ordinances for all are thy servants saith the Psalmist f Ps 119. 9. 1. He giveth life and breath and all things for in him we live we move and have our being g Act. 17. 25. 28. The third principle to be examined is of Gods Gods providence reacheth to all things smalest things providence reaching to all of these The providence of God reacheth to all things even the smallest things are governed and upheld by him Are not two Sparrowes sould for a farthing and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father saith the LORD h Math. 10 29 30. Yea and all the haires of your Head are numbred He it is that covereth the heavens with Clouds and prepareth raine for the Earth and maketh the grasse to grow upon the Mountaines Hee giveth Beasts their food and to the young Ravens that cry He giveth Snow like Wooll and scattereth the hoary frost like ashes he casteth forth his Ice like morsells who can abide the cold thereof hee sendeth his Word and melteth them he causeth the Winde to blow and the Waters flow i Psa 147 8 9 16 17. The next principle to be examined Of all Creatures God hath most care of man is concerning Gods care and respect of man Of all the Creatures that God made he hath most care and respect of man his delights are with the children of men k Pro 8. 31 And here our knowledge to bee examined is threefold First Concerning Gods care in providing great things for man Secondly His care in watching ouer him and his Thirdly His care in disposing and ordering of all things all Acts for his good First wee must examine our knowledge concerning Gods care in providing for man The God of Heaven provides good and great things for man The good Samaritaine is said to have compassion on the wounded man and went to him and bound up his wounds powring in Wine and Oyle and set him on his owne beast and brought him to an Inne and tooke care of him and when he departed he tooke out two pence and gave them to the Host and said unto him take care of him l Luke 10 33 34 35. The Lord IESVS CHRIST under the person of the Samaritaine bringeth the hurt and wounded man which is the sinner into the Inne which is the Church where he delivereth to the Host which is the Angell or Minister of the Church those two pence of his word and Sacraments giving him charge of him till he come againe which charge must bee continued till his second comming Now the care of God in providing is eyther First Temporall for the outward man Secondly Spirituall for the inward man First his care temporall for God provideth for our body the outward man this must bee known Hee provides for the bodies of men Children saith hee have ye any meate they said no and hee said cast out the Net on the right side of the Shippe and ye shall finde they did so and they were not able to draw it up for the multitude of Fishes m Johh 21. 5 6. A Raven shall bring Elias meate Peter shall not want money to pay tribute hee must cast forth and take a Fish with money God provids for our soules Secondly his care for the inward man the soule God provides for that First Hee is a royall God a royall Bridegroome Bride-groome that provids the best apparell for his Spouse I clothed thee with broidred worke and shod thee with badgers skinne and I girded thee about with fine linnen and I covered thee with silke I decked thee with ornaments and put bracelets upon thine handes and a chaine on thy neck and I put a Iewell on thy fore-head and eare-rings in thy eares and a beautifull Crowne upon thy head thou wast decked with gould and silver n Eze. 16. 10 11 12 This is a metaphor expressing the graces wherewith the Lord IESVS adorneth the soule of his people Secondly Hee is a royall Feast-maker making great and choise provision God a royal Feast-maker to set before his guests Hee shall make a feast of fat things a feast of wines on the the Lees of fat things full of marrow of wines on the Lees well refined o Isa 25. 6. Thirdly He is a Royall God a royal Generall Generall who provides much for his army the Lord hath provided and layd in much for his his Word his Sacraments Himselfe I they have armour also the armour of God p Eph. 6. 14. 15 16 17. the Helmet of Salvation the Sword of the Spirit the Brest-plate of Righteousnesse the Shield of Faith He makes for them provision First Of comforts Secondly Of graces First Of comforts The Lambs the young Christians hee will put them into Provision of comforts his bosome those that are with young that have breeding fits he will gently lead them q l Isa 41. 1 He is sent to binde up the broken hearted to proclaime liberty unto the Captives and the opening of the prison to them that are bound and for those that mourne in Zion to give unto them beauty for ashes the oyle of joy for mourning the garment of praise for the spirit of heavinesse r Isa 62. 1 2 3. Provision of graces Cleansing Secondly of graces First Art thou defiled with sinne he hath provided cleansing grace Secondly Art thou Healing wounded he hath provided healing grace Thirdly Art thou dead in trespasses and sinnes he Quickning hath provided quickning grace himself died that we might live Fourthly Art thou in a Directing â— wildernesse not knowing what path to take he hath directing grace Fifthly Art thou in the Protecting midst of enemies he hath protecting grace for thee Sixthly Art thou at Saving grace deaths dore he hath provided also saving grace Secondly our knowledg must bee examined concerning Gods watching over us and ours The God of Heaven watcheth over and preserveth the sonnes of men He that keepeth Israel neither slumbers nor sleepeth God it is that preserves us First From dangers God preserves from dangers that they come not no evill shall happen unto thee nor plague come nigh thy dwelling Å¿ Psal 91. 9. 10. He it is preserved David from the violent hands of Saul Secondly In dangers In dangers though they come yet they shall not ruin us hee it is saith Iob that shall deliver thee in sixe troubles yea in seven there shall no evill touch thee In famine he shall redeeme thee from death and in warre from the power of the sword t Iob 5. 19. 20. 21. 22. He it was that provided for the Widdow of Sarepta he preserved the three Worthies that preserved Daniell in the denne and it is hee that hath preserved the Church from Abel unto this day Thirdly By dangers By dangers though they come and prevaile yet all shall be for our good what can wee
man was made consisted chiefly in Knowledge holinesse and righteousnesse God made man righteous x Eccl. 7. 31. This all must know The second generall Mans fall Knowledge to bee examined concerning man is of mans fall This must be knowne that all men are Principle wholy corrupted with sin through Adams fall there is none righteous no not one y Rom. 2. 10. Every imagination of the thought of his heart evill a Gen. 6. 5 Now this came by the fall of Adam by one man sinne entred into the World b Rom. 5. 12. Adams sinne was the cause by it wee are all defiled and deprived of the glory of God And the Knowledge of this will make us First Take heede to the fountaines of all apostacy Secondly Looke unto our selves and make conscience even of lesser sins wee see what the eating of an apple did Thirdly To get our armour and make all the provision wee can against the Divell for hee it is that thirsteth after mans ruine Fourthly It will teach us humiliation for eternall shame lies upon our nature by this vile offence both in respect of our losse and the fearfull displeasure of God The End of the Third SERMON The Fourth SERMON 1 Corinthians 11. CHAP. 28. VERS Let a man examine himselfe and so let him eate of that Bread and drinke of that Cup. WEE have heard what it is that every man must examine himselfe of that would come worthily to the Table of the Lord he must examine his Knowledge his Faith Repentance Obedience Love the Knowledge to bee examined was either First Generall or Secondly Speciall The generall Knowledge Concerning 1. God 2. Our selves 3. The Covenant of Grace Our Knowledge concerning God to bee examined was concerning First His essence Secondly His Workes Our Knowledge concerning our selves was concerning First Our first estate Innocency Secondly Our fall Thirdly The Curse of God due unto us by reason of the fall The two former of these we have finished it remaines that wee speake of the latter the Curse of God due by reason of it Gods Curse Now the Curse is threefold First Gods Curse in this life Secondly Gods Curse in the end of this life Thirdly Gods Curse for ever after this life is ended First what Gods Curse Gods Curse in this life is in this life Now this Curse is a Curse extending First To mans soule Secondly To mans body Thirdly to mans goods Fourthly To mans good name Soules Curse The Curse of God to mans Soule is madnesse blindnesse hardnesse a Deut. 28 65. Bodies Curse The Curse of God to the Body is weakenesse diseases aches paines b Deut. 28 21. 22 27. Curse to goods The Curse of God to the goods is losses and hinderances c Deut. 18. 16 17. Curse to good name The Curse to the good name it is discredit The second is what the Gods curse in the end of this life Curse is in the end of this life Which is nothing but death the separation of the Soule from the Body The last is Gods Curse due Gods Curse after this life is ended to man after this life is ended And this is eternall death in Hell where he shall alwayes bee dying and never dead seeke hee shall death as a benefit and never shall finde it This is fearefull and lamentable if we doe but examine our Knowledge concerning three things First the degrees of it Secondly The place of it Thirdly The continuance of it First the degrees of Gods The degrees of Gods curse in Hell Curse after this life is ended First the damned they have no communion with God nor participation in any of the blessings of God They shall be punished with everlasting perdition from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his power d 2 Thess 1. 9. Secondly They have Union with the Divell with whom they have an eternall fearfull fellowship He shall say to them on his left hand goe ye cursed into everlasting fire prepared for the Divell and his Angells e Math 25. 41. Thirdly Their bodies shall suffer unexpressible torments which are expressed by their lying in fire and brimstone f Isa 30. 3. 16 Luc. 23 Fourthly They are inwardly affected with incredible horrour and torment of conscience arising from the sense of Gods anger for their sinnes g Rom. 2. 9. 10. The second is concerning The place of it the place where this shall be The place is fearefull a place that in Scripture hath divers names to intimate the horrour of it as Hell the great Pit bottomlesse gulfe prison darknesse utter darknesse and many other terrible titles h Mat. 22. 13. Thirdly concerning the Rev. 20. 1. The continuance of Gods curse in Hell continuance of it Know we must that the torments of the damned in Hell are everlasting the damned must goe into everlasting fire i Rev. 14. 11. The Knowledge of Gods Curse due to us will bring us First To a Knowledge of the danger wee are in by reason of sinne danger in life danger in death danger after death if wee did know this as we ought we would not be so angry when the Minister shewes the danger wee would not rage so when the curses are applyed to us wee would not bee like the Horse and Mule which have no understanding Secondly The Knowledge of this would bring us to righteous living these will draw us to repentance and seeing that we are so undone by the first Adam wee will hast to seeke release from this misery by the second Adam for there is no condemnation to those that are in Christ k Rom 8. 1 Thirdly This will compel us to a carefull practice of duties especially of sixe First Of admiration to Admiration admire the exceeding riches of the tender kindnesse and mercy of God and the great love wherewith hee hath loved us that hath forgiven us so great a debt and freed us from such unspeakable confusion Secondly Of Looking Loooking upon the Lord JESVS who hath done all for us payd our debts and suffered the uttermost in our roomes who was wounded l Isa 53 3. 5. Thirdly Of warning that we are warned to sin Warning no more wee will bee watching that we be not deceived through the deceitfulnesse of sinne Pitying Fourthly Of pitying with all compassion to pity those with whom wee converse that yet live in sinne labouring to the uttermost of our power to draw them out of this fire Fiftly Of enduring and Enduring that of all sorts of afflictions knowing that the Lord if it pleased him might lay greater upon us Sixtly Of remembring Remembring of our miseries and to love the Lord alwayes and rejoyce in him Thus much for the knowledge concerning God and concerning our selves the last generall Knowledge to be examined is concerning the Covenant of Covenant of grace grace wherein God hath
good First to God the chiefest good p La. 3. 40. Let us search and trie our wayes saith the Scripture and turne againe unto the Lord returne unto me saith the Lord q Ier. 4. 1. the prodigall will goe to his father r Lu. 3. 15. Now good Reason there is why it turnes to God Reas 1. Because by sin they have turned against God sin is not onely a turning from God but against God Å¿ Hos 6. 1. Reas 2 Because it is God onely that pardoneth sin and on this condition hee doth it Now the Knowledge of this will let us see First That it is not sufficient to cease to doe evill learne to doe well t Isa 1. 16. 17. it is not enough to put off the old man unlesse wee put on the new u Eph. 4 22 turne wee must from the power of Satan to serve the living God Secondly That true Repentance is the consecrating of a mans selfe wholly to God w 1 Thess 1. 9. From the Act or forme of Repentance the time and termes we come to the Author of Repentance and that is the Lord. So that from hence we may observe Obs That Repentance is Gods it is his grace Repentance is Gods gift onely God can Worke it It is Gods both for the beginning progresse and consummation It is God that gave the Gentiles repentance unto life x Acts 11. 28. Waiting saith the Apostle if at any time God would give them Repentance y 2 Tim 2. 25. Hence it is that the Church goeth unto God for it saying convert thou me O Lord J shall be converted a Ier. 31. 18. againe turne us O Lord unto thee and wee shall bee turned b Cant. 6. 21. It is onely God that can work it Reas 1. Because there are such strong resistances and enemies of grace within us and without us it must therefore bee the Spirit of power and fortitude onely that must conquer them the strong man hath taken hold and onely a stronger can cast him out Reas 2. Because there is such strength of lusts and numberlesse excuses of sinne and sinners as only the Spirit can convince of sinne First It is God that changeth the heart and bringeth it unto good hee it is that will purge us this is not in our own power to doe it is the Churches prayer Convert us O Lord c Ier. 3. 18. so that no power of themselves Secondly Hee drawes us unto Christ for no man saith Christ can come to me except my Father draw him d Ioh 6. 44. God is the worker men are instruments Paul may plant and Apollo water but God that gives the increase Paul preached at Philippi but God opened the heart of Lydia Peter preached to Cornelius and others but the holy Ghost brought downe the Unction and made them Christians Now this Knowledge that God is the Author of Repentance will teach us many things 1. That no man can repent No man can repent when hee will when hee will this flower groweth not in our Gardens if that the Lord by his Spirit draw us not we can never run after him Object Why have we so many Commandements to repent if it be not in our power to repent Resp Deus jubet quae non possumus ut noverimus quid ab eo petere debeamus saith S. Augustine God commands what we cannot doe that we may know what to ask of him I this God doth to let us see not what by Nature wee can doe but what wee in Duty should doe and that by his assistance we may bee enabled to performe Ob. God gave Jezabel space to repent of her fornication hence the Papists gather that man hath free will to do that that is good before God for say they God gave space of time to repent therfore she had power to repent the giving of that power was in vain else Resp It doth not follow because God gave time to repent therefore shee had power to repent which we may see if wee doe but consider the ends for which God gives men space and time of repentance I and commandement also so to doe The ends be two First That in that time of Repentance which hee allotteth unto men he may give his children grace whereby they may obey his Commandements and repent Secondly Hee giveth Commandement and time that men may see what they shovld doe not what they can doe and that the wicked may be without excuse at the Day of Judgement and so ashamed of Bishop Cooper themselves Man cannot doe it of himselfe it is a worke full of miracles it makes the dead to rise the blinde to see the dumbe to speake and who can worke these but the Lord as one sheepe cannot heale another but their helpe commeth from the Shepheard so the true health of our soules commeth from the great Sepheard of Israell he that tamed the Lyons and restrained the fire from burning he it is that must tame our wild affections and moderate the fire of our desires Secondly The Knowledge that God is the Author Ascribe unto God the glory of conversion of Repentance will teach us unto whom to ascribe all the glory of our conversion even to the Lord for he it is that hath done it of our selves wee can doe nothing that is good we must bee changed by the Spirit Object Doth not God promise at what time soever a sinner repenteth of his sinne I will put all his wickednesse out of my Remembrance Resp True the Lord most comfortably blessed be his name for it saith at what time a sinner repenteth of his sinne hee will pardon but hee doth not say that a sinner may repent when hee will God hath promised to all repentants pardon but not to all delinquents repentance 3. This Knowledge in the third place will teach The meanes of grace is not to bee neglected us to bee carefull that wee neglect not the present meanes of grace offered unto us as though wee had God at command and could repent whensoever wee please beloved let none deceive you deceive not your owne soules it is the meere Gift of God wee cannot make one haire of our head white or black and doe wee thinke wee can change our corrupt hearts Looke but into the Scriptures and see how many when they would have repented were rejected I though they sought it with teares and what comfort is this to thee who hast not repented neyther dost thou know whether that God will give thee grace to repent or not Objection The theife repented at the last and was received to mercy Resp True what then if that I may but have time when I am dying to say Lord have mercy upon me I shall be saved but what if thou shalt not have so much time thou art not sure of it death hath taken many a one away suddenly so that they have not spoke one word againe what