tenth so that now our obedience and seruice of God stands not in following our owne courses but in making conscience to frame our selues to that which the Lord commends vnto vs to be performed either to himselfe or to others Heere is a large field to enter into but I will abridge that plentifull matter which offereth it selfe vnto mee as much as I can Two speciall points are heere taught vs. The 4. Doctrine The first is That true religion stands not in a verball profession or informall shewes but in action in the doing of that which God requireth It is plaine heere For heere particular duties are designed in the practise whereof true religion and godlinesse doth consist In the Scripture doing and practise are still vrged Hearken to the lawes which I teach you to doe q Deut. 4.1 Heare the lawes c. that ye may take heed to obserue them r Cap. 5.1 Ye shall keepe all the commandements c. for to doe them ſ Cap. 8.1 If ye know these things blessed are ye if ye doe them t Ioh. 13.17 Whosoeuer heareth these my words and doth them not shall be likened vnto a foolish man u Matt. 7.26 Be ye doers of the word and not hearers only x Iam. 1.22 If it were not so it were nothing to be religious it were no great thing to be godly To professe is nothing to talke and speake of religion and to make a shew is a matter soone done the veriest Atheist may goe so farre doing is the triall the fruits of holinesse and righteousnesse doe shew a man to be a Christian The Vse This maketh against those who haue only tipped their tongues with religion and haue taken vpon them a name and put on a vizard of godlinesse Like they be to the figge tree which our Sauiour cursed abounding with leaues but without fruit y Matt. 21.19 the Apostle thus describeth them they haue a shew of godlinesse but denie the power thereof x 2. Tim. 3.5 such hearers had Ezekiel They did come vnto him and sit before him and heare his words but they would not doe them a Eze. 33.31 and such haue we right like him in the Gospell he came to Christ with a question Good master what ought I to doe to inherit eternall life The same seemeth to be our desire in comming to the Congregation well when he heard his taske he was very heauie b Luc. 18.18 c. and went his way doing nothing euen so perswade vs to any thing which is crossing to our humors and commeth athwart our courses we say straight This is a hard saying who can heare it c Ioh. 6.60 Remember we this then that to be a true Christian is no titular thing it is a matter of action Many at the last day shall say We haue prophecied d Matt. 7.22 we haue professed thy name O Lord but seeing they haue bene welles without water the blacke darkenesse shall be to them for euer e 2. Pet. 2.17 The other doctrine collected hence is That in the practise of religion The 5. Doctrine there must be a ioyning together of these two holinesse and righteousnesse our holy cariage towards God and our vpright demeanor towards men It is not said heere holinesse or righteousnesse as though either might serue but holinesse and righteousnesse both together God hath ioyned them and man may not seuer them To this agreeth that of Paul That we should liue soberly and righteously and godly c. f Tit. 2.12 These are two maine parts of the image of God Righteousnesse and true holinesse g Eph. 4.24 neither can we assure our selues that we are truely regenerate vnlesse we find in ourselues a concurrence of both It is absurd to be respectiue towards men and to neglect that duty which we owe to God It is hypocriticall to make shew of deuotion to God and to haue no regard how we liue in respect of men But to be carefull in the knowledge and seruice of God and fruitfull in the duties of equity and euennesse amongst men this is religion this is the whole duty of man This doctrine is very necessarie because The Vse the renting asunder of these two holinesse and righteousnesse is the common euill of those which make a profession of religion Some there are who in the outward exercises of religiō are very diligent in repairing to the congregation in hearing in communicating in refraining from open misorders on the sabbath day but looke on them in those things which concerne men there you shall find them exceeding faulty proud disdainfull malicious reuengeful cruell oppressing all for themselues without respect to others Others there are which shew a kind of ciuility in outward fashion to the world quiet they be and peaceable obseruing a kind of truth and equity in their dealings and so gaine a name and an opinion of honest men yet haue no regard to the exercises of piety more than for outward forme despise knowledge basely esteeme the publike ministry make no reckoning of the sabbath Both these sorts come short and continuing as they are can neuer be saued Remember then to ioyne both together holinesse towards God righteousnesse towards men Art thou a louer to heare a man forward in the publike exercises of religion thou dost well see thou make conscience also of equity amongst men els all thy deuotion is but hypocrisie Art thou a man of ciuill fashion that pretendest to giue euery man his owne see thou season thy cariage to men with knowledge and zeale in the matters of God els thy ciuilitie is but formalitie and both the former with his vnrighteous holinesse and thou with thine vnholy righteousnesse shall be cut off from hauing any inheritance in the kingdome of Christ and of God The fift and last point according to the order first propounded is the triall of the truth of all these duties in those words before him whereby is meant such holinesse and such righteousnesse which is framed not barely to content men The 6. Doctrine but to please God where we are taught That if we would be religious indeed we must not looke so much how to make a shew and to be something in appearance and opinion before men as how to approue our selues by truth and sincerity of heart vnto God Truth it is that the opinion of men is not simplie to be neglected for it is the rule of the Apostle that we should procure things honest in the sight of all men h Rom. 12.17 but yet the approbation of men must not be made the rule of godlinesse but only the will and maiestie of God It was the commendation of Enoch and of Noah that the times wherein they liued being ouerrunne with leaudnesse yet they walked with God i Gen. 5.22.6.9 that is they considered more what God appointed than what most men practised and desired more
and walketh about seeking to deuoure a 1. Pet. 5.8 Another enemie is sinne a dangerous enemie lurking in our bosome and still labouring the ruine and ouerthrow of the soule It fighteth against the soule b 1. Pet. 2.11 and lusteth against the spirit c Gal 5.17 A third enemie is death so entitled by the Apostle d 1. Cor. 15.26 and is therefore said to haue a Sting e Verse 53. by which it wounds the soule and bringeth it within the compasse of eternall misery A fourth enemie is the world that is wicked vnregenerate godlesse men These be the enemies and haters of Gods people The world hateth you saith our Sauiour to such f Ioh. 15.19 and In the world you shall haue affliction g Ioh. 16.33 and Yee shall be hated of all nations for my names sake h Math. 24.9 Now let vs also see how true this is that Christ bringeth Deliuerance from these Enemies First for deliuerance from Sathan it is plaine For this purpose appeared the Sonne of God that hee might loose the works of the diuell i 1. Ioh. 3.8 and God hath deliuered vs from the power of darknesse k Col. 1.13 Christ hath spoiled the principalities and powers l Col. 2.15 Secondly for deliuerance from sinne the words are expresse The sting of death is sinne c. But thanks bee to God that hath giuen vs victorie through our Lord Iesus Christ m 1. Cor. 15.56.57 Thirdly for deliuerance from death Death saith the Apostle is swallowed vp into victorie n 1. Cor. 15.54 Lastly touching deliuerance from the World Be of good comfort saith our Sauiour I haue ouercome the World o Ioh. 16.33 Let vs proceed yet further and enquire into the maner of this deliuerance Concerning which I will briefely open two things 1. The substance and ground of the deliuerance 2. The maner of declaring it The ground of the deliuerance is the merit of Christs death Hee was made sinne p 2. Cor. 5.21 and so died and in death encountred with him who had the power of death the diuell q Heb. 2.14 By being made sinne hee tooke away sinne by dying hee ouercame death sinne being abolished and death subdued the kingdome of the diuell was vtterly ouerthrowne As for the maner of declaring and manifesting this deliuerance it is either in this life or heereafter In this life he deliuereth from Satan by restraining his rage by limiting his malice by not giuing vs ouer to his assaults I haue praied that thy faith faile not r Luc. 22.32 He deliuereth from sinne by sanctifying vs by his spirit by killing the strength of our corruption by transforming vs more and more into the image of God Sinne shall not haue dominion ouer you Å¿ Rom. 6.14 He deliuereth from death by taking away the naturall feare of it by assuring that it shall be a passage into glorie Thus Paul knew that being loosed he should be with Christ t Phil. 1.23 He deliuereth from the world by ordering the rage of euil men by giuing constancy to maintaine and professe the truth vnto the death To you it is giuen to suffer for his sake u Phil. 1.29 In the day of iudgement he will further manifest this deliuerance for then all teares shall be wiped away there shall be no more death c. x Reue. 21.3 The diuell with all his angels and wicked instruments shall bee sent away eternally into hell The God of peace shall tread Sathan vnder our feete shortly y Rom. 16. Many things might heere be handled as of the Excellencie of our redemption farre exceeding that of Moses Deborah Gedeon and others of our securitie who hauing so many enemies yet take no thought to withstand them and such like points But the chiefe thing obseruable heere is The certainty of the saluation of Gods chosen The 4. Doctrine If any thing could endanger them and worke their ruine it must be one of these foure Sathan Sinne Death the World no fift can be thought vpon But none of these foure can The reason is It was Gods intent by Christ to deliuer them from all these Thinke wee that God did faile in the prosecuting his intent did he either not follow it or in following it did he not accomplish it Farre be it from vs so to thinke Hence commeth that boasting vsed by the Apostle Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods chosen Who shall condemne Who shall separate vs from the loue of Christ z Rom. 8.32.33.34 c. Sathans head broken sinne destroied death swallowed vp the world vanquished the happiest and most absolute victory that euer was This is a point of much comfort to all the godly The Vse Sathan rageth sinne striueth death looketh terrible the world opposeth it selfe fearefull are these things at the first beholding Looke we to Iesus the author and finisher of our faith a Heb. 12.2 the Prince of our saluation b Heb. 2.10 he hath to euery of these giuen their mortall wound and they shall neuer preuaile against any of his chosen This doctrine is health to the nauell and marrow to the bones c Pro. 3.8 Yet lest any should abuse it remember that one of the enemies is sinne and one of the deliuerances from sinne is from the dominion thereof A slaue to sinne a seruant to his owne lusts he which maketh a mocke of sinne d Pro. 14.9 he that taketh to himselfe the liberty of grosse euils such a one hath no right vnto this comfortable deliuerance his condemnation without speedy repentance is as sure as the saluation of the elect is certaine THE FIFTH SERMON VERS 72. That he might shew mercy towards our Fathers and remember his holy Couenant 73. And the oth which he sware to our Father Abraham NOw followeth the inducement or Reason moouing God to vouchsafe this great Deliuerance and that was the manifestation and discouerie of two things 1. His mercie That hee might shew mercy c. 2. His truth And remember his holy Couenant The 1. Doctrine c. In the former of these two things must bee handled 1. That the worke of Redemption by Christ was intended by God as it were a stage in which the Fulnesse and euen the riches of his mercy might be seene 2. A question how this worke now wrought as it were in the worlds last quarter might be said to be a worke of mercy to the Fathers who liued in the prime daies of the world long before Christ was exhibited in the flesh To manifest the first of these two this first is in generall to bee noted that the Elect of God which are redeemed by Christs precious blood are called Vessels of mercy e Rom. 9.23 because in the eternal counsel of God they were chosen to this end that the Lord might declare the riches of his glorie and that their saluation
nothing of his owne may be once thought vpon in this busines hee shall straight see such a breadth and length depth and height z Eph. 3.18 of comfort which will bee as colde waters to his wearie soule a Pro. 25.25 Thus this doctrine is matter of instruction to ground vs in knowledge and matter of refreshing to furnish vs with comfort The soule of a Christian is as the Done which went out of Noahs Arke b Gen. 8.9 It findes no footing but vpon the rocke of Mercy and it is but an imagination of mercie when any thing is coupled thereunto This truth hath forced euen the greatest aduersaries to acknowledge it according as wee finde that no meane Papist after long labouring against the doctrine of Iustification by only Faith doeth in the end confesse that yet it is the safest way to place a mans trust vpon Gods onely mercy and fauor c Bellar. lib. 5. de Iustif c. 7. The next matter to bee treated is the Question How the worke of Redemption wrought by Christ can be said to be a worke of mercy to the Fathers For the resoluing of this question this is to be knowne that there is but one way of saluation to the Fathers before and vnder the Law and to vs which haue liued since the reuelation of Christ in the flesh Iesus Christ yesterday to day the same for euer d Heb. 13.8 Heereupon Christ is said to be the Lambe slaine from the beginning of the world e Reu. 13.8 whereof this is the meaning that albeit he was manifested in the flesh in the latter end of the world and not slaine before yet all the holy men and women euen from Adam were saued by his blood The most persons of note vnder the Law were types of Christ and all their sacrifices and ceremonies tended to this one thing to cherish in them the hope of the Messias and to acquaint them with the whole mysterie of Redemption which was wrought by his meanes There is not one little circumstance in the carriage of our saluation by Christ but the same was shadowed out in the ancient complements of the Law Euen Abraham saw the day of Christ f Ioh. 8.56 To them that liued before Christ Christ was crucified in the Sacrifices and bloodsheddings of the Law among vs he is crucified g Gal. 3.1 by the preaching of the Gospell They beleeued on Christ to come we beleeue on Christ already come Zeeharie therefore doth heere mention the Fathers to teach The 2. Doctrine That the efficacie of Christs death is not restrained or limited to one point of time but is stretched euen to the ages by-past and that the Fathers from the beginning of the world came within the compasse of this mercy which God shewed to mankind in Christs incarnation And this to bee true hath beene prooued in the opening and clearing of this question Paul said that the Christian Religion which hee professed was the Hope of the promise which God made to the Fathers h Act. 26.6 and Peter in his Oration made in the Synode at Ierusalem speaking of beleeuing to be saued through the grace of the Lord Iesus Christ ioyneth the Fathers with them who then liued We beleeue euen as they i Act. 15.10.11 This is first matter of Resolution in a needfull doubt The 1. Vse I am taught if I will be saued to beleeue onely in Christ Iesus the Ministry of the word doeth still like Iohn Baptist point out him vnto me as the onely person which taketh away the sinnes of the World k Ioh. 1.29 it saith that he is the only way l Ioh 14.6 and that there is no saluation in any other m Act. 4.12 It telleth mee moreouer that this Christ was crucified manie hundred yeeres since and that now in respect of his bodie Heauen must containe him n Act. 3.21 till the end of all things But now heere my faith wauereth and is in doubt asking how his blood which was shed so long since can bee of force for the purging and cleansing of my sinne This scruple is taken away by considering that which is heere said Zecharie affirmeth that the mercy of God in Christ did concerne euen the Fathers which had long before gone the way of all flesh and which were asleepe in the dust of the earth Now then looke how the Fathers so long before might haue benefit by his death to come by the same means may we now so long after receaue comfort by his death past By faith they beheld Christ to be offered and are now entred into rest by faith we may also looke backe vpon Christ already sacrificed and be admitted into the fellowship of eternall happinesse The two Cherubins placed at the two ends of the mercie-seat had their Faces one to another o Exo. 25.18 c. and both vpon the Arke So the age by-past and the age after looke either on the other but both vpon Christ The 2. Vse Secondly this is matter of much contentment to a true beleeuer For heere he may see that be he neuer so poore or despised or base though he lie among the pots p Psa 68.13 or bee behinde the Ewes with yoong q Psa 78.72 yet he is by Christ called into the fellowship and partaking of the same saluation which the holie Fathers and Prophets doe now enioy Adam Enoch Noah Abraham Moses c. these were woorthy men and in great account with God How truely maiest thou say with Dauid t 1. Sam. 18.18 What am I that I should enioy that mercy which God hath prepared for them In such a maner doeth our Sauiour describe the happinesse of the saued They shall sit downe with Abraham Izhak and Iacob in the kingdome of Heauen Å¿ Matth. 8.11 and it is one circumstance of the torment of the wicked yee shall see Abraham Izhak and Iacob and all the Prophets in the kingdome of heauen and your selues thrust out at doores t Luk. 13.28 What shall then become of vs who neglect so great saluation u Heb. 2.3 Who when God hath promised such glorious things x Psal 87.3 for vs euen the same saluation and mercy which the chiefest of his Saints do now enioy yet had rather be malicious with Cain tyrannizing with Nimrod profane with Esau scoffing with Ishmael extorters with Ahab proud with Iesabel superstitious with Ieroboam catching with Iudas playing the belly-gods with Diues resisting the trueth with Elymas rayling with Rabshakeh murmuring with Core vicious with the Sodomites of which persons we haue no other testimonie but that they are reserued in euerlasting chaines vnder darknesse vnto the iudgement of the great day y Iude 6. than seeke to raigne with Abraham Izhak Iacob and the Prophets If wee desire the same happinesse wee must goe by the same way It is vnpossible to haue the Pleasures of sinne z
I do commeth from the spirit of bondage and God esteemes it not THE SEVENTH SERMON VERS 75. All the daies of our life in holinesse and righteousnesse before God THe next point to be handled is the Time to which our seruing of God without feare is limited All the daies of our life Heere I will handle two points 1. That this life is the time of our seruing God 2. That it must not bee done in some part but in all the daies of our life Touching the first this is the doctrine The 1. Doctrine That the time of our liuing here in the world is the alone time in which those duties are to be done which ought to be performed by vs in token of thankefulnesse to God for our redemption and in respect of the hope which we haue of life eternall This plainly followeth hence for if the question be when and at what time the duty of seruing God which is the end of our redemption must be done the answer is it must be done in the daies of our life while we liue heere or not at all This is agreeing to the Scriptures in other places While we haue time let vs doe good c c Gal. 6.10 that is while we liue here for when that time is gone we haue no further opportunity In this present world saith the same Apostle elswhere d Tit. 2.12 The time of our dwelling heere saith Peter e 1. Pet. 1.17 During my life saith Dauid f Psal 116.2 I haue finished my course said Paul when he was neere his death g 2. Tim. 4.7 He could not haue so spoken truly if after his departure hence there had bene any thing further to be performed Thus all is confined to the compasse of this present life After death commeth the iudgement h Heb. 9.27 then is a time of reckning not of practise Besides death being come the time of grace is expired the ministry of reconciliation ceaseth therefore now is the accepted time behold now the day of saluation saith the Apostle i 2. Cor. 6.2 The 1. Vse This serueth first to batter downe the wals of the Popes supposed purgatorie the ground whereof is this that there is a place for repentance after this life and that as some which are perfit Christians goe directly after death to heauen and others which are extreamely wicked go straight to hell so there are a middle kind who hauing not perfited their obedience in this world nor made full satisfaction for all their sinnes must stay by the way in a place of torment where the reliques of sin must be purged out and the full summe of their duty made vp before they can be admitted into heauen This is held as an article of faith and they are said to be certainly damned so many as doe not beleeue it k Bellar. lib. 1. de purg ca. 11. Indeed Papists haue reason to maintaine it it is a fire which hath well heated the Popes kitching and the conceit and feare of it together with an opinion that the offerings of Priests can helpe to shorten a mans time in it hath brought them in no small reuenue they may truly say that by this craft they haue their goods l Act. 19.25 Now the opinion is plainly confuted by this place For whatsoeuer is required of vs either toward God or toward man is to be done in the daies of our life or neuer The dead in the Lord doe rest from their labours m Reu. 14.13 This could not be true if they were either busied in doing good workes for the getting to heauen or were tormented in fire They sweat much to make good this fancie but in vaine sure we are the Scripture maketh mention of two only places for the dead n Luc. 16.22.23 neither was there in Moses law appointed any sacrifice on the behalfe of the dead The thing it selfe came first from the heathen was vnknowen to the world vntill the Councell of Florence o Anno Dom. 1439. and therefore though they threaten the blacke curse to those that denie it yet let vs not feare it the curse that is causlesse shall not come p Pro. 26.2 The 2. Vse Secōdly this maketh against those who are of that swinish disposition that they neuer thinke vpon doing good vntill they die while they liue they rake and catch and extort and oppresse A man may as soone wring water out of a flint as draw ought from them to a good purpose then they grumble like Nabal shall I take my bread c. and giue it to men whom I knowe not whence they bee q 1. Sam. 25.11 But when they come to the knife and die they must and leaue their goods behind them then it may be shall some drop or two be giuen to the poore or to some good seruice I doe not condemne it if any man by will bequeath ought to the Church or poore this I condemne when such things are neuer done tell then It is an argument that that which is then done is but a formall and extorted beneuolence Formall men therein will doe as others doe Extorted because it is done most commonly to stop the mouth of an accusing conscience Remember we therefore that the obedience which we owe to God or to man for Gods sake reacheth it selfe to the whole life and is not to be restrained to the last act That knowledge which wee will learne and that good which we will doe let vs applie it now It is a miserable thing when men must be catechized in principles and must first begin to exercise charity when they are going to appeare before God to giue account of their life Thirdly The 3. Vse this doth presse a kind of hastning in the duties of godlinesse without delaying or putting off For marke how the spirit of God speaketh He saith that the life present is our only time of well doing but how doth he define life not by moneths or yeeres but by daies which is also the vsuall maner of the Scripture r Gen. 47.9 Psal 90.9.12 This speech argueth the shortnesse of our life being nothing but a composition of a few daies which how soone they may be swallowed vp by that long night of death we cannot tell This should make vs to make haste with Dauid ſ Psal 119.60 and to worke while it is day t Ioh. 9.4 It was the very thing intended by Moses in that sute of his Teach vs to number our daies c u Psal 90.12 that is enable vs O Lord so to summe vp the time of our life that considering the shortnesse of it we may learne this wisedome to doe that first which most concerns vs so that if by the sudden comming of death any thing for lacke of time be left vnperformed it may not be that the not doing whereof will be the vndoing of our soules Memorable is the speech of