in this obedience only the Lord thy God bee with thee as hee was with Moses Iosh. 1. 17. This will gaine thee reuerence euen with a most wicked man as it did to Iohn Baptist from Herod himselfe Mar. 6. 20. yea with thine enemy when a mans waies please the Lord euen his enemies shall bee at peace with him Pro. 16. 7. how much more with thine owne seruant Lecture the hundred and eighth Nouember 12. 1611. IOHN IIII. LII LIII IT followeth now that we proceed vnto the second point which is contained in the words I haue now read vnto you namely the enquiry which this Ruler made of his seruants touching the iust time of the recouery of his sonne and the satisfaction that he receiued therein Where it is to be obserued that this Ruler of whom it was said before that he beleeued the word that Iesus had said doth now enquire of the truth of that which Iesus had said For the reason that moued him to aske of his seruants the iust houre when his sonne began to amend was because he would know whether that were true which Christ had said whether he began to amend at that time when Christ said he began to amend whether the cure were done by vertue of Christs word yea or no and it appeares by the blessing that followed that this he did was well done and acceptable vnto God The Doctrine then we haue to learne here is this That it is not vnlawfull nor against faith but a good signe of faith and grace for a Christian to examine and make triall of the truth of Gods Word Two proofes there are of this Doctrine in the Text first this Ruler here after he had beleeued doth both enquire and moue questions concerning that which Christ had said vnto him and secondly he is carefull to obserue how Christ in deed and effect did make that good which he had spoken vnto him Obiect Why but may some say what need he to haue made any question or sought any confirmation of that which Christ had said if he had indeed beleeued his word as it is said he did That honour is due to Gods Word as we are to rest in it to giue absolute credit vnto it and make no question of it though it seeme neuer so contrary to sense or reason When God had told Abraham he should haue a son by Sarah in whom he should be the father of many Nations it is said Rom. 4. 18. That he aboue hope beleeued vnder hope according to that that was spoken to him And in so doing it is said vers 20. he gaue glory to God And so did Noah in a matter that was most vnlikely and that was not to fall out of an hundred and twenty yeares after By faith Noah being warned of God of things not seene as yet moued with feare prepared the Arke to the sauing of his house Heb. 11. 7. And on the contrary side God hath been angry with men for doubting of that which he hath spoken and hath punished them for it as he did Zacharias Luk. 1. 18. 20. An. I answer to make question of any thing God hath spoken as doubting of it is a sin but to moue questions concerning that which God hath spoken out of a desire to be further confirmed in our faith is a thing most acceptable vnto God Foure notable examples we haue for this When God had promised to Abraham that he would giue him the land of Canaan to inherit Abraham askes him this question Gen. 15. 8. O Lord God whereby shall I know that I shall inherit it And yet before it is said ver 6. He beleeued and that was counted to him for righteousnesse So Gideon after God had said vnto him that he should be the deliuerer of Israel from the Midianites and he be belieued also as it is plaine Iudges 6. 34. yet he desires still a further confirmation verse 37. and yet another verse 39. and God was neuer a whit offended with him for it So Hezechia after he had receiued Gods Word and promise for his recouery and he belieued yet 〈◊〉 Kin. 20. 8. he desires to be further confirmed in it What shall be the signe that the Lord will heale me The last example is the blessed Virgin Luke 1. who though she beleeued verse 45. yet makes a question and doubt verse 34. How shall this be seeing I know not man We see therfore for the first proofe that it is not vnlawfull to moue some questions of Gods Word so it be out of a desire to be further confirmed in the truth And for the second Christians may and should obserue carefully how God makes good his Word and fulfils in his workes that which he hath said in his Word In this respect we haue those Commandements oft giuen vs to obserue his works of mercy to the godly Psal. 107. 43. Who is wise that he may obserue these things he shall vnderstand the louing kindnesse of the Lord and his workes of iudgement on the wicked Psal. 66. 5. Come and behold the workes of God hee is terrible in his doings to the sons of men and generally of both Psal. 111. 2. The workes of the Lord are great and ought to be sought out of them that loue them And on the contrary side it is noted for a sin that much prouokes God when men neuer obserue the workes of God to see how by them he makes good whatsoeuer he hath said in his Word Psal. 28. 5. They regard not the workes of the Lord nor the operation of his hands therefore breake them downe and build them not vp The Reasons of the Doctrine are two principally first euery Christian euen the best had neede to be further confirmed in his faith and better assured of the truth of Gods Word Paul saith of the Thessalonians that there was some thing lacking in their faith 1. Thess. 3. 10. How much more would we find it so specially if we should be brought to triall yea that man certainely hath no faith that feeles no weaknesse of faith nor need to grow For not only the man whose childe had a dumb spirit Mar. 9. 24. and the Apostles Luke 17. 5. but euen Paul when he was at the best professeth with great earnestnesse and care to preuent in others that conceit of him that he was not perfect but desired to grow in faith Phil. 3. 12 13. Secondly this course that the Ruler heere tooke this questioning and inquiring but specially this obseruing of the workes of God is a singular meanes to increase and confirme vs in the faith Psal. 92. 4. Thou Lord saith Dauid hast made me glad by thy workes and I will reioyce in the workes of thy hands For this experimentall knowledge is the most certaine of all other Psal. 48. 8. As we haue heard so haue we seene in the Citie of the Lord of Hosts in the City of our God God will establish it for euer Iob 42.
is not onely a sinne but a mother-sinne a cause of many other sinnes it drawes men to many other sinnes yea to other most hainous sinnes Pro. 23. 28. She increaseth the transgressions among men Doe not prostitute thy daughter saith the Lord Leuit. 19. 29. to cause her to be a whore least the land fall to whoredome and the land become full of wickednesse 2. It is not onely a sin but a punishment of other sinnes I might alledge the punishments that God hath beene wont and will certainely inflict on this sin But I reserue that to another place Salomon in Eccles. 7. 26. speaking of the woman Whose heart is as nets and snares and whose hands are as bands he addeth He that is good before God shall be deliuered from her but the sinner shall be taken by her Pro. 22. 14. The mouth of a strange woman is as a deepe pit he with whom the Lord is angry shall fall therein So Rom. 1. 24. Speaking of such as God gaue vp to their hearts lusts and to vncleannesse and verse 26. to vile affections and verse 28. to a reprobate sense hee names the sinnes that prouoked God to deale thus with them verse 28. they regarded not to know God and verse 21. when they knew God they glorified him not as God nor were thankefull And therefore God gaue them vp to this sin Many speake much how this sin abounds in such townes where the Gospell hath beene most plentifully and powerfully preached and thinke they haue great aduantage against religion for it but indeed this makes much for the honour of the Gospell that the Lord cannot indure the contempt of it but vseth to punish it in this fearefull manner And who are they that in such places fall into this sin Surely such as either regard not to know God Rom. 1. 28. Or if they doe know him haue not glorified him as they ought Rom. 1. 21. but haue beene hypocrites and nourished vnder the profession of Religion some grieuous sinne Whoso pleaseth God shall escape from her saith Salomon Eccles. 7. 26. but the sinner shall be taken by her Wonder rather there be not more tainted with this sinne seeing there are so many that regard not to heare and of those that doe heare so many that make no conscience of any thing that they heare 3. There is no sin that is so directly opposite to sanctification and holinesse as this sin Therefore as the Spirit of God is euery where called the Holy Ghost because there is no one worke wherein he shewes himselfe wheresoeuer he dwells more then in holinesse So the wicked spirit is called the vncleane spirit Matth. 12. 43. because there is no one sin whereby it may be better knowne where he dwells and raignes then vncleanesse Of all the sinnes that man committeth there is no one that hath more force to quench the Spirit to dull and banish all grace out of the heart then this sinne hath See the proofe of this 1. Thess. 4. 3. 4. 5. For this is the will of God euen your sanctification that yee should abstaine from fornication That euery one of you should know how to possesse his vessell in sanctification and honour not in the lust of concupiscence euen as the Gentiles that know not God verse 7. For God hath not called you vnto vncleanenesse but vnto holinesse See how sottish Salomon became after he had giuen himselfe to fleshly lusts his nines turned away his heart after other gods saith the Holy Ghost 1. King 11. 4. and his heart was not perfect with the Lord his God Yea it puts out the light and iudgement that was in man by nature they that liued in lust were giuen ouer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith the Apostlâ—… Rom. 1. 28. in a minde voide of iudgement 4. There is no sinne that is committed with such delight and pleasure as this is and therefore it must needs bring in the end more bitternesse and anguish to the soule then other sins doe For the more pleasure men haue found in sin the more bitternesse shall they finde in their consciences one day for sin Luke 6. 25. Woe be to you that laugh now for yee shall waile and weepe and 16. 25. Remember thou in thy life time receiuedst thy pleasures now therefore thou art tormented Therefore the Scripture speakes so oft of the bitternesse of this sinne Heb. 12. When he had said verse 15. Let no roote of bitternesse spring vp and trouble you He adds verse 16. Let there be no Fornicator Iob 13. 26. When in the beginning of the verse he had said that the Lord wrote bitter things against him charged him with bitter sinnes he adds what those bitter things were Thou causest me to possesse the sins of my youth These tricks of youth will be bitter to men one day Pro. 5. 3. The lips of a strange woman drop as the hony combe verse 4. But the end of her is bitter as wormewood and sharpe as a two edged sword Eccles. 7. when he had said ver 25. That he had compassed about to know wickednesse and folly the foolishnesse of madnesse he adds verse 26. I finde more bitter then death the woman whose heart is as nets and snares c. Lecture the sixteenth Iune 13. 1609. IT followeth now that wee come to the Vses that are to bee made of the Doctrine we haue heard touching the hainousnesse of the sinne of Fornication which the last day being preuented by the time wee could not deliuer And this Doctrine serues To conuince the iudgement and conscience of them that liue in this sinne without feare For it is euident and all honest men complaine of it that this sin abounds euery where Yea many that esteeme themselues Christians reade the Word heare it come to such assemblies as this sit before vs and looke vs in the face when we speake against this sinne doe yet liue in this sin and liue securely in it as if all that is said out of Gods Word against it were but a Fable And what is the cause of this Surely somewhat there is that deceiues them that they cannot perceiue it is so dangerous a matter to liue in this sin as indeed it is It may truely be said of all sin that Sathan drawes a man to it and hardeneth him in it by some errour of his minde or other whereby he deceiueth him How drew he our first Parents first to sin 1. Tim. 2. 14. The woman was deceiued and found in the transgression 2. Pet. 3. 17. Beware least ye be plucked away with the errour of the wicked and fall from your owne stedfastnesse What is that that hardens a mans heart in sin The Apostle will tell vs Heb. 3. 13. Least any of you be hardened through the deceitfulnesse of sin What are those strong holds that keepe the Word and grace of God from entring into and conquering the heart of man The Apostle will tell vs that there are certaine imaginations
see what a blessing Phineas brought both vpon his owne house and vpon all Israell by the zealous hatred hee shewed against this sinne in the punishing of Zimry and Cozby Numbers 25. 11 12. 3. There is no true loue in any to their neighbours and country but in such onely For the shame and punishment that one man is brought vnto is a meanes to restraine many from committing this sinne and so to preserue them from the curse of God that is due vnto it That is the reason the Lord giueth for the seuerity that he enioyned the Magistrate to vse Deut. 13. 11. That all Israeli may heare and feare and doe no more any such wickednesse as this among you 4. There is no true loue to the sinner himselfe in any but in such onely For the disgrace and punishment that he is brought vnto is the likeliest and best meanes to bring him to true repentance Psal. 83. 16. Fill their faces with shame that they may seeke thy name O Lord 2. Thess. 3. 14. If any man obey not our sayings haue no company with him that he may bee ashamed verse 15. yet count him not as an enemy Secondly It is no aduantage to the vncleane person that men faile in their duty and doe not shew that detestation to his sin that they ought to doe For all kind of sinners may assuredly looke for plagues from God euen in this life though Magistrates should winke at them Behold saith Salomon Pro. 11. 31. the righteous shall bee recompenced on the earth much more the wicked and the sinner And Eccl. 8. 12 13. Though a sinner doe euill an hundred times and his daies bee prolonged Yet surely I know that it shall bee well with them that feare God which feare before him But it shall not bee well with the wicked neither shall bee prolong his daies which are as a shadow because hee feareth not before God Nah. 1. 2 3. God is iealous and the Lord reuengeth the Lord reuengeth and is furious the Lord will take vengeance on his aduersaries and hee reserueth wrath for his enemies The Lord is slow to anger and great in power and will not at all acquit the wicked The Lord hath his way in the Whirle-wind and in the storme and the clouds are the dust of his feet But of all sinners none haue more cause to looke for fearefull iudgements from God then they that liue in this sinne For God hates this sinne and will certainely punish and plague it though men doe not Yea there is no one sinne specially against the second Table which he hath set more euident marks of his indignation vpon and witnessed it by executing his iudgements vpon men for it then this Is not destruction to the wicked saith Iob speaking of this sin Iob 31. 3. and a strange punishment to the workers of iniquity Heb. 13. 4. Whoremongers and Adulterers God will iudge For this very sinne therefell of Israel in one day three and twenty thousand 1. Cor. 10. 8. And the Apostle tells vs that all iudgements that befall a Nation a Country or Towne are to be imputed chiefly to this sinne Ephes. 5. 6. Let no man deceiue you with vaine words for because of these things commeth the wrath of God vpon the children of disobedience But I will shew you more particularly how God is wont to punish this sinne And I am deceiued if any one sinne hath so many punishments so particularly threatned in the word against it as this hath 1. God plagues men in their bodies for this sinne Not onely as Salomon speaketh because Pro. 5. 11. It consumeth the flesh and the body but he hath inuented a plague proper and peculiar to this sinne euen that infectious and loathsome disease which at the first was called the disease of Naples and after the French disease but now may aswell be called the English disease For of very many in all places that may now be said which Zophar speaketh to Iob 20. 11. His bones are full of the sinne of his youth and it shall lie downe with him in the dust Other diseases may well be called the fruits of sinne but is there any sinne that hath a disease that is so naturall a fruit of it and that beares his name in the forehead thereof so as this doth 2. God plagueth men in their goods for this sinne Pro. 6. 26. Because of the whorish woman a man is brought to a morsell of bread Iob 24. 18. Their portion shall bee cursed vpon the earth Many a man is brought to beggery by it Yea this sinne is able to destroy Kings as Salomons mother taught him Pro. 31. 3. 3. God plagueth men in their good name and reputation for this sinne Pro. 6. 33. He shall finde dishonour and his reproach shall neuer be put away Let him haue neuer so much wealth and power he shall haue no true credit nor estimation with men no not with his owne seruants or children or such as are most bound vnto him God told Dauid that when he committed this sin he despised him 2. Sam. 12. 10. And those that despise God shall be sure to be despised 1. Sam. 2. 30. 4. God plagueth men in their posteritie for this sinne Iob 31. 12. This is a fire that shall deuoure to destruction and roote out all mine increase Iob 21. 19. God will lay vp the sorrow of the father for his children Many a goodly family hath beene ouerthrowne by this sin Yea for this sinne God denies a posterity to many It is not only the curse whereby God threatneth the man that commits incestuous vncleannesse that hee shall die childlesse Leuit. 20. 20 21. but of all adulterers and fornicators also the Lord saith Hos. 4. 10. they shall commit whoredome and shall not increase Iudah though in all likelyhood he were but thirty yeares old when he lay with Tamar Gen. 38. and had two sonnes by her yet doe we neuer reade that he had any childe after sure it is that from them two onely and Selah whom he had before the families of Iudah are reckoned Gen. 46. 12. Num. 26. 19. 22. 1. Chron. 2. 3 4. 5. God plagueth the family and towne where such men dwell for this sinne Gen 29. 18. God shut vp euery wombe of the house of Abimilech because of Sarah when there was but a purpose in him to commit adultery with Sarah though he intended it vnwittingly altogether The family and towne is polluted and made guilty of sinne Ier. 2. 2. Thou hast polluted the Land with thy whoredomes Num. 25. 1. The people began to commit whoredome with the daughters of Moab and verse 3. The wrath of the Lord was kindled against Israel and verse 4. Hee sent a plague that consumed twenty foure thousand 6. Because many an vncleane person will be ready to say none of all these plagues I thanke God haue hitherto nor doe now touch me I say vnto such men 1. The longer Gods plagues are deferred
the heauier they will be â—…hen they come the longer he is fetching his blow the deeper will he cut when he smites Rom. 9. 22. The cause why God suffers with long patience the vessels of wrath prepared for destruction is that he might shew his wrath and make his power knowne vpon them the more 2. Thou mayst bee plagued of God with a plague that is of all others most grieuous and neuer feele it thou maist be plagued in thy soule and conscience Pro. 6. 32. Hee that doth it destroyeth his owne soule When God would punish Pharaoh so as hee might make his power seene vpon him Rom. 9. 17. Hee punished him with hardnesse of heart Exod. 9. 12. which was a greater plague then all the rest of the plagues of Egypt So this is spoken of as of the most fearefull punishment Rom. 1. 28. When God giues a man vp to a Reprobate minde 3. If thou wert altogether spared in this life and neither punished in thy body nor in thy soule yet is there another place prepared for thee where thou shalt be sure to be punished with farre more fearefull punishments then any can be felt here Thou shalt neuer be able continuing in thy sin to escape the damnation of hell which is in a speciall sort threatned against this sin whoremongers shall be sure to haue their part in the lake that burneth with fire and brimstone which is the second death Apoc. 21. 8. That makes Salomon say they are as neere to hell as they that haue one foot there already Pro. 5. 5. Her feet goe downe to death her steps take hold on hell And Pro. 9. 18. Her guests are in the depth of hell And as the Lords forbearing wicked men in this life and causing them to prosper is a certaine argument he hath determined to reserue their full punishment for hell it is an euidence token of a righteous iudgement to come saith the Apostle 〈◊〉 Thess. 1. 〈◊〉 6 when wicked men are spared here So is it said that of all sinners the Lord hath chiefly reserued the vncleane persons to be punished there 2. Pet. 1. 9. 10. And by how much the more they haue beene spared here by how much the more patience and bounty the Lord hath shewed them here by so much the more grieuous and fearefull shall their torment be there Luke 16. 25. Sonne remember saith Abraham to Diues That thou in thy life time receiuedst thy good things and likewise Lazarus euill thing but now hee is comforted and thou art tormented And Rom. 2. 4 5. Despisest thâ—…n the riches of his goodnesse and forbearance and long suffering not knowing that the goodnesse of God leadeth thee to repentance But after thy hardnesse and impenitent heart treasurest vp vnto thy selfe wrath against the day of wrath and reuelation of the righteous iudgement of God So that if thou wert wise thou wouldst thinke it no aduantage to thee that thou hast so well escaped all the plagues which God hath threatned against thy sinne in this life but desire rather that the Lord would punish thee here where he alwaies vseth in wrath to remember mercy and not reserue thy whole punishment for the life to come where there shall bee iudgement without mercy his punishments there shall haue no mixture of mercy in them Lecture the eighteenth Iune 27. 1609. THe fourth and last error of mind whereby Sathan draweth men to vncleannesse and hardneth them in it is the hope of repentance and so of pardon For there are very many whom hee cannot so farre blind but they know it is a sinne and a hainous sinne and a sinne that they are sure they shall bee damned for if they should not repent of it But such he encourageth to this sinne by perswading them 1. Thou knowest by the Scripture that whensoeuer thou shalt repent thee of it though it be not before thy death God will surely pardon it Ezek. 18. 21. 2. Thou hast no cause to doubt but thou shalt be able to repent and dye in Gods fauour For 1. Thou seest many that haue liued in this sinne that yet haue now left it 2. Many that although they neuer left it before yet on their death beds haue repented and dyed as well as any And thirdly thine owne experience will tell thee what thou art able to doe For hast thou not oft felt that thou hast repented and beene sorry for this sinne after thou hast committed it 3. And if thou mayst but dye well dye in Gods fauour what needest thou care for more No matter how thou liuest so thou mayst dye well Thus seemed he to haue perswaded Balaam Let mee die the death of the righteous and let my last end be like his saith he Num. 23. 10. And with this deceit doubtlesse he perswadeth many and preuailes more with men then by any other of his tentations and subtilties whatsoeuer For what is the cause why you shall finde men much more carefull to conceale this sinne from men then from God Yea they will not sticke to commit periury and murder which are farre more hainous offences against God that they may hide their whoredomes from men Surely they thinke they may be bold with God it is no matter how they prouoke him they can deale well enough with him he is more mercifull and ready to forgiue then man is and if they doe but repent and say they are sorrie for their sin he will forgiue them straight Now the preseruatiue and remedy against this so dangerous a deceit of Sathan consisteth of three points 1. The true knowledge of God and of his disposition toward such sinners 2. The true knowledge of ourselues and of that state we cast our selues into when once we fall into such sinnes 3. The true knowledge of the danger we haue brought the party vnto with whom we haue committed this sin First It cannot be denyed but the Lord to them whom he loueth in Christ is infinitely more mercifull then any man can be to them whom he loueth most dearely That made Dauid say 2. Sam. 24. 14. Let me now fall into the hand of the Lord for his mercies are great and let mee not fall into the hand of man And when the Lord had spoken of his great mercy Hee will haue mercy vpon him our God is very ready to forgiue He amplifieth it verse 8. by comparing his mercy with the mercies of man My thoughts are not your thoughts neither are your waies my waies but verse 9. As the heauens are higher then the earth So are my waies higher then your wayes and my thoughts then your thoughts But as he is more mercifull then any man so hee hates sinne more then any man can doe Hab. 1. 13. He cannot see hee cannot beheld it Psal. 11. 5. The wicked and him that loueth iniquity doth his soule hate verse 6. Upon the wicked he shall raine snares fire and brimstone and stormy tempest this is the portion of their cup. Yea
waies past finding out For who hath knowne the minde of the Lord or who hath beene his counseller Or who hath first giuen to him and it shall bee recompenced vnto him againe And generally of all his workes Iob 9. 12. Who will say vnto him what doest thou and 36. 23. Who hath enioyned him his way Or who can say Thou hast wrought iniquitie Reasons of it 1. The high estimation we ought to haue of him in our minds for his excellencie and greatnesse He is the most high God possessour of heauen and earth Gen. 14. 22. This is is the ground of all piety The feare of the Lord this high esteeme of him in our hearts is the beginning of wisedome Psal. 111. 10. Now there is no man whom we honour indeed and esteeme reuerently of but we will iudge the best of his words and actions Iob 29. 24. If I laughed on them they beleeued it not See an example of this towards an equall Matth. 1. 19. Ioseph out of the reuerent opinion he had of Mary iudged the best of that which he could not conceiue good reason for and durst not make her a publike example and a rule for it toward all Charity thinketh no euill 1. Cor. 13. 5. 2. His wisedome iustice and power is so infinite and absolute that it is not possible he should erre or doe wrong He is excellent in power and iudgement and in plenty of iustice Iob 37. 23. His will is the rule of all righteousnesse the most High ruleth in the kingdome of men and giueth it to whomsoeuer hee will Dan. 4. 32. He worketh all things after the counsell of his owne will Ephes. 1. 11. 3. The Lords manner hath euer beene to conceale from men euen from his best seruants oft-times his meaning and intent in many of his workes Rom. 11. 33. How vnsearchable are his iudgements and his wayes past finding out No man can fully vnderstand his meaning in his word that that we know is but a little in comparison of that we are ignorant of of all that God hath reuealed to vs touching his will we may say with Eliphaz Iob 4. 12. mine eare receiued a little thereof and with the Apostle 1. Cor. 13. 9. Wee know in part yea of his workes also with Iob 26. 14. Loe these are parts of his waies but how little a portion is heard of him No not is his ordinary workes howsoeuer Philosophers haue bragged much of their skill that way doe men perfectly vnderstand the causes of them and his manner of working in them God thundreth marueilously with his voice great things doth hee which wee cannot comprehend Iob 37. 5. Much lesse in his extraordinary and immediate workes of iustice or mercy Yea it is for Gods glory thus to do It is the glory of God to conceale a thing Pro. 25. 2. And one chiefe cause of it is our want of capacity and ability to vnderstand the Word and workes of God The good Schoolemaster teacheth his scholler so much onely as fits his capacity It is therefore a good rule for vs to follow which Elihu giues Iob 36. 24. 26. Remember that thou magnifie his worke which men behold euery man may see it man may behold his worke afarre off Behold God is great and wee know him not neither can the number of his yeeres bee searched out The Vse of this Doctrine is 1. To Exhort euery Christian to settle in his heart this reuerend perswasion of the Word as to acknowledge and admire the truth and holinesse of it euen in those things which he vnderstandeth not nor can conceiue the reason of and to reiect with detestation all blasphemous thoughts that may rise within himselfe and all lewd persuasions that he may receiue from others to esteeme vnreuerently of any part of it Take in this the Apostle for an example who hauing mentioned two obiections which profane men are apt to make against the truth reiects them with detestation and saith God forbid Rom. 3. 6. and 6. 2. Till a man become thus simple and haue his thoughts thus captiuated he shall neuer attaine to true wisedome Gods Word giues Wisedome to the simple Psalme 19. 7. and if any man seemeth to bee wise in this world let him become a foole that he may be wise 1. Cor. 3. 18. To Exhort vs in all Gods iudgements and corrections vpon vs to take heed of murmuring or opening thy mouth against God but doe as Psalme 62. 5. My soule keepe thou silence vnto God Take rather this course 1. Seeke and enquire what is in thee and what thou hast done that hath thus prouoked God Let vs search and try our waies and turne againe to Lord Lam. 3. 40. 2. Though thou canst finde no notorious crime in thy selfe or such as might prouoke him to so extraordinary a iudgement yet rest resolued he cannot wrong thee though he should cast thee into hell and therefore submit thy selfe in all reuerence and seeke peace with him Whom though I were righteous yet would I not answer but I would make supplication to my Iudge Iob 9. 15. 3. Be assured that if thou vnfainedly feare him hee intendeth thy good in this his iudgement though thou cannot yet perceiue it Psalm 25. 10. All the paths of the Lord are mercy and truth vnto such as keepe his Couenant and his testimonies THE NINE AND FORTIETH LECTVRE ON APRILL X. MDCX. IOH. IIII. XXVIII XXIX XXX The Woman therefore left her Water-pot and went her way into the City and saith vnto the men Come see a man which told me all things that euer I did is not this the Christ Then they went out of the City and came vnto him WE haue already heard the conference that our Sauiour had with the Woman of Samaria and how it was interrupted and broken of by the comming of the Disciples In these words is set downe the notable effect and fruit that came of it The parts of the Text are two 1. The endeauour that this Woman vsed to draw her neighbours vnto Christ verse 28 29. 2. The successe God gaue to this her endeauour verse 30. Concerning her endeauour three things are to be obserued 1. The zeale and forwardnesse she vsed in going to her neighbours verse 28. 2. The motion and persuasion she vsed when she was come vnto them she desired no more of them but that they would come and see Christ. 3. The reasons she vsed to draw them to this For the first there be three things noted by the Euangelist verse 28. that doe much commend the zeale and forwardnesse of this woman in seeking to draw her neighbours vnto Christ. 1. That he saith The woman therefore for so it is in the originall went her way into the City 2. That hee saith she left her water-pot or payle behinde her for the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth any vessell vsed to carry water in 3. That he saith when she came into the City she said vnto
keepes his stomake for it He knew and so did not they what a multitude of the Samaritans were comming towards him 3 The question which the Disciples had among themselues about this answer their Master had made vnto them verse 33. They wondred how he in that place should come by meate Yet out of the reuerence they beare to his person they durst not aske him but only inquired among themselues how that might be 4. The manifestation that Christ himselfe maketh of his owne meaning in that answer he had giuen vnto them verse 34. The meate he spake of was 1. To do the will of him that sent him that is to instruct and saue soules 2. To finish his worke It is my meat saith Christ to finish it to exercise my selfe in it still euen to the end of my daies And this he calls his meat 1. Because of the appetite and desire he had to it as men haue to their meate he desired nothing so earnestly 2. Because it refreshed him maruailously no food no dainties were so sweet vnto him The first thing then that in these verses offreth it selfe to our consideration is this that the Disciples out of the loue and respect they had vnto our Sauiour doe mooue and intreat him to eate somewhat and that he blameth them not for this From whence we haue this to learne That though a Christians chiefe care should be for his own soule and the soules of other men yet the bodies of men may not be neglected but must be nourished and cared for also especially theirs whose health and strength may be of most seruice and vse to God and his Church 1. For the care of our selues this way see a plaine direction giuen vs by the Apostle Ephes. 5. 29. No man euer yet hated his owne flesh but nourisheth and cherisheth it And 2. For the care we should haue of others it is to be obserued that when our Sauiour had restored the daughter of Iairus to life he commanded that something should be giuen her to eate Mar. 5. 43. and that all those workes of mercy vnto which the Lord will shew such respect at the day of iudgement Matth. 25. 42 4â—… are such as had beene shewed vpon the bodies of Gods seruants And lastly for the speciall care should be had of the bodily health and strength of such as whose seruice may be of speciall vse to God and his Church We haue a notable example in the care of the Apostle had of Timothy for Timothy being a young man and vnmarried for the suppressing of the lusts of youth and the better obtaining of the gift of continency did altogether forbeare the drinking of wine and vsed to drinke water onely and thereby weakened his stomake and brought vpon himselfe many other infirmities Paul therefore forbids him 1. Tim. 5. 23. to drinke water any longer and chargeth him to drinke wine The Reasons of the Doctrine are foure 1. The commandement of God that forbids vs to kill and take away the life either of our selues or others Exod. 20. 13. commandeth vs to vse all good meanes for the preseruing of life both in our selues and others Our bodies and liues are not our owne to doe with what we list but the Lord is the God of our life Psal. 42. 8. and our bodies are his and not our owne as the Apostle speaketh 1. Cor. 6. 19. 20. and therefore the wrong we doe to our bodies redoundeth vnto him 2. All the creatures of God that serue for the preseruation and health and comfort of our bodies are giuen vs by God to that end that we might vse and enioy them and giue him praise I brought you into a plentifull country saith the Lord Ier. 2. 7. to eate the fruit thereof and the goodnesse thereof And the Apostle 1. Tim. 6. 17. He giues vs richly all things to enioy and 1. Tim. 4. 3. God hath created meates to be receiued with thanksgiuing of them which beleeue and know the truth And therefore the neglecting to vse them for the comfort of the body must needs argue vnthankefulnesse vnto God and a light esteeme of his goodnesse and bounty 3. The bodies of Gods seruants are the members of Christ 1. Cor. 6. 15. and the Temples of the Holy Ghost 1. Cor. 6. 19. and in that respect they must not be neglected but there is an honour due vnto them 4. And lastly the body is the seruant of the soule and the instrument whereby it worketh and therefore the neglect of it will greatly disable the soule and hinder the functions and actions of it and besides make it subiect to many passions and fancies that otherwise it might be free from Therefore when our Sauiour speaketh how the Lord fitted him to the worke of mediation and redemption saith Heb. 10. 5. A body hast thou prepared me thou hast giuen me a body fit for that worke and seruice The Vse of this Doctrine is 1. For reproofe of such as in their health vpon pretence of Religion and mortification neglect and macerate their bodies and deny them such helpes and comforts as are necessary for them I grant that it is sometimes profitable and necessary to abridge our selues of the comforts of this life 1. For the taming and mortifying of the flesh and bringing of the body in subiection to the soule I keepe vnder my body and bring it into subiection 1. Cor. 9. 17. 2. For the profession of our repentance and humiliation before God Ezra did eate no bread nor drinke water for he mourned because of the transgression of them that had beene carryed away Ezra 10. 6. 3. For our helpe in extraordinary prayer Let them not feede nor drink water but let man and beast be couered with sackcloth and cry mightily vnto God Ion. 3. 7 8. In which three respects God inioyned his people to keepe a day of solemne abstinence once euery yeere though they had no other extraordinary occasion to mooue them to it Leuit. 23. 29. But euen at such times the Lord requireth vs to keepe that measure as that we neglect not the health of our bodies nor make them vnseruiceable vnto vs I will haue mercy and not sacrifice saith the Lord Matth. 12. 7. And the rather because we are easily drawne to hypocrisie this way and euen to put holinesse in will-worship and humility and neglecting of the body as the Apostle noteth Colos. 2. 23. 2. For reproofe of such as in their sicknesse refuse or neglect the benefit of Physicke True it is 1. That it is the Lord onely who both sendeth sicknesse vpon others and with-holdeth those diseases from vs and our families that fall vpon others and who healeth vs when we are sicke whether we haue taken Physicke or no if we recouer our health it is the Lord that healeth vs he is the God of our life Psal. 42. 8. and of our health also he is the strength of our life Psal. 27. 1. yea it cannot be
19. That God let none of his words fall to the ground So hath he shewed himselfe carefull of the words and writings of all the rest of the Prophets yea of the least iot and title of them that it might not fall to the ground but be fulfilled Matth. 〈◊〉 18. When the Holy Ghost will giue a reason why Christs parents fled with him into Egypt rather than into any other place Mat. 2. 15. And why after his returne he was brought vp at Nazaret rather than in any other place Matth. 2. 23. Why at his death the soldiers cast lots for his garments Matth. 27. 35. Why when he was crucified the vngracious soldiers brake not his legs according to the custome but one of them with a speare pierced his side Iohn 19. 36 37. This is onely giuen for the reason of all that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the mouth of the Prophets that the Scripture might be fulfilled Now consider with thy selfe that these things were but iots and titles in the Writings of the Prophets and therefore if God were so carefull to see these small things fulfilled how much more will he be of the weightier matters of the Law that concerne mercy and iudgement and fidelity Mat. 23. 23. 2 The diligent and conscionable vse of Gods ordinance in the Ministry of his Word and Sacraments For as Faith comes by hearing Rom. 10. 17. so the constant vse of it is appointed of God to this end to bring men into certainty in the matters of their Faith Ephes. 4. 14. That we henceforth be no more children wauering and caried about with euery blast of Doctrine 3 Feruent and hearty prayer when our Sauiour had taught his Disciples a truth that to flesh and bloud seemes most incredible namely that we are bound to forgiue our brother vpon his repentance though he wrong vs neuer so oft They said vnto the Lord increase our faith Luke 17. 5. For no man can be vndoubtedly assured of the truth of Gods Word without the reuelation of the Spirit Flesh and bloud hath not reuealed this vnto thee but my father which is in heauen Matth. 16. 17. Yea it is a mighty work of God Paul cals it Ephes. 1. 19. the exceeding greatnesse of his power towards vs that belieue according to the working of his mighty power 4 An honest heart and care to please God Mar. 1. 15. Repent and belieue the Gospell Ioh. 7. 17. If any man shall do his will he shall know of that Doctrine whether it be of God or whether I speake of my selfe The second vse is for reproofe and to discouer the wretched estate of all vnbelieuers First if they had no other sinne yet this is enough to make their state miserable Secondly how ciuill soeuer they seem in shew doubtlesse they are as painted sepulchers for their heart must needs be corrupt and naught Thirdly neither the power of Christs merits nor the infinitenesse of Gods mercy can profit them but the knowledge they haue of the sufficiency of Christs merit and the infinitenesse of Gods mercy will but increase their misery as in the case of that Prince in 2 King 7. 2. Behold thou shalt see it with thine eyes but shalt not eat thereof And surely this is the case of most men euen of such as liue in the Church and professe the truth That that is said of the time when Christ shall come to iudgement may be said of these times When the Sonne of man commeth shall he find faith on the earth Luke 18. 8. This appeares by three apparent signes First the contempt of the word of exhortation in the Ministry of Gods seruants which if they belieued the Word they would giue credit vnto Belieue in the Lord your God so shall you be established belieue his Prophets so shall ye prosper 2 Chro. 20. 20. The people belieued the Lord and his seruant Moses Exod. 14. 31. Obiect You cannot agree among your selues and how should we giue credit to you Answ. In matters the knowledge whereof is necessary to saluation we all agree against thee and such as thou art we all agree Thou art conuinced of vs all thou art iudged of vs all 1 Cor. 14. 24. Secondly the truths they seeme to haue receiued with greatest assurance yet are they glad to heare ought obiected against them whereas the contrary is in them that belieue when occasion of doubting was giuen vnto the two Disciples that went towards Emaus that that which they had belieued concerning Christ was not true it made their hearts sad Luke 24. 17. Thirdly their hearts and liues are vtterly vnreformed which were not possible if they had true Faith Lecture the ninetieth Iune 18. 1611. IOHN IIII. XLVIII IT followes that we now proceed to the three other points that I told you are to be obserued in this Verse And first in that our Sauiour charging them with infidelity doth not say simply they would not belieue but saith that vnlesse they see signes and wonders they would not belieue therefore they had not Faith This Doctrine ariseth That true Faith is grounded vpon the Word of God and is able to giue credit to the Word though it see nothing else to confirme it They that cannot belieue except they see haue no true Faith Before I confirme this Doctrine I will explaine it in foure points 1 True it is that the Lord is wont by his works to giue testimony to his Word and to confirme it yea all the mighty works that God worketh in his Church are done to that end to ratifie his Word and to gaine credit vnto it Marke 16. â—…0 God confirmed the Word with signes that followed And Acts 14. 3. God gaue testimony to the Word of his grace and caused signes and wonders to be done by their hands Surely the Lord would not doe this vnlesse he saw it needfull and if he see it needfull why then doth he blame the Iewes here for desiring this And to this purpose it is that though the Lord haue appointed the day of generall resurrection to be the day of iudgement Acts 17. 31. Yet is there neuer a curse that he hath in his Word denounced against the wicked nor blessing he hath promised to the godly but in euery age and in euery place he hath made it good vpon some that men may sensibly see his Word confirmed vnto them by his works Psal. 7. 11. God iudgeth the righteous and him that contemneth God euery day In which respect it is said Psal. 107. 42. The righteous shall see it and reioyce and all iniquity shall stop her mouth 2 It cannot be denied but the heart of man may be notably prepared to the Faith before his conuersion by many things which he may see so the miracles which the Iewes saw Christ worke were notable preparatiues vnto them and made them much more willing to heare and receiue his Doctrine than otherwise they would haue been Of this we haue
had an example before in the Galileans Verse 45. So that is to be vnderstood Iohn 2. 23. Many belieued in his Name when they saw the miracles which he did viz. they had receiued some preparations vnto Faith they began to conceiue reuerently of his Doctrine and were willing to heare him and this was all as appeares Verse 24. But Iesus did not commit himselfe to them because he knew them all So the good life that they haue seene Gods seruants to lead hath beene a meanes to draw many a one to the Faith The Apostle vseth this as a reason to perswade Christians to an honest life That the Gentiles by their good works which they should behold might haue cause to glorifie God in the day of their visitation 1 Pet. 2. 12. That they that obeyed not the Word might without the word be wonne by the conuersation of their wiues 1 Pet. 3. 1. So the corrections of God which they haue seene and felt vpon themselues haue been the meane to open many a mans eare and to make him willing to heare Iob 33. 16. So the wonderfull deliuerances that men haue seene God giue to his Church and ouerthrowes to the aduersaries thereof haue wonne many a man to the liking of Religion Hest. 8. 17. Many of the people of the land became Iewes As I nothing doubt but the wonderfull deliuerance God gaue vs from the Powder-Treason hath drawn many a one from Popery to the loue of the Gospell 3 It is certaine also that the Faith of the best Christians may be much confirmed by the workes of God which they see So the Faith of Gods children was greatly confirmed by the miracles of Christ and of his Apostles Iohn 2. 11. This beginning of miracles did Iesus and shewed forth his glory and his Disciples belieued in him So are the faithfull greatly confirmed by Gods corrections on themselues when they are soundly humbled thereby Iob 42. 5. I haue heard of thee by the hearing of the eare but noâ—…ine eye seeth thee So by the sensible experiments they haue had of Gods mercy in themselues they are greatly confirmed in the Faith of Gods promises 2 Corinth 1. 10. Who hath deliuered vs from so great a death and doth deliuer vs in whom we trust that yet hereafter he will deliuer vs yea the beholding of Gods iudgements on wicked men and his mercies towards his faithfull seruants hath greatly confirmed their Faith in the Word of God when they can say As we haue heard so haue we seene Psalme 48. 8. and 58. 10. The righteous shall reioyce when they see the vengeance and why so Verse 11. And men shall say Verily there is a reward for the righteous doubtlesse there is a God that iudgeth the earth And in this respect men ought carefully to marke and obserue the workes of God how God makes good his Word by his workes A principall point this is of Christian wisdome and piety and great good might euery man receiue by it Psal. 107. 43. Who is wise that he may obserue these things for they shall vnderstand the louing kindnesse of the Lord. Yea say a man be neuer so diligent in the reading and hearing of Gods Word yet if he do not likewise obserue the works of God he is guilty of a great sinne Psal. 28. 5. They regard not the works of the Lord nor the operation of his hands therefore breake them downe and build them not vp 4 It is not simply vnlawfull or a signe of infidelity for a man euen to desire these sensible helps to confirme his Faith Hezekiah was a true Belieuer yet desired a signe 2 Kings 20. 8. Gedeon was a true Belieuer yet he asked a signe of God Iudges 6. 17. And when God had giuen him one he asked another Verse 38 And when God had giuen him that he asked yet another Verse 39. and God was neuer a whit offended with him When a man that doth in any measure truly belieue and giue credit to the Word shall desire that God would sensibly confirme to him the truth of his promises by deliuering him from any affliction he is in by blessing him in his body in his estate in his children especially by giuing him the inward feeling of his fauour he doth no more than he may well do Psal. 86. 17. Shew a token of thy goodnesse towards me that they which hate me may be ashamed because thou O Lord hast helped me and comforted me And Psal. 90. 16. Let thy works be seene towards thy seruants and thy glory vpon their children Now though all this be so as you haue heard in all these foure points yet remaines the Doctrine firme That true faith is not grounded vpon any thing we see vpon sense and experience but onely vpon the Word of God Whatsoeuer the faithfull man belieues he belieues it because God hath said it in his Word This the Apostle makes the ground of Abrahams faith Rom 4. 18. He belieued that he should be the Father of many Nations according to that that was spoken vnto him This was the ground of the Apostles faith not all the miracles they had seene Iohn 〈◊〉 22. They belieued the Scriptures and the Word which Iesus had said This was the ground of the Ephesians faith Ephes. 1. 1â—… 2 Insomuch as though there be sundry truths in Gods Word as I shewed you which the Lord doth vse to giue vs sensible proofes and demonstrations of in the world yet he that hath true faith belieues those very things not so much for any thing that he seeth as for that he knoweth God in his Word hath said so So that he is able to say I belieue that Goods vniustly gotten will certainly come to nought that Whore-mongers and Adulterers God will iudge that God will smite through the loynes of them that rise against Leui and of them that hate him and that not so much because I see this confirmed in such and such examples indeed I belieue it the more for this but not so much for this as because God in his Word hath said it Rom. 10. 17. Faith comes not by sight but by hearing 2 Cor. 5. 7. We walk by faith and not by sight He that walks by sight walks not by faith 3 The true belieuer giues credit to the Word though he see nothing to confirme it The bare Word of God is of sufficient credit with him and he belieues as verily those truths which his sense nor reason can discerne any proofe of such as are all the Articles of our Faith onely for the Words sake as he doth those truths that are most confirmed vnto his sense or reason Heb. 11. 1. It is the euidence of things not seene Ioh. 20. 29. Thomas because thou hast seene me thou belieuest blessed are they that haue not seene and haue belieued 1 Pet. 1. 8. Whom ye haue not seene and yet ye loue him in whom now though you see him not yet do you belieue and reioyce with
edifying which is in faith 1. Tim. 1. 4. 2. You must moue them with a desire and purpose to be resolued and to yeeld to the truth when it is reuealed vnto you not like Ahab who enquired of many of his Prophets whether he ought to goe vp to Ramoth Gilead but was resolued 〈◊〉 â—…nd say they what they list what he woâ—… do 2. Chro. 18. 5. or tâ—…e womâ—…â—…ntioned which will neuer be resoâ—… or setled euer learning 〈◊〉 neâ—… able to come to the knowledge of the trâ—… 〈◊〉 â—…m 3. 7. Of such Questionists it is said Mar. 8. 12. Christ sighed deeply in 〈◊〉 â—…t and said Why doth this generation seeke a signe 3. You must moue questions and talke of religâ—… 〈◊〉 great reuerence not profanely in a merry and iesting vain 2. Tim. 2. 〈◊〉 Stay profane and vaine bablings for they encrease vnto more vngodlinesse 4. Questions of religion must not be handled in â—…on in heate of contention as when men seeke their owne praise and to get the victory one of another The Apostle 1. Tim. 6. 4. condemnes questions and strife of words whereof comes enuie strife railing and euill surmising The second Vse of the Doctrine is to exhort vs to vse this meanes also for the confirmation of our Faith euen the obseruing of Gods works and the experiments we may therein finde of the truth of his holy Word It is good for vs to this end to obserue Gods dealing toward others See what a notable vse the Lord saith he knew Abraham would make of his iudgement on Sodome I know him that he will command his children and his houshold after him and they shall keepe the way of the Lord to do iustice and iudgement Gen. 18. 19. But specially it is good to obserue how God hath made good and confirmed his Word to thee euen in thine owne experience 1. His promises by blessing thee while thou hast walked carefully and conscionably before him answering thy prayers c. To this purpose belongs that exhortation Psal. 34. 8. O taste and see that the Lord is good Labour to be able to say as Psal. 119. 56. This I had because I kept thy precepts and verse 65. Thou hast dealt well with thy seruant according vnto thy word 2. His threats by crossing and correcting thee when thou hast swerued from his waies that thou maist also be able to say as Psal. 119. 71. It is good for me that I haue beene afflicted that I might learne thy statutes 3. Generally the truth of euery part of his word that thou maist as Rom. 12. 2. Proue what is that good that acceptable and perfect will of God and say of it from thine owne experience as Psal. 19. 10. that it is more to be desired than gold â—…ea than much fine gold sweeter also than hony and the hony combe What man is there that might not oft obserue some such experiments in himselfe And how great is the benefit we might reape by obseruing them FINIS Mar. 1. 14. Ver. 1. Ver 3. Luke 3. 1. Mat. 10. 5 6. Mat. 15. 34. Luk. 9. 52. Ver. 4. Ver. 6. Ver. 7. Ver. 8. Doct. 1. Reason 1. 2. 3. 4. Vse Doct. 2. Ob. 1. Answ. Ob. 2. Answ. Ob. 3. Answ. Ob. 4. Answ. Reason 1. 2. 3. Use 1. 2. Doct. 3. Reason 1. 2. 3. Use 1. 2. 3. Obiect Answ. Doct. 4. 2. Vse 1 2 3 Reason Use 1. Application 2. Application Vse 3. Application Doct. 6. Reason 1. 2. Application 2 3. Doct. 1. Reason 1. 2. Vse 3. Doct. 2. Use 1. Remedies against our distrust in God when means are wanting 2. 3. 2. Obiect Answ. Doct. 3. Reason Use 1. 2. 3. Doct. 1. Reason Use. Doct. 2. Reason 1. 2. Vse Doct. 3. Obiect 1. Answ. Obiect 2. Answ. 〈◊〉 Reason Vse 1. 2. 3. 4. Doct. 4. 1. 2. 3. 4. Reason 1. 2. 3. 3. Doct. Obiect Answ. 2. Use 1. 2. Doct. 1. Reason Obiect Answ. Use. 1. 2. Doct. 2. Reason 1. 2. Vse 2. Doct. Reason Vse 1. 1. Resp. Preser 1. 2 Preseru 1. 1. 2. 3. Answ. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Doct. 4. 1. 2. 3. 4. Reason Vse 1. 2. 3. 1. 2. Doct. 1. Reason 1. 2. Use. Doct. 2. Reason Use. 1. 1. 2. 3. Vse Quest. 1. Quest. 2. Quest. 3. Quest. 4. Quest. 5. Doct. 3. Reason Vse 2. Doct. 4. Reason 1. 2. 3. 4. Vse 2. 3. 4. 5. Use 2. Lect. 26. 1. 2. 3. 1. 2. 3. 1. 2. 3. 3. Doct. 5. Reason Use 1. 2. Doct. 6. Reason Use 1. Doct. 1. Reas. 1. Reas. 2. Use 1. 2. 3. Doct. 2. Reason 1. 2. 3. 4. Use 1. 1. 2. 3. 4. Use 3. Quest. Answ. Doct. 3. Reason 1. 2. Use 1. 2. Applica Use 2. Doct. 4. Reason 1. Vse Doct. 1. Reason 1. Vse Use 1. 2. Doct. 6. Quest. 1. Answ. Quest. 2. Answ. Quest. 3. Answ. Reason 1. 2. 3. Use 1. Obiect 1. Answ. Obiect 2. Answ. Use 2. Use 3. Doct. 7. Reason Use 1. Vse 2. Use 3. Vse 4. Doct. 1. Reas. 1. Reas. 2. Vse Doct. 2. Quest. 1. Answ. Quest. 2. 2. Answ. Quest. 3. Answ. Quest. 4. Answ. Quest. 5. Answ. Obiect Answ. Obiect Answ. Quest. 6. Answ. Reas. 1. Obiect Answ. Reas. 2. Obiect Answ. Use 2. 2. 3. Quest. 1. Answ. Quest. 3. Answ. Quest. 4. Answ. Quest. 5. Answ. Doct. 1. Reasons 1. 2. Use 1. 2. Doct. 2. Obiect 1. Answ. Reas. 1. 2. 3. Use. 2. 3. Doctrine Reas. 1. 2. 3. Vse 1. Obiect Answ. Obiect Answ. Use 2. Use 3. Doct. 1. Reas. 1. 2. Use 1. Doct. 2. Reas. 1. 3. Use 1. 〈◊〉 Doct. 3. Reas. 1. Reas. 2. Vse 1. Vse 2. Doct. 4. Reas. 1. Reas. 2. Reas. 3. Use 1. Vse 2. Doct. 1. Reasons Use 1. Use 2. Use 3. Reason Use 1. Obiect Answ. Vse 2. Doct. 3. Reasons Use 1. Use 2. Vse 3. Doct. 2. Doct. Reason Use 1. 2. 3. 4. Doct. 〈◊〉 Reasons Vse 3. Obseru Doct. 2. Reason 1. 2. 3. Vse 1. 2. 1. Prop. 2. Prop. Use 〈◊〉 2. Use 1. 2. See Lect. 54. CautioÌ„s Lect. 54. 2. 3. 4. Use 1. 5. Use. 6. Use 1. 2. Doct. 〈◊〉 Reason Use 1. 2. 3. 4. Doct. 2. Reason Vse 2. Doct. 3. Reasons Vse 1. 2. Doct. 4. Reasons Lect. 28. Vse Doct. 5. Reasons Vse Use for Ministers Reason Doct. 1. Reasons Use. Doct. 2. Reasons Vse 1. 2. 1. Exhortation 2. Reproofe Doct. 3. Reas. 1. Vse Doct. Use 1. Doct. 1. Reason Vse 2. Quest. 1. Quest. 2. 2. 3. Doct. 1. Doct. 2. Reas. 1. Reas. 2. Reas. 3. Vse 1. 2. 3. 5. Vse 2. Vse 3. Reason Use 1. Vse 2. Doct. Reason Vse Quest. Answ. Doct. 1. Reas. 1. 2. 3. Application 2. 1. 2. 3. 4. Doct. 2. Reason 1. 2. 3. 4. Use. 1. 2. 4. Doct. 3. Reason Doct. 4. Reason Use 1. Doct. 5. Reas. 1. Vse 2. Doct. 1. Reas. Vse 2. 1. 2. 3. Doct. 2. Vse 1. 2. 3. Doct. 3. Reason Meanes to attaine to patience 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. Use 2. Application 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. Doct. 1. Reason 1. 2. 3. Vse 1. Vse 2. Doct. 2. Reas. 1. Vse Use 2. Application Doct. 3. Vse 2. 3. Doct. 4. Reason Vse 1. 2. 3. Doct. 5. Reason Vse 1. 3. Use 2. Obiect Answ. Use 3. 1. 2. 3. Doct. 1. Vse 1. 1. Obiect Answ. Application 2. Application 3. Application 1. 2. 3. 4. 2. 3. 4. 5. Doct. 1. Reason 1. 2. 3. Vse 1. 2. 3. Doct. 3. Reas. 1. 2. Use. 1. 3. 1. 2. 3. Knowledge Repentance 3. ObedieÌ„se 1. 2. 3. Note 1. Note 3. 1. 2. Note 4. Obiect 1. Answ. Obiect 2. Answ. Doct. 1. Reas. 1. Vse 1. Vse 2. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. Doct. 1. Reason 1 2. 3. 4. 5. Vse 1. Use 2. Doct. 2. Reas. 1. 2. Vse 1. Vse 2.
CVIII LECTVRES UPON THE FOVRTH OF IOHN PREACHED At ASHEY-DELAZOVCH in Leicester-shire By that Late Faithfull and Worthy Minister of Iesus Christ. ARTHVR HILDERSAM The second Edition corrected and much enlarged by the Author 2. Tim. 3. ver 16 17. All Scripture is giuen by inspiration of God and is profitable for doctrine for reproofe for correction for instruction in righteousnesse That the man of God may be perfect thorowly furnished vnto euery good worke LONDON Printed by George Miller for Edward Brewster and are to be sold in Pauls Church-yard at the signe of the Bible MDCXXXII TO THE RIGHT HONORABLE HENRIE EARLE OF HVNTINGDON LORD HASTINGS HVNGERFORD BOTTREAVX MOLINS and MOYLES Lord Lieutenant of the Counties of LEICESTER and RVFLAND my very singular good LORD RIGHT HONOVRABLE THese Lectures which I haue for so many yeares kept by me and refused to let them see the light as iudging them both vnworthy in themselues to be brought into publike view and altogether needlesse also though they had beene much better in an age that doth so abound with all variety of excellent gifts both for preaching and writing I am now at length though the importunity of sundry that thinke better of them then my selfe could euer doe enforced to giue way that they may be published And this I haue done the more willingly that I might haue opportunity by this Dedication of them to giue publike testimony vnto the world of my duty and thankefulnesse vnto your Honour and vnto your Noble House vnto whom next vnder God I doe owe whatsoeuer poore abilities he hath beene pleased to giue vnto me for the seruice of his Church For as that noble Vncle of yours whom his wisedome and seruiceablenesse to his Prince and Country euen with the great neglect of his owne estate and family and specially his zealous care to promote the Gospell of Christ did make much more honourable then the noblenesse of this great birth could possibly doe did first maintaine me in the Vniuersity and after brought me to the exercise of my ministry in this place so haue I beene by the fauour and bounty of your noble Grandfather and of your Honour continued here now more then forty yeares And vnto your honour especially aboue all other men is thankes due for whatsoeuer benefit may redound to the Church by these Lectures because of that incouragement I did receiue from your Lordship in the preaching of them not only by your honourable beneficence in maintaining of me and confirming that vnto me which by the bounty of your noble Ancestors I did enioy but by that worthy example also you gaue vnto all my Auditory in your constant and diligent frequenting of them Which as you would neuer haue done if you had not liked them well or if you had heard any thing taught in them that did disagree with the Doctrine of our Church or that had any way tended vnto schisme or faction so haue you made me the more bold euen in this respect humbly to commend the patronage of them vnto your Honour Now the Lord of Lords who hath already made you truly honourable not by your Progenitors onely but by many noble endowments bestowed vpon your selfe and hath promised also to honour them that honour him continue and multiply all his graces and blessings vpon your Lordship and vpon your family to the increase of your present and euerlasting comfort through IESVS CHRIST So prayeth still Ashby-Delazouch Iune the first 16◅8 Your Honours to all duty and seruice euer most obliged ARTHVR HILDERSAM TO THE GODLY READER WHETHER MINISTER OR PRIVATE CHRISTIAN THis Booke which now at the length the good hand of God hath put into thy hand to reade deserueth a name in this kinde of writing to speake freely and at once what I truly iudge like one of the chiefe of Dauids Worthies not amongst the thirty but amongst the first three In reading most of the best Bookes extant the studious Reader is wont to select and transcribe the pith of such Notes as stand like Lights or Goades or Nailes in the body of the discourse and in the Spirit of the Writer But in this Booke to tell you what I find I find such variety of choice matter running throughout euery Veine of each discourse herein handled and carried along with such strength of sound and deepe Iudgement and with such Life and Power of an heauenly Spirit and withall expressed in such pithy and pregnant words of wisdome that I knew not what to select and what to omit vnlesse I should haue transcribed the whole Booke In the Authors manner of handling this Scripture Ministers shall obserue a double excellency i. e. An exemplary Patterne of Preaching in the euidence of the Spirit The euidence of the Spirit is shewen in discouering the hidden Treasures of the Graces of the Spirit partly breathing in the Scriptures which he either handleth of purpose or alledgeth occasionally partly flowing out of the abundance of the good treasure of his owne heart Both which manifested to the conscience of the Hearer do shine like a light in a darke place and do discouer both God to the Soule and the Soule in his owne feeling vnto God so that the Soule discerning the presence and Power of God is ready to cry out like Iacob Doubtlesse God is in this place this is no other but the Word of Life this is the gate of heauen Againe Ministers may further obserue in this Treatise an exemplary Patterne of reading and studying the Scriptures so as thereby to make a man of God perfect to euery worke of his Ministry For this Treatise euidenceth that this Author in reading the Scriptures hath so diligently pondered and searched out the true sence of the Holy Ghost and hath so wisely digested the knowledge and wisdome of the Scriptures to the clearing of euery Common-place and Doctrine of Religion that whether he speake to Explication or Application of any Text He fitly and fully amplifieth and presseth all from Scripture-grounds that you may at once both adore the perfection of God in the Scriptures making the Man of God perfect vnto euery good work and may also admire the dexterity and skill of a Scribe taught vnto the kingdome of God and bringing out of his treasure things both new and old When Schollers furnish themselues with store of other writers besides the Scriptures and being little conuersant in the Scriptures doe draw the Scriptures to the Authors whom they most affect and not their A◅thors to the Scriptures their Diuinity prooueth but Humanity and their Ministry speaketh to the braine but not to the conscience of the Hearer But he that diggeth all the Treasures of his knowledge and the grounds of Religion out of the Scriptures and maketh vse of other authors not for ostentatiō of himself nor for the ground of his faith nor for the principall ornament of his Ministry but for the better searching out of the deepe wisedome of the Scriptures such an
152. Paines must be taken in foure things to profit by that we heare and reade 173. Consider of the true cause why thou profitest not by the means of grace and be troubled for it 250. We may lawfully frequent that Ministry we can best profit by 253. Cautions for them that leaue their owne Pastors to heare others 268. 270. Their goodnes badnes is of great force to hearten or discourage their ministers 293. 295 Though they may affect some Minister more then other yet must they reuerence loue euery faithfull Minister 305. 309. They that haue truth of grace will gladly shew kindnesse to Gods faithfull Ministers 315. 285. The chiefe kindnesse they can shew to their Teachers is to make vse of their gifts and obey their Doctrine 319 320 321. A good signe of Election to profit by that thou hearest presently and by all thou hearest yet all the Elect do not so 305. 308. They must yeeld honour to their Ministers that consists in foure things 358. 362. The Ministers weakenesses should not cause any to despise their Ministry 371. 372. They should esteeme their own minister best the true cause why they do not 366 367. 342. When they are said to receiue Gods Ministers 374. Try thy estate by the iudgement thou hast to discerne of sound teaching 313. The sin both of curious careles hearers 151 A dangerous signe to enioy long good meanes and not to profit by it 305 ◅06 Praise God euen for the great variety of able teachers thou enioyest 308 309. Seeke to liue vnder such a ministry as thou maist profit by 199. What hearers they be that do rightly commēd and praise their Teachers 199. Heare with iudgement 291. They should propound their doubts to their Teachers 227 228. Hearers duty 227. Hearing men of better gifts breeds a loathing of the gifts of their owne Pastor ◅09 It is the Hearers fault that he profits not by the meanest Minister 309. Hearers ought to go with an open heart willing to learne whatsoeuer shall please God to teach them 312. Hearers ought likewise to go with a resolutiō to obey what shall be taught thē of God 312 Hearers ought not to dispute against any truth reuealed of God by their Minister though it be contrary to their reason humour 312. Hearers may not refuse information from any though their inferiour 312. It argues an vngracious heart when a man cannot be perswaded of a truth 314. Partiality in bearers and the grounds thereof 306 307. Holines of places or things Though before Christs death some places were holier then others yet now none are so 153 150. Reasons against popish superstition in this point 15◅ Humiliation It pleaseth God highly to see vs hunbled when he shewes himselfe angry 403. Hypocrisie The naturall man hath selfe respects in all the shewes he makes of goodnesse 55. 58. Many loue Religion for their worldly aduan tage 56. God cannot abide the seruice that hypocrites do vnto him 193. Yet must they serue God for all that 194. There be three kinds of hypocrites 198 199. He strengthens himselfe in his sin euen by the Word 57. The Hypocrite is in a wofull case 58. 465. Yet many good things may bee in him 467. 481 482. I. Idlenesse It is a sin and prouocation to lust 92. I◅wes The Church of the Iewes was extreamely corrupt in Christs time 165. The Church of the Iewes is the Mother and Primitiue Church from which all true Churches are deriued 175. 179. How vnlikely it is that that people should find mercy with God aboue all other people 177. Yet so it shall be and the reason of it 177 178 How wee should stand affected to the name and nation of the Iewes 179 180. Ignorance It is the chiefe cause of prophanes al sin 16 The danger of it 16 17. 137 138. How men are kept from the sense of that danger 17 18. The extreame ignorance of most people 18. 152 Wilfull ignorance will bee no aduantage to any 424. Comfort for the faithfull that complaine of it ◅15 The extreame blockishnesse of all men by nature 27. Impatiencie It is a iudgement that iewd men haue cause to feare 83 84. Impenitencie Sin is neuer the lesse dangerous to a man because men punish it not 77 78 79. 388. Impenitencie in sin 68. Infidelity Men are apt to belieue God no further then they see meanes of helpe 30. Remedies against this corruption 31 32. It is a most hainous sin 32. Gods people need not despaire of helpe from him in any distresse 3◅ Foure preseruatiues against the doubting of the truth of Gods Word 415. The danger of them that cannot belieue the Word and that most that liue in the Church are such 416. And of such as cannot be perswaded of many truths though most clearely taught 424 Infirmities God will not reiect the seruices of his people for their infirmities 97. The regenerate haue infirmities but no reigning sins 452. All men are too apt to despise their brethren for their infirmities see remedies against this corruption 458. The Lord is displeased euen with the infirmities of his children 452. Yet will not reiect his children for their infirmities 452. Intent A good intent how farre forth it makes mens actions good 433. Ioy. We should ioy much in the conuersion and forwardnesse of others 266. 268. Faith breeds ioy in the heart 336. 436. Foure meanes of sound ioy 436. 440. Vaine is the ioy of all carnall men 437. Day of Iudgement Why the Lord hath appointed it to be at the end of the world 297. Iudgements of God The Lord cannot endure to see men sleight and contemne his iudgements 403 404. See commonnesse of sin and signes and Common-wealth Iudging rashly Despaire of none so long as they haue the meanes and are willing to heare 30◅ How far forth we are bound to esteeme well of all that professe the feare of God 457 458 See infirmities K. Kneeling It is the fittest gesture to bee vsed in prayer 124. 134. The sin of such as drink healths kneeling 134. Knowledge We should labour to breed it in all we haue charge of 18. 205. The meanes to bring men vnto it 20. 140. All knowledge in Religion argues not truth of grace 21. 203. 204. How many wicked men attaine to a great measure of it 204. Sauing knowledge is to be sought for 22. He that hath it feeles the want of it and desires increase 22. How it may be differenced from that that is naturall ◅3 206. 469. It cannot be attained without an effectuall knowledge of sin 64. More is required of some then others yet all must seeke for a cleere and certaine knowledge in Religion 1◅6 No man can know God aright but by his Word and the difference of the knowledge got by other meanes and this 160. No vprightnes of heart without sanctified knowledge 468 469. Carnall men attaine to knowledge of the truth and how 204. Why God imparts it vnto them
should ioyne together in it as one man 122 123. Q. Questions disputing See Conference Neuer any prooued a good Scholler in any learning but he that had doubts would moue questions 322. How far forth it is lawfull to make question of or to reason against Gods Word or Workes 230 231. R. Reading We should exercise our selues in the reading of the Word 172. 291. Reason A great sin to examine Religion by carnall reason and to beleeue no more then we can see reason for 151. Reformation What properties are required in true reformation and leauing of sin 85. Regeneration Notes to try it by 5. Religion There is but one true way to saluation 139. It is the strength of a state 429. 279. Religious duties Great force in a conscionable vse of them to keepe a man from vncleannesse and other sins 93. And to breed in a man a confortable assurance of his saluation 343. Repentance There is more required to it then most men dreame 84 85. Late repentance is dangerous 442. Sins repented of though neuer so many and hainous will make vs neuer the lesse acceptable to God 95. No man hath an vpright heart that forsakes not all knowne sins 470. Notes to try our sincerity in leauing of sin 471 Repentance 470. Repentance of regenerate and naturall men distinguished 471. Reproofe The Minister must plainely and particularly reprooue sin 63. Great wisdome is required in reproouing sin 63 Motiues to perswade Ministers to faithfulnesse in this 66. How they may make their reproofe effectuall 66. He that hath grace will take reproofe well loue him the better that deales faithfully with him this way 106. 112 113. Three things that keepe men from accepting it and preseruatines against them 106. Though mens lewdnesse may restraine vs from reprouing them in priuate yet may it not their Minister from publike reproofe 294 295. Men disdaine to be reprooued by such as are no better then themselues and foure remedies against that corruption 364 365. 369 370 Fret not against the publike reproofe of thy sin in the ministry of the word 108. 373. 374. A common sin it is and dangerous not to endure reproofe 109. Reuerence Though outward reuerence be not sufficient yet can we performe no duty of Gods worship well especially in publique without some signification of reuerence euen in the outward gesture of our body 115. 120. Reasons for bodily reuerence in all parts of Gods worship 116. Rules for it 119 120. 125. More reuerence should be shewed at the hearing of the Word read then preached 126. We can performe no seruice to God well without feare and reuerence 115. S. Sacraments Our Sacraements are more cleere and effectuall then those vnder the law â—…0 In the administration of them we should make vse of our eye and behold what is done 127. Sacrifices What they and their manner of offering them did signifie 189. Samaritans The Papists resemble them much 36. Scripture The vndoubted certainty of euery thing that is written therein 249. It is much more full and perfect now then it was vnder the Law 207. To humble and honest hearts they are not obscure 349. 212. What are the causes why they are obscure 213 Pretense of their obscurity will not excuse the neglect of reading them 173. Scriptures ought to bee the rule of tryall for what is taught 174. Secret sins The Lord can discerne and is priuy to our most secret sins 69. Sin is neuer the lesse dangerous to a man because it is cunningly and closely committed 75. Securitie The false ground on which ignorant wicked men secure themselues 76. 429. Generall secâ—…rity is a signe of generall calamitie approching 42â—… Seducers They are cunning and who are most in danger to take hurt by them 138. Seruants They should loue their Masters and desire and seeke their comfort 492. Sundry other duties they owe but this is the roote of all 493. Cautions limiting their duty 495. Three things wherby they should shew their loue to their Masters 495. Seueritie Required in the Magistrates and all Christi ans in the discountenancing punishing of whoredome and other sins 78. Sicknesse See Delay Signes It is not simply vnlawfull to desire signes for the confirming of our faith 404. Signes of iudgement approaching 428 429. Silence From good words not alwaies vnlawfull 293 Sin Great is the necessity of an effectuall knowledge of sin 6â—… 65. The sins of the elect how hainous soeuer shal not hinder their saluation but tend to their good 95. Dangerous to hide our sins and that is done foure waies 104. It will bring Gods curse vpon the house and place where it is committed 158. It is a most loathsome thing and defiles a man 4. Sathan drawes men to sin through some error of their mind and by deceiuing them 73. Of sinning against the Meanes see Meanes It will certainely bring sorrow 438 452. Sinceritie The Lord makes great reckoning of the vprightnesse of the heart 465. Necessary to examine whether our hearts be vpright 53 54. 481. Notes to try that by 53. â—…9 471. 473. 476 480 The Lord delights in the weakest seruices that are done in spirit and truth 192 193. 465. He that hath an vpright heart may know he hath it 239. We should labour by diligent examination to find whether our hearts be vpright 465 466. Sorrow Properties required in the sorrow for sin 85. Extremity if it will disable vs from praying and profiting by the Word 433. Moderate is very profitable necessary 4â—…3 We must striue against that that is excessiue and immoderate 43â—… Foure remedies against such 436. There is great difference between that of the regenerate that of the carnall man 437. Sin will bring sorrow and great sins great sorrâ—…wes 438. Soule All mens chiefe care should bee for their soules 450. Speech To speake wickedly is a greater degree of sin then to thinke ill 228. Filthy speech a great sin 87. So is the delight to heare it 88. Spirit The spirit of God in whomsoeuer it dwels is like vnto water in foure respects 3. Why God is called a spirit 196. By the testimonie of the spirit the faithfull are assured of their saluation and hee that hath it may know he hath it 339. The Lord requires delights in the seruice of the spirit see Worship Superiors Disdaine not to be admonished or reproued by thy inferior 107. Superstition Papists are many waies grossely superstitious 156 157 Supper of the Lord. It should bee administred in the publike assembly 122. T. Talke see Speech Tractablenesse A good signe of election to receiue the truth with all readinesse 312 313. Affliction opens the eare and makes men tractable 397. We should pray for a tractable heart foure notes to trie it by 423. The danger of such as cannot be perswaded of many truths though they bee neuer so cleerely taught and confirmed to them 424 425. This hypocrisie is in all by nature that they scorne to be taught
of the kingdome of heauen and power to bind and loose was committed to them all as was to him to them all he said as my father hath sent mee so send I you And when he had said this he breathed vpon them and saith vnto them receiue yee the Holy Ghost Whosoeuer sins c. Ioh. 20. 21. 22. 23. He in respect of his Ministry is called a rocke vpon which Christ saith hee would build his Church Matth. 16. 18. so are all the Apostles the wall of the City the new Ierusalem had twelue foundations and in them the names of the twelue Apostles of the Lambe Reu. 21. 14. Yea Peter was so farre from exercising any such supremacy ouer the rest of the Apostles that writing to the ordinary Pastours and Elders of the Church hee makes himselfe equall to them and calleth himselfe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1. Pet. 5. 1. and makes the title of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 proper to Christ himselfe 1. Pet. 5. 4. 2. Though Peter had had such authority as the Pope exerciseth and exercised it himselfe yet followeth it not that the Pope hath the like For they can neuer proue that Peter left the authority that he had to the Bishops of Rome or that they are his successors Marke the proofe of our second argument 1. They can neuer proue by the Scripture that Peter was euer at Rome Say they haue Ecclesiasticall history to proue it we say that for a point of religion so fundamentall it is necessary they should haue euident Scripture also 2. Their Ecclesiasticall history for Peters being and continuance at Rome viz. that he should come thither in the twenty seuenth yeare of Claudius and tarry there twenty fiue years is expresly contradicted by the Scriptures For 1. He was at Ierusalem three yeares after Pauls conuersion Gal. 1. 18. and foureteene yeares after that Gal. 2. 1. 2. When Paul sends salutations to the Church of Rome he makes no mention of Peter Rom. 16. 3. If Peter had beene at Rome when Paul was in trouble there Paul would neuer haue written as he did Col. 4. 11. These onely are my work-fellowes to the Kingdome of God which are found to my consolation 2. Tim. 4. 16. At my first answering no man assisted me If Peter had been then there would not he haue beene a comfort to him would not he haue assisted him in his troubles 4. Though it were euident that Peter had beene at Rome and continued there twenty fiue yeares yet could he not be Bishop of Rome For 1. The office of a Bishop or Pastour is an office distinct from the office of an Apostle and inferiour also vnto it Eph. 4. 11. 2. Peter was specially appointed to be the Apostle of the Circumcision Gal. 2. 7. And the Iewes in this time that they pretend Peter should be Bishop of Rome were banished from Rome Acts 18. 2. 2. The second errour in this plea is this that they say the Doctors of the Church are their fathers that they are for them and against vs as the Samaritans said Iacob was their father But for our selues we may say in this point 1. We despise not the Fathers but reuerence them highly for their learning and piety 2. We esteeme them good helpes for the vnderstanding of the Scriptures 3. We study them and alleadge them also in our writings 4. There is scarce any matter of moment in religion which we cannot anouch from some or more of them On the other side the Papists do not giue vnto the Fathers that honour they pretend to do For 1. In many points they renounce their authority 2. They preferre Aquinas before the most or all of them 3. They match with the ancient Fathers sundry bastard and counterfeit fathers 4. They haue foisted into their writings parts of tracts and whole treatises that were neuer theirs 5. They haue by thir Indices expurgatorij cunningly altered or razed and quite put out many of their sentences and bookes and that with strange impudency though they haue knowne well that we haue many printed and written copies to controll them by Of these Indices they haue made fiue already as neuer satisfied with the correcting of the Fathers Neither do they in these Indices correct alter or raze the prefaces marginall notes collections and obseruations made out of the Fathers onely as some pretend but the very texts of the Fathers also All this our learned men haue made euident to the world in sundry bookes 3. The third errour in this plea of the Papists is this that as the Samaritan here thought it was not possible that God should do for any more then he did for Iacob Christ could giue no better a water then Iacob did Christ was not so great as Iacob so they think none can see any thing in Religion now which the Fathers did not see yea they oppose the iudgement and authority of the Fathers against Christ himselfe and the manifest testimony of his Word Whereas though it were granted that there are many things in popery that were receiued from the Fathers and in ours which the Fathers receiued not yet may that which they hold be erroneous and euill and that which we hold sound and good for all that For 1. Nothing in religion is to be receiued vpon the authority of the Fathers vnlesse it haue warrant from the Scriptures They are not to be admitted as Law-giuers and Authors of opinions in religion but as Interpreters of the Scriptures they are not Iudges of the Scriptures but are to be examined and iudged by them This we proue 1. By plaine testimonie of the Scriptures There is no Law-giuer saith the Apostle Iam. 4. 12. And our Sauiour forbids vs Mat. 23. 9 10. to acknowledge any for a father or master with such absolute dependance vpon him but his heauenly Father and himselfe onely 2. Themselues acknowledge the perfection of the holy Scriptures 3. Themselues doe disclaime this absolute authority and hold that they ought not to be further receiued then they bring warrant for that they teach from the holy Scriptures 4. The Fathers themselues do differ one from another and from themselues also 5. They were subiect to errour Euery man is a lyar saith the Apostle Rom. 3. 4. that i he is subiect vnto errour he may be deceiued himselfe and he may also deceiue others And indeed the Fathers did mistake in many things and erred yea and that very grossely as the Papists themselues do confesse also 6. There is no certainty euen of the most legitimate bookes of the best Fathers for heretiques haue gelded and corrupted them and foisted into them their owne errours 2. Though they were holy and learned men yet it may well be that the Lord hath reuealed that to his seruants now which they saw not for the Lord hath oft done so Dauid had more vnderstanding then his teachers had Psal. 119. 99. and the Disciples of Christ saw many truths which many of the
Prophets though they were it may be holier men then they did not see Luke 10. 24. Many points of Gods truth are reuealed now euen to babes which the Patriarchs and Prophets though holy men and highly in Gods fauour saw not It was euer vnlawfull to haue many wiues for it was forbidden to the King himselfe Deut. 17. 17. to multiply wiues And the Lord in the first institution of wed lock when if euer there was most vse and necessity of polygamy for the propagation of mankind made but one woman for one man And why so that he might seeke a godly seed saith the Prophet Mal. 2. 15. Intimating that the seed and posterity that came by polygamy could not be holy or pleasing vnto God Yet neither Iacob nor Dauid knew how hainous that sinne was Iephthah though a rare man for faith Heb. 11. 32. yet vnderstood not the liberty God had giuen him by his Law to redeeme his daughter Leu. 27. 4. nor how lawfull it was for those that were consecrated to God euen for the Nazarite to marry Iudg. 11. 35. Iosiah is praised for destroying those monuments of idolatry that Salomon had set vp though both Salomon himselfe after his repentance and Asa Iehosaphat and Hezekiah all good Kings saw not the necessity of destroying them 2. King â—…3 12 13. 2. Many good reasons may be giuen why learned Diuines in these dayes may know more and haue better iudgement in Religion then the Fathers had 1. They are borne and bred in the knowledge and profession of the truth and haue knowne from their childhood the holy Scriptures which are able to make them wise vnto saluation as the Apostle speaketh of Timothy 2. Tim. 3. 15. whereas most of the Fathers were bred and had liued long in Gentilisme and Heresie before they came to the knowledge of the truth 2. They enioy the benefit both of all the Fathers own labors and of the writings of many other learned men also which the Fathers themselues could not do 3. They haue the helpe both of far better translations of the Scripture then the Fathers could haue and of the knowledge of the tongues also which the chiefe of the Fathers are well knowne to haue been wanting in Thus much for the first vse of this Doctrine The second Vse concerneth vs all for this Doctrine serues to admonish vs that we take heed we make not an Idoll of any man how holy or how good soeuer he be which is then done when we oppose and set the iudgement or practice of any man against the Word of God when we aduance the credit of any man to obscure the glory of God Foure rules I will giue you to direct you in this case 1. Rest not so much on the iudgement aduice or example of the best men but examine them by the Scriptures Follow me as I follow Christ saith the Apostle 1. Cor. 11. 1. and 1. Thess. 5. 21. proue all things and hold fast that that is good For good men haue oft proued Sathans instruments to deceiue others Sathan himselfe did mis-guide Dauid 2. Sam. 7. 3. and the young Prophet was dangerously deceiued euen by the old Prophet who was also a good man 1. King 13. 18. and Peter plaid Sathans part in disswading our Sauiour from suffering Mat. 16. 22. 23. 2. Esteeme not of the excellentest man in the world when his credit is aduanced to obscure Gods glory and truth see how contemptibly the Apostle speaketh of the most excellent teachers in this case 1. Cor. 3. 5 7. Who then is Paul and who is Apollos neither is he that planteth any thing neither he that watereth 3. Count it no great signe of grace to be able to praise and speake well of some good men if thou do it to the discredit of that goodnesse that is in another to praise one Minister with an intent to disgrace and derogate from the credit of thine owne Minister or of any other 4. Count it no iust cause of comfort to be able to loue and commend some good men vnlesse thou be carefull to imitate their goodnesse for this shall increase thy condemnation rather then do thee any good The third vse concerneth them whose iudgement and practice men are in greatest danger to abuse 1. Desire not that any should giue thee the honour that is due to God as to make thy will thy iudgement or practice the rule of his conscience oh shun this by all meanes See two notable examples for thee to follow in this case the one of the Apostles Barnabas and Paul who when the men of Lystra would haue giuen diuine honour vnto them Act. 14. 13. 15. did withall expressions of sorrow and feare and indignation disclaime it and put it from them The other of the twenty foure Elders representing the whole body of the Militant Church of whom we read Reu. 4. 10. 11. that they fell downe before him that sate vpon the throne and did worship him and cast their crownes before the throne saying thou art worthy O Lord to receiue glory and honour They renounced before God their owne glory and ascribed all glory and honour vnto God alone Remember this is the way to bring fearefull ruine vpon thee when thou shalt accept of any honour such as this is as is due to God alone as we may see in the fearefull and shamefull end that came vpon Herod Acts 12. 23. Because he gaue not God the glory but accepted of or at least indured diuine honour to be giuen vnto him 2. Let such as are of note for their knowledge and profession take heed what example they giue It is the Apostles charge 1. Cor. 8. 9 10 11 12. 3. Let superiours especially take heed what example they giue for their inferiours will be ready to do as they do though it be to the manifest perill of their owne soules THE NINTH LECTVRE ON MARCH XXVIII MDCIX IOH. IIII. XIII XIIII Iesus answered and said vnto her whosoeuer drinketh of this water shall thirst againe But whosoeuer drinketh of the water that I shall giue him shall neuer thirst but the water that I shall giue him shall be in him a Well of water springing vp into euerlasting life WE haue heard in the two former verses that this poore woman of Samaria could neither vnderstand nor belieue that which Christ had said vnto her but reasoned and disputed against it yet doth not our Sauiour giue her ouer for this her blockishnesse and infidelitie but as he that came to seeke that that was lost still continueth to labour with her to bring her to an admiration and desire of grace which taking the present occasion from the Well where he now sate and the water which this woman came to fetch he calleth the water of life Now whereas she had falsly boasted that Iacob was their father and gaue them that Well and had asked him whether he were greater then Iacob he neither denyeth that which she had falsly
saith the Lord. Psal. 139 7. Whither shall I go from thy Spirit or whither shall I flie from thy presence Acts 17. 27. Doubtlesse he is not farre from euery one of vs for in him we liue and moue and haue our being 2. Because he is the Iudge of the whole World and is to iudge euery man righteously according to his workes God shall bring euery worke into iudgement saith the Holy Ghost Eccl. 12. 14. with euery secret thing whether it be good or whether it be euill For though he shall not want witnesses at that day yet it is necessary himselfe should haue perfect knowledge of all the actions of men Esa. 11. 3. He shall not reproue after the hearing of the eares Therefore Dauid Psal. 94. confuting the Atheisme of the wicked that said verse 9. The Lord shall not see vseth among other this argument to conuince them ver 10. He that chastiseth the Nations shall not be correct be that teacheth man knowledge shall not he know The vse of this Doctrine is double 1. This Doctrine if the Lord will be pleased to perswade our hearts to belieue it is most effectuall both to moue our hearts to speedy repentance for sinnes past and to restraine vs from sinne in time to come The thing that most emboldeneth to sinne is the hope of secrecy as we may see Gen. 39. 11. It is said of Iosephs Mistresse that he comming into the house when there was no body within but they two verse 12. Therefore she caught him by the garment c. True it is that there be many that are growne to that impudency that they dare speake or doe any thing whosoeuer be by They declare their sinnes as Sodome Esay 3. 9. Such a one was Absolon 2. Sam. 16. 22. Hee went in to his fathers Concubines in the sight of all Israel Such a one was the vniust Iudge Luke 18. 2. who neither feared God nor regarded man Yea that will the rather sweare and speake filthily when such are by as they know they may grieue by it as counting it a disgrace to be restrained by the presence and reuerence of any man but these are farre gone these sinne supernaturally these are in a fit of frenzie and madnesse company and mirth hath made them madd and desperate as indeed it will doe Eccles. 2. 2. For naturally and for the most part the knowledge of men will 1. Restraine them from sinning and 2. Will worke shame and trouble of mind in them when they haue sinned There are many sinnes that men would neuer commit but that they hope to keepe them secret the presence of a godly man would restraine them yea the presence of a little childe would restraine them Darkenesse and hope of secrecy is the principall encourager of men vnto most sinnes they cannot sinne securely vnlesse they may sinne in secret And in this respect amongst others all sinnes are called the workes of darkenesse Ephes. 5. 11. Therefore Iob speaking of sundry kinds of sinners saith Iob 24. 13. These are they that abhorre the light verse 15. The eye of the adulterer waiteth for the twilight and saith none eye shall see me and disguiseth his face and verse 17. If one know them they are in the terrours of death Now if the knowledge and priuitie that men haue of our sinnes bee of such force how much more would the knowledge the Lord hath of them doe it if men were fully perswaded of it For 1. A man may oft sinne so secretly that no man shall know of it but he hath the Lords eye vpon him at all times though no man seeth him God seeth him Yea hee knowes all our waies perfectly obserues them and takes notice of them so as he can neuer forget them 2. No man can possibly dislike or abhorre vs so much for any sinne as the Lord doth Iob 10. 4. Hast thou carnall eyes or dost thou see as man seeth Hab. 1. 12. Thou art of pure eyes and canst not see euill thou canst not behold wickednesse 3. The more cunning any shall vse in concealing his sin and keeping it secret the more the Lord abhorrs him for it Thus is Achans sin aggrauated Ioshua 7. 11. They haue euen taken of the accursed thing and haue also stollen and dissembled also And so is the sin of Israel 2. King 17. 9. The children of Israel did secretly those things that were not right against the Lord their God 4 As he seeth and disliketh all our sins so he certainely will one day charge vs with them either in this life to our saluation as to this woman here by the ministery of his word as he did that poore man that was before ignorant and vnbelieuing 1. Cor. 14. 24 25. which is indeed the naturall property of the word to do it is a discerner and discouerer of the thoughts and intents of the hart as the Apostle speaketh Heb. 〈◊〉 12. or in the life to come to our confusion as he threatneth wicked men that he will doe at one time or other I will reprooue thee and set thy sins in order before thine eyes saith the Lord Psal. 51. â—…1 and Eccl. 11 9. Know thou that for all these things God will bring thee to iudgement 5. He will also bring the secretest sins of men to light one day and lay them open euen to men Pro 10. 9 He that peruerteth his way shall be knowne 1. Tim. 5. 25. They that are otherwise cannot be hid He doth oft in this life discouer Hypocrites by giuing them vp to the committing of open sins Psal. 125 5. Such as turne aside vnto their crooked wayes the Lord will leade them forth with the workers of iniquity But this shall chiefly be done in the great day of the Lord then will the Lord lighten all things that are now hid in darkenesse and make the counsailes of the hearts manifest 1. Cor. 4. 5. This is the reason our Sauiour vseth to disswade men from hypocrisie Luke 12. 1 〈◊〉 For there is nothing couered that shall not be reuealed neither hid that shall not be knowne The conclusion then of this first Vse is that we would not flatter our selues in the secrecie of our sinnes but seeke the pardon of them and pray with the Prophet Psal. 19. 12. Cleanse thou me from secret faults Seeke to haue them blotted out of the Lords Booke of remembrance that he may neuer charge vs with them And the way to obtaine that is now in the time of grace to lay them open before the Lord and to charge our selues seriously with them with penitent and humbled hearts Pro. 28. 13. He that confesseth and for saketh his sins shall finde mercy For as he to whom sinne is forgiuen shall be sure to haue his sinne couered and hidden with the Lord Psalme 32. 1. So he that by remission and repentance hath them not blotted out shall be sure to haue them laid open and brought to light and though they were
and certaine note of the true Church as we see here in the argument Christ vseth to prooue the Church and worship of the Iewes to be the true worship and Church of God For saluation is of the Iewes This was the chiefe priuiledge the chiefe badge and cognisance of the old Church that the Oracles of God were committed to them they enioyed the true Doctrine of saluation Psal. 147. 19 20. Rom. 3. 2. And thus doth the Apostle describe the true Church vnder the Gospell he calls it the houshold of God built vpon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets Iesus Christ himselfe being the chiefe Corner-stone Ephes. 2. 19 20. He calls it also the pillar and ground of truth 1. Tim. 3. 25. Lecture the sixe and thirtieth December 26. 1609. THe two first parts of this Verse we haue already finished and are now to proceed to the third and last viz. The Reason whereby Christ iustifieth the worship which the Iewes did vnto God in these words Saluation is of the Iewes wherein two things are to be obserued 1. What hee meanes here by Saluation 2. How this Saluation that he speaketh of is said to be of the Iewes By Saluation in this place is meant the Word of God and the Ministry thereof as may appeare by these three Reasons 1. The Saluation here spoken of is that whereby the Iewes knew how to worship God aright else there had beene no consequence in this Reason wee worship that wee know For saluation is of the Iewes q. d. Because wee haue Saluation Now the onely meanes whereby the Iewes knew how to worship God aright was the Word 2. This Saluation here spoken of was the chiefe prerogatiue whereby the Lord did preferre the Iew before the Samaritan and all other nations and so is it mentioned here And the chiefe prerogatiue of the Iewes was the Word Psal. 147. 19. Hee sheweth his Word to Iacob his statutes and his iudgements to Israel verse 20. He hath not done so with any other nation neither haue they knowne his iudgements And Rom. 3. 2. The chiefe preferment of the Iewe was this because to them were committed the Oracles of God 3. The saluation here spoken of is that that was to be deriued from the Iewes to Gods people of all nations And what was that The Law shall goe from Zion and the Word of the Lord from Ierusalem Esay 2. 3. And the reason why it is so called is for that it worketh the saluation of men Which teacheth vs That the Word of God and the Ministry thereof is the saluation of men See for proofe of this what titles are giuen to it by the Holy Ghost 1. It is called the Word of grace Acts 20. 32. 2. It is called the Word of life Phil. 2. 16. Iohn 6. 68. 3. It is called the grace of God Titus 2. 11. 4. The Kingdome of God Matth. 21. 43. The Kingdome of God shall be taken away from you and giuen to a nation c. 5. Saluation it selfe and euerlasting life here and Heb. 2. 3. Act. 28. 28. Iohn 12. 50. I know that his commandement that is his Word which he hath commanded me to teach is euerlasting life These are vnproper and strange speeches to be spoken of the Word yet are they farre more effectuall to set out the dignity and excellencie of the Word then if the Lord should haue said onely in plaine termes that it is the meanes and worker of our saluation Before I come to shew the Reasons why it is so called I will answer three questions and doubts that may arise in your minds which may hinder you from vnderstanding aright and conceiuing the meaning of this Doctrine 1. Can none be saued that want the Word To this I answer It cannot be denied but some haue attained to saluation that neuer enioyed the Word Neither must we imagine that God either could not nor neuer did saue any without the Word or that all they are to be iudged to be in the state of damnation that either in times past or at this day liue and die in those places where the light of the Word did neuer shine For God is able to doe whatsoeuer it pleaseth him Psal. 115. 2. He hath appointed meanes not to tie himselfe but vs onely vnto them and as the inuisible Church the company of Gods Elect is a Catholique Church in all ages and in all places so in such times and places as he hath denied the Word vnto he hath beene wont to saue his Elect without the Word While his people were in the wildernesse where they could not haue the ordinary meanes of tillage God did feed them extraordinarily and gaue them bread from heauen Iohn 6. 31. So Rahab had faith euen while she dwelt in Iericho Heb. 11. 31. And the Wise men of the East before they came to Iudaea Matth. 2. 2. 2. Shall all be saued that haue the Word that reade it that heare it that professe it To this I answer That it is certaine all are not saued that enioy the Word For in all ages there haue beene many that haue liued vnder most faithfull and profitable Ministers and haue heard them also ordinarily and yet haue not beene saued such an one was Iudas Iohn 6. 70. Yea the most part of them that haue enioyed the Word haue missed of saluation In so much as in all ages the best of Gods seruants haue had cause to complaine as Esay 53. 1. Who will belieue our report And to whom is the arme of God reuealed Yea it may well be that those that haue enioyed the Word most abundantly may be farre worse men for all kind of wickednesse then such as neuer heard the Word in their liues So it is said of Ierusalem that it exceeded Sodome in all kind of abominations Ezek. 16. 48. The Word vseth not to saue any vnlesse it be by preaching opened and applied Acts 8. 31. 1. Cor. 1. 21. For it saues none but such as can vnderstand belieue and obey it It saueth none but Gods Elect. Onely those that God hath ordained vnto life shall profit by it shall finde it effectuall to their saluation Acts 13. 48. The rest cannot profit by it Many are called but few are chosen Matth. 22. 14. The rest shall be made worse by it The Word of God is like vnto the water of iealousie mentioned Numb 5. 27. 28. When it is receiued into an honest and good heart it doth it good and makes it fruitfull when into a corrupt heart it rotts it and makes it worse 3. Is the saluation of any to be ascribed to the Word it selfe or any vertue that is in it To this I answer That 1. The saluation euen of those that are saued by the Word is not to be ascribed to the Word it selfe or any vertue that is in it as if it were to be accounted the author and worker of any mans saluation 1. The glory of this
worke is to be ascribed wholly vnto God the Word is but the instrument that God is pleased to vse in this worke God onely is our Sauiour 1. Tim. 2. 3. 2. Neither is it as a naturall instrument that hath vertue in it selfe to regenerate or saue as food hath to nourish and a medicine to heale the bodie but onely as a toole God is pleased to vse in this worke So that as the excellentest toole the Ioyner hath or vseth can worke nothing vnlesse his hand goe with it and worke with it So is it in this case The Word saues and regenerates men not by any naturall vertue that is in it but onely by a supernaturall power it receiues from God the weapons of our warfare are mighty through God 2. Cor. 10. 4. Nay the Word it selfe say it be deliuered in the Ministry of a man that hath the most excellent gifts is not able to worke the least measure of sauing grace in the heart of any A man would thinke it was no great degree of grace in Lydia that shee attended to the thing that Paul spake yet could not the word that Paul spake though he had such excellent gifts worke so much but God opened her heart Acts 16. 14. To come to Christ is the least measure and degree of sauing faith yet could not the word that Christ himselfe spake as he was man mooue a soule so farre this is the onely worke of God No man can come to mee vnlesse my Father draw him Iohn 6. 44 45. I haue planted saith Paul and Apollos watered but God gaue the increase 1 Cor. 3. 6. The Preacher if he desire his Ministry should doe good had need to crie to God for his helpe and the hearer if he desire to profit by the Word had need to cry to God to make his Word effectuall to his saluation Therefore Christ when he was to send forth his Apostles spent a whole night in praying to God for his blessing vpon their Ministry Luke 6. 12. And doubtlesse one chiefe cause why the Word saues so few is this that men rest too much vpon it and cry not earnestly to God that he would blesse it and make it effectuall in their hearts This being so it may be demanded why the Word should be called the Word of life the Kingdome of God the saluation of men The Reasons why these glorious titles are giuen vnto it by the Holy Ghost are these 1. Because it is the onely meanes the Lord hath sanctified to worke sauing grace in his elect and to bring them to eternall life Though where this cannot be had he doth saue by other meanes or without meanes as pleaseth him yet hath he not said nor reuealed that he will saue men by any other meanes then this which caused the Apostle to mooue that strange question How shall they belieue on him of whom they haue not heard or how shall they heare without a Preacher Rom. 10. 14. And to pronounce of all that are strangers from the couenants of promise that they haue no hope of saluation Ephes. 2. 12. 2. Though men may haue many good things in them without the Word the Gentiles which haue not the law doe by nature the things contained in the Law Rom. 2. 14. yet sauing grace such good things as may bring a man to saluation none can attaine to ordinarily but by the Word for that 's the incorruptible seed whereby we are regenerated 2. Pet. 1. 23. 3. Though there be many other meanes of saluation besides this yet all the rest receiue their force and vertue from this nothing can doe vs good without this 1. Meditation of the workes of God must be acknowledged to be a good meanes of grace and so of saluation Dauid made great vse of it to further himselfe in grace Psal. 8. 3 4. But no man can profit by that till he haue first profited by the Word Make mee to vnderstand the way of thy precepts and I will meditate in thy wondrous workes Psalm 119. 27. 2 Affliction is a great furtherance to our saluation Hee chasteneth vs for our profit that we may be partakers of his holinesse Heb. 12. 10. But it can doe vs no good till it be sanctified to vs by the Word Psal. 94. 12. Blessed is the man whom thou chastisest O Lord and teachest him in thy Law 3. The Sacraments are great helpes to our saluation 1 Pet. 3. 21. Baptisme saueth vs. The Bread that we breake is it not the Communion of the body of Christ 1. Cor. 10. 16. but they haue all their efficacie from the Word Christ sanctifieth and cleanseth his Church by the washing of water through the Word Ephes. 5. 26. and that was the cause why Paul in that Congregation that was assembled principally for the celebration of the Lords Supper spent so much time in preaching Asts 20. 7. 4. Prayer is an excellent meanes of saluation Whosoeuer shall call vpon the name of the Lord shall bee saued Rom. 10. 13. But no man can pray with comfort till the Word hath wrought with him How shall they call on him in whom they haue not beleeued and how shall they beleeue in him of whom they haue not heard Rom. 10. 14. Till the Lord hath first said to a man by his Word thou art my childe he can neuer say to God in his prayer thou art my father Zach. 13. 9. I will say it is my people and they shall say the Lord is my God 2. Because it is euer powerfull God euer vseth to make it effectuall vnto the saluation of his Elect. This may appeare in two points 1. Though it be sometimes sent in iudgement and to be a sauour of death vnto death in some Goe and tell this people heare yee indeed but vnderstand not and see yee indeed but perceiue not Make the heart of this people fat c. Esay 6. 9 10. yet was it neuer sent to any place onely in iudgement onely to harden but to worke the saluation of some When God sent Paul to Corinth and continued his liberty there but one yeare and an halfe The reason is giuen Acts 18. 10. That God had Much people in that place The like wee shall finde noted of all places the Apostles preached in that some were conuerted by them in euery place 2. In Gods Elect it will certainely be effectuall to their saluation as many as were ordained to eternall life beleeued Acts 13. 48. And though not at the first yet it will be effectuall one day as the doctrine that Iohn the Baptist taught became effectuall in sundry of his hearers after his death and not before Iohn 10. 41 42. And when this will not saue and conuert nothing will be able to doe it If they heare not Moses and the Prophets neither will they be perswaded though one rose from the dead Luke 16. 31. Therefore is so much spoken of the power and efficacie of the Word that it is liuely
God then for him that is vtterly irreligious and profane Therefore the Lord condemnes the very Atheist because he did not pray Psal. 14. 4. 2. The wicked by the seruice he doth to God doth oft obtaine freedome from temporall iudgements that otherwise would fall vpon him and gets temporall rewards 1. King 21. 29. Ahab did so 3. Many a wicked man by comming into Gods House yea euen when he hath come with a wicked intent hath beene effectually called as the vnbeleeuer that Paul speakes of 1. Cor. 14. 25 26. And those messengers that were sent to apprehend Christ Iohn 7. 46. In which three respects it may be thought good policy for the wicked man to pray and heare and serue God 4. No sinne that any man hath liued in in former time can make his prayers or seruice euer a whit the lesse acceptable to God if he doe now repent the Publican vpon his vnfained humiliation and repentance went home iustified Luke 18. 13 14. So that this Doctrine tends not to the terror and discomfite of any the most notorious sinner that is penitent but to the impenitent sinner to the man that continues in sinne it is indeed a fearefull doctrine and if it be not fearefull now being vttered by a weake man yet it will certainely be fearefull to thee when the Lord shall charge it vpon thy conscience God regards not any seruice thou doest to him nay he would not haue thee to doe him any seruice nay he abhorres whatsoeuer seruice comes from thee Lecture the two and fortieth February 20. 1609. ANd thus haue I finished the first Reason that our Sauiour here bringeth for the confirmation of this Doctrine his second Reason is this God is a Spirit Now in this second Reason we must consider first the meaning of the words then the force they haue to conclude that for which Christ alledgeth them First then we must not take these words as a perfect definition of the nature of God For that that is here spoken of God agreeth also to the Angels and to the soule of man The Angels are spirits Psal. 104. 4. He maketh thâ—… 〈◊〉 his messengers and Heb. 〈◊〉 14. Are they not all ministring spirits The soule of man also is a spirit Eccles 12. 7. The spirit shall returne to God who gaue it Aâ—…s 7. 59. Lord Iesus receiue my spirit But because of all the creatures God hath made these doe most fully and liuely resemble the diuine nature it hath pleased the Lord hauing respect therein to the weakenesse and shallownesse of our capacity to call himselfe a Spirit both here and in other places of the holy Scripture 2. Cor. 3. 17. The Lord is a Spirit Heb. 9. 14 Christs God-head is called the eternall Spirit 1. As they are immortall so the Lord is immortall yea he onely hath immortality 1. Tim. 6. 16. of himselfe 2. As they are wise and vnderstanding natures so the Lord is of himselfe infinite in wisedome In which respect he is called God onely wise 1. Tim. 1. 17. 3. As they are simple inuisible incorporeall not hauing 〈◊〉 mixture nor consisting of any corporall substance And therefore 〈◊〉 â—…oues himselfe after his Resurrection not to be a spirit by this reason 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Behold my hands and my feet handle mee and see for a spirit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—…d bones as yee see me haue so is the Lord and in this respect principally is the Lord called a Spirit in this place because he is not a visible sensible corporall but a spirituall nature Now for the force that is in this reason to conclude that for which Christ bringeth it the true worshippers must worship the Father in spirit and truth not with a ceremoniall and outward worship because God is a Spirit The force I say of this reason is euident His worship must be answerable to his owne nature Such as himselfe is such must the worshippers be that he delighteth in According to the Prouerbe like will haue like like master like man Such as a mans owne disposition is such he desireth they should be that serue him Dauid had no better an argument to prooue that he did vnfainedly feare God then this that all his delight was in godly men Psal. 16. 3. Specially that his care was to seeke out such to serue him as feared God Psal. 101. 1. Mine eyes shall bee to the faithfull in the land that they may dwell with me he that walketh in a perfect way he shall serue mee This reason the Lord oft vseth Leuit. 19. 2. Yee shall bee holy for I the Lord your God am holy As if hee should say because you are my seruants my people you must frame your selues to my disposition and seeke to be like me The Lord therefore being a Spirit himselfe sets his eye vpon the spirit and heart of man to see how he is serued there 1. Samuel 16. 7. The Lord looketh not as a man looketh for man looketh on the outward appearance but the Lord looketh on the heart His delight is to haue seruice done to him with the spirit and heart Behold thou desirest truth in the inward parts saith Dauid Psalme 51. 6. Let the adorning of a Christian saith the Apostle 1. Pet. 3. 4. bee the hidden man of the heart in that which is not corruptible euen the ornament of a meeke and quiet spirit which is in the sight of God of great price So that he that thinketh a ceremoniall and bodily worship will content the Lord doth iudge erroniously of his nature and indeed maketh an Idol and a false God of him But it may bee obiected that there seemeth to bee no consequence in this Reason the true worshippers must now after Christs Ascention worship God in a more spirituall manner then they haue done vnder the Law because God is a Spirit for God was a Spirit then also as well as now To this I answer that it is true indeed and therefore he alwaies required to be worshipped in spirit for euen to them vnder the Law it was said Deuteronomie 10. 16. Circumcise the fore-skin of your hearts and Hosea 6. 6. I desired mercy and not sacrifice and the knowledge of God more then burnt offerings But as the Lord hath more cleerely reuealed himselfe now to bee a Spirit to be of a spirituall nature then he did vnder the Law so hee requireth spirituall worship of his people now more then he did vnder the Law Then God reuealed himselfe to his people in many sensible apparitions visions and voices hauing respect therein to the infirmity of his Church while she was in her child-hood We know the Lord appeared to Abraham in the body of a man and talked familiarly with him as one friend doth with another Gen. 18. 28. And in a vision to Ezekiel he appeared in the similitude of a man sitting vpon a throne Ezek. 1. 26. So with an audible and sensible voice he deliuered the Law vnto his people Deut. 5. 26.
better discerne if we looke into foure sorts which the Lord hath had most respect vnto this way and wherat the world hath taken great offence He hath oft had more respect 1. To men of meane condition for wealth wisedome and authority then to men of better degree and account 2. To young men then to the antient 3. To persons that haue beene infamous then to men that haue liued ciuilly and vnblameably 4. To women more then to men For the first For one man of degree and note in the world for birth wealth wisedome and authority the Lord hath beene wont to call many of the meaner and baser and simple sort This is plaine 1 Cor. 1. 26. And Mat. 11. 2â—… Thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent and hast reuealed them vnto babes And Iam. 2. 5. Hearken my beloued Brethren hath not God chosen the poore of this world that they should be rich in faith and heires c. And how naturall men haue stumbled at this you shall perceiue by that speech of the Pharisees haue any of the Rulers or of the Pharisees belieued on him but this people which knoweth not the Law are cursed Ioh. 7. 48 49. and by that speech of our Sauiour who when He had told Iohn's Disciples the poore receiue the Gospell adds presently blessed is he that shall not be offended in me Matth. 11. 5 6. 2. The like may be said of the second sort The Lord hath oft giuen more grace more zeale and faithfulnesse more piety and conscience of their waies to many young men then he hath to them of riper yeares For zeale where shall we finde among all the Kings such a one as young Iosiah 2. Chron. 34. 3. Or for faithfulnesse among all the Prophets such a one as young Samuel 1. Sam. 3. 20. Yea for wisedome and true discretion among all Iob's friends such a one as young Elihu was Iob 42. 7. And this also the world hath euer repined and stumbled at See an example of this corruption Matth. 21. 15 16. When they heard the children cry Hosanna they disdained and said hearest thou c. so that Christ was faine to make an Apology for them 3. For the third sort that I propounded The Lord hath oft had more respect this way vnto some that haue been formerly infamous in the world for their lewd life and hath vouchsafed more grace and zeale to such then he hath done to sundry that to the iudgement of men haue liued a ciuill and vnblameable life Christ bids himselfe to Zacheus house which we neuer reade he did to any other Luke 19. 5. After his Resurrection he appeareth first to Mary Magdalen out of whom he had cast seuen diuels Marke 16. 9. He honoured Paul that had beene a notorious persecuter and blasphemer with more abundance of gifts and successe in his labours then any of the Apostles beside 2. Co. 11. 23. And 1. Cor. 15. 10. Now this hath also euer beene a matter of great scandall to the naturall man when the Pharisees saw what respect our Sauiour shewed vnto Publicans they murmured saying this man receiueth sinners and eateth with them Luke 15. 2. And of the elder brother who was a type of the wicked and hypocriticall Iewes it is said Luke 15. 28. that when he heard that his father had receiued with such ioy his Prodigall sonne he was angry and would not goe in 4. For the fourth sort God hath oft reuealed himselfe further and giuen more grace more tendernesse of conscience more zeale more loue to him and his truth yea which is stranger more knowledge more resolution and courage more constancie in good duties vnto many women then vnto men Examples are infinite in this case I must make choice but of a few Exod. 38. 8. See the zeale of many women in the first establishing of Gods Religion vnder the Law 1. They vsed to flocke together vnto the Tabernacle 2. They were wont to come betimes and giue attendance at the doore of the Tabernacle 3. They were content to bestow the best things they had euen their looking glasses vpon Gods Sanctuary And of Samsons mother we reade that though her husband Manoah were a holy and good man yet Christ appeares to her rather then to her husband Iudges 13. 9. gaue her more knowledge faith and resolution then her husband yea makes her his instrument to confirme and comfort him verse 22 23. It is recorded that there was much more zeale in that noble woman the Shunamite mentioned 2. Kings 4. 8 9. then was in her husband and yet he a good man too It was she that tooke that care for the Prophets entertainement it was she that would needs go to the Prophet vpon a day that was neither Sabbath nor holy day which her husband thought much of verse 23. And in the New Testament it is worthy to be obserued 1. That Christ after his Resurrection shewed himselfe first to sundry women and made them his messengers to the Apostles Luke 24. 10. 2. That zeale and diligence that woman shewed in hearing the Word and all other parts of Gods seruice more then men They were women that are noted to haue beene the speciall followers of our Sauiour to heare him preach Luk. 8. 2. It was a woman that shewed such zeale to heare him that neglecting all other businesse sate at his feet to heare him and to whom our Sauiour gaue that testimony that she had chosen the good part which should not be taken away from her Luk. 10. 39. 42. They were women that were wont in Philippi euery Sabbath day to meet and pray together Acts 16. 13. 3. The kindnesse they shewed in Ministring to Christs necessities which is not reported of any man Luke 8. 3. 4. The constancie and courage that they shewed in following him and shewing their loue to him euen to his Crosse when the Apostles themselues fled for feare Luke 23. 27. and in their care to embalme his body after he was dead Luk. 23. 55 56. 24. 1. 5. The faith which was stronger in them then in any men we read of Mat. 15. 28. Luk. 24. 8 9 11. Now this respect that the Lord hath beene pleased to haue vnto women in this kinde how offensiue it is to the naturall man you may perceiue here by the disposition of the Disciples themselues which were more then naturall men and by common experience also For if women shall flocke to the Tabernacle of God and shew any zeale and diligence in frequenting his house if any Shunamite shall shew her selfe kinde in entertaining Gods Prophets or Susanna in ministring to their necessities what naturall man is there almost that will not be ready to slander and misconstrue this Yea to account it a most ridiculous thing and argument of the weakenesse and foolishnesse of our Religion The Reasons of this Doctrine are three whereof The first concerneth the Lord. The Reason why he vseth to passe by the more
heart cleane No more can he his body neither will you say What man is free from sinne in word and deed Iames 3. 2. yet this is farre easier then the other Insomuch as many a naturall man may goe farre that way Philip 36. Concerning the righteousnesse which is in the Law I was vnrebukeable How much more easily may the man that hath grace Therefore the Apostle doth likewise say Rom. 6. 12. Let not sinne raigne in your mortall body sin reignes when once it hath gotten the command of the body When a mans corruption and sinne breakes out into speech or action it dishonoureth God much more and doth more hurt to men then the sinne of the heart can doe 1. Cor. 15. 33. Euill speeches corrupt good manners The Vse of this Doctrine is 1. To exhort euery Christian to make tryall of his estate in this one point The best man shall haue much adoe with the corrupt thoughts of his heart but doest thou striue against them and hast thou obtained that power ouer thy selfe that thou canst keepe them in of conscience to God this may giue thee exceeding comfort Prou. 21. 23. Hee that keepes his mouth and tongue keepes his soule from troubles The soundnesse of a regenerate heart is seene in nothing more then in making conscience of our speech Matth. 12. 37. By thy words thou shalt bee iustified and by thy words thou shalt bee condemned See two notable examples of this one in Iob he glorieth much in this Iob 31. 30. I haue not suffered my mouth to sinne by wishing a curse c. The other in Dauid Psal. 17. 3. Thou hast tryed mee and found nothing for I was purposed that my mouth should not offend And 39. 1. I said I will take heede to my wayes that I sinne not with my tongue I will keepe my mouth as with a bridle Yea he doth also feruently pray for this Psal. 141. 3. Set a watch O Lord before my mouth keepe the doore of my lippes 2. To reprooue the madnesse of prophane men that glory in this that they are no hypocrites they meane no hurt they haue as good hearts as the best though they speake merrily for so they call all their scurrulous and bawdy talke and though they speake vainely and foolishly for so they call their swearing and blasphemie Though they be such as haue said and resolued with themselues as Psal 12. 4. with our tongues we will preuaile our lippes are our owne who is Lord ouer vs But to these men I say 1. It shall be easier for the secret Hypocrite in the day of iudgement then for thee because thou hast dishonoured God more and done more hurt to men Esay 3. 9. Yea they declare their sinnes as Sodome they hide them not woe bee to their soules c. 2. Whereas thou gloriest thou meanest no hurt thy heart is not so bad know thou there is much more filthinesse prophanenesse and wickednesse in thy heart then comes foorth at thy mouth Matth. 12. 34. For of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh The second point to be obserued is this what it was that restrained them from vttering that mislike that inwardly they had conceiued viz. the reuerence that they did beare vnto his person whom they knew to be the Sonne of God which teacheth vs That there is that reuerence and honour due to God as we may not dare to make any doubt or question of his words or workes of any thing he sayes or does though we cannot conceiue the reason of it That we mistake not this Doctrine I will tell you how far forth we may make question of Gods words and workes 1. We may enquire into Gods secrets so farre foorth as he hath reuealed them in his Word neither must men content themselues to be ignorant of any truth that God hath reuealed in his Word vnder this pretence that we may not bee inquisitiue into Gods secrets the things reuealed belong to vs and to our children Deut. 29. 29. There is nothing reuealed in the Word but it concernes vs and our children to know Romanes 15. 4. Whatsoeuer is written is written for our learning 2. We may examine and make question of any Doctrine that is taught vs by men be they neuer so good so that we examine it not by our owne reason but by the Scripture Acts 17. 11. the Beraeans are commended for this 3. If any thing we finde in Scripture and know to be Gods Word seeme to vs to be against sense and reason it is not simply vnlawfull to make a question of it so we enquire onely of God in humble desire to be taught and examine the matter by the Scripture should not a people seeke vnto their God to the Law and to the testimony Esay 8. 19 20. The Papists cry out of our infidelity and prophanesse because we will not rest in the plaine Word Matth. 26. 26. This is my body We enquire at God by the law and testimony and finde that he hath beene wont in speaking of Sacraments to giue to the signe the name of the thing signified and we doe finde also why he hath done so This kind of making question euen of that that God hath spoken did neuer offend him Luke 1. 34. the blessed Virgin did so 4. It is not vnlawfull to enquire a reason of God workes so we seeke it onely in the Scripture Dauid when he considered the manner of Gods gouernement sought to know the reasons of it but it was too painefull till he went into the Sanctuary Psal. 73. 16 17. But yet for all this this honour and obedience is due to God that we may not make question of any thing he hath said or done to doubt of it or dislike it because we cannot conceiue the reason of it We may not make our foolish reason the iudge or the examiner of Gods Word or workes we must admire and adore that we cannot vnderstand Our thoughts and reason must be brought into captiuity 2. Cor. 10. 5. For the Word of God euen such parts of it as our thoughts and affections are most apt to rise against See 2. notable examples The one in Eli It is the Lord let him doe what seemeth him good 1. Sam. 3. 18. The other in Hezekiah good is the Word of the Lord which thou hast spoken 2. Kings 20. 19. For the workes of God see this direction and rule giuen vs in two of the strangest and most wonderfull workes of God namely the reiection of the nation of the Iewes and the reprobating of a great part of mankinde in his eternall counsell Euen concerning these here what the Apostle saith Romanes 9. 20. Nay but O man who art thou that replyest against God Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it Why hast thou made me thus And 11. 33 35. O the depth of the riches both of the wisedome and knowledge of God! how vnsearcheable are his iudgements and his
and like their ordinary food the better but they who vse it so oft as that their stomacke is thereby ouerthrowne and they made vnable to feede on their ordinary foode abuse this good ordinance of God and finde not his blessing but his curse in it So doe many abuse this that they should vse as Physicke for their soule After they haue heard a while a man of excellent gifts they begin to distaste the Ministry of their ordinarie Pastours and can like of none profit by none vnlesse they be of rare and excellent gifts yea they become at length like vnto those who by accustoming themselues to drinke hot and strong waters bring their stomacke to that passe that they can finde no relish in any drinke or water be it neuer so hot or strong 3. He that leaueth his owne Pastour to heare another must be carefull to approoue his heart to God that he seeke nothing in it but sound edification onely he goeth to the other onely because he findeth he can profit in knowledge or faith or sanctification by him more then by his owne Pastour This caution will be found very necessary if wee consider the great want of iudgement that appeareth in Christians in the choise they make of their teachers and applause they giue vnto them Some admire and follow another rather then their owne Pastour because hee can make more ostentation of eloquence and reading and learning and such like humane gifts then their owne Pastour doth So the Corinthians preferred sundry teachers they had before Paul which makes him enter into these termes of comparison and commendation of his owne gifts I suppose I was not a whit behind the very chiefe Apostles But though I be rude in speech yet not in knowledge but wee haue beene throughly made manifest to you in all things 2. Cor. 11. 5 6. Some leaue their owne Pastour and goe to others onely for varieties sake Say their owne haue neuer so excellent gifts yet can they not like any one man long they haue itching eares and must haue an heape of teachers 2. Timothy 4. 3. Some preferre others before their owne Pastours onely because they shew more zeale in their voice and gesture and phrase of speech and manner of deliuery though haply the Doctrine it selfe be nothing so wholesome or powerfull or fit to edifie their conscience as the Doctrine of their owne Pastour is These though they be the best of the three sorts and pretend much loue and zeale yet we may wish to them more knowledge and iudgement as the Apostle doth I pray saith he that your loue may abound more and more in knowledge and in all iudgement Philippians 1. 9. Some dislike their owne Pastour because as hee knowes them better then a stranger so he vseth in his Ministry to meet oftner with them then a stranger can doe which is indeed a chiefe thing wherein the faithfulnesse of a Minister may be seene Preach the Word saith the Apostle bee instant in season and out of season reprooue rebuke exhort 2. Timothy 4. 3. and for this cause they hate him as Ahab did Eliah and Micaiah 〈◊〉 Kings 22. 8. and 2â—… 20. 4. When thou doest leaue thine owne Pastour and goe to another though thou doe it in vprightnesse of heart onely in a desire to edifie thy selfe yet must thou seeke to doe it with the consent and good leaue and liking of thine owne Pastour for 1. Thou must acknowledge that by Gods ordinance thou owâ—…st a duty to him as to thy superiour in the things that belong to thy soule Know them which labour among you and are ouer you in the Lord 〈◊〉 Thess 5. 1â—… 2. Thou art bound to seeke his comfort and to giue him all good incouragement that he may doe the worke of his Ministry with ioy and cheerefulnesse Heb. 13. 17. And these are the cautions which the hearer that would with comfort and Gods allowance leaue his owne Pastour to heare another must obserue Now to those Pastours that are thus left of their people three directions I haue to giue 1. If thou know any that out of a factious humour and in contempt of thy Ministry without a sincere respect to his edification doth leaue thee thou maist lawfully dislike and thinke ill of him and reprooâ—…e him sharply neither art thou bound to thinke well of him till he haue shewed himselfe penitent for this his offence if he turne againe to thee saying I repent thou shalt forgiue him Luk. 1â—… â—…4 2. Seeke to draw them backe vnto thee and to hold them by encreasing thy diligence in thy Ministry and labour to teach more profitably Follow that direction that is giuen Cause them to heare thee How shall that be Not by presenting them and troubling them but by searching forth and preparing many parables by seeking to finde out pleasant words and an vpright writing euen the words of truth as Salomon speaketh Eccles. 12. 9. that is Shew thy selfe painefull in study and carefull to come so prepared to the worke of thy Ministry that thou may teach soundly and profitably Hea ken to the exhortation Paul giueth to Timothy 1. Tim 〈◊〉 13. Giue attendance to reading first then to exhortation and doctrine As if he should say That thou maist be able to exhort and teach study hard Verse 14. Despise not the gift that is in thee as if he should say Suffer it not by idlenesse to decay but stirre it vp nourish and increase it Verse 15. These things exercise and giue thy self vnto them that it may bee seene how thou profitest among all men as if he should say Striue so to teach as it may appeare thy gifts encrease daily When the Apostle fore-telleth that in these latter times men should haue itching eares and should after their owne lusts get them an heape of Teachers 2. Timothy 4. 2 3. hee prescribeth to Timothy this remedy to cure it Preach the Word bee instant in season and out of season improoue rebuke exhort with all long-suffering and doctrine as if he should say Teach diligently teach zealously teach profitably vsing not onely doctrine but application grounding thy exhortations and reproofes substantially vpon sound doctrine Gods people in these daies are past children neither is it sufficient for a Minister to giue them that food that in it selfe is wholesome and good but they must giue them that food that is fit for their age and condition for some milke is fit food for some stronger meate 1. Corinthians 2. As it is a shame for a people that haue had good meanes of growth to be vnable to beare strong meate and to stand still in neede of milke Heb. 〈◊〉 12. so is it a great shame for a Teacher to haue nothing but milke to set before his people that are able to beare and stand in neede of strong meate Hee that in these daies would approoue himselfe to be a Scribe taught to the Kingdome of God fitted of God for
serue to the disgrace of Gods seruants that doe now liue and are their teachers So did the Iewes speake gloriously of Moses and the Prophets Matth. 23. 29. They builded tombes for the Prophets and garnished the Sepulchres of the righteous Whereas on the other side the faithfull are described by this note that they embrace and are established in the present truth 2. Pet. 1. 12. in that truth that is now taught them Secondly admit that the seruants of God whose iudgement and practise these men doe seeme to stand so much vpon had beene neuer so learned and godly men yet we may not build our conscience vpon the credit of any man neither of them that haue taught vs heretofore nor of them that teach vs now but onely vpon the Word of God We haue a notable rule giuen vs how farre forth we may receiue and rest vpon the iudgement or example of any of those worthy men that haue beene our teachers Heb. 1â—… 7. Remember your guides which haue declared vnto you the Word of God as if he should say So farre forth as they brought you the warrant of Gods Word for that they held and practised haue them in reuerent remembrance Whose faith follow As if he should haue said Follow them in euery thing but follow their faith which we know is onely grounded vpon Gods Word If any though farre inferiour to them in piety and learning shall bring you the manifest Word of God against such and such an abuse and you say you will not receiue it because such a learned and good man was of another minde you sinne in an high degree against God for you oppose the credit of man to the authority of Gods Word For example when we bring plaine Scripture to prooue that recreations are not to be vsed vpon the Sabbath and you tell vs you will not beleeue vs because such a learned and godly man allowed bowling on the Sabbath and shooting on the Sabbath we aske you did the man whose credit thou standest so vpon bring as plaine Scripture for the iustifying of it as we doe for the condemning of it If no take heede how thou settest the credit of any man against the authority of Gods Word In this case thou must remember what the Apostle saith though we or an Angell from heauen preach any other Gospell vnto you then that which wee haue preached vnto you and he taught nothing but what he grounded vpon the holy Scriptures and confirmed by them as is plaine by that which himselfe saith Acts 26. 22. Rom. 1. 12. let him be accursed Gal. 〈◊〉 8. Thirdly we are not bound to rest in the iudgement and practise of those good men that haue liued before vs for as it is with the particular members of the Church so is it with the whole Church it must grow and increase in grace Though Asa was a good King and in his first dayes reformed much yet Iehos phat reformed more 2. Chron. 176. And Iosiah went further yet than either Iehosaphat or any other that had beene before him 2. King â—…3 25. 3 To exhort euery man that his chiefe care be to finish his worke well and to striue that his diligence and zeale in doing the Lords worke may be more toward his end than at his beginning An exhortation necessary for vs that are Ministers and for all Christians for first if we should liue a thousand yeares we can neuer finish our worke nor doe all the seruice we owe to God and his Church As Christ could not say It is finished till he was euen ready to giue vp the Ghost Iohn 930. no more can any of vs. Secondly God will iudge and reward vs not according to our first but our last workes Matth. 24. 46. Blessed is that seruant whom his master when he commeth shall finde so doing 2. Pet. 3. 14. Be diligent that yee may bee found of him in peace without spot and blamelesse Thirdly it argueth a man neuer did any seruice to God in sincerity if he continue not to the end Psal. 92. 13 14. Such as be planted in the house of the Lord shall flourish in the courts of our God they shall bring forth fruit in their age they shall be fat and flourishing Fourthly the better a man was in the beginning of his dayes the worse shall his case be if he hold not out to the end if he finish not his course well 2. Pet. 2. 31. It had beene better for them not to haue knowne the way of righteousnesse than after they haue knowne it to turne from the holy commandement giuen vnto them Fiftly it is a great honour to a man both with God and men when he is better in his age or toward his end than he was before when it may be said of him as of Ruth Chap. 3. 10. Thou hast shewed more goodnesse at thy latter end than at the beginning Pro. 16. 31. Age is a Crowne of glory when it is found in the way of righteousnesse And on the other side there is nothing that maketh a man so base and contemptible to God and men as to haue beene religious and zealous at the beginning and to become an enemie or a worldling or a drone in the end Matth. 5. 13. The salt that hath lost his sauour is good for nothing but to be cast out and troden vnder foot of men Followeth the fifth property of true zeale He that hath true zeale will preferre Gods honour and seruice before any comfort of this life Our Sauiour heere preferreth the doing of his fathers worke before his meate and drinke though he were hungry yet the desire he had to doe his fathers worke maketh him forget his hunger It maketh a man willing to neglect his ordinary foode as our Sauiour did both heere and Mar. 3. 20. It maketh a man willing to neglect his ordinary rest our Sauiour admitted Nicodemus to come to him in the night and euen then spent much time with him in teaching of him Ioh. 3. 2. And Paul spent the whole night in preaching at Troas Aâ—…s 8 1â—… It makes a man willing to neglect his reputation as Dauid did in his manner of dancing before the Arke 2. Sam. 〈◊〉 20 2â—… and our Sauiour in making a scourge of cords and driuing out of the Temple with it the oxen and sheepe and men also and in pouring out the changers money and ouerthrowing the tableâ—… Insomuch as his owne Disciples when they saw it remembred and applyed vnto him that which was written The zeale of thine house hath eaten me vp They saw his zeale had euen eaten him vp and made him to neglect himselfe and his reputation Iohn 2. 15. 17. It maketh a man willing to forget and fall out with his dearest friends in the Lords quarrell as Moses saith of the Tribe of Leui Deut. 33. 9. Who said to his father and mother I haue not seene him neither knew he his brethren nor knew his owne children It
Lords corne is already white vnto haruest it is ripe and ready for the sickle if it be not now reaped and gathered it will be lost and spoiled and that you may easily perceiue if you will but lift vp your eyes and looke vpon the regions Behold how God hath prepared the hearts of men to receiue the Gospell See in what multitudes and with what great desire they flocke vnto it and that not onely in Iudea but euen here among the Samaritans Now the Doctrine that our Sauiour intendeth to teach vs here is this That the Ministry of the Word is a matter of great necessity for the saluation of men For our Sauiour here compareth the people of God vnto corne that is ripe and the Apostles in respect of their Ministry and preaching vnto reapers and vseth this reason to stirre them vp to zeale and diligence in teaching because as the corne that is ripe must needes perish if it haue none to reape and gather it so must Gods people needes perish if they haue none to teach and instruct them It is not onely good and profitable and fit that Gods people should haue Preachers but it is a matter of necessity also Many proofes might be brought for this Doctrine but I will at this time insist onely in this argument of comparison which our Sauiour vseth in this place We shall finde therefore that there is scarce any one truth in all religion which the Holy Ghost hath taught vs so plainely by so many familiar comparisons and similitudes as he hath done this truth of the necessity of the Ministry of the Word And the cause why the Holy Ghost teacheth vs this by similitudes is because we can farre more easily vnderstand earthly than heauenly things The necessity of hauing Preachers few can conceiue the Lord hath therefore taught it vs by such comparisons as euery man can vnderstand and iudge of Fiue of these comparisons I will propound vnto you 1. Sometimes Gods people are called the Lords pleasant Garden and fâ—…full Orchard Cant. 4. 12 13. and the Preachers are called Planters and Waterers of it 1. Cor. 3. 6. And if you haue a plot for a Garden or Orchard in the best soile vnder heauen it is not possible it should yeeld you any pleasant fruit if it haue had none to plant and water it 2. Sometimes the people of God are called the Lords building 1. Cor. 3. 9. his house and temple 2. Cor. 6. 16. and the Preachers are called the Lords Masons and Carpenters that must both lay the foundation and set vp the whole building 1. Cor. 3. 10. I haue laid the foundation and another buildeth thereon 3. Sometimes Gods people are called the sonnes and daughters of God 2. Cor. 6. 18. and then Preachers are called both the spirituall fathers by whom they are begotten vnto God 1. Cor. 4. 15. and the nurses by whom they are fed with milke while they are babes in Christ I haue fed you with milke 1. Cor. 3. 2. and the Lords stewards that must prouide stronger meate for them when they are growne to ripe yeares and at whose hands they must receiue their portion of meate in due season Luke 12. 42. 4. Sometimes Gods people are called Pilgrims that trauaile in a strange and vnknowne and dangerous way 1. Pet. 2. 11. and then Preachers are called their guides Heb. 13. 7. and the light of the world Matth. 5. 14. 5. Lastly Gods people are called sometimes the Lords husbandry and corne field 1. Cor. 3. 9. and then Preachers are called both his labourers that by stocking and dunging and plowing the ground prepare it wee are labourers together with God 1. Cor. 3. 9. and his seeds-men that sowe it the sower soweth the Word Mar. 4. 14. and his reapers and haruest-men that get downe his corne and bring it into his barne as you may see the haruest truely is great but the labourers are few pray yee therfore the Lord of the haruest that he would send forth labourers into his haruest Luk. 10. 2. and in this Text most plainly The Reason why preaching is of such absolute necessity as we haue heard to the saluation of men is that which the Apostle giueth 1. Cor. 1. â—…1 It pleased God by the foolishnesse of preaching to saue such as beleeue not any excellency that is in vs or in our preaching for doubtlesse the holy Scriptures the written Word of God which you haue in your hands is of farre greater worth and excellency than any Sermon we can make vnto you Neither is it any inability in the Lord to saue whom he pleaseth without preaching but the only reason is that it hath pleased God to ordaine and appoint this to be the meane whereby he will begin and perfect the worke of grace in his Elect. The first Vse of this Doctrine is to conuince the iudgement of men in this point For there is scarce any one truth of God that findeth more strong oppositions and reasonings against it in the nature of man Yea the more excellent parts of nature men haue the greater enemies they are wont to be vnto this truth But howsoeuer he that is a meere naturall man or an Atheist that beleeueth not the Scriptures may still doubt of or oppose this truth let no Christian any longer withstand it or make any question of it now he hath heard it so clearely and euidently confirmed to him out of Gods Word lest he be found euen a fighter against God as Gamaliel speaketh Act. 5. 39. But let him learne to captiuate his reason to the obedience of God 2 Cor. 10. 5. and pray against his infidelity as Marke 9. 24. euen cry with teares vnto God to helpe his vnbeliefe The second Vse of the Doctrine is to reprooue them that thinke and say so much preaching is needlesse we haue too much preaching that count the calling of the Ministry the most vnnecessary calling in the Common-wealth that thinke of all callings and conditions of men Preachers may best be spared and therefore spoyle this function and disgrace it by all meanes Of those men it may be said as Psal. 73. 9. they set their mouth against heauen For how can a man more directly contradict the Word and Spirit of God than by saying or thinking thus But know this beloued for a certaintie that as in the Church there is no calling of that necessity as a good Ministrie the Lords Orchard the Lords Building the Lords Family the Lords Husbandrie cannot possibly be without it so euen in the Common-wealth there is no calling but one so necessarie no calling but one the Magistracie I meane whereby the Common-wealth receiueth so great benefit as by the Ministrie Thou leddest thy people like a flocke by the hand of Moses and Aaron Psal. 77. 20. Yea the best policie that any state can vse to cause the Common-wealth to prosper and flourish is to plant in euery part of it in euery Congregation an
Psal. 10. 17. So it is with thy hearing when thou commest best prepared to heare then shall the Minister preach best and most to thy comfort And that is the cause why Gods people haue euer found his presence most gracious and comfortable in the most solemne assemblies as you haue heard before This you that can remember our publike fasts can witnesse from your owne experience 1. To perswade all Christians to the loue of the most solemne assemblies of Gods people where the most and best of Gods people are wont to meete together 2. To exhort Gods people to giue all good encouragement to their faithfull Minister Heb. 13. 17. If they do not their worke with ioy it will be vnprofitable for you And that the hearers may doe three waies First by their diligence in comming to the assemblies and frequenting their ministrie that as we haue heard wrought euen in Christ himselfe great alacrity and readinesse to the worke of his ministry Secondly by shewing cheerefulnesse and diligence in attention when they are present as our Sauiours hearers at Nazareth did Luke 4. 20. the eyes of all them that were in the Synagogue were fastned on him And as the creeple at Lystra did he heard Paul with that attention and cheerefulnesse as Paul perceiued by his very countenance that he had faith to be healed Act. 14. 9. Thirdly by obeying and practising their doctrine and causing their teachers to see how they profit by their ministry and that is the greatest incouragement of all other obey them and submit your selues that they may doe their worke with ioy Heb. 13. 17. And on the other side nothing humbles and afflicts the faithfull Minister more then to see the vnto wardnesse of his people I feare when I come my God will humble me among you and that I shall be waile many that haue sinned and haue not repented c. 2. Cor. 12. 21. Lecture the sixty fourth September 4. 1610. IOHN IIII. XXXVII XXXVIII WE haue already heard that these verses containe the third and last reason our Sauiour vseth to incourage and stirre vp his Disciples to diligence in their ministry which is taken from the easinesse and facility of that worke wherein they were to be imployed in comparison of that wherein the Prophets their predecessours and fellow seruants had laboured And in this argument three points haue beene obserued as you haue heard The two first of these points we haue already finished it remaineth that we proceed to the third and last of them The third point is euidently grounded vpon the last words of the 36. vers That both he that soweth and he that reapeth may reioyee together The handling of which words I haue referred to this place because they do more naturally belong vnto this third than vnto the second argument Now for the meaning of the words that we may the better receiue instruction from them we must vnderstand first that by him that soweth is meant the Prophet and the Minister of the Old Testament by him that reapeth the Apostle and Minister of the New Testament as I haue already shewed Secondly that the Prophets reioycing was for the successe and fruit not of their owne labours so much as for the fruit of the Apostles labours The Prophets should reioyce to see what good the Apostles had done in their ministrie Thirdly that this is not so to be vnderstood as if the Prophets being then in heauen did particularly vnderstand what good the Apostles did vpon earth For we haue iust cause to doubt that the faithfull that are departed this life doe not know in particular what is done by vs vpon earth further than God is pleased by the ministrie of the Angels or otherwise to make it knowne vnto them when he seeth it may tend to the increase of their ioy and for the benefit of his Church vpon earth How is this then to be vnderstood that the Prophets should reioyce in the fruit of the Apostles Ministry for if they knew it not they could not reioyce in it I answer first they knew it in part while they liued for God reuealed it to them by his spirit how knowledge and grace should abound in the Church after Christs comming in the flesh that the earth should be filled with the knowledge of the Lord as the waters couer the sea Esay 11. 9. that God would then put his Law into the inward parts of his people and write it in their hearts ler. 31. 33. To them it was reuealed that not vnto themselues but vnto the faithfull that they should in these last dayes minister both by their preaching and writing the substance of the Gospell which is now preached 〈◊〉 Pet. 〈◊〉 12. And therein they reioyced euen to foresee this as Abraham did to foresee Christs comming in the flesh Iohn 8. 56. Secondly they shall know it perfectly at the day of iudgement at which time and not before it shall be fully knowne what euery man hath done what fruit euery mans labours hath yeelded iudge nothing before the time vntill the Lord come who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkenesse and will make manifest the counsells of the heartâ—… and then shall euery man haue praeise of God 1. Cor. 4. 5. Which is one reason why besides the particular iudgement that euery soule goeth vnto so soone as euer it is departed out of the body after death commeth the iudgement Heb. 9. 27. there shall be a generall iudgement wherein also at the last day the Lord will then iudge euery man according to his workes because before that day it cannot be knowne to men and Angels though to the Lord it be how much good any good man hath done or how much hurt any wicked man hath done For as we know the sinnes of many wicked men may do much hurt after they are dead and rotten as it is said 2. King 23. 15. of Ieroboam that it was he that made Israel to sin euen in Iosia's daies which was about three hundred and sixty yeares after his death so may the good workes of the faithfull fructifie and do great good long after they be departed this life As Dauids holy example did good on Iosiah foure hundred yeares after Dauid was dead hee walked in the waies of Dauid his father and followed his good example 2. King 22. 2. At the end of the world then when it shall be fully knowne to men and Angels how much honour or dishonour euery man hath done vnto God the Lord will haue a generall iudgement And it is euident that the reioycing of the Prophets that our Sauiour speakes of in this place is to be referred vnto this time For first it is then when the reapers shall receiue their wages Secondly when the reapers and the sowers shall reioyce together Now then from hence that our Sauiour saith the holy Prophets and Apostles at the day of iudgement shall reioyce together though it shall then
all Ministers yet of all able and faithfull Ministers we are There hath beene long and is at this day great difference of iudgement amongst Gods seruants in our Church some hold that there is a forme of Church gouernement set downe in the Word which was practised in the Apostles times and which all Churches are bound vnto vnto the end of the world other of Gods seruants are of another minde Some hold the ceremonies to be vnlawfull others hold them to be lawfull and fit And this difference in iudgement hath wrought great alienation of heart and affection among Gods seruants but this ought not to be so 1. We should reuerence and esteeme one another so many as we see to be able and painefull and godly men we are to reuerence and esteeme of notwithstanding these differences in iudgement we ought not to despise or condemne one another for these things Rom. 14. 3. Let not him that eateth despise him that eateth not and let not him which eateth not condemne him which eateth The odious termes of Puritans or Formalists of Schismatickes or Time-seruers ought not to be heard amongst brethren 2. We should auoide all bitternesse of contention about these things Though we differ in â—…udgement in these things yet should we endeauour that the people may discerne no difference nor disagreement in Doctrine amongst vs. True it is we may and ought to seeke resolution for our consciences out of Gods Word euen in these things seeme they neuer so small Rom. 14. 〈◊〉 Let euery man bee fully perswaded in his minde And when we haue receiued good resolution in these things we ought to hold that fast so farre forth as God hath reuealed his will vnto vs the Minister especially it is required that he hold fast the faithfull Word Tit. 1. 9. But if we dissent one from another in these things it must be without bitternesse in a brotherly manner Ephes. 4. â—…5 Follow the truth in loue saith the Apostle It is not to be held want of zeale or alteration in iudgement but true wisedome in a Minister to shunne in his Ministry and Doctrine so farre as in him lyeth these points that brethren differ in and to spend his time in such points wherein we all agree and which are more profitable for the people to know Actsâ—…0 â—…0 20. In the building of Salomons Temple it is said that there was no noise of hammer or axe or any toole of Iron heard in the house while it was building 1. King 6. 7. It were to be wished that in our Ministrie whereby Gods spirituall Temples are to be built there might be no noise heard of any iarres or contentions that are among our selues but that we all would doe as Dauid did though his brethren the Iewes had prouoked him much yet could he not be stirred to fight against them but vsed all his skill and force against the Philistines 1. Sam. 27. 7 12. So should we all ioyne our forces against the common aduersary It is promised as a blessed fruit of the Gospell which euery godly man prayeth for and desireth to see Esay 11. 13 14. That Ephraim and Iudah may cease to enuie and vexe one another but that they may ioyne together against the common aduersary 3. Howsoeuer we cannot agree in iudgement yet should we loue one another and be glad to imbrace one anothers acquaintance and to reioyce one in anothers gifts and faithfulnesse and successe in his labours neuerthelesse for the difference that is in iudgement amongst vs about these things Wee haue a worthy example for these things in the Primitiue Church Acts 4. 32. The multitude of them that belieued were of one heart and one soule and therefore it is said of them Acts 2. 46. that they were not strange one to another but maintained a sweet society together and reioyced one in another They did eate their meate together with gladnesse and singlenesse of heart The Reasons that may moue vs to this agreement are these First the great aduantage that all sorts of wicked men Papists Atheists and ignorant persons take at our contentions and disagreements When the Holy Ghost would intimate one cause why Abraham was so loath to fall out with Lot so desirous to compound the differences that were betweene their heard-men he saith Gen. 13. 7. And the Canaanites and the Perizzites dwelt at that time in the land Doubtlesse we haue in our land many Canaanites and Perizzites at this day that doe take great offence at this and make it their chiefe occasion to alienate their hearts from the truth of God and from the reuerence of our calling Matth. 18. 7. Woe bee to the world because of of offences it must needes bee that offences shall come it is iust with God and necessary such wretches should haue somewhat laid in their way to stumble at but Woe bee to that man by whom the offence commeth woe be to vs if we become occasions of such offence vnto them Secondly such as we differ from in iudgement may be Gods deare children and faithfull seruants though they erre and cannot see the truth in these matters as we thinke we do True it is that God hath made this promise to all the faithfull Ier. 32. 38 39. They shall be my people and I will bee their God and I will giue them one heart and one way that they may feare me for euer But this is meant that in fundamentall points they shall all agree True it is also that it is a thing greatly to be wisht and sought after that all Gods seruants might be of one iudgement in all points It is worthy to be obserued how oft the Apostle beats vpon this point 1. Cor. 1. 10. Bee yee knit together in one minde and in one iudgement and 2. Cor. 13. 11. Finally brethren bee perfect bee of good comfort bee of one minde liue in peace and the God of loue and peace shall bee with you Phil. 3. 2. fulfill my ioy that yee may be like minded hauing the same loue being of one accord and of one iudgement The Apostle knew well that the neerer we agree in iudgement the faster will our affections be knit one vnto another But though this be to be desired and endeauoured after yet can it neuer be attained in this life that all Gods faithfull seruants should agree in all points Perfect vnity is not to be looked for in the Church of God till the number of all the elect be fulfilled till the Church be come to her perfection Ephes. 4. 13. Paul speaking of the vnitie of faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God this vnity the perfect vnitie tels vs when it is to be looked for Euen when wee shall all meete together vnto a perfect man and vnto the measure of the age of the fulnesse of Christ. It is great rashnesse and ignorance in any to doubt of the soundnesse of euery mans heart that doth not receiue and imbrace euery
this for the cause Verse 12. Euery one of you saith I am Pauls and I am Apollos and I am Cephas q. d. Euery one maketh choice to himselfe of some one Preacher whom he doth admire and follow with contempt of all other and how can it chuse then but there must needs be contentions among you and 1. Cor. 4. 6. he forbiddeth them to swell one against another for any mans cause Christians grew very bitter and swelled one against another in the quarrell of their teachers because one would esteeme and admire the teacher he affected another his with the disparagement and disgrace of all others And whereas they in whom this humour reigneth are wont to glory as if they had more iudgement and could discerne better of gifts than others Alas poore people that esteeme so highly of such a mans gifts say they if they had any iudgement and vnderstanding they would count him no body the Apostle telleth vs it is quite contrary and that this argueth rather that they had very little iudgement or grace in them yea this made them vncapable of profit by the word while they were of this minde they could not profit by it 1. Cor. 3. 1. I could not speake vnto you as vnto spirituall but as vnto carnall men euen as vnto babes in Christ and vers 4. for when one saith I am Pauls and another I am Apollos are yee not carnall I will therefore giue you some remedies out of Gods Word against this humour some reasons to disswade Christians from this partiality in iudging and affecting of their teachers Of that former which riseth from the respect they haue to our difference in iudgement about discipline and ceremonies I will say nothing now but referre you to that I spake of this matter the last day For if these differences should cause no breach of loue or alienation of affections betweene vs that are Ministers as I shewed you then at large then much lesse may they giue iust occasion to Gods people to dislike or despise any able and faithfull Minister I will therefore come to the second and giue you some Reasons why the difference and inequality of our gifts should not cause you to dislike any in whom you discerne any measure of gifts and faithfulnesse but you ought to esteeme and reuerence all be willing to heare all reioyce in all praise God for all First there may be great difference of gifts in Ministers without any inequality at all for which the one should be preferred before the other You may heare many teachers and obserue a difference in all their gifts and yet not be able iustly to say which of them all hath the best gift because euery one of them excelleth in his kinde God giueth his gifts to his Church in a maruellous great variety insomuch as you shall scarsly heare any two Preachers but you may obserue some difference in their gifts 1. Cor. 12. 4. There are diuersities of gifts saith the Apostle but the same spirit If any man haue receiued a gift saith Peter let him minister the same one to another that is imploy it put it forth as good disposers of the manifold grace of God The grace of God this way is very manifold and diuerse Iohn Baptist had a very powerfull gift to terrifie secure and obstinate sinners Luke 1. 17. He came in the spirit and power of Elias Our Sauiour on the other side had a very milde gift Matth. 12. 20. He would not haue broken the bruisedreede nor quenched the smoking flaxe The tendrest and weakest conscience might haue heard him without feare No one man hath all gifts that belong to the Ministrie but he that excelleth other men most in sâ—…me gifts hath other of his fellow-seruants that match and excell him in other gifts Among the twelue Apostles it is very likely that Peter in some gifts did excell the rest and that was one cause among others why Christ did in speciall giue to him the charge of feeding his lambes Iohn 21. 15. And yet for a powerfull gift in reproouing sinne and denouncing Gods iudgements Iames and Iohn excelled him and were therefore surnamed by Christ Bonarges sonnes of thunder Mar. 3. 17. Which also may seeme to bee the cause why Herod and the Iewes raged most against Iames Acts 12. 2. Paul had many excellent gifts both for knowledge 1. Cor. 11. 6. and for vtterance too though hee spake so of himselfe in the former place according to that conceit the Corinthians had of him Acts 14. 11. The people at Lystra called him Mercury because hee was the chiefe speaker hee had a better vtterance than Barnabas and yet in a gift to comfort those that were afflicted in minde it may seeme Barnabas excelled him who had therefore that name giuen him by the Apostles Hee was called of the Apostles Barnabas which is by interpretation the sonne of consolation Acts 4. 36. And in respect of this gift we reade of him Acts 11. 24. hee was a good man and full of the Holy Ghost and of faith So to one God hath giuen an excellent gift for interpretation of the Scripture and to breed and increase knowledge in men to another an excellent gift for application and to breede conscience and good affections in men This is the Apostles meaning when he saith 1. Cor. 12. 8. To one is giuen by the spirit the Word of wisedome this is the Pastours gift and to another the word or vtterance of knowledge by the same spirit that is the Teachers Spirit And if you obserue this you shall finde that though some one may haue some more of these gifts than another as some are very good both at teaching and exhortation yet no one man hath all gifts nay none hath many in the like measure and degree Many ascribe this diuersity of mens gifts to the difference of their education or industrie and thinke if such and such were as good schollers or would study and take paines as much as others they might teach as well as such a one doth and exhort as well as such a one And indeed much is to be ascribed to studie and diligence in this case for God vseth now to giue his gifts by such meanes giue attendance to reading saith the Apostle 1. Tim. 4. 13. But this is not all but this diuersity of gifts commeth of Gods free disposition so as though we were all equall in learning and equall in diligence yet would there be diuersity in our gifts This is that which the Apostle saith 1. Cor. 12. 11. All these things worketh the selfe same spirit distributing to euery man seuerally as hee will Yea this maketh greatly for the glory of God and the benefit of his Church that the Lord hath thus dispensed his gifts that he hath giuen so great variety of gifts to his seruants and not giuen all to any one man For first this doth much magnifie the largesse and bounty of God and the riches of his
119. 33. Teach mee O Lord the way of thy statutes and I will keepe it vnto the end And Uerse 34. Giue me vnderstanding and I will keepe thy law yea I will keepe it with my whole heart Yea euen when he had fallen grieuously yet so soone as God sent his seruant to him to shew him his sin he yeelded presently 〈◊〉 Sam. 12 13. 3. When once God hath reuealed his will by his Word vnto vs in any thing we must not dare to dispute or cauil against it be it neuer so contrary to our reason be it neuer so much against our owne humour Rom. 9. 20. O man who art thou that wilt reason the case with God Euery thought within vs must be brought into that captiuity into that obedience of Christ 2. Cor. 10. 5. as that they may not dare once to rise vp within vs against any truth of God For this we haue a notable example Iob 6. 24. Teach mee and I will hold my tongue and cause mee to know wherein I haue erred As if he should say Reueale to me by thy Word wherein I haue offended and I will lay my hand vpon my mouth I will not dare to reason in the defence of it 4. We should be ready to receiue Gods Word and be informed in his will by any how much soeuer he be our inferiour This is that that the Prophet speaketh of the powerfull work of Gods Word and Spirit Esay 11. 6. where it preuaileth it maketh them that were before as Wolues and Leopards and Lyons so tame that a little child may lead them This Iob professeth of himselfe Iob 31. 34. Though I could haue made affraid a great multitude my wealth and authority was such that I could haue crushed them by my power yet the most contemptible of the family did feare mee so I kept silence and went not out of the doore If the meanest of my family had come to me and said Sir you haue broken Gods law you haue sinned against God I durst not haue fretted against him or reiected his counsaile but I would haue yeelded to him and humbled my selfe and shut my selfe within my closet till I had made peace with God The like example we haue in Dauid 1. Sam. 25. 32 33. Abigal a weak woman and the wife of his enemy that had contemned and reuiled him commeth to him euen when he was in a great heat against Nabal and putteth him in mind that if he should follow his passion and reuenge himselfe he should sin against God he scorned not her counsell nor said Shall I that am a Prophet and a King be taught and directed by a foolish woman But he yeelded presently though he were in so great a passion he durst not but receiue Gods Word at the hands of any person how meane soeuer yea he praiseth God for her Blessed be the Lord God of Israel which hath sent thee this day to meet me and blessed be thy counsaile and blessed be thou which hast kept me this day from comming to shed bloud The Reasons of this Doctrine why we must receiue Gods truth when it is once reuealed vnto vs with such readinesse why we must be so apt to beleeue it to yeeld vnto it are these 1. Because the Lord hath promised that such as shall offer themselues to be taught by him with such yeelding hearts them he will teach and guide he will preserue them from errour he will resolue them in the truth and giue them a comfortable assurance in the matters of their saluation the law of the Lord will giue wisedome to the simple Psal. 19. 7. The meeke he will guide in iudgement and the meeke hee will teach his way Psal. 25. 9. If any man will doe his will he shall know of the doctrine whether it be of God or whether I speake of my selfe Iohn 7. 17. so this here in this place And on the other side such as are vnwilling to see the truth will not with loue receiue it the Lord is wont to leaue them in vncertainty and to send them strong delusions that they may beleeue lies to shew himselfe as vnwilling to teach them as they are vnwilling to learne of him When our Sauiour had spoken of that fearefull iudgement vpon the Iewes hearing they should heare but should not vnderstand and seeing they should see but should not perceiue he giues this for the reason that they had closed their owne eyes and had not beene willing to see and receiue the truth that God reuealed vnto them Matth. 13. 14 15. And the Apostle prophesying of them that should fall away vnto Popery tels vs that therefore God would send them strong delusions that they should belieue any lye because they would not receiue the truth with loue when it was taught vnto them 2. Thess. 2. 10 11. An example hereof we haue in Ahab he was not willing to be taught by Gods faithfull Prophet but hated him and therefore God sent a lying spirit into his false prophets that might deceiue him 1. King 22. 8. 12. 2. The Lords soueraignty ouer vs is such as it becommeth vs to yeeld absolute obedience to him without all reasoning or gaine-saying O man who art thou that replyest against God Rom. 9. 20. This reason the Lord giueth yee shall keepe my Sabbaths and reuerence my Sanctuary and why I am the Lord Leuit. 26. 2. This made Eli so to yeeld that he durst not once winch against a message God had sent him by young Samuel It is the Lord saith he let him doe what seemeth him good 1. Samuel 3. 18. 3. It is not possible Gods Word should deceiue vs Thy testimonies are very sure Psalme 93. 5. All the words of my mouth are in righteousnesse there is nothing froward or peruerse in them Prouerbs 8. 8. and therefore there is iust cause wee should receiue it with all readinesse The Vse of this Doctrine is for Reproofe For if this be a signe of grace to be so apt to receiue Gods truth when once it is reuealed vnto vs then surely many of vs will be found to be void of grace that yet thinke very well of our selues 1. There be many haue heard sundry truths often taught and plainely confirmed by the Word of God that cannot discerne them nor be perswaded of them as touching the obseruation of the Sabbath the frequenting of the exercises of Religion c. And why canst thou not yet see nor be perswaded in these things Surely if thou hadst a good heart halfe the teaching thou hast would perswade thee the very entrance into Gods Word the first hearing of it would haue giuen thee light Psalme 119. 130. Thou hast an vngracious heart and that is the cause thou canst not see these truths nor be perswaded If our Gospell bee hidden it is hidden to them that are lost These women that were euer learning and neuer able to come to the knowledge of the truth were such as were laden with
To the naturall man indeede they are obscure the naturall man receiueth not the things of the spirit of God 1. Cor. 2. 14. 2. But in themselues they are plaine and cleare to them whose eyes God hath opened the entrance into thy Word giueth light it giueth vnderstanding vnto the simple Psal. 119. 130. 3. God hath promised to teach all his Elect and to giue them his Spirit to open their mindes that they may vnderstand the Scriptures in those points the knowledge whereof is necessary to their saluation they shall be all taught of God Ioh. 6. 45. Seeing all are bound to seeke for certainety in the matters of their Religion we are all to be Exhorted First That we would in these matters not rest vpon the credit of any man but seeke to ground our consciences vpon the Word of God else will we be found in the day of tentation no better than the foolish man that built vpon the sand Matth. 7. 26. Secondly That we would labour to bring good and honest hearts to the reading and hearing of the Word because to such onely the promise is made that God by his Spirit will instruct them What man is hee that feareth the Lord him shall hee teach in the way that he shall choose Psalme 25. 12. Followeth now the fruit and effect whereby they testified their Faith Viz. the open profession they make of it to the Woman that first drew them to Christ which teacheth vs this Doctrine That he that hath true Faith will be ready to make profession of it when occasion shall be offered with the heart man belieueth vnto righteousnesse and with the mouth confession is made vnto saluation Rom. 10. 10. Wee hauing the same spirit of faith according as it is written I beleeued and therefore haue I spoken we also beleeue and therefore speake 2. Cor. 4. 13. God sets vp the light of his grace in no mans heart for his owne priuate vse onely but that it might giue light vnto others men light not a candle and put it vnder a bushell but on a candlesticke and it giueth light euen to all that are in the house Matth. 5. 15. 1. To reprooue the Nicodemites of our time such as pretend to haue Faith and to haue receiued the loue of Gods truth and yet are ashamed or affraid to make profession of it among such as will hate or scorne them for it such I would wish to meditate of these two places Iob 6. 10. Then should I yet haue comfort yea I would harden my selfe in sorrow let him not spare for I haue not concealed the words of the holy One. And Matth. 10. 32 33. Whosoeuer shall confesse mee before men him will I confesse also before my Father which is in Heauen but whosoeuer shall deny me before men him will I also deny before my Father which is in Heauen 2. To reprooue the Hypocrites who will pretend to haue grace and yet no man of iudgement that conuerseth with them is able to discerne it eyther in their words or deeds One principall way whereby we are to make profession of our Religion is a holy life Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good workes and glorifie your Father which is in heauen Matth. 5. 16. A verball profession without this is little worth THE SEVENTIE SEVEN LECTVRE ON IANVARY XV. MDCX. IOH. IIII. XLIII XLIIII XLV Now after two dayes he departed thence and went into Galile For Iesus himselfe testified that a Prophet hath no honour in his owne Country Then when he was come into Galile the Galileans receiued him hauing seene all the things that he did at Ierusalem at the Feast for they also went vnto the Feast THe last day we finished the History of that speech that our Sauiour had with the woman of Samaria and of the great good that came of it both vnto her selfe and vnto her neighbours it followeth now that we proceed vnto the History of his going into Galile the place which it pleased him to make choice of for the exercise of the greatest part of his Ministry and to spend most of his time in This History was begun in the three first verses of this Chapter and hath beene hitherto interrupted and discontinued by a long relation of that which fell out in the way These three Verses which I haue now read doe summarily set downe our Sauiours returne into Galile But before we come to the diuision of the Text and the handling of the seuerall parts of it one doubt and difficulty is to be remoued to make our way plaine vnto the Doctrine that is to be deliuered from it For it may be demanded whether Galile were not his owne Country and if it were what sense is there in this reason He went into Galile because a Prophet hath no honour in his owne Country To this I answer that though Christ were brought vp in the Prouince and Country of Galile for Nazaret was a city in Galile Marke 1. 9. in which respect also hee was sometimes called Iesus the Galilean Matth. 26. 69. yet in this place by his owne Countrey is meant Nazaret as it is also called Matth. 13. 54. Luk. 4. 23. because though he was not borne there but at Bethlehem in Iuda yet Nazaret was the towne where his parents had dwelt Luke 2. 39. and wherein he was brought vp and had liued by the space of thirty yeares Luke 4. 16. In which respect also the Iewes were wont to call him Iesus of Nazaret Matth. 21. 11. Luke 24. 19. Yea it was necessary he should be brought vp there because of that Prophesie that had beene made of him Matth. 2. 23. Hee came and dwelt in a City called Nazaret that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Prophets He shall be called a Nazaren So that the words that I haue now read are as if the Euangelist should haue said in plaine termes thus After two daies he departed thence and went not to Nazaret for he shund that towne of purpose but into other parts of Galile for he knew that in Nazaret his owne Country he should haue no honour his Ministry would not be regarded at all So that in these Verses that I haue now read there be foure principall points to be obserued First our Sauiours leauing and shunning of Nazaret his owne Country and going into other parts of Galile Secondly the reason why he did so because he knew he could haue no honour there Thirdly the good entertainement that he found in those parts of Galile that he went vnto When hee was come into Galile the Galileans receiued him Fourthly the cause of that good entertainement he found among them They had seene all the things that he did at Ierusalem at the Feast for they also went vnto the Feast For the first it is a thing worthy of our obseruation that our Sauiour being now to begin to preach for till after this
time he had seldome or neuer preached as is plaine by that we finde from that time after this his comming into Galile Iesus began to preach Matth. 4. 17. and making choice of Galile rather than of Ierusalem or all Iudea to exercise his Ministry and spend most of his time and labour in passeth by Nazaret and refuseth to make choice of that place to preach or liue in Yea it is twice recorded that he passed by Nazaret here in this place when he went to Cana and againe Matth. 4. 13. when he went to Capernaum We reade indeed that once he preached at Nazaret Luke 4. 16. but it was but once he made no abode there and that one Sermon was made not so much in mercy as in iudgement to make them without excuse as appeareth by the answer hee makes to a secret obiection they might make against him Luke 4. 25 27. Which was in effect as if hee should haue said vnto them I am not sent to you God hath forbidden me to preach vnto you Secondly But why did he thus leaue and shunne Nazaret his owne Countrey which he did doubtlesse owe more duty vnto than to any other place For it is certaine euery man owes a duty to the place of his birth and specially of his education and dwelling in respect of the many blessings of God he hath receiued there therefore also euery City and Towne in Israel was called a mother in Israel 2. Sam. 20. 19. In respect hereof the light of nature hath taught men that euery mans Countrey may challenge some right and interest in whatsoeuer gifts or abilities God hath giuen vnto him See what an affection the Apostle expresseth towards his Country-men he calls God to witnesse that he had great heauinesse and continuall sorrow in his heart to see their blindnesse and obstinacy Rom 9. 12. his hearts desire and prayer to God for them was that they might be saued Rom. 10. 1. And doubtlesse Christ loued his own Country as dearely as euer any good man did and more too All good affections were in him in farre greater perfection than in any of vs. What was then the cause why he shewed so little respect now vnto his own Country Was it the basenesse and obscurity of that place No verily For for ought we can reade in the Scripture or any other Author it was euery whit as populous and of as good note as either Cana or Capernaum or Corazin or Bethsaida Yea it had this honour aboue all the Cities either in Galile or Iudea that he had dwelt so long there and bore his name in part from that place Was it then for any notorious wickednesse that did abound in that towne more than in any other towne in Galile Surely â—…o such thing is recorded of it but for ought we can reade it was as ciuill a place as any other that Christ conuersed most in True it is that on a time after he had preached there they thrust him out of their City and would haue throwne him downe headlong from the top of an hill Luke 4. 29. but that was long after this time as will appeare if we well obserue what is written whatsoeuer we haue heard done in Capernaum doe also here in thy country Luke 4. 23. he had done many miracles in Capernaum before that time The onely true cause why he passed by Nazaret and refused to exercise his Ministry there was because he knew he could haue no honour there as it is plainely said here verse 44. Hee himselfe without the disswasion of any had testified that is with great earnestnesse and compassion affirmed to his Disciples as they had had speech of that matter in thâ—… iourney that neither he nor any other Prophet could haue any honour in his owne Countrey Now these two points being thus obserued in the Text the Doctrine that ariseth from hence for our instruction is this That there is an honour due vnto euery true Prophet and Minister of God and the Lord holds all such vnworthy of the comfort of his Gospell as will not honour his Prophets There be two branches as you see of the Doctrine and we will confirme them distinctly and seuerally 1. That it is the will of God that his people should honour his Prophets and Ministers See the proofe for this out of the Old Testament Iudges 13. 17. Manoah asketh the Angell that brought him word of the birth of Sampson whom he tooke to be a Prophet and Messenger of the Lord what his name was and giueth this for the reason that when his sayings were come to passe and so they should proue that he was a true Prophet indeede they might honour him And Lam. 4. 16. it is noted for a foule sinne and signe of maruellous confusion that they reuerenced not the face of the Priests Plaine places also there be for this in the New Testament 1. Tim. 5. 17. Let the Elders that rule well be counted worthy of double honour especially they that labour in the Word and Doctrine So no man taketh this honour vnto himself but he that is called of God Heb. 5. 4. hold such in reputation Phil. 2. 29. 2. The second branch of the Doctrine is also euident The Lord holdeth all such vnworthy of the comfort of his Gospell that will not esteeme of nor honour his Prophets For this point also I will bring you two plaine places out of the Old Testament and two out of the New When the causes are laid downe 2. Chron. 36. for which God depriued the Iewes of his Word and Worship this is reckoned for the chiefe verse 16. They mocked the Messengers of the Lord and misused his Prophets And Hosea 4. 4. the Lord threatning this fearefull iudgement to the Iewes that they should haue none to rebuke or reprooue them for their sinnes he giueth this for the reason of it For this people are as they that rebuke the Priest Two plaine places also there are in the New Testament for this Matth. 21. 43. when our Sauiour prophesieth that the Kingdome of God should be taken from the Iewes he giues this for the chiefe reason of it which had beene mentioned by him in a Parable in the former Verses specially verse 35. viz. the indignities they had offered to Gods Prophets and Messengers And Matth. 23. 39. when he had threatned them of Ierusalem that whereas he had often preached vnto them and sought their conuersion in as louing and carefull a manner as the Hen gathereth her Chickens vnder her wings now he would leaue them and they should see him no more till the day of iudgement he alledgeth no particular sinne for the cause of this but the dishonour and contempt they shewed vnto the Prophets verse 37. Before I come to the Reasons of this Doctrine let me entreate you to obserue with me what account the Lord maketh of the honour of his Prophets and how highly he is displeased with the dishonours and indignities that haue
as are good-fellowes whom they may draw into any sin that will drinke with them and game with them and sweare with them and play the wantons with them Of these the Holy Ghost speaketh Amos 2. 12. 13. Ye gaue the Nazarites wine to drinke and commanded the Prophets saying Prophesie not Behold I am pressed vnder you as a cart is pressed that is full of sheaues The third degree of honour you owe to vs is in your practice when you yeeld obedience to our Doctrine and will be directed by vs according to the Word of God an obedience doubtlesse is due from the people of God to their faithfull teachers I write to try whether you be obedient in all things 2. Cor. 2. 9. Hauing confidence in thy obedience I wrote vnto thee Philem. 21. obey them that haue the rule ouer you and submit your selues Heb. 13. 17. On the other side they will be found contemners of Gods Prophets that will not be directed by them nor be obedient to their Doctrine whatsoeuer respect otherwaies they seeme to shew vnto them Whosoeuer shall not receiue you-nor beare your words when yee depart out of that house or city shake of the dust of your feet Mat. 10. 14. They that will not heare or be directed by our doctrine receiue vs not but contemne vs in an high degree This was the contempt that Amaziah did to the Prophet for which the Lord destroyed him because thou hast not hearkened vnto my counsell 2. Chron. 25. 16. For though sin be the transgression of Gods Law and the disobeying of him yet is sin greatly increased by disobeying his Prophets and Messengers He did that which was euill in the fight of the Lord and humbled not himselfe before Ieremiah the Prophet speaking in the name of the Lord 2. Chron. 36. 12. Therefore also the Lord saith Ezek. 33. 33. that when that should come to passe when the iudgement should fall vpon them which he had threatned vers 27. they should then know that a Prophet had beene among them Their owne conscience should in their affliction aggrauate their sin against them by this circumstance that the Lord had sent his Prophet to them to admonish them and they had not regarded nor obeyed him The fourth degree of honour you owe to vs is in allowing vs such maintenance such an estate and outward respect as may serue to preserue our persons from contempt this is that honour the Apostle meaneth when he saith the Elders that rule well are worthy of double honour specially such as labour in the Word and doctrine For the Scripture saith Thou shalt not muzzle the oxe that treadeth out the corne and The labourer is worthy of his reward 1. Tim. 5. 17 18. For though as I haue said we may neither challenge nor accept of that worldly honour and outward estate as is due to Princes and great Magistrates yet what reuerence may be giuen to priuate men may be giuen to vs also Yea it is not possible you should reuerence vs in your mindes and hearts but you must needes giue some outward respect and reuerence vnto vs. Elizeus euen in those times was able to keepe a man to attend him 2. Reg. 4. 1â—… and 6. 15. And such maintenance is to be allowed the Minister as he may be both comely not base and sordid in apparrell or otherwise and able also to keepe hospitality 1. Tim. 3. 〈◊〉 On the other side it argueth a great contempt of the Ministry when men seeke of purpose to keepe them bare as may be lest they should be too proud and presumptuous as they call it in their Ministry These are like those prophane Souldiers Mat. 27. 28 29. who when they had stâ—…ipped our Sauiour they bowed the knee before him and mocked him This also sheweth what the reuerence is that many forward Christians seeme to shew to Gods seruants and Ministers If they did indeed beare true loue and reuerence to them they would not be so carelesse in ministring to their necessities as they are much lesse would they robbe them by withholding that which by Law is due vnto them Lecture the seuentie nine Ianuary 29. 1610. IOHN IIII. XLIIII WE haue already heard that these three Verses which doe summarily containe the History of Christs returne into Galile doe offer to our consideration three principall points First that our Sauiour returning into Galile to exercise his Ministry there did of purpose refuse to goe to Nazaret and went into other townes of Galile Because he knew he could haue no honour in Nazaret vers 43. Secondly the reason why he knew he could haue no honour at Nazaret Because it was his owne Country vers 44. Thirdly the entertainment hee found in those parts of Galile he resorted vnto vers 45. The first of these three we finished the last day and now it followeth that we proceede to the second which is contained in this verse He knew he could haue no honour in Nazaret because it was his owne Countrey it was the place where he had liued long euen from his infancy till he was about thirty yeares old the place where his parents and kinsfolke did dwell Now because this reason is somewhat strange and giuen by Christ not here onely but in sundry other places of the Gospell it shall be profitable for vs to weigh and consider it well that so we may be the better able to receiue our instruction from it First then it is to be obserued that he maketh not this his own case only nor the fault of Nazaret but the case of euery true Prophet what Countrey soeuer he shall liue in for as here he speaketh indefinitely A Prophet hath none honour in his owne Countrey so Luke 4. 24. you shall finde it thus set downe No Prophet is accepted in his owne Countrey Secondly that he saith Marke 6. 4. the place where a Prophet wanteth this honour is his owne Countrey among his owne kinsfolke and in his owne house as if he should say It is rare to see him haue honour in the towne and place where hee hath dwelt longest but more rare among his owne kinsfolkes and most rare of all in his owne house The nearer any are to him in the bond of nature in carnall familiarity and acquaintance as he is a man the farther off shall he finde them from yeelding that honour and estimation that is due vnto him as he is a Prophet of God Thirdly that he saith Matth. 13. 57. and Mar. 6. 4. that a Prophet is not without honour saue in his owne Countrey as if he should say He shall be sure of honour euery where else Fourthly that he spake this so oft All the foure Euangelists as you haue heard mention this speech to haue beene vsed by him at sundrie times as bewailing vpon sundrie occasions that he could doe no good in his owne Countrie and giuing this for the reason of it Fiftly and lastly that he affirmed this with so
When he was in tribulation he prayed vnto the Lord his God and humbled himselfe greatly before the God of his Fathers and prayed vnto him True it is the faithfull oft in extremity in their own feeling seeme vnable to pray but yet the spirit euen then helpeth them and maketh them able to pray Rom. 8. 26. Yea because the Lord greatly delighteth to haue his people seeke to him let me heare thy voice for it is sweete Cant. 2. 14. this is one chiefe end he aymeth at in bringing affliction vpon them euen to make them seeke and sue vnto him I will goe and returne to my place till they acknowledge their offence and seeke my face in their affliction they will seeke me early Hos. 5. 15. The third and last Reason why affliction is so profitable and necessary is this That it prepares the heart to the vnderstanding and obedience of the Word True it is afflictions cannot soundly conuert the heart that honour is proper to the Word of God the Law of the Lord is perfect conuerting the soule Psal. 19. 7. yet it is a great helpe to a mans conuersion and of great vse and necessity to prepare the heart to receiue profit by the Word Yea there are few or none that would regard the Word or profit much by it if the Lord should not humble them by afflictions The Lord hath two Schooles wherein he nourtereth his children A man that is exercised by affliction will profit more by one Sermon than another will doe by ten Esay 26. 9. Seeing thy iudgements are on the earth the inhabitants of the world shall learne righteousnesse When God by affliction hath humbled men and prepared their hearts if they might then haue good Teachers they would profit greatly If there bee then a messenger with him an interpreter one among a thousand to declare vnto man his righteousnesse then he is gracious vnto him c. Iob 33. 23 24. That made the Psalmist say Blessed is the man whom thou chastenest O Lord and teachest him out of thy law Psal. 94. 12. This Dauid speaketh of himselfe Psal. 119. 71. It is good for â—…e that I haue beene afflicted that I may learne thy Statutes Though he were a most teachable Scholler yet he learned better by it than he could haue done without it While we are in prosperity we are like wanton children apt to play with our meate many things we heare we cannot vnderstand nor be perswaded of we will beleeue what we list obey what we list laugh at some truths that are taught vs fret and rage at other But affliction will open our eares if we belong to God and make vs vnderstand and be perswaded of many truths which before we could not beleeue Iob 33. 16. Then hee openeth the eares of men euen by their corrections which hee hath sealed So that to them that will not be perswaded it is such a great sin to sweare now and then or to profane the Sabbath or to be drunken that there is such a necessity of hearing the Word preached as we haue taught we may say as the Prophet doth Esay 28. 19. There shall bee onely feare to make you vnderstand the hearing I warrant you if you belong to God he will by affliction perswade you one day and make you to vnderstand these truths Yea affliction bringeth a man to a more cleare certaine and experimentall knowledge of God and his truth than euer any without it haue attained vnto 2. Chron. 33. 13. Then Manasses knew that the Lord was God Iob 42. 5. I haue heard of thee by the hearing of the eare but now mine eye seeth thee Lecture the eightie sixe Aprill 2. 1611. IOHN IIII. XLVII IT remaineth now that we proceed to the Vses that are to be made of this Doctrine touching the profitablenesse of affliction which the time would not permit vs to enter vpon the last day Which I am the more willing to insist vpon because this Doctrine was neuer more seasonable I thinke than it is at this day in regard of the generall Visitation of God that eyther is now or hath beene of late in euery Village and in euery Family nay I thinke there is scarce any one of you but you are still or you haue been of late afflicted with sicknesse either in your own persons as this Rulers sonne or in some that are neare and deare vnto you as this Ruler himselfe was Two principall Vses there be then that we are all to make of this Doctrine first it teacheth vs how to beare afflictions secondly how to profit by them For the first The man that doth beleeue this Doctrine and is fully perswaded that to all Gods Elect affliction is profitable and necessary will first beare afflictions patiently secondly will be comfortable and cheerefull in affliction thirdly will euen kisse the rod and be thankfull for afflictions fourthly will be so farre from desiring to be freed from affliction that he will rather desire it and pray for it See the experience and proofe of this in Gods children that were flesh and bloud as well as we and subiect to the same passions and infirmities that we are in these foure points First they haue beene quiet in their minds and free from murmuring and impatience Psal. 62. 1. He saith not onely as in Psal. 39. 9. I was dumbe I opened not my mouth because thou didst it but My soule keepeth silence vnto God Secondly they haue beene cheerefull and full of ioy Rom. 5. 3. Neither doe wee so onely but also we reioyce in tribulation Thirdly they haue beene thankfull vnto God for their afflictions Iob 1. 21. Blessed be the Name of the Lord. Psal. 42. 11. Waite on God for I will yet giue him thankes Fourthly they haue euen desired and prayed for affliction mistake me not in this point I know well affliction is not simply to be prayed for It is in it owne nature a curse as I haue told you and fruit of Gods wrath yet because the childe of God knowes it is a meane that God hath been wont to do his people that good that he hath not vsed to doe any other way he may lawfully desire of God that he would rather afflict him and that sharply too then suffer him to perish rather vse this meanes to humble and reclaime him then tosuffer him to go on in his euill way els would not the Prophet haue prayed as he doth Ier. 10. 24. O Lord correct me but with iudgement not in thine anger lest thou bring me to nothing I know you will be ready to thinke that it is very strange that any should be able in this manner to beare affliction and that it were a maruellous happinesse to a man if he could attaine to this measure of grace I will therefore shew you the meane whereby the faithfull haue attained to it and wher by we also may attaine vnto it and that is the beleeuing and considering of fiue principall points all
grounded vpon this doctrine The first of these considerations is That affliction is not a signe of Gods hatred but of his loue rather not onely his shaking and holding out of his rod is a signe of his fauour as that was we reade of Ester found fauour in his sight and the King held out vnto her the golden scepter Est 〈◊〉 2. but euen his whipping and scourging of vs with it Though it be a signe of his anger and of a little wrath as the Lord speaketh Esay 54 8 yet of his hatred it is not Pro. 3. 12. The Lord correcteth him whom he loueth euen as a father doth the childe in whom hee dlighteth Heb. 12. 6 7. Whom the Lord loueth he chasteneth and scourgeth euery sonne whom he receiueth if ye endure chastening God offereth himselfe to you as to sonnes for what sonne is it whom the father chasteneth not Therefore Iob wondereth at Gods loue in this Iob 7. 17 18. What is man that thou doest magnifie him and that thou setâ—…est thy heart vpon him and doest visit him euery morning and try est him euery moment And that is the reason why the Lord though he passe by a thousand foule faults in the wicked is wont to whip his owne people if they doe but tread awry Amos 32. You onely haue I knowne of all the families of the earth therefore I will visit you for all youâ—… iniquities And on the other side it is spoken of as an argument of Godâ—… wrath and indignation against desperate sinners that God will for beareâ—…o-correct them Esay 1. 5. Wherefore should yee bee smitten any more for yâ—… fall away more and more And Hosea 4. 14. I will not visit your Daughters when they are Harlots nor your Spouses when they are Whores Oh how great is the blindnesse of such as because though they haue often committed grosse sins yet they prosper still are ready to conclude God loues them and that they that haue greatest afflictions are the worst men most out of Gods fauour No no affliction is not a signe of Gods hatred but of his loue rather And who will not be patient and comfortable in affliction that beleeueth this The second consideration is this The Lord certainely intends our good in all our corrections yea to doe vs that good by them which we could not receiue by any other meanes Be thou assured of this that if thou vnfainedly feare God the Lord intendeth thy good in euery affliction of thine though thou cannot yet perceiue it Psalme 25. 10. All the paths of the Lord are mercy and truth to all such as keepe his couenants and his testimonies Heb. 12. 10. He chasteneth vs for our profit that we might be partakers of his holinesse 1. Cor. 11. 32. When wee are iudged wee are chastened of the Lord that wee might not bee condemned with the world Affliction is a medicine which though it be bitter yet it is well approued by the experience of all Gods people that euer were to be most wholesome and soueraigne If any of vs should in our sicknesse haue a physitian come to vs whom we knew to be so wise and learned that he perfectly knew our estate and what would doe vs good and so louing and good a man also that he did vnfainedly desire to doe vs all the good he could if this man should prescribe to vs a potion and tell vs he had no other meanes to do vs good but that if we take it not we must needs die if we do take it it will certainly do vs good how strange soeuer the working of it seem to be for a while yet in the end it will certainly do vs good and recouer vs there was neuer any of his patients receiued it but it did them good would any of vs be so mad as to reiect such a potion giuen vs by such a Physitian would we not willingly drink it off euery drop though it were neuer so loathsome in colour how bittersoeuer it were in taste how much soeuer it were in quantity Now such a Physitian is the Lord and such a medicine is Affliction When we are iudged we are chastened of the Lord that we may not be condemned with the world 1 Cor. 11. 32. He chasteneth vs for our profit that we might be partakers of his holinesse Heb. 12. 10. Blessed is the man whom thou chastenest O Lord and teachest him out of thy Law that thou mayest giue him rest from the dayes of aduersity vntill the pit be digged for the wicked Psal. 94. 12 13. The third consideration that may make vs patient and comfortable in affliction is this That God will surely remoue it when it hath had that good worke in vs that he hath appointed it for The Lord our God is not like those hard hearted Chyrurgions that care not what paine they put their Patients to but he is very mercifull and tender-hearted he vseth not to apply corasiues nor to launce or seare but vpon great necessity Lam. 3. 33. He doth not punish willingly nor afflict the children of men 1 Pet. 1. 6. Now for a season if need require you are in heauinesse through manifold tentations Is thy affliction sharpe and painfull certainly the Lord seeth thou hast need of it or els he would handle thee more gently When a man hath a deepe wound and festered at the bottome full of corruption or hath some bullet or arrow head or point of a sword that must be taken out the Chyrurgion can neuer cure him well but he must needs put him to great paine launce him and cut him and make the wound bigger before he can heale it and euen so deales the Lord with his patients Iob 5. 17 18. Behold blessed is the man whom God correcteth as if he should say Happy man is he that euer came vnder the hands of this Chyrurgion Therfore refuse not thou the chastening of the Almighty for he makes the wound and binds it vp and his hands make whole The like must we think of the continuance of our afflictions Is thy affliction long certainly thy need requires it should be so it hath not had the good work in thee yet God sent it for The Lord is not like those couetous and wretched Chirurgions that for their owne aduantage will protract their cures but he is most faithfull and will not keep his patients a day longer vnder his hand than their necessity doth require This made Dauid say Psal. 119. 75. I know O Lord that thy iudgements are right and that thou of very faithfulnesse hast caused me to be troubled The fourth consideration is That we haue had much more experience of his goodnesse towards vs in giuing vs prosperity than we haue had of his anger in afflicting vs and there is no proportion betwixt the time of our afflictions and prosperities that which the Lord speaketh by his Prophet For a small moment haue I for saken thee but with great mercies will
12 14 When God called to weeping and mourning to baldnesse and sackcloth and behold ioy and gladnesse eating flesh and drinking wine eating and drinking for tomorrow we shall die Surely this iniquity shall not be purged from you till ye die saith the Lord of hosts And surely if euery affliction be a signe that God is displeased with vs it becomes the child of God to be humbled by euery affliction though not in respect of the crosse it selfe which happily is common and such as many haue had and done well enough yet in respect of the Lord and his displeasure from whence it comes Heare the rod and who hath appointed it Micah 6. 9. For is it a small matter to haue the Lords frownes and displeasure Amos 3. 6. Shall a trumpet be blowne in a City and the people not be affraid or shall there be euill in a City and the Lord hath not done it When Moses was a suitor for his sister Miriam he receiued this answer from the Lord Numb 12. 14. If her father had spit in her face should she not haue beene ashamed seuen dayes as if he should say How much more should she be humbled and ashamed when I haue shewed my selfe to be offended with her For this we haue a notable example in Iob 1. 20. who though he was so holy and righteous a man and though he could say Blessed be the Name of the Lord for all his afflictions yet when he considered all this came of God he thought neither of the Sabeans nor Caldeans the fire nor the winde but he considered The Lord had giuen and the Lord had taken Then Iob arose and rent his garment and shaued his head and fell downe vpon the ground and worshipped and the Holy Ghost saith Verse 22. In all this Iob did not sin And if Iob did thus humble himselfe when Gods hand was vpon him what man is there whom it will not well become to do so On the other side this is noted to be the disposition of the wicked to whom affliction is not sanctified that it doth not humble them at all Ier. 5. 3. Thou hast stricken them but they haue not sorrowed thou hast consumed them but they haue refused to receiue correction And this is the cause why God is constrained to bring strange and more grieuous iudgements vpon vs because we will not feele nor be moued with ordinary corrections If ye walke contrary vnto me and will not hearken vnto me for all this I will bring seuen times moe plagues vpon you according to your sinnes Leuit. 26. 21. The third note wherby we are to try whether our affliction be sanctified vnto vs is this If it cause vs to search our wayes and to enquire into the cause of that displeasure God hath conceaued against vs we must enquire into the cause it is to no purpose to be sorry and humbled for our affliction vnlesse we do this Euery man must desire to know the cause of his affliction Euery man must know the plague of his owne heart find out the cause of the plague in his owne heart 1 Kings 8. 38. and say with Ier. 2. 17. Hast thou not procured this vnto thy selfe in that thou hast forsaken the Lord thy God when he led thee by the way This was the course God directed Ioshua to when he was humbled because the Lord had shewed himselfe to be angry with the Congregation of Israel Iosh. 7. 10 11. Wherefore lyest thou vpon thy face Israel hath sinned Search and finde out the man that hath prouoked mee to anger For this we must rest resolued of That mans sinne is euer the cause of Gods anger Esay 57. 17. For his wicked couetousnesse I was angry with him and haue smitten him And 64. 5. Behold thou art angry for we haue sinned And therefore it is to no purpose for a man to grieue and vexe himselfe in his affliction if he rest there he shall neuer haue ease till he can finde out the cause of it in himselfe Ier. 30. 15. Why cryest thou for thine affliction thy sorrow is incurable for the multitude of thine iniquities As in a wound that hath some point of a sword or bullet or such like thing in the bottome of it till that be found there can be no hope of cure Lam. 3. 39 40. Wherefore then is the liuing man sorrowfull man suffereth for his sinne let vs search and try our wayes Let no man say Tush that cannot be the cause of my affliction though I be a sinner yet I am no worse than other men I am no such notorious sinner God seeth thou thinkest too well of thy selfe and he hath therefore afflicted thee to make thee looke more narrowly vnto thy owne wayes Be thou assured of this that he cannot wrong thee And say Psal. 119. 75. I know that thy iudgements are right and that thou hast afflicted me iustly And therefore if at the first view thou canst not finde out the cause search better yea pray the Lord to helpe thee in this search as he did Iob 10. 2. Shew me wherefore thou contendest with me and 13. 23. Shew me my rebellion and my sinne For this we haue a notable example in Dauid 2 Sam. 21. 1. When there was a famine in the land Dauid asked counsaile of the Lord. The meaning is as appeares plainly by the Lords answer he enquired into the cause of that famine The contrary is obserued as a note of a desperate sinner that contemneth Gods chastisements and receiues no profit by them Ier. 8. 6. No man said what haue I done And Ezek. 16. 43. I haue brought thy way vpon thine owne head yet hast thou not had consideration of thy abominations The fourth note is If it haue made vs carefull to make our peace with God For this we haue a notable example Numb 16. 46. Moses said to Aaron take the censer and put fire therein from off the Altar and put incense therein and go quickly vnto the Congregation and make an attonement for them for there iâ—… wrath gone out from the Lord the plague is begun This is that the Lord lookes for at our hands in all our crosses and the chiefe end he aimes at in afflicting his children is to cause them to seeke him more diligently and to get better assurance of his fauour Esa. 27. 5. Will he apprehend that is take notice of and acknowledge my strength that he may make peace with me and be at one with me And we shall find three wayes whereby the faithfull haue sought peace with the Lord in this case First by acknowledging freely vnto him their sin and so iustifying him in his iudgements as Dauid did Psal. 32. 5. Then I acknowledged my sin vnto thee neither hid I mine iniquity for I said I will confesse against my selfe my wickednesse to the Lord and thou forgauest the punishment of my sin Iob 33. 27 28. Secondly by praying earnestly vnto God and seeking assurance
ioy vnspeakable and glorious As if he should say You belieue neuerthelesse assuredly in him though you did neuer see him 4 The true belieuer giues credit to the Word not onely in those truths wherein he hath no helpe from sense or reason to confirme him but euen where they are both against him Rom. 4. 18. Abraham against hope of sense and reason belieued vnder hope of Gods Word that he should be the Father of many Nations Let vs now come to the Vse of this Doctrine and we shall find it serueth first for instruction secondly for reproofe thirdly for comfort First for instruction to the Teacher secondly to the Hearer 1 To vs that are teachers sith our Ministry is ordained to bring men to Faith and there is no other means els ordained to that end Rom. 10. 17. and faith is grounded onely vpon the Word that therefore our chiefe care should be to bring good euidence from the Word for euery thing that we teach Mar. 4. 14. The sower soweth the word that is the onely seed of grace 2 Tim. 4. 2. Teach the Word improue rebuke exhort with all long-suffering and Doctrine 2 This serueth for the instruction of the Hearers seeing the excellency and happinesse of a Christian consisteth in his Faith By faith we are iustified in Gods sight and haue peace towards God Rom. 5. 1. By Faith we are sanctified Acts 15. 9. By Faith we stand and perseuere in the state of grace Thou standest by faith Rom. 11. 20. By Faith we quench all the fiery darts of the Deuill Ephes. 6. 16. And this faith is grounded onely vpon the Word of God We are therefore to be exhorted to seek good ground in the Word for that that we hold in Religion and therefore both to acquaint our selues with it in priuate and in frequenting the publike Ministry thereof to heare with iudgement and to mark well how that that is taught vs is grounded vpon the Word Euery Christian should esteem it a singular fauour of God that we may haue his Word in our houses to read on when we will and a foule sin not to make our vse of it This God complaines of as of a foule sin I haue written vnto them the great things of my Law and they were counted as a strange thing that did not belong vnto them that they had nothing to do withall Hos. 8. 12. And the Prophet describing vnto vs the man that shall be saued describes him by this Psal. 1. 2. that his delight is in the Law of God Euery man will grant that there is no hope a man should come to happinesse vnlesse he be such a one as is described Psal. 1. and such a one thou canst not be till thou can delight in Gods Word So likewise when we frequent the Ministry of the word we should learne to heare with iudgement and not so much to regard the zeale or vtterance of our Teachers as to marke well how they ground that that they teach vpon the Word of God Phil. 1. 9. This I pray saith Paul that your loue may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all iudgement For this those Noble-men of Berea are commended Acts 17. 11 12. They searched the Scriptures daily whether those things were so Therefore many of them belieued The second Vse of this Doctrine is for reproofe and terrour of carnall men He that wants faith it is impossible for him to please God Heb. 11. 6. but the wrath of God abideth on him Iohn 3. 36. And by this Doctrine it is euident the most men want true faith because the faith they seeme to haue is grounded not vpon the Word of God but onely vpon sense they belieue no farther than they see This shall appeare euidently in three Points 1. The faith they haue is grounded not vpon Gods Word but vpon sense Those truths that they see generally receiued and allowed of by men those they are content to hold but those truths that are reiected by men though they haue neuer so good a ground in Gods Word yet they cannot belieue I might instance this in sundry particulars if time would permit Whereas he whose Faith is grounded vpon Gods Word likes neuer the worse of any truth God hath reuealed to him because he seeth it reiected by men but euen as it is in other cases This is the triall of our loue to men Pro. 17. 17. A friend loues at all times and a brother is borne for aduersitie so it is in this It is time for thee Lord to worke for they haue made void thy Law therefore loue I thy commandements aboue gold yea aboue fine gold therefore I esteeme all thy precepts concerning all things to be right and I hate eue ry false way Psal. 119. 126 127 128. He that indeed loues Gods truth will loue it the more because it is reiected by the world 2 The faith they haue in Gods iustice is grounded not vpon the Word of God but vpon sense onely When the heauy hand of God is vpon them in some iudgement they can belieue indeed he is iustly offended with them for their sinnes When they heare the terrible thunder and see the lightening they can tremble before the Lord but so soone as this is past they cast off all feare of God nothing that they heare spoken out of Gods Word against their sinnes can moue them one whit Whereas the true belieuer that grounds his faith vpon Gods Word hath the feare of God in him at all times Blessed is the man that feareth alway Pro. 28. 14. and is much more assured of Gods iustice and hatred against sinne by that that he hath learned out of Gods Word than by any thing he can see or feele They tremble at the word Esa. 66. 2. So Noah being warned of God concerning things not seene though himselfe was expresly exempted from the iudgement yet was moued with feare Heb. 11. 7. For this the Nineuites are commended Ionah 3. 4 5. By the preaching of Ionab they were brought to that feare and humiliation though they saw not nor felt any thing that might cause them to feare 3 The Faith that the carnall man hath in Christ and perswasion of Gods mercy is not grounded vpon the Word but vpon sense onely he is indeed oft very confident of Gods fauour both for the present and for the time to come he saith to his soule Eat thy bread with ioy and drinke thy wine with a merrie heart for God now accepteth thy works Eccles. 9. 7. But what is the ground of his assurance He saith he sees Gods loue and feeles it daily The iudgements of God are farre aboue out of his sight Psal. 10. 5. But alas this will be found a false ground Eccles. 9. 2. No man knowes either loue or hatred of that that is before them Whereas the child of God is assured of Gods fauour for the present and the time to come by that which he heares and
other is neare vnto a man when his heart is thus hardened and growne obstinate in pride or in drunkennesse or in vncleannesse or in oppression or in any other sinne that the Prophet tels Amazia to his face 2 Chron. 25. 16. He knew by that that God had determined to destroy him as you shall finde he did indeed ver 27. And though the Iewes had many grieuous sinnes yet you shall find there neuer came any strange and common iudgements vpon them till they grew to this Dan. 9. 6. We would not obey thy seruants the Prophets which spake vnto vs in the Name of the Lord. Verse 11. Therefore the curse is powred vpon vs. Secondly God neuer is so fierce and terrible in his temporall iudgements against any sinners as against those that haue enioyed the best meanes and obstinately neglected and rebelled against them God is very terrible in the assembly of his Saints Psal. 89. 7. Under the whole heauen it hath not beene done as hath beene done vnto Ierusalem Dan 9. 12. Wrath is come vpon them vnto the vttermost 1. Thess. 2. 16. Thirdly and principally in Gods spirituall iudgements we may discerne this 1. Such as wilfully refuse to receiue and embrace the truth when it is reuealed vnto them God is wont to take their iudgement and vnderstanding from them hearing you shall heare and shall not vnderstand and seeing yee shall see and shall not perceiue for this people haue closed thâ—…ir owne eyes Matt. 13. 14 15. Because they receiued not the loue of the truth that they might be saued for this cause God shall send them strong delusion 2. Thess. 2 10 11. 2. Such as vse obstinately to sinne against their conscience God is wont to giue them vp to a reprobate minde and vnto beastly and vile affections Maruaile not therefore to see such as haue had the best meanes if they proue bad to become of all bad men the most profane and vngracious if you see children of most godly parents people that haue liued vnder most faithfull Pastors proue such wonder not It is said of Manasse the sonne of Hezekiah that he wrought more wickedly than all the Amoritâ—…s that had beene before him 2. Kings 21. 11. 3. God hath threatned against some sinners that he will neuer comfort them nor shew mercy on them and consequently not giue them grace to repent which is the grieuousest plague of all plagues the Lord will not spare that man but the anger of the Lord and his iâ—…alousie shall smoake against that man and all the curses that are written in this booke shall lie vpon him Deut. 29. 20. And the cause hereof you shall finde in the former verse to be the presumption and obstinacie in sinning that was in that man See this in Pharaoh Exod. 9. 12. the Lord hardened his heart that he could not repent But what was the cause Exod. 8. 15. 19 32. He had hardened his owne heart and wilfully refused to hearken to the message that was brought him from God or to be humbled and moued with his iudgements The Reasons of the Doctrine are two 1. This obstinacie in sinne argues that sinne hath the full possession of the heart and that men loue it vnfainedly and that is one cause why God hates it so much Psal. 11. 5. The wicked and him that loueth iniquity doth his soule hate And 66. 18. If I regard wickednesse in my heart the Lord will not heare me Our sins are then become our idols and gods these men haue set vp their idols in their hearts Ezek. 14. 3. when we giue diuine honour vnto them 2. It argues a rebellion and proud contempt of God when men will not be reclaimed by his Word Iob 34. 37. He addeth rebellion vnto his sinne And 1. Sam. 15. 23. Rebellion is as the sinne of Witch-craft Yea this obstinacy will bring the heart by little and little into that impardonable sinne that is committed in meere malice against God Therefore when the nature of that sinne is described it is called a sinning wilfully Heb. 10. 26. And Dauid Psal. 19. 13. speakes of presumptuous sin as of the next step to the great transgression The Vse of this Doctrine is both for Exhortation and for Reproofe and for Comfort also We are all to be Exhorted by this Doctrine to take heed of obstinacie in any sinne and to count it a great fauour and grace of God which we should pray for and by all meanes labour to attaine vnto viz. to haue tractable and teachable hearts This is made a note of Gods Elect to receiue the Word gladly Acts 2. 41. and with all readinesse of minde Acts 17. 11. Foure notes we may try this by 1. When in going to heare the word we goe with an open heart willing to learne whatsoeuer God shall teach vs. Acts 10 33. We are all here present before God to heare all things that are commanded thee of God 2. When our reason is so captiuated vnto God that we dare not dispute nor cauill against any truth God hath clearely reuealed vnto vs in his Word seeme it neuer so contrary to our reason and affections Iob 6. 24. Teach me and I will hold my tongue and cause me to vnderstand wherin I haue erred as if he should say Reueale to me by thy Word any thing wherein I haue offended thee and I will lay my hand vpon my mouth I will not dare to reason in the defence of it 3. When we are ready to receiue Gods Word and be informed in his will by any how much soeuer he be our inferiour when we dare not reiect good counsell and admoâ—…ition from any Esay 11. 6. A little childe shall leade them 4. When the Lord hauing reuealed his will vnto vs by any meanes we shew an earnest care and endeauour to obey it Psal. 119. 34. Giue me vnderstanding and I will keepe thy Law yea I will keepe it with my whole heart For Reproofe and terrour of all wicked men that liue in these daies of light Esay 33. 14. The sinners in Sion are affraid saith the Prophet And indeed no sinners vnder heauen haue so much cause to feare as the sinners in Sion haue they that haue enioyed the best meanes They cannot pretend ignorance for excuse of their sins all their sinnes will be iudged to be done obstinately and wilfully But two speciall sorts of sinners are reproued here First such as are wilfull and obstinate against the knowledge of the truth Secondly such as are obstinate and willfull against the practice and obedience of the truth Two sorts there be of them that will not know the truth as first they that refuse to heare because they thinke their ignorance will be some aduantage to them their conscience will be the quieter for it And these are like Felix Acts 24. 26. who when he felt his conscience awakened and troubled by Pauls Ministry would heare him no longer But alas this will be no aduantage to
Lord saith Gen. 18. 20. The cry of Sodome and Gomorrah is great and their sinne exceeding grieuous But what made the cry of their sinne so great Looke Gen. 19. 4. and yee shall finde it was this The men of Sodom compassed Lots house from the young euen to the old all the people euen from all quarters they were all corrupted with that beastly filthynesse they did all burne with that lust The third example is that of the captiuity in Babylon before it fell out when the causes of it are laid downe by the Prophets nothing is so much stood vpon as this that all sorts and conditions of Gods people had corrupted themselues See this in Ier. 5. 7. How should I spare thee for this And verse 9. Shall not I visit for these things saith the Lord shall not my soule be auenged on such a Nation as this Why What was the cause verse 7. They assemble themselues by companies in Harlots houses And verse 8. Euery man neighed after his neighbours wife Adultery was growne to be the sin not of a few but of all sorts See this also the children gather the wood and the fathers kindle the fire and the women knead the dough to make cakes to the Queene of heauen c. Ier. 7. 18. 20. A conspiracie is found among the men of Iuda and the inhabitants of Ierusalem the house of Israel and the house of Iuda haue broken my Couenant therefore behold I will bring euill vpon them c. Ier. 11. 9 11. The like complaint we shall finde Ezek. 22. 6. Behold the Princes of Israel euery one in thee was ready to his power to shed bloud And verse 11. Euery one hath committed abomination with his neighbours wife and euery one hath wickedly defiled his daughter in law and in thee hath euery one forced his owne sister euen his fathers daughter And after the captiuity was come you shall see it was imputed to this chiefly Dan. 9. 11. Yea all Israel haue transgressed thy Law and haue turned backe and haue not heard thy voice therefore the curse is poured vpon vs. In all these examples we see that whiles sinne kept it selfe within any bounds the Lord did forbeare to bring these common and generall calamities vpon men but when like a floud it ouerflowed the bankes and ran ouer all then could God forbeare no longer The first Vse of this Doctrine is for Reproofe most men count this a sufficient excuse and defence for any thing they hold or for any thing they do that they are not alone they hold as most men doe and doe as most men do they make the example of men the rule of their conscience First the good things they doe they do vpon no other ground but because it is the custome they hold this Religion to be the truth they keepe the Sabbath they come to Church only vpon this ground All men do so euen the wisest men we know thei Faith stands in the wisedome of men as the Apostle speaketh 1. Cor. 2. 5. Secondly let all the Preachers in the world speake neuer so much against some sinnes as the resting vpon a dumbe Ministry the superstitious obseruations of many Popish customes giuing and answering of challenges following the newest fashions the immodesty of women in their apparrell and attire yet will they not be perswaded that these are sinnes onely because they are so generall and in fashion euery where In this point our people are like those we reade of Ier. 44. 17. We will burne incense to the Queene of heauen And why so We haue done so both we and our fathers our Kings and our Princes in the Cities of Iudah and in the streets of Ierusalem Thirdly let vs out of Gods Word neuer so clearely proue the necessity of sundry duties as to haue prayer in our families c. yet can they not be perswaded to it And why I pray you who doth so a few precise fooles whom euery body derides Iohn 7. 48 49. Doe any of the Rulers and Pharises beleene in him but this people that know not the Law are cursed Fourthly in such things as they know to be sinnes as swearing whoredome drunkennesse c. they blesse and secure and quiet their consciences by this that they are not alone Ezek. 16. 54. Thou hast comforted them of Sodome saith God to the Iewes And who is not in some degree or other guilty of this corruption I will therefore giue you some remedies against it out of Gods Word 1. Consider that we haue iust cause to suspect that that way which the most men take is not the right way that if we doe as the most doe surely we doe not well Matth. 7. 13 14. It is the broad way that leadeth to destruction and many there be that goe in thereat but the gate is strait and the way narrow that leadeth vnto life and few there bee that finde it The most haue euer swarued from the right way yea euen the most of them that haue professed the true Religion many are called but few are chosen Matth. 22. 14. Christs true flock hath euer beene a little flocke Luke 12. 32. Therefore Christ hath a strange speech Luke 6. 26. Woe be to you when all men speake well of you 2. If we do swerue from the right way and sinne against God it will not auaile vs to haue all the men in the world on our minde or to take our part they cannot pleade for vs. 1. Sam. 2. 25. If a man sinne against the Lord who will pleade for him Those which by their example or otherwise haue drawne vs to sin will be farre enough from pitying or speaking a word for vs when God shall call vs to iudgement What comfort can the companions of wicked men yeeld to them when they are on their death-bed Surely as much as the Priests and Elders did to Iudas when they had drawne him to betray his Master when he in the anguish of his soule cryed to them Mat. 27. 4. I haue sinned in betraying the innocent bloud They say What is that to vs see thou to it But say they were willing to take our part alas they can do vs no good when God shall call vs vnto an account they cannot shrowd vs from Gods wrath Earthly Princes are faine oft to spare malefactors because they are too strong and haue many to ioyne with them as Dauid did Ioab 2. Sam. 3. 39. But the Lord will not doe so Pro. 11. 21. Though hand ioyne in hand the wicked shall not goe vnpunished What is the example of the whole world to stand against God It 's as easie for him to destroy a whole world of men as one man behold the nations are as the drop of a bucket and are counted as the small dust of the ballance behold he taketh vp the iles as a very little thing All nations before him are as nothing and they are counted to him lesse then nothing and vanity Esay
40. 15. 17. Yea as wee haue heard in the Doctrine hee is so much the more ready to execute vengeance vpon any sinne the more common it is the more there be that ioyne in it as in the example of the old World and Sodome it hath appeared At the day of iudgement thou that art an adulterer a drunkard a swearer c. shalt see all that haue beene of thy fashion gathered together then thou shalt haue company enough thou shalt then be able to say thou art not alone but a las that shall yeeld thee no comfort at all But in that day thou shalt finde that true which the Prophet saith in another case Esay 44. 11. Behold all that are of the fellowship thereof shall be confounded lâ—…t them all be gathered together and stand vp yet they shall feare and be confounded together Yea howsoeuer many desperate sinners are wont to iest at Hell and say they had rather be there than in Heauen for there will be most good fellowes to beare them company yet they shall finde one day that that will be no mitigation at all to their torment but the more of their companions and fellowes that they shall haue with them there the more extreme and intolerable shall their paines be And that may seeme to be the only cause why Diues was so importunate with Abraham that Lazarus might go to keepe his brethren from that place of torment Luke 16. 28. So that it stands euery one vpon to hearken to the exhortation of the Apostle Gal. 6. 4 5. Seeke to haue matter of reioycing in thy selfe alone and not in another for euery man shall beare his owne burthen The third remedy against this corruption is to consider that it is not safe to make the example of any no not of the best man the rule of our conscience That honour is due only to Gods Word The example euen of the best man may deceiue and mis-leade vs. So did the example of the old Prophet deceiue the young Prophet 1. Kings 13. 19. So did Peters example deceiue Barnabas and many others Gal. 2. 13. So that we cannot be sure we do well if we haue no better ground Yea it is a most high dishonour done to God to make any mans example the rule of their conscience Ier. 17. 5. Cursed be the man that trusteth in man and maketh flesh his arme and withdraweth his heart from the Lord. The second Vse of this Doctrine is for instruction and direction vnto vs all how to carry our selues in these euill times wherein most foule finnes are growne exceeding common and generall and do ouerflow all places all sorts and conditions of men This is the generall complaint of all men that sin was neuer so rife neuer so common as it is now Prophanenesse and contempt of Religion swearing drunkennesse vnmercifulnesse murther falshood and security They that go into places of most common resort as to Faires and Assizes and obserue the behauiour of men would wonder at Gods patience and thinke there were not a godly man left in the Land as the Prophet complained in his time Psal. 12. 1. Well let vs learne what is our duty to do that liue in such an age specially theirs that liue in the worst places Foure duties especially I finde enioyned to Gods people in such an age 1. We should take this for a signe of Gods vengeance approaching this should work in vs feare and humiliation It is made the property of a wise hearted Christian Pro. 22. 3. To see the plague and hide himselfe to obserue the signes of a iudgement comming As God hath giuen vs signes to discerne a tempest so hath he of his iudgements And the Lord blames his people Ier. 8. 7. for that they had lesse sense and wisedome to discerne the approaching of his iudgements than the Storke and Turtle and Crane and Swallow had to discerne their appointed times Now this is one of our signes that iudgement is neare when sin is growne so rife and generall as I haue shewed in the Doctrine Certainely when a godly man considers of it it will worke feare and sorrow in him Psal. 119. 53. Feare is come vpon me for the wicked that forsake thy Law Thus the Prophet brings in himselfe and all the godly mourning and complaining Micah 7. 1. Woe is me for I am as when they haue gathered summer fruits there is no cluster to eat Marke one reason vers 2 6. viz. the generality of sin And another verse 4. the approaching of iudgement He that is thus affected with this generality of sin shall finde comfort in the euill day and none but he set a marke vpon the foreheads of the men that sigh and that cry for all the abominations that be done in the midst thereof Ezek. 9. 4. If any shall obiect This needes not trouble vs neither is this such a certaine signe of iudgement approaching for though sin were neuer so rife as now yet did our Land neuer enioy more signe of Gods fauour nor more likelihood of the conâ—…inuance thereof than now Some twenty yeares since when sin was nothing so common yet were there more signes of Gods wrath towards the Land than now I answer 1. Iudgement may be at hand notwithstanding all this that we boast of Gen. 19. 23. It was a faire sun-shine morning when Lot entred into Zoar yet that very day fire and brimstone came from heauen vpon Sodome And our generall security that we cannot see nor feele any tokens of Gods anger is one of the fearfullest signes that can be that iudgement is at hand 1. Thess. 5. 3. When they shall say peace and safety then destruction shall ceaze vpon them 2. I will tell you the true causes why God hath spared vs all this while and doth spare vs still though sin so abound and it is good euery one of vs should take notice of them that we may not call Gods truth and iustice into question 1. The Gospell and the true Religion of God is soundly preached and professed still in the Land T is true sundry faithfull Prophets of God are much maligned and sundry dangerous errours are broached taught by some men yet for the substance the true Religion and Worship of God blessed be God we still enioy it in a comfortable manner yea in greater sincerity and power than any other Church vnder heauen doth and that with publike allowance and countenance of Authority And this is one chiefe cause why God spares vs. 1. Chron. 13. 14. While the Arke remained in the house of Obededom God blessed Obededom and all his houshold This the Prophet vseth as a most effectuall reason to moue the Lord vnto mercy toward Iudah Ier. 14. 9. Yet thou O Lord art in the midst of vs and thy Name is called vpon vs forsake vs not and Ezek. 20. 8. I thought to poure out mine indignation vpon them and accomplish my wrath against them but I had
he expostulateth no further with him concerning his infidelity but perceiuing that his minde was so oppressed with griefe that he could not regard nor be affected with that which was said concerning his sinne he beares with him in it and saith no more of his sinne Secondly that he yeeldeth vnto his importunity and healeth his sonne as he had desired Thirdly and lastly he grants him more than he did desire or could hope for at his hands for whereas he desired only that he would go downe and heale his sonne verse 47 49. and that would haue required some time Christ doth immediately deliuer his childe from all his paine and danger and restoreth him to health And for the Reason that moued Christ to shew such respect to this weake man which is the third point I told you is to be obserued in the Text though it were chiefly in himselfe euen in his owne mercy he shewed mercy on him because it pleased him so to doe Rom. 9. 18. yet had he doubtlesse respect vnto those small seedes and beginnings of Faith and vprightnesse of heart which he discerned in him He saw first that he came to him for helpe with an honest heart and perswasion that he was able and willing to doe him good secondly that he was constant and importunate and would not be driuen away by the repulse he receiued from him And for this cause had Christ so great respect vnto him notwithstanding all the faults and weaknesses that he discerned in him Then from these three points thus obserued in the Text this Doctrine ariseth for our instruction That the Lord is not wont to reiect his seruants for any of their infirmities True it is the Lord is not so blinded with affection towards his children as he cannot see any fault in them or doteth so vpon them as to delight in their blemishes or is so indulgent towards them as he is loth to grieue and displease them as many foolish parents are for first he mislikes and is displeased euen with the least fault he sees in any of his children Hab. 1. 13. He hath pure eyes and cannot see euill he cannot behold wickednesse See this in the angry reproofes that Christ hath beene wont to giue euen to his best beloued Disciples euen for their ignorance are ye also yet without vnderstanding Doe yee not yet vnderstand Matth. 15. 16 17. and for their weakenesse of Faith ô faithlesse and peruerse generation how long shall I be with you how long shall I suffer you Matth. 17. 17. and therefore none that hath grace may please himselfe in the least of his corruptions but ought to be grieued and humbled for it Yea if his children doe slip into any foule faults hee will as sharply correct them as he will doe any other Amos 3. 2. You onely haue I knowne of all the families of the earth therefore I will visit you for all your iniquities See an example of Gods seuerity towards Moses for delaying the circumcision of his son in the Iune the Lord met him and sought to kill him that is he did breake forth vpon him by some grieuous iudgement that was so sensible as both Moses and Zipporah tooke notice of it and of the cause of it too viz. the neglect of circumcising their son Exod. 4. 24. yea the Lord will sooner beare with grosse sinnes in others than with the appearance and shew of euill in his owne The Lord your God is a iealous God among you Deut 6. 15. and a iealous husband cannot endure so much as the shewes of vnchaste loue in his wife towards another in lookes or talke or gesture or secret company And therefore the nearer any man drawes to God in a profession of piety and religion the more carefull had he need be to looke to his waies And he is a mad man that imagines because he is a professour God will beare with him in his sinnes And yet for all this the goodnesse of the Lord is certainely wonderfull this way in bearing with his seruants and not reiecting them for their infirmities for besides that none of all their frailties shall be imputed vnto them to their condemnation Rom. 8. 1. He seeth no iniquity in Iacob nor transgression in Israel Num. 23. 21. He doth so passe by many of the foule infirmities of his children as he doth not so much as correct them in this life for them nor checke them nor make any mention at all of them And this is surely very admirable considering how iust the Lord is and how he hates sinne which made the Prophet to burst forth into that admiration Micah 7. 8. Who is a God like to thee that taketh away iniquity and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage This we shall the better beleeue to be so by considering three points First that though the Lord hate all sinne euen in his owne seruants and they dislike themselues for it yet he liketh neuer the worse of them for their frailties Iob we know shewed great impatiency Iob 3. insomuch as afterwards when he considered how he had carryed himselfe he saith Chapt. 42. 6. I abhorre my selfe and repent in dust and ashes but God seeth no such matter in him God counteth him a most patient man when he condemned himselfe God iustified him Ioh 42. 7 8. and twice chargeth his friends thus Yee haue not spoken of â—…e the thing that is right like my seruant Iob. The like we shall see in Dauid he complaineth of himselfe Psalme 40. 12. that his sinnes were more than the haires of his head therefore his heart failed him But the Lord had a farre better opinion of him than he had of himselfe for thus God saith of him 1 Reg. 14. 8. that he had followed him with all his heart and done onely that that was right in his eyes Secondly these very workes wherein his seruants haue shewed much frailty he hath accepted of and taken them in good part and hath not beene wont to reiect the good workes they haue performed because of the corruption they haue shewed in them 2. Chron. 6. 8 Whereas it was in thine heart to build an house to my Name saith the Lord to Dauid yet was it ignorantly and fondly done of him to purpose such a thing without warrant from God as appeareth spake I a word to any of the iudges of Israel whom I commanded to feed my people saying why haue yee not built me a house of Cedars 1. Chron. 17. 6. thou didst well in that thou wast so minded The like to this we may see in a prayer Dauid made Psal. 31. 22. I said in my haste I am cast out of thy sight and what more wicked or corrupt thought could any man haue in prayer yet marke what followeth Yet thou heardest the voice of my prayer when I cryed vnto thee God reiected not his prayer though it were tainted with so foule a corruption But what speake we of Dauid Esay
64. 6. All our righteousnesses saith the Church are like filthy clouts But doth God therefore reiect them No first he accepteth them and takes them in good part they are acceptable to God by Iesus Christ 1. Pet. 2. 5. secondly he delighteth and taketh great pleasure in them sweet is thy voice Cant. 2. 14. thirdly yea he will also reward them not onely in this life yet godlinesse hath promises euen of this life 1. Tim. 4. 8. but euen with the reward of the inheritance as the Apostle speaketh Col. 3. 24. When the dead shall be iudged he will giue reward not onely vnto his seruants the Prophets and to his Saints but to all that feare his Name both small and great Apoc. 11. 18. Thirdly and lastly he is so farre from reiecting his seruants for any their infirmities that of all other he hath most care of them that are most troubled with their infirmities he sheweth most tender respect vnto them In this respect it pleaseth the Lord to compare himselfe to a carefull and good shepheard that sheweth his care most of all towards those sheepe that are most weak and feeble in the slock Esay 40. 11. He shall feed his flocke like a shepheard he shall gather the lambs with his arme and carry them in his bosome and shall guide them that are with young And Ezek. 34. 16. I will seeke that which was lost and bring againe that that was driuen away and will binde vp that that was broken and will strengthen the weake In this respect it is said of Christ Mat. 12. 20. Abruised reede shall he not breake and smoaking flaxe shall he not quench See an experiment of this in those two Apostles which aboue all shewed most weaknesse of Faith Thomas and Peter and you shall finde Christ shewed more tender respect to them two than to all the rest For Peter Christ was most carefull that his resurrection should be reuealed vnto him Marke 16. 7. Yea 1. Cor. 15. 5. He was seene first of Cephas and then of the twelue yea to him specially he giues the commandement to feed his sheepe Ioh. 21. 15. And for Thomas see the care Christ had of him Iohn 20. 24 26. first he appeared againe to his Disciples when hee was among them and for his sake chiefly secondly he singles him out from the rest and giues him sensible helpes and meanes to confirme his Faith The Reasons of this Doctrine are principally two first the loue that the Lord beareth to our persons through Christ. Gen. 4. 4. God had respect to Abell and to his offering Through Christ God is become our father he beareth a fatherly affection to vs yea a farre more tender affection than any of vs that are parents can beare to our little ones yea a mother may forget to haue compassion vpon the sonne of her wombe yet will I not forget thee Esay 49. 15. And yet euen we that are euill stand thus affected to our little ones that we cannot loath them or neglect them for any out-breach or looking asquint or any other such like deformity yea many a thing which in another mans eye is a great blemish as the pocke-holes in the face or such like to vs seemeth none at all yea the weaker and more feeble any of our children are the more tender we are ouer them And this is much more so with the Lord toward his children Psal. 103. 13. As a father hath compassion on his children so hath the Lord compassion on them that feare him Mal. 3. 17. I will spare them as one spareth his owne sonne that serueth him The second Reason is the respect the Lord hath to the worke of his owne spirit that dwelleth in his children and to the vprightnesse of their heart Psal. 51. 6. Behold thou louest truth in the inward affections therefore hast thou taught mee wisedome in the secret of my heart Vprightnesse of heart is the chiefe worke of Gods spirit therefore Dauid begs this so earnestly of God that he would renew a right spirit within him Psal. 51. 10. and describes the man whose iniquities God hath forgiuen to bee such a one as in whose spirit there is no guile Psal. 32. 2. Where God discerneth this he will beare with many other wants Though Asa had many foule faults yet is he for this commended Asa his heart was perfect with the Lord all his daies 1. Reg. 15. 14. But on the other side it is said of Amazia that though he had not so many faults as Asa but did in many things much better than he yet the Lord reiected him and made not that account of him as he did of weake Asa he did that which was right in the sight of the Lord but not with a perfect heart 2. Chro. 25. 2. The Vse of this Doctrine Before I can deliuer it I must labour to preuent the abuse of it For whereas this is the childrens bread many dogs and whelpes will be snatching at it many a wicked and vngracious man will be ready to abuse this Doctrine to the blessing of himselfe in his vngodly waies and say The best haue their faults God is not so seuere as to marke euery thing that is said or done amisse he will beare with the infirmities of his children my heart is good c. But to such I say they haue nothing to doe with this doctrine but first as of the godly I haue said that none of all their foulest sins shall euer be imputed to them so to thee I say that all euen the least sinne that euer thou committedst shall be laid to thy charge know thou that for all these things God will bring thee to iudgement Eccles. 11. 9. of euery idle word that such men shall speake they shall giue account at the day of Iudgement Matth. 12. 36. Secondly As the duties the godly haue performed euen those that haue beene most full of blemishes shall be accepted and rewarded so the very best things that euer thou didst are abominable to God and shall increase thy condemnation the sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord Pro. 15. 8. Thirdly As the foulest sin that euer a godly man fell into was but his infirmity so the least offence that euer thou committedst is a reigning sin And because thou comfortest thy selfe so much in this that the godlyest haue their faults and thy sins are but thine infirmities I will shew thee sundry differences betweene the faults of the godly and thy sins betweene the infirmities of the one and the reigning sins of the other First Before the committing of it The regenerate man doth not commit any foule sinne with purpose and premeditation of heart but hee is ouertaken before he be aware and slippeth suddenly into it through the violence of tentation Thus Paul describeth the sinne of a regenerate man Gal. 6. 1. If any be fallen by occasion ouertaken with any fault So Dauid speakes of himselfe Psal. 39. 22.
the professors of Gods truth that they heare nothing they talke of nothing so willingly as they do of the faults of others euen of their brethren Psal. 50. 20. Thou sittest and speakest against thy brother c. There is no talke that men will sit so long at and so willingly as this Pro. 18. 8. The words of a tale-bearer are as flatteries and they goe downe to the bowels of the belly O if the Lord should so gladly pry into all the faults of his seruants as we that are fellow-seruants do into the infirmities one of another who were able to abide it Psal. 130. 3. If thou O Lord shalt streightly marke iniquities O Lord who shall stand Let vs therefore in this also shew our selues the children of our heauenly father that as he doth vnwillingly see the faults of his children hee hath not beheld iniquity in Iacob Num. 23. 21. and passeth by many of their transgressions Micah 7. 18. so let vs learne to do Let vs be loth to see and heare of the infirmities of Gods seruants Thirdly thou must take heed that when his infirmities and faults be such as thou canst not choose but take notice of then that thou despise him not nor reiect him for his infirmities not for errour in iudgement Let not him that eateth despise him that eateth not and let him that eateth not iudge him that eateth Why doest thou iudge thy brother or why doest thou set at nought thy brother Rom. 14. 3. 10. not for infirmities and slips in his life and conuersation Mat. 18. 10. See that yee despise not one of these little ones Where our Sauiour cals the faithfull so neither in respect of their stature as verse 2. nor in respect of their pouerty and contemptible estate in the world but in respect of their many errours and infirmities as is plaine by the comparison he vseth vers 12. It is not lawfull to despise so little and meane a Christian as through his errours and falls is like vnto a stray and lost sheepe And marke our Sauiours reason for this vers 10. Because God despiseth them not but makes great account of them and hath appointed his Angels to guard and attend them yea vers 11. he sent his Sonne into the world chiefly for their sakes therefore must we take heed we despise them not Now it is certaine that many offend this way that take themselues to be right good Christians they that pretend great loue and respect to good men and euen to all them that feare God yet will be found to be despisers of these little ones This will appeare euidently in three things First by the aptnesse that is in Christians to iudge one another If any differ from them in iudgement but euen in the controuersies of our Church about matters of ceremony If we discerne in any professor neuer so little frowardnesse or vnthankfulnesse or pride or such like corruption though both the one and the other do professe the feare of God not in word only but in their whole conuersation straight we are apt to conclude surely he is but a carnall man he is but an hypocrite there is no soundnesse or sincerity of heart in him Now this is a plaine despising of Christs little ones When the Apostle had said Rom. 14. 34. Let not him that eateth despise him that eateth not he adds presently And let not him that eateth not iudge him that eateth for God hath receiued him Who art thou that condemnest another mans seruant he standeth or falleth to his owne master The second signe of this is the aptnesse that is in Christians to estrange themselues one from another in affection in countenance in society for euery small infirmity they discerne one in another This is also a plaine despising of Christs little ones and a spice of that foule sin that the Prophet notes in the hypocrites of his time Esay 65. 5. Which say Stand apart come not neare mee for I am holier then thou Of our Sauiour we reade that though his kinsfolkes and all the company that met at the wedding in Cana of Galile were addicted to the superstitious purifications of the Iewes yet did not he for that their errour in iudgement and practice shunne their company and society Iohn 2. 6. And of the first Christians in the Primitiue Church it is said Acts 2. 42. that as they did ioyne together in the Apostles Doctrine and fellowship and breaking of bread and prayers so they were not strange one to another but maintained a sweet fellowship and society together vers 46. They did eate their meate together with gladnesse and singlenesse of heart And so should we doubtlesse do vpon the same ground Certainly they that are of the same minde in all substantiall points of Religion and are enliued and guided by the same spirit of grace ought not to be strange one vnto another Not loue onely but brotherly kindnesse is required of vs one toward another 2. Peter 1. 7. A third signe of this is the generall neglect of all meanes to reclaime or strengthen a weake brother we are apt to obserue euery fault in a weake brother to dislike him for it to speake of it also to others but neither by prayer to God nor by brotherly admonition will we seeke to reclaime him This is a plaine despising of Christs little ones count him not as an enemie but admonish him as a brother 2. Thess. 3 15. we count him not as a brother but as an enemy whom we refuse to admonish Now because this is so generall a fault and such a fault as greatly hindreth not only the loue that should be among vs and the comfort that Christians might finde in their mutuall society but also the growth of grace and religion in the Church I will therefore shew you out of Gods Word by what meanes euery one of vs may master and sudue this corruption in our selues The first is the consideration of the commandement of God whereby we are so oft and straightly charged to shew our loue and tender respect to Christs little ones We know it is oft made a certaine note of one that is in the state of grace when he can loue the brethren when he can loue a Christian because he is a Christian and he that loueth not his brother abideth in death 1. Iohn 3. 14. Now this is no certaine argument that we loue the brethren when we can loue and esteeme such as excell in grace for so farre forth many a wicked man hath loued Gods seruants Herod himselfe reuerenced and esteemed of Iohn Mar. 6. 20. but therein appeares the truth of our loue when we can loue such a one as we know to be a brother though wee doe see sundry faults and infirmities in him The louing of all the Saints is oft noted for an argument of this true loue Ephes. 1. 15. Col. 1. 4. Phil. 1. 5. Marke therefore how oft we are charged with this respect to
the weake Christian him-that is weake in the faith receiue you Rom. 14. 1. we that are strong ought to beare with the infirmities of the weake Rom. 15. 1. Take heede lest by any meanes this liberty of yours become a stumbling blocke to them that are weake 1. Cor. 8 9. If any be ouertaken in a fault through infirmity yee that are spirituall restore such a one in the spirit of meekenesse Gal. 6. 1. support the weake 1. Thess. 5. 14. Secondly the consideration of this how many and how grosse infirmities may be in a man whose heart yet is found and vpright before God If thou knewest a man to be Gods childe and a temple of the Holy Ghost thou durst not but loue him and esteeme well of him but thou canst not be perswaded that such and such in whom thou seest so many faults can possibly be Gods children Consider therefore and weigh this well that a man may be the childe of God and soundly regenerate and yet haue many strange infirmities in him A man may be very ignorant of many truths yea though he haue neuer so many meanes to informe him in the truth he may be long ere he can be perswaded of many truths and yet be Gods childe of all the elect Apostles it is said euen after Christs resurrection as yet they knew not the Scripture that he must rise againe from the dead Iohn 20. 9. See also what pride and ambition was in Iames and Iohn Mar. 10. 37. what strange peeuishnesse and frowardnesse was in Barnabas Acts 15. 39. See how impatient Iob was Iob 3. 1. and how rebelliously Ionah murmured against God Ionah 4. 3. 8 9. how Peter and Barnabas both dissembled Gal. 2. 13. These things I repeate not to encourage or giue comfort vnto any that liue securely in any of these or the like sinnes For first he that doth so sins presumptuously and hath cause to feare God will neuer be mercifull vnto him Deut. 29. 19. specially when he stumbles at the Word and makes that a Bawd to his sinne and an imboldner of him in it 1. Pet. 2. 8. Secondly none of these whom I haue named did walke in these sins nor wallow in them But I speake this onely to stay men from iudging rashly of other men for their faults Surely if we should see in any that professe Religion far lesse faults then these that I haue named we would be ready to cry Are these your professors Fie vpon these hypocrites for shame follow Sermons no longer carry the Bible no longer vnder thy arme But stay thy selfe man and say as Psal. 73. 15. If I say I will iudge this behold I should offend against the generation of thy children The third meanes to preserue vs from rash iudgement is the serious consideration of our owne frailties how many and grosse they haue been and that euen since the time of our calling This remedy we shall find prescribed Iam. 3. 1. My brethren be not many masters or teachers and marke the reason which he prescribeth as a remedy Ver. 2. For in many things we finne all So Gal. 6. when he had said Ver. 2. Beare ye one anothers burden he addeth Ver. 3. For if any man seeme to himselfe that he is somewhat when he is nothing he deceiueth himselfe And Ver. 4. Let euery man proue his owne worke Mat. 5. 5. He that is poore in spirit and can see and mourne for his owne sinnes will be meeke that is void of pride and malice against others Mat. 7. 5. Hypocrite first pull out the beame out of thine owne eye The fourth remedy against this corruption is the euils and dangers that a man shall draw vpon himselfe by this sinne and those I find to be principally three First thou shalt be sure to find others that will be as apt to censure and mislike and slander and iudge thee as thou hast been to do thus vnto thy brother that will haue as little care of thy credit as thou hast had of the credit of thy brother This is plaine Matth. 7. 1 2. and Luke 6. 38. it is said that men shall mete the same measure to vs againe that we haue measured to other men Secondly this will prouoke the Lord to leaue thee to thy selfe and to giue thee ouer to the power of the like temptation whereby thy brother was drawne to euill this reason the Apostle giues Considering thy selfe lest thou also be tempted Gal. 6. 1. And certainly to this may many impute their owne foule slips that they were so rigorous and extreme in the censuring of the frailties of their brethren when themselues seemed to stand Thirdly this will prouoke the Lord to be more sharp and extreme in his iudgement vpon thee His Lord was wroth and deliuered him to the tormenters till he should pay all that was due vnto him Matth. 18. 34. He shall haue iudgement without mercy that hath shewed no mercy Iam. 2. 13. Whereas therfore the best of vs haue cause to pray as Psal. 143. 2. Enter not into iudgement with thy seruant for in thy sight shall no man liuing be iustified let vs be more sparing and charitable in censuring of our brethren Lecture the ninetie ninth Septemb. 3. 1611. IOHN IIII. L. IT followeth that we come now to the two other vses that are to be made of the Doctrine that we heard the last day The second vse then that this Doctrine serueth vnto is for the comfort and encouragement of all the godly It may make them chearefull and comfortable at all times in all the occasions of their life And this incouragement the best of Gods seruants haue need of for we shall find by experience that many who haue greatest care to serue God and to please him in all things haue sadder hearts and are subiect more to feares than any others And if we enquire into the cause of it we shall find it groweth from this principally that the conscience of their many frailties and infirmities putteth them into continuall feare that they are not in Gods fauour that he accepteth nothing that they doe This hath beene the old complaint of Gods people Esa. 49. 14. Zion said the Lord hath forsaken me and my Lord hath forgotten me Now we haue heard in this Doctrine that if a man haue in him the least dram of sauing grace if he be able to say he is no hypocrite though he haue many frailties his heart is vpright then may he assure himself that the Lord will not reiect him nor like the worse of him for any of his infirmities as the Lord answereth his people in the same place Can a woman forget her sucking child that she should not haue compassion of the sonne of her wombe yea they may forget yet will I not forget thee Esa. 49. 15. so that such a one is bound to striue against the heauinesse and vncheerfulnesse of his owne heart and to say to his soule as Dauid doth Psal. 4â—… 11. Why
vnsound iudgement in some cleare and manifest truths or other full of reasoning and oppositions against it 1 Tim. 6. 5. If any consent not to the wholsome words of the Lord Iesus Christ and vseth vaine disputations he knoweth nothing saith the Apostle his mind is corrupt and destitute of truth Fourthly the knowledge of a regenerate man may be discerned by this It hath power to reforme and rule his heart and workes in him a care of practice and obedience Luke 8. 15. They that with an honest and good heart beare the word keepe it and bring forth fruits with patience 1 Iohn 2. 3 4. Hereby we are sure we know him if we keepe his commandements he that saith I know him and keepes not his commandements is a lyar Esa. 2. 3. He shall teach vs his wayes and we will walke in his paths Yea sanctified knowledge makes a man strong to resist and stand against tentation The feare of the Lord that is wisdome and to depart from euill is vnderstanding Iob 28 28. Prou. 24. 5. A wise man is strong for a man of vnderstanding increaseth his strength He that can say as Psal. 17. 4. By the word of thy lips I haue kept me from the path of the destroyer is a happy man he knowes the truth with a sauing knowledge On the contrary side the naturall mans knowledge swimmeth in his braine and hath no power in his heart It is said of the sonnes of Eli They were wicked men and knew not the Lord 1 Sam. 2. 12. They had no iot of sanctified knowledge in them Fiftly and lastly the regenerate man though he find himselfe wanting sometimes in these properties of sanctified knowledge yet feeles he this ignorance and bewailes it and what measure of knowledge soeuer he hath attained to he satisfieth not himselfe in it but the more he knowes the more he desires to increase in knowledge This you shall see in Dauid Open thou mine eyes that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law teach me thy statutes make me to vnderstand the way of thy precepts Psalme 119. 18 26 27. On the other side the naturall man is well perswaded of his owne knowledge thinkes he knowes enough and is full Woe be to you that are full Luke 6. 25. The second grace wherein I told you we were to make triall of the soundnesse of our hearts is Repentance by which I mean in this place onely the forsaking of sinne Now there is no one grace in soundnesse and vprightnesse in that mans heart that hath not vnfainedly repented and forsaken his sinnes Acts 11. 18. Then hath God also to the Gentiles granted repentance vnto life Vnlesse we can be able to say These and these sinnes I know I haue left surely we haue not repented Wee were sometimes foolish disobedient deceiued seruing diuers lusts and pleasures liuing in malice and enuy hatefull and hating one another Tit. 3. 3. And the man that hath vnfainedly repented and forsaken his sins doubtlesse hath an vpright heart Thus saith Dauid of himselfe Psal. 18. 23. I was vpright before him and kept my selfe from mine iniquity for he that hath repented is iustified and hath his sins forgiuen him Act. 5. 31. Christ is called a Prince and Sauiour to giue repentance and forgiuenes of sins If yan man shall aske May not some naturall men forsake and leaue the sins they haue liued in I answer Yes Peter speakes of some temporaries and hypocrites that had escaped the filthinesse of the world 2. Pet. 2. 20. and our Sauiour of one that had the vncleane spirit cast out of him and his house swept and garnished Matth. 12. 44. But these differences there be betwixt the repentance of the regenerate and naturall man 1. The regenerate man forsakes sin of conscience to God euen because he knoweth God hath forbidden it is offended and dishonoured by it as his sorrow for sin is according to God 2. Cor. 79. so is his forsaking of sin also 2. Cor. 7. 10. Yea his forsaking of his sin growes though not only yet chiefly from the knowledge he hath of Gods mercy and from the loue he beares to God for his goodnesse he forsakes his euill way and returnes to the Lord out of this hope and perswasion that he will haue mercy vpon him and that our God will abundantly pardon Esay 55. 7. He feares the Lord and his goodnesse Hos. 3. 5. The grace of God that bringeth saluation the Gospell which makes knowne to vs Gods loue in Christ hath taught him to denie vngodlinesse and worldly lusts Tit. 2. 11 12. On the other side the hypocrite forsakes his sins or rather seemes so to do first for that he wants meanes to follow them as of old or secondly no occasion is offered to shew his corruption in thirdly or out of respect he hath to his credit with men fourthly or out of the apprehension of Gods wrath only 2. The regenerate man forsakes not one or two but all knowne sins Why then there is no man regenerate will you say For in many things we sinne all Iames 2. 3. But my meaning is though he cannot shake off euery sin yet there is no knowne sin that willingly he giueth liberty to himselfe in be it small or great when once it is discouered to him to be a sin he makes a conscience of it as Daniel did of defiling himselfe with the Kings meat Dan. 1. 8. he kept Gods law and his conscience to obey it as the apple of his eye which the least more will offend Pro. 7. 2. This is called precisenesse and foolish nicenesse I grant that it is indeed a note of an hypocrite to be precise and strict in small matters and make no conscience of grosse sins to tithe miâ—…t and cummin and to neglect the weightyer points of the law to streine at a gnat and to swallow a cammell Mat. 23. 23 24. yet he that shall say of the least sin Tush that is nothing If I neuer do worse I shall do well enough doubtlesse that man hath no soundnes in his heart Iames 2. 10 11. Whosoeuer shall keepe the whole Law yet faile in one point is guilty of all For he that said Thou shalt not commit adultery said also Thou shalt not kill The least sin committed wilfully and presumptuously becomes dangerous and damnable the soule that dâ—…th ought presumptuously shall be cut off from among his people as the man was by Gods expresse commandement that had in that sort but gathered a few sticks vpon the Sabbath day Num. 15. 30. 32. On the other side no naturall man or hypocrite euer made conscience of all sin but either he hath some one sin that is his beloued sin which he will not part with as Herod had Mar. 6. 20. or of many sins which he counts small he makes no conscience at all but euen despiseth his waies in them as Salomon speaketh Pro. 19. 16. 3. The regenerate man though he slip often yet
secondly so soone as he was called he shewed strange diligence and zeale in executing on Ahabs house and friends the commandement he had receiued 2. Kings 9. 7. compared with verse 14 18. 24. 33. 2. Kings 10. 6. 11. 14. 17. thirdly he destroyed Baals Priests and Images and purged the land of that Idolatry 2. Kings 10. 21 28. fourthly he did all this in a zeale for God 2. Kings 10. 16. in so much as the Lord himselfe commended him for it 2. Kings 10. 30. fifthly he bore a notable hatred to the foule sinnes of Iezabel 2. King 9. 22. sixthly he bore a reuerend regard to Gods Word which he shewed by remembring it so long and acknowledging the certainety and righteousnesse of it and his care to see it performed and by doing that he did by direction of it and in obedience vnto it 2. King 9. 25 â—…6 36 37. and perswading others to acknowledge the certainty and righteousnesse of it 2. King 10. 10. seuenthly he had a reuerend respect to good men 2. King 9. 36. and 10. 10. he mentioneth not Eliah's name without title of reuerence he shewes great respect to Iehonadab 2. Kings 10. 15 16. yet this man was no better than an hypocrite his heart was not sound Iehu tooke no heed to walke in the Law of the Lord God of Israel with all his heart 2. King 10. 31. and therefore God esteemed no better of all that he did than of murder I will auenge the blood of Iezreel vpon the house of Iehu Hos. 1. 4. And the principall if not the onely thing whereby his hypocrisie was discouered was this He did not in all points follow the direction of Gods Law nor make conscience of it though he hated some Idolatry as that of Baal yet he hated not all Idolatry he departed not from the Idolatry of Ieroboam 2. Kings 10. 29. 31. So Herod went very far Mar. 6. 20. but in this his hypocrisie was discouered he could not make conscience of all that Iohn taught him nor forsake all his knowne sins The third note of difference is this The regenerate man though he make conscience of euery duty God hath enioyned him yet makes he most conscience of and is most carefull to obserue the greatest commandements and such duties as God hath most straitly enioyned This note we shall finde giuen by our Sauiour Matth. 23. 24. he makes it a propertie of hypocrites to straine at a Gnat and swallow a Camell this is oft noted for a property of the hypocrite The Pharisees were exceeding precise for the externall rest of the Sabbath euen more than any Law of God required them to be Luk. 13. 14 15. They tithed Mint and Annise and Cummin but they neglected the waightiest matters of the Law Matth. 23. 23. If you aske me which be those waightier matters of the Law I answer They be chiefly of three kinds first the inward worship of God thou shalt shalt loue the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soule and with all thy minde this is the first and great commandement Matt. 22. 37 38. secondly iudgement mercy and fidelitie towards men Matth. 23. 23. thirdly the duties of our particular and speciall callings this may appeare Esay 1. 17. Learne to do well seeke iudgement relieue the oppressed iudge the fatherlesse pleade for the widow Who must do this Verse 10. Ye rulers of Sodome yee people of Gomorrah And by the Apostles oft beating vpon this point in all their Epistles the duties of Masters Seruants Husbands Wiues Parents Children Subiects Pastor Flocke and by that conclusion Paul makes to this Doctrine Tit. 2. 15. These things speake and exhort and rebuke with all authority On the contrarie side the hypocrite is more carefull and busie about other mens duties and the reformation of other mens faults than his own he can see the least mote in his brothers eye but cannot discerne a beame in his own he seemes very carefull to reforme the least fault he sees in another but hath no care of reforming himselfe Matth. 7. 3 5. He bindes heauy burdens and grieuous to be borne and laies them on other mens shoulders but himselfe will not mooue them with one of his fingers Matth. 23. 4. Herein then I pray you make tryall of your selues if you desire to know the soundnesse of your owne hearts Lecture the hundred and three October 1. 1611. IOHN IIII. L. IT followeth that we come now to shew you the difference betwixt the good works of the regenerate and naturall man in the manner of their doing and performing of them And indeed this is a principall thing we must haue respect vnto if we desire to know whether the good duties we do proceed from true grace yea or no. See this in that direction the Apostle giues he that giueth let him doe it with simplicity he that ruleth with diligence he that sheweth mercy with cheerefulnesse Rom. 12. 8. For the Lord hath oft noted the false and counterfeit obedience of the hypocrite by this property that though he haue done such workes as for the matter of them haue beene right and good yet he hath neuer done them in a right manner not with a right affection as it is said of Amazia 2. Chron. 25. 2. He did vprightly in the eyes of the Lord but not with a perfect heart And on the other side it is noted for a property of true and sauing obedience when there is care not only to doe the thing God commandeth but to doe it also in that manner and with that affection of heart that God hath commanded as we shall see in the example of the children of Israel Exod. 39. 42 43. According to all that the Lord commanded Moses so the children of Israel made all the worke And Moses looked vpon all the worke and behold they had done it as the Lord had commanded And in the speech and example of our Sauiour Iohn 14. 31. That the world may know that I loue the Father as the Father hath commanded me so I doe not onely what the Father hath commanded that I do but I do as he hath commanded I finde therefore in Gods Word foure euident notes of difference betweene the good duties that are performed by the naturall man and by him that hath a sound and sanctified heart euen in the manner of doing of them The regenerate man intends and the end he aimes at in doing good duties is to please and honour God he hath a single and sincere respect to God and nothing else he doth that which he doth because he knowes God hath commanded it he is pleased with he is honoured by that which he doth The notice he knowes God will take of it his allowance and reward contents him and he seeke no more The regenerate man serues God euen in those duties he performes to men euen in the duties of his calling Rom. 12. 11. Not sloathfull to doe seruice he meanes one
and women grew more and more Marke the reason Verse 11 12. By his fearfull iudgements on Ananias and Saphira and sundry other strange miracles wrought by the Apostles God had prepared the hearts of men notably to the receiuing of the Gospell Acts 12. 24. The Word of God grew and multiplied Mark the reason Ver. 23. By a strange iudgement on proud Herod God had prepared mens hearts Act. 19. 10. The Word of God grew mightily and preuailed See the reason Ver. 11. 17. By the wonderfull miracles Paul wrought and the strange iudgements that befell the sonnes of Sceua for counterfeiting of them a maruellous feare came vpon them all in those parts and thus were they prepared to receiue the Word For the second we haue Iob 33. 23. If there be then an Interpreter As if he should say Then there will be great hope of doing good And for the third we haue Act. 2. 41. The same day there were added to them about three thousand soules Marke the reason Ver. 37. They were pricked in their heart with that which Peter had said And this is Gods vsuall course he sends Iohn Baptist before Christ to preach the Law Why Mar. 1. 2 3. To prepare the hearts of men to receiue Christ. And as the Word seldome preuailes at first to the conuersion of men till the heart be prepared to receiue it so it is certaine that it seldome preuailes to confirme and increase grace vnlesse men come to it with prepared hearts As in prayer it makes much to a mans comfort to prepare himselfe to it so is it also in this duty When the people of God were to receiue the Law God commanded they should prepare themselues to receiue it Exod. 19. 10. Goe to the People and sanctifie them to day and to morrow and let them wash their clothes and be ready on the third day Yea when Samuel offered a sacrifice vnto the Lord at Bethlehem 1 Sam. 16. 5. He sanctified lesse and his sonnes before he called them to it And it is noted as the best thing that was in Iehoshaphat 2 Chron. 19. 3. That he prepared his heart to seeke God The reason of the doctrine is That our hearts are ordinarily profane and vnfit to deale with holy things naturally they are so and by dealing with worldly things they are made so more and more Act. 10. 14. Common and vncleane are made all one Mar. 7. 2 Common hands are vncleane hands and certainly of our thoughts and affections it may more truly be said take them as they are commonly and they are vncleane and profane We must striue to haue other than our ordinary and common thoughts and affections when we are to deale with God or els we shall go about to sow good seed among thornes Ier. 4. 8. Yea worse than so for it is not onely the losse of the seed but the losse of our selues also There must be a proportion kept betweene the vessell and the wine or els both will be lost Luke 5. 37 38. New wine must be put into new vessels so both are preserued Men vse to wash the cups that are to receiue their drinke and the dishes that are to receiue their meat but they haue more need to cleanse and sanctifie their hearts that are to receiue the Word For first the heart is fowler than any cup or vessell can be The heart of man is desperately wicked Ier. 17. 9. Secondly put a cleane thing into an vncleane vessell and it will receiue pollution by it If one that is vncleane touch any of these shall it be vncleane and the Priest answered and said it shall be vncleane Hag. 2. 13. Thirdly the honesty and vprightnesse of the heart giues the price and worth to euery good duty we performe and accordingly God doth esteeme of it Our hearts are like Instruments euer out of tune we must either euery time that we go to serue God take some paines to set them in tune or we shall neuer make good musicke in the eares of God That made Dauid say Psal. 57. 7 8. Mine heart is prepared O Lord mine heart is prepared I will sing and giue praise awake my tongue awake violl and harpe I will awake early The first vse of this Doctrine is to exhort vs not to despise or neglect the Lords preparations When God hath by any meanes fitted after a speciall manner and prepared thy heart vnto his seruice take the time neglect not the opportunity for then shalt thou be able to serue God with more fruit and comfort than at another time strike while the Iron is hot Iames 5. 13. Is any afflicted let him pray Is any merrie let him sing So when God by his corrections hath softned and humbled thy heart then giue thy selfe to reading and meditation of the Word thou shalt profit more by it then a great deale than at another time Psal. 119. 92. Except thy Law had beene my delight I should haue perished in mine affliction He found doubtlesse more sweetnesse in it then than at another time The second vse of the Doctrine is to shew to vs the true cause why we profit so little by the Word and find so small comfort in it surely we seldome or neuer come rightly prepared to it We find great comfort and profit in our prayers when the heart is prepared before this is therefore spoken of a condition required in all those prayers that God will giue gracious answer vnto If thou prepare thine heart and stretch out thine hands towards him Iob 11. 13. Thou wilt prepare their heart thou wilt cause thine eare to heare Psal. 10. 17. So is it with the Word men vse to come to it with common hearts nay oft with worse than common hearts If we had care of this we should find more power and sweetnesse in one Sermon than we are wont to do in an hundred And because we must not serue God onely at such times as he by affliction or such like means hath prepared vs after a speciall manner but as we must pray euery day Pray without ceasing 1 Thes. 5. 17. so must we exercise our selues in Gods word euery day euen of the King it is said He shall read therein all the dayes of his life Deut. 17. 19. and if we come not rightly prepared to it we shall receiue little good by it nay we shall be in danger to receiue much hurt by it As we cannot do the work of our Ministry well vnlesse we sanctifie our selues Sanctifie your selues and prepare your brethren said good Iosia to the Priests 2 Chro. 35. 6. so neither can you do the duty of hearers well vnlesse you sanctifie your selues before you come I will therefore shew you how a mans heart should come prepared to the hearing of the Word that desires to receiue comfort by it what affection and disposition of heart we should bring with vs. We must not come in our sins vnto Gods house but labour to
went his way Secondly the meanes whereby this faith that was begun in him was confirmed and increased in Verse 51 52. and part of 53. Thirdly the confirmation and stablishment which he receiued in his faith by these means and the fruit whereby he declared it in the latter end of the 53 Verse Now for the first it is said that the man belieued the word that Iesus had spoken vnto him and to declare that he did so indeed he gaue ouer importuning him any more and went his way It may seeme somewhat strange if we mark it well to see so great and sudden a change wrought in this great man Euen now he was of that mind that he would not belieue vnlesse he might see signes and wonders now he belieues Christs bare word though he did see nothing at all done Before he thought Christ could do his sonne no good vnlesse he would go downe to him to see him and pray ouer him or touch him and vse some solemne ceremony about him now he belieueth his sonne is recouered though Christ did none of all these but onely spake the word And if we enquire into the causes of it we shall find them to be principally two the first in the Lord the other in himselfe First the Lords gracious pleasure was the cause of this who worketh mans conuersion when and by what means it pleaseth him Ioh. 3. 8. The wind bloweth where it listeth and who had appointed this to be the time of this Noblemans conuersion and this word of Christ to be the means whereby it should be wrought This should make vs carefull to be constant hearers of the Word For first some point of great importance may be taught in one Sermon which haply we shall not heare againe in an hundred Secondly though at all times Gods Elect may profit by their hearing yet hath God his times and moments determined with himselfe wherein he will work with his Word more mightily than at other times And who can tell which is the Sermon that God hath appointed to do him most good by We should therfore frequent Sermons as good husbands do their faires and markets and prouident Merchants the times of the Royall Exchange that no opportunity of a good bargaine may escape them Secondly his heart was well prepared to receiue good by Christ both by that hand of God that was vpon him in the sicknesse of his sonne and also by that reuerend and good opinion he had conceiued of Christ by that that he had heard or seene of him before he esteemed him to be a great Prophet one that was able and willing to do him good And this reuerend opinion he had conceiued of him made him willing as great as he was to come himselfe to him so great a way Now by these meanes his heart was much better prepared and made fit to giue credit vnto that that Christ should say vnto him than otherwise it would haue been From this first point then we haue this Doctrine to learne That It is a matter of great vse and necessity for our profiting by the Word to come to it with a heart that is rightly prepared The man that brings to the Word a prepared heart shall receiue more good by once hearing of it than another shall do at many times True it is that many a man hath receiued some good by the Word felt himself much moued by it that yet hath come to it without a due preparation as not only Agrippa that was almost caught Act. 26. 28. but euen Foelix also Pauls ministry wrought mightily vpon his heart it made him to quake and tremble Act. 24. 26. and Herod though doubtles his heart was neuer well prepared when he came to heare Iohn yet can it not be denied but he receiued much good by hearing him he heard him gladly and reformed his life in many things by hearing of him Mar. 6. 20. Yea many haue felt a diuine power in the Ministry of the Word as haue come to it with very bad hearts such were those officers that were sent to apprehend our Sauiour Iohn 7. 46. Yea sometimes God hath so farre forth glorified his power in this his owne ordinance as he hath wrought thereby euen the effectuall conuersion of some that haue come to it without all good preparation of heart as the Athenians which heard Paul Act. 17. first with what hearts they came to heare him it is plaine Ver. 18. Some said what will this babler say and the best of them heard him onely out of a desire to heare newes Vers. 21. and yet see how God wrought by that Sermon in the hearts of sundry of them Vers. 34. Howbeit certaine men claue to Paul and belieued among whom also was Denis Areopagita and a woman named Damaris and other with them And vpon these experiments it were much to be wished that all men euen the wickedest would be brought to heare yea though they came but by occasion or as intending some other thing yea though they came euen with an euill intent to carp or to mock yet I would they would come Possibly they might be caught though they came euen with such hearts Yea it were to be wished that such as can by no other meanes be drawne to heare might euen be compelled and forced to it by Authority Iosiah is commended for this 2 Chro. 34. 33. That he compelled all that were found in Israel to serue the Lord and if you looke into Ieremy and others that prophecied in Iosiahs time you shall find there was many a notorious lewd man in Israel in those dayes And if there be any part of Gods seruice that men may and ought to be compelled vnto certainly it is rather this than any other therefore euen the excommunicate persons by the ancient Canons of the Church were allowed to come to the Sermon It is therefore a great errour in any to imagine that it is to no purpose to vrge such and such to come to Church because they think they are either so sottish or so lewd that they can receiue no good by comming and therefore it matters not whether they come or no. But though all this be so as you haue heard yet first this is a singular helpe and furtherance to our profiting by the Word to come to it with a prepared heart secondly and where God meanes his Word shall prosper to worke sauing grace there he prepares the hearts of men to receiue it thirdly neither doth it ordinarily preuaile to worke true faith and sound conuersion but in a prepared heart The former examples are very rare Marke this therefore in the course God hath beene wont to keepe in the conuersion of men either by his miracles and strange works or by his corrections or by the terrours of the Law he hath been wont to fit the hearts of his elect to receiue the Gospell Acts 5. 14. The number of them that belieued in the Lord both of men