the devil Jam. 4.7 2 Doctrine The LORD pardoned all Davids iniquities 1 The object of this forgivenesse was all Davids iniquities that is Explic. both Adams sinne imputed and the actuall sins committed by himself as whereof he had actually repented 2 The pardoning of sin is all one with not imputing it to condemnation or the freeing a man from the guilt of it and consequently from the punishment due upon the guilt 3 The LORD that is the whole Trinity seeing it is opus ad extra a work or act of God terminated upon a thing without Himself Yet as in the Persons there is an internall naturall order of being one from another so also there is an order of working from and by one another even in externall and voluntary actions For as the Father is from none the Sonne from the Father by generation the Holy Ghost from both by procession so the Father creates of Himself by the Sonne and the Holy Ghost the Sonne from the Father by the Holy Ghost the Holy Ghost from both So here the Holy Ghost making men conformable to the stipulation of the covenant immediately applies the remission of sins the Sonne taking our flesh upon him merited and procured it but primarily and in a more speciall manner this act is ascribed to the Father Who dwels in the light that no man can approch to sitting continually in the throne of his Majesty and keeping his authority whole and entire to Himself without any condescension of his Person and therefore the power and right either of justly punishing or graciously remitting sinnes doth after a more principall manner belong to him Quest Here a Question may be moved Whether all a mans sins even those which are to come be at once remitted when he is first converted Answ I answer No by no meanes For if so then a man once converted and so perswaded could not otherwise then frivolously pray daily Forgive us our trespasses as which he knowes are all forgiven already David was converted long before the businesse of Urijah If therefore this opinion stand good see to what purpose all that earnestnesse was Psal 51. and what answer had befitted his petitions Have mercy upon me Answ It is not now to doe I had mercy on thee long agoe yea before thou stoodest in need of it for those very sins Blot out my trangressions Answ They were never upon record but pardoned before they were committed Wash me purge me cleanse me Answ No such need thy sins being forgiven aforehand have not defiled thee Deliver me from blood-guiltinesse Answ It was never imputed to thee c. See Rom. 3.25 This opinion tends directly to take away all care of avoiding sin and all repentance for sin committed For why should any that is thus perswaded be afraid to commit any sin whatsoever or repent of any that he hath committed Lest he fall into condemnation There can be no such feare but very foolish if a man be sure that all his sins are pardoned aforehand Neither can he in common sense fear lest God should be displeased For if clearly foreseeing all his sinnes in their nature kind and degree with all their circumstances He fully forgave them all before they were committed how is it possible that without manifest change of mind He should be displeased when any of them are conmmitted But to returne to the Doctrine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That Davids sins were forgiven by God see also Psal 32.5 The principall cause of this forgivenesse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is the Mercy of God whereby He appointed His Son to be the Mediatour and made a covenant with Him the Stipulation whereof see Psal 40.6 7. the Promise Isa 53.10 11. Then also the Justice of God which Christ having exactly performed the stipulation requires the performance of the promise though made freely and of mere grace The Apostle seems to comprehend both together Rom. 3.24 25 26. Uses Here then 1 we see that though we all have our sinnes as the former Doctrine put us in mind yet the case is not desperate Instr There is hope in Israel concerning this thing It is an Article of our Creed I beleeve the remission of sinnes But then 2 we see also to whom this remission belongeth namely not to such as go on in their sinnes without repentance but to such as David was 3 Behold the greatnesse of Gods mercy For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all notes the generality of the object and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the participle of the present tense notes the continuation of the act and that it is ever present as need shall require This may be a ground of comfort 1 Against the terrours of conscience Consolation Thy sinnes are many but Gods compassions are farre more those great but these infinitely greater 2 Against death whose onely sting is sin 1 Cor. 15.56 which being taken away there is nothing in death that can hurt and a Christian is so far from fearing it that he desires and longs for it as rest from his labours and the way to heaven 3 Against all the afflictions of this world positive or privative which forgivenesse of sinnes supposed all work together for our good Rom. 8.28 c. Quest But how shall I know my self to be of the number of them whose sins are forgiven Answ I answer seeing remission of sinnes is the act of God alone according to His good pleasure therefore we must not judge of it according to our own imaginations which may easily deceive us either on the one side through presumption or on the other through scrupulousnesse but according to Gods word wherein He hath revealed his will so farre as it concerns us to know Now from the word of God we may gather two Notes of the forgivenesse of sinnes One and that a most evident one is taken à priore from that which goes before forgivenesse thus It is most certaine that God will doe whatsoever he hath promised Num. 23.19 For as being most faithfull and simply immutable He neither will nor can change His mind so being omniscient He knowes and being omnipotent He is able abundantly to performe His word If therefore we would know whether our sinnes be forgiven we must see whether our spirit can witnesse that we by the grace of God are of the number of them to whom God hath in Scripture testified the promise of forgivenesse Prov. 28.13 Isa 1.16 17 18. Mat. 6.14 15. 11.28 Act. 2.38 10.43 The other Note is taken à posteriore from that which followes forgivenesse For as there is a great difference in man before and after the forgivenesse of his sinnes so the providence of God concerning him is farre different In temporall goods there is a wide difference seeing to a sinner they are given onely out of Gods first or generall love whereof a man may tast deeply and yet never come neare the kingdome of heaven yea the more of this
nature they are farre more dangerous The diseases of the body tend onely to the death of the body which of it self must necessarily dy and by the power of God shall most certainly rise again but the diseases of the soule tend to the eternall death and destruction both of body and soule 2 That those places of Scripture where the faithfull are said to be dead unto sinne buried with Christ to have the world crucified unto them and themselves unto the world c. are to be understood not according to rigour but according to the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or equity of the Gospell Repr Here come to be reproved 1 Such as are not sensible of the diseases of their soules like men who having their brain distempered by some hote and violent disease know not that they are ill when they are even hard at deaths doore but sometimes raile at the physician sometimes are merry and laugh whilest their friends stand about them with teares in their eyes But here is the difference that these mens ignorance of their disease is invincible they can not help it but those we speak of are ignorant of their estate either affectedly or of extreme negligence which can neither excuse nor be excused For if they would examine themselves by the Scriptures as they might ought to do they would easily discerne if not straightway all yet many of their diseases and the rest by degrees Which because they doe not their condition is farre worse then theirs to whom we liken them not onely because the death and destruction of the soule whereof they are in danger is far worse then that of the body but also because they are in more danger of it For they who are bodily sick by how much the lesse sensible they are of their disease themselves have their friends so much the more solicitous for them and the physick which is administred to them though they desire it not neither perceive when they take it working by the naturall vertue which God hath put into herbs c. may restore them to their health But they who are spiritually sick and yet wilfully refuse to know or acknowledge it can not whilest they so continue receive any good by spirituall physick neither will Christ the great Physician of souls take in hand to cure them Luk. 5.30 31 32. 2 Such as daily cast their soules into new diseases There are two principall means of preserving health and preventing diseases Diet and Exercise But for the former as it is Hos 12.1 many so feed themselves with vain and impious principles not onely speculative but practicall that thereby the mind and heart and whole man fall into sundry and great distempers Some eat the bread of wickednesse and drink the wine of violence Prov. 1.17 18 19. 4.17 Some eat the bread of deceit which is sweet at the first tasting but afterwards fills the mouth with gravell Prov. 20.17 Some swallow down riches ill gotten which prove the gall of aspes within them Job 20.14 15. Some by oppression swallow up the needy Amos 8.4 And is it any wonder if such diet breed diseases So for Exercise many giving themselves to spirituall idlenesse altogether neglect the exercises of piety and so both of themselves contract abundance of ill humours and also give the devil opportunity to infect their souls with his temptations yea tempt him to it Standing waters putrifie breed frogs noisome vermine c. Again this doctrine as it informs us of our misery Consol so it ministers unto us some comfort I Against the trouble which ariseth from the sense of these diseases For as the diseases themselves are common lesse or more to all Gods children in this life so the sense and trouble arising thereupon is a good both sign cause of amendment We may and ought whilest we live here to be daily gathering strength against these diseases but perfect and uninterrupted health is to be expected onely in heaven 2 Against the imperfection of our good works if grieving for what is wanting in them we seriously and diligently endeavour to grow in grace and holinesse He were a cruell master that should require the same work of a sick which he doth of a sound servant The Father of mercies Who knowes our mold and temper how weak and sickly our soules are doth not expect from us a conversation so every way perfect in all points as He did from Adam in the first covenant but if He sees us truly sory for our imperfections and daily to our power endeavouring towards greater perfection He accepts of our endeavours in Christ and pardons what is wanting Two things we are here to be exhorted to Exhort 1 To withstand these diseases as much as may be both by way of prevention and by way of remedy Motiv 1. From the worth and price of the soul the subject of these diseases 2 From the great and imminent danger wherein it is by reason of them 3 From the difficulty of overcoming them 4 From the possibility notwithstanding of doing it in some competent measure by the power of Gods grace Meanes 1 Withdraw whatsoever may nourish or foster these diseases 2 Feed upon the sincere milk and solid meat of Gods word and exercise the graces of His Holy Spirit 2 To search diligently what diseases we have Motiv 1 It is too certain we have our diseases we shall not seek a knot in a bulrush 2 Unlesse we know them we cannot be healed of them as we heard before Repr 1. 3 The sense of them will humble us will excite us diligently to seek after the means of health will make us more ready to pity and help others Means 1 Consider out of Gods word what is required to the health of the soule 2 Examine our selves according thereunto 5 Doctrine The LORD healed all Davids diseases Here we have three things to be explained Expl. 1 Wherein this healing consists As before it was said of diseases so there being the same reason of contraries healing also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 bath for its proper subject the body naturall ill affected by some disease or wound but by Metaphor it may be transferred to other things also For as in the proper sense he is said to heale who takes away that which hinders the health of the body so in the metaphoricall he who takes away from any thing that which hinders the well being of it So 2 King 2.21 22. Psal 60.2 And thus it is often transferred to the soule though here the similitude holds not in every point For in the body nature being freed from the noxious humour doth of it self breed good blood and supply it to the repairing the strength of the whole impaired by the disease But in the soule after lapse there is no power to any saving good 2 How this healing is wrought Namely by the Spirit of God using the Word and Sacraments It is the work of the
of mere nothing 3 in the meanes which He used or rather in the manner of working which was without any meanes by His bare word Psal 33.6 9. Gen. 1.3 c. In these the eternall power of God was clearly seen even of the heathen Rom. 1.20 Now joine all these together Such Goodnesse such Wisdome such Power afford infinite arguments of praising God 2 Of blessing God also by way of Thanksgiving all the creatures afford arguments unto man as all serving to His use and benefit The inferiour parts of the world viz. the earth and waters and all things created of them not onely serve for his use but are also subjected to His dominion Gen. 1.28 29. 9.1 2 3. Psal 8.6 7 8. The superiour parts also that is the heavens though in respect of the dominion reserved to God alone Psal 115.16 yet in like manner serve for the use and benefit of man the lowest heaven affording him breath winds raine c. the second heaven light heat c. and the third if he rightly serve God an eternall and most blessed habitation Object Yea but there are some creatures hurtfull to man viz. either immediately to his person as poisons or unwholesome meates wild beasts serpents c. or mediately as hurtfull to those things which are needfull or usefull to him as weeds to corne moths to garments fores wolves c. to sheep c. Answ I answer 1 Blessing God consists not onely in giving Him thanks but also in praising Him And therefore if there were any such creatures for which we were not to thank God yet even for those also Hee were to be praised if they make for His praise And that even those creatures before mentioned with the like doe so is evident in that the Goodnesse Wisdome and Power of God are declared in the creation of them His Power without doubt His Goodnesse also at least in communicating good to them beeing life motion c. and continuing it to His good pleasure and lastly His Wisdome at least in making them so various and all in their severall kinds so fit for the punishing mens sinnes to the glory of His Justice But 2 God also in wrath remembers mercy neither hath He made any creatures which are not some waies profitable unto men and so contein arguments of gratitude also All those mentioned and the like make for the exercise of carefulnesse industry c. and to keep us from idlenesse to which we are so prone since the fall and which is a vice so foule in it self and the mother of many more They make also for the humbling us for our sinnes the causes of those annoyances from the creatures for weaning us from this world where we are subject to so many dangers and calamities and to enflame us with a desire of heaven where is perfect happinesse In speciall That some creatures assault our persons it may admonish us how by the just judgement of God for our rebellion against Him these creatures also rebell against us and may warne us to take heed of sinne for the future lest these prove but the beginning of sorrowes The dangers also to which our life is by these meanes liable may put us in mind of the uncertainty thereof and so prepare us for death that whensoever it shall happen we may live eternally in the world to come Job 5.17 to the end of the Chapter That other creatures also are hurtfull to the things we possesse it may serve to draw us from the immoderate love of those things and to excite us to lay up treasures for our selves in heaven where neither moth c. Mat. 6.19 20. Lastly all the aforesayd creatures if men knew rightly how to use them are perhaps beside the morall use before specifyed naturally more profitable then hurtfull unto man Of many it is plaine Nettles poppy and other weeds though hurtfull to corne yet are helpfull in physick for preserving life which is more then meat So are antidotes made of poisons Uses For our instruction Instr 1 If all Gods works afford matter of blessing Him then they are all good for otherwise they could not be arguments either of thanks or praise God indeed inflicts the evil of punishment Isa 45.7 Amos 3.6 But this is not evil simply but onely in respect of us and that unlesse we our selves be the causes onely to the outward man and for a litle time For it is very good as it illustrates the glory of Gods justice and good to us also if we make a right use of it Psal 119.71 And if some of the creatures be now morally evil as the devils and wicked men the cause is their own sinne whereby they have cotrupted and marred Gods workmanship Eccle. 7.29 So Aug. de Civ Dei lib. 13. cap. 14. Deus creavit hominem rectum naturarum Author non utique vitiorum sed sponte depravatus justéque damnatus depravatos damnatósque generavit 2 If all Gods works then much more those which are more excellent the heavens sunne moone starres c. Also if the creatures without reason sense or life then much more man to say nothing of the Angels His body is fearfully and wonderfully made Psal 139.14 in the finding out the structure whereof Anatomists after the dissections of so many bodies have still enough to exercise their industry But the fabrick of the soule exceeds all admiration 3 If the works of Creation then much more the work of Redemption as being farre more noble In the Creation appeared wonderfull Goodnesse Wisdome and Power but to the work of Redemption all these three Attributes are required in a greater degree and others also beside whereof in the creation there was no need And the reason is from the different condition of the object The object of Creation was pure Nothing wherein as there was no help so there was no hindrance to Gods working But in the object of Redemption was sinne not onely bringing death but vehemently hindring Redemption Here therefore was required 1 Greater Goodnesse viz. not onely simply free communicating good to them that deserved it not but also mercifull doing good to them that deserved ill 2 Greater Wisdome which might find out a way how Gods Justice offended by mens sinnes and His Mercy which had pity on them might so meet together and kisse each other that both Justice might have fitting satisfaction for mens sinnes and yet Mercy might have full content in procuring their salvation 3 Greater Power seeing the termes were more distant and the way more difficult 1 The termes were more distant In the Creation man the most noble creature next to the Angels was taken out of the earth formed after the image of God and placed in a happy condition But when he was redeemed he was taken out of a condition worse then the earth Job 30.8 and then nothing Mat. 26.24 and brought at last to an estate better and more worthy then Adam either had or by
Hence also are reproved 1 Such as do not seek remission of sinnes Repr much more such as rejoice in their sinnes past especially if gainfull and delightfull and still securely rush into more Of which neither can stand with desire of remission Prov. 28.13 2 Such as seek it not of God Consol Exhort The uses of Consolation and Exhortation see Vers 3. Doctr. 2. as before Vers 13. As a father pitieth his children so the LORD pitieth them that feare Him Here we have the latter effect of Gods mercy or loving-kindnesse illustrated also 1 from the object 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 them that feare Him 2 from a similitude As a father c. 1 Doctrine A father pitieth his children 1 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pitieth Of this vers 4. Doctr. 4. Expl. and verse 8. Doctr. 1. 2 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sonnes Synecd spec for children of both sexes 3 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a father Synecd gen for a father that doth the office of a father and so shews himself worthy of this title That such a father doth pity his children 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 see Mal. 3.17 Luk. 15.20 And the example of Jacob Gen. 33. who when Esau whom he feared was coming toward him set his children in the last place vers 2. See also vers 13 14. And chap. 43. how hardly and with what caution he let Benjamin goe into Egypt And this proceeds partly from the instinct of nature 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which hath the same effect even in brute creatures But because men in these things are not so subject to it as brutes but by their free will to evil may extinguish the light of nature and sinne against the laws of it therefore God hath given man a precept for it inclusively in the 5th commandement expressely elswhere And reason it self dictates the same in as much as the sonne is a naturall effect of his father begotten according to his image his own flesh and blood and bone yea as it were a new and second self to him in whom he lives after death and attains to a kind of eternity in this world which in his own person he can not have From this double obligation viz. the conscience of Gods command and the dictate of right reason that naturall affection whereof I spake before is both intended and regulated And hence it is that whereas in brute creatures that instinct ceaseth to have any further operation after that the yong ones are able to provide for themselves contrariwise man continues his affection and the effects of it to his children and childrens children as long as he lives laying up for them 2 Cor. 12.14 and when he is ready to dy giving them his charge and blessing Gen. 49. Uses Hence we may observe 1 If children be the objects of pity Instr then they are also the subjects of misery For commiseration alwaies supposes misery in the object of it And this is evident not onely to experience but reason if we seriously consider the condition both of their bodies and soules 2 He is unworthy the name of a father that doth not pity his children 3 Those married folk who have children have indeed a blessing Psal 127.3 4 5. but a worldly blessing so not without troubles attending it Therefore they who think of marriage must consider beforehand that if God shall send them children though never so good they must not look to have them causes onely of joy and comfort but sometimes also of grief and pity How much more if they be deformed sickly idiots c. On the other side if they have no children as they want those of whom they may rejoice so those also whom sometimes they may have cause to bemone and pity And if this be the duty of a father to pity his children then they are to be reproved Repr who want this naturall affection who do not pity their children 1 In respect of their soules wherein folly is bound Prov. 22.15 like to break out into actuall sinnes which will bring eternall damnation if not prevented Those parents therefore have no pity of their children who seeing them lying under that misery and danger do not endeavour with the rod of correction to drive away that folly which is so bound in the hearts of their children And much more are they to be reproved who will not so much as teach their children how to avoyd that so great an evil 2 In respect of their bodies So they who by their own sinnes heap temporall punishments upon the heads of their children Exod. 34.7 Psal 109.14 15. Jer. 32.18 Especially idolaters Exod. 20.5 Sacrilegious and rebellious men Jos 7.24 Num. 16. c. So they who either through idlenesse do not get or through riot and prodigality lavish out and spend that wherewith they should provide necessaries for their children These are worse then heathen yea then brute beasts Neither are they onely in this fault who do not supply their childrens necessities for the present but they also who do not providently take care for them for the future so farre as lawfully they may 2 Cor. 12.14 Some men bring up their children daintily enough yea too daintily for the present but forgetting that rule of oeconomicks That ordinarily a mans revenews should exceed his expenses they spend profusely what their parents have left them and so leave litle or nothing for their children whereas by reason of their dainty education they will be more sensible of hardship and penury and so more miserable So they who are too severe and cruell toward their children provoking and discouraging them Coloss 3.21 This also should exhort 1 Parents to pity their children Exhort Motiv 1. Consider the miseries which they either do or may suffer 2 All are commanded to pity those that stand in need of pity Job 6.14 19.21 Lam. 1.12 Rom. 12.15 20. 1 Pet. 3.8 Prov. 12.10 Exod. 23.5 Much more ought parents to pity their children 1 For their neare relation Kindred though more remote are called our bone and flesh Gen. 29.14 2 Sam. 19.12 13. Much more are children so unto their parents That therefore which the Apostle writes to Philemon ver 16. holds much more in parents in respect of pity If every man ought to pity every man in misery for Gods commandements sake then parents surely above others should pity their children both for the commandement and in regard of their relation 2 Because parents have been the means of bringing misery upon their children all thus farre in that they have begotten and brought them forth into this miserable world and derived to them that spirituall corruption of nature which themselves have received from their parents and all from Adam some yet further transmit unto their children bodily infirmities and such a temper or constitution whereby they are more then ordinarily prone to some notorious vices some by their own actuall sinnes draw down
hope But to diminish this hope they must know that whatsoever they have of that which is past they have not much of that which is to come unlesse in their own imagination reckoning without their host For God in whose hand is the soule of every living thing and the breath of all mankind Job 12.10 saith unto all To day if ye will heare his voice c. Psal 95. And Boast not of to morrow Prov. 27.1 Rabbi Eleazar sayd that we should repent one day before the day of our death And when his scholars asked Which should be the day of their death he answered That was uncertain and therefore it was best to repent to day The Jewes have a proverbiall speech That many times Old camels carry yong camels skinnes to the market And how often do we see elder folk carry yong mens and childrens bodies to the grave It is then a fault even in yong men to presume of long life How much more therefore in old men who have already one foot in the grave and yet under gray haires nourish green hopes and desires Lastly Exhort this serves for exhortation 1 To such who in respect of their callings are commonly exposed to more then ordinary danger of their lives See that the thing thou goest about be lawfull that it lie upon thee in respect of thy calling that it be such as God would not have thee to omit whatsoever may thereby befall thee and then goe on couragiously and doe it Thy life is like unto grasse It is appointed unto thee once to dy and but once If therefore that once shall then happen blesse God that He will accept of thy death as a free-will-offring which of it self was due unto nature Or if that thy danger be from men consider that their life also is like unto grasse and therefore though thou maist so farre feare their power and malice as to implore Gods help the more earnestly and to order thy businesse the more cautelously as Jacob Gen. 32. and Jehoshaphat 2 Chron. 20. yet do not so feare them as to be wanting to a good cause and thy duty Thus God Himself reasons Isa 51.12 Sennacherib gave out great threats against Hezekiah and Jerusalem 2 King 18. But his soldiers in whom he trusted were but grasse and one Angel in one night mowed down 185000 of them Chap. 19.35 2 Seeing this life is so fraile let us so much the more diligently seek that life which is eternall in the heavens and fadeth not away 3 Seeing our life is like unto grasse which perishes so many severall waies therefore let us alwaies every where expect death and be ever ready and prepared for it 2 Doctrine As a flower of the field so he flourisheth Thus is the life of man compared Job 14.2 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Isa 28.1 40.6 Jam. 1.10 11. 1 Pet. 1.24 Why or in what respect David likens the flourishing estate of man to a flower 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 himself is his own best interpreter vers 16. Which tending onely to this purpose we may here consider it without further handling In a flower therefore David observes two points of frailty or vanity 1 In respect of the essence of it Though no hand pluck it nor foot tread it down nor beast crop it nor any other casualty befall it yet as soon as the wind that is the nipping or blasting wind such as the cast wind Gen. 41.23 passeth over it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it is not that is it neither continues any longer in being nor returnes any more into being So how greatly soever any man flourishes in his time yet as soone as a deadly wound or disease cometh upon him all his glory can not save his life 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he is gone he is not he both must die and being dead he returns to this life no more Psal 78.39 Job 14.7 8 9 10 11 12. 2 Sam. 12.23 14.14 2 Which necessarily followes upon the former in respect of the appearance of it Though whilest it flourishes the place of it seems as it were to know nothing but it the glory and beauty of it drawes all eies to it nothing else of all that is round about it is lookt at or regarded yet when it is once nipped with the wind not onely the glory and beauty of it but even all appearance and signe of it perishes together with the essence and never returnes againe the place thereof shall know it no more So though whilest a man is in his flourishing estate he is eminent in his place lookt upon and regarded by all pointed at and shewn by one to another This is the man yet when his life is once taken away his glory and appearance in this world vanishes together with it and never returnes againe yea being once out of sight he growes by litle and litle out of mind also litle thought of lesse spoken of many times not so much as his name mentioned or remembred in the next generation Job 7.8 9 10. 14.10 Where is he Eccles 1.11 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of former men 2.16 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 every man 8.10 9.5 Hence the state of the dead is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the land of forgetfulnesse Psal 88.12 And Psal 31.12 I am forgetten as a dead man out of mind And that this is the meaning of this phrase appeares not onely by the place first before quoted Job 7.10 but by divers other places also where this and the like phrases are so used See Job 20.9 Nahum 3.17 Psal 37.10 compared with vers 35 36. of the same Psalme Object But we read of three in the Old Testament and five in the New raised from death to life Answ I answer 1. These few examples of men raised from death to life by Gods extraordinary power do not infringe the truth of what the Scripture affirmes of all mankind according to the ordinary course and law of nature 2 Even those men also afterwards died againe and vanished no more to return or appeare againe in this world Uses Instr Observe here 1 That men ordinarily have a time of flourishing whilest their gifts of mind faculties and habits their endowments of body health strength beauty c. their outward good things wealth power c. are in their prime And all these come down from the Father of lights and are given unto men partly that by enjoying them the many calamities of this pilgrimage may be mitigated but chiefly that they may glorify the Giver promote their own salvation benefit the Church common-wealth and particular persons by the rightuse of these according to Gods word 2 When they most flourish they are but like unto a flower whose short continuance and fading condition no man but knowes And that to a flower not of the garden which is much sheltered from sharp winds fenced from the teeth and feet of beasts from the hands of children strangers
performed Ezek. 33.11 omitted Luke 13.3 concerning Faith performed and omitted John 3.36 concerning holy obedience performed Psal 84.11 omitted Heb. 12.14 2 Such as think the Covenant hath indeed conditions but to be performed by God not by us This opinion plainly contradicts this present place where the keeping of Gods covenant is required of us And so every where Againe if the stipulation must be performed by God then He made His covenant not with men but with Himself viz. that if He Himself shall performe that which He stipulates or requires of Himself then He will performe His promises unto men which is absurd Furthermore if God performe the stipulation then He repents beleeves in his Saviour and obeys which is not onely absurd but blasphemous to affirme Lastly if the performance of the stipulation belong to God not to men why should He be angry at men and threaten and punish them for non-performance Levit. 26.25 and often For how unreasonable is it and unbeseeming Gods justice to punish men for not keeping His covenant if it doe not belong to them but to Himself to keep it For who knowes not that he and he onely is to be punished for not doing a thing to whom it belongs to doe it But these things are more absurd then to need longer confutation And indeed it is to be wondred with what sophistry the devil could perswade men and men as themselves think not the meanest among those that professe the most pure religion of Christ to entertain such phantasies contrary to the most cleare shining light of Scripture Againe Repr if they and they onely keep Gods covenant who remember His commandements to doe them then all those who do not remember His commandements to doe them come here to be reproved as violaters of His covenant Of these there are many sorts Some men doe some things for the substance of the acts but not according to the manner here required as never learning or if they do learne forgetting what or in what manner they ought to doe Others doe some things after a fashion but wittingly and willingly break Gods commandements in other things and so are guilty of the whole law Others indeed remember Gods commandements but to prate or wrangle about them not to doe them Others casting Gods commandements behind their backs rush into all kind of sinnes as a horse into the battell Now we must know that this second Covenant is the last To the first Covenant broken by Adam this succeeded opening unto men guilty of eternall death by the first a new way of salvation And being confirmed by Gods oath and the death of Christ the Testatour it shall remaine to the end of the world nor shall there be any other way or meanes of salvation for ever Wherefore it is simply impossible for any men to be saved who finally transgresse this yea the threatning annexed to it no lesse certaine then the promise shall inevitably lay hold upon them And the evils denounced against the breakers of this covenant were alwaies from the very first making of it worthily heavy but now under the New Testament so much the heavyer by how much greater meanes of keeping it are afforded us The Exhortation Exhort which I shall here touch upon for as to the thing it self the doing of Gods commandements wherein consists the keeping of His covenant I shall speak in the next Doctrine is that we remember Gods commandements to doe them Motiv 1. Unlesse we remember them we can not doe them acceptably 2 Unlesse we remember to doe them our notionall and idle remembrance will but aggravate our sinne and increase our condemnation 3 If we so remember as to do them then we shall keep Gods covenant in the stipulation and so He will most faithfully keep it in the premises 3 Doctrine The righteousnesse of God is unto childrens children who keep His covenant 1 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 His righteousnesse Expl. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 often signifies justice either particular justice whereby we give every man his own or universall justice whereby we carry our selves generally conformable to the rule of religion Sometimes it is taken for mercy or beneficence See Vers 6. Doctr. 1. Expl. 2. as which is an eminent part of universall justice And so it is taken in this place and is all one with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the former part of the verse 2 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Childrens children This phrase in the strict sense signifies grandchildren or the posterity of the second generation as Prov. 17.6 But sometimes it is taken more largely for the third and fourth generation also Exod. 34.7 And yet more largely for posterity unto all generations for ever Ezek. 37.25 And so here Quest But why is the righteousnesse of God promised to the posterity of them that feare God as if it were peculiar to them onely whereas it shall most certainly be to the children even of the most wicked men if they keep Gods covenant Ezek. 18. Answ I answer 1 For temporalls the posterity of them that feare God doe often for their parents or progenitours sakes enjoy the righteousnesse or mercy of God both in obteining of good things and in preservation or deliverance from evil Yea righteous men are the charets and horsemen of whole nations 2 Kings 2.12 Tenne righteous men had saved Sodom Gen. 18.32 One Moses stood in the gap Psalm 106.23 So Jer. 5.1 How much more then shall righteous parents obtein Gods mercy for their children See 1 Kings 11. vers 13 32 34 36. 2 For eternalls indeed the children of righteous men shall not obtein Gods mercy unlesse they also be righteous themselves Ezek. 18. But yet they have farre greater sufficiency of meanes to obtein it then other men For they are borne in the covenant and therefore as soon as they are borne have right by Gods gracious promise I will be thy God and the God of thy seed to the good things of the covenant To the observation thereof also they have more and greater helps then others namely in generall the prayers and examples of their godly parents and the publique exercises of religion with which their parents acquaint and accustome them in speciall to eschew evil they have their parents seasonable admonitions and if need be corrections to follow that which is good their most loving and earnest exhortations For proof of the Doctrine see Exod. 20.6 Deut. 7.9 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Reason is 1 From the mercy of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 promising this to them that keep His covenant and that they may keep it working in them the will and the deed 2 From His justice also requiring the performance of His promise though most freely and graciously made Uses Here 1 See how greatly God loves those that feare Him Instr seeing He cannot satisfy Himself in doing good to them onely in their own persons but doth it also to their