are most proane vnto it The seede of this sin is in the very best and often sprouteth forth to our great shame Psal 73.28 say thou with Dauid in euery distresse It is good for mee to draw neere vnto the Lord. For assuredly this is the onely way that will bring a man peace at the latter end Ambrose Vnto a Citizen The farre Countrey as wee haue heard is the region of sinne Now this Citizen may seeme to represent the prince of darkenesse with his cursed confederates the reprobate Angels called Citizens in the kingdome of sinne because they haue not onely sinned but they abide and continue in sinne they dwell in it and cannot leaue it But let him be whom hee will he was but a hard master towards this his seruant he put him to base worke and gaue him but small wages not foode for his belly Learne then Those that refuse to giue seruice vnto God Doctr. Those that wil not serue God shall serue a harder Master Deut. 28.41.48 shall be enforced to serue a worse master Deut. 28.47.48 And what doth the scripture speake of such as are not conuerted nor returned to the Lord doth it not say such are ruled by the God of this world id est the Deuil who works in the hearts of the children of disobedience doth it not testifie 2 Tim. 2. vlt. that such are in the snare of the Diuell being taken captiue of him at his will Reason there are but 2. Reason Lords and commanders of the whole world God and the Diuell forsaking the seruice of the one we must needs goe into the vineyard of the other there is no remedy The vse of this is for admonition to vs that we know Vse 1 how we leaue Gods house and seruice that we cast not of the yoke of the Lord our God for if we refuse to seâ—ue him let vs be assured we shall serue others whose seruice we shall find more hard and wages most wofull at the last there is no fishing like vnto the sea no seruice like vnto God and to the Kings keepe still then in the house of God neuer comes a better Oh remember that you are Gods sworne seruants and haue taken the blessed sacrament vpon it that you will be obedient vnto him and fight against the world flesh and deuill and that valiantly and constantly vnto your liues end beware lest you be found guilty of periurie and apostacie from the liuing God make good what you haue promised and vowed to the Lord before his Saints and blessed Angels who are witnesses of thy couenant Math. 7.22 Call him not only Lord Lord as many do but let him indeed be thy Lord as few doe Did seruice consist in wearing of a liuery or taking of wages or giuing good words then God should haue seruants enough but there must be more obedience is required in a cheerefull doing all that is enioyned be not then stubborne withdraw not the shoulder from yeilding obedience vnto the Almighty carry thy selfe in all things like a dutifull seruant deserue not to be cast out lest thou sing the song of this prodigall How many hired seruants in my fathers house haue bread enough 1 Iohn 5.3 and I perish for hunger This master is liberal he giues the best wages and for the easiest worke euery one of his seruants are aduanced to be sonns euery sonne is an heire euery heire a king euery king hath an eternal kingdome thus God rewards with honour but Satan with shame do not then by swearing by drunkennesse and such like sinnes thrust thy selfe out of Gods doores and enter into the seruice of that beggerly master the Diuell who hath nothing to giue his followers but hell and euer lasting torments keepe then in Gods seruice and thou art made for euer Text. And he sent him to his feilds to feede swine By farme or feilds wee may vnderstand this world by swine sinners wicked and vngodly men of the world his feeding of them is his keeping company conuersing with them This seemes to be the morrall exposition of these words Now for some instruction and first in that the wicked are compared to swine wee may obserue thuâ— much Doctr. Wicked men are no better then bruit beasts Men without grace are no better then beasts without reason they are swinish brutish Hence it is that the holy Ghost who can giue most congruous names to natures doth so frequently in scripture compare the wicked to bruit and sauage creatures sometimes to Lyons Psal 58 6. Psal 59.6 Psal 80.13 Psal 22.12 Psal 32.9 Math. 10 16. Luke 13.32 Isay 1.3 Math. 7.6 1 Pet. 2.22 somtimes to Doggs sometimes to Bores sometimes to Bulls sometimes to Horses and Mules sometimes to Woulfes sometimes to Foxes sometimes to the Oxe and Asse otherwhiles to Swine doe not all these names serue to set forth their brutish disposition Reasons of this point may be these first because man by sinne degenerateth into the nature of the beast by it Reason 1 he loseth the right vse of his vnderstanding which is the very thing that maketh them men and doth distinguish them from bruites This the Prophet sheweth plainely in the 49. Psal the 20. verse Where he saith that man being in honor and vnderstandeth not is like to the beasts that perish Here the Prophet sheweth that mans honour aboue the beasts is his vnderstanding which he loosing by sinne doth degenerate into the dishonourable ranke of bruit creatures Secondly because wicked men giue vp themselues to Reason 2 be led by sence and appetite like the bruit beast who followeth his owne lust and no other perswasion they will not liue by rules of renewed reason perswasions to leaue sin and take better courses can no more preuaile with them then with a beast 2. Pet. 2.12 this reason Peter giues in his second epistle the second chapter and the 12. verse so the Prophet Ieremiah Ier. 5.8 expresseth this property in the wicked Iewes where he saith that like full fed horses euerie one neigheth after his Neighbours wife The vse we are to make of this poynt is manifold first it may serue to shew vs the cursed and malignant qualitie of sinnes which Circes like doth transforme men into beasts and maketh those who at the beginning were made after Gods owne Image most glorious and beautifull to be more vgly in the sight of God then the most brutish creature that he hath made Secondly it may teach vs how to esteeme of the wicked surely as God himselfe esteemes of them no better then of beasts nay well were it for them if they were no worse for when the beast dies his misery ends but when these die their vnhappinesse begins These are the heard of vncleane Swine whereinto to the Deuil is entred and will at length fling them into that bottomlesse Lake Thirdly let wicked men take notice of their owne Vse 3 base estate and condition
It is recorded of the Bee that in stormy weather it will get vp a little stone that by the weight it may flye more steddily and get home in safety Art thou in danger to bee blowne away with pride get thy selfe to Prayer and Meditation it will be to thee as the little stone to the Bee or as Ballast to the ship to keepe thee from being turned about with the waues of selfe-conceit Thus get this grace and when euer thou comest to the Lord bring it with thee and feare not of speeding for they that fall downe lowest at Gods almes-dealing speed euer best And thus much for this poynt as also for this part of the Prodigalls Regresse VERSE 20. But when he was yet a farre off his Father saw him and had compassion and ranne and fell on his necke and kissed him HAuing spoken of the Prodigals Repentance wee are now to speake of the successe of it which is laid downe in the 20 22 and 23 verses and so to the end Wherein we may obserue His fathers good-will and his Brothers ill-will his fathers good-will is to be seen in the 20 22 23 and 24 verses his brothers ill-will in the rest In the former these three things are obseruable First his Fathers readinesse to receiue him verse 20. Secondly the entertainment hee gaue him vers 22 23. Thirdly the reason of both verse 24. The readinesse of the father to receiue his sonne is noted First by his looking on him a farre off For when he was yet a great way off his father saw him Secondly by his running to him while he was a farre off Hee had compassion and ran Thirdly by his kinde embracing of him He fell on his necke and kissed him To beginne with the first But when he was yet a great way off Text. he saw him Albeit this bee put heere in the last place yet it is referred by most of our Expositors to the first time of his conuersion for it was this looke that brought home this Prodigall He saw him and looked on him with the eyes of pity and by looking vpon him infused into him the secret efficacy of his spirit and pierced his heart with the beames of his grace which so preuailed with him that it brought him to repentance as it did with Peter which made him to goe out and weepe bitterly for his sins after he had thrice denied his Master Thus they make it as a cause of his conuersion And taking it thus this poynt will follow Doctr. Our conuersioÌ„ is from Gods free grace Iohn 6.44 Rom. 9.6 The conuersion of a sinner is from Gods free grace Gods grace is the cause of it Hence is it that Christ saith No man commeth vnto me except the Father draw him Hereunto also commeth the saying of the Apostle It is not in him that willeth nor in him that runneth but in God that sheweth mercy Hence is it also that the Church thus prayeth Cant. 1.4 Draw me and we will runne after thee But most fully and cleerely doth the Prophet Ezechiel set out the truth of this point speaking in the person of God these words Ezech. 36.26 27. A new heart will I giue you and a new spirit will I put within you and I will take away the stony heart out of your body and I will giue you a heart of flesh and I will put my spirit within you and cause you to walke in my statutes See how the Prophet wholly disableth man from the worke of his conuersion ascribing both the beginning and progresse thereof vnto the Lord. Many pregnant examples might be brought both of the Vnregenerate before their conuersion as also of the Regenerate in their fals after their conuersion for the further confirming this poynt in hand What disposition was theâ—e in the Apostle Paul Acts 9.1 to further his conuersion was he not breathing out threatnings and slaughters against the Disciples of Christ Iesus and had hee not procured a commission from the High Priests to binde all that were of that way Did not God behold him a farre off Did hee not looke vpon him from the habitation of his dwelling And did hee not thus behold Matthew the Customer Zacheus the Vsurer Mary the sinner Ephes 2.12 and vs Gentiles When we were as the Apostle saith without hope and God in the world being strangers from the couenant of promise and aliens from the Common-wealth of Israel I could bring variety of examples that would serue to strengthen the poynt but I will remember you but of one more and so hasten to the vses and that is of Peter was not God faine to looke on him a farre off before he repenred Luk. 22. Hee had denied his Master once and wept not yea twice yet shed not a teare though the Cocke had crowed And the third time he denies him yet weepes not vntill Christ beholds him and then as the text sayth he wept bitterly Verse 61. Assuredly if Christ had not cast an eye on him and beheld him with a gracious aspect had a thousand seuerall persons questioned with him about his maister he would haue denied him a thousand times Thus a sinner is like an Eccho he cannot speake first to God but must answere a voyce from God The Reasons And needs must this be so because we are dead in trespasses Reason 1 and sinnes as the Apostle sayth Ephes 2.1 Colos 2.13 and as the Father of this Prodigall auoucheth of him dead not in a sowne but dead stone-dead as we say and therefore haue no more power to stirre hand or foote for the furthering of our owne conuersion then Lazarus had power to come out of the graue before Christ called him A second reason why Gods grace is all in all in the Reason 2 worke of our conuersion may be this That all matter of boasting might be taken away for we are very readie to ascribe vnto our selues that which of right belongs vnto the Lord should we haue any hand in the furtherance of it we would soone fal a boasting after this manner yet in this am I beholding to my selfe Thus farre I am a worker in my owne conuersion for this or that degree of it may I thank my selfe And this is the reason that is giuen by the Apostle Ephes 2.8 By grace you are saued saith he and that not of yourselues it is the gift of God If any now aske a reason he giueth it in the next words Verse 9. Not of works least any man should boast Thus haue we seene the reasons now let vs heare the vses And in the first place this may serue for confutation Vse 1 first of the Pellagians who affirme that our good actions and cogitations proceed onely from free-will and not from Gods speciall grace Secondly it maketh against our Semi-pellagians I meane the Papists who are all for Will little or nothing for Iohn that is Gods grace but like Solamons whore
is from Gods free grace p. 222 2. True repentance bringeth vs into Gods fauour p. 227. 3. The first motion to repentance if true is highly pleasing to God and is accepted of him p. 229. 4. God is ready to shew mercy to euery one that seekes it p. 231. 5. God is more ready to shew mercy then we are to seeke it p. 236. 6. God doth not onely loue his children but hee will manifest it vnto them by signes and tokens that they may not doubt of it p. 239. Verse 22.23 Doct. 1. God will neuer vpbrayd any with their former courses that doe truly repent p. 250. 2. God giueth his gifts not immediately by himselfe but mediately by the hands of his seruants p. 254. 3. God is larger in his gifts then wee are in our requests p. 256. 4. Nothing that is needefull shall bee wanting where Gods fauor is not wanting p. 258. 5. God giueth to his children as for necessitie so for delight and ornament p. 263. 6. The Conuersion of any doth bring great ioy to the Saints and seruants of God p. 279. Verse 24. Doct. 1. Euery wicked man is a dead man p. 283. 2. He onely may bee sayd to liue that liues the life of grace p. 289. 3. Wicked men are Strayes p. 301. 4. Our conuersion and calling is from Gods mercy and grace p. 302. 5. Regeneration doth not abolish ioy nor any other naturall affection p. 303. 6. It is pardon of sinne and assurance thereof that bringeth ioy and comfort to the soule p. 307. 7. The godly mans ioy in this life is but the beginning of ioy p. 308. Verse 25 26 27. c. Doct. 1. The wicked repine at others preferments in Gods fauours p. 310. 2. It is the propertie of the wicked to expostulate the cause with God p. 317. 3. Wicked men haue faire pretences for soule sinnes p. 323. 4 When God hath to deale with sinners hee dealeth with them in a milde manner and not in fury and rage p. 328. Verse 31 32. Doct. 1. Wee may not exasperate the wicked when they are incensed but giue way vnto their fury p. 335. 2. It is lawfull for a man to speake in his owne defence p. 336. God will maintaine the righteous cause of his children p. 340. The end of all the Doctrines THE TRVE CONVERT OR AN EXPOSITION OF THE PARABLE OF THE PRODIGALL LVKE 15.11.12 c. 11 And he said A certaine man had two sonnes 12 And the yonger of them said to his Father Father giue me the portion of goods that falleth to mee And he diuided to them his liuing AS God in times past diuersly Heb. 1.1 and many wayes spake vnto our Fathers by the Prophets hath in these last dayes spoken vnto vs by his Sonne so also this his Sonne Acts 10.58 whom he hath appoynted heire of all things by whom also he made the worlds while he waâ—â—ere vpon the earth going about doing good did speake and teach his people after diuers formes and fashions often by plaine principles and affirmatiue conclusions and not seldome by parables and darke sentences in all seeking his Fathers glory and his Churches good Reasons why Christ spake by Parables First reason Psal 78.2 Many reasons are giuen for this his parabolicall kind of teaching these are some First that the Scriptures might be fulfilled which had so spoken of him I will open my mouth in a Parable I will vtter darke sentences of olde Second reason Luk. 8.10 Secondly that Gods treasure might be hid from the obdurate wicked and the mysteries of his kingdome might not be reuealed to the scornefull to such it shall be spoken in Parables that seeing they might not see and hearing they might not vnderstand Third reason Mat. 13.36 Mar. 4.10 Luk. 8.9 Thirdly to stir vp his hearers to a more diligent attention as also that they might hereby take occasion to mooue doubts and aske questions as the Disciples did What might this Parable be Reason 4 Fourthly that the faithfull might haue constant and continuall nourishment so that though they nere finde a sweete relish in the word yet comming againe to the reading or hearing of it they might finde more food so sweetly hath God mixed hard and easie together Miscetur vtile dulci. that none might be cloyed nor any discouraged Reason 5 Fiftly that he might descend vnto the capacitie of the most simple Ioh. 3.12.13 who best vnderstand homely comparisons and are sooner perswaded with plaine similitudes and familiar examples then with subtill reasons and accurate discourses hence is it that parables and borrowed speeches from vulgar matters are compared by some to Mid-wiues which further our trauell in heauenly knowledge thus he teaching by plaine and knowne things did lead his schollers to the better vnderstanding of what was vnknowne Reason 6 Sixtly that he might helpe the memories of his hearers and cause them the better to keepe in minde his wholesome instructions for prouerbes and similitudes drawne from daily practise doe take very deepe roote and impression in the mind as experience sheweth there are many that remember a familiar example which they heard from a Preacher for many yeares together when as many other deepe points and matters of more substance which were then deliuered shall bee cleane forgotten Seauenthly that euery one in his occupation and vocation Reason 7 might be taught those things which concernes his soules health therefore hath hee deriued a parable from an armie to teach souldiers Luk. 8.5 Mat. 13.33 from legall principles to instruct Lawyers from the field and sowing to teach husbandmen and from a Leauen to instruct women And lastly that he might conuince the sinner of his Reason 8 sinne that seeing his sinne in the person of another hee might without partialitie condemne it in himselfe for of all kinds of speech there is none that doth more cunningly insinuate it selfe into the vnderstanding leaue a deeper impression with a feeling conceite then a parable doth and if it be personall the issue of it is to touch the quicke and in a sort to extort that which otherwise would not be graunted 2. Sam. 12. Mat. 21.33 as we see in the example of Dauid and others These are some reasons amongst many others which Diuines haue giuen why he opened his mouth in parables and taught the people after this manner In this Chapter Christ vseth this dark kind of teaching propounding three parables which are as so many instruments of musicke playing one and the same tune In that of the lost sheepe ver 3 -8 And that of the lost groate ver 8-11 And this of the lost sonne he teacheth one and the same doctrine The occasion The occasion of his propounding this and the two former parables is to bee seene in the beginning of the Chapter which was the murmuring of the Scribes and Pharisies against him for his receiuing of Publicanes and Sinners which came vnto him The
scope of the Parable His scope and drift in it is to conuince them of sinne for this their so doing and to bring them to a sight of it and Repentance for it for which end and purpose hee doth vse two Arguments both taken from Gods dealing The first may be thus framed Piscator in loc If God be willing readie to receiue such as become Argu. 1 penitent then you sinne in enuying and murmuring to see them brought to Repentance But God is ready and willing Ergo. The Proposition or first sentence is omitted and taken as graunted The Assumption is prooued and illustrated in the former part of this parable where by the readinesse of the Father to receiue his sonne he sheweth the readinesse of the Lord to receiue penitents The second Argument he vseth is this If God disliketh Argu. 2 and condemneth such as are offended with those who are readie to receiue penitents then you sinne who are offended with me for this cause But God disliketh and condemneth such Ergo The Proposition is omitted The Assumption he cleareth and illustrateth in the latter part of the parable by shewing how the Father reprehendeth his sonne for that his murmuring And thus wee haue seene the scope and intent The vse of this Parable This Parable is of excellent vse to the Church children of God it setteth forth vnto vs our decayed and restored estate our decayed estate through our wilful disobedience and manifold transgressions through our originall corruption and actuall aberration Our restored estate in our conuersion to God by true and vnfained Repentance in a holy life and godly obedience It is full of mysteries and matter of great moment and is by some termed and that worthily the Epitome of the Gospell In a word there is no one bed in the Lords Eden no place of holy Scripture in the whole Bible which yeeldeth more sauourie or comfortable doctrine Parables consist of 2. parts a bodie and a soule Aug. Ser. 70. de temp then this parable doth afford Now as man so Scripture and as all Scripture so parables in speciall consist of two parts a bodie and a soule The external sound of the letter is the body but the true sence and meaning is the soule of it wee will therefore seeke out the sence and meaning and leaue the letter The Fathers and other Interpreters make this the mysticall exposition of this parable The Father is God the two Sonnes are the Scribes and Pharisies who are meant by the elder and Publicanes and Sinners signified by the younger the farre country wherein this prodigall walked is the region of sinne wherein they liued the goods which he wasted were those common gifts and graces which were bestowed on them the Famine be sustained was the want of that bread of eternall life whereof they were depriued the Citizen he cleaued to was the Prince of darknesse who rules in the hearts of the children of disobedience the Swine he kept were reprobate and wicked ones with whom they accompanied the huskes which rather burdened then relieued his stomacke were the vanities of this world or rather the traditions and frothy doctrines of the Scribes and Pharisies which rather cloyed then satisfied their hungry soules his returne home was their returne from sinne by repentance by robe ring shoes and calfe are signified the riches of Gods graces whereby he supplyed all their wants the seruants who are willed to fetch these are the Ministers of Gods word who bring his graces to vs the banquet mirth and musicke doth represent that ioy and happinesse which neither eye hath seene eare hath heard neither can the heart of man conceiue of Each of these we shall further proue in their seuerall places In this parable we may consider first an Introduction ver 11. Secondly a Narration from the twelfth verse vnto the end In the Introduction wee haue first the partie propounding He said Secondly the parties propounded A certaine man had two sonnes In the Narration we are to consider first the prodigall his Egresse which is laid downe from the 12. verse to the seauenteenth secondly his Regresse or returne from the 17. verse vnto the end In the first we haue his sinne in the 12. and 13. verses And then the punishment of his sinne in the 14 15. 16. verses His sinne and what it was first before hee had receiued his portion verse 12. and secondly after he had receiued iâ— verse 13. Before he had receiued it and that was double first his greedinesse of it Secondly his impudencie in calling for it both contained in those words Giue me the portion of goods that belongs vnto mee The punishment of this his sinne which was common vpon the whole countrey with him verse 14. And Personall on himselfe wherein wee may obserue first his distresse and that is laid down briefly verse 14. and more largely verse 16. And secondly his shift in this his distresse he went and ioyned himselfe to a Citizen of that countrey ver 15. In the prodigall his Regresse there we haue his repentance ver 17-22 And the successe therof from the 22. verse vnto the end in his repentance consider these three specials first the motiues or occasion thereof which was first in generall a communing with himselfe and calling his wayes to account or secondly a more speciall particular consideration and that of his owne misery I perish with hunger and of his Fathers mercie How many hired seruants of my Fathers haue bread enough verse 15. Secondly we haue his resolution wherein we see what he resolued to doe I will arise and goe and say Father I haue sinned verse 18.19 And thirdly his Practise verse 20.21 wherein consider his worke hee arose and his words which are a confession of his sinne wherein we haue the matter of his confession I haue sinned and secondly the circumstances First to whom viz. to his Father Secondly how and that is first with exaggeration against heauen and in thy sight Secondly with humiliation and am no more worthy to be called thy sonne Thus for his Repentance Now for the successe thereof which is diuers viz. his Fathers good will and his brothers anger and ill will his Fathers good will verse 20.22.23.24 And therein we see first his readines to receiue him verse 20. Secondly the entertainement hee gaue him verse 22.23 And thirdly the reason of it verse 24. His brothers ill will that is laid downe in the 25.26.27 verses with the rest vnto the end where we see first from what it ariseth viz. from the vnderstanding of his fathers loue verse 25-29 Secondly how he doth expresse it viz. by reasoning with and accusing of his Father verse 29.30 And thirdly how it is qualified viz. by his Fathers entreatie of kindnesse verse 28. Secondly by his Fathers reproofe of vnkindnesse verse 31. Thus we see the tree and braunches now to the fruit We might gather many good instructions out of this parable if we
should consider it according to the letter Instructions might be brought from the letter of the parable Parabola enim de nullo non conuenit which I cannot see but we haue liberty to doe for Christ borrowes no similitude from that which is not and the things from whence the similitude is fetched is the same in it selfe for which it is brought to illustrate another So then it might be handled without regarding the simile as if it were a plaine narration as Galat. 4.1.2 Bernards faithfull Shepheard Page 55. The scope is to shew by that similitude that the law of God makes not free but keepes in bondage for it doth with vs as Tutors and Gouernors doe with an heire being a Childe euen keepe them vnder as a seruant Now besides the lesson from the scope may not this lesson bee drawne from the letter That a wise Father will bring vp his Sonne well though he be his heire vnder Tutors and Gouernours and so Rom. 7.2 Rom. 7.2 may not this doctrine be gathered That the condition of a wife is subiection to her husband And againe That they be bound each to other so long as they liue Thus may we doe in parables Yet not from euery thing therein yet with this caution that we gather not lessons from euery thing therein for so many absurdisies might and would follow being neither intended in the spirituall sence nor yet true in the literall for many things in parables may bee supposed as if they were so to teach the truth by things feined as Iudges 9.8.9.10 So in the parable of Diues who is said to speake in hell and haue a tongue which is not true wee are therefore to be warie in vsing our liberty though we may Sobriety had need to guide our course when our nauigation lieth through the depth of a parable for mine owne part I will omit all collection which might be gathered from the letter and confine my selfe to the scope and drift of it desiring rather to be short then looke beyond Before I come to handle the particulars giue me leaue to propound a doctrine or two in generall And first from the scope and drift of Christ in propounding of it which was as yee haue heard to conuince them and bring them to a sight of their sinne and so to repentance Doctr. Conuiction is the ready way to conuersion Hence learne that Conuiction is the ready way to conuersion the readiest way to bring any to repentance is first to conuict and conuince them of their sinnes and therefore was it the Lord did charge his Prophet Ezechiel to cause Ierusalem to know her abhominations Ezech. 16.2 Isay 58.1 The like charge doth he giue to his Prophet Isay To shew Israel her transgressions and the house of Iacob their sinnes 1 Kings 18.18 Acts 2.23.37 Iohn 4.18.19 This was the course Elias did take with Ahab Peter with his hearers Christ with the woman of Samaria which examples are remarkeable for the prouing of this poynt Vse 1 Let this serue first for direction to vs of the Ministrie thou that art set in this high place and calling wouldest thou haue comfort in thy ministery wouldst thou see some comfortable fruites of thy labours be then first a Boanerges before a Bar Ionah and bring thy people first to a sight of their sinnes and secret filthinesse hold before their eyes the glasse of the law that they may see their misery and what need they haue of a Sauiour set their sins distinctly before them deale plainely without flattery this is the way to bring them to sound repentance that so they may obtaine remission forgiuenes Secondly It may serue as an apologie for such Ministers as conscionably and faithfully labour to conuince the consciences of their people of their sinnes and endeauour by preaching of the law to bring them to a true sight thereof these are they who are vsually thought to haue a spirit of gall and bitternesse within them and to be the onely men which driue many to despaire I confesse there may be and often is a great fault on the right hand in harping too much on this sad string of iudgement Some there are indeede who are neuer well but when damnation doth end their sentence this is too bloudy and butcherly a kinde of teaching But yet let me tell you We now liue in such times wherein a sermon of mercy is like a dead letter there are thousands who are not worthy to heare of mercy not to heare the sound of the word much lesse to heare the doctrine of remission of sinnes taught Now what course must bee taken with these Is not the sharpe razour of the law to be taken and incision to be made therwith into their soules vntill the wound be launced and the core thrust out a wise Surgeon will neuer powre in oyle And as for thee who thus condemnest the Ministers of the Lord for deliuering of the terrours of the law art euer calling for gospell gospell I tell thee it is to be feared of all others thou art most vnfit to heare it for it is vsually seen none call more for it to be taught then such as most despise it and condemne it those that are loath to know themselues are euer loath to heare the law deliuered O how farre art thou from holy Dauids minde Psal 141.5 Let the righteous smite me for it is a pretious oyle a foule signe of a guilty soule Thirdly We may heare see the reason why so many Vse 3 goe so boldly on in sinne and repent not alas they are not yet throughly conuicted they liue still in blindnes and are not brought to a sight of them This is excellently set forth by this comparison A man going ouer some narrow bridge vnder which runneth some deepe gulfe or violent streame if it be at midnight feareth not because be seeth not any danger Perâ—ins exhortation to repentance but bring the same man the next morning and let him see the narrownesse of the bridge he went ouer the night before the fearefull downfall and furious violence of the streame that runnes vnder the same and then will he wonder at his owne boldnesse and shrinke for feare to thinke of it and will not by any meanes venture to do that which carelesly he did the night before because hee seeth the extreame danger which before he saw not So is it with a sinner while he is in the estate of nature he seeth nothing no wrath no iudgement no hell for the God of this world hath blinded his eyes and therefore walketh on boldly and securely in sin he seeth not the narrownesse of the bridge of this life nor the fearefull gulfe of hell vnder it which he falls immediately into if he flies off but when God shall open his eyes and touch his heart to consider of his estate and see himselfe then hee seeth how narrow the bridge of this
that nature that God hath so highly honoured once sayth one hee made man to his owne similitude but often describes himselfe according to mans similitude what a shame is it then to defile those members by sinne wherby God expresseth his owne goodnesse and glory Doth God expresse his dietie by thy head his fauour and presence by thy face his prouidence and good will by thy eyes his strength by thy armes his blessed spirit by thy fingers Oh then beware how thou abasest thy bodie Rom. 6.13.19 or any member of thy bodie to sinnes seruice Giue not thy members as weapons of vnrighteousnesse to sinne but yeeld your members as instruments of righteousnesse vnto God Had two sonnes By these two sonnes Text. some vnderstand the elect Angels and men but this cannot be for they murmure not at any compassion that is shewed vnto vs others by them vnderstand Iewes and Gentiles true it is that the Iewes are elder brethren but surely they are not figured hereby this eldest sonne for they haue forsaken their fathers house and are now strangers from the tents of Sem Others by these two sonnes vnderstand the Pharisies and Publicanes of this minde are the most and the best from whom I will nor dissent for the Pharisies grudging at Christ for his familiarity with the Publicanes gaue him occasion to vtter this parable as formerly we haue seene and by it he doth conuince them But these Pharisies were sinners Obiect and such as before whom Christ preferres Publicanes and Harlots but this eldest sonne here spoken of sayth he neuer brake any of his Fathers commaundements Answere Sol. The Pharisies were righteous in their owne eyes as Christ else where doth plainely declare Luke 18. no wonder then they did thus bragge they were obedient sonnes when as in truth it was nothing so for had this sonne beene as he did professe he would neuer haue murmured nor repined at his fathers iust and equall proceedings Obiect 2 But the Father doth seeme to approue of this his eldest sonnes sayings as appeares verse 31. Answ Christ would not now exasperate the Pharisies but from hence draweth an argument q. graunt you bee dutifull and obedient yet you doe not well to be offended with this my dealing c. And thus we see who are the two sonnes here spoken of In the estate of this Father in his children sayth one the estate and condition of the Church militant is not obscurely shadowed and prefigured his two sonnes represent the two sorts of people that are in it if this be so we see that the Church visible is a mixt assembly Doctr. The Church visible is a mixt company Mat. 13.34 Mat. 13.47 Mat. 3.12 it is a mixt company both of good and bad The Parables in the 13. of Mathew so set it forth It is compared to a field wherein is darnell and stubble as well as wheat It is compared to a net which gathereth together of all kinds of fish both good and bad It is compared to a floore on which lyeth both corne and chaffe sundry other comparisons are brought in Scripture by our Sauiour to confirme this truth Mat. 25.1 It is compared to tenne virgines whereof 5. were wise 5. were foolish to a marriage feast where some had wedding garments Mat. 22. 2. Tim. 2.20 other none to a great house wherein are vessels of wood and vessels of gold and may well be compared to that great sheete Act. 10.11.12 wherein are all manner of beasts and fowles cleane and vncleane thus it euer hath beene thus it euer will be vntil the great Iudge with his fanne shall purge his floore Mat. 3.12 Mat. 13.30 till the Angels shall carry the wheat into the barne of glory vntill this day comes some rubbish will be in the net some tares amongst the wheat some chaffe vpon the floore some goates amongst the sheepe some with the marke of the beast in the Congregation of Saints on Ismaell in the Familie of Abraham amongst the Disciples there will bee a Demas amongst the Deacons a Nicholas and amongst the Apostles themselues there will be a Iudas The cockle must growe for the cornes exercise Reason 1. Cor. 11.19 there must be heresies sayth the Apostle that they which are approoued amongst you might be knowne the faith of Gods children must be tryed as Peter saith 1. Pet. 1.7 and how can that be were there no bad to try them Vses Fouly then are they deceiued who thinke there is no Vse 1 true Church where there are any open corrupt members and foolish is their dealing who hereupon make a separation because bad and good are mingled together Is an honest societie of tradesmen a false societie because some are reteined amongst them who are vnhonest was the Church of Corinth a false Church 1. Cor. 5.1 because they had amongst them wicked men Why then did the Apostle call it a Church of Christ 1. Cor. 1.2 and a coÌ„pany of Saints was not the Church of Thyatira which suffered Iesabel to teach to seduce and commit fornication Reuel 2.20 a true Church Is a wife no true wife because shee hath a blemish And was not Rebecca the true wife of Isaac though she had an elect and reprobate in her wombe And why then should not that Church bee a true one which hath both Iacob and Esau within her As for their separation thus much I confesse if a brother walke disorderly we may withdraw our selues from him 2. Thes 3.6 but that we are to withdraw our selues from the church because of him I vtterly denie we may not leaue Gods floore because there is some chaffe neither may we breake Gods net because there is some baggage fish neither depart out of his house because there be some vessels of wrath nor yet runne out of his field Non propter malos boni deserendi sed propter bonos mali tolerandi August Epist 48. cont Don because there grows some cockle for the bad which are in the Church we may not forsake the good but rather tollerate the bad for the good their sake And this we are to know it is heauen that hath â—one but good hell that hath none but bad Earth that hath both good bad to haue all good and none bad is a propertie of the Church triumphant to haue all bad and none good a propertie of the Church malignant but to haue both good and bad mingled is an inseparable propertie of the visible Church militant here vpon the earth I will conclude this vse with that exhortation of the Apostle Heb. 10 25. Ecclesiam tento plenam tritico et palta em â—do quos possum tolero quâ—â— emendarâ— non possum fuâ—io paleam ne hoc sim non aream ne niâ—il sâ—mâ— Aug. Heb. 10.25 Forsake not the assembling of your selues together as the manner of some is but exhort one another and so much the more as
you see the day approaching Amend whom thou canst tollerate whom thou canst not amend but in any case run not from thy fathers house because a bad sonne or seruant is in it And so I come to a second vse Which is for tryall are there both good and bad mingled in the Church visible then examine thy selfe what a one thou art There Vse 2 are many hypocrites in the Church why maist not thou be one Many goats are amongst the sheepe so maist thou rest not then in this that thou liuest in the church for so false Israelites doe hypocrites wicked men doe but make diligent search and inquirie whether thou be a sound member of the Church inuisible or Catholike whether thou be of the number of those faithfull ones whom Christ redeemed with his bloud Quest Answere But how shall I know whether I am such a one or no There are many signes whereby it may be knowne I will giue thee one which shall be instar omnium all in all and it is this Holinesse a marke of a true member of the Church Perk on the Creed Reuel 11.2 Ephe. 5.29 a constant practise of holinesse By this maist thou know whether thou art a sound member of it for euery true member of the Church Catholicke is answerable to the qualitie and condition of it now that is holy and so are they so S. Peter termes them a holy Nation And in other places so are they styled art thou then holy Dost thou seeke after it and follow it Art thou sanctified and clensed from the filth of sinne 1. Pet. 2.9 Dost thou expresse holinesse in thy conuersation hauing respect to euery commaundement of God Art thou holy at all times in all places about all actions Hast thou it written in thy forehead as it was in the breast of the high Priests robes If it be so thy estate is good be thou assured thou art a true member of the Church Catholike shalt neuer perish but yet againe let me admonish thee not to deceiue thy selfe but looke that it be so see that thy holinesse be true and vnfained for I tell thee there are thousands that deceiue themselues about this matter of holinesse contenting themselues with a crackt groat pleasing themselues with a counterfeit and why mayst not thou doe so What I said before I therefore say againe and againe be well aduised bring thy holinesse to the touch try it well and examine it throughly thou hast great need because there are things so like and so neere of kinne vnto it which indeed are not it Two things especially like holinesse but not it Cognatae sanctitati Differences betwixt true sanctitie and ciuilitie 1. Difference Mat. 23.25 Mat. 5.21.27 1. Thes 5.23 Ephe. 4.23 Two things there are especially very like it which thousands in the world take for it but are fouly deceiued And these they are Ciuill honestie and Restraning grace these two are cousens to it they are nigh a kinne but not the same be not then deceiued by these which that thou mayst not I will shew thee some difference betweene them and this And first Ciuilitie reacheth onely to the outward man as for the inward it is not regarded thus was it with the Scribes and Pharisies their greatest care was for the outside of the cup and to keepe themselues from the outward act and to be free from reproachfull crimes but now sanctification like leauen spreades ouer the whole lump no part or power of soule or body but is leauened it clenseth the mind from grosse ignorance and vanitie it maketh vs to be carefull about the euils of the heart and maketh vs to be watchfull ouer the thoughts and affections Secondly Ciuilitie respects principally duties of the Difference 2 second Table little or no regard is had of the first but true holinesse respects both Tit. 2.12 and if any difference hath more respect to the first Table then to the second duties of pietie as well as of Iustice and charitie shal be conscionably obserued Third difference Thirdly the workes of Pietie which Ciuilitie performes are but ceremoniously obserued to preserue credite or for fashion sake it resteth contented with the bare act doing neuer regarding the inward power of godlinesse but true sanctitie performeth them euen for conscience sake and is much offended if he feele not the power of godlinesse in them it is still complaining of dullnesse and deadnesse and is grieued at the heart for seruing God so drowsliy Fourth difference Fourthly Ciuilitie for the most part contenteth it selfe in abstaining from euill it does no man wrong it pays euery man his owne none can say it hath stolne eyther oxe or asse 1. Sam. 12.3 this it thinketh to be enough though it neuer doth any worke of mercie or charitie and so for the first table it thinketh it sufficient to be no Idolater prophane swearer or the like albeit they be ignorant of the true God in the grounds of his worship though they neuer honour him with their tongue but true holinesse teacheth both to eschew euill and doe good knowing that abstaining from euill Esa 1.16 1. Pet. 3.11 is but one of the steps to heauen doing well is the other both which a man must take if euer he would come thither And these are some differences betwixt true sanctitie and that same mock-grace Ciuilitie which so couzens many Now for that other counterfeit viz. Restraining grace it may be discerned from true holinesse by these ensuing signes Difference betwixt true holinesse and restraining grace 1. Difference First Restraining grace doth not hate the euill it abstaineth from it is the Maiestrates sword shame of the world or feare or sence of Gods wrath that doth curb them in and make them to abstaine or else it may be the want of a mind disposed or of an occasion proposed doth keepe them within compasse as for the sinne it selfe they loue and would commit it had they abilitie or occasion offered but true holinesse doth eschew euill because it is euill and hateth the euill is escheweth yea it hateth it with an vnfained hatred Psa 119. so that were there no law or magistrate yet it would be a law vnto it selfe it needs not to be bridled by the terrours of the law No it is the loue of God that constraines to doe good and the same loue restraines from euill Secondly Restraining grace doth not willingly obey 2. Difference but like a stomackfull Horse doth champ the bitt within the teeth it is inwardly discontented at Gods commaunds yea it is great paine to be curbed and crossed of it will nothing is more painefull then to leaue sinne nothing is so grieuous as to be in subiection to Gods law these they count as bands and cord Psal 2 3. this yoake is esteemed as the heauiest burthen but the heart truely sanctified desires to be curbed it is inwardly grieued when
euer will be and such shall at length be discouered and will make themselues knowne but as there are hypocrites so there are true professors and Christ hath his good sheepe as well as Goates in his fold and though some doe forsake the pathes of righteousnesse they formerly walked in yet be not hardly conceited of all other for their sakes least in so doing you condemne the generation of the iust And thus much shall serue to be spoken of this point and of this Verse we are now to enter vpon the next VERSE 12. And the younger of them said to his Father Father giue me the portion of goods that falleth to mee And hee diuided to them his liuing 13. And not many dayes after the younger Son gathered all together and tooke his iourney into a farre countrey and there wasted his substance with riotous liuing HEre beginneth the Narration wherein we haue laid downe the Prodigall his Egresse to the 17. verse and his Regresse from thence vnto the end In his Egresse we are to consider first his sinne verse 12.13 Secondly the punishment of his sinne verse 14.15.16 His sinne which was either before hee had receiued his portion verse 12. or after he had receiued it verse 13. Before he had it his fault was double he is greedy of it and he is as impudent in calling for it After he had it he also commits a double sinne first hee leaues his Fathers house and secondly he wasts and consumes his goods with riotous liuing And the younger Quest But why is the Prodigall figured by the younger rather then by the elder brother I answer Surely because of his folly and indiscretion Answ which is most incident to youth that is headdy rash Solent iuniores minus esse prudentes Maldon in loc Stella in loc and soonest seduced Hence is it vsuall amongst vs to terme such as want foresight and haue been outreached younger brothers oh you were made a younger brother c. Thus this prodigall was the younger not in yeares but in manners not in age but in want of wisedome So then by this tearme and Epithite the folly and indiscretion of the prodigall seemeth to be set forth which if it be as I suppose it is then this will be the point Euery sinner is a younger brother foolish and indiscreet Doctr. Sinners are younger brothers Sinners are childish and foolish they want wisedome and discretion whatsoeuer reckoning the world makes of them or they make of themselues yet indeede they are no other The holy Ghost in Scripture doth euery where befoole them Ierem 4.22 My people is foolish they haue not knowne mee they are sottish children they haue no vnderstanding Yea but it seemes the Prophet in that place hath to deale with idiots and naturals and against such to direct his speech nay for marke what he saith further They are wise to doe euill Ierem. 5.4 but to doe well they haue no knowledge So in another place Surely these are poore they are foolish And in another place Psal 5.5 The foolish shall not stand in thy sight And in another place Deut. 32.6 Verse 28.29 Doe yee so requite the Lord oh foolish people and vnwise And againe They are a nation voide of councell neither is there any vnderstanding in them O that they were wise Prou. 1.7.22 Mat. 25.1 Math. 7.26 Luke 12.20 Rom. 3.18 Psal 111.10 Salomon affirmes this in his Prouerbes almost alwaies styling the wicked man the foole And Christ Iesus a greater then Salomon doth plentifully confirme it in his Gospell comparing them to foolish Virgins to foolish builders and the like If you would know the reason this is it they are strangers to the feare of God that is not before their eyes Now the feare of God is the beginning of wisedome Prou. 1.7 Ierem. 8.9 Initium sapientiae the very beginning of it as if it were the A. B. C. to it how then can they be wise when that is wanting Obiect Luke 16.8 But Christ himselfe saith that the Children of this world are wise yea wiser then the children of light How then can this be true Answ They are not in genere wise but in genere suo wise to doe euill Ier. 4.2 Most true it is they are wise and indeede wiser then the children of God according to Christs speech but yet marke the restraint he accounts them not wiser absolutely but onely secundum quid they bee wiser in their generation that is in the things of this world wiser in their generation then the children of lighâ— in theirs for by reason of corruption that cleaueth so fast to and of sinne that hangeth so fast on Hebr. 12.2 we reach not to that measure of wisedome which wee ought to doe This therefore maketh nothing against our former point we may then hold it as a sound Maxime in Diuintie that sinners are fooles The vses may be these First to reprooue such as iudge contrary iudgement Vse 1 and gaine-say and contradict the testimonie of Gods own mouth if men are deepe Politicians haue profound reaches and haue a deepe insight into the world though they be prophane swearers drunkards Sabboth-breakers or the like yet these are the onely wise men counted But were this so then would Pharaoh haue had been wise and Achitophel that grand Politician and so Gebezi and Achan and Hammon yet who plaied the foole more egregiously then these haue they not their folly written in their foreheads so that who so runnes may reade it haue they not a Nouerint vniuersi set ouer their heads that all may know them for fooles to the worlds end I confesse this Affection in worldly mens iudgements is a strange paradoxe and it is no woonder for the naturall man perceiueth not the things that are of God neither can he perceiue them because they are spiritually discerned Yet that their mouths may be stopped Six remarkable properties of fooles naturall to euery wicked man and if it be possible that they may in some measure discerne it let vs consider some of the properties of fooles and then see whether they are not naturall to euery wicked man One propertie of a foole is this he is ignorant and indocible Property 1 he knoweth not the end why God made him nor yet whether there be a God or what this God is and which is worst hee will not know hee is indocible and will not be taught And doth not this fitly agree vnto the wicked are not they as ignorant can they tell why the Lord made them or about what businesse they came into this world doe they not drudge and droile moile and toyle and spend their whole time for the getting of a little vanitie doe not their liues say though their tongues are silent that their chiefest errand hither was to get riches to procure honour to follow pleasures to hunt after fashions and to fill themselues with a few vanishing
to goe on in sinne thou shalt be still a childe Esay 65.20 though thy head bee hoary and though thou liuest the yeares of Methuselah thou shalt neuer attaine to yeares of discretion The fourth vse is for Admonition Are the wicked Vse 4 fooles then beware of their company and councels and passe not for their iudgements For what wisedome is it for a man to make a child or idiot his guide or councellor what wisedome is it to follow a wicked mans aduice beware of it and euermore suspect it and as their councels so their companies let them be auoided it is not safe to be sotiable with them For howsoeuer ideotisme and want of capacity is not contagious yet this kind of wicked folly is very dangerous and full of infection Hoc that walketh with the wise shall bee wiser saith Salomon but a companion of fooles shal be made worse And as for their iudgements we neede not passe alas they are without wit let them mocke on bee not thou discouraged should one of the Kings Guarde cast off his liuery because a foole laughs at it hee might iustly be thought to be a worse foole then the other a yellow coate would better become him then his red Doe not thou then cast off thy liuery forsake not thy profession because the fooles of the world deride thee they are fooles and so esteeme them Father He calls him Father yet giues him not a son-like respect his carriage doth not shew what his tongue professeth A man may professe God to bee his Father Doctr. All those that call God Father are not dutifull children Mal. 1.6 yet for all that be a disobedient Childe All are not obedient that call God Father some prooue but disobedient Sonnes A Sonne honoureth his Father saith the Lord to the rebellious Israelites a seruant his Master if I be a Father where is my honour and if I be a Master where is my feare Vse Trust not then in lying words which will not profit it is not the bare naming of Father Ier. 7.4 Exod. 20.12 that can proue thee a dutifull childe proue what thou sayest by thy dutifull carriage a sonne honoureth his Father Is God thy father then see thou honour him hee that gaue that law for honouring of your parent doth looke to be honoured of all his children Mat. 26 49. good words cost nothing who cannot giue them Iudas himselfe can say Hayle Master Words are but Court-holy-water they will pay no debts call not God then onely Father as many doe but giue him all dutifull and sonne-like respect as few doe Verba rebus proba sayth the Philosopher Words are but vocall Interpreters of the minde actions reall what a man doth we may be sure he thinkes not euermore what he saith see then that thou carry towardes him the affection of a childe loue him reuerence him feare him obey him otherwise so often as thou openest thy mouth to call him Father so often out of thy owne mouth shall the Lord condemne thee 1. Pet. 1.17 I shut vp this in a word with the saying of the Apostle If you call him Father who without respect of persons iudgeth according to euery mans worke passe the time of your dwelling here in feare Giue mee the portion of goods A very impudent and sawcie suit so imperiously to claime it and that as debt due vnto him was it not safe in his Fathers hands Or he well vnder his Fathers gouernment that now hee must haue it in all hast and be at his owne dispose surely this Father might haue pleaded iudicially with his sonne as sometimes God did with his people of Israell Oh my people Mic. 6.3 what haue I done vnto thee or wherein haue I grieued thee testifie against mee Could he alledge against him his vnnaturall clemencie or vnkinde intreatie or want of things necessarie Could he plead for his departure Gen. 31.4 as Iacob for his when he went from his vnkle Laban his countenance is not towards mee as formerly it hath beene Rom. 3.4 Psal 51.4 Surely he could not Let God be true and euery man a lyer that he may be iustified in his sayings and cleare when he doth iudge But now to some instructions and first we infer Doctr. Nothing is more grieuous to the wicked then to be vnder Gods gouernment Psal 2.3 that nothing is more grieuous to the wicked then to be vnder Gods gouernment and in subiection to his lawes Come say the wicked let vs breake these bands and cast away these cords from vs. They counted themselues to be in bondage while they were in subiection to Gods most holy lawes and therefore they call vpon one another to cast off the yoke So Psal 12. Who is Lord ouer vs Psal 12 4. Ier. 6.10.16 and 7.23 And 23.35.39 Isay 48.4 Zach. 7.11 our tongues are our owne Who shall controule vs It is lawlesse libertie they affect They will haue no hand ouer them to keepe them in or restraine them There are many places which I could heape vp to confirme this point but I will be sparing Now some may demaund the reason What are not his lawes iust and equall Surely yes Deut. 4.8 For what nation is so great that hath ordinances and lawes so righteous What then Are they not hard and difficult to be kept No neither for my yoke is easie and my burthen is light Mat. 11.30 What then should be the reason it may be there is small profit in keeping of them Yes that there is for in keeping of them there is great reward Psal 19.11 But if you would know the reasons then these they are First they are contrary to their natures and therfore Reason 1 they cannot away with them Rom. 8.7 the wisedome of the flesh is enmitie against God for it is not subiect to the law of God neither in deed can be Secondly they are as a light that discouereth their Reason 2 faults and as a straight rule that manifesteth their wickednesse now a crooked life like crooked legs desires to be hid thus they hate them Iohn 3.20 because their deeds are euill Thirdly Gods lawes doth crosse them in their sinnes Reason 3 which they cannot endure they would goe to hell with out any disquiet or disturbance hence is it also 1. King 21. that Gods lawes to them are as Eliah to Ahab alwaies troublesome let them heare them or read them they neuer prophecie good vnto them how then can they loue them these are the reasons Now for the vses Vse 1 And first behold a difference whereby you may try your selues betweene the wicked and the godly the one desires to drawe in Gods yoke and the other desires nothing more then to cast it off As the one counteth it a bondage to be restrained so the other counteth it a miserie not that the flesh is bridled but that it hath so much libertie to rebell
our murmuring repining doe euidently declare we thinke God doth vs great iniurie in not paying what as wee thinke is owing And as these stand thus affected concerning things temporall so is it also with them concerning things of a better nature They doubt not of their saluation as for forgiuenes of their sinnes and eternall life they are out of feare but vpon what ground doe they build this their assurance Why they loue God aboue al iniury no man pay well their tithes tend their Church and liue peaceablie with their neighbours and speake well of all and thus they hope to haue heauen for their wel deseruings but such build their hopes vpon a weake foundation their building will at length fall vpon their heads for should God giue to man according to his best desert he should raigne fire and brimstome vpon his head thiâ— would be the portion of their cup. A third vse of this doctrine may be to admonish euery Vse 3 of vs to beware of this corruption which is by nature in the very best for weare all in this point borne Papists and there is no man that hath not as one said Luther a Pope in his belly a high conceit opinion of his owne workes whereby we thinke we tye God vnto vs albeit there be in vs no reall vertue no true substance We can of right challenge nothing at his hands be our workes neuer so good nor excellent before thy conuersion what canst thou deserue when euery worke and action Tit. 1.15 Heb. 11.6 are as so many sins for to the impure are all things impure and without faith it is impossible to please him Secondly after thy conuersion all thy workes are tainted with sinne whereas if they could meriâ— or deserue they must be absolutely righteous Challenâ—â— then nothing for thy workes sake thou knowest thei◠〈◊〉 perfections or in begging any blessing vse no otheâ— plea but the freedome of his grace let Papists lay claime to them as they are seruants we will lay claime to them as wee are sonnes As this poynt ought well to be considered of vs all so in a speciall manner of such as are mourners of Sion who are much cast downe because they cannot mourne sufficiently for their sinnes perswading themselues if they could so doe that then God would bee gracious let such know that this is a spice of that corruptioÌ„ which cleaueth so fast vnto vs as flesh vnto our bones for how euer we may thinke it proceedeth from humilitie yet in deed it is otherwise it commeth from naturall pride for shall God bee gracious because of thy teares Can this procure pardon at his hands Learne thou to renounce thy selfe and thy best workes and flie to his mercie and because thou canst not mourne nor grieue as thou shouldst or wouldst let Gods mercie be thy onely merit and make it so Text. And he diuided vnto them c. Here is the Fathers condiscending to his sonnes request hee gaue him his portion according to his desire He lets him haue what he sought and suffers him to goe Doctr. From hence in generall in the first place wee may learne God is kind and gracious euen to the wicked and rebellious he giues gifts vnto them as well as to the godly God is kinde and gracious euen to the wicked and rebellious Mat. 5.45 Psal 17.11 Psal 37. Psal 73.2 Reason He suffereth his raine to fall and his Sunne to shine vpon the iust and vniust he filles their bellies with his hid treasure Yea so plenteously that the Prophet Dauid complaineth of their prosperitie my feete saith he were almost gone c. because the wicked prosper in the land hauing riches in possession and doing what they lift The reasons of Gods liberalitie towards the wicked may be these 1. That his bountifulnesse might lead them to Repentance if they belong vnto him as the Apostle sheweth Rom. 2.4 Rom. 2.4 2. That they might be the more inexcusable at that great day when they must appeare to giue account of their wayes if they belong not vnto him 3. That God might reward that little seeming good 1. King 21.29 2. King 10.30 which is in any of them So Ahabs temporary humiliation obtained the remoouing of a temporall iudgement and Iehu his obedience in destroying Ahabâ— house was recompenced with Gods blessing vpon his house to the fourth generation These may be some reasons amongst many why the Lord dealeth so liberally with the wicked in bestowing vpon them many good blessings as well as vpon the godly Now wee will come to make some vse of the poynt Seing this is so that God is so good to such as are very Vse 1 bad let this be for our imitation Luk. 6.36 learne to be mercifull as your Father is mercifull And though wee cannot equall God in mercie for alas all our mercy is faint and finite yet let vs imitate his example so far as we may Ephe. 5.1 and be followers of God as deare children True it is a little childe cannot treade in the steps of his Father yet he may walke in the path after his father So let vs follow God though we cannot ouertake him in goodnesse God is kinde to the good bee thou so too God is kinde to the bad bee thou so too God is bountifull both to good and bad see thou be so also Vse 2 The second vse may be to admonish vs all not to trust in lying vanities or to perswade our selues of Gods special loue because of any temporall blessing for asmuch as these things are common both to good and bad nay the raine and sunne of worldly prosperity more often falleth vpon the habitation of the vniust then of the iust it is not Esaues riches nor Iesabels birth nor Goliahs strength nor Achitophels wit nor Absolons beauty nor Sauls stature nor Diues cloathes nor the Fooles great Barnes that can certifie the soule of the fauour of God all these a man may haue yet be of olde ordained to condemnation Vse 3 In the third place let this teach the wicked to make good vse of Gods mercy towards them Now mercie is shewed a day will come that none of these mercies shall be obtained no not a drop of water to coole their tongs If now they set light by these fauours and blessings take heede then of turning Gods grace into wantonnesse let these many mercies leade thee to repentance Ioseph made a good vse of his Masters bounty Gene. 39.8.9 oh that we could make the like God hath dealt more kindly with thee in bestowing many fauours vpon thee health strength wit wealth foode raiment and the like How then canst thou commit such great wickednesse and sinne against God let his kindnesse ouercome thee and make thy heart to melt for thy former disobedience Vse 4 Lastly This may affoord comfort to the Children of God for is God so kinde to slaues then surely hee will not be
wanting to his sonnes but whatsoeuer is good for vs shall be bestowed vpon vs and if hee spared not his owne sonne R m. 8.32 but deliuered him vp for vs all How shall he not with him also freely giue vs all things Now in the second place in that the Father yeeldeth to his sonnes desire Doctr. God oftentimes suffereth man to take his owne course and giueth him what hee seeketh Hence we may note God ofâ—entimes suffereth man to take his owne course and leaueth him to the satisfying of his owne desire see for proofe Psalme 81.12 Rom. 1.26 pregnant places to confirme this Now for the more profitable handling of this point Two kindes of Desertion etâ—â—nâ—ll or temporary let vs know that Gods desertion and forsaking of man is of two sorts It is either Eternall or Temporary The one in part onely and for a time The other wholly And for the temporary desertion which doth befall Gods dearest children it is also of two sorts First Temporary desertion of two sorts in sinne of in punishment desertion in sinne Secondly desertion in punishment Desertion in sinne is when God withdraweth the assistance of his spirit and leaues a man to the committing of some grieuous crime thus was Noah left to fall into drunkennesse Dauid left to fall into adultery and Peter left to the deniall of his Master Desertion in punishment is when God delayes to remooue his hand which hee hath layd vpon his Children or to mittigate their sorrow an example of this see in Iudges 6.13 Now these desertions are but temporary for a time and neuer beyond the compasse of this present life Esay 54.10 Gods children may be left for a time and the reasâ—ns of it For a moment in mine anger I hid my face from thee for a little season but with euerlasting mercie haue I had compassion on thee faith the Lord thy Redeemer The reason of Gods thus leauing his children may be Reason 1 diuers First that by the experience of the bitter fruit of sinne they may grow out of loue with the same and so be brought to repentance Secondly That that hidden and spirituall pride which Reason 2 the best of Gods Children are possessed with may bee mortified and subdued thus saith the Apostle 2 Cor. 12.7.8 There was giuen to mee a thorne in the flesh the messenger of Satan to buffet me lest I should be exalted aboue measure Thirdly That God may make triall of the estate of Reason 3 his seruants not that hee is ignorant of what is in vs but because we are ignorant of our selues And by this meanes he would haue vs come to the knowledge of our selues both of our corruption that we may be humbled as also of our graces that we may be thankefull Thus doe wee see how the Lord leaueth his children yet but for a time for his kindnesse towards them for euer shall remaine How the Lord leaueth the reprobate The other kinde of desertion which is eternall whereby God vpon lust causes best knowne to himselfe leaueth man to himselfe wholly and for euer befalleth reprobates and onely them as Caine Esau Iudas and others who are of olde ordained to condemnation The beginning of which desertion is in this life when God bestowing vpon them benefits either spirituall or temporall as he doth vpon his owne seruants withdraweth that part of his benefit which hath the promise of eternall life annexed to it the accomplishment whereof shall bee in another world when as they shall bee totally seperated from the presence of the Lord and be left vnto the diuels eternally to be tormented Vse 1 Thus much for the explication of this point now for the application And in the first place it may serue for a caueat to euery of vs that we take heede wee make not God the authour of sinne Est causa deficiens non efficiens though hee permit and suffer the same to be done yet hee is not the authour nor worker of it Rhem. Annot. in Mat. 6. vers 13. Iam. 1.13 alibi See then the wicked dealing of the Church of Rome who amongst many slanders cast out against vs are not ashamed to lay this to our charge that we maintaine God to be authour of sinne which is vtterly vntrue for wee teach priuately and publikely by word and by writing in Schooles and Churches that God is not the authour of sinne but the diuell and mans corrupt will This is our doctrine this we maintaine the other wee abhorre and renounce as open blasphemy Most true it is that we doe teach Actor in male but not author mali August lib. que 83. qu. 3. that God is an actor in that which is euill and that sundry wayes which may well be and yet hee free from sinne and no way the authour of euill The actions of God concerning sinne may bee referred to these three heads First He is the vniuersall cause of all things How God is actor in euill Acts 27.28 he sustaineth mankinde that in him hee liueth mooueth and hath his being yea he vpholdeth the being and moouing of all his actions so that no man could mooue hand or foote to any action were hee not sustained and supported by God The act then is of God and God is a worker in euery sinne so farre forth as it is an action for euery action as it is an action is good One man kills another the very moouing of the body in the doing of this villany is of God but the wickednesse of the action is from man and the diuell Perkins on the Lords prayer A man rides vpon a lame horse the rider is the cause of the motion but the horse himselfe of the halting in the motion Thus is God the authour of euery action but not of the euill in any action Secondly God is a worker in sinne by withdrawing his graces as he did from Saul neither can this be a sin in him because he is not bound to any hee is free to bestowe where he will to restraine where he seeth good And here is a difference betweene the action of God and the action of Sathan God holds backe grace whereupon they fall into sinne the deuill suggests euill motions Deus deficit gratiam detrahendo diabolus afficit malitiam apponendi homo seipsum inficit duritiam contrahendo Licèt Deus non sit author tameÌ„ ordinator est peccatorum ne vniuersitatis naturam turbâ—re vel turpare permittantur Aug. contra â—austam lib. 22. cap. 78. which causeth them to runne into all euill Thirdly and lastly God worketh in sinne in ordering and directing of it as it pleaseth him sometimes hee restraineth it that it shall not passe nor proceed further then he appointeth Sometimes he turneth it to another end then the person intended that practised it both these we see euidently in Iobs temptations Sometimes he maketh way for sinne to passe that
we are sent is it to please the eare or saue the soule Preach I mans doctrine or Gods sayth the Apostle or goe I about to please men Gal. 1.10 for if I should yet please men I were not the seruant of Christ More I might say but I will not a word to the wise may be sufficient Now further in that it is here said No man gaue vnto him we might obserue this point of doctrine The Lord doth vsually take from those whom he meanes to saue those sinnefull meanes and helpes whereon they rest Doctr. and maketh them vnsufficient for the satisfying their desires Thus dealt he by his people Israell as doth appeare in the second of Hosea 7. But I will not stand on this generall poynt I will shew what vse might be made of it Vse and so I will leaue it Art thou disappointed of thy vaine hopes and depriued or forsaken of these meanes wherein thou trustedst whether goods or friends or strength and the like Know and be perswaded the Lord hereby doth chastice thee for thy vaine confidence and withall doth beat thee from these worldly stayes that thou maiest flie to him for succour and for helpe consider of it and make this vse profitable as occasion serues And so I passe from his Egresse to his Regresse Hitherto of his Egresse Now of his Regresse and returne wherein we haue his repentance and the successe of it his repentance is laid downe from the 17. verse to the 22 the successe in 20 22 23 and so to the end In his repentance are obseruable these Specialls first the occasion thereof or motiues inducing him thereto laid downe in this 17. verse secondly his resolution grounded vpon the former motiues vers 18 19 thirdly his practice and reuolution verse 20 21. To begin with motiues or occasion of his turning laid downe first generally to be a serious consideration of his waies and his courses then more particularly first a sence of his owne miserie I perish c. Secondly a hope of his Fathers mercie which is nourished in him by the consideration of his Fathers liberall dealing euen towards his hyred seruants which maketh him confident to looke for goodnesse towards himselfe being his sonne How many hyred seruants c Text. And when he came to himselfe Something of the phrase before I speake of the particulars the Prodigals regentance is termed a comming to himselfe as if he had beene out of his wits or besides himselfe before his amendment and indeed so much the very phrase doth import So then we conclude Doctr. A wicked man is a mad man A man in his sinnes is out of his sences he is a mad man and out of his wits Sinners are Bedlems and Lunatickes voyd of sence or reason Esay â—6 8 Caluin in loc hertatur vt cer redeant hoc est resipiscant Menizerus Redite praeuaricatores ad cor Dissesserant ergo à corde Muscul Me thinkes these words of the Prophet Esay may sufficiently proue this in the 46. Chapter ver 8. where he saith Remember this and shew your selues men bring it againe to mind O yee transgressors the words may be thus read Returne to your minds O yee transgressors or Returne into your heart as Caluin reades them obseruing this very poynt from thence that they were not well in their wits before So Misculus Mentzerus with many other And indeed the words vsually vsed for repentance both Greeke and Latine doth shew as much 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Greeke word is deriued of another which signifieth Folly and Madnesse and is as much as after-wit Resipiscentia quasi receptio mentis ad Se. Tertullian Vol vt alij Resipiscere quasi resapere Luk. 23.34 Acts 7.60 and for the Latine word the Prophet in the former place cited seemeth to giue the signification of it And it is no wonder for their reason and iudgement are now corrupted through sinne so that as our Sauiour Christ and blessed St Steuen saith they know not what they doe And is it not the verie definition of a mad-man to be without iudgement to follow his fancie and to be led by appearances without triall Let the vses of the poynt be these Vse first it may informe our iudgements concerning sinne and sinners Sinne is madnesse Sinners are Lunatikes being possessed with a spirituall frenzie and madnesse looke vpon them but with a spirituaall eye and their actions will declare it Some runne to and fro starke naked and blush not Wicked men shew that they are mad men diuers waies Exod. 32.26 tearing off and casting away the garments of holinesse and innocencie Were they ashamed saith Ieremiah nay nay they were not ashamed Are men ashamed of their flagitious courses which layeth them naked both to shame and iudgement Alas no they glorie in them neuer blushing for the committing of them Others though sometimes they keepe within compasseâ— and seeme to be well gouerned as if they were no such men being a little displeased or any thing crossed streight fall a playing of their mad prankes raging and rauing against heauen and earth cursing and banning all that speake to them infecting the verie ayre with their vile speeches and horrible oaths as if they would pluck God out of his throne and againe crucifie the Sonne of God afresh Others foame at the mouth their talke is idle and beastly sauouring neither of wit nor honestie sparkles of hell come forth from their lips whereat the Deuil kindles fire of dissention And againe how deepely are others possessed with this spirit of madnesse who are neuer well but when they are wounding beating and destroying of themselues and others wasting their estates consuming their bodies and pittifully gashing of their consciences and soules yea killing and destroying whoeuer they companie with drawing them into the same excesse of riot that so they may all perish together And in a word what mad propertie is to be seene in any Bedlem that is not to be found in a wicked man Oh! happie were it if the rodde of discipline were better vsed then there would be hope of more sobrietie Vse 2 Secondly is this so that sinners are Lunatiques let it then admonish all such as are well in their wits to keepe out of their companies Men bodily mad are kept bound and chayned and narrowly watched ouer that they cannot hurt and yet we are loath to come within their reach But we neuer feare these spirituall Bedlems of whom we ought to be most warie beeing they are at libertie in euerie place and house in most companies and many times haue power to hurt many being in place of authoritie and yet the more is the pittie how carelesse are we Oh bee more watchfulll you that loue your selues be more carefull come not in their companies receiue them not into your houses vnlesse necessitie compell What though they keepe within compasse for a time yet first or last they wil
to passe by all thy offences vpon thy repentance be they neuer so many Esay 1.18 Were they as red as scarlet yet they shal be made as white as snow how euer thou haue liued thy sinnes be many and great and they all double dipped and died wilt thou repent the strength of his mercy shall vndoe them shall change them and make them as if they had neuer bine done thy sinnes shall be forgiuen in Christ and neuer imputed nor laid to thy charge if yet these will not preuaile then put all together consider his Preuenting his Sparing his renewing his pardoning mercies if there be any hope of thee they wil moue thee to looke home and with this Prodigall to returne to thy fathers house Oh how inexcusable art thou whom these mercies cannot allure art thou not worthy of double condemnation the sinnes committed against the law may be cured by the grace of the Gospell but when this grace is despised and men who may receiue mercy for repenting will not repent wherewith shall this impiety be healed doth there remaine any more sacrifice for sinne shall any new Sauiour be sent to saue such men Surely no there remaines nothing for such but a fearefull looking for Heb. 10.27 and expectation of iudgement and fiery indignation which shall deuoure them Vse 3 In the last place here we see that sence of misery without sence of mercy will not bring vs to repentance no nor yet sence of mercie without sence of miserie the sence of mercy without a feeling of our misery maketh vs to presume and the sence of misery without hope of mercie driueth vs to despaire so that misery and mercy must be both seene els it is impossible to be brought to repentance So looke on thy misery as withall thou hast an eye on Gods mercie and so haue an eye on his mercie as that first thou hast an eye on thy owne miserie these are the two eyes of euery penitent of neyther of them must he be blind that would find the way to Gods kingdome I cannot yet dismisse this verse before I speake something of a point or two which I cannot well baulke they lying in the way and offering themselues to our consideration First in that these are termed hyred seruants which were in his fathers house let vs note All in Gods house are not dutifull sonnes Doctr. In Gods house are hyrelings Math. 6.2 for some are hyrelings Such were the Scribes and Pharises here they serued God onely for reward and did other duties mercinarily as doth appeare by the words of our Sauiour Christ Matt. 6. and so in the Parable of the Grounds Math. 13.20 one of those kinds receiue the Word with ioy but it is onely for by-respects and temporary causes and therefore fall away in time of persecution Ioh. 6. Such also were manie of Christs followers who sought onely after the bread that perisheth as appeares by Christs words Iohn 6. And therefore seeing this is so Vse it standeth euery one in hand truely and throughly to examine himselfe whether he be a sonne or hyreling thou maiest know it by the end thou aimest at in the seruice of God Aymest thou at his glorie principally or thy owne good Is his glory the White thou leuelest at Or art thou corrupted with some other consideration If Gods glorie bee the marke then art thou a sonne but if thou professest the Gospell for other ends and by-respect thou art a mercinarie and a hyreling But Moses is said to haue an eye to the recompence of reward yea Christ himselfe the Sonne of God Ob. Heb. 11.26 Heb. 12.2 in whom was no sinne for the ioy that was set before him endured the Crosse despising the shame and is set downe at the right hand of the Throne of God I answer in performing of good duties Sol. How we may haue respect to the recompence of reward in doing good workes Annet Fest Math. 3.10 an eye may be had to the recompence of reward and the consideration of it may be vsed as a helpe to our dulnesse But let vs know that we are not principally to respect it for were there no reward neither heauen for the good nor hell for the bad yet a child of God is bound yea and would obey the Lord for conscience sake Take notice then here by the way of a shamefull vntruth wherewith the Rhemists doe charge vs namely that we condemne all doing of good in hope of heauen or leauing of euill for feare of hell and that such kind of preaching we vtterly dislike How true this is our Congregations can testifie we exhort men to doe good in respect of the reward and we vse as motiues both heauens ioy and hels horror howsoeuer indeed wee exhort not men to doe good onely and principally for the rewards sake but rather in duetie and thankfulnesse to God that he may thereby be glorified Now further see these hyred seruants haue bread enough yea and more then enough for they haue to spare Doctr. God prouideth a large dyet for his Houshold Pro. 9.1.2 Hence wee gather God prouideth a large and liberall diet for those of his houshold The verie hyrelings haue such plentie that there is to spare and then surely his sonnes shall not be pinched For the confirming of this poynt see Prouerbes 9.1 2. Wisdome hath built her house Shee hath hewne out her seuen Pillars She hath killed her Beasts Shee hath mingled her Wine Shee hath also furnished her Table In which words the bountie and magnificence of the Lord towards his Church Psal 36.8 is reprepresented by the plentifull prouision of a liberall Feast-maker so also in the 36. Psal ver 8. They shall be all aboundantly satisfied with the fatnesse of thy house and thou shalt make them drinke of the riuer of thy pleasures And in the 25. Esay 25.6 of Esay most excellently In this mountaine shall the Lord of Hoasts make vnto all people a feast of fat things a feast of Wines on the Lees of fat things full of marrow of Wines on the Lees well refined The meaning is that God will prouide for his Church and people both Iewes and Gentiles a sumptuous and royall feast for the refreshing of their soules which bountifull prouision our Sauiour Christ also setteth forth in the Gospell by a parable comparing the kingdome of Heauen that is the Doctrine of the Gospel to a marriage Feast Math. 2â— 4 which a King prepared for his Sonne Now marke first it is compared to a Feast therefore costly secondly made by a King therefore not common but plenty thirdly to a Wedding feast therefore not sparing but liberall and large fourthly to a feast made at the mariage of his owne Sonne and therefore so much the more sumptuous and magnificent So then we see this truth strongly confirmed by these Scriptures which haue beene brought Now heare the Reasons First God is of
houshold theÌ„ let vs get good stomacks come to his house with hungry thirsty soules resort to the word Sacraments to the holy ordinances of God as a hungry man doth to a good feast Purge a way whatsoeuer may annoye your stomacks and kill your appetites let no sinne bee loued nor allowed this will cloy your soules that you can haue no appetite to Gods dainties and delicates as the Apostle Peters words doth import all maliciousnesse and guile and dissimulation and enuie and euill speaking must be layd aside before we can desire the sincere milke of the Word 1 Pet. 1.2 to grow thereby All these must be purged away by godly sorrow Esay 55.1 Iohn 7.37 before we can get that hungring thirsting whereto we are so often exhorted in Scripture A last vse may be for comfort to euery true member Vse 3 of the Church of God be he neuer so meane happily at home there is hard fare and small prouision yet in Gods house there is Gods-plenty a feast of fat things prouided and prepared which thou shalt haue as large a share in as the wealthiest for the priuiledges of Gods house belong vnto thee as well as to the greatest if thou be faithfull let then the fruition of the greater counteruaile the want of the lesse though thy fare be hard yet the fruition of the Word and Sacraments may make amends The very remembrance of these dainties did so comfort the heart of Dauid that though hee were banished for the present from the assemblies of the Saints and was in a barren and dry wildernesse pinched with hunger and pressed with thirst yet I say the very remembrance of those things that were passed long before and the meditation thereof did satisfie his soule as with marrow and fatnesse and made him most cheerefully to vndergoe all his penurie and want If the remembrance of this afforded him such comfort in the time of his absence Psal 63.5 how much more should they comfort vs being present at the same And thus much for this poynt and for this Verse Now wee are to come to the next which containeth in it his purpose and resolution which he had in his heart vpon the consideration of the premisses VERSE 18. I will arise and goe to my Father and will say vnto him Father I haue sinned against heauen and before thee 19. And am no more worthie to bee called thy Sonne make mee as one of thy hyred seruants IN the former verse we haue this Prodigall in his deepe meditations comparing things together and weighing them in the ballance But behold whilest he mused the fire kindled in his bosome And now hee speaketh I will arise Surgam quia iacebat ibo quia longè aberat ad patrem meam quia sub princâ—pe porcoruÌ„ erat August for by sinne he fell And goe for hee was farre departed To my Father for he was vnder the regiment of the Prince that ruleth in the world and in the hearts of the children of disobedience And I wil say vnto him Father I haue sinned c. In the words these three specialls are obserued First What hee resolues to doe I will arise Secondly To whom he wil goe viz. To my Father Thirdly What he will say Father I haue sinned Something may bee profitably obserued in generall before we enter vpon the particulars As this first Sound resolution and serious determination to walke as may please God is very necessary for him that would liue godly Doctr. Sound resolution needfull for him that would leade a godly life and leade a life pleasing to the Lord. It is needfull I say for such a one as would thus doe to haue a minde bent and resolued to striue towards all good courses and to set it selfe against all vngodly wayes whatsoeuer This was that which Barnabas perswaded the Antiochians vnto Acts 11.22 That with purpose of heart they would cleaue vnto the Lord. This also was Dauids practise Psal 119.57 as appeares in the 119. Psalme verse 57. I haue determined to keepe thy word It was the resolution and determination of his soule the full bent of his heart was thereupon And as it was with him so ought it to be with all other that would walke in the waies of God they must resolue and determine vpon it that they will not sinne that they will not persist in their euill wayes and courses but will auoyde euery knowne euill way come on it what will For if a mans heart be not thus set if he be not thus resolued if he haue not this setled determination and resolute purpose he will neuer hold out in that which is good The first reason is that armes him against all lets impediments Reason 1 in the way and fits him to encounter with all discouragements and oppositions yea and to foyle all contrary forces that is as armour of proofe vnto him vpon all occurences * Dimidium facti qui benè caepit babet So that whosoeuer thus begins well with sound resolution is as good as halfe his way in the course of a godly life the way to heauen And the second reason is because the deuill is subtill Reason 2 and with his many allurements will striue by all meanes possible to hinder our repentance which hee will easily doe if he findes vs to be houering and not resolute For alas then how easily will wee giue place to his temptations and wicked suggestions and how violently will he also assault vs As a man pulling at an Oake or other tree if he findes it yeelding he plucks with greater force and leaueth not till he haue it done so in this case if Sathan finde vs doubting and wauering he will the more violently assault vs and not rest vntill he ouercome vs when if we were resolute and constant and did thus resist him with setled determination he would be out of hart and as Iames sayth she from vs. This then you see is needfull Vse 1 Let euery one then that beginneth to looke towardes heauen labour and endeuour to haue his minde thus bent and resolued to performe all good duties and to leaue and forsake all vngodly courses whatsoeuer yea and bind himselfe as it were by a couenant to the Lord that from this good course he will neuer bee remooued This resolution of the heart is the very heart of Repentance without which our turning is nothing worth many there are that enter into a good course and begin to practise somewhat a while and indeed it is but a while for they continue not and what is the cause why surely this they enter not into this course vpon determination they doe no otherwise then that foolish builder of whom Christ speakes that doth not first lay his count whether or no he be able to finish lightly doe they embrace religion and as lightly doe they fall away from the profession of religion for that which is not soundly
from thence there is no redemption Verse 26. thou parent thou canst not there help thy child nor the child thee nor thou husband redeeme thy wife nor thou wife thy husband there is no sucker nor helpe to be had by any Let these and such like considerations be euer in thy minde and pondered on then wilt thou haue sounder resolutions in thy heart and better performances in thy life Now to come to the particulars and first we are to consider what he resolues to doe A three-fold resurrection of a Christian I will saith he arise and goe c. There is a threefold Resurrection of a Christian The first is Sacramentall and thus we rise againe in Baptisme the second is Corporall and so we shall rise againe in the day of the Lord Iesus in our bodies from the graue the third is Spirituall which is his Resurrection in this life in soule from the death of sinne thus did this Prodigall arise and thus doth euery true penitent arise while he here liueth on the earth The point may be this Doctr. Repentance from sinne is the first Resurrection Ephe. 5.14 Reuel 20.6 That repentance from sin is as a Resurrection from death this is plaine by the Apostles words awake thou that sleepest stand vp from the dead and Christ shall giue thee light And the holy Ghost doth thus call it in the twentieth of the Reuelation verse 6. Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first Resurrection on such the second death hath no power Vse 1 Is this so then Repentance is no such easie a matter as the world takes it to be the worke of repentance is no lesse miraculous then the raising of the dead it is a work that cannot be wrought by the power of nature but such a worke as must be wrought by the mightie power of God Much might be spoken of this subiect but I shall haue fitter occasion to prosecute the point when I come to speake of the reason of the Fathers kinde entertaining of his sonne Verse 24. to which place I referre the farther handling of it a word therefore for a second vse and so to proceede Vse 2 And that shall be to stirre vs all vp thus to arise for if the soule while it is in the bodie arise not out of the graue of sin sure it is the bodie shall neuer rise out of the earth but to shame and confusion vse all good meanes therefore that thou maiest haue thy part in this that so the second death may haue no power on thee for otherwise it is impossible to escape the power of it by no meanes canst thou escape the paines of hell torments if thou dost not here awake stand vp from the dead and with Lazarus come forth the meanes that are to be vsed for this end I refer with the farther handling of this point to the place before named And goe It was a good and holy motion Text. which he had of arising this he doth not quench but cherisheth and nourisheth it he addes more fewell to this fire begun though but a sparke to the good motion of arising hee addes the second of going I will arise and goe First then learne The good motions of Gods blessed spirit at any time Doctr. Good motions are not to be quenched but cherished in any measure though neuer so weake begun are not to be choaked but to be cherished When the Lord shall put any good motion into our hearts we are to nourish cherish the same to one good motion we must adde a second and to that a third and to them a many and so fall to blowing giue not ouer vntill at length they breake forth into a comfortable flame of godly practise 1. Thes 5.19 Quench not the Spirit saith the Apostle that is quell not choake not the gifts and motions of the holy Ghost He vseth a metaphor borrowed from fire whose heate and light when it is put out is said to be quenched 2. Tim. 1.6 Thus also he exhorts Timothie to stirre vp the graces of God which be in him And writing to the Ephesians hee sayth thus Grieue not the holy spirit of God Ephe. 4.30 He permits them not so much as to giue it any occasion of withdrawing the vigour of his operation in them He brings a forcible reason Whereby you are sealed Reason 1 vnto the day of redemption This is the onely euidence we haue of freedome from condemnation this is Gods marke and character set on vs and seizing vs for his owne This is like the bloud that was stricken vpon the doore-posts which shall make the Lord to passe ouer vs Exod. 12.22 and not to suffer the destroyer to come neare vs when he goeth to smite the Egyptians By this we are assured that the day of Iudgement shall be to vs no day of wrath but a day of redemption So then thus wee may take the Apostles meaning As you desire to retaine assurance of your deliuerance from the wrath to come and that the Lord should take notice of you for his in the day of that dreadfull separation so see that by all meanes you cherish in you the gifts and operations of Gods holy spirit grieue it not by strangling choaking of those holy motions suggested by him but giue all endeuour that all his holy motions and operations be cherished and preserued in their fullest feruour without any the least abatement Thus we haue seene the poynt prooued Now it remaines to apply it And first this serueth to condemne such as nippe the bud so soone as euer it peeps forth and quench euery sparke that at any time appeareth yea wilfully set themselues to repell all good motions hasting to their cursed company to chase away those which they call prophanely qualmes of deuotion sweete inspirements of Gods holy spirit Oh the cursed vnthankefulnesse of these men What vnkind ingratefull discourteous dealing is here with the spirit of grace Thus shutting him out so soone as euer he begins to enter Wouldest thou deale so vnkindly with thy friend who commeth to thy doore Why dealest thou then so vncourteously with Christ Iesus Reuel 3.20 and his holy spirit who stands at the dore and daily knocks but can get no entertainement Beware Act. 7.51 beware of this resisting of the holy Ghost the sin is fearefull and discomfortable for hereby thy heart may grow more obdurate and thy life more brutish and abominable Vse 2 And therefore in the next place let it serue for admonition to thee and me and to vs all that we beware how we suffer that blessed heat to slake which by Gods grace beginnes to be enkindled in our hearts suffer not that coale that holy motion which the Lord hath cast into thy bosome to die within thee but blowe it vp lay on more fuell adde daily more and more matter to it and tremble to lose the least measure of
And the sonne sayd vnto him Father I haue sinned against heauen and in thy sight and am no more worthy to be called thy sonne THere are some who say and doe not and some that doe and say not but he doth both whence learne this in generall Doctr. True repentance will manifest it selfe Rom. 10.10 2. Cor. 4.13 Where there is true grace there will be a manifestation of it both by deed and word With the heart man beleeueth vnto righteousnesse and with the mouth confession is made vnto saluation sayth the Apostle And againe in another place he thus sayth I beleeued and therefore haue I spoken We also beleeue and therefore speake See one example amongst many that might be brought Act â—9 18 to proue this In the beleeuers of Ephesus it is sayd of them that they confessed and shewed their deedes As they had true grace so they made it manifest both by speaking and doing The reason is because the grace of Christ is euery whit as large as the sinne of Adam Reason And as there is no part 2. Thes 5. or power of soule or bodie but is corrupted so there is no part or power of soule or bodie but is in part sanctified and howeuer this power of Gods sanctifying spirit appeares not alike euidently in euery part yet hath euery part and particle his seasoning with grace Looke then as corruption doth shew it selfe in euery member as hand tongue eye eare feet c. so will Vse 1 grace also where it is truely wrought Reproofe of two sorts 1. Hypocrites This then serueth first for reprehension of two sorts of people first Hypocrites who say but doe not and secondly Nicodemites who doe but say not For the first they fry in words but freze in deeds talke by ells but worke by inches they confesse faire but practise foule their workes and words differ as it is to be seene in some tap houses where the walls shall haue sober sentences on them as feare God honour the King watch and pray be sober c. When there is nothing but drunkennesse in the roomes What was said of Iulian the Apostata may be said of these they haue a busie tongue but a lazie hand With these kinde of painted Sepulchers is our Church pestered it were well if they would once learne eyther to be as they professe or professe to be as indeede they are But I haue small hope to preuaile with these and therefore I will spare my breath Second sort Nichodemites and come to the other sort and they are our Peter like professors Nicodemites who thinke it sufficient if they beleeue wel though they confesse nothing at all We haue many that liue in the bosome of our Church who carry themselues so closely that a man may be acquainted with them many yeares yet not know of what Religion they are of they may be Atheists or Papists or Brownists a man cannot tell by their profession If they be Christians a man had need be told so for it doth not appeare by their workes and actions Looke what course the foolish Painter doth take with his ill-fauoured pictures writing vnderneath their names as this is a Beare or this is a Lyon that so all may know them the same course had we need to take with these that they may be knowne to be beleeuers and professors But let such know that had they true grace it would breake forth like fire Iere. 20.9 after it hath beene long kept in and discouer it selfe both by deedes and words Grace will find vent first or last where euer it be and manifestly declare and make it selfe knowne both by hand and tongue Secondly let this teach vs to make manifest the graces Vse 2 God hath bestowed on vs and openly to professe it Trees of Gods planting haue both leaues fruit leaues are for a medicinable vse and therfore may not be wanting Remember the words of Christ and consider of them Matth. 10.32 Whosoeuer shall confesse me before men him will I confesse also before my Father which is in heauen But whosoeuer shall denie me before my â—â—ther him will I also denie before my Father in heauen Be not then ashamed of the profession of godlinesse vnlesse thou wouldst haue Christ to be ashamed of thee at the last day Now wee come more particularly vnto the words which are a Confession of sinnes made by this Prodigall vnto his father Diuision of the Text. Wherein obserue First the matter of his Confession I haue sinned Secondly the circumstances as first to whom viz. to his father secondly the manner how And that was with Exaggeration Against heauen c. Humiliation And am no more worthy c. Quest But why doth this Prodigall leaue out that same latter clause which hee did purpose to vse verse 19. make me as one of thy hired seruants heere he confesseth his sin but craues no pardon Answ 1 Some are of iudgement that it was not omitted though they be not heere recited by the Euangelist Maldon in loc for it is vsuall in Scripture when any thing is repeated which formerly hath beene said to omit something of what formerly was spoken Answ 2 Or secondly his heart might bee so surcharged with greife as that his words might faile his passions happily drunke vp his speech and made that imperfect So sweet a harmony might bee betweene his heart and tongue a broken heart and a broken prayer Answ 3 Or lastly his father might interrupt him and cut off his speech with his hasty calling vpon his seruants And so much may the word but in the next verse seeme to imply These may bee the reasons Now to come to some Instructions And first in that the Prodigall maketh a confession of his sinne we may hence learne Without confession there is no remission Doctr. Confession necessary before remission Whosoeuer would haue pardon and forgiuenesse of sinnes from God must bring them in an acknowledgement and hearty confession before him Now for the further explanation of this point wee are to know that there is a two-fold confession There is a two-fold confession Ciuill and that is of two sorts Ciuill and Religious Ciuil confession is either Publique or Priuate Publique 1. Publike Ios 7.19 20. is that which is made before a Iudge or Magistrate by malefactors such a kinde of confession was that which Achan made when he was examined before Iosua Priuate 2. Priuate Gen. 20.7 is that which is made by one man to another for some trespasse done or wrong offered Thus Abimelech was willed to confesse to Abraham the wrong that he had though vnwittingly offered With this kinde of confession we haue not now to doe Religious confession is that which is made to God Religious confession which is either publike or priuate as a part of his worship and with this wee haue now to deale And it is either Publique or
yet be within the compasse of the truth of his own conceiuing though beyond the extent of the truth of his sinnes in themselues exactly considered And thus did the Apostle speake according to his sence and thought himselfe to be inferiour vnto all And thus much for this Question as also for this doctrine Now let vs proceed and come to the next which is his Humiliation And am no more worthie to be called thy sonne Text. See how he humbleth and abaseth himselfe vnto his Father I am vnworthie to be thy sonne yea I am vnworthie the very name of sonne so many haue beene my sinnes so lewd hath bin my course The instruction hence may be this The onely way to obtaine pardon for sinne Doctr. The onely way to obtaine Gods fauour is with an humble heart to seeke it 1. Pet. 5.6 and procure Gods fauour is with an humble heart and lowly soule to come before him The onely way to be exalted by him is to come vnto him in humilitie of soule and lowlinesse of spirit The practise of this Prodigall is a president for vs. For the farther proofe of this truth remember what S. Peter sayth Humble your selues therefore vnder the mightie hand of God that he may exalt you And what S. Iames sayth Iam. 4.10 Humble your selues in the sight of God and he shall lift you vp It is no hard matter to bring a cloud of witnesses to iustifie this but I will be sparing and remember you onely of that Parable of the proud Pharisie and the Publican and so away These two goe vp into the Temple to pray Luk. 18.10 The Pharisie begins and prayes thus God I thanke thee Verse 11. I am not as other men c. He shewes not vulnera but munera not his wounds but his worth not his miserie but his brauery reputing himselfe so iust that he neither sayth thy kingdome come nor yet forgiue vs our trespasses August Hom. 36. de verb. Dom. secund Luc. But as hauing no sinne and abounding alreadie with all grace both these he leaues out thanking God more for that other were bad then for that himselfe was good Now the Publican he stands a farre off Verse 13. and would not lift vp so much as his eyes to heauen but smote vpon his breast saying God be mercifull to me a sinner As the one exalts himselfe in respect of his vertue so the other humbles himselfe in regard of his sinne As the one shews his robes so the other like a poore beggar shewes his rags and as an humble petitioner his grieuances Now marke how Christ applyes this Verse 14. I tell you this man departed home vnto his house more iustified then the other for euery one that exalteth himselfe shal be abased and he that humbleth himselfe shal be exalted The Reasons may be these Reason Isay 66.2 Isay 57.15 First Such onely hath God promised to looke vpon and shew mercie too To this man will I looke euen to him that is poore and of a contrite spirit and againe Thus saith the high and loftie one that inhabiteth eternitie whose name is Holy I dwell in the high and holy place with him also that is of a contrite and humbled spirit to reuiue the spirit of the humble and to reuiue the heart of the contrite ones as for other they haue no promise of fauour or of mercie Reason 2 And secondly Such onely are capable of grace and mercie Full vessells can receiue no liquor and haughtie hearts no fauour for they despise it As therefore the vessell must be emptied and the ayre and wind remoued before any solid liquor can be receiued so must thou first cast out haughtinesse and pride out of thy heart before mercie can be obtayned Vse Let the Vse of this be for Exhortation Come before the Lord with humbled soules and contrite spirits for this is of him much set by And to stirre vs vp to the putting on of this grace as the Apostle doth exhort vs consider of these motiues Colos 3. Motiues to labour for humilitie and auoid pride Tract de Passione Dom. cap. 19. First Pride is the Deuils first borne A second motiue God exalts the humble but casts downe the proud one Luke 1.46 Ps 113.56 first Pride it is the Deuils first borne and the Deuils first poyson which Satan powred into our nature and this as Bernard speakes is the Deuils character for as the seruants of Christ and children of God are knowne by charitie and humilitie so the seruants of sinne and sonnes of Satan are knowne by pride and crueltie and therefore let this moue vs to imbrace the one and abhorre the other Secondly God exalts such as are humble but such as are proud doth his soule hate His deeds hath manifested this hee called humble Dauid from the Shepheards crooke to the Kings Crowne He did so regard the meekenesse of the Virgine that all generations count her blessed Thus he taketh vp the simple out of the dust and lifteth the poore out of the myre But he deales otherwise with the proud and euer hath done The proud Angels he thrust out of heauen and our proud parents out of Paradise For it he draue Nebuchadnezzar from the company of men Dan. 4.30 and made him to haue his habitation with the beasts of the field and to eat grasse as Oxen. What shall I neede to speake of Haman Herod and others Pro. 16.8 whose pride did cause their fall and ruine by this that hath beene said we see the Psalmists saying verified Psal 138.6 Though the Lord be high yet hath he respect vnto the lowly but the proud hee knoweth a farr off The most high hath especiall respect to such as are most low Marlo rat in Luc. cap. 1. vers 48. God cannot looke aboue him saith one because hee hath no superiour nor about him for that he hath no equall hee regards onely such as are below him The lower then a man is the neerer vnto God and the more exposed to his sight who looks from aboue but the higher he is the farther is he off and the more proud he is the lesse is he respected Seeing then this is so how should this worke vpon vs and make vs to decke our selues with this excellent grace which like the Violet though it growes lowe by the ground and hangs the head vnder some obscure leafe as willing to liue vnseene yet is the sweetest of flowers and beloued of all Thirdly Humility is the keeper of all graces A third motiue Humilitie preserues grace but pride destroyes it It is conseruatrix virtutum Bernard 2 Kings 4.39 Eccles 10.1 but Pride the spoyler of them No boxe better to keepe those iewels in then a heart well lined with humilitie Looke as ashes doe preserue fire so doth our humilitie the sparkles of Gods blessed spirit But now on the other side pride spoyles all This like Colloquintida imbitters
hardly are we reconciled nay though they sue and seeke vnto vs yet how hardly are we brought euer to receiue him to loue and fauour againe within our hearts so close doth wrong and iniurie sticke vnto vs. But as for God behold his goodnesse who albeit he be daily prouoked by our sinnes is readie to forgiue and doth seeke vnto vs to be reconciled beeing more readie to pardon then we to begge it Oh that we were followers of God herein like good children Ephes 5.1 Secondly let this serue to increase our boldnesse in Vse 2 comming to the Lord thou canst not be so forward to come as God is to meet so readie to craue pardon as he is to forgiue This poynt had need to be vrged for howsoeuer this be common in the mouthes of many God is mercifull and the like yet in time of Spirituall distresse to seeke to God for mercie is no easie matter it is nothing saith one in the day of sencelessenesse to presume but when once the heart is touched with a sence of sinne it is a hard matter not to despaire Oh what a hard taske is it then to seeke for mercie and lay hold of it Consider well what hath been said and store it vp against time of need But now happily some will obiect against this truth Obiect and say I haue often sought to God for mercie with many a teare and groane and yet I haue not found yea and other of Gods children as Moses Dauid Paul c. haue prayed and not beene heard To this I answer It may be thou hast sought for such Answ 1 things as God knoweth to be vnfit for thee tending rather to thy hurt then good If so then God is found in mercie in withholding from thee that which thou derest and is more ready to shew mercy then thou to seek it for thou seekest not mercie but thine owne miserie God therefore giueth mercie beyond thy desire Secondly God may for a time delay to giue thee Answ 2 what thou seekest that it may be a mercie for hadst thou what thou desirest at the very instant it might tend to thy hurt or else not be respected as it should Did God see thee fit to receiue thou shouldest not want thy desire one houre In this also is God more readie to shew mercie then thou to seeke Answ 3 Or thirdly Thou art heard in a better kind and so was Paul and Moses and the rest of Gods seruants with whom God dealt by way of exchange keeping from them what they begged and giuing vnto them a better blessing If then God giue not that particular thou askest but some thing better then it for it whether it bee Patience Strength Exercise or increase of Grace thou canst not say but God is found and is as readie nay more readie to shew mercie then thou to sue for it at his hands Let vs then beleeue remember and apply this poynt for our endlesse and euerlasting comfort And beware of sucking poyson out of this sweet and blessed floure Text. He fell on his necke and kissed him Here is a ioyfull meeting betwixt so good a father and so badde a sonne Mercie and Truth are met and each of them kisse the other here is truth in the Prodigall for he dissembled not and mercie in the father By these circumstances the heat and fire of his affections is declared and his intire loue vnto his sonne expressed for a kisse hath euer beene as a pledge and pawne of kindnesse which is professed by it and by this ceremonie or rite they did expresse their loue in the time of the primatiue Church one to another Iustin Mart. Apolog. 2. which ceremonie continued till the daies of Iustine Martyr in customarie vse before their approaching to the Lords Table thereby to testifie their heartie reconcilement each to other 1. Thes 5.26 this was called a holy kisse It is a ceremonie also of ciuilitie and hath beene and is still in vse Thus Ioseph blessed his brethren Gen. 45. Ruth 1.9 and fell vpon their necks and kissed them c. When Iudas the traytor studied with himselfe what course might be the best to bring Christ to his death hee could deuise not a more subtile shift then vnder a kisse a pretence of kindnesse to couer his villenie Cant. 1. When the Church in the Canticles saith to her Spouse to shew his loue vnto her she intreateth him to kisse her with the kisses of his mouth viz. that he would manifest his loue and affection vnto her by manifest and good tokens Thus the father kisseth his penitent child thereby to seale and confirme his loue and good will towards him that he might make no doubt thereof So then in that the father doth thus manifest and declare his loue and good will to this sonne after his comming into his presence hence let vs learne this Lesson God will manifest and make knowne his loue vnto his children Doctr. God doth not onely loue his children but he will make it manifest by signes and tokens that hee loueth them Rom. 5.5 by euident signes and tokens vpon their conuersion and turning to him God doth not onely inwardly affect and loue his elected children that belong vnto him but hee will also haue them resolued of this his loue and kindnesse and will in due time make manifest the same by euident signes and tokens that they may not doubt of it The loue of God is shed abroad in our hearts saith the Apostle that is the sense and feeling of it is shedde and powred forth into vs that wee might not doubt of it but be fully perswaded and assured thereof And a little after he saith God commendeth Verse 8. that it maketh knowne his loue towards vs in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for vs. And were it not so how could we be affected with it Reason what is it for a blinde man to know that the Sunne is a most glorious bright creature when hee himselfe doth not see it so what is it for a man to know there is much loue hid in God except he haue some sence and feeling of it That precious oyntment Math. 26.7 which the woman poured vpon Christs head gaue no sauour while it was shut vp in the box but being shed and powred out it did then yeeld a most sweet sent vnto all that were in the roome so the loue of God while it is as it were shut vp in Gods decree and not felt of the Elect hath not that fauour with it but when they once come to haue a taste of it then it is as an oyntment powred forth which doth exceedingly and plentifully refresh their hearts and soules Quest Whether Gods Elect as yet vncalled are within the compasse of Gods loue Answ Vpon this that hath beene sayd some may demand whether Gods Elect being yet vncalled are within the compasse of Gods loue for
dangers and cause thee to stand fast in the euill day and sad times of temptation and persecution For God shall giue his beloued rest they shall be deliuered for he will helpe with his right hand VERS 22. But the Father said to his seruants Text. Verse 22.23 Bring forth the best robe and put it on him and put a ring on his hand and shoes on his feet 23. And bring hither the fatted calfe and kill it and let vs eat and be merry WE haue heard before of the Fathers readinesse to receiue him now here we see the entertainment he gaue him being come into his presence He calls for a robe yea the best robe and so cloths him for a ring to adorne and beautifie him for shoes for his feere that stones might not annoy nor hurt them for the fat calfe to feede and refresh him and whatsoeuer is wanting he bestowes vpon him Now had the Father fit time and his sonnes sinnes deserued it that he should rip vp vnto him his former faults and call to remembrance the offences of his youth and welcome him home after this manner Ah siâ—ra are you now come is all spent amongst your whores and harlots returne vnto them let them prouide for you you come no more within my dores But behold the loue of this his Father he vseth no such thundering speeches he threatneth not to cast him of Nor yet doth he cast him in the teeth with his former courses he remembreth not any old recknings the offences of his youth are not spoken of But he seeing this his riotous vnthrifty sonne returne home with an humble heart presently offers himselfe to his childe and before he had made an end of his confession or could begg a supply of things needfull his father intercepts him by his hastie calling to his seruants Bring hither the best to be the shoes the ring let the fat calfe be killed make a feast send for musicke Now all is forgotten Doctr. God will neuer vpbraid any with their former courses that repent Ier. 31.34 So then we see The Lord will neuer vpbraid such as turne vnto him with their former courses but vpon their true repentance will forgiue them and forget them This the Lord doth faithfully promise in the 31. of Ieremie 34 vers in these words They shall all know me from the least of them to the greatest saith the Lord for I will forgiue their iniquitie Heb. 8.12 and remember their sinnes no more which very words the author of the Epistle to the Hebrewes doth cite and so further confirme the point See it further proued in the 7. Micah 7.18 of Micah vers 10. where the Church speaketh thus Who is a God like vnto thee that pardoneth iniquitie and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage who reteineth not his anger for euer because he delighteth in mercy He will turne againe vers 19. he will haue compassion vpon vs he will subdue our iniquities and cast all our sinnes into the depth of the Sea so in the 103. Psalme this is further cleared from the 8. to the 13. Psal 103.8 to 13. verse the words are these The Lord is mercifull and gratious flow to anger and plenteous in mercy and in the 12. verse hee saith thus As farre as the East is from the West so farre hath he remoued our transgressions from vs. But some may obiect Obâ—ect that the Scripture maketh mention of the vncleane life of sinners after their conuersion as of Rahab who albeit she turned to the Lord Heb. 11.31 Iam. 2.25 and forsooke her former filthinesse yet she is branded with the name of a harlot First I answer Answ some of our Diuines are of this iudgement that shee was not an harlot in act or openly professed filthinesse for the word which is vsed in Iosua 6.22 signifieth a tauerner or hostesse as well as a harlot for so shee was by profession Now indeed those persons and trades Dr. Halls Contempl by reason of the commonnesse of entertainment were amongst the Iewes infamous for name and note so that we may well thinke that her publike trade through the corruption of those times did cast on her this name of reproch Secondly I answer this is not mentioned to her reproch but spoken to her praise shee is not vpbraided with it but commended in that she had forsaken it We see hereby what shee was before her calling but shee is not reproched with it now after her calling she is now no longer a harlot but a true beleeuer with the people of God so then it tends not to her defaming but to shew the greatnes of Gods compassion and the soundnes of her conuersion Now for the Vse which we may make of this truth Vse 1 First it should serue as an excellent and notable motiue to repentance This should be as a spurr in out sides to make vs speedily turne vnto the Lord. Art thou a drunkard an vncleane person a filthy liuer take notice of Gods mercifull dealing with this prodigall who is set out for a patterne to all them that are desirous to come home see how vpon his repentance he is aduanced how liberall his father is towards him as if from his very cradle he had crept on his hands knees to please him here are no old items no back recknings brought in but all is forgiuen and forgotten as if there were no fault done he is as royally entertained as if he had bin the dutifullest sonne that euer the earth bare Well thus will God deale with thee he will neuer vpbraid thee with thy drunkennes with thy swearing with thy whoring with thy theeuing nor with any other of thy lewd courses These thou shalt neuer heare of if thou become a penitent But if not be thou assured thy sinnes shall be set in order before thee and what now thou doest in secret God will manifest on the house top before Men and Angels Secondly seeing God doth deale thus with true penitents to couer their sinnes and cast them behinde his backe let vs take heede how we vncouer the sinnes of any that hath repented of them and how we vpbraid any with their former courses God hath blotted them out of the skore shall we dare to set them on againe Let vs learne to put a difference betwixt time past and time present the Apostle reckoning vp many horrible sinnes committed by the Corinthians in the time of their vnregeneracie maketh a flat opposition betweene their estate before their calling and that after Such were some of you 1. Cor. 6.11 saith he but now yee are washed but now yee are clensed but now yee are sanctified So that he that hath bin a swearer and repented is now none he that hath bin an adulterer and hath repented is now none and the like for the High-Commission Court hath cleared him Shall we say he that is come to mans estate is
a babe because he was so or he that is now a freeman is still a prentize because he was so Oh then beware how you esteeme of any by the time past or cast the filth of their former sinnes into their faces when God hath wiped them away When Dauid Noah Lot Peter and other of Gods Saints had truly repented of their sinnes did euer God or Angels cast them in their teeth who art thou then that thou shouldst be so sawcie to vncouer what God hath couered But is there not a woe against those that call good euill and euill good Obiect Esay 5.20 how then dare any speak of sinne fauourably It is one thing to speake of the nature of the sinne Answ and another thing to speake of the conuerted sinner In speaking of sinne as a breach of Gods law an offence against God spare it not but in speaking of the penitent the shame and reproch of the sinne must be done away Thus much in generall from the Fathers proceeding Now in particular to the words But he said to his seruants c. Text. There are diuers mysticall morall expositions giuen by expositors of each of these by the robe some vnderstand the royaltie which Adam lost By the ring the seale of Gods holy Spirit by shoes the preparation of the Gospell of peace by the fat Calfe Christ who was slaine from the beginning These and many other expositions are giuen which were endlesse and in my iudgement needlesse to reckon vp Hec simplex sed câ—rtum est catera ingeniosa quidem sed incerta Maldon in loc For as I take it by all these is nothing else ment nor intended but to set forth the riches of Gods manifold mercies whereby he supplies all our wants fulfills all our necessities and bestoweth whatsoeuer is needfull for vs vpon our true repentance and turning vnto him In the words we may consider First the Fathers liberalitie towards the Prodigall vers 22.23 Secondly the ioy and reioycing that was on both sides vpon the returne of the Prodigall vers 23. and reiterated vers 24. In the former againe consider First the gifts the Father doth bestow which were of two sorts some seruing for necessitie as a garment shoes meat others for delight and ornament as a Ring the best Robe the fat Calfe he shall haue the best and fattest Secondly consider the meanes whereby he bestoweth them on this his childe he doth it not immediately from his owne hands but by the hands of his seruants He said to his seruants And of these as they lye in order in my Text. Doctr. God bestoweth his gifts vpon his children not imdiatly but mediatly But he said to his seruants The point hence is this God conveyeth his gifts and graces to his children not immediatly from himselfe but mediately by the hands of his seruants Thus Paul must goe to Ananias and receiue his sight so the Eunuch to Philip Cornelius to Peter Lydia to Paul Thus must men receiue gifts from God not immediately from God himselfe but by the meanes of Gods seruants Hence are those names so frequently giuen vnto Gods Ministers in the Scriptures of Messengers Ambassadors Interpreters and the like See Ephes 4.8 11 12. Reason 1 Reason because we are not able to endure the presence of the Lord He knoweth our weakenesse and whereof we are made how that we are not able to looke his Maiesty in the face and liue Exod. 20.18 When the Israelites heard the voice of God in deliuering of his law they were afraid they should die therefore desire to haue Moses bring Gods message vnto them Vse This may serue to reprooue the folly of such as refuse to come to the seruants of the Lord for the gifts he doth send vnto them by their ministry Nay they despise these roabs these gifts and graces because they are brought by fraile and weake men Let God send by whom he should send let him speake by whom he should speake But who art thov that thou shouldest teach the most high or what art thou that darest be so bold to prescribe vnto the Lord a way for the conueighing of his gifts But oh the vnconstancy of vaine man when God did speake immediatly by himselfe then Israel runnes to Moses desires him to speake to God for them Now we haue our requests and he hath sent vs a Moses Exod. 20.19 I meane faithfull and painefull ministers by whom he giues his gifts and conueies his graces now we call for God againe whose voice notwithstanding shakes the heauens and cleaueth the rockes a sunder and moueth the foundations of the earth out of his place Let this therefore in the second place admonish vs to Vse 2 take heede how wee reiect Gods good gifts when they are brought vnto vs in these earthen vessells Let Eliah receiue his meat though a Rauen brings it We are beggers let vs not be chusers Would it not argue intollerable nicenesse and dayntinesse to refuse meat because it is brought in earthen dishes Would not this argue a queasie stomach Beware then of this and learne to esteeme of the gifts of God neuer the lesse but esteeme more of the messengers and seruants because by them God doth bestow on you so many blessings And surely this exhortation would be needlesse if you did as much care to know and knowing would wisely apply it to your hearts how many high blessings in spirituall things are conueighed and brought vnto you by them as you are ready to informe and vrge what inferior blessings are conueighed vnto them by you Read Rom. 10.13.14.15 Rom. 10.13.14.15 verses And when you haue read them goe backward and begin where the golden cheyne ends First God giueth his word then some are sent wherevpon they preach therevpon men beleeue and then call vpon God and consequently they are saued So that if saluation be the obiect of your desires the thing longed for then esteeme of these golden pipes whereby the water of this longed for saluation is conueighed vnto you And thus much shall suffice to haue spoken of the meanes whereby these gifts were conueighed vnto this sonne now to speake of the gifts themselues that were bestowed vpon him which were of two sorts some for necessity others for ornament and delight Text. Bring forth the best Roabes The sonne sought but the roome of a seruant but the father restoreth him to the dignity of a sonne and gratiously doth preuent him with his liberall blessings giuing vnto him farre more then he did desire or deserue Let vs then note this for our comfort Doctr. God is larger in his gifts then wee in our requests Gen. 28.20 God is larger in his gifts then a sinner is in his request he vsually giueth more vnto his children then they aske or desire This we may see by sundry examples in scripture as in a chrystall glasse Iacob prayeth and the whole of all
vpon their crownes the Barbers paines shall then be spared In a word all sorts are confuted in their habits no place no calling nor condition is respected or regarded Gentlemen goe like Nobles Citizens like Courtiers the Countryman like the Citizen the seruant will be attired as his master the maide like vnto her mistresse Salomons vanitie is come againe into the world Seruants ride on horsebacke and Masters goe on foote and so farre are we from that modest and comely attyring of our selues which the Apostle doth require as that the attire which many weare better beseemeth strumpets then honest Matrons being neither fashioned to our bodies nor made large enough to couer those naked parts which both God and nature would haue couered how iustly may the Lord fashion our bodies to our clothes seeing we will not fashion our cloths vnto our bodies And thus is our liberty abused which God affordeth vs for which this Land and Nation is like to smoake vnlesse it please the Lord in mercy to looke vpon vs and giue vs hearts to repent for these abominations which are so rise amongst vs. You that feare the Lord call vpon his name you that loue King and Country fall to mourning for assuredly these sinnes cannot escape vnpunished without there be an vniuersall humiliation and repentance And let vs eat and be merry Heere was cause of ioy on all sides The father hath cause of ioy Text. who losing an vntoward sonne now findes an obedient childe who findes him humbled that went away obdurate and impenitent The sonne himselfe hath cause of ioy in finding so kinde a welcome at his Fathers hands whom he had so much wronged And heere is cause of reioycing also for the houshold seruants in that their Masters sonne was now found who had been so long lost Therfore saith the Father let vs cat and be merry not doe Yee for this my sonnes returne or doe Thou my son for that thou art returned but let Vs reioyce let Vs bee merry for this so blessed a returne and change The true turning of any soule from sinne Doctr. The true conuersion of any doth administer much matter of reioycing vnto the faithfull Verse 5 6. Verse 7. Verse 8 9. doth administer matter of exceeding great ioy and reioycing This is declared in the two fore going parables First in that of the lost sheepe where wee see that the shepheard when hee findes his sheepe layeth it on his shoulder and comming home calleth his friends together and wils them to reioyce because hee had found the sheepe which was wanting Now heare how Christ applies this I say vnto you that likewise ioy shall bee in Heauen ouer one sinner that repenteth more then ouer ninety and nine iust persons which neede no repentance So in that other parable of the lost groat the poore woman lights a candle sweepes the house searcheth euery corner and when she hath found her groat shee gathereth her neighbours together saying Reioyce with me Verse 10. for I haue found the piece which I had lost Heare now what followes Likewise I say vnto you there is ioy in the presence of the Angels of God for one sinner that conuerteth As it causeth the Angels of Heauen to reioyce so doth it likewise cause the Saints vpon the earth for when the Iewes heard of the conuersion of the Gentiles Acts 11.18 and that the Holy Ghost was fallen vpon them as vpon themselues at the beginning They held their peace as the Text saith and glorified God saying Then hath God also to the Gentiles granted repentance vnto life Reason The reason is because God is heereby glorified and his Church and Kingdome is increased and aduanced Now as there is nothing that ought to be more grieuous to vs then Gods dishonour so nothing ought to reioyce our hearts more then to see his praise set forth and his name magnified Vse 1 First then this may serue to reprooue such as enuy and murmure at the conuersion of their brethren Thus did the Brother of this Prodigall as heereafter we shall see so did the Iewes stumble at the conuersion of the Gentiles Acts 12.3 15.1 who had rather renounce the Gospell then to receiue them into a fellowship of the same faith Thus doe many peruersely and maliciously repine at the bringing of their brethren into the estate of grace wherat they ought especially to reioyce 1 Pet. 4.4 Yea farther they mocke and persecute them for no other cause but because they haue left their sins turned to the Lord. But let these know that such as bee themselues conuerted will reioyce at the conuersion of their brethren and let me wish them to take heed how they murmure at the mercy of God shewed in the conuersion of any for feare they depriue themselues for euer of it Vse 2 Secondly this should be as a forcible motiue to make vs returne vnto the Lord Consider thou shalt reioyce both the heart of God and man by thy repentance the Saints vpon the earth will reioyce and magnifie Gods name the Angels in heauen shall bee exceeding glad and praise God for thee yea the thrice gloririous and blessed Trinity will also beare their parts in this reioycing The Father will reioyce when thou who art by nature the childe of wrath and slaue of Satan becommest his adopted sonne and heire of grace The Sonne also will be glad because by thy repentance his death and bloud shed becomes auailable vnto thee The Holy Ghost likewise shall reioyce because by repentance thy heart is purged and made a fit temple for himselfe to dwell in Oh what a notable spurre would this bee to true repentance if it were well considered Consider of it thou who as yet continuest in a course of sinne thou shalt reioyce the hearts of God Angels and Men if thou wilt repent And surely if it will bring ioy to them it will bring farre greater ioy vnto thy selfe in the end It is thy good that causeth them to reioyce for it concerneth not them so much as it concernes thy selfe Turne therefore from thy euill wayes leaue and forsake thy former courses thou shalt haue no cause of griefe for thy so doing The hearts of others thou wilt make glad but thine owne soule shall finde the greatest comfort Thirdly let this serue to exhort such as are conuerted Vse 3 to vse all good meanes for the conuersion of their brethren Seeke to gaine and winne them to the faith and if they be gained reioyce vnfainedly for Gods mercy towards them Away with that same vncircumcised care of enuy bee not offended for thy brothers good but let it cause thee to breake forth into a praising of the name of God Text. VERSE 24. For this my sonne was dead and is aliue Againe he was lost but is found and they began to be merrie AS the father made great ioy vpon his sonnes returne so he had good reason mouing him
by the Minister The Spirit of God begets none anew wthout faith Faith is not ordinarily begotten but by the word So then if thou desirest to liue this life be frequent in hearing of the word preached for the dead shall heare this voice Iob. 5.25 and they that heare shall liue The Prophet Ezekiel in a vision is caried into the midst of a field Ezech. 37. full of dead bones and willed to prophesie ouer them and say vers 4. O yee dry bones heare the word of the Lord So he prophesied as he was commanded vers 7. And as he prophesied there was a noyse and behold a shaking and the bones came togither bone to his bone vers 8. Then the sinewes and flesh grew vpon them and vpon the flesh a skin couered them then he prophesied vnto the winde to breath vpon the dead vers 9. that they might liue vers 10. and the breath came into them and they liued and stood vp vpon their feete and they were an exceeding great armie Hereby is signified especially the estate of the Iewes after their captiuitie yet I doubt not but in them the estate of the whole Church in whose heart the Lord worketh his graces of Regeneration by litle and litle is also liuely described God sends his seruants the Ministers into the world as it were into a field of dead bones and wills vs to prophesie and say Oh you dry bones heare the word of the Lord But what can these dry bones liue Surely oh Lord thou knowest And therefore wee prophesie as we be commanded and behold what followes there is a first a shaking a quaking and trembling of the heart as we see in Peters Conuerts Acts 2.37 16.29 and in the laylor then the bones come togither bone to his bone we as it were gather our senses togither and begin to consider in what state we stand as the Prodigall here did and then loe the sinewes and the flesh come vpon vs and the skin couereth vs aboue we now begin to be strengthned by holy purposes and resolutions resoluing and desiring to liue vnto the Lord though as yet we cannot finde in our selues any breath of grace but then the Lord causeth breath to enter into vs hee powreth vpon vs further gifts of his Spirit for our further quickning and then we see we liue and get vp vpon our feete leaping and reioycing and praising Gods name for his wonderfull mercy See then that you attend vpon this meanes be frequent in hearing of the word for this is the trumpet that must awake thee if euer thou beest awaked Cast not off all care of thy saluation as too many doe who hearing that Regeneration and saluation are the gifts of God and that it is not in their owne power to conuert themselues grow hereupon secure and neglect all meanes Wherfore should we trouble our selues say they about it for all is a God will haue it if he will giue it vs we shall be saued and if not we shall neuer obteyne saluation do what we can Well and what of this Wilt thou therefore neglect the meanes God inioyneth thee to vse for the obteyning of it God giueth it but he giueth it by meanes which he hath ordeyned which if thou neglectest thou art the more inexcusable and thy damnation will be iust But what will you tye God to meanes Quest Are not all things possible to him Is not he able to conuert and saue without preaching or hearing as well as with it I answer The Question is needles and foolish Answ none denies but God can yet I tell thee he will not when he giues ordinarie meanes Exod. 16. Isay 37.30 God can giue bread from heauen God can cause the earth to yeeld corne without sowing 1. King 17.6 God can cause a Rauen to feede Eliah God can saue without foode these and many other things God can doe but wilt thou from hence conclude against the meanes that God hath now ordeyned Wilt thou refuse to eat because God can saue thee without meat Or wilt thou refuse to plow thy ground or sow thy seede because God can giue thee a crop without it Or wilt thou refuse to take thy meales at home and goe into the fields looking that euery Rauen that flyeth ouer thy head should bring thee thy dinner Or wilt thou voluntarily cast thy selfe into the fire because God can defend thee from the heat of it as he did the three children in the hot fiery furnace Dan. 3 25. Do these things seem to be ridiculous vnto thee and is it not as ridiculous for thee to refuse to heare and yet thinke to bee saued Know then oh man Manna is for the wildernesse an Israelite may not looke for it in the land of Canaan where he may sow and reape so while thou liuest in the Church where thou mayest partake of the ordinarie meanes vse them else neuer hope of obteyning eternall life And further know that so much as thou neglectest hearing so much thou neglectest thy owne saluation set then this downe for a truth and be perswaded of it that by this meanes thou must be begotten if euer thou beest borne anew If by the hearing of this word thou beest not raised thou wilt for euer rot and perish in thy sinnes Obiect Oh! but I haue small hope in attending on the means I haue liued a long time in sinne my sinnes are great and many I am not onely dead but rotten and therefore I feare I shall neuer be raised nor reuiued Sol. Luk. 8 55. Lu â— 7.11 Iohn 11.44 Wee read of three that Christ raysed from death Iairus daughter newly dead the Widowes sonne dead and wound vp and lying vpon the hearse and Lazarus who was dead buried and stinking in the graue August Ser. 44. de verb. Dom. These three sorts of coarses aptly resemble saith a Father three sorts of sinners Iairus daughter lying dead in her fathers house resembleth those that sinne by inward consent The widowes sonne being carried out of the gate of the citie those that sinne by outward act Lazarus hauing been dead and buried foure daies those that sinne by continuall habit The young mayden lay in a bed The young man in a coffin Lazarus in a Graue The first was dead but an houre the second but a day the third foure dayes All which teacheth vs thus much that there is no degree of death so desperate that is past helpe no sinne so great but may be forgiuen the sinne of the Holy Ghost onely excepted though with Lazarus thou hast layen foure daies Moles imposita sepulchre ipsa est vis dura consuetudinis August and art bound hand and foot with bands as he was though thou hast a stone laid vpon thee as he had though thou hast made thy heart as hard as the nether mil-stone by a custome and trade of sinne so that in the iudgement of man
past are forgiuen and esteemed as if they had neuer bin thy present imperfections are couered with the perfection of Iesus Christ The rebellion which riseth vp in thy heart continually commeth not from thee Rom. 7.20 Rom. 8.28 Math. 5.12 Heb. 2.14 Rom. 8.1 Phil. 4.4 but from sinne which dwelleth in thee Thy Afflictions shall all turne to thy good Doth the world hate thee why Blessed are you Doth death trouble thee Christ hath ouer come it Or doth damnation greiue thee There is none to them that are in Christ Iesus Reioyce then in the Lord allway and againe I say reioyce Vse 3 Thirdly seeeng Grace doth not destroy naturall affections but only rectifie them this may serue for a direction vnto vs in the right vnderstanding of such precepts as are giuen in Scripture for the mortifying of affections They must be so vnder stood as that the Carnality of them only is strucken at and not the Affections themselues And so much shall serue for that poynt now we come to another and it is this The assurance of Gods fauour in the pardoning of sinne Doctr. Pardon of sin bringeth ioy reioycing is that which causeth ioy and reioycing Now the father had kyssed him and embraced and giuen him pledges of his loue and spoke peace vnto him he with the rest beginnes to reioyce and make merrie Therefore Dauid desireth of the Lord this assurance after his committing the sinne of adulterie that so he might haue his soule comforted which vntill he had could not be quieted Psal 51.8 Make me to heare of ioy and gladnesse saith he that the bones which thou hast broken may reioyce For vntill God speaketh peace vnto vs Reason our consciences will still vex and accuse vs And therefore saith the Prophet Isay There is no peace to the wicked Isay 4 8. Iob. 15.20 Vers 21. Vers 24. and Iob sheweth as much The wicked man is continually as one that trauaileth with childe for he trauaileth with paine all his daies A dreadfull sound is in his eares Trouble and anguish shall make him afraid Let wicked men then see their vncomfortable estate Vse 2 King 9.22 What peace saith Iehu to Ioram So long as the whoredomes of thy mother Iezabell and her witch-crafts are so many So say I to thee what peace what comfort so long as so many sinnes remaine vnrepented vnpardoned I confesse indeede there is a kind of mad mirth Eccles 2.2 which Salomon speakes of that most in the world dote vpon one reioyceth in his cupps another in his barnes another in his promotion but this is far from true ioy this is but a swinish and brutish ioy not sound nor solid It must bee newes brought from heauen to a mans soule that his sins are pardoned forgiuen that must breede and bring it How farr then art thou from hauing a merry heart who still abidest in thy sinnes and hast not as yet repented thou maist counterfeit a smile but thou canst not be truly merry Thy laughter is but as the crackling of thorns Eccles 6.7 soone gon The spirit of feare and bondage ruleth within thee which keepes barres out peace with God and ioy in the Holy Ghost Thou maist face out the matter as much as thou wilt yet let me tell thee thou canst neuer haue ease vntill thy sinnes be pardoned and they will neuer be pardoned vntill they be repented off Thou maist sing and laugh and be iocund but alas thy mirth is no other then that of the theife who goes capering to the gallowes for thou art a condemd traytour knowest not how soone thou maist be fett to execution Bee then as merrie as thou canst bee I am sure thy estate and condition wherein thou standest doth giue thee no leaue that will not afford it Secondly this may serue for our direction how to get a merrie heart and procure true ioy indeede The only way thou seest is to obteine pardon for thy sinne and to get God to assure thy soule hereof for vntil then thou canst neuer haue it wouldst thou neuer so fayne A merry heart euery one commends euery one desires and affects but alas how few take the right course for obteining of it Well though others deale foolishly yet bee thou more wise humble thy selfe for sinnes past resolue against all sinnes and desire God to bee reconciled Esay 61.3 Psal 126.2.3 Math. 5.5 Remember the promises of this ioy is made to those that mourne and onely vnto those and therefore mourne for thy sinnes and seriously seeke for pardon of them for vnlesse thou doest thus neuer looke to see merry day in this world nor in the world to come Doctr. The Godly mans ioy in this life is but the beginning of ioy Psal 16.11 Further in that it is here said they began to be merry This poynt is noted from hence by some of our Expositors That the godly mans ioy in this life is but the beginning of ioy We shall haue the fulnesse of ioy hereafter when we come into Gods presence at whose right hand it is as the Psalmist speaketh In this life wee haue but the first fruites of the spirit and Gods earnest penny In that other life wee must looke for the whole masse and persecution of blessednesse This poynt is true and might be of good vse to teach vs to long for to be dissolued that we may be with Christ for is the ioy that wee haue here but the beginning of ioy and as it were the first fruites oh then what shall the crop be doth the ioy which wee heare taste of and which in this life wee are made pertakers of passe all vnderstanding as the Apostle speaketh what then shall the fulnesse thereof bee who is able to expresse it But I intend not to prosecute it I now come to the last part of this Parable which sheweth vs the elder Brothers ill will or anger for his Fathers receiuing home and so welcomming this his Brother VERSE 25. Now his elder Sonne was in the field and as he came and drew nigh to the house he heard musicke and dancing 26. And hee called one of the seruants asked what these things meant 27. And he said vnto him thy Brother is come and thy Father hath killed the fatted Calfe because he hath receiued him safe sound 28. And hee was angry and would not goe in therefore came his Father out and intreated him IN these last eight Verses the anger and discontent of the elder Brother is layd downe wherein consider First from whence it ariseth or how it was occasioned and that was vpon the vnderstanding of his Fathers loue and ioyfull entertainment of his younger Brother For he heard musicke and dancing verse 25. And the seruants also makes report thereof vers 26 27. Hereupon as the Text saith He was angry and would not goe in Secondly How this his anger is expressed The parts viz. by his reasoning
with and accusing of his Father which accusation is amplified per 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He had beene obedient Loe these many yeares doe I serue thee neither at any time transgressed I thy commandement verse 29. But his Brother had beene disobedient Assoone as this thy Sonne was come which hath deuoured thy liuing with harlots thou hast killed for him the fatted Calfe verse 30. Thirdly How this is anger is qualified and that is done two waies First by his Fathers kinde entreaty of him verse 28. Secondly by an Apollogie which his Father makes vnto him vers 31.32 Wherein we haue a Proposition verse 31. which hath in it a Concession of the former particulars For the Father would not now exasperate him but seemeth thus to reason Graunt is bee so as thou doest say of thy selfe yet thou doest not well to bee offended for all that I haue is thine And secondly a Confirmation verse 32. where hee doth both iustifie his owne proceedings ab aequo for what he did was equity and right And also secretly defend his younger Sonne against his elder Brothers former accusation For though he were dead yet he is now aliue though he were lost he is new found He is not what he hath been the case is altered And thus wee see the limbes of this latter part My purpose is onely to obserue some generall poynt from each of these specialls and so draw to a conclusion And first in that this elder Sonne vpon the vnderstanding of his Fathers loue and gracious dealing with his younger Brother who came home humbled and penitent doth thus repine and grudge waxe angry and d scontent This giueth vs to vnderstand that Doctr. The wicked repine at the preferments of others in Gods fauours Math 20.1 verse 2. verse 3.4 verse 5.6 The blessings of God vpon others are great eye-sores vnto the wicked They grudge and repine at the preferments of others in the fauours of God This our Sauiour teacheth vs by another parable A certaine housholder went our early in the morning to hyre labourers into his vineyard And when hee had agreed with them for a pennie a day bee sent them into his vineyard to worke And he went out about the third houre and seeing others idle sent them in also Thus did he also about the sixt ninth and eleauenth houre Now when Euen was come verse 8.9 the Lord called the labourers to giue them their hyre and gaue euery man his pennâ—e to them that came in last he gaue as much as to theÌ„ that came in first vers 11.12 Therfore the labourers murmured against the Master of the vineyard saying these last haue wrought but one houre thou hast made them equall vnto vs which haue borne the burden and heate of it Thus did they enuie the seruants and repine against the Masters dealing Many are the examples that might bee alleaged for confirmation of this truth But take one for all God hee hath respect to Abel Gen 4.45 and to his offering but vnto Kain and to his offering he had no regard Wherefore Kain was exceeding wrath and his countenance fell downe And afterwards hee slew his Brother and why was this 1 Iohn 3 12. but because his owne workes were euill and his Brothers good God regarded Abels sacrifice and had respect vnto it for this cause doth his brother enuie him and at last doth murder him The reason is because they are of that same euill one 1 Iohn 3.12 as S. Iohn speaketh They are a hellish brood and are transformed into the image of the deuil who enuied the happinesse of our first Parents in the Garden Gen. 3.5 of his nature doe they participate his workes they doe and cannot otherwise chuse Secondly as the tree is such must be the fruit they Reason 2 are flesh and therefore must needs bring forth the fruits of the flesh whereof this is one as the Apostle doth manifestly declare Gal. 5.21 This then serueth to reprooue many who Caine-like Vse 1 fret at the preferments of others in the fauours of the Lord And inwardly repine at the good estate and happie condition of their brethren the knowledge zeale and obedience of others and the fruits of these and such like graces viz. a good name and estimation doe inwardly vexe and torment them and are as daggers at their hearts The hearing seeing or thinking of any other to haue more or so much as they themselues haue is as a quotidian ague to their bones it paines them day and night Psal 112.10 it causeth them to gnash their teeth and melt away So that as Iosephs brethren could not endure that their Father should loue him better then he loued them And as the Princes of Babell could not abide that Daniell should be fauoured of the King aboue themselues so cannot these men endure that the God of heauen should respect any before themselues though they continually blaspheme his holy name and no day will giue obedience vnto him Oh the cursed nature of this same monster Enuie which filleth men to the eyes and there it sitteth and wheresoeuer through those windowes it espies a blessing it is sicknesse and death vnto it Honor wealth prosperitie and whatsoeuer is good in any it repineth at Men are not well if they see others better and in a manner Parum est si ipse sit felix nisi alter fuerit in faelix 1. Cor. 15.42 they doe hate to be happie with any company Should God send these to heauen how would they brooke it for there one starre excels another in glory as the Apostle speakes surely hell is the fittest place for such without repentance for there they shall see no matter of enuie but all obiects of extreame misery And yet there also so enuious are they it may be they will desire to sit in the chayre and haue superiority though they receiue the more torments Vse 2 Secondly let this serue for our instruction to fence and fortifie our selues against this diueilish enuie Who is there that had not need be watchfull are not the best and most sanctified amongst Gods children apt to enuie and repine at others excelling in the graces of God doth not this cursed weed sprout forth of the best ground oftentimes to our shame Hath not this euill had a hand in those many broyles and contentions which haue bin amongst the faithfull from time to time This cannot be denyed it is too too apparent striue therefore against this sinne let all carnall emulation be restrained by euery one of vs Motiues to shun enuie First it is the vnprofitablest of all vices we need not want for Reasons to mooue vs hereunto for First consider of all vices this is most vnprofitable hauing in it neither profit nor yet pleasure insomuch that one saith and that truly an enuious man hath a great deale of lesse wit in his malice then a very bruite for whereas neither foule nor fish
sometimes a Philosopher gaue to one that asked him how he might auoide it neither to doe nor say any thing that is good Thou mayst indeede saue thy selfe from the Lyar by not speaking with him from the Proud by not accompanying with him and from the Glutton by not eating with him and from the Contentious by not disputing with him but from the Enuious it is not sufficient though thou flie or flatter him he cannot be well if thou beest well thy rising is litle lesse grieuous to him then his owne falling This the Heathen themselues haue obserued Diog. â—ion and therefore when they saw an Enuious man sad they would demand whether harme had hapned vnto him or good vnto his neighbour And indeed it may be questionable for both these alike vex him Hast thou then any gift or grace wherein thou excellest or wherein thou doest equall others then looke for some that will maligne thee praemoniti praemuniti fore-warn'd fore-arm'd the streame ran euer so and euer will And thus much be spoken of this first branch which is the occasion or ground from whence this elder brothers discontent arose Now for the second and that is the manner how he expresseth it Vers 29.30 laid downe in these words And he answering said to his Father Loe these many yeares doe I serue thee neither transgressed I at any time thy commandement and yet thou neuer gauest me a Kid that I might make merry with my freinds But assoone at this thy son was come which hath deuoured thy liuing with harlots thou hast killed for him the fatted Calfe Here we may see how he expresseth this his discontent by his expostulating the matter with his Father accusing him for hard and vnthankfull dealing but iustifying of himselfe for his continuall and constant obedience The point wee may hence learne is this It is a propertie of the wicked to expostulate the cause with God Doctr. It is the propertie of the wicked to expostulate the cause with God and to complaine against his dealings as too hard and vniust How common a thing was this with the carnall Israelites how ordinarily did they obiect against Gods proceedings Insomuch that the Lord was oftentimes faine to put his course vnto scanning and to call the people to a pleading as by his prophet Esay Isay 1.18 Come let vs reason togither saith the Lord. And so in another place Wherefore I will plead with you saith the Lord. Ier. 2.9 vers 35. And againe Behold I will plead with thee because thou sayest I haue not sinned And in diuers other places we haue the like speeche This was the cause why he did so often instruct his Prophets how to answer the people when they began to reason with them about his wayes as Ier 5.19 And it shall come to passe when yee shall say Ier. 5.19 wherefore doth the Lord all these things vnto vs then shalt thou answer them like as yee haue forsaken me c. So againe And it shall come to passe Ier. 16.10 when thou hast shewed this people all these words and they shall say vnto thee wherefore hath the Lord pronounced all this euill against vs or what is our iniquitie or what is our sinne that we haue committed against the Lord our God vers 11. Then shalt than say vnto them because your fathers haue forsaken me c. In the 58. of Esay in the beginning of it you may see their practise discouered for there we may finde them challenging God for hard measure Wherfore haue we fasted Isay 58.3 say they and thou seest it not wherefore haue we afflicted our soules and thou takest no knowledge As if God did them great wrong in nor harkning and attending on their suites Thus did they in Ezechiels dayes calumniate Gods proceedings of inequalitie Ezech. 18.2 The fathers had eaten sowre grapes and the childrens teeth were set on edge The fathers had sinned and they must beare the punishment what equalitie was in this therefore they cry out The way of the Lord is not equall vers 25. Ezech. 33.20 Thus also in the time of Malachie when they were reproued for any fault how would they turne againe and in a manner challenge God to his face Malac. 1.6 You haue despised my name saith the Lord Wherein haue we despised thy name saith the people Mal. 2.17 Yee haue wearied me with your words saith the Lord wherein haue we wearied thee say the people Mal. 3.7 Returne vnto me saith the Lord. But wherein shall we returne vers 8. said they Yee haue robbed me saith God Wherein say they Your words haue bin stout against me saith the Lord vers 13. What haue we spoken so much against thee say they Thus you see how ready they are to contest with the Lord in euery particular holding themselues innocent thinking themselues more harder vsed then they had deserued And as this euer hath bin the propertie of the wicked to plead against Gods proceedings so it euer will be For at the last day when the master of the house is risen vp Luk. 13.25 26. and hath shut to the dore c. then shall some begin to say we haue eaten and drunke in thy presence and thou hast taught in our streets and other some shall say Haue we not prophesied in thy name and in thy name haue cast out Deuils Math. 7.12 and in thy name done many wonderfull workes challenging Christ for vniust dealing in condemning them Yea and when they are as it were going to execution and at the last cast after that fearefull sentence of Depart from me yee cursed into euerlasting fire prepared for the Diuell and his Angels is denounced against them Math. 25.41 yet then they will plead also for themselues against the Lord vers 44. when saw we thee an hungred or a thirst or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison and did not minister vnto thee Thus challenging God for vniust sentence holding themselues to be innocent and guiltles and to haue committed no such fault as could deserue so heauy a doome And thus we haue seene this point viz. That it is the propertie of the wicked to expostulate the matter with God and complaine against his proceedings as vniust and vnequall sufficiently cleared and confirmed If any demand to know the reason then take it in a word and this it is They are ignorant and proud Reason They are ignorant of their owne estate and condition they know not that they haue done euill neither will they know it and therefore they think they haue deserued no such things as God inflicteth on them Hence commeth that reasoning and expostulating that censuring of and pleading against Gods proceeding Heare now the Vses And first behold a difference betwixt Gods children Vse 1 and wicked ones The wicked as we haue seene are euermore obiecting against God and his proceedings and
in the day of the Lords wrath when it shall bee woe with others it shall bee well with these reade Psalme 147.5.6 and 149.4 4. It is an excellent peece of armour against incensed wrath Pro. 15.1 Iudg. 8.2 1 Sam. 25. Fourthly A milde spirit pacifieth wrath Such is the effect of this vertue that it doth not onely keepe wrath from breaking out but it also quencheth it being once enkindled This was Gideons armour against the rage of the Ephranites and this was Abigails armour for her selfe her husband and her houshold when Dauid being incensed by Nabals churlish dealing was comming with a purpose to slay them all 5. It is a fruit of the spirit Gal. 5.23 Fiftly It is a fruit of the spirit and the contrary is a fruit of corrupted nature If then we would haue a testimony that we are of God and that wee haue his spirit in vs let vs manifest the same by our mildnesse and meeknesse in dealing with others and in bearing wrongs 6. The example of the Saints and of Christ himselfe who haue gone before vs. Math. 11.29 Ioh. 13.5.15 1 Pet. 2.23 Lastly The examples of the Saints are many that haue gone before vs. And Christ himselfe setteth forth himselfe as a patterne of this vertue leauing himselfe an example of it by washing the feet of his Disciples and by bearing the reproaches of the vngodly Thus haue we seene how many and how forcible motiues wee haue to cause vs to exercise this grace of meekenesse and mildnesse towards such as we haue to deale withall yea euen towards our very enemies for so doth the Lord deale with his as we haue seene Obiect 1 But if we be thus meeke and milde when we are iniured and wronged we shall be laughed at and counted milksops dastards cowards and the like Loue not thou the praise of men Answ more then the praise of God The praise of God is true praise indeede seeke after it as for the estimation of man without the estimation of the Lord it is but a shadow of glory if it be so much In this and such like cases say with the Apostle With me it is a very small thing 1 Cor. 4.3 Verse 4. that I should be iudged of you or of mans iudgement he that iudgeth mee is the Lord. But if I be so milde and meeke they will neuer haue Obiect 2 done they will raile and reuile the more the more they are suffered The more milde thou art Answ the sooner will they desist and end If a dog barkes at thee thy best course is to passe away for if thou turnest againe and flingest stones hee wiâ—l neuer haue done The strongest resistance is by opposition of contraries as fire is soonest quenched by water and a soft woll-packe is lesse penetrable at a Canon shot then a hard stone wall But it is hard for flesh blood so quietly to sit downe Obiect 3 by iniuries and so easily to digest wronges that are offered True it is hard indeede nay more Answ it is impossible for flesh and blood to doe it but let me tell thee if thou art no more then a lumpe of flesh 1 Cor. 15.5 Ioh. 3. there is no possibility of obteining heauen If thou beest Gods thou hast spirit as well as flesh what is wanting in the flesh let grace make a supply off And thus much shall serue for a second vse of the poynt Now we come vnto a third and that serues for Consolation Vse 3 will the Lord deale so mildly euen with the wicked and vngodly with such as are children of wrath and firebrands of hell then may Gods children assure themselues that he will vse meekenesse and mildnesse towards them he is not hasty or passionate in his proceedings with drunkards swearers and the like rabble of reprobates but he doth deale with them in quiet and peaceable tearmes and will he then be hasty and violent towards his owne children This cannot be certainely if vngodly ones fare so well Gods children may looke to fare far better To them he will abound in all riches of grace and consolation And thus much of the Fathers kind intreaty of this his elder sonne now for the apologie which he makes vnto him and that is conteyned in these words VERSE 31. And he said vnto him Sonne thou art euer with me and all that I haue is thine 32. It was meete that wee should make merry be glad for this thy brother was dead and is aliue againe and was lost and is found IN it we haue First a Proposition which hath in it a Concession of what the elder brother said verse 31. Secondly a Confirmation wherein the Father doth iustifie his owne proceedings ab aequo It was meete that we should reioyce and be glad He did nothing but what was equity and right and therefore there was no cause of discontentment And Secondly he doth defend his younger sonnes cause for though he were dead yet he is now aliue q. d. true it is my sonne thy brother was lewd and disobedient dead in sinnes and trespasses but he is now become a new man he is aliue againe all his former courses are left and forsaken and he is now returned home And therefore it is fit I should giue him entertainement and ioyfully receiue him Now we come breifely to some Instructions And first in that the Father doth not exasperate his sonne and further incense him he being already moued by denying what he had before said viz. that he was dutifull and obedient neuer breaking any of his commands c. which indeed was otherwise but yeeldeth to this his saying This may teach vs this point of wisdome Doctr. Not to exasperate the wicked when they are incensed but rather to yeeld vnto them so much as possible we may The wicked may not be exasperated wheÌ„ they are incensed and decline their furie This point may seeme to haue some affinitie with the former and therefore I shall not need to stand long vpon it In a word then let the Vse be first for Reprehension Vse 1 of such as are zealous but not according vnto knowledge Rom. 10.2 as the Apostle speaketh not passing by nor winking at the least blemish in any of their brethren Zeale if it be well ordered is most beautifull in a Christian but if not it is a thing of exceeding great danger as fire in moderation is most comfortable but in extremitie most fearefull In all ages it hath bin found lesse dangerous to the Church when men haue come short of the due proportion of Zeale then when they haue exceeded Auda Bishop in Persia in an excesse of zeale throwing downe a Temple of the Pagans was a cause that the King thereby incensed threw downe all the Temples of the Christians as Stories do report Theod. lib. 5. Sometimes then to reproue what we see amisse is to put fire into gunpowder at such times it is
many are heerein much to blame who put vp many an vntrue report that is raised of them and neuer goe about to cleere themselues nor defend their owne credit They are too too carelesse of what is spoken of them although it bee neuer so falsely and slanderously spoken yet they sit downe by it Hence it commeth to passe Hominum est dissolutorum ad iniurias diuini nominis securè conniuentium c. Apolog. Iewel part 1. cap. 3. Diuis 5. that the profession is discredited and the Lord dishonoured For men to be carelesse saith one what is spoken by them and their owne matter be it neuer so falsely spoken especially when it is such that the Maiesty of God and the cause of Religion may thereby be damaged is the part doubtlesse of dissolute and retchlesse persons and of them which wickedly winke at the iniuries done vnto the name of God But must a man for euery slander Quest goe about to send and proue when then shall he be at quiet if this be so Such indignities and wrongs as are of the least sort Answ In what case we are to passe by a slander in what not Prou. 19.11 and touch onely our priuate persons may bee borne withall and winked at And so saith Salomon The discretion of a man deferreth his anger and it is his glory to passe ouer a transgression But if the wrong bee of another nature if the slanders which are layd vpon our persons redound to the discredit of our profession and to the hurting and hindering of the cause of the Gospell in this case we may not be silent lest through our sides the Church of God receiue a blow Iohn 8.49 An example hereof we haue in our Sauiour Christ who when the Iewes obiected against him two crimes Melanct. in loc Luther one that hee was a Samaritane another that hee had a Deuill neglected that crime which concerned his person and passed it ouer as being of the least sort of wrongs stands vpō that other especially which touched his doctrine I haue not a Deuill A better patterne we cannot haue for our imitation And as this concernes all Christians in generall so in speciall vs Ministers for our good life is more respected then our learning Common people more regard what they heare of vs then what they heare from vs such is the corruption of our times It stands vs therfore in hand to keepe a good name and estimation amongst Gods people and to defend our owne innocency when we are falsely slandered and accused We are to perswade others Now what can hinder this more then a bad perswasion of vs in the hearts of those with whom wee are to deale wee therefore aboue all others ought to free our selues from all false imputations for a good perswasion of the Teacher bringeth a ready entertainment of the thing that is taught but a bad conceit doth much preiudice the truth And thus much bee spoken of this poynt now wee come to the next and last viz. Doctr. God will maintaine the righteous cause of his children against the wicked God will make the innocency of his seruants knowne hee will vphold and maintaine their righteous cause against all opposers This poynt though it bee not manifestly expressed yet it is inclusiuely implyed in the text Hee was dead saith the Father but he is now aliue he was lost but is found We heard before what the sonne obiected against his father First that hee had beene dutifull and obedient Secondly that his brother had beene vndutifull and dissolute and therfore his father did deale vniustly Now the father heere cleeres his iustice and answereth both his obiections The first in the 31 verse and the other in this last so then without doubt this did the father intend as to cleere himselfe so to defend his sonne The poynt then is truely gathered now let vs heare it further pooued Dauid perswading Gods people to patience and confidence in the Lord vseth this as an argument Psal 37.6 Hee shall bring forth thy righteousnesse as the light and thy iudgements as the noone day as if hee should haue sayd Temple in loc Howsoeuer thy innocency be at somtimes couered as it were with a thick and darke mist of slander and oppression yet the Lord will in his good time scatter and dissolue this mist and so make thy innocency apparent and cleere to the world yea he shall make thy righteous cause to be so euident as the Sunne when it riseth nay which is more as at noon-day when it is at the highest shineth brightest I could further shew you the truth of this Gen. 39.10 by many examples Ioseph being accused by his Mistresse and vpon that false accusation being imprisoned by his Master Psal 105.18 where his feet were held in the stocks and hee laid in Irons found this to be true for how did God make his innocency knowne vnto the world and in his good time scatter those mists of slanders cast vpon him causing his Sun to shine with a glorious lustre Thus the Lord dealt with Iob Iob 42.7 howsoeuer he was falsely accused had many slanderous imputations laid vnto his charge yet the Lord at length made his innocency knowne and did mainetaine and vphold his righteous cause as his story sheweth at large This also was Gods dealing with Ieremiah he was accused to be a conspirator and to weaken the hands of the people for which he was cast into prison Ierem. 37.15 yea into a loathsome dungeon but heare him now speake of himselfe and of Gods dealing towards him Rament 3.55.56.57.58 I called vpon thy name O Lord out of the low dungeon thou hast heard my voyce c. Thou drewest neere in the day that I called vpon thee thou saydst Feare not O Lord thou hast maintained the cause of my soule and redeemed my life God did maintaine his cause against all opposers As this hath beene prooued by Scripture so it may bee further cleered by Reasons For first It is his place and office so to doe he is the Reason 1 Iudge of all the world as Abraham sayth Gen. 18.25 and shall not he doe right It belongeth vnto him to render to euery one according to his workes and therefore at last hee will come forth and bring the righteousnesse of his seruants into open light Secondly he hath promised to relieue his seruants Reason 2 Psal 146.7.10 Rom. 3.4 when they are oppressed and will he goe backe from his word or say and vnsay as man doth It cannot be let God be true and euery man a lyar Seeing then that this is so Let this serue to encourage Vse 1 vs in all well-doing seeing God is with vs and in our righteous cause will neuer leaue vs let the wicked traduce vs and slaunder vs yet God will at length plead our cause and make our innocency knowne to our glory and
resemble Beasts in many of their practises 88 They boast of their base drudgery 90 A wicked man is but a deed corspe being cold sencelesse heauie stinking 284. It is a great blessing to haue the Word so plentifully 96 Conscionable attendance vpon the Word the chiefest meanes to obtaine true grace 218 The godly tremble at the Word yea at euery Word as well promising as threatning â—â—â— Free will confuted 224 How and in what Man hath freedome of Will â—25 It is a poynt of Wisedome to giue way to vngodly mens â—age 335 Y Wicked men can neuer attaine to the yeares of discretion page 33 It is sin and shame to giue the Deuill the youth and God the old age 183. FINIS The Logicall Analysis of the Parable of the Prodigall Luke 15.11 In the Parable of the Prodigall are obserueable 1. An Introduction wherein we haue 1. The propounder He said 2. The persons propounded viz. A certaine man verse 11. Had two sonnes verse 11. 2. A Narration wherein we haue the Prodigall his Egresse from verse 12. to the 17. wherein we haue 1. His sin vers 12 13. that either Before hee had receiued his portion ve 1 2. viz. His greedinesse of it His impudency in requiring it Or after he had receiued it verse 13. in Forsaking his Fathers house wherein obserue the circumstances First Of Time and that was 1. After he had receiued it 2. Not long after Secondly Of the place whether he went viz Into a farre Countrey Wasting of his goods wherein obserue First His Fact what he did He wasted Secondly The manner how he did it With riotous liuing 2. The punishment thereof Common vpon the whole Countrey with him verse 14. Personall on himselfe wherein First His distresse and that is layd downe Briefly verse 14. More largely verse 16. Secondly His shift in this his distresse verse 15. Regresse from verse 17. to the 22. wherein we haue 1. His Repentance and therein 1. The motiues or occasion therof verse 17. that Generall A communing with himselfe And when he came to himselfe he said More speciall A consideration of his owne misery I perish for hunger A perswasion of his Fathers mercie which is nourished by his Fathers liberall dealing euen towards hyred seruants For they haue bread enough 2. His resolution vers 18.19 what To doe viz. To Arise To goe to his Father To say Father I haue sinned c. 3. His practise verse 20.21 wherein 1. His worke and therein we haue 1. The act of his Repentance wherein the two parts 1. Auersion from sinne He arose 2. Conuersion to God And came to his Father 2. The time employed in that particle So. 2. His words which are a Confession wherein 1. The Matter of it I haue sinned 2. The circumstances 1. To whom viz. to his Father Father c. 2. The Manner how viz. with Exageration Humiliation 2. The successe thereof which is diuers viz. His Fathers good-will wherein consider First His readinesse to receiue him verse 20. expressed First By his looking on him Secondly By his running to him Thirdly By his kissing of him Secondly The entertainement he gaue him verse 22.23 wherein is noted his Liberality in giuing gifts for Necessity Delight Merry-making with Melody and Musicke Thirdly The reason of this his entertainment verse 24. wherein is set downe mans twofold estate in this life that of Nature He was dead he was lost Grace He is aliue he is found Brothers anger and ill-will which is First Occasioned by the vnderstanding of this his Fathers kindnesse towards his younger Brother vers 25-29 for 1. He heard melodie and dauncing verse 25. 2. His seruants made relation of it v. 26.27 Therfore he was angry v. 28 Secondly Expressed by his Reasoning with his Father vers 29.30 Accusing of his Father vers 29.30 Thirdly Qualified by his Fathers Kinde Entreaty verse 28. Meeke Apollogie vers 31.32 which hath in it a Proposition wherein thereis a concession to what his older sonne had said verse 31. Confirmation ab aequo bono It was meete that we should make merry c.
haue bread enough Math. 6. By hyred seruants are meant principally the Scribes Pharisces and vnder them all others who serue God mercenarily onely for the reward sake and not of loue Paniâ— est doctrinalis Sacramentalis victualis Ludolph Iohn 6.51 Panem à 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 multitudinem salutum magnitudinem solâ—minum plenitudineÌ„ omnium bonoruÌ„ These had Bread enough Bread hath a large extent in Scripture for vnder it is contained a sufficieÌ„cy of food and nourishment both for soule and body and therefore some would deriue the Latine word from a Greeke which reacheth farre and wide and so make it a comprehensiue word signifying all things needfull whether to corporall or animall sustenance It implies then saith one much health great comforts fulnesse of all necessary good things but as I take it in this place that exposition is too large for by bread is especially meant that bread which Christ brake amongst them I meane his doctrine miracles of this bread they had enough for they often heard the one and saw the other Now to the instructions The Prodigall was miserable and in great distresse hunger had already consumed his flesh and almost brought him to rottennesse and wormes I perish with hunger this he had a sence of which driue him home to his Father Here then obserue what excellent meanes crosses and afflictions are to chase men to the Lord and make them looke home The Scriptures are full of proofes for the confirming of this truth in the 26. of Isay and the 16. verse Doctr. Crosses and afflictions are excellent meanes to make men looke home Esay 26.16 Psa 107.10.13 Hosea 5.15 the Prophet saith thus Lord in trouble haue they visited thee they poured forth a prayer when thy chastening was vpon them So in the 107. Psalme verse 10-14 They being bound in affliction and yron c. cried vnto the Lord in their trouble and distresse This the Lord himselfe doth further witnesse in the 5. of Hosea 14.15 I will bee to Ephraim as a Lyon and as a young Lyon to the house of Iudah I euen I will teare and goe away I will take away and none shall rescue I will goe and returne to my place till they acknowledge their offence and seeke my face Chap. 6.1 for in their affliction they will seeke me earely And so indeed they did as doth appeare in words following Come and let vs returne vnto the Lord Esay 17.6.7 for he hath torne and he will heale vs he hath smitten and he will binde vs vp So also in the 17. of Esay 6.7 the Lord telling the people of the common destruction that hee would bring vpon theÌ„ for their sins saith that then they should looke vp to their Maker and their eyes should haue respect to the holy one of Israel And hence it was as it may seeme that the Prophet Dauid preferring the saluation of his enemies out of a holy loue and spirituall charity before their outward estate prayeth thus Psal 83.16 Fill their faces with shame that they may seeke thy name O Lord. Many examples I could bring for the proofe of this poynt if it were as needfull as easie so to doe as of Manasses 2 Cron. 33.11.12.13 Ier. 31.18 Acts 16. Reason Ephraim the Iaylor the danger of whose outward man was a meanes to saue both the outward and inward man besides many others but these are sufficient And it is no maruaile they should be so auaileable for hereby we are fitted and prepared for the hearing of Gods voyce true it is the spirit of God is the principall cause of our sauing hearing for he openeth the heart and beareth the eare that wee may attend to it and receiue it as hee did the heart of Lidia Acts 16.14 but yet affliction and tribulation is a speciall meanes Iob 33.16 36.15 which he vseth for the fitting and preparing of vs hereunto as Elihu declareth in the 33. of Iob verse 16.17 and also in the 36.15 he deliuereth the poore in affliction and openeth their eares in oppression when therfore with Eliah we haue had our share in this stormie tempest 1 Kâ—n. 19.11.12 and haue beene well shaken with these earthquakes then are wee well prepared to heare the still and soft voyce of the Lord speaking vnto vs in the ministry of the Gospell Thus then you see they further our conuersion as they fit vs and prepare vs for the hearing of the word which is the ordinary meanes of our saluation Reason 2 A second reason may be this because afflictions are excellent meanes to worke in vs contrition and humiliation which are other meanes of true conuersion our hearts are melted and mollified in this fiery furnace these humble vs and cast vs lowe and plucke downe our lofty hearts which in our prosperity we did so exalt these like a hammer breake our rockie hearts and brings vs to a sence of our owne miserie Obiect But if this be so may some say how commeth it then to passe that so many haue beene afflicted yet are not bettered 2 Cor. 28.22.23 as the Lord himselfe hath shewed Esay 1.5 Amos 4. and as we see in the example of Ahaz who in the time of his distresse did trespasse yet more against the Lord. And also by the example of Pharaoh Saul Ieroboam with others Answ Esay 45.7 Amos 3 6. Sim Poyson of it selfe is hurtfull but by the skilfull tempering of the Physitian becomes profitableâ— We must know that it is not affliction in it owne nature that worketh this repentance for in their owne nature they are euill and teach rather auersion from then conuersion vnto the Lord but by the secret operation of Gods spirit these fruits are brought forth Now this working of the spirit is wanting in the wicked neither are afflictions sanctified vnto them but are still curses bee they neuer so many and not crosses and make for their further hardening not mollifying This therefore is to be vnderstood onely of the elect and no other True it is they may make the reprobate for a time to be humbled as was Pharoah and Ahab with others But this is worldly sorrow which bringeth death Now for the vses And first it may serue for the reprehension of such as Vse 1 iudge of Gods fauour and loue towardes themselues or others by outward afflictions this is a false measure and will soone deceiue vs and yet how are Gods children counted as cursed and plagued because they are afflicted and corrected and the proud esteemed blessed because they are not in trouble as others but could such a conclusion be drawne from these premises Psal 73.15 Mat. 3. Esay 53.3.4 then must we needs condemne the generation of Gods children yea Christ himselfe that well-beloued of his Father who was a man full of sorrowes and acquainted with griefe smitten of God and afflicted such a conclusion then cannot be drawne from
hence for whom God doth loue them doth he correct yea Heb. 12.6 he chastiseth euery son that he receiueth Be not then too rash in iudging any whom the Lord exerciseth with afflictions the choysest flower in the garden lyeth open to a storme as well as the nettle in the wildernesse Neither thinke the better of thy selfe because the rod is not on thy backe for the wholesome meanes of thy amendment is withheld from thee thou mayst iustly feare the reines is laid on thy neck and thou art giuen vp to thy owne wayes A tree that is fruitfull will be well cudgelled and beaten when a tree that is good for nothing but the fire shall neuer bee disturbed the wheat endureth more then the chaffe and yet the wheat is for the boord Nihil insaelicius faelicitate peccantium August the chaffe for the dunghill Blesse not then thy selfe in this estate count not thy selfe blessed because thou art neuer afflicted for thou art sore plagued when thou art spared neither is any thing more vnhappie then this felicitie But for a second vse is this so that crosses and afflictions Vse 2 are such excellent meanes to driue men home and bring them to repentance Let this then serue for terror to such as haue often beene afflicted and yet are not bettered The Lords hand hath beene often vpon them and yet for all that they haue not turned to him sinne is not left their wicked waies are not forsaken surely such may feare their case is desperate seeing these are such excellent meanes and ordinarily the last meanes to bring a sinner home and yet with them can doe no good what cause haue such to feare that they shall be giuen ouer of the Lord as a hopelesse cure Heare and tremble at that which the Lord speaketh by his Prophet Ezechiel EZech. 22.18.19.20 Thus saith the Lord God because you are become drosse beholde therefore I will gather you into the midst of Ierusalem as they gather siluer and brasse and yron and lead and tinn into the midst of the furnace to blow the fire vpon it to melt it so will I gather you in mine anger and in my fury and I will leaue you there and melt you Yea I will gather you and blow vpon you in the fire of my wrath Verse 18. and you shal be melted in the midst thereof c. The Lord had in the verse before these words complained of the house of Israell that it was become drosse they were all brasse and tinn and yron and lead in the midst of the furnace that is in the furnace of affliction they would not be bettered nor purified as they ought to haue bin therefore doth the Lord threat that fearefull iudgement to fall vpon them Oh consider of this thou that hast often beene afflicted by sicknesse losses either of goods friends or any such like crosse I say ponder on it consider how fearefull a thing it is to be afflicted and not purged by affliction to bee stricken with the rods of God and no conuersion to follow What is this but a signe of a fearefull induration Consider another place in the Prophecie of Ieremiah and weigh it well The words be these The bellowes are burnt Iere. 6.29.30 the lead is consumed of the fire the founder melteth in vaine for the wicked are not plucked away Reprobate siluer shall men call them because the Lord hath reiected them Loe here if those afflictions that the Lord hath laid vpon thee doth not better thee nor plucke thee away from thy wickednesse swearing whoring prophaning Gods Sabboth and the like Reprobate siluer shall men call thee and thou maist feare the Lord hath reiected thee Let a third vse of this doctrine therefore be admonition Vse 3 to euery one of vs to make a good vse of these means when the Lord affordeth them let it be our wisedome to feare the rod and who hath appointed it Gods rods are speaking rods and haue a voice with them Mic. 6.9 and commonly call for repentance and turning looke to it therfore that thou beest not a non-proficieus in this Schoole let euery crosse purge away some drosse and filth wherefore doth the Lord send them but for this end let not God loose his end but let thy crosses become corrections now how are they corrections when they worke no amendment Be not thou more fearefull of being afflicted then thou art carefull of not being reformed by that thy affliction and so maist thou haue great comfort that thy affliction is sanctified vnto thee that it is a part of Christs crosse and not of Adams curse Be carefull to come out better then thou wentest in for if thou beest hardned not melted thou art clay not gold The last vse may be comfort for Gods elect for seeing Vse 4 that afflictions are so good and profitable as the effectes thereof doe declare prouing as wholesome medicines and fatherly chastisements to amend and reforme vs what cause haue Gods children to groane so much vnder the burthen many are readie through the Deuils suggestions to make hard conclusions against themselues in time of trouble as if God had forsaken them or that they were cast out of his fauour but consider why doth the Lord send them what effectes doth he worke by them surely no other then to bring thee to himselfe these are but like the dogge of our good shepheard to fetch vs into his fold he setteth them but as thornes and bryars to keepe vs from running on in that same smooth and pleasant passage which leadeth to destruction Doth he take from vs health wealth ease peace or the like yet he dealeth no otherwise with vs then Dauid did with Saul 1 Sam. 26. who finding him sleeping in his campe would neither slay him himselfe nor suffer Abnâ—â— to slay him onely he tooke away his speare and his water-pot which also after he had wakned him he restored againe no way intending his destruction Thus dealeth God with vs who many times findeth vs sleeping in our sinnes when we should be waking yet he slayeth vs not neither intendeth our destruction but happily taketh from vs those things wherein we place our strength and trust which also after we are awaked he restoreth againe vnto vs in a most gracious manner What cause then hast thou to murmure or complaine when thou art afflicted nay how great cause hast thou of thankesgiuing and reioycing Be not then deceiued it is needfull and profitable for thee to drinke of this cup it was good for Dauid that he was afflicted and as good for thee and me and the rest of Gods children Be not then cast downe vnder the hand of God Of al hearbs in the garden esteeme of Rue and patience And thus much be spoken of this motiue the sence of his misery now for the next which is the perswasion of his Fathers mercy The point hence will be Doctr. Sence of Gods mercy