feele them and set himselfe on some merrie pinne to face out the matter as if hee were at good ease when all this is eyther a senselesse estate more void of comfort then of feeling or a laughter in the face when the heart is heauie or the laughter of fooles as Salomon sayth whose propertie is to laugh most when they haue least cause Thirdly what true ioy or cause of ioy can he haue on whom the sentence of condemnation is passed the execution of which sentence hee may daily expect Surely the greatest Monarch aliue if hee were in chaines vnder his greatest Enemie and condemned to dye could take no ioy of his wealth greatnesse or of any earthly delight but wicked men are in the chaines of the Deuill and abide vnder the sentence of death euer readie to feed vpon them Baltazer indeede was merrie and in his Reuels with his Princes but what cause had hee when the Hand-writing appeared on the wall So Amnon was merry in his brother Absoloms House but what cause had hee seeing men were appointed presently to kill him Let a wicked man be as merry as hee will sure it is his estate giues him no leaue Fourthly what can minister true ioy to him that hath no part in any of Gods Ordinances which begin and perfect the ioy of Gods people First for the Word of God hee refuseth the ioyfull tydings of his saluation the doctrine of free Remission of sinnes which onely bringeth lasting ioy he hath no part in nor in that Redemption purchased by Christ and published in the Gospell thus the word is a bill of Inditement to him Secondly the Sacraments seale nothing to him but are as seales set to blankes for hauing no part in the Couenant hee hath nothing by the seales onely hee makes himselfe guilty of the bodie and bloud of Christ as Iudas did and for want of faith eates and drinkes his owne damnation Thirdly Prayer from him is not onely not heard but euen abominable besides hee hath no helpe of Christs intercession for he prayes not for the World nor of the Prayers of Gods people because he is not of that communion Fourthly the duties of his calling are sinne to him To the impure all things are impure euen his best actions exclude him out of heauen neyther can a man haue any ioy of his actions till he can reioyce that his person is a member of Christ. Fiftly the creatures of God hee can no more truely reioyce in then a Thiefe can of a true mans purse neyther can that be true ioy in the creature that riseth from the creature resteth in the creature and goeth no higher then the creature but such is the wicked mans ioy Sixtly lesse ioy can hee haue in his sufferings or sorrowes because their nature being not altered they are no tokens of loue nor tend to their good as in the godly but are punishments in part and in hand and flashes of Gods euerlasting wrath and beginnings of Hell In the Lord. from this limitation which is the third part of the verse we may learne this instruction namely that All the reioycing of godly men ought to bee in the Lord that is spirituall and Christian a ioy worthy the Lord. And then it is spirituall and Christian when it hath two conditions First when it is in the Lord as the authour and fountaine of all the good wee can enioy or ioy in yea the matter of our ioy Secondly when it is in the Lord that is according to the will of the Lord and not against it so the phrase is vsed 1. Cor. 7. 39. Let her marry onely in the Lord that is according to Gods Word and direction and not against it First God must be the authour and matter of our ioy as Dauid made the Lord his Song all the day long for First how great reason haue wee to make him the matter of our ioy of whom wee are all that wee are both in our first and second Creation He is the Potter and we are the Clay nay we are his new Creation and workemanship regenerated iustified sanctified and saued are become his by a new couenant in which hee accepts vs as children reconciled by the death of his Sonne in whom wee may reioyce as in a mercifull Father yea as a wife married to a most louing husband by vertue whereof she hath interest into his person and whole estate Of this the Apostle speaketh Rom. 5. 11. Wee reioyce in God through our Lord Iesus Christ by whom we haue receiued the atonement Secondly this ioy is most perfect which riseth of the presence of that which is most perfect and the greater the good enioyed is the greater is the ioy and therefore in Heauen it shall be most perfect and glorious because wee shall perfectly enioy God and see him as hee is in whose face is fulnesse of ioy Thirdly to make God the matter of our ioy is to perpetuate our ioy and make choise of that which shall neuer faile vs for as GOD himselfe is euerlasting so shall the ioy of his people bee like a streame which continually runs knoweth not the yeere of drought yea it shall hold out in dangers troubles and persecution Romans 5. 3. as the Martyrs reioyced in the verie flames What may wee not ioy in outward things as meat drinke wife children wealth honour c. Yes but neuer out of God or without reference vnto him neyther in outward nor inward things we hold all in capite and must bee Homagers of all vnto him hee must haue the glorie of all as Ier. 9. 23. 24. Let not the rich man reioyce in his riches nor the wise man in his wisedome c. but herein let him glorie that he knoweth mee to be mercifull and righteous this must be the chiefe pleasure honour riches and wisedome of a Christian to know God reconciled and to hold all in this tenure We may also reioyce in the meanes of saluation but if wee reioyce not onely in Gods fauour but desire to bring something of our owne towards it as the ignorant or wilfull Papists doe This is not to reioyce in the Lord but in our selues We must reioyce in our Prayers but onely because God is a God hearing Prayer in our hearing reading and receiuing of the Word with ioy but in this respect to God that hee teacheth and speaketh to the soule in the duties of our callings but because we are in Gods Worke in the duties of loue but because we lend to the Lord and feed and cloath Christ in all the comforts of life in the wife of our youth in gracious children in prosperitie c. but because and so farre as these are pledges and fruits of Gods fauour in Christ. Yea more we must reioyce in aduersitie and tribulation because it is that estate which God sees best for vs yea in death it selfe but as it is a going to GOD to enioy him more immediately
to Gods iustice and wrath like prodigall ding-thrifts that neuer regard how much they runne vpon the score and neuer think that a day of reckoning and payment will come If wee see a man who is a borrower of euery man and takes no care to pay any man wee vvill conclude he must needs breake one day And many vvho scorne shame at such courses with men are bold with the Lord and runne in with him still but let the Creditor care for his debts they will not torment themselues with them Many deceiue themselues and thinke GOD respects not their sinnes especially if they bee small ones but small or great they be vvritten vp and stand in Gods debt-booke or inuentorie till they bee wiped away the least debt imputed casts thee into perpetuall prison Besides seest thou not what a fearefull debt one sinne of ADAM hath brought vpon vs all Secondly considerest thou not how the LORD enquires to punish sinne in the third and fourth generation euen as the fathers debt is required of his sonne and posteritie Thirdly thou that owest the least doest thou not owe too much already and if thou summe vp thy Debt-booke thou shalt see thou hadst neede runne in no farther for thou art so farre in as thou must be sold for it or else CHRIST must for thee Fourthly thou that thinkest sinne a small thing and a trifling or dribbling debt consider of the blood of Christ and the merit of it which must wash away small sinnes as well as great Consider the forfeit in the exquisitenesse and eternitie of the torments of hell and then tell me how small a mote sinne is Thirdly seek to come out of debt and that is by seeking pardon of our debt Math. 5. 25. Agree with thine Aduersarie while thou art in the way The aduersarie is the Lord who will prosecute and put his bond in suite against vs and the greater the Creditor the more heauie is the debt it will be our wisedome to agree with him in the way whilest hee friendly reasoneth with vs in the Ministrie lest Death the Lords Sergeant arrest vs and we be cast into perpetuall prison into hell neuer to bee released Pray and intreat him as Christ hath taught to remit our debts not to impute not to require them not to exact our forfeits not to sue our bond nor cast vs into prison but to pardon our faults and punishment and accept of Christs satisfaction whereby hee hath cancelled that handwriting which was to bee layed against vs and by fasting it to his crosse did crosse out all our reckoning and seeing he must be satisfied pray him to take it out of his Sonnes coffers who is become suretie for vs. Fourthly acknowledge a wonderfull mercie of God to forgiue and not impute so great a debt for a rich man to forgiue a poore man a debt of a pound or two would be thankefully taken our God rich in mercie forgiues our debt not by pieces and not because he cannot get it from vs but freely and fully forgiues the whole debt Luk. 12. Did not I forgiue thee all yes the good Samaritane will discharge all for vs. Now in way of thankefulnesse what remaines for vs to doe but First beware of running into further debt A man that hath felt the burden of debt and hath bin in bonds will make hard shift to keepe out and doe not thou heape vp wrath against thy selfe Secondly though we shall daily by corruption runne vpon scores yet wee must take heed our debts stand not too long in Gods Booke vnraysed but daily renew our repentance and so wipe them away As they be daily written let them bee daily blotted out let them not bee like the sinnes of Iudah written with a penne of iron and with the point of a Diamond Thirdly if thy Creditor forgiue thee all Luk. 12. goe thou and doe the like bee mercifull as thy heauenly Father is mercifull In wrongs and iniuries offered abstaine from malice and reuenge count the wrong and iniurie as if it were not impute it not for thus thy heauenly Father doth with thee and thus thou desirest hee should doe for thee Wouldest thou haue an Ocean of mercie fall vpon thee and wilt not thou let a drop fall on thy brother Thus shalt thou testifie thy thankefulnesse and thus as Rom. 3. 5. our vnrighteousnesse shall commend the righteousnesse and glory of God which is not in the nature of our sinne so to doe for our sinne rather rewards him with shamefull contempt and dishonour but First both in respect of his admirable goodnesse in pardoning so great sinnes Secondly and our thankefull acknowledging of that grace in walking answerable and worthie of it The second thing in this phrase is The person that must not impute sinne is the Lord Isa. 43. 25. I euen I am he that putteth away thine iniquities for mine owne sake and will not remember thy sinnes So Chap. 48. 9. 11. For my Names sake will I deferre my wrath and for my prayse will I refraine it from thee that I cut thee not off For mine owne sake for mine owne sake will I doe it For first not all the Angels and Saints in the World whether in Heauen or Earth can forgiue the least sinne because they cannot satisfie the debt nor cancell the bond Secondly the Scribes and Pharises saw cleerly though blind in many other things that none but GOD could forgiue sinnes Luk. 5. 21. Thirdly the Lord is the father of mercies and the God of all comfort whereas there is no comfort without pardon of sinne And with thee is mercie Psal. 130. 3. that is with thee alone to whom it is proper to say I will forgiue sinne Fourthly who can forgiue sinne but he who is a God like thee that passest by the iniquitie of thy people who can remit a debt but he to whom it is due If another doe it he abuseth both the Creditor and debtor Whose sinnes yee remit they shal be remitted therefore Ministers can remit sinne and not God alone God onely remits sinne by his proper authoritie and power which is here meant the Minister onely ministerially declaring that which God doth Can Ministers remooue burdens giue a couer large enough and remit anothers debt Is my sinne against a Priest or against the Pope of Rome that he must bestow pardon on me Shall I hide me vnder the Saints wings or what bond of theirs haue I broken which they can release mee of Nay rather say First Against thee against thee haue I sinned and prayeth for mercie onely from him Secondly If I owe a man nothing I care not for his forgiuenesse and forbearance Thirdly There mercie is a poore mercy I need a rich mercy Eph. 2. 4. God rich in mercy 1. Pet. 1. 3. who of his great mercy hath begot vs. Theirs is too strait a mercy I need those large mercies of which Dauid speakes Ps. 119. 156. Thy compassions
heresie vpon these rather then the godly not deseruing it Thirdly this is a ground of instruction how to carry our selues towards them that are afflicted in soule and soundly humbled that we aggrauate not their sinnes or the danger of their estate but rather comfort them seeing they can and doe speake more basely and thinke more vilely of themselues then we can doe It is the part of a miserable comforter to adde sorrow to the afflicted Old Eli should haue had more compassion on Annah and not haue beene so inconsiderate as to say shee was drunken Oh my Lord said she I am not drunken but my soule is troubled within mee 1. Sam. 1. 16. It was the fault of Iobs friends that in stead of comfort they went about to proue him an hypocrite Of such the Church complaineth in the Canticles Thus I was wounded in the house of my friends If Gods childrens estate be alreadie heauy they lay it heauier on them But blessed is he that wisely iudgeth the poore Fourthly seeing in confession of sinne a man should become his owne greatest enemie we must conscionably vse the meanes to become our owne enemies not the enemies of our bodies but of our owne body of sinne And what are these meanes These First let vs search and sift our selues our estates and wayes Zeph. 2. 1. Fanne your selues fanne your selues O Nation not worthy to be loued Lam. 3. 40. Let vs search and try our wayes and turne againe vnto the Lord. Let vs carry lights into our soules to see the secrets of them Ier. 3. 13. Know thine iniquitie How by the Law of God whereby commeth knowledge of sinne the more insight into the Law the more sight of sinne miserie being right it selfe it is index sui obliqui shewing vs what to do and what is done amisse See Ier. 6. 8. Secondly let vs take knowledge of the rottennesse and corruptnesse of our nature for if wee could see our nature aright we should finde iust cause enough to hate our selues it being a stinking sinke a filthy puddle and an impure fountaine that sends forth muddy streames a bitter roote sending out odious fruit such as whereby we shew our selues enemies to God and righteousnesse hauing the spawne of all sinne in our hearts Thirdly meditate on the greatnesse of sinne examine in what degree and circumstances thou hast sinned and as thou hast risen in the degrees of sinne so rise accordingly in the degrees of humiliation and hatred of them and of thy selfe for them A low degree of humiliation will not serue Dauid and Manasseh when their sinnes are in high degrees Fourthly let vs looke vpon our sinnes in the numberlesse kindes of them in the fountaine and streames of them in wandring thoughts idle words and prophane hurtfull actions sinnes by omission of good and commission of euill sinnes of knowledge and presumption or of ignorance Psal. 19. 12. for many sinnes we know not which we must giue vp to the Lord to bee searched by him and by his mercy either to be brought to our remembrance or graciously passed by sinnes of youth or past to repent vs of them and of age either present to grone vnder them or future to feare and preuent In regard hereof say Lord who knoweth the errours of this life they are in number as the haires of our head Fiftly let vs labour to see the danger of our sinnes for he that sees an euill will be the more carefull to preuent the danger of it First see the danger of sinne in the infinite Maiestie of God offended for he will set himselfe stubbornely against all offenders that haue not set themselues against themselues in regard of their sinnes and put forth his wrath in flaming fire to render vengeance vpon the disobedient Secondly in trampling vnder foote the blood of the Couenant as an vnholy thing God sent his onely Son Christ Iesus from heauen to take our nature vpon him and to shed his blood for vs and yet in sinning we tread it vnder foote what a dangerous thing is this See Heb. 10. 29. Thirdly in quenching the motions of Gods good Spirit who hath often striuen with vs in the ministerie and betrusted vs with his gifts and graces Ephes. 4. 30. 1. Thes. 5. 19. Fourthly in staining our honourable profession which we should rather haue adorned and beautified as though other men would not debase our profession enough vnlesse we doe too We should walke worthy of our high Calling 1. Thes. 2. 12. and in holinesse whereunto we are called chap. 4. 7. being Saints by calling 1. Cor. 1. 2. and ought to bee holy as hee which hath called vs is holy 1. Pet. 1. 15. What a shame is it to infringe so excellent priuiledges Fiftly in repetition of sinne when wee commit the same sinne againe againe euery yeere moneth weeke and day yea euery moment of the day Better had it been for vs to haue been Gentiles and Painims who neuer knew the trueth then to heare sinne reprooued and yet rush presumptuously into it and after repentance to wallow againe in the mire See 2. Pet. 2. 21 22. it is a pittifull and lamentable thing that a man should wash himselfe from sinne by repentance and then go and pull Gods vengeance vpon him againe by tumbling himselfe in them Sixthly and lastly the danger of sinne is great because wee haue sinned against such great meanes of sanctification as namely first against our vowes made in baptisme and renued in the supper or which wee haue made of our selues vpon certaine occasions that wee would doe such or such things no more all these wee haue kept very slenderly or not at all whereas ciuill honestie requires performance of a promise made to man and is it nothing not to keep touch with God who hath commanded vs to keepe touch with men Remember the precept Eccles. 5. 3. Secondly against the light and checkes of conscience and is this nothing Christ saith This is the condemnation of the world that light is come into the world and men loue darknesse more then the light Rom. 1. 18 21. Wee reade that God plagued the Gentiles for neglecting the means of knowledge by the creatures how much more will he punish vs that professe the light of grace and yet spurne against it as if we were still in the night of darkenesse how many among vs liue in a number of sinnes more odiously then did many of the Gentiles who could liue somewhat ciuilly and honestly in respect of our outragious enormities Thirdly against many of Gods corrections both in our selues and in others when a childe receiues no good by correction we thinke his parents wil goe neere to thrust him out of doores so is it betweene God and vs. See an excellent place Dan. 5. 18. to 29. Because we are no whit benefited by other mens chastizements the sentence is not far off but
them all things falling out to the best to them that loue God Neither may it be strange that although remission of sinne be the ground of all deliuerances yet all that haue remission of sinne haue not deliuerance from temporall dangers but some of the Saints are hewne asunder tempted slaine burnt hanged and ignominiously put to death For as the subiection of the creatures to vs dependeth vpon our subiection to God and our peace with men vpon our keeping peace with God so our subiection and peace with God here being only begunne and imperfect we must recouer our safetie from the creatures and peace with men but in part and imperfectly But yet that which is wanting here is recompensed with spirituall peace euen here as Ioh. 16. 33. In the world yee shall haue affliction but in me yee shall haue peace and afterward with that peace that is euerlasting First then where God begins our safetie let vs begin it in labouring to feele our inward peace with God which will quiet our hearts in the assurance of Gods prouidence and protection in outward things it will be an easie descent from the greater to the lesse In the want of outward things say to thy selfe God out of his loue hath giuen me his owne Sonne and will hee not giue mee all things with him Shall he giue me heauen and not earth In the want of inward comforts say to thy soule Why art thou cast downe my soule while I was yet an enemie and a sinner God hath reconciled me by the death of his Sonne how should hee now cast mee off being reconciled In bodily dangers what a prop doth this doctrine giue vs Hath my Lord prouided with so much cost so great saluation for my soule and will he neglect to saue and preserue my bodie hee that doeth the greater will not hee doe the lesse In molestation by externall aduersaries What hath my Lord and head foiled the Deuill for me troden Satan vnder my feet and trampled vpon all spirituall enmities for mee and will hee not beate backe the endeuours and vniust practices of my enemies Shall I beleeue the greater and not beleeue the lesse Secondly in receiuing and enioying outward benefits labour to see them all to be the riuers streames of this fountaine for then they be sweet indeed as the streame is then sweet when the head and fountaine is so but if the Fountaine be bitter or poisoned so are the streames For first they are no further mercies then they proceede from mercy and then they be mercies indeed as they are called Secondly else we enioy them by a broken title if not by vertue of the Couenant and euen those creatures are in a kinde of bondage from which God frees them often by plucking them from vniust owners as Hos. 2. 9. Thirdly else we distinguish not our selues from the wicked scarce from the beasts who find and taste the sweetnesse of the creatures as we do but not of GOD in them Naturall men stay in the fruition and delight of the things themselues and can goe no further whereas as the riuers lead vs to the sea so ought wee to bee led by them to the minde of the Lord towards vs in them Fourthly those that delight themselues in the pleasures and delights of things below and want the pardon of sinne are as if a man should drinke off a cup of sweet poyson with much delight but presently or not long after it workes deadly Thy sinne is poyson which thou castest into the cup that the Lord hath made to run ouer Fiftly a little gift with loue and good will is more acceptable then a great deale with strife and grudging If a man can see Gods loue and good will toward him in Christ hee will be content with a little thankefull for a little cheerefull with a little and his portion though very small will bee very precious Sixtly if assurance of remission of sinnes giueth vs such ioy in trouble and affliction that the Saints can reioyce in tribulation Rom. 5. 3. how will it reioyce the heart in the fruition of Gods mercies Oh then how ought we to labour earnestly by the eye of faith to discerne the beames of Gods loue and fauour chasing away the cloud of our sinnes without which all our comforts are but bitter and vnsauorie Thirdly hence gather the priuiledge of Gods children to whom remission of sinnes is sealed vp which is to be secure either from perils or in perils For first once in Gods Couenant and euer safe for the couenant is vnchangeable as God himselfe is an euerlasting couenant Isai. 55. 3. Secondly their afflictions are not punishments of sinne but either tryals or louing corrections the sting of them is gone Thirdly whereas the wicked whose sinne is not pardoned are haunted and vexed with terrours and feare where no feare is a godly man is as bold as a Lyon yea in the presence and sense of danger Iob 5. 22. Thou shalt not bee afraid of destruction when it commeth but shalt laugh at destruction and death For the stones shall be at league with thee and the beasts c. Who would not be exempted from danger or fearelesse in danger as seeing his owne safetie Surely the way is to get the Lords louing countenance vp vpon vs and then we shall be safe Psal. 80. 3. 7 19. Thou art my secret place THe Prophet borroweth a comparison from liuing creatures who being in danger or in chase or pursuit haue their hiding places to defend themselues in the Lyon hath his denne the Foxe his hole the Conie his burrow and the Godly man hath his asyle or refuge but with this difference First the beasts haue their dens caues in the earth wherin they hide themselues but the godly hath his hiding or secret place in heauen Secondly they may be fetcht and hunted out of their hiding places and be destroyed for all them but so cannot the godly who make God their secret place seeing none is able to plucke them out of his hands who is stronger then all Hence we may note that The Lord is the hiding place of the godly in trouble and danger As a man in a storme or showre seeketh shelter so in the stormes of the Church and Common-wealth in which the enemies thunder and roare and seeme to mingle all into one confusion then the Name of the Lord is a strong Tower the righteous flye vnto it Psal. 27. 5. In the time of trouble hee hath hid me Psal. 91. 1. The godly is said to dwell in the secret of the most High How is the Lord the hiding place of the godly First by his promise Secondly by his protection First his promise couereth and compasseth his Elect vnder which they are as safe as in a towne of warre Psal. 119. 114. Thou art my shield I trust in thy Word Many were the plots which Dauids enemies impugned him withall
to doe as well as beleeue is true But God commands euery man to keep the whole Law and therefore that euery man keepes the whole Law is true Euery man is bound to beleeue his owne saluation Therefore it is true euery man shall be saued Let them loose these knots by one and the same answere For they are parallel But leauing the manner of the reason we wil a little examin the matter in both the parts of it That say they which God commands a man to beleeue is true or else God commands a man to beleeue a Lye and condemnes a man for not beleeuing a Lye Answ. Fie vpon such Pamphlets vnworthy Christian eyes or eares which blindly and blasphemously cry out vpon God as a Lyar a Teacher of Lyes a Deluder and Tenderer of Lyes and Falsehood if they cannot obtaine Paradoxes strange to Diuinitie and turne the truth of God into a Lye But in a word their Proposition is euer true in respect of Gods intent of binding them but not of the euent of their beleeuing Obiect Why doth God command men to beleeue this or that and not intend that they should doe so in the euent Answ. It is no absurditie neyther in Commandements of faith nor of obedience to command that in precept which in the euent hee intendeth not For the former When Ionah went preached Yet fortie dayes Nineue shall be destroyed was not euery one in Nineue bound to beleeue that within that space their Citie should be destroyed And seeing in the euent the Citie was not destroyed shall a blacke mouth step out and say God commanded them to beleeue a lye or if they should not haue beleeued and repented had they beene condemned for not beleeuing a lye For the latter God commandeth Abraham to kill his Sonne wherein all men see He intended not the obedience in the euent for himselfe hindred it but only the tryal and proofe of Abraham So doth God looke for the act and obedience of Faith a fruit of the Spirit from the Reprobate destitute of the Spirit when he commādeth them to beleeue or rather intendeth he not to tye them to try them conuince them make them justly damnable for breaking not onely the Commandement of the Law but of Faith also Secondly The same Commandement of beleeuing to diuers persons is true but in a diuers maner and so diuersly bindeth It bindeth the Elect to beleeue that by beleeuing hee might atteyne saluation It biddeth the Wicked also beleeue but to the end that by not beleeuing hee should bee made inexcusable Obiect But in this latter sort doth not the Commaundement of God plainely fight with his decree when he commandeth that which he would not haue done Answ. Gods reuealed Will is neuer contrarie to his Decree or good pleasure but often diuers both in the manner of propounding and in the meanes of proceeding and in the euents as appeareth in the retrait of Hezekiahs sentence Thou shalt dye and not liue For promises are vnderstood with condition of faith and threats with exception of repentance The like may be said of deliberatiue propositions such as that to Moses Let me alone that I may destroy them for sometimes the Lord in reuealing his will concealeth some part sometimes limiteth yea and sometimes changeth his reuealed will when it includeth some condition depending vpon some euent Obiect But is not this to delude men to command them to beleeue who cannot beleeue And would not a man thinke him a mocker that should say to a stone Beleeue which he knowes cannot Answ. 1. This impotencie that the world cannot beleeue is voluntary and imbred in vs God is no cause of it and therefore deserues no excuse 2. God hath most glorious ends of propounding the obiect of faith that is Christ and his merits generally to all and not to delude men as first to manifest the riches of his grace who would haue none to perish but rather come to the knowledge of his truth Secondly to glorifie his truth setting it in the light as the Sunne in the heauens to be seene of all eyes Thirdly to rebuke the wickednes of the world and conuince it of sin by setting vp a publike ministerie by which vnbeleeuers might be made inexcusable and iustly perish by their owne fault who will not receiue saluation offered So much of the former Proposition Now to the second or assumption But euery one is bound to beleeue his owne election and redemption This Proposition is to bee vnderstood with two cautions 1. A man is bound to beleeue his owne election and saluation not primarily but secondarily namely he must first become a beleeuer a member of Iesus Christ and a penitent sinner and then beleeue his election and saluation For he must beleeue it as a true Proposition and not as a thing vtterly false 2. He is bound to beleeue his own Redemption vnlesse himselfe put a barre or hinderance in his owne way as euery wicked man doth The reason of this is because hee must onely beleeue his owne saluation to whom God hath promised it for what is it to beleeue but to lay hold vpon the promise But what hath God promised to any wicked man so persisting All the threats and curses of the Law are his portion Againe the promise of eternall life is made first to Christ and then by consequent to all that beleeue in him are members of his body and to no other And surely I take this to be a great feeder of this error because men consider not the difference betweene the Commandement and Promise of God the former being more generall then this latter for the Commandement is to all beleeuers and vnbeleeuers but the Promise is only to beleeuers Obiect But the Promise is generall and Christ is proclaimed and preached a common Sauiour to all men Answ. The Promise is generall in propounding it as is meet first because the elect are mingled with the wicked and secondly because hereby the wicked shall be made inexcusable seeing they cannot plead ignorance or want of meanes But one thing is vniuersall in respect of the meanes another in respect of efficacie for the promise of the Gospell is not effectuall to all persons but to all sorts of persons Secondly One thing it is to bee promiscuously expounded and propounded to all another to bee certainly receiued and perceiued of seuerall beleeuers So much of the first obiection from the necessitie of beleeuing euery mans particular redemption The second obiection is taken from the vniuersalitie of Gods election thus framed Whosoeuer are elected by God are redeemed by Christ But all and euery particular man is elected And therefore euery particular man is redeemed The proposition or former part of the reason being true wee put them to the proofe of the assumption namely that euery particular man is elected Which they thus attempt Whomsoeuer God loueth him he hath elected But God loueth all and
aduersities presse him disease paine him dangers threaten him sense of sinne pricke him conscience of guilt wound him and corruption worke vpon him now is a time of seeking God in his promises now is a time ofneede when a man sees his owne weakenesse now is the time of obedience to that commandement Is any afflicted let him pray And Psal. 50. Call vpon me in the day of thy trouble and the prayer of faith shall saue the sicke Now is a time when men lay fast hold vpon God and will not let him goe whereas in the time of peace we hold God but carelessely When Iaacob wrestled with the Angell he would not let him goe till he had blessed him Affliction is as bellowes to our prayer to kindle and blow vp this grace to a great flame and brightnesse Thirdly no godly man will pray to any but the true God in trouble First because euery godly man knowes that whom hee prayes vnto hee makes him omniscient that must see the wants of all men and all the desires of all mens hearts he makes him omnipresent that must receiue all the prayers preferred in all the corners of the world and he makes him omnipotent able to supply all the wants which are made knowne vnto him Secondly the ground of all prayer is the Couenant as Isa. 64. 9. Now O Lord thou art our Father loe we beseech thee behold we are all thy people and Psal. 77. 4. Euery godly man knowes that the Couenant is made betweene God and his people and that all the promises of helpe in the Scripture are his and none else can lay claime to vs but God as Dauid said Psal. 119. Therefore godly men being in couenant with none but God they will pray to none but God Thirdly euery godly man knowes the commandement Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and him onely shalt thou serue he knowes that God is a iealous God and admits no corriualls for his glory he will giue to no other see Psal. 27. 8. Fourthly euery godly man knowes that hee must beleeue in him on whom hee calleth Rom. 10. 14. And hence it is called the prayer of faith therefore as he must beleeue onely in the Father Sonne and holy Ghost so he onely calles vpon them Fifthly euery godly man knowes that if the Spirit direct his prayer it teacheth him to call Abba Father and if his prayer be squared to the rule of prayer he must goe to our Father which is in heauen He that is a Iew within hates Samaritane-worship who worshipped they knew not what but hee knowes what hee worshippeth Iohn 4. 22. Well if this be so then no godly man euer did or wil pray to the Angels or Saints or to the Court of heauen for this is an high vngodlinesse and idolatrie for First the Angels know not our hearts directly 1. Kin. 8. 39. Heare thou in heauen in thy dwelling place and be mercifull and doe and giue euery man according to all his waies as thou knowest his heart for thou onely knowest the hearts of all the children of men here we see that it is Gods priuiledge to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And if hee onely then not the Angels who therefore are not able to know our wants Secondly the Angels are but fellow-seruants and not gods to be worshipped Thirdly they refuse all religious worship and seruice and honour sauing honor charitatis that is to be loued Reuel 22. 9. See thou doe it not for I am thy fellow-seruant as if he had said If I were God thou mightest worship me Yea but Ioshua fell downe before the Angell and worshipped him chap. 5. 14. It was the Lord himselfe the Captaine of the Lords hoste that is Lord of the Angels and he is bid to put off his shooes as Moses was when God was present Also IOSHVA called him IEHOVA which can agree to none but God IOSHVA non adorâsset sinon agnouisset Deum saith ORIGEN Or lastly IOSHVA was but a man and subiect to infirmities as we are and therefore his action if it had been sinfull may not be our rule Reuel 8. 3. Another Angell came and stood before the Altar hauing a golden censer and much odours was giuen vnto him that he should offer with the prayers of all Saints vpon the golden altar which is before the throne Therefore we must both inuocate them and they offer our prayers to God First by prayers are meant the prayers of the Saints in earth Secondly by the Angell is meant Christ himselfe who elsewhere is called the Angell of the couenant he offers our prayers and the thuribulum aureum the golden censer is corpus eius sanctum and the Altar is himselfe who sanctifieth our prayers as the Altar doth the gift Augustine Thirdly heere is but one Angell to offer our prayers and if it were a created Angell it yeeldeth no ground to inuocate all as the Papists doe naming them seuerally Michael Gabriel Raphael c. Secondly as not to the Angels so neither will a godly man pray to the Saints departed for First Whom haue I in heauen but thee Psalm 73. 25. Whom the Papists will say Abraham Isaac Iaacob and the rest Well but Dauid had none of them Adam Abraham and other godly men were then in heauen yet hee knew not their helpe Secondly the Saints in heauen know not our wants Isa. 63. 16. Doubtlesse thou art our Father though Abraham be ignorant of vs and Israel know vs not If so great Patriarkes saith Augustine knew not what became of the people surely neither did other dead persons know If ABRAHAM and IAACOB know vs not no more doth PETER PAVL the blessed Virgin nor any other of the Saints Thirdly euery godly man will goe to the Father by the Sonne for none comes to the Father but by the Son and There is no Mediatour but one euen the man Christ Iesus 1. Tim. 2. 5. Indeede there is but one Mediatour of redemption but moe of intercession and it is great boldnesse to rush into the Kings presence if way be not made by some of his Councell or Guard Absolom could not come into his Fathers sight but by Ioabs intercession nor Adoniah to Salomon but by his mother First Christ hath performed the whole office of mediation euery way and is our whole saluation and the Scripture was much ouer-seene to omit that distinction if any such were where it had so fit place and necessitie did so vrgently require it Secondly the King hath commanded that we should mediate onely by the Prince and not by any other of the Court or counsell of heauen Thirdly it is a carnall argument from things earthly and ciuill to heauenly and spirituall as in the instance of Ioab and Salomons Mother Fourthly it is but a glosse to vse their distinction seeing euery where they pray the Saints to intercede for them not only by their prayers but also by their
well as in crauing mercies they expresse this condition and binde themselues the surer vnto it as Psal. 51. 14. Deliuer me from bloud O Lord and my tongue shall sing ioyfully to thy righteousnesse Hence sprung all those holy vowes of the Saints as of Iaakob Gen. 28. 20 21. and that of Dauid which hee would performe in the midst of the people Psal. 116. 14. This is the ende why God deliuers vs the ende of his mercies and therefore is better then the deliuerance Secondly it is a good thing to praise the Lord Psal. 92. 1. and it well becomes the iust to bee thankefull Psal. 33. 1. for first hereby the Lord shall haue his due which is a part of iustice He is content that we haue the good of his creatures but he reserues the praise of them to himselfe still He is content we should haue the comfort of them onely with this reseruation that the glory of them be his still Secondly it is good for vs for al the benefit of our thankes comes to our selues seeing by it we both retaine the old and inuite new mercies Thirdly it is impossible for such as haue truely tasted Gods mercies but to speake of it sense of mercy in the heart will vntie the tongue fire wil not be kept close but will breake forth And heere is a plaine difference betweene the godly and the wicked They reioyce in the Lord for his mercy whereas the most that these can do is to reioyce in the mercy not in the Lord as a false friend that delights more in the gift of his friend then in the giuer Fourthly the godly know that God doth require not onely the heart to acknowledge him but the tongue as well as that whereby we doe not onely praise God our selues but also excite and stirre vp others to the same And then a mans tongue is his glory when it can readily glorifie God and this sometimes by bare voice and speech and sometimes by singing out his praises as in this place Nay the whole man which is so continuall a receiuer is little enough to manifest the praise of the giuer and because the mercies of God follow all the life of man the whole life and conuersation ought to be framed to the glorifying of God and to expresse our thankfulnesse Fifthly vnthankfulnesse for mercies receiued vnbeseemes a reasonable man much more a Christian man The vnreasonable creatures acknowledge their Masters Feeders and Benefactors as the Oxe and the Asse nay the senselesse earth yeelds all her burden to the tillers of it Heb. 6. 7. and the trees and plants all their fruit to the Gardner that trims them Yea this sinne of vnthankfulnesse leades a man to idolatrie makes him sacrifice to his owne net and ascribe things to his owne power wisedome and industry thrusting God out of sight and out of minde It prouoketh God to take away euen his temporall fauours as Hos. 2. 9 10. When Israel said vers 12. of his Corne Wooll and Oyle These are my rewards that my Louers haue giuen me the Lord answered in displeasure I will take away my Corne and Wooll c. And at length the wicked seruant that doeth not trafficke with his Lords talent for his Masters aduantage hath not only his talent taken away but himselfe cast into vtter darkenesse Let vs therefore take heede we depriue not the Lord of this part of his honor but prouoke our selues to thankefulnesse for so great mercies Let no mercy slip vs without thankefull acknowledgement And to this purpose vse these meanes First learne to acknowledge Gods goodnesse to thy selfe with particular application as Dauid saith here Thou shalt compasse me with songs of deliuerance Not only confesse his goodnesse to others as to Abraham Isaac Iaakob nor only his deliuerances of Noah Daniel Lot but also his mercies to and deliuerances of thy selfe as Paul did Christ gaue himselfe for me and dyed for me This will exceedingly whet vp thankefulnesse whereas only to acknowledge God good in himselfe or to others and not to thy selfe will make thee murmure and repine Secondly set before thee the number of Gods mercies and muster them somtimes take a view of them or because they are numberlesse and so large as they reach vp to heauen suruey them in their heads temporall and spirituall positiue and priuatiue publike priuate and personall either continued or renewed according to thy seuerall necessities and so seeing thy selfe compassed with mercies thy songs and praises may be in the same measure as Dauid takes it vp for his practice As he is compassed with mercies so with songs of deliuerance and thou likewise as the mercies thou receiuest are innumerable oughtest to renew thy songs and praises Thirdly highly prize them according to their goodnesse Psal. 116. 12. 13. Dauid valuing and weighing Gods mercies towards him enters first into a deliberation what he might render to the Lord and finding that the Lord was beyond all that he could recompence in the second place he setteth vpon this determination that when he could finde nothing else he would take the cup of saluation and call vpon the Name of the Lord. And we shall much the better prize them if first we consider our miserie without these mercies euen the least we enioy Common mercies are commonly neglected or vnprized because they be so ordinarie the Sunne the Aire Meat and Drinke are common and continuall mercies how miserable were our life without any of them Secondly our vnworthinesse of the least Gen. 32. 9. I am lesse then the least of thy mercies saith Iaakob Nay seeing we haue forfeited all and deserued all the curses of the Law it is Gods mercy that wee are not consumed and a further and more liberall mercy to renew mercy but Thirdly especially if we can receiue them as loue-tokens and pledges of further grace sealing vp vnto vs the Couenant and that spirituall Marriage betweene Christ and vs. A small token from a deare friend but especially of a Louer to his Spouse is therefore most welcome because it assureth of the marriage and further fellowship Fourthly if we consider the greatnesse the excellency the iustice the wisedome the power and the mercy of all Gods workes especially of his mercies that a piece of bread should feed not choke vs is from this greatnesse of power wisedome and mercy Fiftly another meanes to become thankefull is to remember his mercies and not let them slip from vs Psal. 103. 2. My soule praise the Lord and forget not all his benefits and our Sauiour Christ Ioh. 5. 14. saith Thou art made whole goe sinne no more as if he had said Keepe this blessing in memorie and let it euer prouoke thee to thankefulnesse Now the way to recall into our memorie Gods mercies is first by occasion of euery renewed mercy to looke backe to the former and account it as an addition to the other Tradesmen make a
not worthy sayth hee of the least of all the mercies and of all the truth which thou hast shewed vnto thy seruant for with my staffe I passed ouer this Iordan and now I am become two bands And to conclude how little are our hearts stirred to thankesgiuing vnder crosses and afflictions whereas our Commandement is In all things giue thankes euen in crosses and losses We can receiue good from God but no euill whereas our dutie is with Iob to blesse God as well in taking away as in giuing Thus seeing how farre wee are from our dutie let vs iudge our selues and take our selues tardie in the slips and amend what we haue failed in and for time to come so frame this dutie to this Doctrine as God may haue his prayse and we his mercies continued to vs and ours There is yet remaining a third point of Doctrine namely that the matter of the godly mans songs ioy must be spiritual and heauenly as here the ditty of Dauids songs are Gods deliuerances praises of God for deliuerances And this his practice elsewhere Psal. 22. 25. My prayse shall be of thee in the great Congregation Psal. 59. 16. 17. I will sing of thy power and prayse thy mercie see the place Psal. 57. 8. I will sing vnto thee among the Nations And in respect of this argument of all his Psalmes Dauid is called the sweet Singer of Israel 2. Sam. 23. 1. First the Commandement enioyneth vs this Ephes. 5. 19. Speaking vnto your selues in Psalmes and Hymnes and spirituall songs therefore our songs must be spirituall first for matter not prophane Secondly they must proceede from Gods spirit as the Author of them Thirdly they must be framed with honest and gracious wordes beseeming the Spirit Fourthly to a spirituall end which is first Gods glorie and secondly our owne and others edification And in the same place it followes Singing and making melodie in your heart to the Lord euer looking and referring your Psalmes to God as the right obiect of them and our ioy Col. 3. 16. 17. there is required first that our songs come from the Word dwelling plentifully in our hearts Secondly that they be spirituall for the former causes Thirdly that they be to the Lord that is first before the Lord. Secondly to his praise as Ver. 17. Whatsoeuer yee shall doe in word or deede doe all in the name of the LORD IESVS giuing thankes to God and the Father by him and Psal. 37. 4. Delight thy selfe in the Lord. Secondly the godly ought euer to giue testimonie of that heauenly ioy vvhich delighteth their soules and vvhich is a fruit of the spirit Gal. 5. 22. seeing they professe to be led by the spirit and by this they notably incite themselues and inuite others to pietie Thirdly it is fit there be a difference betweene wicked and godly mens songs They sing like themselues either vvickedly vvantonly and filthily or the best of their songs vvhich they sing with any feeling are but vvorldly vvhen their Wine and Oyle are increased and they enioy temporall prosperitie But the godly must be in another tune they must sing because God hath lifted vp the light of his countenance vpon them they haue a peculiar ioy the ioy of Gods people vvhich Dauid desireth the Lord to visit him vvithall Psal. 106. 5. The Stranger enters not into this ioy Prou. 14. 10. Fourthly if the godly should not make their songs of God he should haue little or no praise on earth for all his mercies seeing the vvicked cannot praise him the dead in sinne cannot praise him they can reioyce naturally in eating drinking sporting building and such props of the flesh yea and are neuer so glad as when God is farthest off out of sight and out of minde Now if the Christian man vvho hath a true sense of God should not sing vnto God he should haue no praise at all of all his goodnesse Fiftly the songs of godly men on earth are best when they be the same for kinde and matter with their songs in heauen seeing the same heauenly life and ioy is begun on earth vvhich vve must haue in perfection in heauen and there is no difference but in the degree And this vve see plainely in the Scripture both vvhat is the matter of that new song of the Saints in heauen vvho had gotten victorie ouer the Beast Reuel 15. â— the song of Moses and the song of the Lambe saying Great and maruellous are thy workes Lord God Almightie iust and true are thy wayes King of Saints And that the songs of the godly haue commonly beene of the same argument and matter is cleere by the Church in generall and in the speciall members of it The Church Exod. 15. 1. 2. sang this song vnto the Lord and said in this manner I will sing vnto the Lord the Lord is my strength and my song he is become my saluation c. My song that is first the matter of the song the Lord to whom all praise belongeth and secondly he in whom the Church reioyceth and glorieth all the day long Isa. 5. 1. I will sing to my beloued Christ is the song of the Church the whole booke of Canticles is a song of Christ and the Church which singeth out his beauties perfections and affections and describeth him in excellent manner from top to toe So for the particular members of it Dauid professeth it saying My song shall be of thee all the day long the like we may see of Hanna Zachary Simeon Mary Deborah and Barak Iudg. 5. All whose songs record how they made God their glorie and the matter of their Psalmes and praises in a word they were no other then songs of deliuerance Sixtly let a man turne his face any way else from God let him sing of his wealth of his pleasure or any of the delights of the sonnes of men his song shall be but a short one and as vnsound as short Salomon tryed his heart and tyred himselfe in worldly pleasures treasures honors and all kinde of earthly happinesse but he comes at length to a recantation and sings a new song and tells vs that all that is vnder the Sunne is but vanitie and vexation of spirit And trie it after him who vvill hee shall surely change his note as hee did vvhen his laughter shall be no better in his owne eyes then madnesse and the reason is because nothing out of God can afford matter of sound ioy We see hence what to thinke of musick in Gods seruice of which kinde songs are In the old Testament it was of diuine institution and a part of the ceremoniall Law In the new Testament God requires a more spirituall worship and yet we are allowed vs that musicke whether naturall or artificiall whereby the heart is raised vp and prouoked to glorifie God Is any man merry saith Iames let him sing Psalmes Chap. 5. 13. The conditions of