And this 1. In sincerity not with eye-service to be seen of men against hypocrisie 2. In zeal and fervency of spirit his word in our hearts must be as a burning fire Ier. 20.9 against cold and perfunctorious Profession which is the general disease of Professors 3. With perseverance to the end without any intermission or cessation against Apostasie back-sliding even as our great example did who was obedient to the death even he bowed down his head and gave up the Ghost This and nothing else doth make this life peace and the next life glory This is the old and good way walk in it and you shall find rest for your souls 3. The corruption of Justice is another of the Prophets complaints Doctr. Corruption of Justice is a dangerous signe of a drooping Common-wealth The Magistrate sitteth in the place of God Reas 1 and he is the common father of the People and God hath put his own sword into his hand and commanded him to judge justly between man and man If either there be no Magistrate as when there was no King in Israel the People did what seemed good in their own eyes Then every man is his owne judge and the stronger prevaile against the weaker Or if the Magistrate be corrupt there goeth forth wrong judgment good causes have unequal hearings and right taketh no place Solon in the Athenian Clâ—o and Lycurgus in the Lacedemonian Common-wealth got them honour in the books of time for their Justice and Herodotus reporteth that amongst the Medes when they yet had no King Deioces being but a private man by com-promising contentions betwixt man and man justly and equally got that reputation amongst the People that in short time all the causes of the countrey were referred to his hearing which got him such a name of doing justice that when they found it necessary to put themselves under the Government of a King they found no man so fit to invest in that honour as Deioces and they with one censent chose him to be their King And Solomon saith Prov. 16.12 The Throne is establisted by righteousnesse Therefore where justice faileth Gods Ordinance is made an instrument of cruelty and the Kings Throne is set on a slippery place as we find it exemplified in this Kingdome of the Iews whereof Zephaniah complaineth Her Princes within her are roaring Lâ—ons Zeph. 3.3 her â—udges are evening Wolves And Mica They build up Sion with blood and Ierusalem with iniquity Mic. 3 10 The Heads thereof judge for reward Werse 12. Therefore shall Sion for your sakes be plowed as a field and Ierusalem shall become heaps and the mountain of the house as the high places of the forrest For God cannot long endure that his sword shall he drawn against his People and that his gods for he giveth Iudges his own title should become lyons and bears and buls and wolves and devils amongst the sheep of his pasture He did the Government then a great honour who bore in his shield the picture of Iustice having in one hand the sword in the other the states with this word Dum illa evincam But when Tribunalia may be called Tributalia where Iudgment is given according to the gifts and rewards that are given or where corrupt affection serveth its own turn any way from the way of Iustice God seeth it and is angry that there is no judgment qui videt requiret 2. Corruption of Iustice is a signe of a drooping Common-wealth because it not only is contrary to Religion Reas 2 and the written Law of God but it is contrary to the Law of God written in the heart of man For as Lactant. saith well Radix Justitiae omne fundamentum Devin Instit aequitatis est illud vide ne facias ulli quod pati nolis This Counsel is good Transfer in alterius personam quod de te sentis in tuam quod de altero judicas And if this law of nature must bind all men to do Instice one to another much more must it oblige those to whom the office of administration of justice is committed let them make it their own case and so no wrong judgement shall go forth For this same Jus naturale is the fountain of all justice which Religion hath so enlightned that God having planted true Religion in his Church the Prophet saith He looked for judgment The proper application of this text is to the Magistrate Isay 5.7 to admonish him to execute the judgements of God justly Vse 1 that neither the People may have cause to complain of wrong but may know where to have right done them neither the Prophets of God may have cause to awake the justice of God against those that manage the sword of justice cruelly or partially or any way corruptly But I have none such in this audience to admonish and therefore I omit that exhortation as unproper for this hearing For us if we hear the cry and complaint of our brethren Vse 2 or feel the smart of oppression in our selves we see the danger of it to the State in which we live threatning it with ruine and it ought to stirre us up as the Apostle doth admonish to pray to God for his help I exhort therefore that first 〈◊〉 Supplications Prayers 1 Tim. 2.1 Intercessions and giving of thanks 〈◊〉 made for all men 2. For Kings and all that are in authority that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godlinesse and honesty 3. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour Insurrection against the Magistrate and deposition of Kings and violence offered to their Persons even unto death is a Presbyterian doctrine Buchanan the Scottish Chronicler our Kings first Schoolmaster in his book de jure regni was the first broacher hereof who maketh Kings to derive their authority from the People and giveth power to the People to take away the same if he govern not justly Against this we have Gods own word saying Touch not mine annointed where he calleth Kings his annointed by a special title not given to any other Persons but such as exercise regal Authority all the Scripture through And if they may not be touched much lesse may they be deposed or their Persons violated And this title is not only given to David but to Cyrus Thus saith the Lord Isay 43.1 Lib. 5. to Cyrus mine annointed For as Ireneus saith Inde illis potestas unde Cyrus For so the Apostle The powers that be are ordained of God Therefore the Presbytery and Papacy like Herod and Pilate are friends to do a shrewd turn when they both put power on the People to right themselves against Kings that do not execute judgement The Apostle is a better guide he bids pray for them and if you consider what Kings then raigned you will say there could not be worse I must therefore with the Apostle admonish
we read Remember the fearful quarrel of Christ with Capernaum And thou Capernaum which art exalted to heaven Luk. 10.15 shalt be thrust downe to hell It is one of the works of the preaching of the Gospel I may call it one of the miracles of the power of our ministry Every mountain and hill shall be brought low Chrysost Elatos superbos nomine montis denunciat Luk. 3.5 he cals the proud by the name of a mountain the early and the later rain that falleth on them doth slip off and fall into the under vallies and the vallies as the Psalmist saith do abound with corne The power of the Word extendeth to the humiliation of many that are lifted up for it revealeth unto us Christ without whom we can do nothing without whom no man cometh to the Father And this leaves us nothing to lift us up I have spoken of this sin out of the former chapter where the Chaldeans proud of their victories do rejoyce and ascribe the glory thereof to themselves And from the mouth of an heathen man Artabanus the Uncle of King Xerxes I take it Herodit Polymnia gaudet Deus eminentissima quaeque deprimere his reason Quia Deus neminem alium quà m seipsum sinit magnifice de se sentire Yea sometimes we finde when God doth owe a man a shrewd turn he will lift him up himself that he may throw him downe as David complaineth Thou hast lifted me up and cast me downe But the lifting up here understood is the pride of heart which maketh men to esteem of themselves above all that is in them such are their own Parasites and the Wiseman saith there is more hope of a foole then one of these In this Argument I went so farre in the former chapter as to teach you two things 1. To decline this as a disease 2. To embrace the remedies against it 8. Reasons I gave against it to perswade declining of it 1. It trespasseth primum magnum mandatum legis the first and great Commandment of the Law c. 2. Connumerat nos filiis Sathanae patri fil superb 3. Exterminat charitatem voluntas Dominium exercet 4. Subjicit nos opposicioni divinae Deus resistit superbis 5. Tollit à nobis talentum dum nostra quaerimus 6. Male nos decet poore and proud 7. Nullum vitium Sathanae magis placet 8. Superbus ingratus and so omnia dixeris The remedies 1. Serious consideration of our selves 2. Studious searching in the word of God 3. Putting our selves often in the sight of God 4. Frequent casting up the favours of God to us 5. Earnest and devout prayer This is a slie and cunning insinuation of Satan to lift us up in our own opinion there is a tang of our hereditary corruption that runnes in the same channel with our blood we are all apt enough to value our selves above the lone price Few of the mind of Agur the son of Jakeh I am more brutish then any man Few of the mind of Saint Paul Of whom I am cheif It is a great victory that a man hath gotten of himself if he be once able to keep himself under for whether we do encrease in outward goods or spiritual graces we shall have much ado to avoid this sin 2. The censure Non est recta anima ejus This Physitian doth search the disease to the bottome he finds where the fault is the soule is naught the inward man is corrupt And if the light that is in us be darknesse how great is that darknesse It is the searcher of hearts and reines that findeth this fault who but he can examine and try the inward man We see what bodie what complexion what stature man hath we may see what honours he attaineth in the world how he encreaseth goods what delights a man useth for recreation we cannet see what souls men have rectas an obliquas But if we see and observe men proud and lifted up high in their own opinion we see there is cause of fear that they have not rectas animas right souls And though the judgment of our brethren belong not to us yet let us judge our selves by this for if we do finde in our selves an elevation above our pitch Doctr. that either the opinion of our wisdome and strength or riches or honours or friends do swell us it is a certain Symptome of a diseased soul 1. Because this lifting up doth dislodge God from the soul he will not dwell with a proud man he hath so declared himself Reas 1 For thus saith the high and lofty one that inhabiteth eternity whose name is holy I dwell in the hight and holy place Isa 57.15 with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit to revive the spirit of the humble to revive the spirit of the contrite ones Now as Augustine saith Vita corporis anima vita animae Deus If he say to our soul I have no delight in thee we may complain in pace mea amaritudo our soul is sick even to the death 2. Because this pride of life which lifteth us up Reas 2 is not able to keep us up for the elevation of our souls is like the violent casting up of an heavy body into the aire which will fall down againe with its own weight Jam. 1.14 it is a mans own lust that draweth and driveth and forceth him up And if Satan do put his help to it to lift us up he will be the first that will put hand to the casting of us down again When he had lifted up Christ to the pinnacle of the Temple the next temptation was Cast thy self down 3. Because this pride of life filleth the soul so full of it self that there is no roome for the spiritual graces of God to dwell there Reas 3 Christ lodged in a stable quia non erat locus in diversorio 4. Because as the eating of somethings doth put the mouth out of taste that it cannot relish wholesome food Reas 4 so the pleasing of the souls palate with the lushious sweetnesse of temporal vanities doth make the soul out of taste with the bread of life that wholesome dyet which should keep our souls in health Let us make profit of this Doctrine Vse 1. Let it be the main and cheif care and study and endevour of our whole life to get and keep animam rectam an upright soule To keep your accompts strait to keep your estate upright to keep your body in health by a regular observation thereof to keep your interest in the love of your freinds all those be lawful cares of life and this is an incumbent duty which obligeth and engageth all men but let not these cares swallow us up and devour our whole life These things perish in the very using of them The soul of every man that is the man if that be not kept upright What profit will it be to a man to winne all
the world and loose the soul In the last day an upright soul will be able to stand it out before the judgment seat when they that have kept all things upright but their souls shal see that none but upright souls are happy 2. Let us therefore not stand wishing I would I had such a soul Vse 2 as Balaam I would I might die the death of the righteous but let us study and use the means to get such a soul These are 1. The Word for in that the Spirit speaketh there is a sound of the voyce that commeth to the ear that is not enough there is the Spirit speaking to the soul that 's the Sermon the Spirit of God is the Preacher the souls of men are the audience So the Psalmist I wait for the Lord my soul doth wait and in his Word do I hope 2. The Sacrament of the Lords Supper for that is spirituall meat and drink the Pabulum animae it is both meat and medicine worthily received it is Emanuel God with us I may say to you my brethren as Christ said to the woman of Samaria Joh. 4.10 If you knew the gift of God and understood what grace is offered you in the word and Sacrament and how beneficiall they are how nourishing how cordiall to the inward man you would not come to the Word when your leasure served but you would put by all businesses and make them attend that service you would not receive the Sacrament once a year if so much but your Word would be Desiderio desideravi comedere hoc pascha I only say with Christ If you know these things happy are ye if ye do them 3. Confession to God is another good means keep the soul upright we say even reckonings make long friends There is a threefold Confession 1. Confessio fraudis quid omisi 2. Confessio facti quid feci 3. Confessio laudis quid retribuam Here is work enough to take up the whole life of man and this keeps our accompt with God even 4. I must never leave out prayer that must make one in all the exercises of Christian life pray continually And let our petition be that God would give us wisdom from above to direct us in the ordering of our souls so as we may ever keep them upright for it is not in man to order his ways much lesse to govern his own soul let us therefore pray to him who chalengeth interest in all souls who is called The Father of Spirits and who saith All souls are mine We have a good encouragement from Saint James If any of you want wisdom Jam. 1.5 let him aske of God who giveth to all men liberally And Christ hath promised that whatsoever he shal ask the Father in his Name he wil do it 5. It wil help to keep our souls in integrity to have regard of our conversation of our calling of our recreations of our time of our means 1. That we keep good company which may not corrupt our manners either consilio or exemplo by counsel or example 2. That we live in a lawful calling that we may have the testimony of a good conscience that the means of our maintenance are honest and lawful and that we do not spend the wages of unrighteousnesse that defileth the soul with an indelible pollution all your prayers and almes wil not purge you 3. That your recreations be both lawful and moderate such as may make you more fit for the service of God not such as may make you suspend the time wherein God should be served not such as may provoke you to impatience or to blasphemy and abusing the name of God 4. That your time be spent by weight and measure as those that are to be accomptants to God for it 5. That our means that we enjoy in this life be so gained and managed that they may seem as faculties of well-doing and may by no means stoop the soul to any departure from God for love of them or by abuse of them 3. Let us learn humility Vse 3 decline pride for that doth corrupt the soul to such God giveth grace he that is humillimus should be humillimus But the just shall live by his faith This is the second part of the Antithesis that contains in it the whole sum of the Gospel there be three words in it that carrie the contents thereof 1. Righteousnesse 2. Faith 3. Life Righteousnesse and Faith are the way of life they are two special pieces of that spiritual armour which the Apostle doth advise all the children of God to use against their enemies The breast-plate of Righteousnesse Eph. 6.14 and the Sheild of Faith 1. Of Righteousnesse This is that vertue which denominateth a man just and righteous and it is a vertue which doth give suum cuique to God in the obedience of the first table of the law to man in the obedience of the second table This is given 1. Legally 2. Evangelically For the first which is Legal righteousnesse it is the fulfilling of the whole Law in every part of it by the whole man in body and soul Ecles 7.31 the whole time of his life and Adam who was created in the image of God was cloathed with this righteousnesse as the Apostle saith Eph. 4.24 created in the image of God and in righteousnesse and true holynesse And this righteousnesse was lost by Adams fal and was never found in any man since but in the Man Jesus Christ who is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that just one And of him it is said Act. 22.14 Isa 59.17 that He put on Righteousnesse as a breast-plate And this Righteousnesse the Saints in glory have so the Apostle calleth them The spirits of just men made perfect But on earth Heb. 12 23 Rom. 3.10 There is none righteous no not one The Church of Rome doth directly contradict the Spirit of God speaking in Scripture concerning this righteousnesse Sess 6. Can. 18. For the counsel of Trent hath set it down for a Canon Siquis dixerit dei praecepta homini justificato sub gratia constituto esse ad observandum impossibilia anathema sit Let me then clear the Church tenent concerning this point that Legal Righteousnesse is altogether impossible to man in the present state of desertion from our creation Our Argument is this Whosoever sinneth breaketh the Law of God but every one that liveth sinneth Ergo every one that liveth breaketh the law The first proposition is proved by the definition of sinne given by the Apostle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Joh. 3.4 But every man that liveth sinneth Saint James will make that good In multis offendimus omnes in many things we offend all The conclusion followeth ergo omnis praevaricatur legem Andradius answereth with a distinction to the minor every man sinneth sins are of two sorts 1. Mortall so every man sinneth not for he that is borne of God sinneth not
spake on the Crosse Sitio I thirst do not thou make thy self drunk with that which should quench his thirst lest thy last draught be like his vinegar mingled with gall 6. Remedy is a consideration that we are required to pray continually and in all things to give thanks which holy duty we cannot performe so long as we are in our cups these duties require a sound judgment a cleare understanding an heart established with grace as the Apostle saith Not in gluttony and drunkennesse not in chambering and wantonnesse but put ye on the Lord Jesus and have no care to the flesh to fulfill the lusts thereof We were created to glorifie God in our bodies and in our souls for they are God's and therefore whether you eate or drinke or whatsoever you do do all to the glory of God 7. Remedy consider that we are bidden guests to the Supper of the Lamb and the Spirit and the Bride saith come and let whosoever heareth say come Rev. 22.17 and take of the waters of life freely we cannot tell when this supper time is till Gods messenger death cometh and telleth us all things are prepared come now let not us over-charge our hearts with surfetting and drunkennesse least that day come upon us unawares they that are drunk already and full gorged with wine and strong drink Luc. 21 34. have left no roome for the waters of life vas plenum plus non recipit It is a work for our life on earth to travel and take paines and to exercise our souls to godlinesse and all to get us a stomach to this Supper of the Lamb here is meate enough the fatnesse of Gods house we shall be fed as it were with marrow here is the hidden Manna for bread here is Calix inebrians we shall be made to drink of the rivers of Gods pleasures for at his right hand are pleasures for evermore Here are good guests for many shall come from the East and West Mat. 8.11 and shall sit down with Abraham Isaac and Jacob in the Kingdom of heaven They that come there let them drink and spare not but let them keep their stomachs till then I conclude this point in the words of our Saviour If ye know these things happy are ye if ye do them 2. They give their neighbour drink Joh. 13.17 and put their bottle to him adding heat to heat Drunkennesse as you have heard is a grievous sin but this is a degree of fuller unrighteousnesse to make others drunk Amongst all the sins that David did commit nothing sate so close to him nor left so foul a staine upon the honour of his memory as did his carriage toward the Hittite Vriah David did that which was right in the sight of the Lord and turned from nothing that he commanded him all the dayes of his life save only in the matter of Uriah the Hittite 1 Reg. 15.5 This excuse of David in all other things wherein through humane frailty he failed often doth shew how God passeth over the sins of the elect as the Apostle saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which through infirmity they do commit but this special notice taken of the matter of Vriah the Hittite declareth it to have been peccatum primae magnitudinis a sin of the first magnitude in a vessel of glory because so many sins met together in it to name the most eminent First adultery then the making of Vriah drunk then the murthering of Vriah Wherein you see that this foul sin doth make weight in the burthen of David The Holy Ghost to declare how foul and hideous a sin drunkennesse is hath not spared to leave the dishonour of Gods good servants upon record offending therein as of Noah who is much to be excused because having planted a Vine and out of the grapes having pressed the first liquor that we read made of grapes and not knowing the strength thereof being also old he was overtaken with it once and no more Surely it was the will of God so early to let the danger of wine appeare even at the first drinking thereof that all succeeding times might beware So the example of David who made Vriah drunk against whom the matter of Vriah is upon record for terrour that men should feare this great sin of making their neighbours drunk for that is part of the matter of Vriah the Hittite Will you hear the decision of the canon law in their cases of conscience concerning this sin Ille qui procurat ut quis inebrietur Summa Anglica ebrietaâ—e mortaliter peccat quia consentit in damnum notabile proximi This is now the crying sin of our Land Court City Country all defiled with it and I must confesse a truth which the Sunne seeth not all innocent of it who should by authority from God reprove it by the word and punish it by the sword it is a sin in fashion Yet at the great feast which Assuerus made to his Princes it is specially noted And the drinking was by an order Hest 1.8 none might compel for so the King had appointed to all the officers of his house that they should do according to every mans pleasure Lyran his note is Nolebat Rex ut in aula sua aliquis uteretur modo incomposito irrationabili more barbarorum qui nimis importune inducebant homines ad bibendum 1. It is our duty to stir up one another Reaf 1. and to provoke one another to all Christian duties of these to act sobriety in the moderate using of meat and drink and fasting in the abstinence from them for a season St. Paul whether ye eate or drink do all to the glory of God Christ quando jejunatis To omit this duty is a great sin to commit the contrary evill is most abominable This the Prophet sheweth In that day did the Lord God of Hosts call unto weeping and mourning Isa 22 12 Vers 13. c. And behold joy and gladnesse slaying oxen and killing sheep eating flesh and drinking wine eating and drinking Cras moriemur And it was declared in the eares of the Lord of Hosts Surely this iniquity shall not be purged till ye die How then shall they appeare before God who insteed of calling to fasting call to drinking and presse the drinking even to the making of their neighbour drunk 2. If we contrive against our neighbours life to take it from him Reas 2 we are murtherers if against his wife to defile her we are adulterers if against his goods to rob him of them we are theeves if against his good name we are false witnesses consider then what thou dost when thou attemptest thy neighbour to make him drunk for thou seekest to perish his understanding to rob him of the use of reason which should distinguish him from a brute beast to expose him a spectacle of shame and filthinesse to all beholders and to make him a transgressor of the law of God
prayeth a sacrifice to God a scourge to the devil and his agents pag. 183 Prayer the Word and the Sacraments are means to preserve faith pag. 228 Preparation required in those who go to Church pag. 344 Pride a cause of strife pag. 25 Pride consists in three things In thinking too well of our selves contemptibly of others boasting and glorying in vain ostentation pag. 240 Pride is the ground of insatiablenesse pag. 241 Pride the ruine of Charity Justice Temperance and Religion pag. 243 Proofs of a sincere faith pag. 227 Prosperity of this world fils the hearts of men with pride and vain estimation of themselves pag. 131 Proud men resemble death and hell pag. 243 Punishment in its nature is evil yet God may work good out of it pag. 69 Punishment of Idolatry pag. 334 Punishments of Pride 247. Just Reprehension 155. Derision 257 Spoyle and destruction pag. 262 Punishments of Ambition 279. They consult shame to their own house Ibid. Sin against their own souls 283. Labour in vaine and without successe pag. 286 Punishments of drunkennesse 315. Who will punish it God 316 how he will punish it 319. Why he will punish it pag. 324 Q. OVantity of the fault is the measure of the judgment pag. 5 R. REasons why Ambition makes men unhappy Pag. 274 Religion contemned is a signe of a diseased and desperate state 38 Reasons thereof Ibid. Riligion is the knot of true Vnion that knitteth us to God and uniteth us to one another Pag. 78. Religion hath the bowels of compassion and they have no Religion that have no mercy Pag. 99 Religion the best bond of brotherhood Pag. 129 Remedy for mans fall 222. Which is Christ Pag. 223 Remedies against drunkennesse Pag. 308 S. SAthan suggesteth that the way of righteousnesse is painful pag. 287 Sathans chiefest temptation is by blemishing of Gods glory pag. 296 Seekers of strife condemned pag. 25 Service performed to God without zeal is without life pag. 51 Shame rather hardeneth then reformeth a sinner pag. 16 Sincere Faith cannot be lost pag. 228 Sharp and satyricall tartnesse not alwayes unlawfull pag. 259 Sin is a burthen to God 3. To men 4. And awakes Gods vengeance Ibid. Sins seen in others moves man to a loathing of sin and to charity pag. 68 Sin is like Leaven a little sowreth the whole lump pag. 204 283 Sins of Omission 218. Of evil motion 219. Of evil affection and of evil action pag. 220 Sins grow in clusters and one sin begetteth another 265. Examples thereof pag. 266 Sins committed against the Law of God are done against the committers souls pag. 283 Souls in heaven wait upon the performance of Gods Promises pag. 178 Stephens prayer at his death a means of Pauls conversion pag. 102 Suggestions to sin lay their foundation upon some unworthy opinion of God pag. 298 T. TEares of bitternesse are the bloud of the Soul pag. 285 Teaching by familiar resemblances is much used in both Testaments pag. 123 Temples not built in 200 years after Christ pag. 336 Temples and Churches necessary pag. 337 Temporall things can afford no true content pag. 39 There is no peace to a wicked man pag. 6 The sound of Gods Word preached cannot be truly heard by us unlesse he open our hearts pag. â—2 The soul of prayer is the holy zeal of him that prayeth pag. 22 Three speciall benefits of a godly life pag. 40. 41 The Chaldeans raised by God against the Jews pag. 56 They who are sealed with the Spirit of Promise have their infirmities lapses and relapses yet sin not to death pag. 64 They who fulfilling the Will of God which they know not do fulfill their own will which they aime at are not rewarded but rather punished for it pag. 74. 75 The way to avoid contempt is humility pag. 81 There is such a concatenation of duties of Religion and Justice that he that offendeth in one breaketh the chaine pag. 267 The fear of the wicked shall come upon himself pag. 280 The house of the righteous shall stand pag. 281 The Elect sin against their own souls in regard of the fault 283 and also in regard of the punishment pag. 284 The delivery of Gods Church and his vengeance upon her enemies gives honour to the Name of God upon earth pag. 294 The sting of the first sin pag. 297 The knowledge of Gods glory consisteth in the true consideration of his justice and mercy pag. 299 Though the Church of God live under the crosse for a time it shall not be alwayes so pag. 82 Those whom God useth as his rods are limited pag. 83 To know the glory of God here on earth we must observe the course of his judgments pag. 302 To make others drunk is a more grievous sin then drunkennesse pag. 310 U. VAnity of Idolatry pag. 326 Vncharitablenesse corrupteth a Common-wealth and makes all Gods servants complaine pag. 34 Vngodly men outragious when they finde a way open to their violence pag. 125 Vngodly men have no bowels pag. 136 Vnrighteous mens labours described pag. 287 Voluntary and involuntary drunkennesse pag. 318 W. WAnt of zeal a sinne pag. 52 Want of Faith the true cause of Idolatry pag. 90 Way to Hell all down hill yet very uneasie 286. And that is gotten by it is but meere vanity pag. 283 We ought to avoid causes of complaint pag. 34 We ought not to limit God to a set time for our deliverance nor to any set means nor measure of affliction pag. 107 We must not think long to tarry Gods leasure 173. to avoid these two evils Of murmuring against God or seeking unlawfull means to accomplish our desires pag. 178 We ought not be too busie to search into the wayes of God to know things to come pag. 174 We must beleeve Gods Promises whatsoever appearances do put in to perswade us to the contrary pag. 175 Where God is pag. 336 Whatsoever God hath decreed or spoken shall certainly take effect in the appointed time pag. 160 What duty is owing to him pag. 336 Where Religion is despised the courts of Justice must needs be corrupt 28. and power and authority degenerate into tyranny and oppression pag. 29 When God undertaketh a work he accommodateth all fit means though he need none for a full execution pag. 71 When we pray that Gods Will may be done we must also pray that it may be done for the same cause pag. 77 Whensoever God punisheth there is a fault deserving that punishment 253. Objections to the contrarie answered pag. 254 When God putteth his hand to spoyling the oppressor he will spoil him in all that he trusted in pag. 263 Whom God pardoneth Sathan tempteth most pag. 87 Whosoever gives divine Worship to a creature is an Idolater pag. 91 Wicked men have no peace pag. 84 Wicked men rejoyce at the Churches sorrow pag. 128 Woe to the man which gathereth not his own pag. 275 Written Scripture sufficient for salvation pag. 153 Z ZEale
is of fear Sol. To this I answer let not us dispute the Will of God or search beyond that which is revealed if God have revealed his Will to us that must be our guide That revealed will hath threatned nothing in us but sin and sin carrieth two rods about it shame and feare There be two things in a regenerate Elect man 1. A Conscience of his sin 2. Faith in the promises of God through Christ So long as we do live we do carry about us Corpus peccati the body of sin and as that doth shake and weaken faith so doth it confirme and strengthen fear 1. We are taught from hence to believe the Word of God Vse 1 the Apostle saith He is faithful that hath promised The faithful servants of God have this promise I will not leave thee nor forsake thee David believes him in convalle umbr aemortis non timebo in the valley of the shadow of death I will not fear Job believes him Though he kill me I will trust in him David believes verily when he smarts I shall see the goodnesse of God in the land of the living It is a sweet content of the inward man when the conscience pleads not guilty to the love of sin though our infirmities miscarry us often that we may say with Nehemiah Remember me O Lord concerning this and blot not out the loving kindnesse that I shewed to thy house and to the officers thereof Neh. 13.14 and with Ezekiah Remember Lord now I beseech thee how I have walked before thee in truth Is 38.3 and with a perfect heart and have done that which is good in thy sight But it followeth And Hezekiah wept sore If he were so good a man why did he weep if not so good why did he boast Surely we carry all our good amongst a multitude of infirmities and therefore we cannot rejoyce in our own integrity with a perfect and full joy yet is it a sweet repose to the heart when God giveth us peace of conscience from the dominion of sin So on the other side believe God threatning impenitent sinners with his judgments for he is wise to see the sins of the ungodly he is holy to hate them he is just to judge them and he is Omnipotent to punish them Let me give one instance The third Commandment in the first Table of the law saith Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain what needs any more 1. Put these two one against another Thou The Lord thy God 2. Consider what the law concerns Gods name wherein standeth His glory Our help 3. What is forbidden taking it in vaine and we pray Sanctificetur let it be hallowed But where all this will not serve yet this is murus ahenus a brazen wall one would think God doth make yet another fence about his name an hedge of thornes The Lord will not hold him guiltlesse that taketh his name in vaine The Lawes of God be unreversible decrees heaven and earth shall passe ere one of these words shall sink or lose strength Yet the blasphemer feareth nothing that is a crying sinne in this land not the houses only the streets and high wayes resound the dishonour of Gods name this sin is grown incorrigible The Land mourneth because of oaths Hoc dicunt omnes ante Alpha Beta puellae And beleeve God who cannot lye He will not hold him guiltlesse that taketh his name in vain Thus we may make use of this doctrine to restraine if not overcome and to destroy the dominion if not the being of sinne in us 2. For the better rectifying of our judgments and reformation of our lives Vse 2 let us observe the consonancy of Gods practice in the world with the truth of his word he hath declared himself an hater of evill and do we not see daily examples of his judgements upon wicked men how ill they prosper in their estates what shame and disgrace and losse of all that they have unrighteously gotten cometh upon them how their posterity smarteth according to that threatning in the second Commandment God bringing the iniquity of the fathers upon the children and visiting it to the third and fourth generation of them that hate him that we may say Let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall Whence cometh all this but from the constant truth of Gods unreversible decrees because the word is gone out of his mouth and though the ungodly do not beleeve it though it be told them Verily there is a reward for the righteous doubtlesse there is a God that judgeth in the earth We may say of our times as Hecuba did of hers Non unquam tulit documenta fo rs majora quà m fragili loco starent superbi for We live in the schoole of discipline and the rod of correction is not only shewed but used with a strong hand that all men may fear to be unrighteous we have not only Vigorem verborum the vigor of words chiding sin in our ministry of the word but rigorem verberum the rigor of stripes in the administration of justice never did any age bring both fuller examples of terror then we have heard with our ears and seen with our eyes for the wisdome of Gods decrees and the word of Gods truth is justified in our sight therefore seeing sentence executed upon evil works let the hearts of the sons of men be wholly set in them to do evil 3. Let us consider the vaine confidence of the ungodly Vse 3 and compare it with the constant truth of the decrees and word of God Isay expresseth it fully Ye have said we have made a Covenant with death Isa 28.15 and with hell are we at agreement when the over-flowing scourge shall passe through it shall not come to us for we have made lyes our refuge and under falsehood have we hid our selves They are answered and confounded The bed is shorter then a man can stretch himself on it Vers 20. and the covering narrower then he can wrap himself in it He that is to lodge so uneasily cannot say I will lay me downe in peace and take my rest The Chaldeans invade the Church they kill and take possession and divide the prey they oppose better and more righteous men then themselves their trust is in their strength and riches and power Nec leves metuunt Deos. What care they who weeps so they laugh or who bleeds so they sleep in a whole skin who dies so they live They trust in lying vanities Solomon saith Eccl. 8.12 Though a sinner do evill an hundred times and his dayes his prolonged yet surely I know it shall be well with them that feare God Vers 13. which feare before him But it shall not be well with the wicked neither shall he prolong his dayes which are a shadow because he feareth not before God God hath made an Act against them their judgment is sealed they
not borne till almost 4000 yeers after yet the faithful in those times waited for the coming of Christ and tarried with patience till he came 4. God himself waited 120 yeers for the repentance of the old world all the while the Arke was preparing it is the Apostles phrase The long-suffering of God waited If God have the patience to wait on us for our good 1 Pet. 3.20 this may perfect our patience in our waiting on him for our own good Saint Paul calleth this The riches of his goodnesse and forbearance and long-suffering Rom. 2.4 and saith that The goodnesse of God leadeth to repentance If we consider his provocation and how our daily sins tempt him to repent that he either did make us or do any thing for us all which are in his sight and all which his soule abhorreth and if we compare this his patience with our passionate bitternesse upon the least provocation and consider how ready we are to call for fire from heaven to consume them that anger us we shall see that God doth wait for our repentance with much patience and who would not wait upon such a Lord 5. Let us consider how willingly we do attend and observe those that can do us any good how early we rise to be sure to prevent their hours how well our hopes do support us and stay our stomacks though many delays interpose their stop and threaten failing yet the successe of expectation in things temporal depending on men is always uncertaine for there are no bounds that can oblige humane favour not merits not rewards not promises not oaths but the promises of God are Yea and Amen as he saith The vision is yet for an appointed time at the end it shall speak and not lye it wil surely come This assurance that we have from the Word doth make expectation easie it is no pain to tarry for that which shall not faile us Jacob thought the seven years a short time bestowed for Rachel because he loved her though he served and was not his own man till he had fulfilled the time Neither doth that of Solomon discourage our tarrying the Lords leasure because he saith Pro. 13.12 Hope deferred maketh the heart sick 1. Because if that hope be of some things temporal depending upon the favour of the times or persons of men there may be a failing therefore delay is a disease in such cases and maketh the heart sick 2. But hope in-the promises of God determined to their certain time cannot be said to be delayed for his hope is in vain who hopeth any thing before the time 3. And again where hope resteth in the Word and Promise of God neither the alterations of persons nor the vicissitude of times not the intercurrence of impediments can any way crosse the purpose disable the means or defeat the end of Gods decree Further if we understand Solomon of hope rightly grounded on the promise and construe the deferring it not to any protraction beyond the time but to the long expectation of it in tempore suo which desire of fruition doth make long that that hope maketh the heart sick we must not understand this sicknesse as a disease of the heart for when the Church saith Stay me with flagons and comfort me with apples for I am sick of love Cant. 2.5 Let no man think that this sicknesse was any disease in the Church we may say of it as our Lord did of Lazarus his sicknesse This siknesse is not to death This is but fervour of the Spirit and earnestnesse of desire as Bern. saith it is taedium quoddam impaetientis desideris he means and holy impatience quo necesse est affici mentem amatoris absente eo quod amat dum totus in expectatione quantamlibet festinationem reputat tarditatem This is an wholesome sicknesse it is the disease of the whole creation and of all the Elect For we know that the whole creation groaneth and traveleth in pain together untill now Rom. 8.22 And not only they Vers 23. but our selves also which have the first fruits of the Spirit even we our selves groan within our selves waiting for the adoption to wit the redemption of our body This vers 19. is called the earnest expectation of the creature waiting for the manifestation of the sons of God This is not weaknesse of the flesh in the Elect but fervour and strength of the Spirit So David longed as he professeth My soul longeth Ps l 84.2 yea even fainteth for the courts of the Lord my heart and my flesh cryeth out for the living God And this desire goeth with us to heaven for even there the souls must wait and they are full of this holy desire which proves that their happinesse is not consummate till the resurrection For the soules under the Altar cry with a loud voice saying How long O Lord holy and true dost thou not judge and averge our bloud on them that dwell on the earth Rev. 6.10 This desire is Cosâ—orationis the whetstone of prayer for the more our hearts are established in the assurance of the truth of Gods promises the more is the fire of this desire kindled and enflamed in us and then it breaketh forth into prayer and the prayers that are fired at the Altar of zeal asend the next way to the throne of grace Christ himself kindled this heat in us when he taught us to pray to our father fiat voluntas tua thy Will be done for we may tarry the leasure of the fiat in faith and yet desire it with fervency for in nothing do we more declare our concurrence with the will of God then in our earnestnesse in prayer to him to fulfill his Will For Application of this point let us look back to the Vision it is double For God revealeth 1. The purpose of his fierce wrath against the enemies of his Church whom he threatneth to consume 2. His promise of mercy to his Church that he will restore it to the joy of his countenance and give it rest from all her enemies This promise of God holdeth to the worlds end even the whole Vision is for appointed times Therefore the distresses of the Church must ever be comforted with those comforts for these the Apostle doth call The comforts wherewith we are comforted of God All other comforts spend themselves into breath and vanish and leave the heart oppressed as it was the Vision of Gods revealed comfort establisheth the heart for this telleth us where we may have rest for our souls namely in the decree and promise of God And needfull is this comfort now for though our Church by the good favour of God do enjoy the liberty of the Word in peace under the gracious government of our King whom God hath annoynted defender of the Faith The Protestant and reformed Churches in other parts of the world do at this present smart for it long have they lived under
have alwayes the poor with you and this generation of oppressors will be ever teeming so long as they have such matterto work upon for the rich and mighty will shift for themselves 3. It incurreth the severe censure of Gods justice for if God say Go ye cursed to them that did not dare sua give their owne quid faciet eis qui rapuerunt aliena woe to them that take that which is none of theirs 4. This sin of rapine doth incurre the curses of them that are robbed for every man crieth woe to such as congest that which is not their own 5. This sin doth hinder the ascent of the prayers of them that commit it God will not admit them to his presence for so God saith Relieve the oppressed judge the fatherlesse plead for the widow Isa 1. 18. Come now and let us reason together 6. The time shall come when those that suffer wrong shall judge their oppressours for the Saints shall judge the world Therefore let every man make conscience of doing violence doubtlesse there is a God that judgeth in the world let us value men as our brethren and seek their good let us direct our intentions subventions to that only end that he that loveth God may declare it by loving his brother also let our brethren grow up with us and let us joy in their prosperity 4. Cruelty is charged upon them For they build in blood and cruelty is also one of the companions of ambition and covetousnesse If Ahab have a desire to Naboths Vineyard either Naboth must part with his Vineyard or his life They are not all innocent of this great offence that keep themselves from shedding of blood they that invade the meanes of the maintenance of life that pinch the labourer in his wages or that make the hireling work for nothing or that let their hire sleep in their custody whilst he pineth for want of things necessary are all guilty of this accusation of blood It was the provocation wherewith God was provoked against the old world for which he brought upon them the great floud that destroyed them all This was Edoms sin in Obadiah There is a manifold cruelty as you then heard 1. Cruelty of combination when we make our selves strong in a faction to oppresse all that oppose us and go not out way 2. Cruelty of the eye when we can be content to look on to see injures done to our brethren without any compassion or subvention 3. Cruelty of heart when we rejoyce against them that suffer wrong and make our selves merry with their afflictions 4. Cruelty of the tongue when we insult over them and brand them with taunts 5. Cruelty of the hands when we 1. Either persecute their persons with molestation 2. Or touch their liberty with unjust restraint 3. Or rob them of their goods by cruel direptions 4. Or hinder the course of justice that should do them right 5. Or procure their death because they do stand in our light and hinder our rising of all these I have spoken heretofore We now hasten to the declaration of Gods just vengeance against this ambition 2. The punishment 1. They consult shame to their own house 2. They sin against their own souls 3. They labour in vaine and without successe 1. They consult shame to their own house Ambition doth affect to build up an house to establish a name that may continue in the blood and posterity in succeeding generations with glory and honour David hath a crosse prayer which is in the hearts and mouths of many that hate such pride let not their wicked imagination prosper least they grow too proud These words do shew that ambitious pride shall not prosper and whereas they study honour and consult glory in their aime and intention God turneth it all to shame in the event The words of my text are the words of God he knoweth what he meaneth to do and he saith they consult their own shame because he purposeth to turne all their glory into shame Shame is the thing that an ambitious man doth desire to decline above all things all his studies bend their strength against it and pursue glory which is the contrary to it To this purpose covetous men gather riches and then with mony purchase great offices and great titles to make great houses and nominous families upon earth to survive them But where this greatnesse is begun by ambition maintained and supported by rapine and cruesty pride will have a fall he that meaneth to give it the fall saith so God whose power none hath ever resisted he will turne that glory into shame The wiseman saith He that is greedy of gaine troubleth his own house Pro. 15.27 For The house of the wicked shall be overthrown he doth not mean domus Pro 14.11 the house but familia the family the whole name and posterity the glory all shall perish and come to shame And Prov. 15.25 Solomon tels us who shall do it The Lord will destroy the house of the proud Pro 15.25 this is their shame to come down again when men have been aspiring and setled their nest on high and made themselves beleeve that their honour shall be established upon their house for then 1. God shall laugh them to scorne the Lord shall have them in derision saying Behold the man is become as one of us 2. Men shall laugh at them and say Lo Psal 52.7 this is the man that made not God his strength but trusted in the abundance of his riches and strengthned himselfe in his wickednesse for Solomon saith When the wicked perish there is shouting Pro 11.10 3. The Lord shall be glorified in the shame of the proud covetous cruel man for every man shall say strong is the Lord God who judgeth them Rev. 18.8 Vers 20. as over Babel thus is God praised Rejoyce over her thou heaven and ye holy Apostles and Prophets for God hath avenged you on her This point is of excellent use 1. For Doctrine Pro. 10 24. it teacheth us that which Solomon hath said The feare of the wicked shall come upon him the proud man feareth nothing so much as shame the covetous man feareth nothing so much as want the cruell man nothing so much as revenge the glutton nothing so much as hard fare the drunkard nothing so much as a cup of cold water and God hath threatned these offenders with all these judgments 2. It commendeth to us wisdome and righteousnesse and humility and all holy vertues for they be all builders and raise up houses and lay the foundation sure Ab auditione mali non timebit Psal 112.7 Pro. 28.2 The just man is hold as a Lyon as Solomon The wicked are overthrown and are not but the house of the righteous shall stand Prov. 12.7 Humility layeth the foundation of it low Faith worketh by love to furnish it Honour and much glory are the roofe of it peace
highest step of our exaltation because this repairs in us the image of God which is his holinesse and the true children of God do value this above their eternall life For let us see wherein the weight of the blessing and cursing of sheep and goats doth lye It is not the gift of eternall life that is our happinesse in heauen but as David saith in his favour is life if a damned soul should be admitted to the fruition of all the pleasures of eternall life without the favour of God heaven would be hell to him It is not the dark and horrid house of woe that maketh a soul miserable in hell but Gods displeasure ite maledicti if an elect soul could be cast thither and retein the favour of God hell would be an heaven to him and his joy could not all the Devils of hell take from him his night would be turned into day The Angels sinned in heaven and in the place of joy lost Gods favour The soul of the Son of God was in hell and hell was an heaven to it because God was with him in the valley of the shadow of death and left not his soul in hell he took him from the nethermost hell 3 Doctrine The truth of God is a good ground For faith gathered from Gods oath to the tribes even his word he addeth Selah to shevv that vve may safely rest there The reason is because The Word of God is a sure word and those things wherein men fail are not incident to him 1 Whereas men do promise or swear rashly and without consideration as David did when he swore that he would not leave one of the house of Nahall to make water against a wall God cannot fail that way because he doth all things with stable truth and according to the counsail of his will 2 Men do sometimes vow and swear things utterly unlawfull and most wicked as Herod did to Herodias daughter to give her whatsoever she demanded of him which included the life of John Baptist So there were many that swore they would neither eat nor drink till they had killed Paul our God cannot fail so far he loveth righteousnesse neither shall any evill dwell with him 3 Whereas many promise and swear what they mean not ever to perform as Jacobs Sons in the Covenant that they made of confederacy with Hamor the Son of Shechem the Apostle saith Our God cannot lie 4 Whereas many amongst men do swear and promise that vvhich they are never able to perform therein like the Devil who said to Christ Omnia hac tibi dabo all these will I give thee God herein cannot faile for hee is omnipotent and he doth whatsoever he wil in heaven and earth in abyssis So then if the Word of God be gone out of his mouth we may build faith upon it for heaven and earth may and shall passe away so shal not one jod of the Word of God 5 Times may change with men and he that was rich and able to make good his word may suddenly be poor and break and fail but God is without variablenesse or shadow of alteration all times are in his hand and power This serveth for confirmation of faith Vse 1 for such use the Apostle doth make of it who speaking of the Decree and Oath of God saith That by two immutable things in which it was impossible for God to lye Hâ—b 6.18 we might have a strong consolation who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us By this faith the just liveth in Babylon and in the weakness of their temporall estate they have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and thus they lay hand upon the hope set before them in the word Jonah saith They that follow lying vanities do forsake their own mercie Vana salus hominis vain is the help of man they that go down to Egypt for help have their woe threatned An horse is but a vain thing to help a man Princes are the sons of men there is no help in them the word of God faileth none At that Word Abraham will leave his own Country and go he cares not he enquires not whether At that Word Abraham will go three days journy to kill Isaac with his own hands and will never dispute how the promise of God shall be performed That in Isaac his seed should be blessed At that Word Peter will let fall his net against all rules of fishing and he will forsake the Ship to come to Christ upon the Sea by the warrant of that Word The promises of God to his Church and his threatnings of sin recorded in the living Book of his word are not antiquate no age shall ever superannate them or put them out of full force and vertue What if good persons and good causes do suffer oppression the Poet is a Divine in that case Non si male noster olim sic erit informes hyenes reducit Jupiter idem summovit after foul weather comes fair though it be ill with us now it will not be always What if enemies of Religion and Moaths of Common-wealths do flourish and prosper and have all things at will let it not trouble David and Job both of them saw as fair a Sun-shine shut up in a dark cloud and a world of foul weather following 2 This tendernesse in God of his word and oath 2 Vse doth serve for example to teach us to make conscience of our promises and oaths and we may urge the Argument as the Apostle doth If God so loved us we ought also to love one another So If God be carefull to keep his promise and oath with us we ought also to do the like with our brethren Here arise two Quaeries 1 Whether it be lawfull to swear at all 2 Whether all oaths must be kept 1 An liciat jurare is it lawfull to swear An oath is a calling of God to witnesse in such things as cannot otherwise be assured and it is of tvvo sorts 1 Assertorie when we do call God to witnesse against our souls if we affirm not the truth in this case the awe of Gods Majestie is thought to be such a rule of the conscience that no man will dare to violate the religion of an oath 2 Promissary When vve do engage the honour of God for the truth of our purpose to performe vvhat vve promise and vve cast our selves upon his just judgement if vve be either deceitful in our promise or unfaithful in our performance This may ansvver the first Quaere for this doth declare that an oath doth serve 1 For the glory of God 2 For the good of our Brethren 1 The glory of God for it shevveth him 1 To be present amongst us and privy to our ways 2 To be a God of Truth 3 To be a God of justice to punish unfaithfulnesse 2 It sheweth that we by sin have lost our credit and therefore God doth engage himself for such as swear aright