exceeding loud and sounding long so that all the people trembled But the fire and the feare shall bee much greater at the last day when the Lord Iesus shall appeare in great glory when the Elements shall melt with fervent heat 2 Pet. 3.10 the earth also and all the workes therein shall be burnt up 2 Pet. 3.10 Fiftly they shall have shame and perpetuall contempt powred upon them so that they shall be shamed for ever before many witnesses before men and Angels even before all the world Dan. 12.2 Forasmuch as there is nothing secret that shall not be evident and come to light This the Lord teacheth by the Prophet These things hast thou done Psal 50.21 and I kept silence thou thoughtest that I was altogether such a one as thy selfe but I will reprove thee and set them in order before thine eyes Lastly they shall have the Sentence of death and damnation pronounced against them the misery whereof standeth in three points First in feeling paines intolerable unspeakable and unsupportable not to be uttered by the tongue of man We see how terrible and tedious many diseases are and what torments they bring to the body in this life but what are they to the torments of hell For as all the comforts and pleasutes of this life are nothing in comparison of the joyes of heaven 1 Cor. 2.9 the eye hath not seene them the care hath not heard them the heart cannot comprehend them So I may say of the punishments of damned soules Neither hath the eye of man seene them neither the eare of man heard them neither can the heart fully conceive of them as they are indeed Onely the Scripture expresseth them by things most bitter and violent that we might in some sort attaine to the knowledge of them and therefore the Apostle saith Rom. 2. Rom. 2.9 Tribulation and anguish shall be upon the soule of every man that doth evill Secondly in a separation from God from Christ from the Angels from all the righteous from all comfort and from eternall glory A paine and punishment no lesse then the former to see the Saints whom they thorowout their whole life have mocked and misused and judged to be fooles and mad men now honoured and advanced to the Kingdome of God and themselves in greatest disgrace for ever The sight doubtlesse of the felicity of others shall aggravate and encrease their owne misery Thirdly in the fellowship that the Reprobate shall have with the Devill and his angels They that now will seeme to shake and tremble at the very naked naming of the Devill and cannot abide to heare of him they that are ready to defie and denie and detest him in words yea to blesse themselves when any mention is made of him alas alas now they must be constrained to abide this as a part of their cursed condition to have the continuall fellowship of the Devill and the rest of the damned crue and of none other but of them David complaineth of it as of a great misery and a woe much to be bewailed and lamented that he did soiourne in Mesech and dwell in the Tents of Kedar but woe woe woe againe and againe to those that must not sojourne for a season but dwell for ever and ever not in Mesech or Kedar but in the house of darkenesse with the Devill the Prince of darkenesse where they shall be cast into utter darkenesse Mitth 8.12 there shall bee weeping and gnashing of teeth Lastly acknowledge the wonderfull mercy of God toward his Children who hath loved them with a speciall and unspeakable love True it is the Reprobate have many blessings in this life because they live among the godly and for their sakes because God would leave them without excuse and stoppe their mouthes for ever because he would teach his owne servants not to place any happinesse in them but to looke for greater blessings in the other life howbeit they have not such among them all Gen. 25.5 6. as doe accompany salvation For as Abraham gave sundry blessings to the sonnes of the Concubines but he made Isaak the sonne of the free woman to be his heire so God bestoweth common gifts Matth. 5.45 and many temporall blessings upon the Reprobates hee maketh his Sunne to rise on the evill and on the good and sendeth raine upon the just and unjust howbeit he maketh them not his heires for as much as spirituall and eternall graces are communicated to none but to the Elect which shall be inheriters of Salvation and for them he hath prepared the Kingdome Why may wee not therefore cry out with the Prophet Psal 144.3 8.5 3 4.8 9. Lord what is man that thou takest knowledge of him or the sonne of man that thou makest account of him who is like to vanity and his daies are as a shadow that passeth away Psal 144. And else-where O taste and see for the Lord is good blessed is the man that trusteth in him O feare the Lord ye his Saints for there is no want to them that feare him If God must have praise for the least of his blessings how much more for this that is the greatest of all wherein the Lord hath enlarged his love towards us and without which our faith had beene in vaine yea Christ Iesus had dyed risen againe and ascended in vaine and all the worke of our Redemption were frustrate so that without consideration of the Kingdome of heaven of which we come now to consider in the last place blessings were no blessings and graces were no graces at all The Kingdome This is the last but not the least branch of the promise which containeth the highest staire and top of our felicity and happines The ungodly thinke faithfull men unworthy to breathe or whom the earth should beare but behold God even the Father vouchsafeth of his grace and good pleasure to account them worthy of heaven The ungodly deeme them not to be worthy to live in the world but the Lord esteemeth not the world worthy of them Heb. 11.38 and therefore he will translate them out of the world that they may enjoy his presence Now as before we heard of the object of the promise the Flocke of Christ so now we come to consider of the subject or principall matter of the promise the Kingdome of heaven And in this word we have the substance of the reason used by Christ our Saviour to keepe us from feare of falling away from him for feare of future wants and therefore we have deferred to consider of the strength thereof to this place The reason may be thus framed and put into forme that we may see the force of it If God will bestow upon us the Kingdome then feare not the lacke of earthly things But God will bestow upon us the Kingdome Therefore Feare not the lacke of earthly things Or more plainely after this manner Whosoever have a Kingdom promised unto them need
as afterward he beheld with his owne eyes so worthy and glorious an effect of his preaching 1 Thess 2.19.20 as might rejoyce his heart and be his crowne and glory before the Lord and in the presence of our Lord Iesus Christ aâ— his comming who as a fisher of men cast his net into the sea and inclosed a great multitude of fish of all sorts But yet for all this it did not sufficiently content the Prophet through a carnall misdeeming and misjudging of the successe of his labours as if by Gods shewing of mercy his ministery were contemned his credit empaired and his person scorned and exposed to contempt because the Citie was spared and not destroyed as appeareth in the next Chapter In the 4. Verse and the rest that follow to the end of the Chapter we are to consider two things First the preaching of Ionah Verse 4. A Sermon consisting of judgement he singeth a mournfull song foretelling them of their full and final destruction Secondly the effect of his preaching in the residue of the Chap. The preaching of Ionah is a fearfull threatning of a fearful overthrow to come upon them for their wickednesse Circumstances in the threatning which was come up before the Lord did cry for vengeance to heaven Chap. 1 2. In this denunciation we may observe sundry circumstances to passe over the beginning of the verse first the circumstance of the time to come forty dayes are limited for their repentance as the dayes of Gods patience which once expired they must looke for suddaine destruction Secondly the circumstance of time already past implied in the word Yet putting them in remembrance that he had already spared them a long time not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance As if the Lord should have said by his Prophet I have spared you long enough already that I might justly poure upon you all my wrath yet neverthelesse I will spare you a little longer Thirdly the subject of the judgement Nineveh a great a mightie a populous and proud Citie whereby also are understood the inhabitants thereof from the greatest to the least and lowest of them Lastly the measure or quantitie of the judgement an utter overthrow not of one person or one family but of the whole Citty now whether it were by sword or famine or pestilence or by fire from heaven as God overthrew Sâ—dome and Gâ—morrha and the Cities of the plaine or otherwise is not expressed Now let us come to the words And Ionah began to enter c. Albeit the Lord might forthwith have destroyed the Ninevites yet he giveth them some time of repentance and sendeth his holy Prophet unto them which declareth the infinite and endlesse patience of God even toward these Infidels that knew him not neither called upon his name Rom. 2.4 First let us observe the generall doctrine out of the whole threatning and afterward come to the particulars Before the Lord would utterly destroy the City he raised up Ionah the Prophet to foretell their destruction Doct. 1 This teacheth Before the Lord destroyeth he warneth by his ministers that the Lord for the most part never bringeth any judgement upon any people or person but hee first foretelleth of it and maketh it knowne unto them hee warneth them and threatneth it by his Ministers This truth is to be seene every where in the Scripture Amos 3.6.7 Luk. 13.7 We reade that the world was once destroyed by water and it shall bee destroyed againe by fire Of the first destruction we finde that be foretold it unto Noah and by Noah to the world before ever the flood came And touching the second destruction which shall bee by fire 2 Pet. 3.10 when the Elements shall melt with fervent heate the earth also and the workes that are therein shall bee burnt up God hath not left us ignorant but in diverse places hath plainely set it downe unto us The reasons of this course and order of Gods dealing who warneth before he smiteth are eyther in respect of God or in respect of the godly or in respect of the ungodly In respect of God to justifie his proceedings and judgements with men even before the sonnes of men to stop the mouth of iniquitie that it might have nothing to object or plead against him 2 Chro. 36.15 Ier. 25.3 and 35.15 Secondly in respect of the godly because hee would not take his people at unwares who is friendly unto them and loveth them as his owne children Now it were the part of an enemy and not of a friend to come upon them surprise them at unwares as they doe that come to assault a Citty and therefore God to shew his favour and friendship to them that are his doth foretell and give them warning before hand that so they might happily prevent it by their repentance 2 Pet. 3.9 and thereby have judgements kept from them Thirdly in respect of the ungodly themselves because God would have those that are none of his to be left without excuse that they might not be able to accuse God of any unjust dealing or murmure against him for as much as they had warning but would not bee warned they heard of his judgements but they would not judge themselves neither labour to prevent them Matth. 24.14 therefore the damnation of such is just Vse 1. Vse 1 Behold from hence the wonderfull mercy goodnesse and patience of our good God whose manner is alwaies to give warning before hee proceede in judgement He seeketh not to take any at advantage neither desireth hee the death of a sinner And therefore the Prophet saith Lam. 3.33.36 He doth not afflict willingly nor grieve the children of men to crush under his feet all the prisoners of the earth to subvert a man in his cause the Lord approveth not Lam. 3.33.36 He would have none to perish that are his but all to repent and to be saved He instructeth that he may not threaten he threatneth that he may not smite he smiteth that he may not destroy 1 Cor. 11.32 yea and sometime he destroyeth temporally that he may not destroy eternally This is the course which he neede not observe because upon our owne perill the perill of our soules wee are bound to take heed of judgements to come that wee should prevent them before they come He would have us to send out our Embassadours which are our prayers to treate of conditions of peace betweene God and us Such as intend revenge and the execution of their wrath are not wont to give warning but to watch their opportunity as we see in Absolom 2 Sam. 13.22 who spake neither good nor evill to his brother Amnon because he hated him and then suddenly when his heart was merry with wine commanded him to be smitten If God had a purpose to destroy us as his enemies and to come upon us at unwares hee would never threaten us and give us
holinesse or doe we bridle and restraine our selves from such things wherein wee have offended No doubtlesse these are farre from us and therefore we from repentance A fast and put on sackcloth Thus much generally is to be obserued from the practise of the Ninevites that revenged themselues of their excesse and superfluity by fasting and sackcloth now we are to speake of fasting in particular But first of all let us set downe the doctrine We learne Doct. that publike fasting was alwayes wont to be sanctified and appointed among Gods people in times of dangers either present or imminent Publike faster were alwayes called and sanctified in times of danger This is confirmed by sundry precepts as Levit. 16.29 This shall be a statute for ever unto you in the seventh mouth on the tenth day of the moneth ye shall afflict your soules by a statute for ever So the Prophet Ioel chap. 2.15.16 Blow the Trumpet in Zion sanctifie a fast call a solemne assembly gather the people sanctifie the Congregation assemble the Elders gather the Children and those that sucke the breast c. see how he heapeth sundry commandements together binding the Priests the people the Congregation the Elders the children the married that is all sortes high and low young and old one and other The truth of this farther appeareth by sundry examples of such as have gone before us in this practise Ezra the good Scribe of the Lord and Nehemiah the religious governour of the people fasted and all that were under their charge Ezr. 8.21 Neh. 9.1 2 Chron. 20.3 So Iehoshaphat ordained a fast throughout all Iudah when the enemies upon a suddaine had broken into the borders of his kingdome hee knew no way better how to resist them and drive them backe than this which he found stronger than the sword of the mighty and so shall we find praying and fasting stronger to withstand the infection and to call the heauy hand of God gone out against us and striking downe many thousands of us than all the rules and receites the meanes and medicines which the wisest Physitions can prescribe if we performe it aright Exod. 17.11 1 Sam. 7.9.10 as Exod. 17. the sword of Ioshua was not so forcible as the praier of Moses for while he held up his hands Israel prevailed and when he let downe his hands Amalek prevailed True it is good meanes are neither to be despised nor neglected for that were to tempt God and to strengthen the enemy howbeit of themselues they profit little the greatest power and strength lyeth in prayer which sanctifieth our fasting Now that we may understand the doctrine of fasting aright What we must do to understand the doctrine of fasting aright what a fast is and so be directed the better in the practise thereof let us consider these fiue points what it is what be the kindes thereof the parts the reasons and lastly the uses The first point is what it is Fasting is an abstinence from all meates and drinkes from euen to even commanded of God to testifie our solemne repentance and to make our praiers more effectuall I call this an abstinence from all meates and drinkes as appeareth plainely in this Chap. Let neither man nor beast taste any thing let them not feed nor drinke water 2 Sam. 3.35 vers 7. The same speakth David when he fasted for the murthering of Abner who was slaine by the sword of Ioab God doe so to me and more also if I taste bread or ought else til the sunne be down Many there are that pretend a solemne fasting when indeed they doe nothing lesse such dissimulation there is with God man Better it were never to keepe a fasting than to obserue such a mocke fast for their fasting is eating and drinking Let us not fast in shew and feed in secret neither make profession of one thing and practise another I adde in the description from even to even that is for an whole day This we saw in the example of David before who fasted till the Sunne went downe And 1 Sam. 14.24 they must not eate bread untill evening So the Israelites having received two great losses doe humble themselues and gather themselues together into the house of the Lord. They wept and sate downe before the Lord Iudg. 20.16 and fasted that day untill the evening and the next day they prevailed against their enemies Thus for the death of Saul and Ionathan and the slaughter of the people 2 Sam. 1.12 they likewise wept and fasted untill the evening 2 Sam. 1. because they were fallen with the sword And Ioshua after the discomfiture of Israel by the men of Ai rent his clothes and fell to the earth upon his face before the Arke of the Lord Iosh 7.6 untill the eventide he and the Elders of Israel and put dust upon their heads Thus we see the time how long we are restrained to keepe as in a meane between too much and too little The next point is that it is commanded of God This we saw before and this maketh a difference betweene humane fastes of which we shall speake in the next point and this that is a Divine institution So then fasting is not a will-worship nor devise of man but an Ordinance of God The next point is that it serueth to make profession of our repentance and so to be a meanes to worke in us the greater humiliation Hence it is that it is called the humbling of the soule or an afflicting thereof Levit. 23.27 Numb 29.7 to seeke of him a right way for us Ezr. 8.21 and it was evermore joyned with praier 1 Sam. 7.6 Numb 29.7 they fasted on that day and said there Luk. 2.37 We have sinned against the Lord and Luk. 2. it is said of Anna the Prophetesse she departed not from the Temple but serued God with fasting and prayers night and day This is the life of our fasting when we make it as the wing of prayer wherby more swiftly we make it fly up to heaven and pierce the cloudes and enter into the presence of God Therefore the last part of the description is that it serueth to maks our prayers more earnest and effectuall as verse 7. Let neither man nor beast feed nor drinke water but cry mightily unto God For as fulnesse maketh us more unfit dul heavy sleepy and consequently untoward to every good worke so this abstinence quickneth our zeale feeling faith and every good worke So then touching the nature of Fasting Fasting hath the nature of a Sabbath from all these points joyntly considered we learne that it hath the nature of a Sabbath because at such time seasons we are bound to abstaine not onely from meates and drinkes but no lesse from our ordinary labours profits and pleasures even such as at other times are lawfull become now unlawfull Wherefore as the Lord commandeth to sanctifie the Sabbath so he commandeth to sanctifie
nothing but in outward abstinence from flesh onely as for humiliation of our selues before our God and afflicting of our spirits as for solemne prayer and amendment of life they are dead and buried as if they were the carcasse of fasting there is deepe silence of them as of things impertinent and utterly from the purpose Thus albeit they retaine the name of fasting yet they have altered the nature of it and albeit they make it meritorious yet was it but a notorious mocking of God a dishonouring of him and a deluding of his people Secondly we receive from hence encouragement in performance of these duties yea comfort and assurance that God will spare us and save us returne to us if we returne to him and turne away his wrath from us Ezr. 8.23 as he did from these Ninevites This we see how the Lord performed Ezr. 8. We fasted and besought our God for this and he was intreated of us Where we see fasting and praying ioyned together and this benefit they found thereby this was the successe they obtained a blessing the Lord was intreated of them If we practise these as we are commanded we have his promise of mercy If he be not intreated it is because we seeke him not aright neither are sufficiently humbled before him but provoke him more by our fasting then we did before and so adde sin unto us O how great are our provocations of the Almighty when his ordinances sanctified to withdraw his wrath shall be meanes to draw it farther upon us and how farre doe our evill workes kindle his indignation against us and encrease his plagues cause him to double his strokes upon us when our best actions performed amisse serve for no other end but to turne us farther out of his favour and to keepe his mercies from us so that we deserue justly a new plague for our fasting if God were not gracious unto us For what are our meetings in many places for the most part but a mocke-fast as if we meant to despite God to his face or as if we met together according to every mans fansie and not warranted by publike authority nor urged by our owne necessity Some are feasting while others are fasting Some keepe it indeed as they doe keepe the Sabbath neither resting from their labours not attending the worship of God and so they make conscience of neither Some come sweating and blowing into the house of God from their owne workes without any preparation of themselves or consideration of the worke of God where about they goe Some are only fore-noone men some againe onely after-noone way Some beginne when others have halfe ended others end when some have halfe begunne Others come to Church betimes but they bring the Devill at their elbowes that lulleth them fast asleepe so as they learne nothing and serue as Cyphers onely to fill up a place for being present they were as good be absent nay better be absent because they should lesse dishonour God shew lesse contempt of the word and give lesse scandal to their brethren Call you this a fasting to the Lord Call you this an afflicting of our selves or of our soules Call you this a solemne repentance Nay where is he almost that once mindeth amendment of life or calleth his sinnes to remembrance or who saith to the eternall God the Lord of heaven and earth the King of Kings as that servant sayd to his Lord and Master an earthly King Gen. 41.9 I call to mind my faultes this day See then the causes why we are not heard We use the meanes but God regardeth us not as Iam. 4. Iam. 4.3 Yee aske and receive not because ye aske amisse and we doe not performe them aright Behold then the true cause why Gods judgments often continue and his hand is stretched out still we remaine still in our sinnes We fast from food but we fast not from our offences We abstaine from the pleasures of the things of this life Heb. 11.25 but we abstaine not from the pleasures of sinne which are but for a season What should it profit to put on sackcloth upon the body and not to put off the pride of heart to abridge out selves of naturall sleepe and to be spiritually asleepe in sinne to put off our best apparell and not to cast off the old man which is corrupt through the deceivable lustes Object It will be objected it hath beene usuall with Moses and the Prophets and the people of God when his hand was heavy upon them by famine or pestilence or the sword they fasted and prayed and the plague ceased why is it not so with us we have fasted but our plague continueth is God changed or is there any alteration in the Almighty Answ I answer there is some difference betweene the old Testament and the new between his administration under the law and under the Gospel For in the time of the law he crowned the obedience thereof more and oftner with temporall blessings as he recompensed the disobedience with temporall judgements whiles the joyes of heaven and the torments of hell were more darkly shadowed whereas now in the sunne-shine of the Gospel we behold Christ Iesus with open face the Kingdome of heaven is set open to all beleevers and the judgment of the great day of the Lord to which the vngodly are reserved is made manifest and therefore his wrath is not now so fully and plentifully revealed from heaven against all ungodlinesse and unrighteousnesse of men neither doth he reward with earthly blessings so commonly such as serve him But to passe this over as not so proper for this place let us enter into our selves let us search and try our own wayes and we shall find the true cause in our owne hearts For how should we thinke or perswade our selves that God should cease his hand presently when we encrease our sins dayly Is it not just with him to multiply his judgments upon us when we multiply sin upon sin or should we looke to have him repent of the evill when we will not repent of our evill We should doubtlesse see an other manner of successe and blessing of God upon our praying and fasting and humiliation if we did as the people of God were wont to doe we should speed as they were wont to do the Lord would deale with us as he dealt with them but forasmuch as we be not like to them in the one no marvaill if we be not like them in the other Lastly seeing the people of God were wont in solemne times of humilâ—ation and professing of their repentance to joyne together prayer and fasting the one giving the right hand of fellowship to the other let us stirre up our selves to call upon his name but how Not as ordinarily we doe but as our fasting is extraordinary so ought our prayers to be also in regard of continuance in regard of zeale in regard of confession of the sinnes of all
neglect the body catch after the shadow they straine at a gnat and swallow a Camell Math. 23 24. Fourthly it behoveth us to looke first of all to the heart and to clense the inside Ier 4.14 Iam. 4.8 that so the outside may be cleane also Math. 23.26 or else it is no zeale but hypocrity Fiftly Math 23.4 We must be more strict and precise to our selues then to others and give more liberty to them then we will take to our selues Let not us be as the Pharises who bound heauy burdens and greeuous to be borne and laid them upon other mens shoulders but themselues will not move them with one of their fingers Math. 23.4 Let us rather follow the example of Abraham Gen. 14.23.24 and of the Apostle Paul 1 Cor. 4.12 1 Thess 2.9 with 1 Cor. 9.6.14 1 Tim. 5.18 Sixtly true zeale condemneth and reproveth sinne without respect of persons in their acquaintance as well as in strangers in their friends as well as in foes in the higher as well as in the lower sort Math. 16.23 Gal. 3. â— Iob. 29.8.9 But many offend and are partiall against this rule and are afraid of the face of the mighty Seventhly we are to be most fervent in Gods causes This was the commendation of Moses though he were as meeke as a lain be in his own cause the meekest upon the face of the earth Numb 12.3 but in case of Idolatry and worshipping the golden calfe his wrath waxed hote he cast the Tables out of his hands he brake them in pieces he burnt the Calfe in the fire he ground it to powder and being strewed upon the water he made the Israelites drinke of it Exod. 32.19.20 This is otherwise in the greatest number who practise the quite contrary They are as hote as fire in their owne private matters but as cold as ice in things pertaining to the honour and glory of God Let a seruant offend his Master in the least trifle and neglect his businesse any way how is he moved and his rage kindled but if he transgresse the Commandement of God and neglect his worship he is never touched or troubled at it Maâ—h 15.6 â— he never reproveth him for it what is this but to make the commandement of God of none effect by their tradition Lastly albeit zeale be requisit and necessiry for all Christians yet it must be alayed and tempered with mercy and compassion considering our selues least we also be tempted Gal. 6.1.2 being humbled in our selues for those sinnes which we espy and censure in others It is noted of Christ our Saviour when the Pharisees murmured because he would heale on the Sabbath day Mark 3.5 that he looked angerly about him and yet he sorrowed for the hardnesse of their hearts Here anger and sorrow meet together and so they ought to doe in us Cry unto God Hitherto of the second point the manner of their prayer they cried mightily now we come to the third point the object of prayer to God that is the true God Ion. 1.5 The Mariners mentioned in the first Chapter cryed every man to his God but none of them to the true God Doct. and therefore they laboured but all in vaine This teacheth us Prayer must be made to God onely that prayer must be directed unto the true God only Gen. 4.26 Psal 50.15 107.6 Math. 6.9 Dan. 9.4 2 Chro. 20.6 Act. 8.22 The reasons are apparently drawne from the nature of God For first he onely is able to heare and to helpe Reason 1 He is infinite in power and nothing is to hard for him nothing unpossible to him Secondly In regard of his knowledge he searcheth the heart who made the heart and understandeth our thoughts and imaginations a farre off Thirdly He only is present in all places Ier. 23.24 Esay 66.1 that none can hide himself in secret places that he shall not see him he filleth heaven and earth the heaven being his throne and the earth his foot stoole Esay 66.1 Fourthly Faith and prayer go together and therefore it is called the prayer of faith Iam. 5.15 We beleeve only in God therefore we must pray onely to him The Apostle therefore having shewed that whosoever calleth upon the name of the Lord shall be saved Rom. 10.13.14 he addeth but how shall they call upon him in whom they have not beleeved First of all Vse 1 this reproveth the sacriledge of the Church of Rome that robbe God of the honour due to his name and give that to the Saints departed and to Angels which is proper unto him To him all the faithfull Patriarkes Prophets and righteous men have prayed been heard and we have ten thousand places by which we are warranted and willed to doe the like Our Saviour cammandeth us to go to our Father which is in heaven Math. 6. The contrary practise hath neither Precept nor example nor promise nor threatning against any that refuse it nor punishment upon any that hath neglected the performance thereof Thus the Prophet speaketh Thou Esay 63.16 O Lord art our Father though Abraham be ignorant of us David freely confesseth Psal 63.25 that he had none in heaven but God and none upon earth that he desired beside him The Church of Rome hath gotten more knowledge then ever this Prophet had and they are not ashamed to professe that they have â—no in heaven then God other mediators in whom they put their trust besides him Such lye under an heavy curse Ier. 17.5 â— 17. for cursed be the man that trusteth in man and maketh flesh his arme and whose heart departeth from the Lord. What do these but forsake God the fountaine of living waters and hew out to themselues broken cisternes that can hold no water Into both these mischeifes the Romish Synagogue falleth by praying to Saints and Angels If the blessed virgin the Apostles and Saints in heaven did know what these Idolaters and Saint-worshippers doe to them on earth doubtlesse they would abhorre this detestable derogation from the glory of God as much as Paul and Barnabas did the peoples offering to doe sacrifice to them Act. 14.14 nay much more as their knowledge being glorified was greater and their zeale of Gods glory more fervent then before in the dayes of their flesh Secondly it reproveth such as neglect wholly or for the most part this duty as not belonging unto them or as not necessary or as if God had never required it or spoken word of it or as if his faithfull servants had never practised it Whereas the Lord presseth no duty more earnestly the Scripture expresseth no duty more commonly and the Godly have performed no duty more constantly But from whence commeth this retchlessenesse in so plaine a matter and the disregarding of so holy an exercise so often commanded and so profitable to our selves Surely it proceedeth either from ignorance to make the best of it which yet excuseth not or
heaven he beholdeth all the sonnes of men from the place of his habitation he looketh upon all the inhabitants of the earth And touching the second branch to wit the approoving of of that which is good Moses declareth when Israel offered their submission to the ordinary ministery being ready to heare from his mouth all the words of the Lord he gave this testimony and commendation of them Devt 5.28.29 I have heard the voice of the words of this people which they have spoken they have will said O that there were such an heart in them Math. 8.10 15.28 26.13 that they would feare me and keepe my Commandements alwayes c. Thus Christ our Saviour commendeth the faith of the Centurion Math. 8. of the Cananitish woman Chap. 15. and of the woman that anoynted his feet with precious oyntment I say unto you wheresoever this Gospel shall be preached in the whole world there shall this which she hath done be told for a memoriall of her chap. 26. Let us see both these branches confirmed unto us Reasons of the first branch Touching the first it is great brutishnesse and folly not to know that God knoweth all things This is as much as to deny his nature and to make God to be no God He may be said to be all an eye all an eare all an heart but to deny this principle what is it in effect but to turne the true God into an Idoll which hath eyes and feeth not eares and hearth not Psal 115.5.6 94.89.10 and an heart and vnderstandeth not Hereunto came the words of the Prophet Vnderstand ye brutish among the people and ye fooles when will ye be wise he that planted the eare shall he not heare he that formed the eye shall he not see he that teacheth man knowledge shall not he know All things have sight hearing knowledge and understanding from him therefore he must heare perceive and see forasmuch as that which causeth a man to be so is it selfe much more so Secondly nothing can hinder his sight nor want of light nor distance of place nor dimnesse of the eye which are causes of want of seeing in us Therefore the Prophet saith Psal 139.7.8.9 c. Whither shall I go from thy spirit or whither shall I fly from thy presence If I ascend up into heaven or make my bed in the grave or take the wings of the morning and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea thou art there c. Touching the second Reasons of the second branch he approoveth every good worke for who is it that hath wrought it in us or from whence doth it proceed is it of our selves no doubtlesse every good and perfect gift is from above and commeth downe from the Father of lights And as he must worke it before we can have it Iam. 1.17 so he must strengthen that which he hath wrought in us Secondly to encourage and provoke us to perseverance and continuance in wel-doing It is no lesse vertue to hold fast that which we have gotten then at the first to get it And we have as much need to be exhorted to go on as to beginne seeing we may perish as well by going backe as by not stirring at all or not walking in the wayes of God Heb. 10.35 as also it serueth to draw on others by our example as we also ought by the examples of others The uses follow and first of the first branch And first Vse 1 this directeth us in all our workes to propound to our selues alwayes the presence of God a speciall foundation of Christian religion When thou hast any tentation to sinne or inclination of thy heart thereunto if thou couet to be kept in the feare of God perswade thy selfe of the truth of this principle that whatsoever thou thinkest or speakest or doest Heb. 4.13 all things are naked and open unto the eyes of him with whrm we have to doe Gen. 39.9 because he searcheth all hearts and say with Ioseph How can I doe this great wickednesse and sinne against God Enoch walked before God and pleased him that he had his power and presence evermore before his eyes Gen. 5.24 in Heb. 11. and Gen. 17.1 On the other side this is a maine cause of all wicked nesse prophanenesse and ungodlinesse among men to be perswaded that God seeeth us not Psal 94. They prate speake heard things Psal 94.4.5.6.7 they smite thy people and spoyle thy heritage flay the widow and murther the fatherlesse what is the cause where is the reason they say the Lord shall not see neither will the God of Iacob regard it It is neere to Atheisme to have such a blasphemous thought as to jmagine that we can hide our counsels deuises from the Lord Esay 29.15 as Esay 29 Woe unto them that seeke deepe to hid our counsel from the Lord their workes are in the dark and they say who seeth us and whoknoweth us True it is men will not speak thus prophanly with the tongue for then all men would condemne them cry shame of them as unworthy to live upon the earth but what should we looke to their words when we may looke upon their deedes or what shall it avail them to hide their counsels when they lay open their conuersations to keepe their mouthes silent when their lives proclaime they thinke there is no God Happy are we if we have the Lord ever before us and have our eyes upon him as we know that his eyes are upon us as the eye of the Master upon the servant to give to every man according to his workes Secondly this offereth much comfort to the afflicted and putteth such as afflict them in mind of their wretched condition wherein they stand 2 Thess 1.6.7 seing it is a righteous thing wâ—th God torecompence tribulation to them that trouble you and to you who are troubled rest when the Lord Iesas shall be revealed from heaven The Lord seeth the afflictions of his seruants will regard revenge them get glory to his great name in the confusion of their enemies When the children of Israel were oppressed by the Egyptians and afflicted with sore burdens the Lord comforteth them with this I have seene I have seene the affliction of my people Exod. 3.7.9 which is in Egypt and I have heard their groning Act. 7.34 and am come downe to deliver them He considereth the cruelty and injury of the enimy as 2 Chro. 16. 1 Chro. 16.9 the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth to shew himselfe strong in the behalfe of them whose heart is perfect toward him It is strange to see the folly of men abusing the essentiall properties of God as were easie to shew in our several state and condition of life sometimes abridging them and cutting them too short and sometimes enlarging them and stretching them too farre See
that worketh deceit shall not dwell in mine house hee that telleth lyes shall not tarry in my fight him that privily flandreth his neighbour will I cut off him that hath high lookes will I not suffer mine eyes shall be upon the faithfull of the land that they may dwell with me be that walketh in a perfect way he shall serve me This is profitable to be considered of fathers and masters yea of all house-holders and governors whatsoever that are in any place of superiority and are set over others as a City upon an hill would we have our people obedient our children dutifull our servants trusty our families faithfull and in good order we must lead them the way and goe before them in all uprightnesse we must first of all be faithfull our selves and behave our selves wisely in a perfect way we must be obedient to him and his word and walke within our house in a perfect way For it is most certaine that none are greater enemies to their children and posterities pulling their houses downe even with their owne hands and bringing them to utter ruine and desolation then such superiours or overseers as are ungodly and disobedient unto God Let us seeke never so much to make our names great upon the earth and to leave our issue rich and wealthy in the world yet so long as we live in prophanenesse we pull an heavy curse not onely upon our owne heads but upon our posterities and make our names to stinke and rot as we see in Ieroboam that made Israel to sinne 1 King 14.10 21.21.25 the Lord threatned to bring evil upon his house and to take away the remnant thereof as a man taketh away dung till it be all gone The like we see in Ahab who sold himselfe to worke wickednesse in the sight of the Lord who more likely to make himselfe great upon the earth and to have left a plentifull issue behind him yet were all swept away suddenly as a man wipeth a dish and turneth it upside downe Pro. 14.1 Wherefore that which Salomon teacheth touching the wise and foolish woman Every wise woman buildeth her house but the foolish plucketh it downe with her hands we may extend and apply to the faithfull man and the ungodly the one doth by godlinesse lay a sure foundation in time to come as Psal 112. Psal 112.1.2.3 c. Blessed is the man that feareth the Lord and delighteth greatly in his Commandements his seed shall be mighty upon earth the generation of the upright shall be blessed c. the other sort by their infidelity impiety and iniquity pull their houses quite downe that they are never raised up againe whose children may curse such perverse and prophane parents Vers 8. And he answering said unto him Lord let it alone this yeare also Hitherto of the first part of the communication concerning the Owner of the Vineyard now followeth the second touching the dresser thereof wherein consider first of all his prayer directed to the Owner Lord Gualt in Lucā hom 237. let it alone this yeare Here we see the dresser of this Vineyard intreateth the Lord of it for the fig-tree and maketh intercession to have it spared Heb. 13.20 I will not precisely or peremptorily decide and determine what part of the Church Hab. 2.1 whether Christ the head and great sheepheard of the sheepe Esay 62.6.7 or the Ministers that stand in their watch-tower or other the faithfull as the Lords remembrancers which give him no rest this Dresser of the Vineyard in the parable representeth onely I will observe that the prayer of him continueth yet one yeare longer the standing and abode of it in the Vineyard Doct. This teacheth that it is the duty of Gods children to make request for others Gods children must pray for others God heareth them and their requests are powerfull and available not onely for the faithfull but oftentimes for others to remove judgments and God heareth them when they pray We see this touching Abimelech who had taken away Abrahams wife Gen. 20.7 17.20 God sendeth him unto him and said He shall pray for thee and thou shalt live and God saith to Abraham concerning Ishmael I have heard thee And our Saviour Christ and his faithfull witnesse Stephen doe commend their strongest enemies and persecuters into the hands of God Luc. 23.34 Act. 7.60 Father forgive them for they know not what they doe lay not this sinne to their charge To these infinite other testimonies might be ioyned The reasons are Reason 1 first because it is an expresse commandement to pray one for another he transgresseth the law and sinneth against God that faileth in it and performeth it not It is a commandement of God to honour parents and this is the first commandement with promise of a particular blessing but it is a commandement in the first Table to honour God by praying unto him which we are no lesse but rather more commanded to practise then we are forbidden to kill or to steale If then we make conscience of these 1 Sam. 12.19.23 we ought in like manner to make conscience of the other This appeareth in the words of Samuel when the people desired him pray for thy servants unto the Lord thy God that we die not he said as for me God forbid that I should sinne against the Lord in ceasing to pray for you Secondly such have a promise annexed vnto their prayer that we should not say with the wicked what profit should we have if we pray unto him Iob 21.15 nor with those shamelesse blasphemers It is in vaine to serve God Mal. 3.14 Our Saviour because we are weake in faith assureth that Whosoever asketh receiveth and he that seeketh findeth Math. 7.8 and to him that knocketh it shall be opened And the Apostle Iames accordeth hereunto Iam. 5.16 The Prayer of a righteous man availeth much if it be fervent Would we have a surer ground and foundation to build upon then the faithfull word and promise of God that cannot lye or deceive Seing it is the duty of the Church to pray one for another and that is profitable and available hence ariseth comfort and cheerefulnesse in all heavy and sorrowfull times such as the present times are when afflictions lye sore upon sundry our bretheren and sisters in other places and presse them downe to the ground nay to the grave remember the rest of the Church of God pray for us I say Gods people our fellow-members commend us and and our causes day and night with fasting and praying weeping whom he hath promised to heare they thinke upon us in their best meditations and are earnest remembrancers for us to him as if it were their owne case and have a fellow-feeling of all our miseries Heb. 13.3 as if themselves were afflicted This in the middes of all our heavinesse and greatest weaknesse is not our least comfort that we have many
is not so easie to let it out againe so it is with sinne it is no hard thing to make shipwrack of faith and a good conscience and to pull up the bankes of the feare of God whereby sinne is kept out but we shall find it one of the hardest things in the world to cast it out of the heart when it hath gotten firme possession and therefore it must be our labour and wisedome to prevent sinne in the beginning lest by continuance it take roote and be as a disease that is incurable Secondly it serveth as an instruction to the Ministers of God that we cease not with the Dresser in this place to digge about them that remaine unfruitfull and dung them that is to labour 〈◊〉 â—yeth in us to further their conversion Let us all follow the example of Peter when the Lord had said unto him Launch out into the deepe and let downe your nettes for a draught he answered Master Luk. 5.5 we have toyled all night and have taken nothing neverthelesse at thy word I will let downe the net Matt. 13.27 so must we cast out the net of the Gospel into the sea and gather the good into vessels but cast the bad away And if it fall out that we draw none to the shore 2 Cor. 2.15 yet are we the sweet savour of God as well in them that perish as in them that are saved and God no lesse accounteth of our labours if we have beene faithfull and conscionable then if we had converted many thousand soules To this end the Lord himselfe commandeth Paul not to hold his peace at Corinth Act. 18.10 but to speake boldly because he had much people in that City The husbandman must digge and dung his ground and cast the seed into the earth but he cannot give the earely and the latter raine and albeit he finde a thinne harvest he may be greeved yet het he is not discouraged We are commanded to feed the flocke committed unto us woe to us if we preach not the Gospel but we must evermore commit the successe to him that hath the hearts of all men in his owne power Mat. 3.11 Iohn Baptist did baptize with water to the remission of sinnes but he could not Baptize with the holy Ghost So we may teach and preach the word of the kingdome but as it fell out with the sower that went out to sow some fell by the high way side Matt. 13.4.5.7 some in stony ground and other among thornes so must we make our account it will be with us yet this is our comfort our judgment is with with the Lord and the reward of our worke with our God Esa 49.4 1 Pet. 5.4 and when the cheefe shepheard shall appeare we shall receive a crowne of glory that fadeth not away Lastly it teacheth generally a good duty and direction to all the faithfull namely that upon this ground we exhort and admonish one another and seeke to winne and gaine them to God that so we may bring home the lost sheepe upon our shoulders This the Apostle prescribeth exhort one another daily Heb. 3.13 while it is called to day lest any of you be hardned through the deceitfulnesse of sinne Who accounteth not him a mercilesse man that having escaped danger of robbing or drowning yet giveth not warning to him which traveleth that way lest hee fall into the hands of theeves and be robbed or passe by the waters and be drowned but much more is he without mercy and guilty of the blood of the soule that seing his brother overtaken in sinne and taken in the snare of the Devill ever seeketh to set him at liberty Now we have sundry motives to move us to this worke of mercy farre more profitable to men and acceptable to God then the sacrifice of Almes-giving that toucheth the body in respect of God in respect of our selves and in respect of others In respect of God Rom. 11.23 for it maketh manifest his power to be infinite that he is able to graft them in againe as the Apostle speaketh of the unbeleeving Iewes albeit through unbeleefe they were broken off and it turneth to the greater praise of his glory and the honour of his name which we ought to seeke above all things The more dangerous the disease is and the longer it hath continued the more doth the skill and learning of the Physitian appeare Rom. 5.20 so are we the more to magnifie the mercy of God in that where sinne bounded grace doth much more abound Touching our selves we thereby exercise the giftes that God hath given doe not as wicked and sloathfull servants Mat. 25.26 digge them in the earth and hide our Lords mony besides we know not how soone it may be said to us Come give an account of thy steward-ship Luk. 16.1 for thou maist be no longer steward Lastly we shall free our owne soules and not make our selves partakers of other mens sinnes for by conuivence and holding our peace we draw guiltinesse upon our owne soules In respect of others we may be meanes to save a soule as Iam. 5. Iam. 5.19.20 If any of you doe erre from the truth and one convert him let him know that he which converteth the sinner from the errour of his way shall save a soule from death and shall hide a multitude of sinnes Vers 9. And if it beare fruit well and if not then after that thou shalt cut it downe We heard before of the intreaty and intercession of the Dresser now the condition followeth which is double first if after all his labour it bring forth fruit Secondly if it bring not forth fruit one of the twaine it must of necessity doe there is no third either it must be fruitfull or vnfruitfull either we must make the tree good or evill The first part of the speech is defective for there is nothing in the originall to answere to the Condition the translaters have supplied the word Well and somewhat is necessary to be supplied to make the sense and sentence perfect I would thinke a word might be borrowed and supplied out of the former verse where the Vine-dresser saith Let it alone this yeare also so in this place If it bring forth fruit Let it alone or thou shalt let it alone as also appeareth by the contrary condition in the last words If not thou shalt cut it downe He expresseth bearing fruit first besore he mention the cutting of it downe because it was the chiefe and principall in the dressers intention and because all his labour of digging and dunging tended to this end and purpose Now he intreateth that it may be let alone if it bring forth fruit he yeeldeth to the cutting of it downe Doct. if it continue unfruitfull This teacheth in both the conditions Promises and threatnings are both of them condicionall 1 King 8.25 that as well the promises of grace mercy as all the
naturall Fathers and Mothers sustaine their Children and supply all their wants can Parents see them perish or miscarry and never bee moved at it Our Saviour telleth us What man is there if his sonne aske him bread Matth. 7 9 10 11. will he give him a stone or if he aske a fish will hee give him a serpent If ye then being evill know how to give good gifts unto your Children how much more shall your Father which is in Heaven give good things to them that aske him And the Lord by the mouth of the Prophet Esay 49.15 16. Can a woman forget her sucking Childe that she should not have compassion on the sonne of her wombe yea they may forget yet will I not forget thee Esay 49.15 The love of God therefore toward his is greater then the love of men is or can be to their Children he that toucheth them toucheth the apple of his eye and shall not escape his hand his revenging hand Secondly God will worke above and beyond all ordinary meanes rather then such as are his shall perish and after the course of nature to doe them good and to preserve them from evill who hath all creatures in his owne hand A memorable example hereof we have in the Israelites while they were in the wildernesse hee fed them with Manna for the space of 40. Exod 16.15 Numb 20.8 yeeres and opened the hard Rocke to give them water whereof they and their Cattell dranke Exod. 16. Numb 20. Consider this further in the example of Eliah 1 King 19. when he was constrained to flye for his life from the persecution of Jezabel and desired to dye the Angell of the Lord came unto him and said 1 King 19. â— 17.6 Arise and eat and he went in the strength of that meat 40. dayes and 40. hights unto Horeb the mountaine of God The like we read before that is The Word of the Lord came unto him Hide thy selfe in the brooke Charith and thou shalt drinke of the brooke and I have commanded the Ravens to feed thee So hee did according to the Word of the Lord for he dwelt by the brooke and the Ravens brought him bread and flesh in the morning and bread and flesh in the evening and he dranke of the brooke But be hold how the Lord tryed him for hee had not tarryed there long but the brooke dryed up because no raine fell in the Land What then did the Prophet of the Lord did he murmure against God No hee waited with patience his leisure and he sent him other meanes for his maintenance he directed him to the widdow of Sarepta where he was fed in that famine She had indeed but an handfull of meale in a barrell and a little oyle in a cruse and he saith unto her Verse 14 Thus saith the Lord God of Israel The barrell of meale shall not waste neither shall the cruse of oyle faile untill the day that the Lord sendeth raine upon the earth Thus he commandeth to lay aside feare and to submit her selfe to the will and pleasure of Almighty God Thus also the Lord dealt with her that had beene the wife of one of the children of the Prophets after his decease 2 King 2 King 4.1 43 44. Ioh. 6.5 6 10 11. 4. he dying indebted the mercilesse Creditor came to take unto him her two sonnes to be his bondmen but the mercy of God was such in her extremity that having in her house a pot of oyle onely it was so increased and multiplied that she received more then shee desired through his abundant blessing that giveth more then is asked so that she not onely paied the debt but her selfe and children lived of the residue Thirdly God will sanctifie a little and that of the worst and coursest sort to serve and suffice those that are his that albeit they have but short Commons and a poore Pittance yet a little that the righteous hath shall be better unto them then all the store and abundance of the ungodly This Moses teacheth Deut. 8. Man liveth not by bread onely but by every Word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the Lord doth man live Wee have a lively example hereof in Daniel and his fellowes that did eate nothing but pulse a graine that beareth his fruit in poddes yet were they fairer and fresher fuller and fatter at the end of ten dayes Dan. 1.15 then all the children which did eate the portion of the Kings meate Dan. 1.15 This also we may see by experience in rich mens and poore mens children and in themselves also as well as in their children For whereas the poorer sort have scarce one good meales meat in a moneth but keep a perpetuall Lent not eating a bit of flesh in their owne houses once in a yeere and feed hardly and homely with browne bread and yet have not enough of that neither Eccles 5.12 yet is their labour pleasant and their sleepe sweet whereas the richer sort that fare deliciously every day are many times oppressed with raw humours and are neither so strong and healthy as the other Fourthly nothing shall bee able to hurt Gods servants For as all things tend to the hurt of the wicked and nothing shall doe them good so contrariwise nothing can hinder the salvation of the Church Rom. 8.28 Rom. 8. But all things shall fall out for the best to them that love him For what shall separate us from the love of God shall tribulation or distresse or persecution or famine or nakednesse or perils no doubtlesse forasmuch as we are more then conquerours through him that loved us Psal 90.5 6 7. So likewise Psal 90. Thou shalt not be afraid for the terrour by night nor for the arrow that flyeth by day neither for the pestilence that walketh in darknesse nor for the destruction that wasteth at noone day a thousand shall fall at thy side and ten thousand at thy right hand but it shal not come nigh thee there shall no evill befall thee neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling Obiect But it may bee objected Doe not these befall the righteous as well as the unrighteous nay doe not the godly often fall by them while the ungodly escape out of them or never enter into them Answ I answer Divers wayes First albeit all these may befall and doe befall the Faithfull yet doe they not come upon them as evils They may dye of the plague but to them the plague is no plague True it is of themselves or in the nature of them they are evill and the punishments of evill but to Gods children they are onely chastisements and correction of a good and gentle Father and that for their further good to prevent sinnes to come Contrariwise to the wicked they are the heavy strokes of a just Iudge or of a revenging enemy Secondly God pulleth out the sting of them that they cannot hurt them True it is
after their Master They are chosen out of the world no marvell then if the world hate them Ioh. 15.18 19. which hated Christ before ever it hated them The world loveth onely her owne the godly must be ready to be under the crosse and to suffer persecutions 2 Tim. 3.12 Acts 14.21 knowing that through manifold tribulations they must enter into the Kingdome of Heaven The Head is gone before that way and all the members must follow after him bearing his Crosse Thirdly the way to godlinesse is unknowne to the naturall man and to carnall reason Hence it is that few embrace it and entertaine it any further then standeth with their owne pleasures honours humors profits preferments or corruptions 1 Cor. 2.14 The naturall man knoweth not the things of God but whatsoever we are ignorant off we doe not heartily desire or earnestly delight in Matth. 10.37 Luke 14.26 whereas wee should bee willing to leave and lose all when the Lord calleth and commandeth us as Abraham did Gen. 22.4 rather then forsake him and the Gospell Lastly few carry about them the markes of Christs sheepe before spoken off which are to heare the voice of the Shepheard to obey him and follow him to account themselves never better then when they feed in his greene pastures Psal 1.2 23.2 27.4 119.24 26.8 to delight in the Word above all things to bee patient in adversities and toward their adversaries and to call upon God in the day of trouble When a sheepe sticketh in bushes and brambles and is any way holden in thornes and thickets it bleateth and cryeth and the Shepheard hearing the voice thereof soone delivereth it so when wee are in any distresse and calamity or want of earthly things we must shew our selves the sheepe of Christ by calling to our great Shepheard if he once heare us cry unto him out of the depths he will deliver us out of our distresse and set us in safe places If it be objected Obiect that many are said to bee redeemed by Christ Matth. 26.28 Revel 7.9 Matth. 26. and that an infinite number not to be reckoned are sealed up for the Lords servants Revel 7. Now many are not few a great multitude is not a little company Esay 53 1â— if no man can number them they cannot bee a small number How then can these things stand together Answ I answer briefely The faithfull are both many and few Many being considered simply in themselves moe then the sand upon the Sea-shore and the starres in the Firmament as I have shewed more at large else-where and they are few in respect of the reprobate and both these are taught in this title for the Word flocke importeth that they are many the word little that they are few First Vse 1 this serveth for reproofe of the Church of Rome The first reproofe which standeth upon outward pompe and glory upon universality and multitudes of men all which are no sure and certaine markes of the Church of Christ Bellarmine lib. 4. De Eccles cap. 4. but rather badges of the synagogue of Satan and his eldest sonne Antichrist For why may not Turkes and Infidels boast of this as well as the Romanists In all societies for the most part the least number is the best the greatest number is the worst Secondly The second reproofe it checketh such as are offended with the fewnesse of the godly because they are no moe in number as if Adam should repine that the Garden wherein God had planted and wherein hee was placed was no greater or the Iewes murmure that the Church was bounded within the Territories of Iudea or as if earthly men should complaine that the world was created in no greater compasse These would as soone bee offended with Christ himselfe if hee were among them and lived upon the earth for in the dayes of his flesh few followed him and his doctrine Hee came to his owne Iohn 1.11 and his owne received him not but for the most part rejected him nay in the end they crucified the Lord of glory and preferred a robber and murtherer before him Iohn 18.40 Luke 23.19 And those few that did cleave unto him as wisedome is alwaies justified of her children what I pray you were they were they Kings and Princes and Potentates and Priests and Prelates were they the chiefest the choicest the highest the noblest the richest and those in greatest authority was it Herod or Pilate or the Scribes and Pharises the Rabbies and great Doctors of the Law No no these above all others were his deadly enemies and persecuted him and his Disciples unto death Who then were his followers Verily the poorest the lowest Matth 11.5 and such as were the basest in the eyes and estimation of the former fellowes these were they that received the Gospell these were they that beleeved in him Matth. 2.16 Indeed one Herod wished to finde him but it was not to worship him but to kill him Luke 23.8 Another of them had desired of a long time to see him and when he saw him rejoyced but it was for his miracles not for his doctrine The Pharises indeed came unto him to heare him but it was to tempt him and entangle him in his words so that they say and not onely confesse Iohn 7.48 49. but glory in it Ioh. 7. Have any of the Rulers or of the Pharises beleeved in him but this people that knoweth not the Law are cursed Blessed are they therefore that are not offended at him Matth. 11.6 The third reproofe Thirdly they are reprooved which are troubled and disquieted at the great company and prosperity of the ungodly whereat the faith of the Elect hath oftentimes staggered and started backe never remembring that God is ever good to Israel Psal 73.1 12 13. even to the pure in heart though they be very few in number as Psal 73.12 13. and Jer. 5.1 2. Wherefore doth the way of the wicked prosper wherfore are all they happy that deale very treacherously Ier. 12.1 So Hab. 1.13 Wherefore holdest thou thy tongue when the wicked devoureth the man that is more righteous then himselfe Hab. 1.13 Howbeit they are set in slippery places albeit for a time they may flourish and spread themselves like a greene Bay tree Psal 37.35 The fourth reproofe and in the end shall bee horribly consumed as a dreame when one awaketh Fourthly such as lay the fault where it is not and not where it is Some upon Christ as Adam did upon God as if hee were tyed to give repentance who notwithstanding offereth the meanes to draw them but they will not be drawne Matth. 23.37 hee would but they would not albeit hee bee bound to none Some upon the Word as if it were of no force and power or at least not sufficient to convert the soule which notwithstanding hath the working of the Spirit
in at the straight gate that we may finde our selves among the little flocke and joyne with those few that live well And the rather because many will seeke to enter in and shall not be able because it is too late Luke 13.23 like the foolish Virgins who when the Bride-groome had shut rhe doores desired to have them opened but the Lord answered Verily I say unto you I know you not Matth. 25 12. It must be our study to be in this little number We commonly and for the most part sit still as a secure and sencelesse people No easie matter to come to Heaven as though it were the easiest matter in the world to step to Heaven or as if all the world should be saved If multitudes were not of this minde they would not spend all their dayes in vanity in pleasures and pastimes in chambering and wantonnesse in playing in gaming and rioting in eating and drinking in surfeting and drunkennesse and idlenesse which was the life of the Sodomites Ezek. 16.49 as if they were borne to no other end or as if they should continue here for ever or as if this were their vocation and calling or as if there were no other Heaven or as if this were the way to the Kingdome which is the beaten path to Hell or as if divers passing this way were not now already in torments It is commonly thought of these that Heaven is as easily gotten and obtained as for a man to open his mouth and breathe and receive in the common aire their loose practice discovereth their opinion to be no other What then I beseech you is become of the Words and warning of Christ is his counsell and wisedome any way disprooved what is now become of the narrow way where is the straight gate that we have given us in charge to search after is the way now growne at last to be wide and broad when there are a few onely that tread in it Doubtlesse either it is so or else these men glory in themselves that they are wiser then He who is Wisdome it selfe and that they have found a neerer cut and shorter passage to Heaven then He ever knew or commended to men But if he be the wisedome of the Father 1 Cor. 10.30 Col. 2.3 and have all the treasures of wisedome dwelling in him certainely these men are stark fooles and wholly ignorant of the right Way that leadeth to salvation Facilis dâ—scensus Averni at superare gradum superasque evadere ad auras hic labor hoc opus est Aeneid lib. 6. It is an easie matter to goe to Hell we are all by nature in the way unto it and we have many helpes and guides that offer themselves to take us by the hand and to conduct us â—â—d to accompany us thither It is the hardest matter that can bee in the world to come to Heaven All excellent things are hard the more excellent the harder but nothing more excellent then a Kingdome It is a difficult matter and very uneasie to climbe up to the top of an high mountaine or a steepe rocke it requireth puffing and blowing and labouring and striving and struggling and sweating contrariwise it is an easie matter to runne downe an hill without any staying and stopping without any hinderance or interruption or intermission So is it the easiest matter in the world to throw our selves downe and to plunge our selves headlong into the pit of Hell as it was to throw ones selfe downe from the pinnacle of the Temple but to get up to the holy Hill of God and to attaine to the Kingdome of Heaven this is a labour this is a worke indeed this cannot be done without taking up of the Crosse without denying of our selves without mortifying of the old man Hebr. 12 1. without laying aside the sinne that doth so easily beset us without using violence to shake off the hinderances that stand in the way so that I may say with the Apostles If the righteous scarcely be saved 1 Pet. 4.18 where shall the ungodly and the sinner appeare 1 Pet. 4.18 Little Flocke Another observation from this limiting and restraining title that the flocke is little is that it is so called because it is little regarded in the world Now observe in this place that the Scripture speaketh of things sometimes as they are in themselves and in their owne nature Tolet. in Luc. 9. pag. 788. and sometimes according to the account and estimation of men A lively example of them both we have 1 Cor. 1. concerning the preaching of the Word For when the Apostle speaketh of it as it is by the ordinance of God 1 Cor. 1.24 23 2â— 25 18 2â— he calleth it the power of God and the wisedome of God Verse 24. but when hee speaketh of it as it is in the corrupt account of the sinfull world he calleth it a stumbling blocke and foolishnesse Verse 23. and the foolishnesse of preaching Verse 21. the foolishnesse of God and the weakenesse of God Verse 25. What then is the publishing of the Gospell in it selfe either a stumbling blocke or foolishnesse or weaknesse No in no wise being mighty to throw downe all strong holds but thus the men of this world account and judge of it Rom. 1.16 To whom then is it the power of God To them that are called Verse 24. to them that beleeve Rom. 1.16 And to whom is it foolishnesse To them that perish 1 Cor. 1.18 So touching the flocke of God in the estimation of God it is great but in the estimation of the world it is as little Thus the faithfull are called by Christ our Saviour Matth. 10.42 18.6 The little ones that beleeve in him Matth. 10.42 18.6 But howsoever they be tendered of God and highly in his favour yet they finde hard entertainment at the hands of the prophane men of the world Doct. 5 This teacheth that the faithfull are hated contemned and little regarded of wicked men Howsoever Zach. 2.8 they that touch them touch the apple of his eye yet the ungodly account basely and vilely of them as if they were the scumme and filth of the world or unworthy to live or to breathe among men or to tread upon the earth Psal 22.6 Thus the Prophet David complaineth concerning himselfe Psal 22. I am as a worme and a wonder among many a reproach of men and despised of the people Thus also speaketh the Prophet Esay Chap. 8. Behold I and the children whom the Lord hath given me are for signes and for wonders in Israel from the Lord of Hosts which dwelleth in mount Sion So the Prophet Zachary complaineth speaking of the Priests and Levites that were earnest to lay open the sinnes of the people before God Zach. 3.8 Thou and thy fellowes are men wondred at or they are accounted as monsters among men Thus Christ speaketh Ioh. 16.2 They shall put you out of
his Sonnes with the comfortable heate thereof Seventhly 1 Iohn 4.17 we have boldnesse to lift up our heads in the Day of Judgement because as hee is so wee are in this world if we be regenerate we are partakers of the heavenly nature ready to render love for love Lastly if we say we love God as who will not say it and how many ready to sweare it and yet hate our brother 1 Iohn 4.20 5.1 we are lyers and speake not the truth for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seene how can hee love God whom he hath not seene forasmuch as every one which loveth him that begate loveth him also that is begotten of him 1 Joh. 5.1 All these are as so many chaines whereunto I might adde sundry other linkes to couple us together and to hold us close one to another If we breake these bands in sunder that nothing will hold us like the man distempered and distracted in the Gospel How can we have any communion with God that have no fellowship with the brethren Fiftly we all have need of patience seeing wee are assured to finde such as will be sure to exercise it and we must earnestly crave it of the God of patience For how shall we goe thorow-stitch with our profession for which we shall not onely be little esteemed but hated of all men Luke 21.19 Heb. 10.36 except we possesse our soules with patience against the contempt which all for Christs sake are subject unto in this present world We are commonly esteemed as the reffuse and off all of all others but let us keepe faith and a good conscience and then say with the holy man Job whose patience and constancy was many wayes prooved and sundry false imputations charged upon him Behold my witnesse is in Heaven Iohn 16.19 1 Cor. 4.3 and my record is on high And with the Apostle With me it is a very small thing that I should be iudged of you or of mans iudgement yea I iudge not mine owne selfe The Faithfull are Gods hidden Ones deare to him and beloved of him And as they are the members of Christ so he accounteth his body after a sort maimed and unperfect without us for He is the Head over all things to the Church Ephes 1.23 which is his body the fulnesse of him that filleth all in all Eph. 1.23 where the Apostle sheweth that his body is his fulnesse Is it not a blemish and deformity in the naturall body wherein one member onely if it bee but a little finger is wanting so Christ Iesus should be unperfect as a body maimed and disfigured if any of his members should be missing which hee will not suffer to bee taken from him If at any time great men favour and respect us we passe not greatly what inferiour persons thinke of us So should it be with us concerning the matter in hand we ought to digest the disgraces and reproaches of the world more easily and with all patience considering the mighty God and Christ his Sonne and our Saviour have us in such estimation Rom. 8.31 For if God bee on our side who shall be against us Wee commonly affirme A friend in the Court is as good as a penny in the purse and we finde it so If then wee have a friend in the Court of Heaven which is the highest Court and from whence lyeth no appeale we shall not need to feare or be disquieted what man doth or can doe unto us And if we had the greatest friends that can be upon the earth what benefit can we promise to our selves by it when he that is higher then the highest is our enemy Lastly as wee are hated and shall bee hated in the world so we must learne and acknowledge that it is not lawfull to avenge our selves or to recompence and requite like for like Matth 5.44 2 Cor. 2.10 Acts. 7.59 Luke 17.3 Rom. 12.19 but we must love our enemies Matth. 5.44 and forgive them Luke 17.3.2 Cor. 2.10 and pray for them Acts 7.59 Hence it is that the Apostle teacheth Rom. 12.19 Avenge not your selves but rather give place unto wrath for it is written Vengeance is mine I will repay saith the Lord. He is the Iudge of the whole world and to him it belongeth to punish and shall not the Judge of the whole world deale uprightly Gen. 18.15 He judgeth without all passion or perturbation whereas we are partiall and passionate and sometimes peevish in our owne causes It is the office of God that properly belongeth to him Psal 94.1 to revenge all our wrongs whatsoever who will more sharpely and severâ—ly right our causes then any other man can doe whereas if we be avengers of our owne private injuries wee make our selves Iudges of the earth we take upon us the perfect knowledge of all things we make our selves searchers of the heart wee wrest the sword of justice from the Magistrate nay we usurpe the office of God and make our selves to be witnesses parties and punishers in our owne matters which was never allowed in any Court where there was any colour of upright dealing and we cannot expect the Divine revenge which onely keepeth due measure and proportion betweene too much and too little Little flocke The last observation taken from the limitation added to the flocke of Christ that it is little and arising from the former interpretation is that it is said to bee little in respect of the opinion that these poore sheepe have of themselves Their hearts are not hauty neither are their eyes lofty Psal 131.1 2. neither doe they exercise themselves in great matters or in things too high for them but they behave themselves as a child that is weaned from his mother their soule is even as a weaned childe This teacheth us Doct. 6 that the faithfull are little and lowly in their owne eyes This we learne by sundry examples in the Old and New Testament Jacob an holy Patriarke saith of himselfe Gen. 32.10 I am not worthy of the least of all the mercies Gen. 32.10 18.27 and of all the truth which thou hast shewed to thy servant Thus doth Abraham the Father of the faithfull confesse in his prayer I have taken upon me to speake to my Lord which am but dust and ashes Gen. 18. Ezra the learned Scribe of God was ashamed and blushed to lift up his face to God Ezra 9.6 Iob 1.1 4.3 4. 42.6 Ezra 9.6 Job a just and upright man one that feared God and eschewed evill who had none like to him in the earth answered the Lord and said I am vile what shall I answer I will lay mine hand upon my mouth once have I spoken yea twice but I will proceed no further yea I abhorre my selfe and repent in dust and ashes Esay 6.6 The Prophet Esay cryeth out Woe is me for I am undone because I am a man of uncleane lips Chap.
18.24 1 Cor. 3.6 yet Aquila and Priscilla tooke him unto them and expounded unto him the way of God more perfectly It was an evident signe that Job was humble in his owne eyes Iob 31.13 15. in that he did not despise the cause of his Man-servant or of his Maide when they contended with him but considered with himselfe that he which made him in the wombe fashioned them also and that one formed them all Thirdly if we submit our selves to bee governed by the wisedome of God revealed in his Word This submitting and subjecting of our selves maketh simple men become wise yong men to be wiser then their Elders and such as have beene taught Psal 119.98 99. 19.7 Prov. 1.4 wiser then their Teachers and such as have enemies to goe beyond all their deepe policies and to prevent all their cunning devices On the other side if wee reject the Word and will not bee obedient unto it making it a lampe unto our feet and a light unto our pathes Psal 119.105 Ier. 8.9 2 Tim. 3.15 there is no true wisedome at all in us Jer. 8.9 The Word is able to make us wise to salvation 1 Tim. 3.15 which is the greatest wisedome that can be He that is not wise for his soule is a foole let him be never so wise and wary for the body and let him have never so great reputation for a wise man in the world yet is his wisedome disprooved Fourthly if we deny our selves and our owne naturall and fleshly wisedome It is a very hard matter to deny our selves and our carnall wisedome but it must of necessity bee done if ever wee desire to come to the Kingdome of Heaven Therefore the Apostle saith Let no man deceive himselfe 1 Cor. 8.13 2 Cor. 10.32 If any man among you seeme to be wise let him become a foole that he may be wise For our high thoughts must be cast downe that exalt themselves against the knowledge of God and bee brought into captivity to the obedience of Christ Lastly let us study to decke our selves with humility as with a precious robe and to crowne our selves with humblenesse of minde as with a garland And so much the rather because this adorneth all other graces yea without this grace is no grace This is the direction of the Apostle Peter 1 Pet. 5.5 6. Humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God that hee may exalt you in due time and cloathe yourselves with humility 1 Pet. 5.5 6. And we have sundry motives to stirre us up unto it First no good thing dwelleth in our flesh Rom. 7.18 but evill dwelleth in us abundantly and plentifully All the thoughts of mans heart are onely evill Gen. 6.5 and that continually The water can arise no higher then nature will give it leave so there is an impotency and disability in our nature to ascend above it selfe to that which is good as unpossible as for the streame to climbe up to the top of an high mountaine or for a stone by its owne strength to mount into the aire For that which is of the flesh is onely flesh Our natur is stained and defiled with all manner of sinne and a pronenesse to all sorts of sinnes from our birth Iob 14.4 15.14 Psal 51.5 nay from our conception which hath over-spred us as a filthy leprosie The minde and understanding the will and affections the memory and conscience the whole soule and body are infected Rom. 8.7 so that the naturall man understandeth not the things of God for they are foolishnesse unto him and are spiritually discerned Secondly God resisteth the proud and professeth himfelfe to be an enemy to them Iam. 4.6 Prov. 3.34 1 Pet. 5.5 but hee giveth grace unto the humble Iam. 4.6 Thirdly our best gifts are wonderfully tainted and defiled We know nothing if wee be ignorant hereof What is our faith our repentance our sanctification our love our temperance our patience our hope our knowledge but as it were the foundation or beginning of a great building or the seed of grace sowne in our hearts rather then grace it selfe being compared with perfection We know nothing as we ought to know 1 Cor. 8.2 howsoever wee may thinke wee know all things Our faith is little and soone shaken with many doubtings and with much unbeleefe Lastly Marke 9.24 such onely as are humble shall be exalted and lifted up in due time Luke 1.51 As the proud are scattered in the imagination of their hearts so the humble shall be advanced It is a common saying of Christ oftentimes uttered by him and repeated by the Evangelists Matth. 23.12 Luke 24.11 18.14 Hee that lifteth up himselfe shall be cast downe and he that humbleth himselfe shall be exalted As pride goeth before destruction and an high minde before the fall Prov. 16. so on the other side humility goeth before exaltation and leadeth the way before it All are desirous to passe into the house of glory but they are unwilling to enter in at the gate of humility By this gate Christ himselfe entred and this way he hath consecrated to all his children For it is your Fathers These words containe the reason which is the promise of a great and wonderfull blessing greater then all the world besides For what is this world without respect and reference to the World to come or what is all the glory of this life without the glory of the next Life or what is an earthly Kingdome without the Kingdome of Heaven Now touching the force and strength of this reason see afterward in the last branch This promise which is a promise of promises or the perfection of all promises as a spring or fountaine hath many streames or chanels issuing out of it as hath beene observed before in the beginning The first is the Author of the promise not Man not Angels not Princes not any creature for this is greater then all the Angels of Heaven and all the Kings and mighty men of the earth are able to promise and performe it is God that hath promised who also will accomplish whatsoever he hath spoken And to the intent this promise might take the deeper root in our hearts Christ Iâ—sus doth not call him the mighty Lord the righteous Iudge the God of revenge or such like but a mercifull Father For as before we shewed that God sheweth himselfe a Shepheard to teach that his Sheepe shall not want so here the Lord Iesus calleth him a Father 2 Cor. 12.14 to shew that as a Father provideth for his Chlldren so God loveth his and will provide for all of them He were a bad Shepheard that would feed himselfe but starve and famish his Sheepe so he were an evill father that would bee carefull for himselfe but carelesse altogether for his children The meaning of the word Father Now touching the meaning this word Father so farre as it is ascribed to God is
taken sometimes personally and sometimes essentially Personally when it is restrained to one of the Persons as to the first Person in the holy and blessed Trinity Matth. 28.19 Ephes 2.3 2 Cor. 13.13 to wit God the Father begetting the Sonne and sending forth the holy Ghost whensoever mention is made of any of the other Persons also Thus likewise it is taken when it is limited to the second Person in Trinity to wit God the Sonne begotten of the Father before all worlds â—say 9.6 as Esay 9.6 Vnto us a Childe is borne unto us a Sonne is given his Name shall be called Wonderfull Counseller the mighty God the everlasting Father And in this sence the holy Ghost the third Person proceeding from the Father and the Sonne may also be called Father because he together with the Father and the Sonne giveth being to all things Sometimes the Word is taken essentially without consideration of any personall relation and then it is referred simply to God and is extended to all the three Persons Deut. 32.6 as Deut. 32.6 Doe yee so reward the Lord Mal. 2.10 Iam. 1.27 O yee foolish people is not he thy Father that hath bought thee and Mal. 2.10 Have yee not all one Father and thus it is taken in this place for the whole God-head the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost who have a Soveraigne Father-hood over the Church loving it defending it delighting in it caring for it bestowing all blessings upon it and withholding nothing that is good from it Doct. 7 This title teacheth us that God is the Father of his Church and Children As a Father loveth his Children to whom hee hath given breath and being as he feedeth and clotheth them nourisheth and layeth up for them so God loveth his Children to whom he hath given their first life their second life and to whom he will give a third life The first life is in the flesh the second in grace the third in glory The first is a naturall life the second a spirituall life the third an eternall life The first is their generation the second their regeneration the third shall be their glorification and therefore he loveth them with a love infinitely above the love of all Parents toward their Children whose love must needs be as finite as themselves when it is at the highest What the love of Parents is toward their Children the Scripture setteth downe by sundry examples 1 King 3.26 2 Sam. 18.23 1 King 3.26 Esay 66.13 Zach. 12.10 2 Sam. 19.37 Gen. 17.18 49.1 1 King 14.2 Esay 49.15 Psal 103.13 17. 68.5 Esay 63.16 69.8 2 Thes 2.6 2 Sam. 18 23. they rejoice at their good Prov. 101. they moutne for their trouble and evill that befalleth them Zach. 12.10 they comfort them in sorrow and anguish Esay 66.13 they procure them what good and preferment they can 2 Sam. 19.37 Gen. 17.18 they provide for the time present and to come Gen. 49.1 they tender them in sicknesse and in health 1 King 14.2 they prevent dangers that doe hang over their heads and may befall them Gen. 27.43 28.2 they regard them in prosperity and adversity in wealth and in poverty so that they cannot leave them nor forget them nor forsake them Esay 49.15 All these being onely in part and unperfectly in men are fully infinitely and perfectly in God as his nature and essence and therefore he commendeth his love to us above all this Esay 49. Matth. 7. of which places before The Prophets and Apostles are full of such testimonies as Psal 103. As a Father pittieth his Children so the Lord pittieth them that feare him and as the Heaven is high above the earth so great is his mercy toward them that feare him And 68.5 A Father of the Fatherlesse and a Judge of the Widdowes is God in his holy habitation So Esay 63.16 Doubtlesse thou art our Father our Redeemer thy Name is from everlasting And 64.8 Thou O Lord art our Father we are the clay and thou our Potter and wee all are the worke of thine hand Thus the Apostle 2 Thes 2.6 The Lord Iesus and God even the Father which hath loved us and hath given us everlasting consolation comfort your hearts This title is indeed proper to God alone Reas 1 that albeit there be that are called Fathers as indeed there be many upon the earth Magistrates Ministers Masters naturall Parents Exod. 20.12 and all Superiours Exod. 20.12 Yet to us as there is but one God and one Lord so there is but one Father as we heard before out of the Prophet to whom this name is properly and peculiarly belonging Matth. 23.9 This Christ himselfe teacheth Matth. 23.9 Call no man Father upon the earth for one is your Father which is in Heaven neither be yee called Masters for one is your Master Obiect even Christ But is it unlawfull to call any Father the Apostle calleth himselfe the Father of the Corinthians 1 Cor. 9.15 1 Cor. 9. Though yee have ten thousand Instructours yet have ye not many Fathers for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the Gospell Answ I answer He doth not simply forbid the appellation but restraine them from ambition neither condemneth he properly the title but absolutely the affecting of the title We may not therefore imagine that Christ would utterly abolish from among Christians the name of Father or Master or Teacher as if it were unlawfull for Children to call those their Fathers of whom they received their beeing or for Servants to call any their Masters to whom they owe their service forasmuch as the Scripture willeth Children to honour their Fathers and Servants to be obedient to their bodily Masters but his purpose is to forbid these names in such sort as the Pharises were called by them who loved or desired to be called Rabbies Fathers and Masters and challenged the names as proper and peculiar to themselves It is not therefore the bare title but their vaine glory that is condemned Againe so to be called Rabbi Father or Master that the people of the Lord should wholly and absolutely depend upon their mouthes 1 Cor. 7.23 to become servants of men and rest slavishly in their opinions and traditions as the onely true Teachers and Fathers of the Church as the Iesuits would be accounted in these dayes may not be admitted in any case or that their doctrines were not subject to triall and examination by the Scripture is wholly to be rejected forasmuch as the spirits of the Prophets are subiect to the Prophets 1 Cor. 14.32 Thus to be called Father or Master agreeth to no mortall man but God is the onely true Father and Christ Iesus the onely true Master as the onely Law-giver that is able to save and to destroy Jam. 4. whose Precepts we must receive and are bound to obey though all the world should teach otherwise God then must be held to be supreme others are
we have a lively and sensible feeling of the same while we live at ease and in prosperity Iob 29.6 while we wash our steps in butter and the Rocke powreth out rivers of oyle shall we call this a true faith Tit. 1.1 The faith of the Elect to make shew of many good things in us so long onely as God bestoweth good things upon us and no longer but if he once change our estate to be ready to repine against him and to rent him in pieces like mad Dogs that flie in their Masters face This rule ariseth from Satans false measuring of the practice of Job Iob 2.5 Chap. 2.5 Put forth thine hand now and touch his bone and his flesh and he will curse thee to thy face This is contrary to the application of Gods servants who when he doth afflict them and his hand is most heavy upon them even then they sticke fastest unto him as the Traveller that claspeth his cloke closest unto him in blusterous windes and stormy weather The hypocrites will doe this in time of prosperity onely whereas in trouble and persecution they fall away and are offended Matth. 13.21 Lastly this is comfortable to every one that is able though it be with much weaknesse and with many infirmities A vveake faith applieth as truely as the strong faith to apply in particular the promises of God to himselfe These may be comforted yea these onely for they shall be sure to finde God gracious unto them in the end If they be stung they shall be sure to be healed because they are able to looke up to the Brazen Serpent that God had commanded to be shewed If they be hungry they shall bee satisfied and saved because they can in part apply Gods promises to themselves It is a rule that the Civilians have that mine is better then ours so we say in this case of faith for a man to say by particular application Christ is mine is better then to say in generall Christ is ours or others and God is my Father then to say he is our Father or their Father Neverthelesse we must not on the other side be discouraged to thinke or to feare wee doe not beleeve when indeed we doe beleeve True it is unbeleevers doubt and true beleevers doubt and yet there is great difference betweene the doubting of the one and of the other The hypocrites or temporary beleevers are like a man that is in a dreame Esay 29.8 that thinketh hee eateth and behold when he awaketh hee is hungry that thinketh he drinketh and behold when hee awaketh he is thirsty that he enjoyeth many good things and when he awaketh he is disappointed and findeth no such matter Or like one who being in a deepe sleepe supposeth he holdeth somewhat in his hand and that he claspeth and gripeth it so fast that none shall be able to wring it or wrest it from him by any meanes howbeit when he awaketh his hand is empty and he perceiveth plainely he hath nothing at all in it So doe all temporizers they have many a pleasant dreame they thinke verily they have true faith when indeed they have nothing lesse they are without the feares and terrours and tremblings that Gods Children doe often even in their best meditations finde in themselves whom Satan will not suffer to be quiet If any aske How commeth this to passe Obiect that the true beleevers should thus doubt and stagger and the unbeleevers no way so much distressed may not the state of these seeme to be much better then of the other I answer This ariseth from sundry considerations Answ Sometimes the effects of Gods grace are not so lively in them as formerly they have beene as we might easily shew in the examples of Job of David and of divers others that we might learne to walke by faith 2 Cor. 5.7 and not by sight or feeling Sometimes the heart of man too full of corruption will cast forth doubts as the Furnace doth sparkles concerning his faith seeking as it were to throw mire and dirt in the face of his faith and sometimes Satan is ready to interrupt us and to hinder the course of our beleeving because he is evermore an enemy unto us For the life of a Christian is like the daies of the yeere one while the daies are very faire another while they are full of clouds of stormes and of showres So a man that doth beleeve shall sometimes finde all faire as when the Sunne shineth in his strength and have a long time of breathing and gathering new strength lest he should be swallowed up with over-much heavinesse For as God will not suffer the rod of the wicked to rest upon the backe of the righteous Psal 125.3 lest he should put forth his hands to iniqiuty so he will not suffer the tentations of Satan to dwell evermore with him and to continue upon him lest he should be discouraged and dis-heartned Sometimes againe whiles stormes and tempests of doubting are raised and the waves and floods of infidelity threaten to drowne or at least to shake the foure corners or pillers of the house that it may fall downe and we are like a troubled Sea Iob 7.19 we have not leisure so much as to swallow our spittle this falleth out lest we should grow secure and that he might draw us or drive us thereby neerer to himselfe Then the Sunne hideth his face in a cloud then we are full of wavering Notwithstanding this may bee no matter of discouragement but rather of much comfort and encouragement forasmuch as this is a token of true faith and God doth it for these ends to make us more certaine of our faith afterward to cause us to lay better hold on the promises of God and to finde more joy in them at the latter end Good pleasure Here is the third branch of the promise noting the ground thereof not the free will of man but the good pleasure of God From hence are all good things conveied unto us This is called in holy Scripture His grace his mercy his love his kindnesse his purpose his will the purpose of his will the good pleasure of his will and such like all of them pointing out the supreme and highest cause of all the good meant toward us and bestowed upon us Doct. 9 This teacheth that the good pleasure of God is the fountaine of all good gifts and graces whatsoever His free love and favour is the first and principall cause of all blessings externall internall eternall This Moses sheweth Deut. 7.8 The cause why the Lord brought his people out of Egypt with a mighty hand and redeemed them out of the house of bondmen and from the hand of Pharaoh was because he loved them Deut. 7.8 Revel 1.5 Luke 2.14 This is the saying of the Angels after the birth of Christ Luk. 2. Glory to God in the highest on earth peace good will toward men The Apostle James teacheth
the very Haven so have we a Kingdome promised of another nature not earthly but heavenly and we have an vnction from the Holy one also 1 Ioh. 2.20 that perswadeth us of the certainty of the promise to be performed neverthelesse Hos 2.6 Acts 14.22 the way to it is hedged with thornes and we must through manifold tribulations enter into the Kingdome of heaven and wait with patience the Lords leisure till we may enioy it in the meane season let us say with the Prophet Why art thou cast downe Psal 42.11 O my soule and why art thou disquieted within me hope in God for I will yet praise him who is the health of my countenance and my God The summe of that which wee have shewed is this Christians have not their perfect estate in this present life This is their property and the voyce whereby they are knowne they say My conversation is in heaven my hope is in the next life I looke for better things For albeit God often blesse them with honour with riches with friends and all that heart can desire yet doe they not place their happinesse in these they looke still for better things then these They cannot find any contentment in the world to rest in their greatest profits and pleasures have their satiety they alwaies ayme at higher things even when they are at the highest The worldly man thinketh he is well enough here hee accounteth a bird in hand better then a thousand in the bush he saith Give me things present let them that list take things to come let us eate and drinke while we may for to morow we shall die I give me to day let him that list take to morrow A most prophane speech of prophane men whereby they may be knowne what they are if there were nothing else Worldly men deride the faithfull and laugh them to scorne for contemning earthly things but on the other side the faithfull which hope for things not seene mourne for these worldly-minded men because they set light by heavenly things Give you the Kingdome Thus much of the strength of the reason the ruth of the words followeth as they are set downe without reference to the point that is argued Doct. 13 Now as they are taken in themselves they teach us this point that God will bestow upon all his Children after all their labours sighs and sorrowes the Kingdome of glory God promiseth not to every one an earthly Crowne and Kingdome nay this befalleth to a very few howbeit that which is better is assured them to wit an heavenly even to all that are his Children Iam. 5.7 Neverthelesse with the Husbandman we must labour before wee can bee partakers of the precious fruits of the earth 2 Tim. 2.3 6 11 12. as good Souldiers we must fight the Lords battels before we can get the victory we must here weare a Crowne of thornes before we can weare a Crowne of glory we must dye with Christ before we can live with him and we must suffer with him before we can raigne with him For as it was with the Head so it must be with the members Luke 24.26 the servant must not be above his Master he first suffered and so he entred into his glory It is an honour unto us to be made conformable unto his image He was made like unto his brethren that he might make them like unto himselfe This truth of doctrine that is here delivered is confirmed unto us by all the testimonies and consents of holy Scripture alleadged before Luke 23.43 Besides which observe the words of Christ to the penitent theefe Luke 23. Verily I say unto thee this day shalt thou be with me in Paradise This is the promise made to the Disciples and to all that cleave unto him Rom. 2. Matth. 10.42.32 So Rom. 2. To them who by patient continuance in well doing seeke for glory Ioh. 10.27 28. and honour and immortality eternall life And Christ teacheth the same John 10. My sheepe heare my voyce and I give unto them eternall life and they shall never perish neither shall any plucke them out of my hands This is an Article of our Christian faith set downe indeed in the last place because it is last of all to be accomplished that eternall life shall be given to us and to every true member of the Church and is therefore firmely to be holden and beleeved of us without any doubting or wavering Reas 1 For first of all Christ Iesus is ascended and gone up into heaven farre above all Principalities and Powers and hath taken possession of the Kingdome in their names as he saith to his Disciples Ioh. 14. â— In my Fathers house are many mansions if it were not so I would have told you I goe to prepare a place for you Joh. 14.2 Secondly it is a just thing with God to give deliverance to his Servants peace for their trouble joy for their sorrow and glory for their shame But wee see not this in this present life 2 Thes 1.6 7. for here they are troubled and the ungodly are exalted as 2. Thess 1. It is a righteous thing with God to recompence tribulation to them that trouble you and to you who are troubled rest with us when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty Angels Thus Abraham answereth the rich glutton Sonne remember that thou in thy life time receivedst thy good things and likewise Lazarus evill things but now he is comforted and thou art tormented Thirdly if our happinesse were in this life we were of all other men the most miserable 1. Cor. 15.19 1 Cor. 15.19 32. For what were our happinesse but a very unhappinesse It were better we joyned with the world and said with the Epicures Let us eate and drinke for to morrow we shall dye And the life of the rich man were rather to be chosen who was clothed in purple and fared deliciously every day then of the begger that lay at his gate full of sores and desired to be fed with the crummes onely that fell from the rich mans table Howbeit the future estate of them both altereth the case for the rich man after all his pompe and glory was cast into torments Luke 16.19 20 22 23. and the poore man after all his want and misery was carried by the Angels into Abrahams bosome Luke 16. True it is the Infidels Pagans Epicures and such like that live without Christ are wretched and miserable that have no hope of eternall life howbeit of all others Christians should bee most miserable for whereas the other enjoy the profits and pleasures of this present life and suffer not hatred banishment persecution and martyrdome for Religion but florish in the wealth honour power and estimation of the world these are hated of all men for Christs sake and live in continuall disgrace and affliction wayting patiently for the hope of reward to come
owne If wee travell without the Word it will bring us to Hell the kingdome of darknesse but never to the Kingdome of Heaven and of God who dwelleth in the light which no man can approach unto No man by nature knoweth the way to Heaven neither can possibly finde it without his guide there are so many odde lanes and blinde turnings and by-pathes and crosse waies that we are sure to misse the Devill standeth at one corner and telleth us This is the way the World calleth to us at another I will lead thee and sinne sitteth at anoother ready to perswade us to follow it Wee know the way that leadeth to Hell well enough nature is a sufficient guide to instruct us and direct us if we have no other we cannot misse it the way is so broad and the gate so wide that leadeth to destruction and the company so great going before us that thrusteth and throngeth to enter into it Wherefore it standeth us upon to doe nothing without our guide Howbeit this is an hard matter men will not stoope downe when God holds out his Scepter ready to lead them neither will they draw neere when God stretcheth out his arme to receive them The causes why vve follovv not the guidance of the Word but hang backe many wayes And will we understand and learne the causes that stop up our way and hinder us from following the guidance of the Word Ignorance negligence and contempt have so possessed the greatest part that they are a small remnant that make conscience to seeke knowledge to use diligence and to performe obedience These lead us by the hand to the Kingdome the former are the greatest enemies to our soules Ignorance of the Word the first hinderance to the Kingdome Heb. 5.12 Of these three that blocke up the way and stop our passage I will speake in order And touching the first I will say with the Apostle Heb. 5.12 When for the time yee ought to bee teachers yee have need that one teach you againe which be the first principles of the Oracles of God and are become such as have need of milke and not of strong meat After all our hearing and learning after so many yeeres teaching and preaching Heb. 6.1 the greatest part know not the principles of the doctrine of Christian Religion The raine and dew of Heaven hath fallen upon the ground and yet it remaineth dry and barren The Hammer of the Word hath beaten upon our hearts yet they are hardned as the Anvill Many gracious showres have dropped downe upon the grasse of the field and yet alas it is ready to wither away The Sunne hath shined clearely in our eyes and yet alas we remaine in palpable darknesse O what a deepe and secret judgement is this that the raine should make us dry and the Sunne make us blinde that the light should cause darknesse and the sound of the Gospell should make us deafe But thus it is and thus it must bee when we regard not to know the will of our God Certainely such blinde sottish people that remaine willingly nay wilfully blinde in the middest of the meanes of knowledge like those that having meat before them arise empty from the Table cannot assure themselves to bee true members of the Christian Church The Prophet foretelleth touching the Church of Christ that the earth should be full of the knowledge of the Lord Esay 11.9 2.3 Ioel 2.28 as the waters that cover the Sea but these have their hearts as full of ignorance as the Sea is of water True it is a man may be ignorant of many truthes and yet be saved 1 Cor. 13.9.12 And it is true likewise that here wee know in part and wee see as thorow a glasse darkely and so wee shall untill wee come to know even as also wee are knowne Howbeit wee must understand that there is difference betweene truth and truth There are some such truths as are like the heart in the body without which there is no life or like the foundation of an house except it be well laid no building can be reared and erected Or like the Pillers on which Samson leaned if they bee shaken the house falleth and is overthrowne and the fall thereof is great and draweth with it the ruine of others So it is in Religion There are sundry such principles and grounds of the faith that whosoever is ignorant of them all or of any one of them it is impossible he should be saved These are to Christians as the A. B. C. is to Children except the Childe know his letters he can never be able to read yea albeit he be ignorant but of one of them so except they which be rude be well and thorowly grounded in the Rudiments and first Principles 1 Pet. 2.2 as it were the first milke that they sucke from their Mothers brests that they may grow thereby they are not yet in the way to the Kingdome they have not set one step forward to Heaven Notwithstanding if a thorow view and exact examination were taken of the most places I feare the greatest number even of such as are of yeeres of discretion would be found faulty and guilty that they know not so much as every Christian must know that shall be saved and see Christ Iesus his Saviour to his comfort And therefore I may conclude that the greatest number of them yet stand in the state of damnation I will not say they shall bee condemned neither dare I because God hath given to us no such warrant Deut. 29.29 and secret things belong unto him but rather I hope better things of them though I thus speake howbeit this I affirme and dare bee bold to pronounce that such doe as yet stand through their ignorance in the state of condemnation What though many of you be of great age what though yee have beene baptized and beene admitted to the Lords Supper what though yee have beene long hearers of the Word I beseech you by the mercies and patience of God toward you deceive not your selves doe not flatter your owne soules perswade not better things of your selves then there is just cause be not as Children that know not the right hand from the left be not alwaies blinde in your understanding but rather examine your selves and call your selves to an account what yee have heard and learned lest yee be like those that are alwaies learning 2 Tim. 3.7 but never able to come to the knowledge of the truth The Lord complaineth by the Prophet Hos 4.1 6. My people are destroyed for lacke of knowledge And againe a little before There is no knowledge of God in the Land and therefore the Inhabitants thereof shall be cut off Thus much of ignorance the mother of errour Neglect of the Word the second hinderance to the Kingdome the second hinderance that stoppeth up the way to the Kingdome is the neglect of the Word a farther degree