deuoured by the sword Obiect This maketh for the preuenting of a third obiection For some might say It were good indeed in these regards if wee could repent for our sinnes and wash our selues from our filthinesse but if we do not wee hope wee shall doe well enough while we liue and bee saued when we die For God is not so seuere as men would make him but he is gracious and mercifull and therefore wee meane to take our course and still to proceed in the same and yet I trust to speed as well as the best of them Nay Answer saith the Prophet doe not so for if yee refuse to obey and bee rebellious yee shall bee deuoured with the sword As if he had said God indeed is readie to forgiue and to clense all sorts of sinners that see how and wherein they haue offended and are troubled for their offences resoluing to leaue and forsake them and to practise the contrarie duties but they that refuse to obey and continue in their obstinacy the Lord will neuer forgiue them nor purge them from their iniquities but their sinnes shall cleaue as fast vnto their soules as the die doth vnto crimson or scarlet that can neuer by any Art or strength of man bee reduced to their former whitnesse againe And therefore the Prophet telleth them if ye refuse to obey ye shall be deuoured with the sword it is sure some feareful and strange plague or other shall fall vpon you and vtterly consume you As God hath mercy in abundance for penitent sinners so hath hee iudgements in as great plentie for obstinate rebels that refuse to submit themselues vnto him Now the things before spoken of both blessings and fauors promised to the penitent and plagues and punishments denounced against the obstinate hee confirmeth by one maine argument The mouth of the Lord hath spoken it As if hee should haue said Doct. 11 let men neuer discourse nor obiect on the one side or on the other for God hath said it and hee will doe it Hee is true and cannot lie hee is wise and cannot change hee is iust and cannot bee corrupted he is almightie and cannot bee resisted and therefore whatsoeuer his mouth hath spoken that his hand will bring to passe Hath God then said Vse 1 Whosoeuer eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood Iohn 6.56 hath eternall life and I will raise him vp at the last day then is it impossible that such should euer taste of Gods wrath or sustaine the punishment of eternall death Obiect Oh but Christ is in heauen and wee are in earth and how can wee then eat his body and blood Answ Faith hath a long and an high reach and the spirit of Christ hath as great a reach to conuaie the same vnto vs and our communion with him is not carnall but spirituall Oh Obiect but hauing so many corruptions and rebellions as I haue how is it possible that I should bee clensed The mouth of the Lord hath spoken it Answ and therefore neuer cauill against it nor make question of it any more Indeed vnbeliefe cannot see how this should be effected and therefore ignorant vnbeleeuing Papists haue inuented a carnal maner of eating and drinking the body and blood of Christ And haue found out a Purgatory to scoure off that rust of sin that hath so eaten into mens soules but all such deuises for the washing away of sinne are but as muddy water that will not make vs one whit whiter but rather fowle vs a great deale more Gods meanes onely are effectuall to make vs cleane and pure in his cies and able to stand with boldnesse before him without any feare or trembling On the contrarie Vse 2 this is for the terror of those that haue their consciences so seared through long custome in sinning that notwithstanding all the threatnings denounced against presumptuous sinners they doe continue still in their idlenes their prophannes and all kind of wickednesse let them goe on and let them walke in the waies of their owne hearts and follow their owne counsels Eccles 11.9 and their carnall and wretched desires but withall let them know that for all these things God will bring them to iudgement And if ignorance will not wholly excuse men but that they shall bee punished for their offences then how many and how grieuous shall their stripes be that know their masters will and doe it not Surely if Christ shall come in flaming fire to render vengeance to those that doe not know him 2. Thes 1.8 much more will hee come in wrath and indignation against those that doe know and yet will not obey the Gospel But as for those that see their infirmities and daily lament and grieue for them and striue against them let such be of good comfort Reuel 2.2 their painfull labour is known vnto the Lord and their earnest desire of faith and loue and repentance is a grace well pleasing to the Lord And they shall not onely finde mercie for the pardon of their sinnes and grace for the sanctifying of their soules but outward blessings also for their estate for the mouth of Lordhath spoken it The fourth Sermon of the Lords Supper 2. CHRON. 30.19 c. Verse 18. The good Lord bee mercifull toward him 19 That Prepareth his whole heart to seeke the Lord God of his fathers though hee bee not clensed according to the purification of the Sanctuarie 20 And the Lord heard Hezekiah and healed the people IN the former part of this Chapter is declared how King Hezekiah in a zeale of Gods glorie and loue vnto his people made a proclamation throughout all Israel from Beersheba euen vnto Dan that they should come to keepe the Passeouer to the Lord God of Israel at Ierusalem for they had not done it for a great time in that manner as God required because of that Idolatrie which had ouerspred the Land For this purpose Hezekiah and his Princes sent postes with letters throughout all Israel and Iudah euen to the ten Tribes also that were full of sinne and miserie to admonish them to turne againe vnto the Lord their God that hee might returne vnto them and not to be stif-necked but to humble themselues to serue the Lord that his wrath might bee turned away from them But when the messengers came a great sort of the Israelites laught them to scorne and mocked them they were so inured vnto sinne and infected with Idolatrie that they set light by nay vtterly contemned all the wholesome and holy exhortations of that worthy King and his nobles Yet some of them whose hearts God touched euen diuers out of the Tribes of Asher and Mamasseh and Zebulun came to Ierusalem and the hand of God was in Iudah so that he gaue them one heart to doe the commandement of the King and of the Rulers insomuch that there assembled vnto Ierusalem much people to keepe the feast of vnleauened bread But by reason of the short
senslesnesse of heart as afterwards it fell out in their children the Scribes and Pharisees to whom all things that Christ Iesus spake seemed parables so that they knew not the mysteries of the kingdome of heauen but had eies and saw not eares and heard not hearts and minds and vnderstood not the things that were taught them And as God doth lay iudgements vpon the soules of men which are the most grieuous so doth he also on their bodies euen for their defects and wants as we see in the Corinthians In their bodies amongst whom many were sicke many weake and many smitten with the stroake of death because they came negligently and vnpreparedly vnto the Lords table and so doth his heauy hand lye vpon many now adaies being strucke with the pestilence and such like plagues of God for coming profanely irreligiously and hy pocritically to the word and Sacrament not in outward appearance for ought that we can see but before the Lords eyes who searcheth the heart and reines and layeth his corrections according to the measure of mens inward prophane and lewd disposition Now this he would not do vnlesse he could proue thē guilty but indeed he is able to indight them to produce witnesses against them that these these haue bene their secret sins such and such vile thoughts they had at such a Sermon at such a Sacrament and their hearts were wandring about their pleasures and profits they were ful of malicious and reuengfull imaginations and intents nothing regarding Gods presence nothing affecting nor reuerencing his ordinances and these things he can make their owne consciences to testify against them therefore doth iustly plague thē for the same And as in this life so at that great assises at the last day the Lord will lighten things that be hid in darknesse As in this life so in that which is to come and make the counsell of mans heart manifest and bring euery secret thing to iudgement whether good or euil that al may receiue according to their works If then all shall be at that time iudged and rewarded according to their thoughts most sure it is that God well obserued the same while they liued vpon the face of the earth and kept the same in his booke of records Vse 1 Since the Lord marketh Sincerity in Gods seruices whether men come in loue and in sincerity or for fashion and in hypocrisie let this teach vs to present our soules before the Lord and to serue him soundly and religiously not onely behauing our selues in as orderly a manner as others doe but in as holy a manner as we can Diuers there are that will repaire to Gods house as often as the best and make a colourable shew of reuerence in Gods worship sitting modestly in the view of the congregation not gazing hither and thither nor expressing any vnseemly behauiour yet neuerthelesse except God see their hearts well exercised all that men behold and take notice of is nothing worth Isaiah 58.2 They seemed to be very forward of whom the Prophet Isaiah maketh mention they would inquire after the ordinances of iudgement and iustice and seeke the Lord and not by fits and starts but daily they would be at euery lecture of the Prophets and obserue euery Saboth marke what was deliuered make repetition of the same and if there were any thing that they vnderstood not they would aske direction and search out the meaning of it and yet the Prophet is bid to cry out against them with full mouth Cry aloud saith GOD lift vp thy voyce like a trumpet and shew my people their transgression and to the house of Iacob their sinnes And that because they came with hollow and hypocritical hearts as their vnholy and vnrighteous behauiour afterwards did witnesse to their faces And therefore that must be looked vnto that we satisfy Gods eyes as well as mens and to that end search out and cast forth all the leauen of hypocrisie that is in our hearts for if we doe not find it out God will and if we spare our selues God will not spare vs. Well we may delude our owne soules but God is not mocked outward seruing of him may make the Minister thinke vs vpright cause our neighbors to esteeme vs good Christians but except God approue of our hearts we are neuer the better for the good opinion that men conceiue of vs. This is for the exceeding comfort of such as are true-hearted and that in a double respect 1 In regard of that approbation which the Lord will giue vs if he be a witnesse of our sincerity and faithfulnesse Vse 2 Consol in regard of 1. Discouragement If we come to the Sermon in obedience to Gods ordinance with a desire to get grace thereby if wee come to the Saerament that we may haue communion with our head Christ Iesus and that the new Testament or couenant of God may be sealed and cōfirmed vnto vs if we see our weakenesse and labour to get strength against it if we bewaile our corruption and striue to get victory ouer it if we perceiue the imbecillity of our faith and would haue it increased or want of repentance and would haue it renewed or defect of loue and would haue it augmented and so come to Gods holy feast with an hungry appetite we may comfortably partake of his heauenly mysteries and whatsoeuer we imagine of our selues God wil reward vs according to that integrity which hee seeth in vs. Well was it for Nathaniel that his heart was knowne vnto Christ for otherwise he had lost the praise of his vprightnesse And so is it with many Christians if one should demaund of them whether they had faithfull hearts or not the answere of many would be I hope well but in truth I dare not say so much and therfore this is not the least part of their happines that god discerneth the truth of their hearts better than they themselues do and whereas there is some deceitfulnesse in the most sincere and plaine heart that is if there be any endeauor to shake it off the Lord will certainly pardon and remoue the same 2 Secondly 2. Of slanders here is matter of consolation to those that are sound hearted in regard of the clamors and slanders that are raised against them they are vsually charged to be all hypocrits troublers of the places where they liue and such as altogether serue their owne turnes in that profession of religion which they make and here is their comfort the Lord knoweth their hearts and he will cleare the innocent and make their righteousnesse shine forth as the noone day as he will iudgeand condemne all hypocrites so will he manifest the faithfulnesse of his owne seruants Iob 16.19 and this was Iobs comfort when his friends accounted him a dissembler My wit nesse is in the heanens saith he and my record is on high Labour not for the meat that perisheth but for
both them and their counsels for all their deepe reaches God can ouerreach them and his iudgements shall ouertake and ouerthrowe them Agreeable to this is the place of Iob where it is said Iob 20.1 that when wickednesse is sweet to a man and he hides it vnder his tongue and fauours it c. then his meate shall bee turned into the gall of Aspes c. There that holy man of God sheweth that when any one is a fauourer and a hider of sinne euery thing that should be for his good shall turne to his hurt his ordinarie foode his wealth and substance and in a word whatsoeuer otherwise might bee comfortable vnto him all shall goe crosse with him nothing shall bee prospered and blessed vnto him These places doe in part manifest vnto vs the danger of this cloaking of sinne what miserie it brings what happinesse it depriues vs of yet besides those there are reasons that may more cleerely euict and prooue that it must needes bee so for 1 First the causes of this hiding of sin are naught Reasons which are these following The causes of hiding of sin 1 The first is the loue of iniquitie for sinne is of that nature Loue of it that it will neuer tarie but where it is loued and much made of it is such a guest as rough intertainment would driue away in a short time And that such doe loue it it is very euident in that former place of Iob where it said that first wickenesse is sweet Iob. 20.12 and then they hide it Looke what appetite and eager desire any one that hath a sweet tooth can possibly haue after pleasant meates and dainty dishes the same or greater haue they after sinne the loue whereof must needes be odious because it is Gods vtter enemie and therefore the hiding of it must needes bee dangerous 2 A second cause of this is hypocrisie that men would faine seem better then they are and therefore they hide that which is in them indeed Hypocrisie make shew of that innocencie which they are farre from this was the cause that made Dauid to dissemble and cloake his great offence in the matter of Vriah as the holy Ghost testifieth in the booke of the Kings 1. King 15.3.5 where it is said that Abijams heart was not perfect with the Lord his God as the heart of Dauid his Father who did that which was right in the sight of the Lord and turned from nothing that hee commanded him all the daies of his life to wit of set purpose and against his conscience with any allowance and approbation saue onely in the matter of Vriah the Hittite as if hee should haue said therein indeede hee was false-hearted and that was the reason why he was so long ere hee acknowledged his grieuous sinne and why he fell to deuising of naughtie shifts for the couering of his wickednesse which brought him little prosperitie nay so farre was hee from gaining any thing by it that euen one yeeres cloaking of sinne procured him many soare and grieuous troubles inward and outward for many yeeres together Thus we see the causes are bad to wit loue of sinne and damnable Hypocrisie 2 Neither are the effects any better for whosoeuer doth thus couer his sinnes The il effects 1 First It hindereth praier Psal 66.18 he cannot pray for saith Dauid If Iregard wickednesse in my heart God will not heare mee Sinnes acknowledged and bewailed quicken vs to praier but sinnes allowed and maintained vtterly disable vs for praier for they make a separation betwixt God and vs. 2 Secondly such a one can haue no benefit by the Sacrament Isa 59.2 It keepes vs from benefiting by the Sacrament Iohn 13.27 as we see by Iudas who being a cunning hypocrite and a hider of mischeuous plots against his master whereas hee was diuelish enough before he was wholly possest by Satan after the eating of the Passeouer and the receiuing of the Lords Supper for so the Euangelist testifieth that after the sop as also after the others Sacrament ministred at that same meale Satan entered into him meaning more fully then euer before the like may bee said of Simon Magus Act. 8.20 c. 3 Thirdly the word is altogether vnprofitable vnto such Or by the word it 's choaked in the heart that is corrupted with sinne it is euen like pure seede cast into a filthie sincke There we see both by the causes and effects how hurtfull a thing this hiding of sin is and how it stands in the way of all true prosperitie to keepe the same from comming vnto vs. But against this it may be obiected Obiection that it seemes to bee vntrue that those that entertaine and nourish sinne in their soules shall not prosper for none prosper more then such they commit hainous and scandalous euils and boast of them and yet haue the world at will and more then their hearts can wish And on the contrarie Dauid saith Psalm 73. When I declare my paine and am sorie for my sinne then mine enemies are aliue and are mightie c. But for the satisfying of this doubt we wust know Psal 38.18 that howsoeuer these vngodly ones hold vp their heads and prosper Answer Prospering in euill courses a sore plague of God and bring many of their purposes to passe yet none are more wretched and miserable then they There is no more certaine signe of Gods heauie displeasure then for one to thriue in his vngodly courses That child whom the father loues hee will correct betime and so dealt God with Dauid There were many greater offenders then hee in Israel and yet none was so much scourged because none was so well beloued But for one to escape the rodde and to be still further giuen vp to his owne hearts lust to commit sinne with greedines this is the most heauie stroake and fearefull iudgement that can possible fall vpon any man Rom. 2. for by this meanes hee still heapeth vp wrath against the day of wrath and the declaration of the iust vengeance of God vpon all vnrighteous and vnholy persons when the Lord shall pay him home at full for all his cuill thoughts words and workes Since then it is plaine Vse 1 that hiding of our transgressions stops vp the passage against all true prosperity Sorts reproued this makes for the reproofe of foure sorts of men that offend in this point namely 1 First of those that are altogether blinded with ignorance and know not sinne Ignorant persons nor the disserences of sinne which are greater which lesser For till the Lord informe men by his word and spirit they can neuer see these things neuer discerne betwixt good and euil nor betwixt euil and euill which is more or lesse offensiue For it is light that discouers darkenesse and therefore they being destitute of the true vnderstanding of the word and so consequently of the spirit
must needs faile in the discerning and so also in the discouering and laying open of their corruptions and therefore faile of sound happinesse 2 Secondly this is for the reproofe of an other sort that are worse then the former Deniers of sinne who hauing the knowledge of sin doe yet denie their faults when they are told of them as Ananias Saphira did Acts 5. 1. King 5. and as Iehazi did when his master examined him Those sinnes that are smoothered and caried so closely God will manifest and discouer as openly as hee did theirs laying vpon the one the punishment of a sudden and strange death and on the other the leprosie of his flesh as a meanes to clense his soule 3 Heere are an other kinde of hiders to be condemned Disguilers of sinne that will not grosly denie the fact but will cloake it and disguise it and giue good names to foule faults Such are they that would haue their gaming and vnthriftines and cosonage to goe vnder the name of recreation and all their leaud meetings and abuse of the creatures of God and of the glorious and fearefull name of God vnder the title of good fellowship and meerie meetings c. And so for other notorious and greeuous sinnes which they paint ouer with faire colours but doe such prosper When they get a little monie Inconueniences that ensue on gaming do they not loose more in their soules then that comes to and doe they not bring vpon themselues hardnesse and profanenes of heart blindnesse and stupiditie of minde vnreadinesse and vnfitnes for any good thing vnwillingnes to reade heare meditate and conferre of holy things are they not afraid to come into Gods holie presence in praier to be in the company of such as will admonish or rebuke them to bee alone in the night at such times as the Lord doth waken their drousie consciences to say nothing of many foule braules and other hainous euils which doe vsually accompanie such exercises So others when they are passionate and distempered tell them of it their answer is readie What would you not haue a man angrie with sin Oh this is base hypocrisie and sinnefull disguising of your fault for tell mee you that can bee so eager against small offences in others when they concerne your selfe Note do you not beare with greater faults both in others and in your selfe when they doe more neerely touch the glorie of God your owne heart tel you that it is so and therefore neuer suffer your violent distempers and outrages to goe vnder the visard of zeale against sinne but let them goe for hatefull passions as they are Others wee shall finde that will terme their couetousnes frugalitte their pride in apparell comlines and decencie Hurt that comes by disguising of sin and the like all which persons little consider what great iniurie they doe to their soules this while for now the word cannot cure them of those sinnes which they would faine thinke though their hearts tell them otherwise to bee no sinnes they can neuer humble themselues by repentance for them and therefore they stand guiltie before Gods iudgement seate to answer for them besides all the hurt they shall in this life sustaine in regard of them 4 A fourth sort that come vnder this reproofe are such as therein shew themselues to be clokers of sinne Such as are negligent in searching out their sinnes that they doe not vse diligence to finde out their sinnes such as are partiall in dealing with their own soules and in searching to finde out their corruptions that are loth to dig too deepe throughly to ransack the lothsome corners of their hearts He that doth not his best endeuour to come to the sight of his secret sinnes is esteemed by God to be a hider of them and shall be destitute of that happinesse and comfort that otherwise hee might enioy Psalm 4.4 and therefore as Dauid exhorted his enemies for their good to examine their hearts vpon their beds that so they might desist from standing out against him so hee practised it himselfe for the good of his owne soule that hee might not long goe astray from the waies of the Lord. I haue considered my waies saith hee and turned my feete into thy testimonies Psal 119.59 Secondly Vse 2 this serues for our instruction if wee finde that we doe not prosper in the things of the Lord When wee prosper not fall to examination or of the world let vs examine if there be not some secrete sinne that is the cause of it One comes to the word preached and findes no helpe thereby against the corruptions vnto which he is inclined nor for the practise of good duties vnto which hee is slacke he cannot perceiue that there is wrought in him any great loue vnto the Saints to the ordinances of God or to the comming of Christ c. but he is dull and heauie when hee is at it and as dead and lumpish when he is gone from it Let him search and he shall finde that there lies in his heart some sin or other vnrepented or the gilt of some duties vnperformed the venome whereof doth so poison his conscience that the word of life can finde no place there for when the word comes to a pure heart it will enter speedily and worke effectually Another comes to the Sacrament and findes no benefite thereby Let him looke if there lurke not within him some hidden corruption that is the cause hereof for the Sacrament is mightie in operation if it be receiued with a pure and holy affection 1. Cor. 10. it is the very communion of the body and blood of Christ And therefore search and cast foorth that ill leauen that hath infected thy heart and hindered thee from the comfort of this excellent ordinance of God And the like may wee say for praier and any other of Gods ordinances Likewise for the things of the world doe we not prosper in our estate in our bodies in our children c. let vs make triall if there be not some wickednesse that hath countenance with vs. Note And if there be thence may wee bee sure comes all our woe they that will not greeue for sinne because it is sinne shall bee driuen to greeue for it by many sore troubles and they that are insensible of it when it is cōmitted shall be made sensible in the end by feeling it punished And this is a good vse that is made of the troubles of Gods Church in the Lamentations of Ieremie Wherefore say they is the liuing man sorowfull why doth hee turmoile and vexe himselfe Lamenta 3.39.40 man suffereth for his sinne what is the conclusion Let vs search and trie our waies and turne againe vnto the Lord c. Wee haue sinned Obiection and rebelled therefore thou hast not spared c. But we know no speciall sinne that should procure this hand of God against vs.
Trie your owne hearts and waies diligently Answer and then if you finde no such iniquitie your crosse is in mercie and not in iudgement for triall and not for punishment a medicine to purge cure and not a poyson to infect destroy But if we will haue this comfort we must striue to finde out what is principally amisse in vs for the heart is deceitfull aboue all things and the diuell would make vs thinke that great faults are but small faults and that small faults are no faults Iere. 17.9 let vs therefore bring our soules to the touchstone of Gods Law Iere. 77.10 and then we shall not be deceiued as he himselfe saith I the Lord search the heart so his word is a discerner and a discouerer of the thoughts and intents of the heart Heb. 4.12 and will make vs able to descry the same And this let vs be assured of for our comfort that he that is truely desirous Note and withall industrious to finde out his speciall sinnes hee shall haue them discouered vnto him because that is the end why God smiteth him as may appeare by that former place of the Lamentations that hee might bee brought to the sight and sense of his transgressions and to sound humiliation for them and therefore they that vpon a good and conscionable search made can discerne of no grosse or presumptuous sinne in themselues may be comforted notwithstanding their crosses and rest fully assured that God will not lay any thing to their charge because they are enemies to sinne and not louers nor maintainers of the same And thus much for the first point It followeth But hee that confesseth this is contrarie to the former hiding of sinne when wee so search and sift our hearts that wee come to the knowledge of our offences and the acknowledgment of the same before the Lord. Whence this doctine may be gathered that Whosoeuer would finde pardon for his sins Doctr. must confesse the same Confession necessarie before remissiō Hee that lookes for remission on Gods part must bring confession for his part wheresoeuer sinne is vnacknowledged there it is vnpardoned no mercy till there be a sight and confession of iniquitie Therefore Daniel confesseth his owne sinnes the sinnes of the people and the sinnes of their forefathers and aggrauates the same in many words Dan 9.5.6 7.8.10 saying Wee haue sinned and haue committed iniquitie and haue done wickedly yea we haue rebelled and haue departed from thy precepts and from thy iudgements We would not obey thy seruants the Prophets that spake in thy name c. Vnto vs appertaineth open shame to our Kings to our Princes and to our Fathers c. For wee haue not obeied the voice of the Lord our God c. Yea all Israel haue transgressed thy law c. therefore the curse is powred vpon vs. And thus doth Ezra likewise in the behalfe of the people that had taken strange wiues for hauing rent his clothes and his garment hee fell vpon his knees and spread out his hands vnto the Lord his God and said Ezra 9.5.6 O my God I am confounded and ashamed to lift vp mine eies to thee my God for our iniquities are increased ouer our head and our trespasse is gone vp to heauen c. The same course doth Nehemiah take for thus he speaketh in the name of all Isaael Nehem. 1.7 We haue grieuously sinned against thee and haue not kept thy commandements nor the statutes nor the iudgements which thou commandedst thy seruant Moses c. So those that beleeued Acts 17.19 came and confessed and shewed their workes And there is reason to prooue that this confession is verie necessarie Reasons if euer we would finde fauour with God for 1 First God cannot in iustice forgiue sinne vnlesse there be confession without it we haue no promise belonging vnto vs as God cannot in iustice withhold mercie from such as plainly lay open their trāsgressions before him so can he notwithout violating his truth vouchsafe mercie to those that smoother and hide their sinnes from him for thus runnes the promise If wee acknowledge our sinnes 1. Iohn 1 9. hee is faithfull and iust to forgiue vs our sinnes and to clense vs from all vnrighteousnes Whence wee see that where there is a generall acknowledgement of sin there is promised both a general remitting of sin and purging frō sin but wher that is wāting no such thing can be expected 2 Secondly those must needs haue the gate of mercy shut against them Without it there is no repentance that doe not confesse their faults vnto the Lord because acknowledgement of our guiltinesse is one of the first steps to true repentance and one of the chiefe testimonies of a true penitent heart As is manifest in Dauid who when his heart smote him after he had numbred the people dealeth plainely with God O Lord saith hee I haue sinned exceedingly in that I haue done now O Lord I beseech thee take away the trespasse of thy seruant for I haue done very foolishlie And all those that are truely and thorowly wounded in their soules for their offences as Dauid then was will enforce themselues to doe as he did for till men frame to this confession it is certaine they are not yet fallen out with their sinnes 3 Thirdly to the intent wee may the sooner be perswaded heereunto It is a preseruatiue against reuolting wee must vnderstand that this is a very soueraigne preseruatiue against relapses and backslidings for hee that hath once done this penance before Gods iudgement seate it will bee such a corasiue vnto his heart that he will hardly fall into those open and grosse sinnes twice Obserue which he hath sincerely and heartily acknowledged once When Peter and Dauid and Paul had attained to this and laid open their sins in an vnfained confession of them to the Lord they neuer returned to those ill practises againe Infirmities and slips they had many in other kindes but they were so fensed and fortified against those particulars that they stood strong against them and neuer fell againe into them whiles they liued 4 Fourthly this is a very effectual meanes to quicken vs vnto praier and therfore stil in the Scripture wee shall finde It quickens vnto praier that where there hath beene heartie confession there haue followed as heartie petitions as wee see in the former examples of Daniel and Nehemiah For how vehement their requests were may appeare in the places before alleaged by the manner of putting them vp O Lord heare O Lord forgiue Dan. 919. O Lord consider and do it saith Daniel deferre not for thine owne sake O my God And Nehemiah comes with the like importunitie Nehem. 1.5.6 11. O Lord God of heauen the great and terrible God that keepest couenant and mercie c. I pray thee let thine eares be attent and thine eyes open to heare the praier of thy
according to the goodnes of their cause but rather abusing their authoritie to the hurt of the good and to the maintenance of the bad in their lewd and sinfull practises If honest men had neuer so good a cause and neuer so good a conscience yet if they brought them no bribes they were likely to goe by the worst and if sinnefull and wretched persons had neuer so ill a cause yet if they presented them with great gifts they should carie it from all others Now the Prophets purpose being to bring these men to repentance hee saith Seeke iudgement that is Search diligently what ought to bee done according to your places and when you know it see that that you practise it Whence ariseth this point that It is a note of true repentance Doct. 5 and of an honest and sincere heart to discharge the duties that belong vnto vs in our places and callings For looke what is here said of Magistrates Euerie one must doe his owne dutie and men of higher places that if they would manifest the soundnesse of their repentance and the vprightnesse of their hearts they should leaue off their oppression and fall to equall dealing betwixt man and man the like holds in all other callings and among men of all sorts and degrees to wit that they put to their vtmost endeauour to finde out what are the works of that vocation wherein God hath set them and accordingly to doe the same reforming the speciall things wherein they haue faulted heretofore This Iob sets downe as a marke that hee was no hypocrite though his friends iniuriously charged him to be such a one because hee was carefull of those good duties that did pertaine to him in his place both as hee was a Magistrate and as hee was a rich man in both which respects hee shewed all good faithfulnes for as hee was a Magistrate hee saith I releeued the poore that cried and him that had none to helpe him Iob 29.12 The blessing of him that was readie to perish came vpon mee and I caused the widowes heart to reioice I put on iustice and it couered mee my iudgement was a robe and a crowne c. Neither would hee shift off matters to ease himselfe and to free himselfe from paines and troubles but saith hee If I knew not the cause I would search it out diligently and though the pray were in their hands nay as it were in the mouthes of those that were strong and fierce as Lyons Yet he saith that hee would breake theiawes of the vnrighteous man and plucke the pray out of his teeth Hee would aduenture himselfe for the innocent in a righteous cause though it were with as great danger as for a man to pull the pray out of the iawes of some hungrie and sauage wild beast that would be ready to deuoure any that should come neere him Then as hee was a rich man Iob. 29. Iob 31.16 hee sheweth that hee disposed his wealth to that end which God had appointed I was saith hee a father vnto the poore I restrained him not of his desire nor caused the eies of the widowe to faile I did not eate my morsels alone but the fatherlesse did eate thereof And from his youth hee grew vp with mee as with a father c. I sawe none perish for want of clothing nor any poore without couering but their loines blessed me because they were warmed with the fleece of my sheepe Further that this faithfulnesse in a mans owne calling is a notable testimony of an honest heart and of a good conscience it appeareth by the speech of our Sauiour where he approueth himselfe and his actions vnto his father saying Father Iohn 17.4 I haue glorified thee on the earth how prooues hee that I haue finished the worke which thou gauest me to doe Many times men set vpon workes which God neuer commanded them to doe but which their owne flesh and Satan bade them do or if they begin to goe about good workes that the Lord commandeth they doe not goe thorow with the same as Christ Iesus did and therefore they neither bring glorie to Gods name nor comfort vnto themselues by that which they doe but this is it indeed that will stand men in steede when they shall come to make their accounts before the Lords iudgement seate if they can truely say Lord I haue done the worke that thou didst appoint mee I haue beene exercised in those businesses and affaires which thou diddest enioyne me haue gone thorow with the same So when the Lord Christ Iesus would commend a worthy seruant what is the commendation that hee hath giuen him Matth. 25. that hee hath faithfully imploied those talents and gifts that his master committed vnto his trust 1. Cor. 4.2 vnto his best aduantage And this as the Apostle speaketh is required of disposers that euerie one be found faithfull That is that they discharge euery one the duties that pertaine vnto them in their places withall due care and conscionable regard This serues for the iust reproofe of those that make some shew of Christianitie Vse 1 and would faine goe vnder the name and number of sound professors of the Gospell and yet are most vnfaithfull in their owne charges Many are good neighbours abroad but bad gonernors at home They can aduise others for the best but they haue no care at all to order their owne families in the feare of God Many husbands are kind and courteous abroad but churlish and vnmercifull to their yoke-fellowes and to their Children and seruants at home Many wiues will seeme religious who yet are not helps in their familie obedient to their husbands fearing to offend them nor seeking in all good and lawfull things to content and please them Such masters and husbands and wiues can haue little comfort of their faithfulnesse when they faile most in those things wherein the power of godlinesse should most shew it selfe namely in discharging a good conscience where they are tied so to doe by the neerest and strongest bonds And this is a great fault in diuers seruants who when they haue gotten a little knowledge of religon and can discourse of some points thereof begin to thinke that then they haue a dispensation to be idle and slothfull headstrong and masterfull testie and impatient when they are told of their faults and the like Oh this is a wofull vse that they make of their reading and hearing the word of God Titus 2.9.10 if they had well obserued that which most concernes them they should haue found that the Lord commandeth seruants to please their masters in all things not answering againe and to shew all good faithfulnesse that they may adorne the doctrine of God our Sauiour in all things Ephes 6.5 And againe Seruants bee obedient vnto them that are your masters according to the flesh with feare and trembling in singlenes of your hearts as vnto Christ And no lesse effectuall
must conscionably and continually vse al the meanes of goodnes 3 When we are ouertaken through infirmitie we must presently and hartely lament our fall and seeke a reconciliation 4 If these meanes preuaile not wee must binde our selues by a solemne vowe to striue against our principall sinnes and most dangerous corruptions What other notes are there besides these already spoken of whereby wee may be assured that our repentance is sound and that our hearts doe not deceiue vs therein These following Notes of sound repentance Psalm 119 6. See the Sermon on that place 1 If we be vniuersall in our obedience desiring to practise or forbeare whatsoeuer God would haue vs not giuing a dispensation to our selues for the committing of any sinne or for the omitting of any dutie but disliking all manner of euill both in our selues and others 2 If we increase in goodnes neither waxing worse Doctr. 2 Psal 3.13.14 nor standing at a stay but daily getting ground of our corruptions 3 If in all our intents and actions Iob 31.1 c. 1. Cor. 4.3 we looke vnto the Lord as the searcher of our hearts and the trier and rewarder of our workes not discouraging our selues whatsoeuer men thinke or speake of vs and our doings so that God doe approue of vs and them nor contenting our selues with mens approbation when the testimonie of God is not for vs. 4 If welike best and desire most that companie in priuate and that teaching in publike where our speciall corruptions shall bee roundly and wisely and mercifully reprooued and inueied against and the duties wherein wee come shortest most earnestly pressed and stood vpon Neither falling out with those that admonish vs nor denying cloaking excusing or extenuating our faults What else is required in a worthy receiuer A competent measure of knowledge so that hee be able to discern between the elements Knowledge and the Lords body and blood taking euery thing in it owne nature and kinde not confounding the signe with the thing signified nor putting no difference betweene the Sacramentall and common bread but vsing each of them in the manner appointed by Christ and with such reuerence as is due vnto them and to that end for which they were ordained namely the commemoration of Christ his death and our neerer and fuller communion with him What further examination must wee vse before our communieating at the Lords table Wee must trie whether we haue faith Faith Heb. 11.6 Rom. 14.23 or not without the which it is impossible to please God and whatsoeuer wee doe is sinne What then is to bee beleeued concerning this particular ordinance That it is ordained of God not onely to bee a signe to signifie See the 2. Sermon on Mar. 14. and represent but a seale also to confirme and an instrument to exhibit Christ with al his merits vnto euery beleeuer Why is loue vnto men required in all faithfull receiuers Doct. 7 First Loue. because being destitute of that wee cannot be assured of Gods loue vnto vs nor of our loue vnto him Secondly 1. Iohn 3. we cannot with any confidence expect at the Sacrament crament a generall acquittance from all our debts vnto God Math. 18.35 except we in loue can passe by small offences in our brethren Thirdly the Lords Supper is ordained as a seale of the mutuall felloship and communion of Gods people as with their head Christ so with one another What rules are we to obserue in loue First if any indignitie or iniurie haue beene offered vs See the Sermon on Isa 1. wee must forgiue and forget the same and ouercome euill with goodnesse louing them that hate vs Doct. 2 and praying for them that speake and practise euill against vs Math 18.35 Rom. 12. Math. 5. at least desiring and striuing so to doe Secondly if we haue done wrong vnto others we must vndoe it againe otherwise our sacrifice and seruice cannot bee accepted But what if those whom we haue wronged be farre off that we cannot seeke vnto them or will not yeeld to a reconciliation when it is sought for God will accept of our true and vnfained desire in that behalfe when a reconciliation is desired but occasion denied and if others will not bee pacified towards vs it is their fault and not ours neither must that keepe vs from the Sacrament Thus much concerning examination What is that Premeditation which much be vsed It is a serious consideration of the benefites which we are to receiue by Christ Iesus Premeditatiō What are those They are set downe in the new couenant whereof the Lords Supper is a seale and they may be reduced to these heads Ezek. 36.21 Ier. 31.31 See the Sermon on Prou. 28. 1 First freedome from all maner of euill whatsoeuer whether of sinne or misery in this life or in that which is to come Doct. 4 2 Secondly the enioyment of all good things and that on psal 119. 1 In this world and that 1 For the inward man 1 Perfect iustification 2 True sanctification a good name estate safety health c. 2 For the outward man 2 In the world to come all manner of happinesse Hauing thus examined our selues concerning our repentance knowledge faith and loue and vsed premeditation of the benefites that are to be expected of allworthy receiuers what remaineth further to be done by vs Wee must before our approaching to the Lords table earnestly beseech his maiestie to giue a blessing to those our indeauours Praier and where we haue come short in fitting our selues we are to intreat him to pardon it to accept of vs in the mediation of his deare sonne and to make a supply of all our wants of his rich mercy and free grace But what if a man finde that he commeth very short of that examination and preparation that is required were hee not better to absent himselfe from the Sacrament till he be bette fitted In no wise See the Sermon on 2. Chron. 30. for if he be vpright-hearted though neuer so weake the Lord will accept of him And if he feele his sickenesse to be greeuous and dangerous Doct. 2.3 he hath the more neede to hasten to the Physition neither is staying from Gods Ordinance a meanes to better his estate but rather to make him worse and to pull Gods heauie iudgements vpon his soule and bodie Num. 9. Thus much concerning the duties tending to Preparation before our receiuing How must we be disposed in the present act of receiuing Wee must present our selues with reuerence before the Lord How wee are to bedisposed in the act of receiuing setting our sences and our faith a worke and heedfullie meditating on these 4. things 1 First when we see the bread broken and the wine powred out we must consider of the bitter passion of Christ Iesus who was wounded for our trangressions Isa 53. and broken for our iniquities who encountred with his
account that if they haue acknowledged their euill workes and clensed and redressed their sinfull waies God will be nay is already reconciled vnto them When the prodigall sonne resolued to come home vnto his Father and to take new waies Luke 15. and though he had beene an vnthrift before yet he would now mend and reforme all His father neuer charged him with olde matters neither needed he because he charged himselfe If an earthly father will and should deale thus how much more will the Father of all mercies deale graciously with his children that humble themselues before him and remoue their sinnes out of his sight especially sith the greater mercy hee sheweth to his owne children the more glorie hee shall gaine to his owne name Therefore let vs make full reckoning that we shall not onelie meete with Gods minister at the meanes but with God himselfe who wil pardon that which is past and confirme and strengthen vs vnto euery good worke for the time to come who will giue vs the power of godlinesse and the life of grace who in a word will grant vs and there confirme his grant vnto vs the right vnto and vse of al his mercies blessings whatsoeuer with the remouall of all hurtfull crosses When the first Adam did but once eate of the forbidden fruite it was inough to infect him and all his posteritie though there were but one threatning annexed to it and none did taste of it but he alone And why should not wee expect on the other side that when our second Adam Iesus Christ hath eaten of the commanded fruit Note this comparison and hath sanctified it vnto vs by his example word and praier and annexed many promises vnto it and wee our selues also doe often receiue it why I say should not we beleeue that it shall be more sufficient and forcible to minister holinesse and happines vnto vs then was the forbidden fruit to bring sinne and miserie vpon vs especially since it is certaine that none euer spedde ill at the Sacrament but they that came with ill and hypocriticall hearts thereunto and as euery ones confession and reformation hath been more sound and faithfull his resolution to claue vnto God more firme and constant so his comfort hath been more large and durable The second Sermon of the Lords Supper ISAIAH 1. Verse 16. Wash you make you cleane take away the euill of your workes from before your eies cease to doe euill 17 Learne to doe well seeke iudgement releeue the oppressed iudge the fatherlesse and defend the widdowe 18 Come now and let vs reason together saith the Lord though your sins were as crimson they shall be made white as snowe though they were red like skarlet they shall bee as woll 19 If yee consent to obey yee shall eate the good things of the Land IN the former part of this Chapter the Prophet had charged these Iewes that though they caried the name of Gods children and of Gods people thought themselues in very good case yet they were indeed notable traitors and rebels against him which rebellion of theirs is set out by two comparisons for first he compares them with the Oxe and the Asse which though they bee of the dullest sort of creatures yet the one knowes and remembers his owner verse 3. and the other his masters crib and where they haue receiued kindnesse they will acknowledge it and doe seruice for it But these Iewes though they had been fed at full and receiued innumerable blessings from the Lord yet they were vnmindfull of God and of his fauours and more vnteachable and vntractable coÌ„cerning their dutie then were the Oxe or the Asse They considered not whence nor why they had those many mercies which they enioyed and therefore did seruice therewith not to God but to their owne lusts 2 Secondly hauing compared them to the dullest beasts and prooued them to bee inferiour vnto those vnreasonable creatures Hee after makes comparison betwixt them and the vilest sinners in the world to wit the Sodomites to whom they were so like for their idlenesse pride excesse and crueltie that he cals them by that name Verse 10. saying Heare the word of the Lord O yee Princes of Sodome hearken vnto the Law of our God O people of Gomorah But against this they might except and say to the Prophet you doe vs wrong in thus charging and vilifying vs we are other manner of people then you take vs for and would make vs seeme to be wee haue some things to commend vs which neither beasts nor Sodomites haue for we offer multitudes of sacrifices and obserue solemne daies and feasts the new moones and Sabbaths and the like This hee yeelds they did but thence taketh aduantage and doubleth his accusation against them turning all these things to their deeper condemnation Vers 11.12.13.14 What haue I to doe with the multitude of your sacrifices saith the Lord I am full of the burnt offerings of rams c. When yee â—ime to appeare before mee who required this of your hands to tread in my courts Bring no moe oblations in vaine incense is an abomination vnto mee I cannot suffer your newe moones nor Sabbaths nor solemne daies it is iniquitie nor solemne assemblies My soule hateth your new moones c. and there is reason why God should thus abhorre both them and the worship they offered vnto him For as it is added vers 15. when they stretched out their hands in praier their hands were full of blood That is they were full of reuenge full of crueltie and contention and therefore they must needs performe those religious exercises hypocritically and carnally in which respect they were worse then Sodomites for they did but abuse their time to idlenes their apparell to pride their diet to excesse c. but the Iewes abused the word and the sacrifices and the Sabbaths and other ordinances of God and therefore as much as spirituall things are better then naturall so much worse were they that prophaned the former then the Sodomites that abused the latter Thus hauing shewed them how bad they were Connexion hee leaueth them not heere but telleth them how all might bee amended Verse 16. Wash you make you cleane c. as if hee should haue said I haue shewed that you haue polluted and defiled your selues beyond the Sodomites and so are become exceeding vncleane and vnholy yet if you will take my aduise and follow my counsell I will shew you a way how you shall helpe all and that is to wash and clense your selues from this your filthinesse by godly and heartie sorrow for the same and whereas you will be readie to conceiue that this is a matter easily and quickly done I tell you that it is otherwise and therefore bid you wash you make you cleane purge your hearts and your hands wash and wash againe and againe and neuer leaue washing till you haue made your selues thorowly cleane Then further
and keepe the commandements who doth not require of penitent sinners that they should fulfill the Law for that Christ alone could doe and did in our behalfe but onely that they should labour and striue to doe their best and where they come short acknowledge their fault And that God will take in good worth this kind of obedience he will testifie and make cleere not onely by bestowing inward blessings vpon the soule but also outward blessings for their estate you shall eate the good things of the land But Obiect 3 in the third place some might obiect and say if things stand so it were well if we could frame to bee religious but I hope God will shew mercy though there be not such washing such adoe made about our sins and therfore I mean to take my libertie still neuer to trouble my selfe about the matter To this â—e makes answer verse 20. telling them that if they refuse to obey and to doe the former duties they shall bee deuoured with the sword that is they shall haue some fearefull iudgement or other to ouertake and consume them for by that particular of the sword is implied any other that God should thinke good And to prooue all hee brings one maine argument The mouth of the Lord hath spoken it As if hee had said though those that repent see little likelihood of recouerie let them not dispaire and though those that be impenitent see little danger of an ouerthrow yet let them not presume for the Lord will assuredly bring to passe that which he hath promised to the godly in mercie and that which hee hath threatned against the wicked in iudgement So that you see the summe of these words is An exhortation to repentance and an offer of reconciliation and saluation to all repentant sinners Wherein is shewed 1 First what they must doe to the 18. verse Namely that they ought 1 Bewaile their sinnes and forsake them 16. 2 Learne their duties and doe them 2 Secondly reasons to stirre them vp so to doe 1 One taken from the benefit that will redound vnto them if they practise the former things to wit that they shall bee sure of the free and full pardon of all their sinnes and they and their seruices shall be accepted and blessed of God 2 Another taken from the danger they are in if they refuse to doe this they shall surely taste of some fearefull vengeance of God Yee shall bee deuoured by the sword Wash you c. In these words he alludeth to the custome of the ceremoniall law mentioned in Exodus where God expresly commanded that before the people should heare the Law deliuered from mount Sinai Exod. â—9 10 they should sanctifie themselues and wash their cloathes Whereby two things were signified 1 First that all in themselues are vncleane and so vnfit to present themselues before the eies of the holy God 2 Secondly that notwithstanding this if they endeauour to wash theÌ„selues the Lord wil be pacified towards theÌ„ receiue both theÌ„ their seruices Now this washing which he exhorts theÌ„ vnto is that which was figured by that outward oblation clensing of themselues is to be performed of al that hope for mercie from the Lord and that by lamenting and grieuing for their corrupt and sinnefull nature and behauiour whether against God or men This is all the washing that wee can attaine vnto or that God looketh for at our hands For to speake properly nothing can cleanse vs but Christ his blood which is therefore called cleane water Ezek. 36.25 And none can performe that worke but God alone and therefore in that place he appropriateth that action vnto himselfe saying I will powre cleane water vpon you c. From all your filthines and from all your Idols will I cleanse you Ezek. 39.25 Heere then the purpose and drift of the Prophet is thus much namely that we should ioyne with God as working instruments in reforming our hearts and redressing our waies Whence ariseth this point of doctrine Doct. 1 What washing is required of vs. that whosoeuer would haue God to wash them by the blood of his sonne must wash themselues by godly sorrow Before the Lord promiseth any cleansing on his parte hee requireth this kind of purging on our part Iam. 4.8.9 This is cleare in the Epistle of Iames where he vrgeth them to draw neere vnto the Lord to wit in the ministerie of the word in partaking of the holy Sacrament in faithfull and feruent praier and the rest of God ordinances and then he telleth them that God will drawe neere vnto them namely in his mercie and goodnes and in all the fruits and effects thereof But then they must wash themselues for hee is a God of pure eies and cannot indure iniquitie and therefore hee saith Clense your hands yee sinners and purge your hearts yee hypocrites But they might reply and say Is it so easlie a matter to cleanse our hearts and our hands Doth not sinne cleaue fast and sticke close vnto the soule It doth so indeed and yet if they would follow his direction he sheweth them a way how they might quickely be ridde of their corruptions so that they should not raigne ouer them though they did remaine in them and that is afflict your selues and sorrow and weepe let your laughter and iesting and foolish sporting bee turned into nourning and your ioy into heauinesse and lamentation for your iniquities and prouocations whereby you haue incensed the Lord and then though they were brought neuer so low yet if they begin to cast downe themselues before the Lord he will assuredly raise them vp as there it followeth This dutie is further commanded in the Prophecie of Ieremie where hee speaketh to the whole Church of the Iewes Iere. 4.14 in this manner O lerusalem wash thy heart from thy wickednesse that thou maiest bee saued how long shall thy wicked thoughts remaine within thee In which place is declared what they must wash their hearts For they being made cleane whatsoeuer proceedeth from thence must needs besutable theunto Secondly from what they must wash them from their wickednesse and lastly to what end that they might be saued As if the Prophet had told them in plainer termes God is readie to giue you saluation and deliuerance both from your sinnes and from your miseries but your owne backwardnes hindreth good things from you you doe not your dutie and therefore God withholds his mercie and therefore wash thine heart O Ierusalem that thou maist be saued And that they needed this washing hee proueth by this euill fruit that did continually spring out of their sinnefull hearts saying How long shall thy wicked thoughts remaine within thee As if he had said If you doubt of the badnesse of your hearts looke what thoughts you entertaine therein in the night and in the day when you are at home and when you are abroad on the way as you ride or
the word and by getting that sight of their wants that might cause them to come with an eager appetite vnto Gods house They seldome or at least very coldly pray vnto the Lord to giue them an vnderstanding minde and a teachable heart to profit by the meanes but for the most part thrust in themselues ruedly with a proud and vnprepared heart and with vnrulie and distempered affections that when they stand in Gods holie presence are wandring from the duties in hand and running after their couetousnesse or after their delights and so if the word flie in at the one eare it flies out as fast at the other And they doe not mingle it with faith as they should doe but with theirowne corruptions Hebr. 4. which hinder the effectuall working of it and so it seales vp vnto many their owne iust condemnation in steed of being an instrument of God for their edification and saluation And as for Gods owne children in steed of those excellent graces that might be thereby wrought in them it oftentimes hardens their harts and fittes them for sharpe correction So for praier whereas they should lift vp pure hands without wrath and without doubting Corruptions in praier many neuer care what maner of sacrifice they offer vnto the Lord but are full of passion which distracts them and full of vnbeleefe which excludes them from hauing interest in God blessings and so their praiers tumble down againe vpon their heads and bring vpon them iudgements in steed of mercies They may truly say that they haue sought for helpe often and haue had no hearing but it is long of themselues for the sea is not more full of water then God is full of mercy to all that call vpon him in truth and if they could put away their vnbeleefe and hypocrisie and other euils that are mixed with their suites and supplications they should finde that none is so kinde a Father as God is and they should not bee so ready to aske but hee would bee more readie to giue if so be they did come in faith and aske aright as God requireth The like may bee said for the Sacrament of the Lords Supper diuers there are that partake of it as often as their neighbours doe but they are so farre from receiuing benefit and comfort therefrom that it proues hurtfull and vncomfortable vnto them and why because they put not away the euils of this worke Euils to be remoued by communicants But what are they may some demand They are diuerse One common euill Ignorance 1 is grosse and palpable ignorance that men come not discerning the Lords bodie and blood that is not being able to put a sensible difference betweene that and common bread and wine and so comming vnto it no otherwise then to their ordinarie foode not conceiuing much lesse well considering what they are to receiue from God what from man what examination is to be vsed that they may bee worthy receiuers of it what iudgements are to bee feared if they bee vnworthy receiuers and so they feele those iudgements before they feare them 2 A second euill to bee remoued from this worke Vnbeliefe 2 is vnbeliefe which hinders vs that wee cannot finde the inward vertue of those holie mysteries For when wee drawe neere to the Lords table wee should make reckoning of greater benefits then all the kings and kingdomes of the earth can affoord vs. For there God the Father is the feast-maker hee giueth vs for our intertainement the body and blood of his owne sonne to feede vpon hee offereth vs and would exhibite vnto vs if wee had faith to apprehend it Christ his perfect righteousnesse and increase of our true holinesse and entitleth vs to all comforts in this life and to the crowne of glorie in the life to come This many know but they want faith to make application of it to themselues and thence it commeth to passe that their soules are so barren of grace notwithstanding their often communicating at the Lords table The woman in the Gospel that was troubled with a bloody issue said in her heart before shee came to Christ Note if I may but touch the hemme of his garment onely I shal be made whole Math. 9.21 and according to her faith it was vnto her for that touch healed both her soule and body yet shee had no speciall commandement to come nor promise of good successe if she did come nor experience of any in her case that had sped well before her if shee were thus confident hauing had so few meanes to confirme her what strength of faith should wee come withall and what a stedfast expectation of mercie should wee haue setled in our hearts when wee come to Christ Iesus in this his ordinance seeing that wee haue both a commandement and a promise and the examples before our eies of such as haue found vnspeakeable good by this holy Sacrament and there is more reason why our Sauiour should pitie vs then why he should pitie that woman for we haue a more dangerous issue of sinne in our soules then she had of blood in her body and many of vs haue beene longer troubled with it then shee was with hers and hee came rather to heale the sicknesse of the soule then to cure the maladies of the bodie And besides all the former hee shall haue more glorie by sauing vs from sinne then by healing her from a bodilie infirmitie and the taking and eating of the blessed Sacrament of the eternall couenant is much more effectuall to draw vertue from Christ then the bare touching of his garment was and hee is neerer vnto vs now in his gracious presence then hee was vnto her then in his bodilie presence This wee should beleeue and rest vpon and if wee doe not wee offer vnto the Lord the greater iniurie for hee is no deceiuer but purposeth to bestow that vpon vs in truth which he makes offer of in shew euen to giue vs as full a communion with the righteousnesse of the second Adam as wee had with the corruption of the first Adam Euen as the branches doe partake of the sappe of the Vine and the members of the body haue life and motion deriued vnto them from the head so shall we receiue grace and life from Iesus Christ in and by his holy meanes so often as wee doe thankefully vse them 3 A third euill that must be put away when wee are to bee partakers of the Lords Supper Vncharitablenesse is vncharitablenes and vnmercifulnesse for that is a feast of loue where we are to receiue further assurance of Gods loue to vs and an increase of our loue to God and men And how can we looke for mercie if we shew no mercie or how can wee expect from the Lord a generall acquittance for all our debts and trespasses when we will not passe by small matters of offence in our brethren Therefore as we would finde any fauour in heauen let
bewitch the common sort of men Thus haue we seene as particularly as the time would permit what drosse of corruption is to be purged away from the seuerall actions and duties wherein vpon seuerall occasions and according to our seuerall callings we are to be busied and imployed These euils therefore we must with all conscionable and faithfull endeauour seek to remoue and that from before Gods eies For whereas many may haue this conceit no man can charge me I will neuer accuse my selfe and my companions will certainly conceale and keepe all to themselues and therefore I need not feare the disclosing of my actions and dealings From before mine-eies this will not serue their turnes for though men cannot touch them yet there is an all-seeing God that alwaies looketh vpon them and where his eie is displeased his hand wil surely be auenged And therfore if we would haue any blessing from any of Gods ordinances Psal 26.6 let vs wash our hands in innocency when wee compasse his Altar as the Prophet Dauid speaketh and clense our inward parts from that that God may dislike as well as our outward behauiour from that which men may disallow of Cease to doe euil From these words this doctrine might bee raised that It is not sufficient Doct. 3 in a passion to be sorrowfull for sin and ouerly to confesse and acknowledge it but these duties must be so sincerely and effectually performed that there be a ceasing from euill afterwards But this point hath been handled in the former Sermon Doctrine 3. where the reader may finde the same prosecuted at large The third Sermon of the Lords Supper ISAIAH 1. 17 Learne to doe well seeke iudgement releeue the oppressed iudge the fatherlesse and defend the widdowe 18 Come now and let vs reason together saith the Lord though your sins were as crimson they shall be made white as snowe though they were red like skarlet they shall bee as woll 19 If yee consent to obey yee shall eate the good things of the Land LEarne to doe well Doct. 4 Hauing shewed them what they must not doe All must be Christ his Scholers Now hee proceedeth to declare what they must doe and biddeth them doe well and because there was in them no fitnesse hereunto therefore he wisheth them to Learne to doe well Whence the Doctrine is that All godly and penitent persons while they liue in this world must alwaies be learning to doe well and apply their minds to know what duties of religion and of righteousnesse they ought to performe and in what manner they must be performed So saith our Sauiour Take my yoke vpon you Math. 11.29 and learne of mee c. For I am meeke and lowly in heart and yee shall finde rest vnto your soules As if he should haue said If any take vp my yoke and continue not to be a learner from my word how to beare the same either hee himselfe will be wearie of it or others will perswade him to take vp the diuels yoke or mens yoke which is much at one for they are both of one side therefore learne of me saith Christ And that they might the sooner be drawne thereunto hee remoues the reasons that might discourage them Obiect For they might thinke Oh I am so full of corruption and my nature is so ouergrowne and ouerrunne with sinne and iniquitie that if I should come vnto Christ Iesus who is perfectly holie and righteous hee could not but be angrie with me and sharpely chide and rebuke me Nay Answer saith Christ you need not feare that for I am mecke and therefore not so prone and ready to fall out with men that haue corruption and are wearie of it as you imagine Another might say Obiect but alas I am so blockish and ignorant that if I should come to bee instructed Christ Iesus would despise me For the answering of that obiection Ans he saith that he is lowlie in heart and the propertie of those that are lowly is neuer to contemne any for their defects and imperfections but rather to pittie them and helpe them and therefore they may boldly haue recourse vnto such a teacher as our Sauiour is and expect to bee still further informed by him in all the waies of godlinesse and righteousnes In this regard Math. 10.42 Iohn 15.8 Christians are called Christs disciples which signifieth nothing else but to bee Christ his Scholers And it is giuen as a note and brand of a forlorne and desperate wicked person Psal 36.3 that hee hath left off to vnderstand to doe good And on the contrarie it is set downe as an euident signe of a maruellous sanctified and holy man to acknowledge still that hee knoweth but in part that hee knoweth nothing as hee ought to doe and to cry out 1. Cor. 13 9. 1 Cor. 8.2 Psalm 19.12 Psal 119.33 who knoweth the errors of this life clense mee from my secret sinnes Teach mee O Lord the waie of thy statutes and I will keepe it vnto the end with many the like requests And it must needs bee so that they that are truely conuerted and in any good measure acquainted with their owne hearts should be thus instant to be still further directed and taught First Reasons because they perceiue the darkenesse that doth naturally ouer-spread their minds and that those which haue most light The mind is blind the hart deceitfull haue very little in comparison of that they should haue and might haue had if they had constantly and conscionablie imploied themselues in the vse of the meanes which they haue enioied They know well inough how readie their fleshlie hearts are to deceiue them vnlesse they goe often to God by feruent praier and to men by holy conference to bee directed in the right path wherein they should walke And this makes them so desirous of some vnderstanding They wisely consider that the drift and whole scope of all their actions should be to please the Lord and therefore they would most willingly bee informed what his good will and pleasure is in euerie thing 2 Secondly hee hath commanded them to grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord Iesus Christ 1. Pet. 3.18 There is no further growth in faith or in any other grace then there is in knowledge A man may know more then hee beleeueth but hee can neuer beleeue more then hee knoweth True knowledge is as it were the chiefe wheele in a clocke that draweth all the rest of Gods graces after it and if that stand still all the rest must needes stand still with it And therefore it was that Dauid praied so often and so earnestly Psal 119. Teach mee thy statutes open my eies that I may see the wonders of thy Law c. Why might some say was not the Prophet wel taught when hee was a teacher of others and one of the holy men of God whom the spirit vsed as an instrument to penne
was the case of Iob and of Dauid in their great calamities and perplexities and wee may reade of the lamentable complaints that both of them made in that respect If it be a marke of a damnable person to withold mercie from the sorrowfull and heauie hearted then what shall become of them that lay heauie burdens on those that are pressed downe too low before if there shall bee iudgement without mercie to them that shew no mercie much more fearefull shall their state bee that are so full of crueltie towards them whom the Lord so tenderly respecteth Here is a singular comfort for Gods children Vse 2 that are in many wants and necessities so long as there is any godly man or woman that will doe any thing for Christ his sake and for their owne comforts sake they shall not bee destitute of reliefe For God hath commanded his seruants to succour them and hath made many gracious promises to such as are mercifull and will beare the burdens of others And if men should faile them the Lord himselfe will looke vnto them who beholds their troubles and sees their teares and is acquainted with all their griefes And hee that bids others to be mercifull will not be vnmercifull himselfe And therefore it is that men doe denie vs helpe and comfort many times because God would haue vs draw neerer vnto him whose eies are euer vpon vs Note and whose eares are alwaies open to heare the cries of the poore and of those that are humbled before him Therefore let the Saints of God make full reckoning that one way Psal 72. or other they shall be prouided for if men will not God will Onely let them bee sure that they bee found in the number of those that be humble in spirit and broken in heart for to such alone doe the mercies of God appertaine If one bee a gamster or an vnthrift a riotous person or a drunkard or giuen out to any such reproachfull vice or if there bee any that will not take paines to get their liuing by diligence and labour in their honest calling but giue themselues to idlenesse and sluggishnesse God himselfe will not in mercy at least and his children must releeue such kind of persons Hee that will not labour must not eat 2. Thes 3.10 and the best almes for such is to giue them nurture and correction that they may desist from their lewd behauiour and betake themselues to better courses 18 Come now let vs reason together Heere the Prophet is about to meete with an obiection that they might make It 's long ere men bee brought to the sight of their sinnes but when they come once to perceiue the multitude and grieuousnesse of them they begin to thinke their case remediles and that it is in vaine to hope for pardon But God bids them make no such conclusions and therefore he saith Come now let vs reason together which is in effect as if he should haue said If you hearken what the diuell and the flesh can say that will rather make you dispaire then beleeue and therefore heare you withall what I can say which if wee could doe we should easilie see that the arguments of Satan and of our owne wretched carnall reason are but delusions and that Gods arguments will swallow them vp all euen as Moses true Serpent did the Serpents of the sorcerers Hence wee may learne this doctrine that They that will come to the Lord Doct. 7 God is to bee heard before any and doe him seruice must not hearken what reasons flesh and blood can yeeld them against it but what reasons God can giue them for it The diuell will haue much to say against goodnesse and our owne fleshlie wisdome will haue as much and the world will bee as great a pull-backe vnto vs if wee will giue it the hearing but if wee can lend an attentiue eare vnto the Lord wee shall finde that he will bring better arguments to perswade vs to goodnesse then all those our enemies can to diswade vs from it And therefore it is that men are so often and so groslie deceiued because they heare what the one side can say to discourage and hinder them but not what the other can say to hearten and draw them onward in good waies For if they did bring a spirituall eare to receiue the proofes that are brought from the word they would bee mroe forcible to bring them to God then all other meanes could bee to allure them to forsake God and to embrace this present world Therefore when the Lord would haue men to practise any dutie or to forbeare any sinne wee see what strong reasons he bringeth for that purpose as is euident together with innumerable other places in the second and in the fourth commandement And thence it is that men doe so commonly and so wretchedly transgresse those commandements because they doe not well weigh the Lords reasons to the contrarie for if they did they would neuer incline so much to superstition and Idolatrie nor euer so giue themselues to the prophaning of the Lords day but know that it is farre better to procure Gods blessing by keeping it then his curse and vengeance by the violating of it Holy Iob wee see tooke that course that the Lord would haue vs take for the repressing of all inordinate lusts and affections Iob. 31.1 I made saith hee a couenant with my eies why then should I thinke on a maide A carnall sinfull man would haue thought this too much curiositie and nicenesse What not to looke on the beautie and comely visage of a woman at least not to take some libertie for thoughts tending that way it's too too much precisenesse who can take any notice of such things in vs Oh saith Iob What portion should I haue of God from aboue and what inheritance from the almightie from on high q d I durst not giue way vnto the flesh in any sort for that were the directest course to depriue my selfe of the comforts of the word and spirit heere and of the crowne of happinesse which is reserued for the Saints in the world to come Albeit I should speed little the worse with men yet I should bee sure to come short of many speciall fauours and blessings of the Lord. And further hee addeth Is not destruction to the wicked and strange punishments to the workers of iniquitie q. d. Suppose I should escape the censures of men yet hath not the Lord meanes that I cannot conceiue of for the punishment of rebellious sinners and though things may be smoothered for a time cannot be bring secret sinnes to open shame grant that it be kept close from the eies of the world yet doth not hee behold my waies and tell all my steps though the eies of men take a view onely of the outward actions yet he looketh vpon the inward disposition and affection of the heart these and the like reasons he vsed to keepe himselfe
they were at their feasting merry together at which times many faults escape young people which they take little notice of but Iob considered thorowly of them and was euer mindefull and carefull to vse the meanes of God for the remitting and purging away of the same that his childrens soules might not bee infected nor Gods anger prouoked thereby A rare example worthy the imitation of all godly parents Note yet imitated but of avery few for how small is the number of them that are thus iealous and fearefull of themselues and if they faile of this godly care for their own soules how can they be iealous with a godly iealousie of the soules of those whom God hath committed vnto their charge Now the reasons why we must bee as ready to speake to God in praier as to them in precepts are these 1 First Reasons because God commandeth vs to pray one for another Now if those that are not tyed vnto vs by any neere bonds Iam. 5.16 Gods command are to be recommended vnto God in our praiers much more those whom God hath more especially vnited vnto vs either by nature or by dutie seruice on their part to be performed vnto vs. Yea Christ Iesus straitly commandeth vs to pray for our enemies Mat. 5.44 Now if that be a bounden dutie how much more is it to pray for our friends especially if withall they bee Gods friends seeing they by our praiers may bee much helped and without them much endangered The Prophet Samuel vnderstood that this was a dutie when hee accounted the neglect hereof to bee a sinne against God as in that booke it appeareth that hee did for when the people were frighted and humbled both by the words of Samuel and by the myraculous work of God in sending extraordinarie thunder and raine in the time of wheate haruest and thereupon came vnto Samuel saying 1. Sam 12.19 Pray for thy seruants vnto the Lord thy God that wee die not his answer was God forbid that I should sinne against the Lord verse 29. and cease praying for you A second reason is because except they ioine petitions vnto God with instructions vnto them No blessing to be expected without praier 1. Cor. 3.6.7 they can looke for no blessing vpon the good lessons they giue vnto them All planting and watering is in vaine except God giue the increase and if wee would haue any increase it 's good reason we should seeke it at his hand by praier Therefore both of them must bee ioyned together wee must doe the best wee can and then say as Noah did Gen. 9.27 Lord perswade Iaphet to dwell in the Tents of Sem. Except the Lord did perswade the heart as well as Noah did the eare hee knew all that he could doe was but lost labour Thirdly vnlesse they pray for a blessing No thankfulnesse vnlesse that haue gone before they can neuer be so thankefull for any good that is wrought vpon such as are vnder them They haue had no hand in pulling downe Gods hand vpon them and therefore they haue no heart to giue him praise for the same but when any gouernour or superiour hath had a strong hand in drawing downe the mercies of God vpon any that depend vpon him and seeth the good effect of his praiers and of his teares this cannot but make him glorifie and magnifie the Lords goodnesse for hearing and granting their requests in remoouing euill things or bestowing good things vpon such as are vnder their iurisdiction This serueth for the reproofe of those Vse that thinke they haue done as much as they need For Superiours sufficienly discharged their consciences if they haue called their children and seruants whole familie to the word and Sacrament and to be examined before they receiue the same though in the meane while they neuer call on the name of the Lord to blesse them and the meanes and to bee good and gratious vnto them where they failed in preparing themselues When Iacob was to send his sonnes into Aegypt to buy food of Ioseph he praied instantly that God would vouchsafe to be with them to giue them prosperous and good successe in the businesse they went about God almightie giue you mercy saith hee in the sight of the man Gen. 43.14 Now if he thought it his dutie to pray for them when they were to come before Ioseph which was but an vnder-gouernour in Aegypt how much more should wee count it our dutie to pray for such as belong vnto our charge when they are to come before the whole Trinitie euen before that God that is the soueraigne Lord and King of heauen and earth full of glorie and full of maiestie how much more I say should wee desire that they might finde fauour in his eies especially considering that Iacobs sonnes went but for the food of their bodies which they might either haue or want without any extraordinarie hurt vnto themselues whereas those that are to be partakers of Gods ordinances are to be suters vnto him for the food of their soules and so bee euerlastingly saued if they can obtaine it or else take their bane and bee liable to Gods heauie displeasure and in danger of iudgement inward and outward in bodie and soule not onely in their life time but for euer after if they repent not for their disorderly and contemptuous approching vnto him in his holy seruices so that there is much more reason wee see that gouernours should bee earnest with the Lord for those that are vnder their rooffe then there was for Iacob then to be earnest for his sons and therefore let all those bee humbled and reformed that haue beene slacke and negligent in the performance of this dutie Secondly Vse 2 let inferiours heere bee admonished that as gouernours are to sue vnto the Lord in their behalfe the husband for the wife For Inferiours parents for their children masters and mistresses for their seruants so they on the other side are to bee gentle and humble and tractable that their superiours may haue good incouragment and good successe in the supplications that they make for them Wee doe not read that Hezekiah at any other time dealt so earnestly with God in the cause of the people as at this time hee did and what mooued him to be so importunate now euen this that hee saw they had hearkened vnto his perswasion and taken great paines to come to Ierusalem from all quarters of the Land and being there hee perceiued that they had some sorrow and remorse for their former impietie and some desire to become better for the time to come now when hee discerned that they came on so fast and that they were halfe healed already hee bendeth all the force and strength of his praiers for the obtaining of mercy and fauour for them and so found that good effect that hee desired and expected And that was it that made Dauid so plentifully and
there haue beene brawles betweene man and man there shall bee some idle and formall reconciliation they will be friends and forgiue one another before they receiue the communion but if there be any difference betwixt God and them they neuer looke to the inward parts such can expect no blessing vpon their comming but may iustly feare some greeuous iudgement because their hearts are vnsound and vnfaithfull before the Lord. Secondly sith none haue any praier made for them but such as bring with them to the Lords house a single sincere heart therefore if we would haue benefit by any of the meanes of saluation let vs be sure that though we bee burdened with many corruptions yet wee seeke the Lord with an vnfaigned desire of profiting by his ordinances Now that wee may not deceiue our solues but may satisfie our consciences in full assurance that our hearts are right towards God A triall of an vpright heart let vs take this direction following First vse diligently to finde out as by searching wee may our speciall sinnes Renouncing of sinne Iam. 4.8.9 greiue heartely for them and put them a-away by true repentance So saith Iames Purge your hearts yee hypocrites but what must bee the purgation and receit which they must take sorrow and weepe That man or woman that hath neuer done so is not onely stained with hypocrisie but is a sinfull hypocrite All men by nature are full of deceit and guile and till they sit as Iudges vpon their owne soules they cannot bee clensed from the same but when they haue once throughly sifted themselues and by godly sorrow laboured to purge their consciences as neere as possibly they can from all secret sinnes then though they cannot say I haue no sinne yet they may boldly say I allow no sinne and therefore I am assured that I am no dissembler and that Gods iudgments shal neuer light on me because I haue preuented the same by abandoning those corruptions which might procure his wrath and displeasure against me Secondly let vs vse the meanes whereby our hearts may be made pure and vndefiled namely the word Sacrament Vsing the meanes Ier. 4.4 and praier for though wee mourne neuer so much that is but as it were a plowing of our hearts Note if there bee not good seede also sowen thereupon we cannot expect any crop of grace all the sorrow and affliction in the world without that can doe vs no good but rather much hurt therefore it is set downe in the text as a note of a true heart in those Israelites that came to receiue the Passouer That they did seeke the Lord God of their Fathers in that meanes which hee had ordained for the helping and healing of them wherein if we can imitate them we shall speed as they did all our breaches shall be made vp and al our deadly diseases shall be by degrees healed and at length fully and perfectly cured Thirdly we must not onely haue recourse vnto Gods ordinances but set downe our reckoning before hand Expectation of a blessing that we shall assuredly finde the efficacy and powerfull operation thereof and that God will not mocke and delude vs with vaine hopes but looke what promise he hath made in his word hee will accordingly make good the same and not one word shall fall to the ground of all the good thinges that he hath couenated to bestow vpon vs. And therefore as wee are exhorted in the former place to the Hebrewes Wee must draw neere in assurance of faith Reuel 3.18 and then according to our faith it shall be vnto vs. And the like wee haue in the Reuelation I counsell thee saith Christ to the luke-warme Laodiceans to buy of me Golde tryed by the fire c. teaching vs heereby that wee must highly esteeme and hartily desire the holy thinges of God and be at cost to part with our corruptions and make account that we shal not be disappointed when we come thus affected vnto Christ Iesus And then he will enrich vs that before were poore and cloath vs that before were naked and enlighten our eyes that before were altogether shut vp in blindnesse and ignorance Thirdly Vse 3 heere is matter of consolation for them that can approue the sincerity of their hearts by the forenamed trials Who before they dare present themselues at the Lords table or presume to aske any comfort from Iesus Christ doe first afflict themselues and before they intreat the Lord to bind them vp doe first seeke to breake their owne hearts by inward remorse and contrition for all their offences and yet content not themselues thus to breake vp the fallow ground of their hearts but come vnto the Lord as hee commandeth them to beseech him to sow his precious seede vpon them and doe rest and relie on him for the doing of it Let such be of good comfort for vndoubtedly the Lord will not send them emptie away their labour shall not bee lost nor their hope be disappointed but they shall certainly haue good successe according to their expectation 1. Because they haue done what they could for their part 2. Hezekiahs praier standeth in as good force yet still as it did at that time when it was made and the same in effect is continually offered vp vnto God by many of his elect for such as are so humbled and fitted for that worke yea and Christ Iesus also in his owne person hath sanctified and blessed that Sacrament to all beleeuers that shall worthily partake of it vnto the end of the world and therefore comming thus affected and prepared they cannot misse of the promised blessing Though hee bee not clensed according to the purification of the Sanctuary In these words hee preuenteth that feare and doubt of good successe that might arise in their hearts for want of preparation for the Law was that no vncleane person should haue anything to doe with the Passeouer now diuers of them were in their vncleannesse because they had not time to purge themselues according to the legall rites therefore Hezekiah here seeketh to help the matter and in effect he saith thus I confesse Lord there are diuers ceremoniall circumstances wanting in our preparation to the Sacrament but so the case stood with vs that wee knew not how possibly to helpe it and therefore Lord be mercifull vnto vs in that regard In that he prateth thus for thē albeit they had so failed in want of due preparation that they might iustlie haue been cut off from Gods people if they had had time to haue done better and had not this beene an extraordinary case the Doctrine hence arising is this that So long as wee labour to keepe the substance of Gods worship though wee faile in some circumstances thereof Doct. 3 Failing in circumstances of Gods seruice hinders not the blessing Iam. 5.11 hee will be mercifull vnto vs. If wee embrace the substance thereof willingly and faile in the
that doe spring vp in our hearts Mat. 6.14 Forgiue saith our Sauiour and yee shall bee forgiuen and therefore being able to doe thus in some small measure wee may bee assured that the Lord is appeased towards vs and that wee are in his fauour and therefore haue hearts without guile in his sight Note for a mercifull heart is alwaies a sincere heart whereas hypocrites are of a cruell and implacable nature so that when any iniury is done vnto them either in truth or in their imagination they will swell and fret and chafe and vow and protest or at least determine and resolue in themselues that they will not put it vp but one way or other at one time or other requite it at the full euer an euill heart is a proud and froward heart and can endure nothing lesse then wrongs and indignities Therefore if God hath wrought such a great worke in our soules as that our hearts are inclined to forgiue and forget abuses that are offered vnto vs and can pray for our enemies and long for their conuersion and reconciliation first vnto God and then vnto vs it is a notable testimony that wee are truely regenerated and sanctified in the inward and outward man There are none but they are apt to be angry with sin either in themselues or others but if wee can spend our anger at home vpon the euils of our owne nature Note and be more peaceable and quiet abroad not storming so much that others are so bad as greeuing that wee our selues are no better happy and blessed are wee that haue gotten such a conquest of our owne hearts wee may cheerefully and comfortably communicate at the Lords Table expecting from Christ Iesus a further increase of all holy and heauenly graces And albeit others haue greater gifts and fewer infirmities then we yet seeing we joine with them in the maine matters wee shall be ioyned with them in the fruition of that blessing which God vseth to bestow vpon his people though we bee but buds Iohn 15. yet being in the true vine we shall receiue sap and iuice from the root as well as the fairest and goodliest and fruitfullest branches that are in it And thus much for Hezekiahs praier and the parts thereof Now the successe followeth to bee spoken of Verse 20. And the Lord heard Hezekiah c. It being a praier of faith that hee made for such things as God had promised and for such persons as to whom the promise did belong hee receiueth an answer to his request for so it is said the Lord heard Hezekiah that is accepted and granted his suit whence this doctrine may bee gathered that The Lord doth accept Doct. 4 and will fulfill euery faithfull praier that is made vnto him Praiers of faith granted either for our selues or others For this fauor that hee shewed to Hezekiah and to them for whom hee praied is written for our instruction and consolation to assure vs that vsing the like meanes wee shall find the same good effect that they did 1. Ioh. 5 14.15 This is promised in the Epistle of Iohn where the words of this Text are expounded and the doctrine confirmed This saith hee is the assurance that wee haue in him that if we aske any thing according to his will he heareth vs. But what is it to bee heard hee telleth vs in the next verse If wee know that hee heareth vs whatsoeuer wee aske wee know that wee haue the petitions that we haue desired of him This Gods children may build vpon that if they aske of God lawfull things for righteous persons in that manner as the word prescribeth they shall haue a comfortable answer and speed according to their hearts desire The reason heereof is Reason because God is delighted with the faithfull supplications of his deare children It is musicke to God to heare Christians praiers Cant. 2.14 as may bee collected from the words of Christ to his spouse in the songs of Salomon Shew me thy sight let mee heare thy voice for thy voice is sweet and thy sight is comely So that there is reason why Christians should looke vp to God rather then be beholding vnto men and that they should vtter their complaints before his throane rather then before mens iudgement seat for whereas they many times cannot away with vs and our suits God delighteth to looke vpon vs and there is no melodious harmony so pleasant in our eares as a praier proceeding from an humble and broken heart is in the eares of the Lord of hoasts Let vs present our petitions with our soules full of griefe and our eies full of teares vnto men and we shall bee teadious and troublesome vnto them for the most part as the woman of Canaan was vnto the disciples Mat. 15.23 Send her away say they to our Sauiour for shee crieth after vs Note But Christ hath no greater ioy then to heare and releeue such worthy beleeuers as shee was that can spend so many holy praiers vpon him after so many repulses as shee had receiued Now sith it is a thing so well pleasing vnto him hee cannot but grant and satisfie the desires of such as faithfully and feruently call vpon him Heere may that folly Vse 1 and wretched vnbeliefe that is in our nature bee iustly reprooued which appeareth in this that wee are ready to runne to any one rather then vnto God and to seeke to them that are not able or not willing to heare and helpe vs Iam. 4.2 rather then vnto the Lord that hath ability and readinesse to doe both Iames blameth those to whom hee writeth for that they would bee in wants Yee lust and haue not c. yee fight and warre and get nothing and what is the reason because yee aske not As if he should haue told them you need many things and so you are likely to doe still except you take a better course for the way to obtaine good things is not to lust after them and to brawle and contend for them but to become petitioners vnto God for them Note If children will be so foolish so slothfull or so proud that they will not sue to their louing and kind parents that haue abundance for things necessarie it is iust they should goe without them and endure the smart of their owne folly and stubbornnesse and the like may bee said of vs if our necessities spirituall and corporall bee many and great and wee will not bemone our case vnto our heauenly father that is al-sufficient to helpe vs and most willing to accept of vs and to releeue vs in all our distresses it is a righteous thing with the Lord that wee should liue and die in our miseries and calamities and so sustaine the due punishment of a wretched distrustfulnesse and sluggishnesse in not repairing vnto him Secondly Vse 2 heere is matter of maruellous great comfort to them that betake themselues to this course that Hezekiah did
such things as lie hidden in obscure and darke corners Heb. 4 13. To the same purpose is it said that all things are open and naked to his eies and that his eies are a flame of fire noting vnto vs that hee pierceth and looketh through and through euery mans heart euery mans conscience and euery mans conuersation Reasons First Reasons 1 the Lord hath vndertaken to bring euery secret thing into iudgement therefore must hee needs take notice thereof 2 Secondly See Master Cleauers Sermon on Ioh. 6. Doct. 2. where this point is more largely handled it is his office to reward euery one as he knoweth his heart and his workes and therefore must hee of necessitie search into the same for otherwise hee could not proceed like a righteous Iudge to giue to euery one an equall and perfect reward First for reproofe of those that because they are admitted by the Minister and allowed amongst men and iudged to bee Christians as men that can bee touched for no grosse sinne Vse 1 haue a very good opinion of themselues as if there were nothing else required of them but let such know Note that there must bee a second suruey and search and where the Minister ends God will begin and if they cannot hold out in the second examination and triall made by the Lord their case will bee little better then his who is found sitting at the table without a wedding garment therefore it stands men vpon to see that they bee fitly qualified before they intrude themselues into the Lords presence for he hath firie eies to looke quite through them and pure cies that can endure no iniquitie in them and therefore before they come to this great Supper they must by searching finde out their speciall sinnes and bewaile them determining to leaue and forsake them and repairing to the meanes to get strength against them Secondly for consolation Vse 2 seeing wee shall not meet the Minister onely at the Lords table but God himselfe in his own person this may comfort the hearts of those that haue examined their soules and lamented their sinnes and haue a true desire to bee reconciled vnto the Lord and to obtaine such mercies as doe belong to penitent persons they shall receiue according to their harts desire and expectation euen strength against their corruptions and temptations and freedome from or abilitie vnder all maner of crosses and afflictions for there the Lord of glory will manifest his presence in giuing to euery one as he knoweth the integrity of their hearts Earthly Kings though they bee present cannot looke on euery guest nor examine of what country or condition euery one of them is Note but the king of heauen hath an eie to euery particular person considering what they are and how affected and prepared what they did the day before what thoughts they had what praiers they make the night before and that very morning hee marketh and obserueth what their hopes are what their desires are what they expect for the present and what they purpose for afterwards in a word hee taketh particular notice of euery good thing in his Saints to reward it and of euery infirmity to helpe them out of it And saw there a man which had not on a wedding garment In that the King seeing this man at his table doth reproue him and condemne him for his want of good preparation the doctrine is that It is not sufficient to come to Gods wedding feast Doct. 3 but wee must come as fit guests for so great a banquet Fitnes requisite in Gods guestes and such a glorious presence Iudas ate and dranke the blessed bread and wine as well as Peter yet because hee had a cursed and carnall heart it was his bane and laid him more open to euery hellish temptation and made him more liable to euery curse and plague of God this was all that hee got by it Matth. 25. So the foolish virgins went to meet the bridegrome with lampes in their hands making a glorious shew and doing many things in the worship and seruice of God yet because they had not oyle in their vessels as well as in their Lampes that is had not inward graces in their hearts and consciences as well as outward semblances and shewes thereof in their carriage and behauiour therefore their lights were quickly out and when others were receiued as fit and meet guests they were reiected and excluded as vnfit an vnworthy of the Bridgroomes feast and company so that outward tearmes and colours of Religion will not serue the turne many shall crie Lord Lord who yet shall bee bid to depart from Christ Mat. 7.22.23 because they are workers of iniquitie They bragge they haue Propheced and cast out diuels and done many great works by his name but they did nothing for his name but for their owne credit or gaine or for some carnall respect or other and therefore seeking and seruing themselues the Lord esteemeth them wicked and vngodly persons and punnisheth them accordingly Now the reason of this point is because the Lord comman deth vs as well to come worthily as to come and as the praiers of the wicked are an abomination vnto him so are all other seruices of theirs to the vncleane all things are vncleane if men bee dead in sinnes and trespasses and liue vnder the power of presumptuous sinnes the things that are most helpfull and profitable in themselues are made hurtfull and pernicious vnto them so that they are thereby made more impure and more vnholy Vse 1 Sith there will be such strict examination and such a sharpe sentence of condemnation past vpon those that doe not get them wedding apparell when they come to this wedding feast this serueth to humble euery one that hath at any time come to this roiall feast without his wedding garment as euery one hath so often as he came to any of the meanes of saluation before hee was effectually called Note It was Gods wonderfull mercie that wee were not destroied in the time of the vnregeneracy for abusing his gracious and glorious presence and that hee did so patienly forbeare vs and at length put it into our hearts to put off our foule garments and to sue vnto him for white and pure raiment And albeit the Lord haue graciously spared vs yet should wee iudge our selues worthy to haue beene destroyed and be cast downe for our old sinnes lest they bring vpon vs new iudgements Secondly let vs labour to put on this wedding garment Vse 2 seeing it is so requisite and needfull for euery worshipper of God to be cloathed therewith What the wedding garment is Now if wee would know what it is the Apostle describeth it in part Coloss 3.12 Now therefore as the elect of God holy and beloued put on tender mercy c. As if hee had said sith God hath chosen you to eternall glorie in the heauens and proposed vnto you a kingdome that
good tearmes vnto repropates that are to be cast into hel fire then surely hee will much more vse mildnesse towards his people if Gods enemies haue good wordes from him then what may his friends expect at his hands And hee was speechles Doct. 5 Doct. Though sinners haue many excuses and colours Sinners shall to be put silence when they are to deale with men like themselues yet when God commeth to examine and sift their consciences they shall haue nothing to say for themselues This is to bee obserued in Iudas that though hee were very suttle and a notable cunning hypocrite yet when the Lord wakened his drousie conscience he brake foorth into a plaine confession I haue sinned betraying innocent blood Hee had no manner of defence or Apologie for himselfe in the world The reason of this point is Reason 1 because the conscience is the Lords officer and it cannot but speake truth when God will haue it through the light of knowledge which God hath put into euery mans soule by nature and that is the sorest and sharpest accuser that can be Further the Lord can set all their works in order before them and write them as it were in great letters that a man may runne and read the same If then we would be able to stand before the Lord at the last dreadfull day of iudgement Vse 1 when the bookes shall bee laid open and euery man shall bee iudged according to his works then let vs take that course which will make vs able to doe so and that is to get holy and sound loue and to testifie our louing heart by our louing behauiour not to loue in word alone but in deed Iob. 3.18.19 Chap. 5.17 Thereby shall wee assure our hearts before him and haue boldnesse in the day of iudgment so that pure and Christian loue with the fruites of it is the best meanes to make vs with confidence and comfort to hold vp our heads in the day of accounts Secondly Vse 2 this is for comfort against al the false clamors and accusations that are raised against Gods seruants the wicked here haue great matters to charge them with and haue much to say for their vnrighteous proceeding but at the day of the Lords reckning they that haue most to say now shal haue least to say for thēselues little doth any know how soone he may b called vnto the bar Therefore let Gods children commend thēselues vnto God in wel-doing he is the great Iudge of the whole world and with him righteous men shall haue good hearing in their iust and righteous eauses and all euill men shall be put to silence Godly men shall lift vp their heads with glory and wicked sinners shall stop their mouthes with shame Vers 13. Binde him hand and foot Hitherto of the examination conuictiō of him that had not on a wedding garment Now followeth this sentence well befitting the partie offending bind him hand and foot hee had abused his hands his feet and dishonoured God by his whole body and therfore iust it is that he should be punished in that take him away because hee had onely beene in the Church but not of the Church at the meanes but not profited by them therefore must he now be separated from all communion with God or his Saints And cast him into vtter darkenesse Seeing he loued darkenesse more then light therefore he shall haue enough of it Hee must be cast into a hell of darkenesse Doctr. 6 Out of all which this generall point may bee noted that the speciall time and place of the punishment of wicked men is after this life in hell fire heere vngodly men haue libertie both of hand and foote When and where wicked mens punishment shal be and the Saints of God are in greater restraint but why is that Because sinners shall neuer haue their full measure of woe till they be cast bodies and soules into hell fire at which time they shall be made capable of the extremitie of all miseries because their iniquities are growen to a full height Therefore let vs neuer enuy their prosperitie Vse 1 nor thinke that God taketh no notice of their sinnes because he delaieth to inflict punishment vpon them for the same Iudges doe cause notorious malefactors to be repriued sometimes but it is in no great fauour vnto them though in the meane time it may be they sharply correct their owne children so doth the Lord deale seuerely chastising those that are of his owne familie but letting reprobates thrine in their sinfull waies that in the end he may pay them home for all Secondly Vse 2 sith wicked mens punishment shall be principally in hell and the Church shall neuer be fully ridde of them till then Therefore let vs not be discouraged though for a while tarres be mingled with the wheat there is some vse of them and God seeth that wee haue need of such launders now and then whilst wee remaine vpon the face of the earth but when wee come to heauen wee shall be quite freed from them and therefore in the meane time let vs not take such offence at them as Brownists doe but wait Gods time when he shall command his holy Angels to separate them from amongst vs and to giue them their due in the lake that burneth with fire and brimstone for euer Thirdly Vse 3 let vs obserue this from the contrarie that as wicked mens full iudgement so godly mens full paiment is deferred till the last day They haue many comfortable refreshings here but at that day they shall be bathed in a whole sea of comforts As sinners at that time shall be depriued of all good things and bee vexed with all manner of euils so the Saints on the other side shal be exempted from all euill and be brought to the enioyment of all good things as sinners shall bee perfectly miserable so shall the Saints be perfectly happy as the one shall be sensible of their wretchednes so shall the other be of their blessednes and as the one shall be euerlastingly misesarable so shall the other be eternally happy in a word there shall bee euery way as much ioy and felicity in heauen and more too then there shall be woe and anguish in hell Which should stay vs from fainting vnder our crosses and sorrowes our temptations and corruptions Note wee can easily thinke that wicked men haue an ill bargaine though they enioy the pleasures of sin for a season because they must come to such torments in the end and why should not we iudge that we haue a good bargaine though wee passe thorow the fire and be in the Lords furnace for a while sith wee shall attaine to such ioies at last as farre furpasse the reach of any mortall man THE SEVENTH SERMON PSAL. 119. vers 1. c. 1 Blessed are those that are vpright in their way and walke in the law of the Lord. 2 Blessed are they that keep his
we recouer our selues with speede and set surer and looke better to our steps and make more haste in our way then we did before we must not be discouraged though we find not so good a progresse as were to be wished for God will accept of our endeuour and his spirit will beare vs witnesse that we haue a true heart notwithstanding we come farre short of that we should and other of Gods Saints do attaine vnto But on the contrary if we stand at a stay or start aside like a broken bow and so turne backe againe vnto folly it is much to be suspected that we had neuer any soundnesse in vs. 3 A third token of sincerity is A constant and conscionable vse of all the meanes constantlie and carefully to vse all the good meanes of attaining to goodnesse and to eschew all the inducements that may allure vnto euill Doth any one hate swearing then let him shew it by auoiding the company of blasphemers Doth any one hate impurity and filthinesse then let him testifie it by separating himselfe from all wanton and lasciuious company and from all suspected persons places Note If one pretend that he hateth these the like euils and yet will aduenture vpon the baite it is sure that such a one wanteth that truth of heart which should be in him and is in all so farre as they are sound within So for the contrary doth any one desire that grace and religion may flourish in his heart and that the fruites thereof may appeare in his life then let him vse all priuate and publike religious excercises wherby these things may be wrought and increased in him and delight in such company as both by precept and example may further him therein Doth any one wish that he could get victory ouer some special sins and corruptions that he is troubled withall then let him enter into combate against them as the Apostle did Rom. 7. Let him humble himselfe by fasting and prayer and complaine cry vnto the Lord for the repressing of them and get such forcible reasons against them out of the Scriptures as may quell the strength and violence of them and thus a sincere heart will do But if we make shew that we desire to be godly and religious Note and yet vse not the meanes at all or but some of them or if we vse them all it is but by fits and flarts or if we vse them constantly yet we do it but remisly and coldly we cannot haue any assurance that our hearts are faithfull vnto the Lord. A fourth argument of sincerity is to performe all duties as in Gods presence Respecting God in all things looking vnto him as the directer and discerner of our thoughts words and workes and thinking it sufficient if he approue of vs though men do dislike vs as the Apostle Paul telleth the Corinthians 1 Cor. 4.3.4 As touching me I passe very little to be iudged of you or of mans iudgement c. He that iudgeeth me is the Lord. And againe in the Epistle to the Thessalonians 1 Thes 2.4 As we were allowed of God that the Gospell should be committed vnto vs so we speake not as they that please men but God which approueth our hearts And therefore he prayeth in another place that the Corinthians might do none ill not that he might seeme approued 2 Cor. 13.7 and haue the credit of their goodnesse as being wrought chiefly by his ministery but that they might do that which is honest though he were disallowed to wit by men for with God the righteous Iudge he knew that he should be both approued and rewarded Thus he that is a seruant faithfull and trusty in his place seruing the Lord Christ in conscience not men with eye seruice albeit he should be accounted the most idle and vntrusly seruant in all the family being indeed the most diligent and painfull of all he will still go on with his faithfulnes and not diminish any iotte of his industry and laboriousnesse This Iob alledgeth as a testimony of his integrity that wheras he might haue giuen free scope to his eie for wanton lookes and to his heart for sinfull affections Iob. 31.1 yet he saith of himselfe I made a couenant with mine eyes why then should I think on a maid And why was he thus iealous of himselfe and thus carefull to guide his eye and to gouerne his heart in a right maner the reason is rendred vers 4. Doth not he behold my wayes and tell all my steps That also is Iosephs commendation that whereas he might haue liued in impurity and filthinesse not only without blame and reproch but euen with the fauour of his sinfull and vnchast mistresse yet the feare of the Lord restrained him from that monstrous and abhominable sinne How can I do this great wickednesse saith he and so sinne against God Gen. 39.10 Yea though she spake to him from day to day yet he refused and would not so much as be in her company lest any tempation should be offred vnto him by that occasion Note he would rather haue her displeasure then Gods rather be imprisoned amongst malefactors for forbearing of euill then to be vexed and tortured on the racke of an euill conscience for commiting of euill And this good disposition Gods seruants do many times find in themselues that when they haue falne into any secret sin and haue entertained vaine folish thoughts or corrupt carnal affections when they haue ouershot themselues in their speeches or in their cariage and no man discerneth it yet they take thēselues with the maner knowing that Gods holy eies are vpon them they iudge condemne themselues and are throghly angry with thēselues for that which they haue done Note Yea sometimes when men praise and extoll them yet they blush within themselues and haue an holy indignation against their owne soules that they haue dealt hypocritically or vaine gloriously or lightly or indiscreetly or passionatly This is a very singular mark vndouted argumēt of great piety sincerity As on the cōtrary it is a certain note of grosse hypocrisie euer to be caring what mē thinke speak of vs of our doings neuer to regard what god seeth amis in the same To receiue a rebuke will ngly and profitablys 1 The last note though many other might be named shall be this patiently to endure an admonition and reproofe and to be desirous of the same to the intent we may profit thereby in publicke to like best and desire most those sermons wherein our owne corruptions are most throughly met withall and strucke at with greatest sharpnesse and vehemency Note and in priuate to be most glad of the society of those friends that will in wisedome and mercy tel vs most often and most plainly of our faults Hypocrites cannot abide that any should rubbe vpon their galled backs as it were or come neare thē