath Rom. 2.5 whereas man may censure other men for such faults as they themselves commit or at least are not moved to the sentence simply out of the disliking of the fault Sixtly because he is not deceived with shewes and outward appearances but his judgement is according to truth Rom. 2.2 Seventhly because it is generall according to mens works 2 Cor. 5.10 Eighthly because in the day of his judgement hee will specially honour the righteous Rom. 2.7 c. Ninthly because when a man can have no justice from men hee shall be sure to have justice from God and this is especially here intended Tenthly because he doth not judge rashly but as we see after wonderfull patience and the many daies men have had of sinning he appoints his day of judging Uses The Uses may be divers for First it shewes the wofull case of wicked men that forget God and in the hardnesse of their hearts runne on in sinne and so heap up wrath against the day of wrath Rom. 2.4 5. Secondly it should teach all men that have any care of themselves to deny all ungodlinesse and worldly lusts and to live godly and righteously and soberly in this present world Tit. 2.12 13. Thirdly it should be a singular comfort to all such as suffer wrongs and injuries in this world whether in their names or bodies or states or any way let them but be patient God will doe them justice as these places shew 2 Thes. 1.5 Psal. 4.5 Iam. 5.6 7 8. Iude 15. Doct. 6. It is the duty of Gods servants in all distresses to commit themselves and their causes to God and to his righteous providence and judgement This the example of Christ here shews us there is reason for it First because God requires we should doe so as these places shew Psal. 37.5 6. Prov. 16.3 1 Pet. 4. ult Secondly because it is not in man to direct his owne way Ier. 10.23 Thirdly because God never disappointed the trust of them that committed themselves to him Nabum 1.7 Pro. 16.3 The Use should be to teach us as we would shew our selves to beare the image of Christ and to be true Christians to practise this duty in all cases of wrong danger affliction or temptation But then withall when we have committed our cause to God we must remember these rules First never to use ill meanes to get out of distresse Esay 28.16 Secondly not to limit God but to let him doe whatsoever pleaseth him Thirdly not to be impatient or troubled but quiet our selves in God and waite and trust in him and if we finde any difficulties wee must then roule our way upon the Lord as the Psalmist saith Psal. 37.5 6 7. Fourthly we must acknowledge him in all our waies and give him glory when he doth us justice Pro. 3.6 Verse 24. Who his owne selfe bare our sinnes in his body on the tree that we being delivered from sinne should live in righteousnesse by whose stripes you were healed HItherto of the manner of the suffering of Christ. Now follows in the fift place the matter he suffered viz. He bare our sinnes amplified by shewing how and that three waies first his own selfe secondly in his body thirdly on the tree He bare our sinnes Christ may be said to beare our
hearts break that is they let the doctrine runne out and never thinke of it when they are gotten out of the Church Heb. 2.1 Or else they have resisted the light of the truth so long that God hath now delivered them over to a spirit of slumber lest they should convert and he should heal them Mat. 13.15 16. Isa. 6.10 Secondly in some the world is the cause of it For either they are entangled with the examples of the multitude especially of the wise Ones and great Ones of the world 1 Cor. 1.26 27 28. Or else they are affrighted with the evill reports with which the good way of God is disgraced in the world Act. 28.22 Or else they are insnared with respect of their carnall friends they are loth to displease father or mother or sisters or brothers or any they have great hopes from or dependance upon Mat. 10.35 37. 1 Pet. 4.2 Or else they have so much businesse to doe and so many cares about their worldly affaires they cannot be at leisure â—o long as to thiâ—ke they cannot bring their lives into order Mat. 13.22 Luke 17. Or else they live at hearts-ease and prosper in their estate and so desire not to alter their course of life and so their prosperity destroyes them Prâ— 1.32 Thirdly in some men the cause is the lust after some particular wickednesse of life in which they live either secretly or openly which sinne is the very Idol of their hearts and hinders a good resolution Fourthly in some the cause is conceitednesse they are pure in their owne cicâ— and yet are not cleansed they rest in the outward profession of religion and the feare of godlinesse and regard not the sound power of it in their lives Lastly in all unregenerate men there are three causes why they are not perswaded to a religious life First the one is the forgetfulnes of their death therefore their filthinesse is still in their skirts because they remember not their latter end Lam. 1.9 Secondly the other is that they are dead in sin What should hinder the conversion of multitudes at once but that we preach to congregations of dead men Thirdly the divell workes effectually in all the children of disobedience striving to hide the Gospel from them and the glory of a righteous life that so they might perish 1 Cor. 4.4 And thus of the second Use. Use 3. Thirdly such as consent to obey and feele themselves raised from death to life and are now desirous to spend their daies in a religious and righteous course of life must observe all such rules as may further them and establish them in an orderly and fruitfull conversation Hee that would live in righteousnesse must thinke on these directions following as the very gates of righteousnesse First he must give over all needlesse conversation with vaine persons and profane men hee must shunne their company as he would such as have the plague running upon them hee must not come neere them as is urged Pro. 14.15 For what fellowship can bee between righteousnesse and unrighteousnesse 2 Cor. 6.14 Depart from me ye evill doers saith David for I will keep the commandements of my God Psal. 119.115 Secondly he must redeeme time he must buy time from his worldly occasions and settle such an order in his worldly estate or outward estate that he may provide to serve the Lord without distraction abstayning from all things that may intangle him or interrupt him Eph. 5.16 1 Cor. 7.29 35. and 9.28 2 Tim. 2.4 He must provide to him time for Gods service and for commerce and fellowship with the godly and for works of mercy Thirdly he must be wise for himselfe that is he must in all the meanes hee useth for or in religion especially apply what hee can for his owne use and study himselfe and to understand his owne way and provide whatsoever he doe for his justification and sanctification and finall salvation Prâ— 9. 12. and 14.8 And to this end he must meddle with his owne businesse and take heed of being a busie-body in other mens matters so much as in his thoughts 1 Thes. 4.11 12. And he must also avoid vaine janglings and doubtfull disputations in religion and quarrels that tend not to his edification but to shew wit or science Tit. 3.9.1 Tim. 6.20.2 Tim. 2.23 And he must keep his eye straight upon the mark to proceed directly and distinctly in building himselfe up in knowledge and grace not losing his time or going about but keeping a straight path to supply what he wants and grow in what he hath Pro 4.25 Ier. 31.32 Hee must take heed of uncertaine running but bee sure to take accounts of himselfe for all his courses to see that hee goe very straight towards the mark and finally hee must not respect company to goe the pase of other men but run as if hee alone were to obtaine striving to excell 1 Cor. 9.24 and 14 12. Fourthly he must esteeme the Word above all treasures Psal. 119.72 Mat. 1â— and take hold of the instruction thereof as that must bee the very life of his life Pro. 4 1â— For by the Word doth God sanctifie us and make us righteous Ioh. 17. And he must order his whole course of life so as that he may see the meanes of all his actions from the Word he must live by the rules of Scripture that will live righteously Gal. 6.16 Now that he may doe thus he must looke to divers things First that he place no confidence in the flesh neither trusting upon his owne wit nor carnall reason nor gifts nor yet yeelding himselfe to be a servant to any mans humour or opinions or example or commandement Secondly he must provide to live so as he suffer not a famine of the powerfull preaching of the Word hee must labour for the meat that perisheth not Ioh. 6.27 and so exercise himselfe in the Word morning and evening that the Word may dwell plenteously in him Psal. 1.2 Col. 3.16 Thirdly he must take heed of adding any more sinnes or duties than are discovered in the Word and of detracting from any thing that is forbidden or required there Psal. 30.6 detesting conceitednesse and singularity having his conversation in all meeknesse of wisedome Iam. 3.13 Fiftly he must daily lift up his heart to God to seeke a way of him whose glory it is to teach to profit and who giveth his Spirit to lead men in the paths of righteousnesse Psal. 23. Esay 48.17 Sixtly he must remember the Sabbath day to sanctifie it For this will be both the meanes and the signes of his sanctification and true righteousnesse It is the market day for the soule Esay 58.13 14. Exod. 31.13 c. Seventhly he must haste to the comming of Christ hee must dispatch his worke as fast as he can and to this end he must cast about to finde out waies of well-doing and when he hath any projects or opportunities of well-doing he must not
are so excessively delighted with an influence after the courses they take that no arguments can enter into their hearts though they have never so good meanes used Hos. 5.4 Ninthly there is in some men a senslesse spirit a fat heart a reprobate mind so as the things they doe see yet they cannot lay them to their hearts nor be stirred by them and so for the most part they see little or nothing at all but are utterly unteachable There are of these sorts of men almost in all assemblies aad conditions of Christians where they have had the meanes with much power Esay 6.10 Acts 28.27 Tenthly there is in some a perverse spirit wilfully to reject the Word of God and all good counsell though they know they are not right and so follow vanity and become vaine 2 Kin. 17.14 15. and by following foolish vanities forsake their owne mercies Eleventhly the custome of the world hath overcome many and that makes their hearts dead and senslesse and carelesse of returning the examples of the most and of the wise men and great ones of the world hath confirmed them in their wandrings Ephes. 2.1 2. Twelfthly despaire is the cause in some they say there is no hope Ier. 18.12 Use. The Use of all should be especially to awaken the carelesse and to perswade men all shifts and excuses laid apart to set their hearts upon this worke of repentance and returning men should not be like horses or mules but receive instruction and turne unto the Lord else iniquity will be their ruine if they repent not they must perish and they doe nothing by their delaies but heape up wrath against the day of wrath They live foolishly for while they reject Gods Word what wisedome can be in them and they must die miserably Are they not as clay in the hands of the Potter and will they still provoke God to his face Yea if they frustrate the power of all the meanes they enjoy so as it may not be of effect to turne them it shall be easier for Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgement than for them yea the very dust of their feet whose ministry they have despised will rise up in judgement against them Unto the Shepheard The happinesse of the penitent consisteth in this that they live ever after under a Shepheard and Bishop for their soules First then they have a Shepheard to tend them Here divers things are to be inquired First who this Shepheard is seeing the Text mentions him not expresly The Prophet Ezekiel sâ—ith it is Gods servant David Ezek. 34.23 and in HeiÌ„ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Lord Jesus raised from the dead is said to be the great Shepheard 〈◊〉 the sheep who is therefore called David because he came oâ—e of the 〈…〉 of David Secondly who the sheepe are and they are not cattell but men Ezek. 34. ult yet not all men but Gods Elect even those his Father gave him Iohn 10.29 and those chiefely when they are returned as the coherence â—hewes Thirdly the attributes given to this Shepheard in other Scriptures Here he is named barely The Shepheard but it is profitable for us to know what kind of Shepheard he is and so foure things are said of him 1. That he is one Shepheard that is that it is he only to whom immediately the charge of these men is given Exek 34.23 2. That he is the true Shepheard and that in divers respects First in respect of his calling he came not in by the window as the theefe and robber doth but was called of God to this worke even from the womb Esay 49.1 Iohn 10.2 Secondly he is a true Shepheard because he hath all the imploiments that belong to a Shepheard he goeth out to his flocks with a rod and a staffe and his Shepheards crooke he hath a rod to drive-on his sheep both a rod of instruction and correction and he hath a crook to catch them and pull them backe and he hath a staffe to drive away evill beasts Psal. 23. Thirdly he is the true Shepheard because never Shepheard did his worke or discharged the trust and care laid upon him so faithfully The best Pastors and their actions done by those that be men and after their owne hearts yet have many frailties and faile many waies both in skill attendance and power 3. That he is the good Shepheard by an excellency Iohn 10.11 and so he is in divers respects First because other Shepheards have their flockes delivered to their hands but he seekes his sheep and hath none but such as he was faine to find out in the woods and desarts and solitary places of the world yea he left as it were his owne glory to come downe from heaven to looke these lost sheep Ezek. 34.11 12. Secondly because he laid downe his life to redeeme his sheep and to get power to bring them backe Iohn 10. 15. yea put his necke under the sword of his Fellow his Father he was contented that his owne Father should kill him Zech. 13.7 Thirdly because he keeps such sheep as have no fleeces on them but what he gives them all his were naked sheep that no other Shepheard would have taken up hee cloathes them all with the fleeces of his owne righteousnesse and so becomes the Lord their righteousnesse Ier. 23.4 6. Fourthly because he is compassioâ—â—â—ely moved with the wants and distresses of his sheep not for himselfe but for their sakes and this he shewes not onely by pitying them when they have no subordinate Shepheards to tend them but by loathing those evill Shepheards that leade them to evill pastures or any way hurt them Zech. 11.8 4. That he is the great Shepheard Heb. 13.20 and so he is in divers respects First because his sheepe are his owne Other Shepheards for the most part tend the sheepe of other men but all his sheep are his owne Iohn 10.12 Secondly because he markes all his sheep he did not only seek them when they were lost but made them when they were not Psal. 100.3 They are not only the people of his pasture but the sheep of his hands Thirdly because he hath more flockes than any Shepheard ever had for he hath flocks in all parts of the world to the very ends of the earth Micah 5.4 For he was not only to raise up the Tribes of Israel but to be a light to the Gentiles and giveth salvation to the ends of the earth Esay 49.6 Fourthly because he is great in skill and power in skill because though he haâ—e such great flocks yet he knowes all his sheep particularly and calls them 〈◊〉 â—heir names Iohnâ—0 â—0 3 and so he knowes all their wants and diseases too 〈◊〉 all the waies to help and cure them In power because he hath a mighty â—â—me Esay 40.1 â— 11. and he stands and friends them in the strength of Jehova and in the majesty of the name of the Lord his God Micah
or no. Quest. But how may I know that I am won effectually now at this time of remorse or now that I resolve to take a new course Answ. Thou art right and effectually converted if these things following be true of thee 1. If thou be inwardly abased and humbled in the sight of thine owne vilenesse if in thine owne eyes thou discerne thy selfe to be a foole and unapt for Gods kingdome and if thy sins be a sensible loâ—d and burthen unto thee of which thou art weary Mat. 5.3 11.29 1 Cor. 3.18 and thy pride and conceitednesse be subdued 2. If thou have overcome the world 1 Iohn 5.4 5. 2.15 and canst shew it by forsaking the fellowship of ungodly persons 2 Cor. 6.17 and canst deny the carnall counsell of carnall kindred Mat. 10. and canst hold on this course notwithstanding the reproaches will be cast upon thee and others Esay 8. 59.15 1 Pet. 4.5 and dost find that thy taste in earthly things is marred so as thou dost not find that favour in them thou wast wont to doe Rom. 8.5 3. If nothing can heale thee of those remorses thou feelest but the Word and Ordinances of God Hosea 6.1 2. If merry company carnall counsell or time will heale thee without spirituall medicine thou art not right 4. If thou have attained to an esâ—imation of Jesus Christ above all things accounting him only precious and findest that thy heart striveth to settle it selfe in the trust upon him and his merits Phil. 3.8 Gal. 6. 1 Pet. 2.6 5. If thou have a spirit without guâ—te Psal. 32.2 and that will appeare 1. By thy desire to bee godly and religious more than to seeme so Rom. 2.26 2. By thy desire to be rid of all siu and to be turned from all thy transgreâ—â—ions Ezech. 18.30 setting thy selfe against thine owne iniquity 2 Sam. 22.24 If thou feele a combat within thee the spirit striving against the flesh as well about inward sinnes as outward against the very evill that cleaves to thy best workes and against those sinnes that thou most lovest or have beene most gainefull or pleasing to thee Gal. 5.17 3. This will be clearer if thou desire to forsake thy sinnes in thy youth or prosperity while thou couldest yet securely commit them 4. If thou keepe thy goodnesse in all companies as well when thou art absent farre as when thou art present with such as are religious Phil. 2.12 doing righteousnesse at all times Psal. 106.2 6. If thou love the house of God above all the places in the world and that thy thirst after meanes continue and last and be renewed after the food of thy soule as thy stomacke is afteâ— thy bodily food Psal. 26.8 84. Iob 23. 12. Psal. 119.20 7. If thou honour them that feare the Lord and are religious above all the people in the world discerning betweene the righteous and the wicked contemning vile persons and joyning thy selfe to the godly as the people thou wilt live and die with and as the best companions of thy life Psal. 15. Mal. 3.17 Psal 16.3 1 Iohnâ— 14 8. If the vaile be taken off thy heart so as thou canst heare as the learâ—ed and understand spirituall doctrine that before was harsh and foolishnesse to thee 1 Cor. 2.14 2 Cor. 3.15 16 18. Esay 51.6 9. If thou find that thou canst not sin Marke it the Apostle Iohn saith he that is borne of God cannot sin he meanes he cannot sin as he was wont to doe for either God crosseth him still and hinders him or he finds that he cannot affect his sin so heartily or commit it with his full consent or with his whole heart as he was wont to doo 1 Iohn 3.9 the power of sinning is marred and dissolved in him Now that this worke may prosper if you find your selves any way effectually won be advised then to looke to these rules following 1 Take heed of smothering of doubts aske the way to heaven and seek resolution in things of so high importance as your Vocation Justification Sanctification and Salvation are Ier. 50.4 2 Looke to it what teachers and what doctrine you heare choose that food for your soules that is most wholesome be not carryed away with the inticing words of mans wisedome 3 Be carefull to humble your soules in secret judging your selves for your sins before the Lord. Be not sleight in this great worke though you have repented yet repent still till your hearts be fully settled and the power of your corruptions broken rest not upon common hopes or probabilities or the good opinion others have of you but lay a sure foundation for your owne faith and hope Ier. 31.20 4. Come constantly to the light that it may be manifest that your workes are wrought in God and let the Word of God be the light to your feet and lanthorne to your pathes Iohn 21.22 Psal. 50. Gal. 6.16 What remaines now but that I should beseech you to returne unto God with all your hearts Give your selves to God he will keepe that which you commit to him till the day of Christ. Let not our words be as water spilt upon the ground Oh that the Lord would bow the heavens and come down amongst you and take possession for himselfe and perfect the worke he hath begun in some of your hearts Remember the covenant you have made with God in the Sacrament made it I say over the dead body of your Saviour Now is the axe laid to the root of the tree now or never beare fruit This is the day of salvation say you This is the day the Lord hath made for our conversion God is gracious if you turne to him with all your hearts and just if you prove false in his covenant Though grace in you be but as the smoaking flaxe yet it shall not be quenched the Lord establish his worke Iâ— you hold out to the end you shall be saved That they which obey not the word The persons that may be won are described by these words as a Periphrasis of carnall persons men that are not in Christ and so may note either such husbands as were Gentiles or such husbands as were carnall Christians If by those husbands be meant unbeleeving Gentiles a question may be asked viz. how the Gentiles are said to disobey the Word of God seeing it was never given unto them For answer we must understand that at this time the Word was brought among the Gentiles by the Apostles and other Ministers of the Gospel and therefore now they are bound to obey it as well as any others and this was the condemnation of a world of them that light was come amongst them and they loved darknesse rather than light Otherwise considering the Gentiles without the Law brought to them they shall be judged not by the Law written which they had not but by the Law of nature which they had in their hearts Rem 2.15 16. Now if by these words be
Christian from the false and from him that is no Christian at all God makes his count by righteousnesse Rom. 10. To professe the true religion to understand the Word to beleeve it with historicall or temporall faith to talke of the Word to receive Baptisme and the signes of the Covenants or the like makes not an essentiall difference It is obeying the Word proves us to be true Christians Not the hearers but the doers of the Word are acknowledged for just persons Mat. 7.26 27. Iames 1.22 23 24. But that we be not deceived in our obedience we must know that unto sound obedience divers things are required as 1. That his obedience be from the heart Rom. 6.17 2. That his obedience ariseth from the love of God and the hatred of sin as it is sin and not from carnall and corrupt ends Deut. 30.20 Iosh. 22.5 Mat. 4.19 3. That his obedience be in all things with respect to all Gods Commandements though it be against his profit ease credit or the like Heb. 11.8 Gen. 22.12 Psal. 119.6 Exod. 15.26 4. That he doth righteousnesse at all times that he continue in his obedience and obey at all times that is constantly and not for a fit Psal. 106.2 Hos. 6.5 Gal. 5.7 2 Kings 18.6 Iâ—m 1.23 5. That he make conscience of obeying the least commandement as well as the greatest Mat. 5.19 6. That obeyes the commandements of the Gospel about beleeving in God and Jesus Christ as well as of the Law that practiseth obedience of faith and lives by faith 2 Thes. 1.8 Rom. 1.5 Mat. 16.16 11. It is to bee noted that the Apostle useth faire language when hee speaketh even of carnall men He gives not these carnall husbands reproachfull words but onely saith they obey not the Word and the reason may be because the conscience of a man is not won by the terror of words but by the evidence of the matter And besides the Apostle did not thinke it fit that wives should bee humoured in the violent dispraises of their husbands It is not profitable for inferiours to conceive much of the hatefulnesse of the sins of superiours 12. Religion doth not binde wives to account carnall husbands to bee religious They may know that they are carnall and yet not sin against their husbands in such judgement so as they judge by infallible grounds for though the wife must love her husband with matrimoniall love above all other men yet shee is not bound to beleeve that he is the best man in the world Lastly it is a great affliction to a Christian wife to have a carnall husband Till she have won him shee is but in a distressed estate for other wicked men she might shun and so avoide the discomfort ariseth from seeing and hearing their wickednesse but an evill husband shee cannot nor ought not to depart from him though shee must avoide his sinne 1 Cor. 7. and from such a husband shee cannot have the helps shee should have from a husband that could dwell with her as a man of knowledge Besides the many waies in which such a husband may or will hinder her in the course of godlinesse besides it cannot but bee a great griefe to her to thinke of their parting out of this world that the one of them must goe to hell and that the companion of her life when he dies if he repent not must be an eternall companion of devils 13. Good wives may have ill husbands such wives as are truly religious and obedient may have husbands that will not obey the Word of God and that ariseth sometimes from the improvidence or ill providing of parents Many parents that have children that obey them and will bee ruled by them doe dispose of them for carnall ends to carnall or ill disposed husbands Sometimes from the hypocrisie of such men as feare God but prove not so when their wives enjoy them Sometimes from an unruly affection in good women who though they know the men they choose to bee carnall yet they will have them though it prove to their owne continuall woe and affliction Sometimes from a speciall corruption of nature in some husbands who either are loving husbands and yet but carnall men or are good men but bad husbands Sometimes it ariseth from the speciall grace of God to the wife who though she was carnall when shee married the carnall husband yet afterwards is converted and effectually called and this was the case of such women â—as the Apostle seemes here to write to Sometimes it falls out by a speciall and unavoideable providence of God though all meanes have beene used to trie or prevent this evill in the husband for marriage being to be reckoned amongst outward things God for reasons knowne to himselfe and alwaies just will give ill husbands to good wives And contrariwise it may be God knowes that if some good wives had better husbands they would prove worse wives or both husband and wife would be more unapt for the kingdome of God 14. Unequall matches ought to be avoided as much as may be and that may be gathered from the maner of the Apostles speaking in that he saith If any obey not the Word If any as if he would import that it is a case he desired might be very rarely found amongst Christians They also may be won We reade in Scripture of divers kinds of winnings there is a spirituall winning or gaining and there is a worldly winning About the spirituall winning we reade of the winning of Christ Phil. 3.8 which is the worke of a particular beleever labouring and wrestling with God in the use of his ordinances to obtaine by the gift of his free grace Jesus Christ for his justification and sanctification and finall salvation Likewise we reade of the winning of grace and spirituall gifts and so godlinesse is called gaine and the good servants are said to win or gaine more Talents to the Talents they had And this gaine is gotten by a spirituall trading in the diligent emploiment of the gifts the godly have to get them encreased We reade likewise of the winning of other mens soules in many places and that is done either by the Preachers of the Gospel conquering the hearts of their hearers to the obedience of the Word of Christ and unto sound conversion or else it is done by private persons that by their examples and good carriage or by their admonitions or counsels doe perswade and incline others to a liking of a new life or to humiliation and reformation of some particular faults We reade likewise of worldly gaine and winning when men by their sports strive for prizes or in their trades labour for lucre and gaine Now this latter kinde of gaine differs greatly from the former both in the matter of the gaine and in the manner of seeking it for there is no comparison betweene the gaine of grace and godlinesse and the gaine of riches and honour the one is transitorie the
sake that he may see it comes from the force of religion in her a good wife discreet provident carefull to please meeke such an one as his heart may trust in her and delight in her Wives that be foolish wastfull idle froward or busie-bodies if they have never so much shew of religion yet they are not fit for this worke to win any body much lesse their husbands Secondly she must looke to her conversation in things of her religion that therein she behave her selfe as becommeth religion Tit. 2.3 and so she must take heed of conceitednesse and contempt of others or neglect of her calling upon pretence of duties of her religion and looke to it that she be not her selfe guilty of any knowne fault unreformed and withall she must strive to shew the power of her godlinesse in good fruits labouring to abound in good workes 1 Tim. 2.10 both at home and abroad being pitifull mercifull ready to help them that are in misery according to her power and in the things she hath liberty to dispose of Other things follow in the three next verses Verse 2. While they behold your chaste conversation coupled with feare IN these words is contained the second thing the Apostle chargeth upon wives in his exposition viz. A chaste conversation with feare so ordered as their husbands may daily behold it and observe it in them Where the Apostle implies what the husbands will doe viz. they will observe the conversation of the wives and expresseth what the wives ought to doe viz. in conversation to shew chastitie coupled with feare First then we are to consider of that which is implied viz. what the husband will doe and this is imported in the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 While they behold While they behold The originall word signifies to observe and prie into a thing to finde out the secrets of it and so it notes That carnall men such as these husbands were doe watch and marke the conversation of such as be religious to observe all they can in them that professe true religion Thus they watched David and Christ and Daniel and so doe they all the godly and thus they imploy themselves in spying and marking the wayes of the godly sometimes out of the naughtinesse of their hearts supposing godly men to be like unto themselves and therefore hope to find out wickednesse in their practise sometimes out of malice lying in wait to find out any fault in their carriage of which they may accuse them and vilifie them in the world and sometimes they doe thus as compelled by the force of their naturall conscience which gives glory to the graces of God in the conversation of true Christians while they observe in them that holinesse which they find not in themselves or other carnall men And therefore the Use should be to teach all that professe religion to looke carefully to their waies and walke circumspectly that they give not occasion of offence but rather carry themselves so as to make proofe of their sincerity and good conversation by their workes Secondly from hence we may gather also That a Christian must looke to his justification before men as well as to his justification before God for as God beholds his waies so doe men and he is bound to seeke his justification from men as well as his justification from God And therefore as the Apostle Paul had taught the justification of a sinner before God so the Apostle Iames urgeth the justification of the godly man before men which this Apostle imports in this place when he requires such a conversation as may compell carnall men to say they are just men So our Saviour Mat. 5.16 Quest. What can carnall men see in the conversation of the godly to make them give glory to God or the truth Answ. By the good conversation of true Christians they gather the goodnesse of the law or religion which they professe And besides they thence gather that they are not hypocrites but are religious indeed whence they see what power their religion hath over them in all their waies And further the scandall of reproaches cast upon the godly is often by the observation of their conversation utterly removed in the hearts of such carnall men as set themselves throughly to observe and marke the course of the godly Your chaste conversation The word here translated Chaste in all other places of the New Testament is translated Pure and so shewes that it ought to be accepted here in a larger sense than the word chaste doth import yet so as chastity is a part of the purity of a Christian. Doct. A pure conversation is required in all true Christians yea even in women as well as men That purity is required is manifest by divers Scriptures yea to be examples in purity 1 Tim. 4.2 It is the chiefe fruit of the wisedome is from above Iam. 3.17 A pure heart is required 1 Tim. 1.5 and a pure conscience 1 Tim. 3.9 and pure hands 1 Tim. 2.8 And that it may be had is apparent for our Saviour saith Yee are all pure Iohn 15.3 Quest. How can a man in this world be pure can any man be without sinne Answ. No there is no man that sinneth not In many things wee sinne all James 3.2 Who can say I have made my heart cleane and am pure from my sin Pro. 20.9 And If any man say he hath no sin he is a liar and the truth is not in him 1 John 1.10 And yet though in that sense no man is pure yet in other senses the godly man may be called pure and is bound even by the Gospel to purity as 1. In respect of some particular offence A godly man may be so pure as to abide the triall of God himselfe as David wills God to judge him according to his righteousnesse and the innocency of his hands meaning in that point of false or treacherous dealing against Saul which was charged upon him Psal. 3.4 5. 18.15 2. In respect of imputation every beleever is perfectly pure all his sins are as if they had never beene and Christs righteousnesse is his and in that righteousnesse of faith he is perfectly pure before God himselfe Rev. 19.8.14 3. In respect of men he may be pure in conversation though not in respect of God and so he is pure when he is unrebukeable and unblameable amongst men And this ought to be found in the conversation of every Christian to live without offence and without rebuke Phil. 2 15 16. 4. There is a pure conversation in respect of God not that we can converse without sin but God is pleased for Christ his sake to account our conversation pure when it hath divers prints and markes of his true grace in us And so Christian purity hath in it many things 1. Separation from impure men Psal. 1.1 2 Cor. 6.17 2. The desire of purity in the perfection of it God accounts his servants pure because
due benevolence from their husbands God himselfe hath freed the comming together of man and wife from the aspersion of impurity in that he hath said that marriage is honourable and the bed undefiled And this shewes the wonderfull indulgence of God that for the respect he beares to his owne institution of marriage and for the necessitie of marriage for the propagation of mankind and prevention of fornication is pleased to beare with and cover and not impute the many frailties follies vanities and wickednesses are found betweene man and wife And withall we may hence see reason to condemne their doctrine as a doctrine of Devils that forbid marriage as an impure thing and such as hinders holinesse and the blemish will never bee wiped away from some of the Ancients who to establish their owne Idol of I know not what virginity have written most wickedly and most basely against marriage Quest. But what then doth God allow any kinde of comming together so it be betweene man and wife Ans. No he forbids comming together in the time of the womans separation for her courses Ezech. 18.6 Nor doth he allow of brutish sensuality though it passe betweene man and wife for though God beare with many things yet the chastitie he imposeth doth not only restraine forraine beds but moderateth even the excesses of concupiscence in married persons so as in those things their conversation ought to be a conversation with feare Doct. 3. The practice of the duties of the second Table adorne religion as well as the duties of piety in the first Table Doct. 4. Some observe that a chaste conversation is especially charged upon the woman which must be warily understood for God hates whoredome in men as well as women But yet it is true that some sins as they are abominable in any so they are much more in women as we see in swearing and drunkennesse so it is true of filthinesse in the woman and therefore the whorish woman is called a strange woman in the Proverbs But I thinke it is not safe to restraine the sense of this place or other the like places so but I take the meaning of the Apostle to be so to commend chastitie in the wife as that which is necessary in all both men and women And so I come to consider of Chastity and so would shew first the motives to it secondly the meanes to preserve it and thirdly the way how Chastity may be manifested and made knowne to others For the first many things should perswade with a Christian to preserve chastity and to avoide whoredome and bodily lusts First it is the speciall will of God and a speciall part of their sanctification to avoid fornication 1 Thes. 4.3 Secondly the promises of God all of them should allure men to perfect their holinesse and to avoid all filthinesse both of flesh and spirit 2 Cor. 7.1 Thirdly the hatefulnesse of the nature of the sin of fornication and whoredome should deterâ—e Christians from the committing of it This is an hainous crime an iniquity to be punished by the Judges Iob 31.11 These lusts are lusts of the Gentiles 1 Pet. 4.3 A sin not so much as to be named amongst Christians Eph. 5.3 A sin that utterly corrupts naturall honesty Pro. 6.27 29. It is a sin not only against the soule but against the body of a man even that body that was bought with the bloud of Jesus Christ and was made for God and is the Temple of the Holy Ghost and is a member of Christs mysticall body 1 Cor. 6.15 to the end Fourthly the consideration of the cause of this sin should abash men it is a worke of the flesh even a fruit of a corrupted and filthy nature Gal. 5.22 Fiftly the effects of whoredome are very fearefull for it is a sin that defiles a man Mat. 15. and it makes a man unfit for the company of any Christian 1 Cor. 5.9 It brings dishonour and a wound can never be blotted out Pro. 6.33 and it causes the fearefull curse of God upon men Heb. 13 4. and that both upon their states and soules in this life By meanes of a whorish woman a man may be brought to a morsell of bread Pro. 6.26 It is a sin will root out all a mans increase Iob 31.11 12. And upon the soule it brings a fearefull senselesnesse and disability to make use of the means of salvation Whoredome and wine take away the heart Hos. 4.11 and God casts them many times into a reprobate sense Rom. 1. so as they are past feeling Eph. 4.18 so as the adulterous person goeth about like a Foole to the stockes or like an Oxe to the slaughter Pro. 7. â—2 In a word the adulterous person destroyeth his owne soule Pro. 6.32 yâ—â— which is worst of all it deprives men of the kingdome of Heaven 1 Cor. 6.9 and casts both body and soule into the Lake that burnes with fire and brimstone Pro. 9. ult Rev. 21.8 22.15 For the second the meanes to preserve chastity in married persons are these First they must labour to excite and nourish matrimoniall love one to another Pâ—â— â— 18.19 Secondly they must doe as Iob did make a covenant with their eyes and not carelesly give liberty to their senses to wander about after vaine objects Iob 31.1 Thirdly they must store their heads and hearts with Gods word especially such words of God as doe give reasons and motives to disswade from this sin Pro. 2.1 3 4 11 12 16 17 Psal. 119.9 Fourthly they must continually meditate of their mortality and that they are but pilgrims and strangers here and must come to judgement 1 Pet. 2.11 Eccles. 11.9 Fiftly they must by confession and godly sorrow and prayer crucifie these first risings of inward lusts and so by repentance for the lust of the heart prevent the filthinesse of the flesh Gal. 5.24 Sixthly they must walke in love that is exercise themselves in a Christian and profitable society with such as feare God Eph. 5.1 3 4. Lastly they must with all care and conscience avoide all the occasions of this sin such as are 1. Idlenesse that sin of Sodome Ezek. 46.49 2. Fulnesse of bread and drunkennesse as is noted in the same place They must beat downe their owne bodies 1 Cor. 9.27 3. The desire to be rich for the love of money breeds noisome lusts 1 Tim. 6.9 4. Ignorance of God and his truth Eph. 4.17 18. 5. Evill company especially the society of such as are filthy 6. Lascivious attire and filthy dressing such as are strange colours and naked breasts this is whoredome betweene the breasts Hos. 2. 7. Lascivious pictures and profane representations of filthy practises such as are exprest by those wicked stage-players against which the very light of nature pleadeth 8. Chambering and wantonnesse and all provocations to lusts Rom. 13.13 For the third point if you aske how those husbands could behold the chaste conversation of the wives I
trespasse against 〈◊〉 And that we shall be iâ— we soundly 〈…〉 râ—les If we know any fault by our brother and feele that it doth tempt us to alienation we must then remember the charge given Levit. 19.17 which is not to suffer our hearts to hate him but give a vent unto our hearts by a plaine and discreet reproofe 2. We should be soundly settled in judgement that there are infirmities in the best though we know them not and so to looke for it as when they doe breake out we should shew our selves ready to beare their infirmities and forbeare them if they be meere frailties choosing rather to crosse our selves than to irritate or provoke them in their weakenesse Rom. 15.1 2. 3. If any brother trespasse against us we should shew our selves easie to be entreated and willing to practise the rule given by our Saviour even to forgive him if he offend unto seventy times seven times when he saith it repenteth him Mat. 18.21 4. If we have done any wrong we should make haste to be reconciled and seeke it with willing acknowledgement and readinesse to make satisfaction Mat. 5.23 24. Only we must remember about this doctrine of the love of the brethren that there are three caveats to be looked to 1. That we misplace not our affections upon false brethren for there are false brethren that will creepe in privily many times for corrupt ends Gal. 2.4 2 Thes. 3.13 2. That if any brother be scandalous or walke inordinately or will not be subject to the forme of doctrine and the publike ministerie then such a one is to be avoided only he must be admonished as a brother 2 Thes. 3.6 15. 3. Servants are charged to looke to it that they be obedient and subject notwithstanding this doctrine that their Masters are brethren 1 Tim. 6.1 Pitifull The word rendered Pitifull in the Originall signifies rightly bowelled or such as have true or right bowels and so it is to be referred to mercy and is more than other Scriptures expresse when they require bowels of mercy for here it is required that these bowels be right In Mat. 25. men are sentenced to condemnation for not shewing mercie In other Scriptures it is shewed that though they doe shew mercy yet if some things be not looked to it will not be accepted as Miâ—h 6.8 there is required not only mercy but the love of mercy and Mat 6. the Pharisees did workes of mercy and yet our Saviour finds fault with them because they were done to be seene of men and in 1 Cor. 13.2 the Apostle saith If a man give all that he hath to the poore and want love it is nothing So here the Apostle requires not mercy only but that their bowels be right in mercy and about this rule therefore two things are to be explicated 1. What bowels of mercy means 2. What right bowels imports For the first Bowels of mercy imports 1. Truth in shewing mercy that it be not in ceremony or word only but in deed that the heart shew mercy as well as the tongue 2. Love that our mercy proceed from hearty and Christian affection to the partie 1 Cor. 13.2 not of constraint nor with wicked thoughts or griefe of heart Deut. 7.7 8. to 12. 3. Tendernesse of affection that we be affected as if our selves were in want Rom. 12.16 4. Cheerefulnesse in expressing our mercy to such as are in misery who are sometimes as much refreshed with the respect we shew to their persons as with the supply we bring to their estates Men in misery should be comforted as well as relieved 5. The practice of secret mercy as well as open even to thinke of them and provide for them and to provoke others to mercy and to pray for them when they know not of it even when wee are gone from them still to shew them mercy For the second our Bowells are right in shewing mercy 1. If we be prepared unto such good works and so both our eares should be prepared that they may be open to the cry of the poore Prov. 21.13 and the matter of mercy should be made ready And to this purpose it were an excellent course if Christians would lay up weekly a part of their gettings which they would consecrate to God that it might be ready when there were need 1 Cor. 16.1 2. and further if we be as God is mindfull of mercy and doe exercise it speedily without delay Prov. 3.27 28. 2. If we looke not for too much beholdingnesse from them that are relieved The rich must not rule over the poore nor the borrower become a servant to the lender Prov. 22 7. 3. If we have a good eye Pro. 22.9 and shew it by dispensing of our mercy to such as have most need and to such as are best affected in religion if there be choise 4. If wee doe workes of mercy out of goods well gotten for God hates robbery though it were for burnt offerings Esay 61.8 5. If it bee for right ends as not for merit or the praise of men Mat. 6. 2 Cor. 9.19 6. If we be full of mercy rich in mercy much in mercy abundant in mercy not onely to our power but sometimes and in some cases beyond our power Wee must open our hands wide Deut. 15.8.1 Tim. 6.18 2 Cor. 8.2 9. good measure and pressed downe Luk. 6.8 if we give not sparingly 7. If we be discreet so to ease others as we burthen not our selves 2 Cor. 9.14 15. 8. If we exercise our selves in every kind of mercy both spirituall and corporall in giving lending visiting clothing feeding instructing admonishing comforting c. 9. If we be constant and not grow wearie of well-doing Gal. 6. The use may be first for reproofe and confutation of divers sorts of men 1. Of the Papists that brag of their good workes in this kind to whom it may be granted that they shew workes of mercy and perhaps have bowels of mercy but they are not right bowels both because with the Pharisees they doe their works to bee seene of men and with opinion of justification and salvation by the merit of their workes and besides though they shew compassion to the bodies of men yet are they without all true compassion to the soules of men 2 Of the house keeping of many Protestants that brag of their great Hospitalitie and good house keeping when their entertainment is either spent upon the rich or else in the profane abuse of the good creatures of God by drunkennesse or else in the entertainment of disordered and lewd persons 3. Of the great neglect of mercy in the most men that either shew not mercy at all or not bowels of mercy or not according to the rules given before especially such as hide themselves from the poore Esay 58.7 and use shifts and excuses to avoide such supplies as are necessary for the furtherance of the reliefe for the poore in such places as
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
reconciled yet they are so busily imployed in following foolish vanities that they forsake their owne mercy Ionah 2.8 They will not answer when God calls but reject his Word and grieve his good Spirit and abuse his patience and bountifulnesse and so heape up wrath against the day of wrath Thirdly others seeke mercy but they seeke it not aright they faile in the manner as either they seeke it coldly and carelesly praying but for fashion sake or with their lips without power of affections They speake for mercy but they doe not care for mercy they neither observe nor regard whether their petitions bee granted or denied and this is the condition of the ordinary sort of men Or else they seeke mercy corruptly without sincerity of of the heart as when men pray God to forgive them the sinnes which yet they mind not to leave Now this is a shamefull kinde of seeking mercy For God stands upon it that we must forsake our wickednesse or else he will not forgive Esa. 55.6 2 Tim. 2.19 Or else lastly men seeke it too late â—â— Esau sought the blessing when it was gone Heb. 12.15 They may call when God will not answer Pro. 1. Zachar. 7. And this is the case of some that put off their repentance untill the latter end But have now obtained mercy Doct. The godly are exceeding happy in the obtaining of Gods mercy All that are called in Christ Jesus even all that have truly repented themselves of their sinnes are certainly under mercy and in thâ—t respect in a marvellous safe and happy condition Three things are distinctly imported in the observation First the onâ— iâ— that God is mercifull Mercy may bee obtained Ionah 4.2 Psal. 116.5 and 86. Secondly that penitent sinners doe obtain mercy Iâ—â—l 2.13 Esâ— 55.7 Thirdly that such as have obtained Gods mercy are in a marvellous happy case in comparison of what they were before in It is enough if wee obtained mercy whatsoever we obtaine not Hence the phrase Thou hast covered him with thy mercy And our happinesse in respect of the interest we have in Gods mercy is the greater if we consider either the properties or the effects of Gods mercy There are foure admirable properties in the mercy of God which he shews to his people First his mercy is tender mercy Psalm 51.1 which hee shewes in divers things as First that he is full of compassion in pitying the distresses of his people no father can so pitty his child Psalm 103.13 Hence his bowels are â—aid to bee troubled for them or to sound in him Where is the sounding of thy bowels saith the Prophet Esa. 63.15 Ier. 31.20 The word Misericordiam imports as much for it sounds misery laid to the heart God then is mercifull in that he layes our miseries to his heart Secondly that he waits to shew mercy Esa. 30.18 watching for all opportunities as it were to prevent us with his blessings Thirdly that he is slow to anger not easily stirred to displeasure when he hath shewed his favour Psalm 103.1 He is a God of judgement that considers the weaknesses and infirmities of his servants as knowing whereof they are made Esa. 30.18 Psal. 103. Fourthly that if he do see some more prevailing evills in his people yet hee will spare as a father spares his onely sonne Mal. 3.17 And if he doe chide yet he rebukes his people still with great affection Ier. 31.19 and he will quickly give over and not chide alwayes Psal. 103. He is ready to forgive as soone as they call unto him Esa. 65.23 and 55 7. Psal. 103. Fifthly that if he doe bring affliction upon his people to humble them yet he will not consume them but will repent him of the evill Ioel. 2.13 Deut. 32.36 Amos 7.36 Sixthly that in shewing his love he is of great kindnesse called the marvellous loving kindnesse Psal. 17.7 hence resembled to marriage kindnesse Hos. 2.19 No husband can be so fond of his wife as God is of his people nor can any man devise such wayes to expresse kindnesse as God doth to his people Seventhly that his mercy is without all grievance to him Mercy pleaseth him Mic. 7.18 It breeds as it were an unspeakable contentment in God himselfe when he hath dealth mercifully with his servants Secondly his mercy is immense unmeasurable and this is exprest by divers formes of speech in the Scripture Thus God is said to bee plenteous in mercy Psal. 86.5 aboundant in mercy 1 Pet. 1.3 rich in mercy Eph. 2.4 His mercy is great above the heavens Psal. 108.5 Gods Word herein hath magnified his name above all things Psal. 138.2 He hath a multitude of mercies Psal. 51.1 manifold mercies Nehem. 9.19 They are unsearchable high as the heaven is from the earth Psal. 103.11 His kindnesse is said to be marvellous loving kindnesse Psal. 17.7 Which must needs appeare to be so because he is a Father of mercies all mercies in the world flow from him 2 Cor. 1.3 and all his paths are mercie and truth Whatsoever hee doth to his people is in mercy Psal. 25.6 And therefore the Prophet that could find similitudes to expresse the faithfulnesse and judgements of God by yet is faine to give over when he comes to his speciall mercy to his chosen and vents himselfe by exclamation Oh how excellent is thy mercy Psal. 36.7 8. Thirdly this mercy is the more admirable in that it is free which appeares divers wayes First in that it is shewed without deserts on our parts which the tearme gracious every where given to God in Scripture doth import Secondly in that God is tyed to no man nor to any posterity of men hee hath mercy on whom he will have mercy Rom. 9. Thirdly because it is extended to all sorts of people If the rich mercy of God could have been obtained only by Kings or Apostles or the like it had beene the lesse comfortable unto us but bond as well as the free the Barbarian as well as the Grecian the Gentile as well as the Jew the poore as well as the rich may bee possessed hereof Hee doth not spend all his mercy on Abraham or David but hee reserveth mercy for thousands Exod. 34.6 and will bestow the true mercies of David upon meaner men Esa. 55.4 His mercy is over all his workes especially over all his spirituall workes in Jesus Christ Psal. 145.9 Fourthly it appeares to be free because it can be alone God can love us though no body else doe though Abraham know us not yet God will be a father unto us and never leave us nor forsake us Esa. 63.15 16. Ob. But might some one say In the second Commandement it is plaine that God shewes mercy to them that keepe his Commandements It seemes then his mercy is not free but he hath respect to deserts in us Sol. First our keeping of the Commandements is not alledged as the cause of mercy but as the signe of mercy The words shew to