and lastly It cannot be denied but that in some sense a man may bee said even by this inherent righteousnesse to be justified before God For so farre forth as any man by the worke of Gods spirit in his heart is become truly holy and good upright and without hypocrisy so far forth God doth esteeme and account him a holy and good and just man The Lord taketh notice of his owne graces in his children approveth of them and giveth testimony unto them So the Holy Ghost saith of Noah Gâ—n 6.9 that he was a just man And of Zachary and Elizabeth Luke 1.6 that they were both righteous before God So Solomon prayeth 1 King 8.22 that the Lord would justifie the righteous to give him according to his righteousnesse You see then wee doe not deny as the Papists falsly slander us all inherent righteousnesse no nor all justification by inherent righteousnesse neither But this is that we beleeve and teach according to the Scriptures That this inherent righteousnesse is not that righteousnesse whereby any poore sinner in this life can be justified before Gods tribunall and judgement seat for which hee is pronounced to be innocent absolved from death and condemnation and adjudged unto life eternall Of this justification as it is opposed unto condemnation as the Apostle useth the word Rom. 8.33 34 It is God that justifieth who shall condemne and as our Saviour useth it Matth. 12.37 By thy words thou shalt be justified and by thy words thou shalt be condemned is the Question betweene us and them And that we are not thus justified in Gods sight by any inherent righteousnesse I will first give you evident proofe out of the holy Scripture and secondly I will shew you good reason out of the Word why no man can be so justified in Gods sight For the first Nothing is more cleerely taught in the holy Scripture then this that no man can be justified in Gods sight by the works of the law that is by doing that which the law requireth him to do And what is our inherent righteousnesse but a conformity to the law of God to that which the law requireth of us By the deeds of the law saith the Apostle Romanes 3.20 there shall no flâ—sh bee justified in his sight And againe Knowing saith he Gal. 2.16 that a man is not justified by the workes of the law but by the faith of Iesus Christ even we have beleeved in Iesus Christ that we might be justified by the faith of Christ and not by the works of the law for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified True saith the Papist the Apostle saith so indeed but by the works of the law he meaneth the workes of the ceremoniall law which many false teachers in those daies did maintaine to be necessary unto justification And those be the works he speaketh of Rom. 4.10 Abraham was justified before he was circumcised which was a worke enjoined him by the ceremoniall law therefore it was not his circumcision nor his obedience to that law that justified him So Gal. 2.16 when he denieth we are justified by the works of the law he meaneth those works of the law he had spoken of in the former verses and for which he had reproved Peter and that was about his conforming himselfe to the Iewes in works enjoined by the ceremoniall law But to this I answer First It is true that he speaketh in those two places of the workes of the ceremoniall law and excludeth them from having any hand in our justification But even in those places he excludeth not the workes of the ceremoniall onely but all workes of the law even of the morall law also For 1 his words are generall and without any limitation Rom. 4.6 David describeth the blessednesse of the man unto whom God imputeth righteousnesse without workes without any workes And verse 5. To him that worketh not but beleeveth in him that justifieth the ungodly to him hâ—s faith is imputed unto righteousnesse And what good workes are they the want whereof maketh one an ungodly man Are they the works of the ceremoniall law onely are they not rather the workes of the morall law And in Gal. 2.16 his words are generall Knowing a man is not justified by the workes of the law 2. He excldeth the workes of that law that was given to all men to the Gentiles as well as to the Iewes and whereby the Gentiles as well as the Iewes might have some hope to be justified For he saith Gal. 2.16 By the workes of the law shall no flesh be justified As if he had said Neither Iew nor Gentile We have before proved saith he Rom. 3.9 that is to say In his former dispute against justification by workes both Iewes and Gentiles that they are all under sinne And verse 28 29. Therefore wee conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law Is he the God of the Iewes onely is he not also of the Gentiles As if he should say Neither the deeds of the law that the Iewes were bound unto nor the deeds of the law that the Gentiles were bound unto can justifie a man before God And what law was that which the Gentiles were bound to observe Certainely not the ceremoniall but the morall law only Secondly I answer The Apostle doth exclude from justification the workes of that law whereby commeth the knowledge of sin For these are his words Rom. 3.20 Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh bee justified in his sight for by the law commeth the knowledge of sinne As if hee should have said The use that the law serveth unto is not to justifie us in Gods sight but to discover our sin and misery to us and so to drive us to seeke justification by faith in Christ. And what law is that whereby commeth the knowledge of sin Certainely the morall law principally But then they object secondly Admit the Apostle do speake of the works of the morall as well as of the ceremoniall law yet he meaneth not those workes of the morall law that are done by the faithfull through the grace of Christ but those that are done by men while they are in the state of nature before their conversion before they do beleeve And such works of the morall law say they we confesse cannot justifie a man before God To this I answer 1. That the Apostles words are generall as I shewed before and we must use no limitation where he useth none 2. The Apostle Rom. 4.2 denieth that Abraham was justified by his workes though he were one of the faithfull yea the father of the faithfull as he calleth him ver 11. no not by those works of his whereof he might seeme to have cause to glory which he could never meane of those works he did before he was a beleever for he was an idolater before as we read Iosh. 24.2 And the Apostle would
observe well all Gods speciall favours and keepe a register of them and repeat them oft to our own soules See what helps Gods people have used this way p. 646. 4 The last and surest meanes of assurance is to renounce our selves and with an humbled soule to cast our selves upon the free grace and mercy of God in Christ and to looke for helpe and comfort that way onely p. 647. Proleps 1. He that can finde no goodnesse at all in himselfe may yet be able to do this nay none so fit to do it as he Ibid. Proleps 2. He that hath much doubting and infidelity in him may be able to do this p. 648. We wrong our selves much in trusting too much to that inherent grace we finde in our selves p. 649. Lect. 127. The use of comfort that the former Doctrine serveth unto though it may seeme in two respects unfit yet may not bee omitted p. 649 650. A man may be in the state of grace and have true faith though himselfe cannot perceive it yea though he seeme to himselfe to be utterly out of Gods favour p. 650 651. Hee that hath the least measure of true faith hath Christs blood sprinkled upon his heart by the Spirit of God though hee perceive it not p. 652. The nature and essence of true faith consisteth not in sensible assurance though that be a sweet fruit of it but in an obedientiall affiance in Christ p. 653. The humbled sinner when he findes least assurance and comfort in himselfe yet should rest upon Christ Ibid. The weakest faith may receive helpe this way p. 654. If we finde our selves unable to beleeve and rest on Christ wee must cry to God to make us able Ibid. Even our broken and troubled prayers may much prevaile with God in this case Ibid. Lect. 128. All true beleevers are perfectly cleansed from all their sinnes and are as pure and white in Gods eyes as any snow page 655. The faithfull are cleansed from their sins two waies 1 in their justification by the bloud 2 in their Sanctification by the Spirit of Christ p. 656. These two goe alwaies together yet are there foure maine differences betweene them Ibid. c. Though in respect of our sanctification we be not perfectly cleansed yet in respect of our justification we are p. 658. The largenesse of the pardon that every true beleever hath received and how perfectly he is thereby discharged of all his sins appeares in five points p. 659. The reasons and grounds of it are three p. 660. Lect. 129. The controversie betweene us and the Papists touching justification not unfit to bee handled p. 662. They erre dangerously in denying that Christ hath satisfied as well for the temporall as for the eternall punishment due to our sins Ibid. as appeares by foure evident reasons p. 663. Though th' afflictions that men endure be in their owne nature punishments for sin yet are they not so unto all men for 1 God hath oft inflicted them upon many without all respect to their sin as the cause pag. 664. 2 Even when they are infflicted upon the faithfull for sin yet are they not properly punishments of their sins but chastisements onely p. 665. Though the faithfull upon their first beleeving have obtained a full pardon of all their siâ—s yet must they daily beg the remission of their sins for three reasons pag. 666 667. Lect. 130. Five things to bee granted touching inherent righteousnesse 1 God justifies none but he sanctifieth him also and maketh him holy inherently p. 667. 2 Yea he will make him perfectly holy by inherent holinesse but not during this life 3 This inherent holinesse is called in Scripture the righteousnesse of a man 4 It may be truly said a man is justified by this inherent righteousnesse 5 It may be said in some sense that a man is justified before God by it 668. Yet is not this the righteousnesse whereby a sinner can bee justified before Gods tribunall absolved from condemnation and adjudged unto life eternall p. 669. for then a man might be justified by the workes of the law which no man can be 1 No not by the workes of the morall Law Ibid. 2 No not by the workes done in the state of grace p. 670. Reason 1 because the inherent righteousnesse of the best is imperfect and defiled Ibid. No sinne is veniall and the holyest men have had greater sinnes then veniall p. 671. 2 Reason If a man could be justified by inherent righteousnesse he might have some cause and matter of boasting in himselfe 1b The workes that the regenerate do are their owne not meerely the workes of Christ and his grace p. 672. Sixe plaine proofes that we are justified by Christs righteousnesse imputed to us and by it onely p. 672 673. Reason for it 673. 1. Proleps It s no way unreasonble oâ— absurd that we should be justified by righteousnesse imputed 2. Proleps God justifies none who doe remaine impious 3. Proleps No injustice in God to account them perfectly righteous in whom yet there are many corruptions p. 674. Lect. 131. He that truly beleeveth he is justified by Christ must needs take comfort in the knowledge of Christ and rejoyce in him p. 675. There is comfort enough to bee found in Christ for the soule that is most afflicted p. 676. For 1 the knowledge of this that Christ hath purchased for us the pardon of all our sinnes is a most just and sufficient ground of comfort for 1 Sin is the cause of all other evills that befall us 2 Sin is that that maketh all evill bitter and painefull to us 3 If all the evills and miseries that are in the world should befall us they could not be so intolerable to us nor torment us so much as one sinne will do when God chargeth it upon us 4 Sinne is th' onely thing that separateth betweene us and God p. 677. 2 The knowledge of this that Christs perfect obedience and righteousnesse is imputed to us is a just and sufficient ground of true comfort Ibid. For 1 Even that inherent righteousnesse that God worketh in us by his Spirit is a just cause of comfort to us Ibid. 2 Adams righteousnesse wherewith God cloathed him in his creation was a robe that did greatly adorne him and was a great glory to him but the righteousnesse of Christ which is imputed to every true beleever is much more glorious 1 his was uncertaine ours by Christ is made more sure 2 his was in his owne keeping so is not ours p. 679. 3 his was but the righteousnesse of a man ours is the righteousnesse of God p. 680. Applic. Every humbled sinner should count this his great sinne that he cannot rejoyce more in Christ and check himselfe for it 1 Proleps he may and ought to rejoyce notwithstanding the multitude and greatnes of his afflictions p. 680. 2 Proleps and notwithstanding the heinousnesse of his old sins and present corruptions which hee yeeldeth not unto p. 681. 3
good part and delighteth in them yet will he take nothing in good part that thou doest What have I to doe saith the Lord Esa. 1.11 with the multitude of your sacrifices As if he had said What care I for them And ver 12. Who required this at your hands to tread in my courts As if he should say What doe you heere Any other place were fitter for you then this Certainely in doing any service to God thou doest but a thankelesse office thou doest but lose thy labour while thou art unconverted Thirdly and lastly Though the Lord will reward and doe good to his children for the poorest and weakest service they doe unto him yet doth he even abhorre such as thou art and the very service that thou dost presume to doe unto him As a Prince would doe him that having a plague sore running upon him should presume to come into his presence and wait at his table The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination unto the Lord saith Solomon Pro. 15.8 Incense is an abomination unto me saith the Lord Esa. 1.13 the new Mosnes and Sabbaths and calling of assemblies I cannot away with You see how small cause wicked men have to presume of Gods mercy or of any good thing they know by themselves O that God would be pleased to awaken them that they could see and consider aright of their wofull estate and labour to get out of it If any man shall object and say Would you not then have wicked men to come to Church Would you not have them to pray and read the Word Would you have no man to doe any good worke but such as are godly I answer Yes verily For first Though in doing this they doe not God any service that will please him yet is there a necessity laid upon them and wo be to them if they do it not These are duties of the morall law that all men stand bound unto The wickedest man in the world is strictly bound by the commandement of God to pray God blameth most wicked men for neglect of this Hos. 7.7 None among them calleth unto me and ver 14. They have not cryed unto me with their heart Yea he condemneth the very Atheist Psal. 14.4 for this because he doth not pray And will poure his wrath upon every family Ier. 10.25 and consequently upon every person that doth not call upon his name So is the wickedest man living bound to heare the Word For hee that turneth away his eare from hearing the law saith Solomon Pro. 28.9 his prayer shall be abominable So God requireth of every man Mic. 6.8 to doe justly and to love mercy and to walke humbly with him So that though he can neither pray nor heare nor give almes but he must needs sinne yet must he pray and heare and give almes for all that An indifferent thing a man is bound to forbeare if he cannot use it without sinne If he cannot use such or such a recreation without chasing or swearing or losing too much time he is bound to forbeare it But duties commanded of God he may not omit because he cannot use them without sin For there are degrees of sinne and he is guilty of a greater sin and sheweth greater contempt to God that doth not pray or heare or give almes at all and so disobeyeth him totally then he doth that doth pray and heare and give almes but not with an honest and good heart and so disobeyeth God but in part only Secondly Though no wicked man can have assurance to receive any reward from God for the best thing he doth because he hath no promise for all the promises of God belong onely to them that are in Christ 2 Cor. 1.20 and to the godly 1 Tim. 4.8 nay though he doe deserve further wrath from God by the best thing he doth yet by being carefull to abstaine from evill and to doe good even after his manner and as he is able hee may receive good three waies For 1. Though he should never find mercy with God unto salvation yet will this lessen his condemnation in hell where every man shall receive torment proportionable to his workes and to that dishonour he hath done to God heere Rom. 2.6 2. This may free him from many temporall judgements and bring upon him many temporall blessings in this life For the Lord out of the infinitenesse of his goodnesse hath oft shewed so much respect unto good things that have beene done even by wicked men though they have beene but the dead carcase and have wanted the life and soule of good workes as to reward them temporally The Lord that is said to feed the young ravens when they cry unto him Iob 38.41 hath oft had respect to the prayer that a man void of grace hath made unto him in his misery As profane a wretch as Ishmael was when he was cast out of his fathers house for his profanesse Gen. 21.9 10. yet when he cried to God in his misery it is twice said in one verse Gen. 21.17 that God heard the voice of the lad and relieved him And we know how much even Ahabs prayer that he made when he was humbled by feare prevailed with God 1 King 21.29 Therefore also Daniel exhorteth Nebuchadnezzar a most wicked man Dan. 4.27 to breake of his sins to cease from oppression and cruelty How By righteousnes that is by making restitution to them that he had wronged And how els By shewing mercy to the poore And why did he counsell a man so void of grace to do so good workes as these Was it not all one as if he should have bidden a dead man to walke Marke the reason and motive the Prophet useth to perswade him to this if it may be saith he a lengthening of thy tranquility As if he should have said It may be these good workes performed even as thou art able to do them will prevent the judgement which God by this dreame that thou hast had doth threaten to bring upon thee and prolong thy peace 3. He may by doing that that lieth in him to do further the eternall salvation of his owne soule For though no wicked nay no naturall man can use the meanes of grace aright nor so as to please God therein yet if the wickedest man that is frequent the ministery of the Word there is hope he may be converted and have grace wrought in him both because it is the meanes ordained of God to breed grace where none is Rom. 10.17 Faith commeth by hearing and because as wicked men as live have been woon to God by their hearing as appeareth not onely by daily experience but by those two notable examples that are recorded in the Word The one 1 Cor. 14.24 25. of the man that was an ignorant man and an infidell before And the other Iohn 7.45 46. of them that came to heare Christ with a most wicked heart to intrap and apprehend him And so much
and whether it be right Thus did Hezekiah approve the truth of his heart Esa. 38.3 Remember now ô Lord I beseech thee how I have walked before thee in truth and have done that which is good in thy sight And indeed this is all in all Circumcision is nothing saith the Apostle 1 Cor. 7.19 nor uncircumcision is nothing but the keeping of the commandements of God Certainely if a mans doings if his life and conversation be naught his heart is false and naught whatsoever shewes he maketh how good soever his profession be In this saith the Apostle 1 Iohn 3.10 the children of God are manifest and the children of the divell whosoever doth not righteousnesse is not of God But some may object against this Surely this can bee no good note of uprightnesse of heart seeing many that are farre from that doe many good deeds and live very unblameably 1. Many an hypocrite will compare with Gods best servants in this and glory in many good workes they have done and confidently conclude from thence that they are in a good estate that their hearts are right See three notable examples of this The first is Saul who meeting with Samuel after he had destroyed the Amalekites saluted him thus 1 Sam. 15.13 Blessed be thou of the Lord I have performed the commandement of the Lord. The next is Iehu of whom wee read what a deale of good he did and that as it seemed in obedience to the commandement of the Lord. He utterly destroyed Baal out of Israel 2 Kings 10.28 And the Lord himselfe saith thus to him verse 30. Because thou hast done well in executing that which is right in mine eyes and hast done unto the house of Ahab according to all that was in mine heart thy children of the fourth generation shall sit on the throne of Israel And upon this his obedience he grew so confident that he was Gods faithfull servant that meeting with Iehonadab the sonne of Rechab an holy man Come with me saith he to him 2 King 10.16 and see my zeale for the Lord. The last example is of those hypocrites we read of Esa. 58.2 3. They seeke me daily saith the Lord of them and delight to know my waies as a nation that did righteousnesse they aske of me the ordinances of justice they take delight in approaching to God And see the confidence they reposed in this they were perswaded their obedience and service was such as God could not choose but like of Wherefore have wee fasted say they and thou seest not Wherefore have wee afflicted our soules and thou takest no knowledge 2. The Papist will compare with the best Christian in this and glory in his good workes we know as the Pharisee did Luke 18.11 Nay a great deale more then ever any Pharisee did for hee can perfectly keepe Gods law he saith and merit heaven by it 3. And lastly The morall and civill honest man will also compare in this with them that are most religious he liveth unblameably and doth many good workes The Gentiles which have not the law no true religion no respect to the meanes of saving grace saith the Apostle Rom. 2.14 do by nature the things contained in the law So that it should seeme by all these instances that no certainty can be had of the truth of grace of the uprightnesse of a mans heart by the goodnesse and unblameablenesse of his life by any good workes he is able to do To this I answer That though all these sorts boast of their good lives of the good deeds they doe yet did none of them ever do one good work in all their lives but of them all that may bee said which the Apostle speaketh Romanes 3.12 They are altogether unprofitable there is none that doth good no not one All those three sorts may even by those workes those good lives they brag of bee sufficiently discovered to have no truth of grace nor uprightnesse in their hearts And of them that may bee said which our Saviour speaketh Matth. 7.16 Yee shall know them by their fruits doe men gather grapes of thornes or figs of thistles How is it possible for such kind of men to doe any one worke that is truly good and acceptable unto God None but he that hath an upright heart can in any measure yeeld true obedience to Gods commandements nor doe any good worke By our obedience and the care wee have to keepe Gods commandements we may certainely approve to our selves the uprightnesse of our owne hearts and find even in this that we have more in us then either any Papist or hypocrite or meere civill man in the world could ever have Except your righteousnes saith our Saviour to his hearers Mat. 5.20 and so say I to you exceed the righteousnesse of the Scribes and Pharisees of the hypocrite and civill man ye shall in no wise enter into the kingdome of heaven But the righteousnesse and obedience of the weakest Christian that is upright in heart doth exceed the righteousnesse and obedience of them all in foure properties And by them must every one of us try the truth and sincerity of our obedience and consequently the truth and uprightnesse of our hearts The first is the ground and matter of our righteousnesse and good workes the rule we follow in it The second the root and fountaine from whence our obedience and righteousnesse doth spring The third the extent of it how farre it reacheth The fourth and last the manner how it is performed with what affection we do it what ends we aime at in it Lecture LXXVII On Psalme 51.6 Ianuary 8. 1627. IT followeth now that we proceed to speake particularly of those foure properties of true righteousnesse and goodnesse which I onely propounded unto you the last day And in the handling of them you shall better understand my meaning in them and find that a good life is a certaine and infallible signe of an upright heart The first of these properties then is this True righteousnesse and goodnesse must be materially good it must have a right ground it must be done according to the right rule And in handling of this first property I must shew you two things 1. What that right rule and ground of all true righteousnesse is 2. That the following of that rule in all the good things we doe is a good note of an upright heart Now the onely rule of true righteousnesse is the Word of God As nothing is a sin how great a shew of evill soever it beareth but that which swerveth from the direction of Gods Word 1 Iohn 3.4 Sin is a swerving from the law So is nothing a good worke how great a shew of goodnesse soever it carry but onely that which God in his Word hath directed us to doe Thus the Apostle defineth good workes Ephes. 2.10 to be such as God hath ordained that wee should walke in them And so doth Moses define true righteousnesse Deut.
esteemed him not And yet all this was nothing in comparison of his inward miseries and sufferings his soule was exceeding sorrowfull even unto death Matth. 26.38 He was so overwhelmed with terror and feare of that death he was to endure that in his prayer he uttered strong cries and roared and shed teares abundantly Heb. 5.7 He sweat drops of blood through the extreamity of his sorrow and anguish so abundantly that they fell upon the ground Luk. 22.44 Being on the crosse he could not containe himselfe but though he knew who were by to heare him Mat. 27.39 44. yet cryed with a loud voice My God my God why hast thou forsaken me verse 46. In a word he was made a curse as the Apostle speaketh Gal. 3.13 The curse of God and the torments due to all the elect were laid on his blessed body and soule to the full Now true faith as I said applieth all this that Christ hath suffered particularly to every beleever and perswadeth his soule that out of his love to him he endured all this It maketh him able to say with blessed Paul Gal. 2.20 He loved me and gave himselfe for me And as Esa 53.4 He hath borne our griefes and carried our sorrowes These sorrowes and terrours and torments were mine and I should have endured them everlastingly if hee had not endured them for me And verse 5. He was wounded for our transgressions and bruised for our iniquities they were my sins that put him to all these torments Now he that is thus perswaded Christ hath so loved him hath had this respect unto him in particular he cannot choose but he must needs out of love to Christ hate and renounce his sins If the spirit of Christ have perswaded us once that Christ hath so dearely loved us we cannot choose but love him againe We love him saith the Apostle 1 Ioâ— 4.19 because he loved us first The bloud of bulls and goats saith the Apostle Heb. 9 13 14. sprinkling the uncleane sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh that is served the turne to cleanse a man from legall and ceremoniall pollutions How much more shall the bloud of Christ if it be sprinkled and by faith particularly applyed to you purge your consciences from dead workes to serve the living God O there is great force in this particular application of the bloud of Christ and assurance it was shed for thee to mortifie sin in thee The love of Christ saith the Apostle 2 Cor. 5.14 constraineth us Nothing hath that force to curb corruption in Gods childe and to compell him to live in Gods feare as this hath They shall feare the Lord and his goodnesse in the latter daies that is under the Gospell saith the Prophet Hos. 3.5 When the Apostle had prayed for the Ephesians 3.16 that they might be strengthened with might by the spirit of God in the inner man He prayeth further verse 18 19 that to that end they may be able to comprehend with all Saints what is the length and breadth and depth and height and to know the love of Christ which passeth knowledge that yee might be filled with all the fulnesse of God If thou didst indeed know the love of Christ aright that out of his love to thee he endured such torments even to save thee from hell thou couldst not choose but be strengthened with might by his spirit in the inner man to withstand and overcome thine owne corruptions I know the Papists prate much against and blaspheme this doctrine of particular application of Christ by faith of the assurance it giveth to a man of Gods speciall love to him in Christ they say it layeth reines on mens necks and openeth a gap to all licentiousnesse But these two things I confidently affirme concerning this Doctrine by warrant of Gods Word First That as a Christian can have no sound comfort without it neither in life nor death so is there no doctrine hath that force in a good heart to make it study and practise mortification as this hath Indeed with hypocrites wrath judgement will do more as David saith Psal. 78.34 When he shew them then they sought him and returned and inquired early after God but it is farre otherwise with Gods child The knowledge even of this more generall love and goodnesse of the Lord to poore sinners that he is ready upon their repentance and turning to him to forgive their sins how great soever they have beene that he offereth Christ unto all men in the ministery of the Gospell and proclaimeth his pardon in the most generall tearmes that can be Ioh. 3.16 and commandeth all to beleeve that Christ died for them Even the consideration of this generall love to all that live in the Church is a most strong and effectuall argument to perswade a man to forsake his sins and turne unto God Nay till a man can be perswaded of that love and goodnesse of God he can never have an heart to repent and to turne unto him This is plaine by that speach of the Evangelicall Prophet Esay 55.7 Let the wicked forsake his way and the unrighteous man his thoughts and let him returne unto the Lord and he will have mercy upon him and to our God for hee will abundantly pardon Having these promises saith the Apostle 2 Cor. 7.1 And what promises meaneth hee Surely those mentioned Cap. 6.16.18 let us cleanse our selves from all filthinesse of the flesh and spirit Secondly That hee that truly knoweth that Christ loved him and gave himselfe for him cannot possibly grow licentious by it He that hath gotten a conceit and perswasion of heart that Christ dyed for him onely out of a carnall and naturall knowledge of the Doctrine of the Gospel may abuse this perswasion I grant and grow the worse by it such a one I know may turne the grace of God into wantonnesse But he that hath beene taught this of God and brought to this perswasion by the word and spirit of God cannot possibly abuse it but it must needs mortifie sin in him See a plaine proofe of this Ephe. 4.20 But ye have not so learned Christ so hee meaneth as to live licentiously still what followeth verse 21 if so bee that yee have heard him and have beene taught by him as the truth is in Iesus As if hee should have said Many live in the Church and make a profession of Christ by vertue onely of an outward calling they have heard and beene taught by many excellent ministers of Christ and by hearing them have attained the knowledge of Christ but they never heard Christ himselfe speaking to their heart in the ministery of his word they were never taught of him as the truth is in Iesus And what is it to be taught by him as the truth is in Iesus To know Christ aright That hee telleth verse 22. That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man which is corrupt according to the deceitfull lusts The man that truly
Saviour taxeth to bee no better then grosse hypocrisy Matthew 23.23 24. 3. Lastly Such as out of ignorance and blind devotion denie unto themselves the liberties and comforts of this life that God hath allowed them To these Solomon speaketh Eccl. 7.16 Bee not righteous overmuch neither make thy selfe over wise why shouldst thou destroy thy selfe But so long as a man keepeth himselfe to the direction of the Word take heed how thou scorne him take heed how thou blame him for such precisenesse for wee are all commanded of God to bee strict and precise this way What thing soever I command you bee it great or small saith the Lord Deut. 12.32 observe to doe it thou shalt not add thereto nor diminish from it And Exod. 23.13 In all things that I have said unto you be circumspect And he instanceth in a point of strange precisenesse Make no mention of the names of other Gods neither let it be heard out of thy mouth The second use that the Doctrine serveth unto is for exhortation to perswade every one of us to a more reverent esteeme and conscionable use of the whole outward worship of God of all those exercises of religion that the Lord hath in his Word commanded or commended unto us that is to say the observation of the Sabbath hearing the Word and reading of it receiving the Sacrament singing of Psalmes all manner of prayer both publique and with our families and in secret also Of never a one of these any man can doubt but they are ordained of God and commended to his in his Word Marke how this exhortation riseth from the Doctrine If the ceremoniall worship that was to endure for a time was so much to bee regarded how much more is the morall and perpetuall worship of God to bee accounted of It is the Apostles reason 2 Corinthians 3.11 If that which is done away was glorious much more that which remaineth is glorious If wee may not neglect the least circumstance of Gods worship that hee hath given us direction for in his Word how much lesse the substanciall parts of his worship and service If I may not neglect the gesture of kneeling in prayer when I can conveniently use it then much lesse may I neglect the duty of prayer it selfe If I may not neglect the benefit of mine eye in the Sacrament but I must desire to behold and looke upon the bread and wine the breaking of it and powring of it out then much lesse may I neglect the benefit of receiving the Sacrament it selfe Foure motives I will use to enforce this exhortation upon your hearts First These duties these parts of Gods out ward worship are enjoyned us by that commandement which our Saviour Matth. 22.38 calleth the first and the great commandement 1. It is the first commandement here you must begin thou canst not make conscience aright of any of the commandements following till thou begin here and make conscience even of the outward worship of God In which respect the Lord calleth them in the reason of the second commandement Exod. 20.6 that make conscience of that commandement such as keepe his commandements 2. It is the great commandement Wee can in nothing better shew our obedience and doe our homage to God then by the diligent and conscionable use of his outward worship Secondly The Lord esteemeth of the love we beare him according to the conscience we make of the second commandement according to the account we make of his outward worship and our dependance upon his direction in it This is plaine in the reason of the second commandement Exod. 20.5 6. He calleth them that make conscience of this commandement such as love him and those that do not such as hate him Thirdly The best of us have need of every one of them Adam even in his innocency had need of the Sabbath Gen. 2.3 The King saith the Lord Deut. 17.19 must read the Word daily and had need so to do as appeareth by the reason of that commandement there Daniel had need to pray every day Dan. 6.10 And how much more then have we Fourthly Thou shalt certainely receive good by them if thou use them conscionably 1. Good in thy soule for which they were chiefly ordained 1 by keeping the Sabbath Esa. 58.13 14. 2 by hearing Esa. 55.3 3 by reading Deut. 17.19 4 by receiving 1 Cor. 10.16 5 by prayer Phil. 4.6.7 6 by singing of Psalmes Ephes. 5.19 20. 2. Good even in thine outward estate The arke brought a blessing upon the house of Obed-Edom 2 Sam. 6.11 12. The true worship of God used in it strengthened Rehoboams kingdome 2 Chron. 11.17 The Sabbath shall be a blessing to all that keepe it conscionably and no curse Exod. 20.11 See what a promise God maketh to watch over their families that worship him Exodus 34.24 On the other side thou hast no cause to expect his blessing but his curse upon all thou hast if thou neglect his outward worship Exod. 5.3 Let us sacrifice lest he fall upon us with pestilence or with the sword Lecture CXVI On Psalme 51.7 April 21. 1629. IT followeth now that wee proceed unto the second of those generall points that I told you were to bee observed out of the whole verse that is to say That David did understand the meaning of these legall washings and sprinklings that hee alludeth to and mentioneth here hee knew what was signified by them and knowing that in those ceremoniall washings there was not only an outward and materiall element of water used but also an inward and spirituall grace represented and signified by it and that in those ceremoniall sprinklings with hysope there was not only an outward action and worke to be done by man but an inward worke also to be done by the Lord himselfe he rested not in that which was outward and touched the body onely but seeketh for that inward grace that was signified by it as appeareth by this that he beggeth of God that he would purge and wash him that he would do that worke upon his soule which was signified by this ceremony Purge thou mee with hysope saith he and I shall be cleane wash thou me and I shall be whiter then the snow And from this point thus observed in the Text this Doctrine ariseth for our instruction That Gods people must labour to understand what they doe in every part of Gods worship and not rest in the outward worke but strive to feele the inward vertue and power of it and to find God doing his worke upon them in every one of his ordinances Two branches you see there are of this Doctrine which we wil handle distinctly and in order First We must labour to understand every thing that wee doe in the service of God This God required of his people even under the Law Though that were a time of farre lesse light then the Gospell the law had but a shadow of good things