and lastly It cannot be denied but that in some sense a man may bee said even by this inherent righteousnesse to be justified before God For so farre forth as any man by the worke of Gods spirit in his heart is become truly holy and good upright and without hypocrisy so far forth God doth esteeme and account him a holy and good and just man The Lord taketh notice of his owne graces in his children approveth of them and giveth testimony unto them So the Holy Ghost saith of Noah Gâ—n 6.9 that he was a just man And of Zachary and Elizabeth Luke 1.6 that they were both righteous before God So Solomon prayeth 1 King 8.22 that the Lord would justifie the righteous to give him according to his righteousnesse You see then wee doe not deny as the Papists falsly slander us all inherent righteousnesse no nor all justification by inherent righteousnesse neither But this is that we beleeve and teach according to the Scriptures That this inherent righteousnesse is not that righteousnesse whereby any poore sinner in this life can be justified before Gods tribunall and judgement seat for which hee is pronounced to be innocent absolved from death and condemnation and adjudged unto life eternall Of this justification as it is opposed unto condemnation as the Apostle useth the word Rom. 8.33 34 It is God that justifieth who shall condemne and as our Saviour useth it Matth. 12.37 By thy words thou shalt be justified and by thy words thou shalt be condemned is the Question betweene us and them And that we are not thus justified in Gods sight by any inherent righteousnesse I will first give you evident proofe out of the holy Scripture and secondly I will shew you good reason out of the Word why no man can be so justified in Gods sight For the first Nothing is more cleerely taught in the holy Scripture then this that no man can be justified in Gods sight by the works of the law that is by doing that which the law requireth him to do And what is our inherent righteousnesse but a conformity to the law of God to that which the law requireth of us By the deeds of the law saith the Apostle Romanes 3.20 there shall no flâ—sh bee justified in his sight And againe Knowing saith he Gal. 2.16 that a man is not justified by the workes of the law but by the faith of Iesus Christ even we have beleeved in Iesus Christ that we might be justified by the faith of Christ and not by the works of the law for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified True saith the Papist the Apostle saith so indeed but by the works of the law he meaneth the workes of the ceremoniall law which many false teachers in those daies did maintaine to be necessary unto justification And those be the works he speaketh of Rom. 4.10 Abraham was justified before he was circumcised which was a worke enjoined him by the ceremoniall law therefore it was not his circumcision nor his obedience to that law that justified him So Gal. 2.16 when he denieth we are justified by the works of the law he meaneth those works of the law he had spoken of in the former verses and for which he had reproved Peter and that was about his conforming himselfe to the Iewes in works enjoined by the ceremoniall law But to this I answer First It is true that he speaketh in those two places of the workes of the ceremoniall law and excludeth them from having any hand in our justification But even in those places he excludeth not the workes of the ceremoniall onely but all workes of the law even of the morall law also For 1 his words are generall and without any limitation Rom. 4.6 David describeth the blessednesse of the man unto whom God imputeth righteousnesse without workes without any workes And verse 5. To him that worketh not but beleeveth in him that justifieth the ungodly to him hâ—s faith is imputed unto righteousnesse And what good workes are they the want whereof maketh one an ungodly man Are they the works of the ceremoniall law onely are they not rather the workes of the morall law And in Gal. 2.16 his words are generall Knowing a man is not justified by the workes of the law 2. He excldeth the workes of that law that was given to all men to the Gentiles as well as to the Iewes and whereby the Gentiles as well as the Iewes might have some hope to be justified For he saith Gal. 2.16 By the workes of the law shall no flesh be justified As if he had said Neither Iew nor Gentile We have before proved saith he Rom. 3.9 that is to say In his former dispute against justification by workes both Iewes and Gentiles that they are all under sinne And verse 28 29. Therefore wee conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law Is he the God of the Iewes onely is he not also of the Gentiles As if he should say Neither the deeds of the law that the Iewes were bound unto nor the deeds of the law that the Gentiles were bound unto can justifie a man before God And what law was that which the Gentiles were bound to observe Certainely not the ceremoniall but the morall law only Secondly I answer The Apostle doth exclude from justification the workes of that law whereby commeth the knowledge of sin For these are his words Rom. 3.20 Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh bee justified in his sight for by the law commeth the knowledge of sinne As if hee should have said The use that the law serveth unto is not to justifie us in Gods sight but to discover our sin and misery to us and so to drive us to seeke justification by faith in Christ. And what law is that whereby commeth the knowledge of sin Certainely the morall law principally But then they object secondly Admit the Apostle do speake of the works of the morall as well as of the ceremoniall law yet he meaneth not those workes of the morall law that are done by the faithfull through the grace of Christ but those that are done by men while they are in the state of nature before their conversion before they do beleeve And such works of the morall law say they we confesse cannot justifie a man before God To this I answer 1. That the Apostles words are generall as I shewed before and we must use no limitation where he useth none 2. The Apostle Rom. 4.2 denieth that Abraham was justified by his workes though he were one of the faithfull yea the father of the faithfull as he calleth him ver 11. no not by those works of his whereof he might seeme to have cause to glory which he could never meane of those works he did before he was a beleever for he was an idolater before as we read Iosh. 24.2 And the Apostle would
never have said he might seeme to have had matter of glorying in those works he did while he was an idolater but matter of shame and confusion rather 3. The Apostle speaking unto men that feared God Act. 13.16 telleth them ver 39. that they could not be justified by the law of Moses that is by those workes which were commanded in the law of Moses 4 Lastly David when he was the servant of God a true beleever professeth that he could not stand before Gods judgement in the confidence of his own righteousnes it could not justifie him in Gods sight and therfore cryeth Ps. 143.2 Enter not into judgement with thy servant ô Lord for in thy sight shall no man living be justified And thus you see No man no not the best man that ever lived can be justified before God by any righteousnes that is in himselfe Now I will give you two reasons of it out of Gods Word First The righteousnesse and goodnesse that is in the best man is lame and imperfect and farre short of that God in his law requireth of him yea it is also spotted and defiled with the Leprosy of his originall corruption and therefore it cannot justifie him in Gods sight it cannot stand before God nor abide the tryall at his judgement seat The blessed Apostle himselfe professeth Phil. 3.12 that he was not perfect Iohn Baptist though he were sanctified in his mothers womb yet avoucheth Mat. 3.14 that he had need to be baptized of Christ he was not washed and cleansed sufficiently his sanctification was imperfect And the Church complaineth Esa 64.6 We are all as an uncleane thing and all our righteousnesse are as filthy rags There is not a just man upon earth saith Salomon Eccl. 7.20 that doth good and sinneth not In many things we offend all saith the Apostle Iam. 3.2 If we say saith the Apostle 1 Ioh. 1.8 we have no sin we deceive our selves and the truth is not in us True saith the Papist the justest man is not free from venial sins but that is no hinderance to his justification by his inherent righteousnes To this I answer First 〈◊〉 no sinne is so veniall but it justly deserveth etâ—râ—all â—eath The soule that â—â—nneth it shall die saith the Prophet Ezek. 18.4 And the wages of sin is death saith the Apostle Rom. 6.23 And Gal. 3.10 Cursed is he that continueth not in all things that are written in the law to do them Not onely every thing that is done against Gods Law how small soever it be but every thing that is lest undone which the law commandeth how small soever it be maketh a man lyable to the curse of God Secondly The holiest men that have ever lived and such as the Holy Ghost hath given testimony unto that they were just and perfect men have beene notwithstanding that guilty of such sinnes as the Papists themselves confesse to be mortall Zachary though he were a just man before God as the Holy Ghost saith of him Luke 1.6 yet was he guilty of grosse infidelity in not believing the Word that God spake to him by the Ministry of an Angell Luk. 1.20 yea the holiest men have had that deep sense of their owne sinfulnesse and corruption as they durst not stand before God in their owne righteousnesse they have freely professed they could not be justified by it in Gods sight Thus was Iob perswaded of his owne righteousnesse though hee were a man of whom the Lord himselfe giveth testimony Iob 1.8 that there was none like him upon the earth an upright and a perfect man Though I were righteous saith Iob 9 15. yet would I not answer him but I would make supplication to my Iudge And 10.15 If I be righteous yet will I not lift up my head As if he should say I will not plead my righteousnesse before thee I will not trust to be justified by it in thy sight And thus was David perswaded of his owne righteousnesse of whom yet the Lord saith that hee was a man after his owne heart 1 Samuel 13.14 If thou Lord shouldst marke iniquities saith David Psalme 130.3 O Lord who shall stand Lastly Thus was blessed Paul perswaded of his owne righteousnesse I know nothing by my selfe saith he 1 Corinth 4.4 yet am I not thereby justified but he that justifieth me is the Lord. As if he had said Though I should discerne no defect in mine owne righteousnesse as for the maine bent of my heart and course of my life I do not yet dare not I plead it before God nor hope to be justifyed by it for the Lord that is my Iudge can espie in me much more than I can in my selfe And certainly to conclude this first reason there is no Papist under heaven that hath not lost all conscience but his heart must needs give his tongue the lie when he saith he believeth to be justified before God by that righteousnesse and goodnesse that is inherent and dwelling in himselfe A second reason against it is this If a man could be justified by that righteousnesse that is inherent in himselfe then might he have in himselfe just cause of boasting and glorying before God neither should the whole glory of mans salvation and justification bee due unto the free grace and mercy of God in Christ. This argument the holy Apostle presseth against justification by works and for justification by faith onely Where is boasting then saith he Rom. 3.27 it is excluded By what law or doctrine Of works Nay but by the law or doctrine of faith And againe Rom. 4.2 If Abraham were justifified by works he hath whereof to glory but not before God By grace ye are saved through faith saith he Eph. 2.8 9. not of works least any man should boast So 1 Cor. 1.30 31. he giveth this for the reason why Christ is all in all to us in the matter of our salvation wisdome righteousnesse sanctification and redemption that according as it is written he that glorieth let him glory in the Lord. As if he had said God cannot abide that man should glory before him but would have him to be humbled to the very dust but if he could be justified before God by any goodnesse that is in him then might he have just cause of glorying even before God True saith the Papist if a man could be justified by his owne works by such works as he doth by the power of nature then had he indeed matter of glorying and boasting in himselfe But not when he is justified by such works onely as are wrought by the power of Gods grace in him For these workes are not his owne but the works of Christ and his grace in him according to that speech of the Church Esa. 26.12 Lord thou hast wrought all our workes in us And that of the Apostle Romans 15.18 I will not dare to speake of any of those things which Christ hath not wrought by mee Wee doe not therefore say
tryall before his judgement-seat such as may fitly satisfie his justice and make our peace with him and consequently such as whereby the Law of God is fulfilled Therefore it is called the righteousnesse of God Rom. 10.3 such a righteousnesse as he requireth as will stand before him and satisfie his justice So the Apostle saith the righteousnesse of the law must be fulfilled in us before we can be justified Rom. 8.4 Now by no other righteousnesse but Christs alone the law of God was ever perfectly fulfilled none but his righteousnesse was ever able to abide the tryall at Gods judgement seate and fully to satisfie his justice And therefore the Apostle calleth the righteousnesse which is by the faith of Iesus Christ Romanes 3.22 the righteousnesse of God that is the righteousnesse of God and none but that Of Christ and none but him the Lord hath said Matthew 17.5 In him I am well pleased Hee is our peace as the Apostle calleth him Ephesians 2.14 and none but hee No righteousnesse can make our peace with God or bring peace to our owne hearts but only his Three maine objections are made against this most cleare and comfortable truth which I will briefly answer First It is against all reason and sense that a righteousnesse which is without us and none of our owne but another mans should justifie us And with what comfort and peace of conscience can any man rely upon such a righteousnesse I answer 1. It standeth with reason that that satisfaction should bee imputed unto mee which my surety hath made for my debt And Christ was our surety as the Apostle calleth him Hebrewes 7 22. 2. Adams first sinne was justly imputed by God to all his posterity though it were not their owne inherently nor actually as the Apostle teacheth Rom. 5.14 And the sinnes of all Gods Elect were imputed unto Christ though they were not his owne inherently and actually He made him to be sin for us who knew no sinne saith the Apostle 2 Corinth 5.21 And to prefigure this all the iniquities of Gods people were imputed to their sacrifice though they were not inherently his owne as wee read Leviticus 16. â—1 22. Aaron shall put all the iniquities of all the children of Israel and all their transgressions in all their sinnes upon the head of the Goat and the Goat shall beare upon him all their iniquities And why then should it seeme strange that the perfect righteousnesse of our sacrifice and surety though it be not our owne inherently should be imputed to us by the Lord and made ours Secondly It is objected How can it stand with the infinite knowledge and wisedome of God to account and esteeme them to be righteous that are inherently and indeed impious and wicked men Them that are like those painted sepulchers that our Saviour speaketh of Mat. 23.27 covered outwardly with the white robe of Christs righteousnesse but void of all inherent righteousnesse in themselves To this I answer No true beleever is void of all inherent righteousnesse though it be not so perfect as is able to justifie him in Gods sight Christ cannot be the head of an impious body But the Lord sanctifieth all such and maketh them inherently righteous by his holy spirit whom hee doth justifie and esteeme righteous by the imputation of Christs righteousnesse unto them as you have heard Thirdly and lastly It is objected But how can it stand with the justice of God of whom it is said Exod 34.7 that hee will by no meanes cleare the guilty to pronounce and account them to be perfectly righteous who doe indeed still remaine full of corruption I answer Because all their sins were imputed unto Christ their surety and he hath fully satisfied the justice of God for them The Lord saith the Prophet Esa. 53.6 hath laid upon him the iniquity of us all And thus have I finished this first use of the Doctrine and maintained it against these three foule errours that the Papists doe hold against it Now from this that you have heard these two points for conclusion of all doe necessarily follow First That every Papist that holdeth and beleeveth these errours as every one of them professeth that hee doth for they are expressly decreed in the Councell of Trent which is the rule of every Papists faith especially if hee holds them practically and with reference to his owne workes is in a most lamentable and damnable estate Because the Apostle directly affirmeth Gal. 3.10 As many as are of the workes of the law and looke to bee justified by their works and inherent righteousnesse are under the curse And 5.4 Christ is become of no effect to you whosoever of you are justified hope to bee justified by the workes of the law yee are fallen from grace ye can have no benefit at all by Christ. Secondly That the present Church of Rome cannot bee the true Church of Christ as they boast of themselves but of it may bee said as Revelat. 2 9. It is the Synagogue of Satan because it holdeth not this foundation that is to say the Doctrine of justification by Christ. And other foundation of Gods Church can no man lay saith the Apostle 1 Cor 3.11 1. They deny justification by the imputation of Christs righteousnesse yea they scorne it and call it a putative righteousnesse 2. They hold justification by inherent righteousnesse that is by the workes of the law 3. They make justification and sanctification all one and so indeed deny and shut out of Gods Church the Doctrine of justification altogether Lecture CXXXI On Psalme 51.7 Octob. 27. 1629. IT followeth now that wee doe proceed unto the second sort of uses that I told you this Doctrine serveth unto and shew you how it should worke upon our affections And there be two uses of this sort principally The first is for comfort and the second is for exhortation For the first It is not possible for any man to understand and receive and meditate seriously of this Doctrine that hee that is once purged and washed by the blood of Christ that is hee that truly beleeveth in him is not onely perfectly cleane in Gods sight from all filth and spot of sinne but whiter also then snow perfectly just and righteous before God I say it is not possible for any man to know and thinke of this but if himselfe be a true beleever he must needs take comfort in it it must needs warme and revive and glad his heart And certainely no man doth truly beleeve in Christ that taketh not comfort in this Doctrine We find in Luk. 2.25 that our Saviour is called and was ever so accounted by Gods people the consolation of Israel that is the onely ground of comfort to the Israel of God And the Angell when hee telleth the shepheards of the birth of Christ saith Luke 2.10 hee brought them glad tidings of great joy that should be to all people As if he should
observe well all Gods speciall favours and keepe a register of them and repeat them oft to our own soules See what helps Gods people have used this way p. 646. 4 The last and surest meanes of assurance is to renounce our selves and with an humbled soule to cast our selves upon the free grace and mercy of God in Christ and to looke for helpe and comfort that way onely p. 647. Proleps 1. He that can finde no goodnesse at all in himselfe may yet be able to do this nay none so fit to do it as he Ibid. Proleps 2. He that hath much doubting and infidelity in him may be able to do this p. 648. We wrong our selves much in trusting too much to that inherent grace we finde in our selves p. 649. Lect. 127. The use of comfort that the former Doctrine serveth unto though it may seeme in two respects unfit yet may not bee omitted p. 649 650. A man may be in the state of grace and have true faith though himselfe cannot perceive it yea though he seeme to himselfe to be utterly out of Gods favour p. 650 651. Hee that hath the least measure of true faith hath Christs blood sprinkled upon his heart by the Spirit of God though hee perceive it not p. 652. The nature and essence of true faith consisteth not in sensible assurance though that be a sweet fruit of it but in an obedientiall affiance in Christ p. 653. The humbled sinner when he findes least assurance and comfort in himselfe yet should rest upon Christ Ibid. The weakest faith may receive helpe this way p. 654. If we finde our selves unable to beleeve and rest on Christ wee must cry to God to make us able Ibid. Even our broken and troubled prayers may much prevaile with God in this case Ibid. Lect. 128. All true beleevers are perfectly cleansed from all their sinnes and are as pure and white in Gods eyes as any snow page 655. The faithfull are cleansed from their sins two waies 1 in their justification by the bloud 2 in their Sanctification by the Spirit of Christ p. 656. These two goe alwaies together yet are there foure maine differences betweene them Ibid. c. Though in respect of our sanctification we be not perfectly cleansed yet in respect of our justification we are p. 658. The largenesse of the pardon that every true beleever hath received and how perfectly he is thereby discharged of all his sins appeares in five points p. 659. The reasons and grounds of it are three p. 660. Lect. 129. The controversie betweene us and the Papists touching justification not unfit to bee handled p. 662. They erre dangerously in denying that Christ hath satisfied as well for the temporall as for the eternall punishment due to our sins Ibid. as appeares by foure evident reasons p. 663. Though th' afflictions that men endure be in their owne nature punishments for sin yet are they not so unto all men for 1 God hath oft inflicted them upon many without all respect to their sin as the cause pag. 664. 2 Even when they are infflicted upon the faithfull for sin yet are they not properly punishments of their sins but chastisements onely p. 665. Though the faithfull upon their first beleeving have obtained a full pardon of all their siâ—s yet must they daily beg the remission of their sins for three reasons pag. 666 667. Lect. 130. Five things to bee granted touching inherent righteousnesse 1 God justifies none but he sanctifieth him also and maketh him holy inherently p. 667. 2 Yea he will make him perfectly holy by inherent holinesse but not during this life 3 This inherent holinesse is called in Scripture the righteousnesse of a man 4 It may be truly said a man is justified by this inherent righteousnesse 5 It may be said in some sense that a man is justified before God by it 668. Yet is not this the righteousnesse whereby a sinner can bee justified before Gods tribunall absolved from condemnation and adjudged unto life eternall p. 669. for then a man might be justified by the workes of the law which no man can be 1 No not by the workes of the morall Law Ibid. 2 No not by the workes done in the state of grace p. 670. Reason 1 because the inherent righteousnesse of the best is imperfect and defiled Ibid. No sinne is veniall and the holyest men have had greater sinnes then veniall p. 671. 2 Reason If a man could be justified by inherent righteousnesse he might have some cause and matter of boasting in himselfe 1b The workes that the regenerate do are their owne not meerely the workes of Christ and his grace p. 672. Sixe plaine proofes that we are justified by Christs righteousnesse imputed to us and by it onely p. 672 673. Reason for it 673. 1. Proleps It s no way unreasonble oâ— absurd that we should be justified by righteousnesse imputed 2. Proleps God justifies none who doe remaine impious 3. Proleps No injustice in God to account them perfectly righteous in whom yet there are many corruptions p. 674. Lect. 131. He that truly beleeveth he is justified by Christ must needs take comfort in the knowledge of Christ and rejoyce in him p. 675. There is comfort enough to bee found in Christ for the soule that is most afflicted p. 676. For 1 the knowledge of this that Christ hath purchased for us the pardon of all our sinnes is a most just and sufficient ground of comfort for 1 Sin is the cause of all other evills that befall us 2 Sin is that that maketh all evill bitter and painefull to us 3 If all the evills and miseries that are in the world should befall us they could not be so intolerable to us nor torment us so much as one sinne will do when God chargeth it upon us 4 Sinne is th' onely thing that separateth betweene us and God p. 677. 2 The knowledge of this that Christs perfect obedience and righteousnesse is imputed to us is a just and sufficient ground of true comfort Ibid. For 1 Even that inherent righteousnesse that God worketh in us by his Spirit is a just cause of comfort to us Ibid. 2 Adams righteousnesse wherewith God cloathed him in his creation was a robe that did greatly adorne him and was a great glory to him but the righteousnesse of Christ which is imputed to every true beleever is much more glorious 1 his was uncertaine ours by Christ is made more sure 2 his was in his owne keeping so is not ours p. 679. 3 his was but the righteousnesse of a man ours is the righteousnesse of God p. 680. Applic. Every humbled sinner should count this his great sinne that he cannot rejoyce more in Christ and check himselfe for it 1 Proleps he may and ought to rejoyce notwithstanding the multitude and greatnes of his afflictions p. 680. 2 Proleps and notwithstanding the heinousnesse of his old sins and present corruptions which hee yeeldeth not unto p. 681. 3
and to desire him to resolve them in the things they doubted of Such hearers Paul himselfe had Rom. 3.8 We are slanderously reported of and some affirme that wee say let us doe evill that good may come whose damnation is just The fift and last duty that you are to performe after the hearing of the Word if you would profit by it is this that you presently set upon the practise of that that you have heard 1. The end of all our hearing is that wee may practise what we heare Deut. 5.1 Heare ô Israel the statutes and the judgements which I speake in your eares this day that ye may learne them and keepe and doe them 2. That that we heare is not blessed to us we receive no good nor comfort by it till we practise it Iam. 1.25 Who so looketh into the perfect law of liberty and continueth therein he being not a forgetfull hearer but a doer of the worke this man shall be blessed in his deed 3. It is a great advantage to us to set presently upon the practise of that we have heard when God hath by his Word convinced our consciences and stirred up in us good desires and purposes as it was for them that lay at the poole of Bethesda to step into it presently after that the Angel had stirred the water Ioh. 5.4 For delay will make the practise of any good duty a great deale more difficult Which made Abraham goe presently about the circumcising of his family Gen. 17.23 and the offering up of his son Isaac Genes 2â— 3 so soone as ever he had received the commandement from God to do it This also made David to use such speed in this case as we shall find Psal. 119.60 I made hast and delayed not to keepe thy commandâ—ments Alas then how can the most of our hearers thrive in grace or be the better for that they heare 1. Few practise any thing they heare â—eave any sinne do any good duty ever a whit the more for any thing they heare and therefore must needs prove like the house built upon the sand when the time of tryall shall come Mat. 7.26 27. 2. Many that when they are hearing have good motions and purposes yet through delay they vanish and come to nothing of whom in respect of their spirituall poverty that may be said which Solomon speaketh Prov. 24 3â— 34. Yet a little sleepe a little slumber a little folding of the hands to sleepe so shall thy poverty come as one that travelleth and thy want as an armed man Lecture VIII On the Title of Psalme 51. Decemb. 14. 1625. WEe have already heard that in the means that are here mentioned wherby David was brought unto repentance two things are to be observed 1. That Nathans ministery was the meanes to recover him 2. What that course was that Nathan held with him and whereby he did so mightily prevaile The former of these wee finished the last day and it followeth now that we proceed unto the second This is set downe in the 2. Sam. 12.1 14. But I intend not to handle the whole speech of Nathan but onely to observe this in it in generall that he did particularly and boldly reprove him and denounce Gods judgement against him and by that meanes he brought him unto repentance The parable whereby he laid open the odiousnesse of his sinne in another mans person moved him not but when he directed his speech to him in particular and boldly and sharply reproved him that through the blessing of God prevailed mightily with him Now from this thus observed in the course that Nathan tooke with David this Doctrine ariseth for our instruction That the ministery that God hath sanctified for the conversion of sinners and wherein hee useth to shew his mighty power that way is such a ministery as applieth the word particularly to the hearers such as plainely and boldly reproveth sinne See the proofe of this Doctrine in three points First the best preachers and Prophets to whom the Lord hath in his word given greatest testimony were wont to preach in this manner they were wont to reprove sinne boldly and without partiality and plainely and particularly so as the party they desired to reforme might know himselfe to be meant So did Eliah speake to a King 1. Kings 18.18 It is thou and thy fathers house that have troubled Israel in that yee have forsaken the commandements of the Lord and thou hast followed Baalim So preached Iohn the Baptist who came also in the spirit and power of Eliah Luke 1.17 to another King Luke 3.19 Herod the Tetrach was reproved by him for Herodias his brother Philips wife and for all the evils that Herod had done Thus did the Prophet Malachy preach Mala. 2.1 And now ô ye Priests this commandement is for you And thus did the Prophet Hosea preach Hos. 5.1 Heare ye this ô Priests and hearken ye house of Israel and give ye eare ô house of the King You see how particularly they dealt and how boldly also not with the common sort of the people only but even with Kings and with Priests whom it hath ever beene as dangerous a matter and cause of greater persecution to meddle with then with Kings themselves Yea this was so usuall in the ministery of the Prophets to reprove and denounce judgements against sinne that it is made a note of difference to distinguish the true Prophets from the false Iere. 28.8 The Prophets that have bin before me and before thee of old prophesied both against many countryes and against great Kingdomes of warre and of evill and of pestilence And Mic. 3.5.8 The Prophets make my people erre that bite with their teeth and cry Peace But truly I am full of power by the spirit of the Lord and of judgement and of might to declare unto Iacob his transgression and to Israel his sinne Secondly God hath straitly injoyned his servants to preach thus and commanded them in this manner to reprove sinne as a chiefe worke and duty of their ministery And in this proofe observe an answer to an objection that is made by some against the former proofe taken from the example of Eliah Iohn Baptist and the Prophets for they say some had another manner of spirit another manner of power authority then the ministers of the Gospel now have And indeed I cannot deny but this is true in some part for the Prophets 1. Had an immediate calling from God 2. Spake by divine inspiration so as they could not erre either in the matter that they delivered or in the manner of their delivery 2. Pet. 1.21 Yet in this point there is no difference betwixt us and them we also are bound aswell as they to apply our doctrine and to reprove sinne boldly and particularly Observe therefore that this manner of preaching is enjoyned to the ministers under the Gospel as a chiefe worke of their ministery See this first in the commandement given by that
that he looked for no comfort Therefore is this oft mentioned as the justest and soundest ground of all true comfort Comfort yee comfort yee my people saith your God it is the Lords speech to his servants and messengers Esa. 40.1 2. speake ye comfortably to Ierusalem How should we do that may Gods servants say Cry unto her that her warrefare is accomplished that her iniquity is pardoned No sound comfort can be had till then and when once that is knowne nothing can make a mans state uncomfortable So speaketh our Saviour to the poore man that had the palsie when he saw him dejected in mind and uncomfortable he saith not sonne be of good comfort thy palsie hath left thee thou that couldst not have come hither if foure men had not brought thee Marke 2.3 shalt be able to take up thy bed and walke home without any helpe but how doth he comfort him Matth. 9.2 Sonne be of good comfort thy sinnes are forgiven thee So when he would comfort Mary Magdalene that was so full of trouble of mind and sorrow that she was able with her teares to wash his feet Luke 7.38 he saith unto her vers 48. Thy sinnes are forgiven thee As if he had said thou hast no such cause to weep so thou hast cause to be comfortable and cheerefull for thy sins are forgiven This peace of God that is the comfort and joy that riseth from the knowledge of the pardon of our sins and reconciliation with him is said Phil. 4.7 to passe all understanding No heart can conceive how comfortable and blessed a thing that is but that which hath felt and enjoyed it Thirdly The man that truly knoweth what sin is desireth and longeth after nothing so much as the pardon of his sin is not so earnest and importunate with God in any suit as in this If God should now have said to David as after he did unto his sonne Solomon 1. Kings 3.5 Aske what I shall give thee Certainly this should have beene his petition Lord that my sins may be forgiven yea see how earnest he is here with God for this To such men Christ who is our propitiation and only meanes to procure and purchase our pardon is pretious as the Apostle speaketh 1. Pet. 2.7 To you that beleeve he is precious yea so precious that in comparison of him and of Gods favour through him they esteeme basely of every thing else Phil 3.8 I do count all things but dung that I may win Christ. Fourthly and lastly The man that truly knoweth what sin is thinks he hath even enough when he hath gotten his pardon though God should deny him all things else and saith of it as Iacob when he was sure Ioseph was still living Gen. 45.28 It is enough Yea he counts himselfe to be a happy man if once he have obtained this So we see David here maketh this his only suit and saith in another place that this is enough even to make a man happy Psalm 32.1 2. Blessed is the man whose transgression is forgiven whose sinne is covered blessed is the man unto whom the Lord imputeth not iniquity Nothing can make that man miserable whose sins are forgiven Now the reasons and grounds of this Doctrine are principally two being taken from the true and sound consideration of the nature of sinne And for the nature of it we will goe no further then to that description that David maketh of it in these two verses and to those two comparisons whereby he doth here resemble it First he compareth sin to debt in these words verse 1. Blot out my transgressions Our sins are our debts as our Saviour teacheth us to call them and account of them in the fift petition of the Lords prayer Matth. 6.12 Forgive us our debts First The obedience God requireth of us in his Law is no more but just and due debt we are bound and ought to performe it and in case we performe it not the penalty and curse which the law inflicteth is most justly due unto us We stand bound to performe either the one or the other To this obligation every mans conscience hath set his hand and seale and will acknowledge it and say Amen unto it one day God requireth in his Law that so soone as his people should come into the land of Canaan the curses of this law this bond and obligation should be read in the hearing of them all men women children and that all of them should say Amen to it Deut. 27.26 Cursed is he that confirmeth not all the words of this Law to doe them and all the people shall say Amen The copy and counterpane of this bond betweene God and us every man hath in his owne conscience which will acknowledge it to be most true and just as the Apostle speaking even of heathen men saith Rom. 2.15 which shew the worke of the Law written in their hearts Secondly These debts of ours though we be apt to forget yet the Lord will never forget The Lord hath sworne by the excellency of Iacob saith the Prophet Amos 8.7 Surely I will never forget any of their works Hee keepeth a debt booke wherein he hath set downe in writing every one of them Esa. 65.6 Behold it is written before me And our owne conscience also scores up every one of our sinnes and sets downe the time and place when and where we committed them and so came into Gods debt further and further And though it be like a sealed and clasped booke for a time that we cannot looke into it which maketh us thinke wee are little or nothing in Gods debt yet these bookes will one day bee opened Revelation 20.12 I saw the dead small and great stand before God and the bookes were opened and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the Bookes according to their workes and then it will appeare our debt bookes agree fully with Gods debt bookes our scores with his scores According as the Apostle saith Rom. â—15 â—6 that the consciences of men shall beare witnesse with God in the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Iesus Christ. Thirdly These debts of ours if we get not in time a discharge and Quiâ—â— est from them will be exaâ—tâ—d every one oâ— them at our hands The Lord I tell you is such a creditor as will looke to have his owne Eccles. 1.9 Know thou that for all these things God will bring thee to judgement And 1â— 14 The Lord shall bring every worke into judgement with every secret thing whether it be good or evill Fourthly these debts of ours are growne to such a huge summe as we are never able to satisfie and pay them and therefore they are compared to a debt of ten thousand talentâ— Matth. 18.24 a summe which there was never any merchant or King in the World so rich as was able to pay it Fiftly Now consider well of this reason To an honest
subject matter of it was the grace of God it ascribed nothing to man but all to God and to his free grace and mercy onely Ephes. 2.5 By grace yee are saved and againe verse 8. For by grace yee are saved through faith and that not of your selves it is the gift of God A surer note to try the true religion and the true teacher by you can never have When our Saviour would teach them to know whether his Doctrine were of God hee giveth them this note Iohn 7.18 He that speaketh of himselfe seeketh his owne glory humane Doctrines doe all tend one way or other to the glory of man and advancing of him but he that seeketh his glory that sent him the same is true and no unrighteousnesse is in him In this religion be resolute I pray you 1 Cor. 16.13 Watch yee stand fast in the faith quit you like men be strong Make straight paths to your feete as the Apostle speaketh Heb. 12.13 goe steadily goe strongly waver not lest that that is halting be turned out of the way If you will suffer your selves to bee drawne to stagger and doubt of your religion you will bee in danger to be perverted and drawne from it I will therefore give you for a preservative that which the Apostle speaketh Gal. 1.9 If any man preach any other Gospell unto you then that ye have received let him be accursed Whatsoever Doctrine is brought unto you that doth derogate in the least point from the glory of Gods grace and ascribe any thing unto man detest it abhorre it whither it bee old Pelagianisme or new Popery and Semipelagianisme detest it abhorre it for they are all adversaries to the grace of God that teach as these men doe First that a man is justified by works and that inherent grace which God by his spirit worketh in him is directly contrary to the Word If by grace saith the Apostle Rom. 11.6 then it is no more of works that we are justified otherwise grace is no more grace But if it be of workes then it is no more grace otherwise worke is no more worke And Gal. 5.4 Christ is become of none effect unto you whosoever of you are justified by the Law ye are fallen from grace Secondly That the works of those that are true beleevers doe merit eternall life contrary to the Word Esa. 64.6 All our righteousnesses are as filthy raggs Luke 17.10 When ye have done all those things which are commanded you say Wee are unprofitable servants we haue done that which was our duty to doe and the like might be shewed in all other points of Doctrine that derogate from Gods Grace and glory and therefore to bee abhorred as contrary to the word of God Lecture XXI On Psalme 51.1 2. Aprill 4. 1626. NOw it followeth that wee proceed unto two other uses that this Doctrine serveth unto whereof the first is for exhortation the other for comfort For this Doctrine if it be rightly understood and beleeved hath great force to stirre us up 1. To sundry duties that we owe unto men with whom wee live 2. And chiefâ—ly to sundry other duties that we owe unto the Lord himselfe Two duties there be which we cannot choose but performe unto men if we doe rightly understand and beleeve this Doctrine the one consisteth in forgiving of them that have wronged us the other in giving to them that stand in need of us For the first Nothing hath that force to make a Christian willing to forgive and to live in charity with all men as the knowledge and true consideration of the Lords marvellous mercy and goodnesse towards us Ephes. 4.32 Be yee kind one to another tender-hearted forgiving one another even as God for Christs sake hath forgiven you Colos. 3. â—3 Forgiving one another if any man have a quarrell against any even as Christ forgave you so also do yee 1. Whatsoever the wrong be for so God doth forgive us Exod. 34.7 He forgiveth iniquiâ—y and transgression and sin 2. Whatsoever the party bee that hath wronged us for so doth God forgive the unworthyest of all Rom. 10.21 All the day long he stretcheth forth his hands to a disobedient and gain-saying people such as hee sought reconciliation with and they scorned it and despised it 3. How oft soever wee have forgiven him already Matth. 18.12 I say not untill seven times but untill seventy times seven times For so doth God forgive as our Saviour sheweth by inferring that parable verse 23 Therefore is the Kingdome of heaven likened unto a certaine King c. If any man shall object it is impossible we should forgive as God forgiveth can there be that mercy and goodnesse in us that is in the Lord Would I could forgive wrongs but as some men that I know can to forgive as God forgiveth I shall never be able I answer Indeed thou canst not But this is that that thou must aime at and strive unto this is the patterne that God hath given thee to worke by Our Saviour therefore having spoken of this very point of forgiving wrongs inferreth Mat. 5.48 Be ye therefore perfect even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect As if hee had said Never thinke thou hast forgiven as thou shouldest till thou hast forgiven as God forgiveth And the force of the argument from this example lyeth in foure points First That it is the example of our Father whom we ought whom wee cannot choose but resemble Ephes. 5.1 Be ye therefore followers of God in this he meaneth as appeareth by the words immediatly going before as deare children Secondly That our Father hath in his word reveiled and spoken so much of his mercy this way of purpose to make himselfe an example to us and to provoke us to follow him Iohn 13.15 I have given you an example saith our Saviour that ye should doe even as I have done unto you This is evident in the whole drift of that parable Mat. 18.23 35. Thirdly There is no proportion betweene that which the Lord forgiveth to us and that which wee are to forgive unto men no more then betweene a debt of an hundred pence and one of ten thousand talents Mat. 18.29 28. all that we have to forgive is nothing in comparison of that Fourthly That the Lord hath thus farre tyed his mercy in forgiving us to this condition that wee can forgive them that have wronged us that no man can know or hope that his sins are pardoned that findeth not himselfe able to forgive men whomsoever he forgiveth he maketh them also able and willing to forgive Matth. 6.14 15. If ye forgive men their trespasses your heavenly Father will also forgive you but if ye forgive not men their trespasses neither will your Father forgive your trespasses This point I will the rather stand upon a while because it is so seasonable for this time And I doe acknowledge Gods good providence in directing my ministery so as
such as love their sins Psal. 11.5 The wicked and him that loveth violence doth his soule hate Of such as goe on in their sins Psal. 68.21 God will wound the head of his enemies Who are these He answereth in the next words which are an exegesis or interpretation of the former such as goe on in their trespasses To such doe all the curses of the law all those sentences of the holy Scripture that set forth the severity of God belong not to such as feele their sins to be a burden to them and desire to turne unto God 1. Tim. 1.9 10. Know this that the Law is made the curses of the Law are written and appointed for the lawlesse and disobedient for the ungodly and for sinners for the unholy and profane c. The second objection is this Though God be infinite in mercy and his common mercies be over all his workes yet his speciall mercy belongeth to none but to his elect and they are but a few Mat. 20.16 Many are called but few are chosen The greatest part of men are vessels of wrath as the Apostle speaketh Rom. 9.22 predestinated and ordained unto damnation Iude 4. And I have so lived as I see cause to feare I am of that number at least I cannot be sure that I shall find mercy with God though I should turne unto him I answer That though 1. the Lord did indeed in his eternall counsell predestinate some unto life and some unto perdition 2. and that the number of the Elect bee small in comparison of the reprobate yet hath no poore sinner that desireth to turne to God any just cause given him to be discouraged from it by this Doctrine This I will prove to you by three reasons First Because no man ought no man can say and conclude that he is a reprobate because of the life he hath lead That he is in the way that leadeth unto destruction he may know but that he is one of those that God did in his eternall decree appoint unto destruction he cannot know 1. Because God hath not by his word or spirit reveiled this to any particular man that he is a reprobate excepting only him that hath sinned against the holy Ghost which sin thou art farre enough from that desirest to repent and to turne to God Concerning the election of particular men God hath indeed given testimony both by his word 1 Thess. 1.4 5. and by his spirit also Rom. 8.16 The spirit it selfe beareth witnesse with our spirit that wee are the children of God 1. Iohn 5.10 He that beleeveth in the Sonne of God hath the witnesse in himselfe But Gods spirit never testified unto any man that he is a reprobate So that to every man that is so conceited we may say as Paul in another case doth Galat. 5.8 This perswasion commeth not of him that calleth you It commeth not of God And as our Saviour saith Matth. 5.37 Whatsoever is more then this commeth of the evill one Besides 2. God hath hertofore and may still call most wicked men at the very last houre of their lives and so declare them to be his elect who of all men in the world were most unlikely to be of his Elect as wee see in the example of the thiefe Luke 23.40 Secondly As no man can justly say he is a reprobate because God neither by his word nor spirit hath testified any such thing of him so such sinners as I now speake of have just cause to judge that they are not reprobates that God hath not appointed them to wrath but to obtaine salvation by our Lord Iesus Christ as the Apostle speaketh 1 Thes. 5.9 For those whom God hath made vessels of wrath are fitted unto destruction as the Apostle saith Rom. 9.22 They goe on still in the way that leadeth unto destruction and are hardened in their sins Though the greatest part of men shall not find mercy with God yet the cause of this is not in the Lord it is in themselves only because they seeke it not Hos. 13.9 O Israel thou hast destroyed thy selfe God sheweth himselfe ready enough to receive even such unto mercy but they care not for it So speaketh Christ even of Ierusalem though she had killed and stoned his Prophets Matth. 23.37 How often would I have gathered thy children together even as a Henne gathereth her chickens under her wings and ye would not That sinner therefore that findeth God hath wrought in him a desire to get under Gods wings a desire to repent and to turne unto God is in the way that leadeth unto life God is preparing and fitting him for glory and therefore he hath just cause to judge that he is no reprobate but a vessell of mercy Rom. 9.23 Thirdly and lastly No man is to judge of his present or future estate nor of Gods purpose towards him by the secret will of God but by his reveiled will Deut. 29.29 The secret things belong unto the Lord our God but those things that are reveiled belong to us and to our children for ever We may not in this case pry curiously nor enquire into the secret counsell of God but reverently admire it and cry with the Apostle Rom 11.33 ô altitudo ô the depth Remember what befell the men of Bethshemesh 1. Sam. 6.19 God smote aboue fifty thousand of them for looking into the Arke of God Looke thou enquire thou into the reveiled will of God and there thou shalt find enough to encourage thee to turne unto him and to assure thee that thou needest not doubt to find mercy and grace with him if thou canst now seeke it First God hath reveiled in his Word that he doth not desire nor take pleasure in the destruction of any wicked man no not in his temporall destruction Hee gave the old World warning of the Floud an hundred and twenty yeares before it came that by their repentance they might have prevented it as you shall see by comparing 1 Peter 3.20 with Gene. 6.3 He gave Pharaoh and the Aegyptians warning of the plagues they enforced him to bring upon them that by their repentance they might prevent them And in giving them warning of the fiery haile he expressely saith he did it to that end that they might save their servants and their cattell from that destruction Exod. 9.19 Send therefore now and gather thy cattell and all that thou hast in the field c. When his people had so deeply provoked him to bring them into miserable captivity and he had assured them by his Prophets that he would do it yet how oft was his heart turned within him and his repentings kindled together as the Prophet speaketh Hosea 11.8 How oft and how earnestly doth he warne them of it How many meanes doth hee use to perswade them that by their repentance they would prevent it See for proofe of this Ieremy 26.2 3. And 36.2 3 6 7. And if hee take no pleasure in the destruction
having spoken of his owne experience in this case how hee being in extreame anguish of mind and unable to find case any other way by betaking himselfe to this course found comfort and assurance of mercy from God Ps. 32.5 I acknowledged my sin unto thee and mine iniquity 〈◊〉 I not â—id I said I will acknowledge my transgression unto the Lord and thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin He inferreth thereupon ver 6. For this cause shall every one that is godly pray unto thee that is every one that is godly that is truly humbled for his sin shall be encouraged by my example to seek the same way for mercy that I have done And what followeth Surely to the flouds of great waters they shall not come nigh unto him As if he had said He that taketh this course let his afflictions and sorrowes be never so great he shall not be overwhelmed with them hee shall bee sure to find comfort in them And it cannot otherwise be but they take this course must needs find comfort in it for God hath bound himselfe by promise to it Pro. 28.13 Hâ— that confesseth and forsaketh his sins shall find mercy 1 Ioh. 1.9 If we confesse our sins God is faithfull and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from 〈◊〉 unrighteousnes So Ioh 33.27 28. If any say I have sinned and perverted that which was right and it profited me not he will deliver his soule from going into the pit and his life shall see the light Yea he hath bound himselfe by promise to his people that though they be never so much oppressed burdened in their minds either with the sense of their sins or with any judgements that for their sins are fallen upon them though they even pine away in their iniquity as he speaketh Lev. 26.39 foretelling the case his people should be in in the time of their captivity yet saith he ver 40.42 If then they shall confesse their iniquity and the iniquity of their fathers with their owne trespasse which they have trespassed against me and that also they have walked contrary unto me then will I remember my covenant And as these promises are made to all Gods people that can confesse and complaine of their sins unto him so specially to such as can acquaint themselves with God and accustom themselves to do this in secret according to that speech of our blessed Saviour Mat. 6.6 Pray to thy father which is in secret and thy father which is in secret will reward thee openly and ver 18. Shew thy selfe to fast and to be humbled to thy father which is in secret and thy father which is in secret shall reward thee openly I speake not thus much to encourage any hypocrite that is apt to blesse himselfe in his profane neglect of praying with his family and of joyning with Gods people in prayer either ordinary or extraordinary and say though I doe not joyne with others in these duties yet I use to pray and confesse my sins in secret unto God upon my bed that is the best of al. For to these I say as our Saviour doth Mat 23.23 This ought ye to do and not to leave the other undone And if thou didst indeed of conscience towards God in a conscionable manner pray in secret cenfesse thy sins in secret thou wouldst also joyne with Gods people in these duties because God hath aswell coÌ„manded the one as the other For whosoever shal keep the whole law yet offend in one point is guilty of al Iam. 2.10 But I have spoken all this to so many of you as feare the Lord that use to pray and confesse your sins with your families and joyne with Gods people in the publike coÌ„fessions that are made in the congregation do so stil in Gods name but rest not in that learne to do this duty in secret also get thee into thy closet to do this yea if thou have no place private enough in thine house to do it in do as yong Isaac did Gen. 24.63 and our Saviour Luke 5.16 get thee into the field sometimes to do it Doe as David did Psal. 22.2 in the nights upon thy bed And when thou art alone poure out thy heart unto God lay open thy sins before him in particular and aggravate them with the circumstances whereby they are made more hainous worke thy heart to do it with sorrow and with teares seeke ease to thy heart and comfort this way when thou art in greatest heavinesse remember the promises God hath made to shew mercy to them that can doe so stay thy faith upon them expect the performance of them and challenge it as his hand and doubtlesse thou shalt find comfort in it Lecture XXXIX on Psalme 51.3 Novemb. 7. 1626. NOw it followeth that we proceed unto the meanes whereby we may attaine unto this grace And those are five principally First He that would be able to confesse his sins aright unto God must seeke knowledge and understanding in the word of God without which no man can tell what is sin and what is not Rom. 3.20 By the Law commeth the knowledge of sin and Eph. 5.3 All things that are reproved are made manifest by the light And though there be light sufficient in nature to discover unto us some sins specially in the outward breaches of the second table Rom. 2. â—5 The worke of the Law is written in their hearts their consciences also bearing witnes and accordingly accusing or excusing them Yet are there two defects in that light 1. It will not discover to us all our sins nay there be many foule sins and such as of all other most provoke God against us which the naturall man cannot discerne by that light to be sins The way of the wicked is as darkenesse saith Solomon Pro. 4.19 they know not at what they stumble That which Paul saith of concupiscence the root of all sin may be said of many other Rom. 7 7. I had not knowne lust that is to say not to be sin unlesse the Law had said thou shalt not covet 2. Those sins that it doth discover to us it doth not discover them effectually so as to humble us and drive us to God thereby but either dimly by the halves so as they never affect or trouble us As our Saviour speaketh Pro. 10.23 It is a sport to a foole to doe mischiefe or else to make us inexcusable and overwhelme us with despaire as Genesis 3.8 But that knowledge of sin that is effectuall to humble us and drive us unto Gods mercy-seat commeth not by the light of nature but only by the word It is that only that doth so convince a man of sin and manifest to him the secrets of his heart as maketh him fall down on his face and worship God as the Apostle speaketh 1 Cor. 14.24 25. In which respect Paul saith Rom. 7.7 I had not knowne sinne but by the Law As if hee should say I
Doctrine so unto the uses that are to be made of it Now the grounds and reasons of the Doctrine are principally two The one taken frō the consideration of the nature of sin the other from the consideration of the nature attributes of the Lord himselfe And in the nature of sin two things are to be cōsidred 1. that every sin is a transgressiō of the law of God 2. that every sin is a contēpt done unto God For the first What is it that maketh any thought or word or action to be a sin Not the offending or hurting of our selves or any other man by it but the offending of God and breaking of his Law As no good duty I performe to any man is a good worke unlesse in doing it I respect the Lord and do it in obedience to him As Paul saith to Christian servants Colos. 3.23 24. Whatsoever ye doe doe it as to the Lord and not unto men knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance for ye serve the Lord Christ. So no wrong I can do to any man is a sin but in respect of the disobedience contempt I shew unto God and his Law by doing of it This is plain Lev. 6.2 If a soule sin commit a trespasse against the Lord lie unto his neighbour in that that was delivered him to keepe or in fellowship or in taking away by violence or hath deceived his neighbor No sin can be more directly committed against our neighbour then cosenage theft and robbery are and yet ye see that that maketh a man a sinner in these things is this that in doing of them he hath cōmitted a trespasse against the Lord. Thus the Apostle when he had said every one that hath a true hope to be saved to go to heaven doth purifie himselfe from all sin corruption so maketh himselfe fit to go thither giveth this for the reason of it 1 Ioh. 3.4 because sin is a most hainous dangerous thing and why so Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law for sin is the transgression of the law That that maketh sin so dangerous a thing that that maketh Gods people so fearfull to sin so careful to purifie cleanse themselves from their corruptions is this that by sinning they transgresse the law of God So the Apostle Paul teacheth us 1 Cor. 15.56 The sting of death is sin the strength of sin is the law What is it that maketh death so painfull terrible as it is unto men Surely nothing but sin that giveth the sting unto it and what is it that maketh sin so strong to condemne them and cast them into hell to sting and torment the conscience as it doth Surely nothing but the law that giveth the strength to sin that the law of God hath bin transgressed by it This is the plain meaning of that which the same Apostle saith Rom. 4.15 The law worketh wrath for where no law is there is no transgression What is it that brings Gods wrath upon man in this life or in the life to come that stingeth the conscience with the sense of it Why sin you will say and in saying so you say truly for so saith the holy Ghost Ephes. 5.6 Because of these things commeth the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience Yea but what is the cause that sin bringeth the wrath of God upon man Surely nothing but this because by it Gods law is transgressed the law worketh wrath saith the Apostle Secondly this is also to be considered in the nature of sin that by every sin that we cōmit we do not only transgresse Gods law but we also despise him do an injury and contempt unto him For as it is among men when ye invite a man of worship and worth unto a feast if you give him not his due in placing of him though his cheere be never so good though the place he sits in be otherwise never so convenient though in words entertainment you neglect no cōplement towards him yet if you place him not according to his degree if you set one that is known to be his inferior above him in stead of a kindnes that you have pretended he wil esteeme that you have done a great disgrace indignity unto him So is it much more in this case If we set not the Lord in the highest roome of our hearts if we prefer our owne will before his as in every sin we do if we sleight any commandement of his thinke it is no great matter to transgresse it this is a plain contempt done unto God a despising of him So the Lord doth not only esteeme of grosse sinners that they cast him behind their backs as he tells Ieroboam 1 kin 14.9 But even of his own people whē they sin against his law So he telleth David twice that in cōmitting these sins of adultry murder 2 Sā 12.9 10. he had despised his cōmandement he had despised him So he telleth Ely that in neglecting to shew that severity to his lewd sons that he ought to have done he despised him 1 Sam. 2.30 And he telleth Moses Aaron that they had rebelled against him Nū 20.24 And so much for the first reason ground of the doctrine The second reason is taken from the consideration of the nature and attributes of God the person whose law is transgressed by our sins Foure attributes there be in the Lord which if we consider well we shall easily beleeve that we are to hate our sins and mourne for them out of this respect chiefly that we have offended God by them The first is his omnipresence omniscience he is present with us whersoever we are his eye is upō us he beholdeth us whatsoever we are doing Can any hide himselfe in secret places that I should not see him saith the Lord Ier. 23.24 do not I fill heaven earth saith the Lord Pro. 15.3 The eyes of the Lord are in every place beholding the evill the good This was a main thing Nathan laid to Davids charge whereby he aggravated his sin 2 Sam. 12.9 Wherfore hast thou despised the commandement of the Lord to do evill in his sight And this was it that at this time lay so heavy upon Davids conscience O Lord I have done this evill in thy sight As if he had said all my care was to be secret to hide my sin from the eyes of men thou didst it secretly saith the Lord to him 2 Sam. 12.12 but all this while thine eye was upon me when for the committing of my filthines I had shut all out of my chamber I could not shut out thee when I did it in the darke the darknes hid me not from thee as he speaketh Ps. 139.12 but the night shineth as the day the darknes and the light are both alike with thee This is that that did even fil his heart
onely evill continually When we have by faith and repentance mortified one sin and cleansed our selves of it another will rise out of the ashes of it this vile nature of ours will cast up some other mire and dirt some wretched motion or other to defile us withall 3. And what are the motions and lusts it will stirre up in us Surely there is no sin so foule and unnaturall but we shall find it will be ready to stirre up motions and incliâ—ations unto it even in the best of Gods children motions of atheisme and blasphemy motions of desparation and of every other foule sin Sin wrought in me saith the Apostle Rom. 7 â— all mannâ—r of concupiscence Thirdly It is an universall corruption and leprosie that goeth over the whole man the understanding and conscience and memory and will and affections all are corrupted by it It is a leaven that sowreth the whole lump as the Apostle speaketh 1 Cor. 5.6 Fourthly and lastly We can never be rid of it while we live It dwelleth in us as the Apostle speaketh Rom. 7.17 It is an inmate that will never be gotten out till the house be pulled downe It is an hereditary disease as we have heard which no Physician can cure that that is bred in the bone will never out of the flesh Lecture LXI On Psalme 51.5 Iune 19. 1627. THe uses that this doctrine serveth unto are foure principally 1 To informe and settle our judgements 2 To humble and abate the pride of our hearts 3 To exhort us to seeke the cure of this dangerous leprosy 4 and lastly To breed thankfullnesse in our hearts towards God and admiration of his goodnes to such vile wretches as we are For the first This Doctrine serveth notably to confirme us against popery by discovering to us the grosse errour of the Papists in their doctrine of originall sin And yet would I according to my custome content my selfe to ground and confirme you in the truth and not trouble you with confuting their errours were it not for three reasons that move me to it 1. That by confirming you against the errour of the Papists in this point I shall also preserve you from the errour of the Semi-Pelagians who as in sundry other maine articles of our Christian religion so in this agree to well with the Papists 2. That the errour of the Papists in the Doctrine of originall sin is maintained by them as a prop and stay to many other of their damnable doctrines which doe depend upon this Take away their errour in the doctrine of originall sin and then their doctrines of 1 freewill of 2 preparatory works of 3 the regenerate mans ability to keepe the whole law of 4 justification by works of 5 merit cannot stand but must needs fall to the ground 3. Because I discerne strong inclinations in many now adayes to thinke better of Popery then they were wont to do And yet was popery never worse then it is now neither was there ever Church or nation that had more cause to detest it then our Church and nation hath neither had our Church and nation ever more cause to detest it then at this time Now for our entrance into this use of confutation two generall rules I will give you whereby you may try all doctrines in religion whether they bee of God or no. First That Doctrine and religion that ascribeth any thing to man in the matter of his salvation that giveth unto man any the least cause of boasting or confidence in himselfe that doth not give all the glory to God and ascribe the whole praise of mans salvation to the free grace of God alone that doctrine certainely is not of God For the maine drift of the holy Scripture is to abase and pull downe the pride of man to make him even to despaire of himselfe and to advance and set up the glory of Gods free grace 1 Cor. 1.29 That no flâ—sh may rejoyce in his presence and verse 31. He that rejoyceth let him rejoyce in the Lord. And Rom. 3.27 Where is boasting then It is excluded By what law or doctrine Of works Nay but by the law or doctrine of faith Where we see the Doctrine of justification by works proved a false doctrine and the Doctrine of Iustification by faith onely proved a true Doctrine by this argument because the one leaveth unto man some matter of boasting the other doth not So Eph. 2.8 9. By grace ye are saved through faith and that not of your selves it is the gift of God not of works lest any man should rejoyce This note our Saviour giveth of a true teacher Iohn 7.18 He that speaketh of himselfe seeketh his owne glory but he that seeketh his glory that sent him the same is true and no unrighteousnes is in him The true teacher doth in his Doctrine and ministery ascribe all glory unto God And this note Paul giveth of the true Church and religion Phil. 3.3 We are the circumcision which rejoyce in Christ Iesus and have no confidence in the flesh And this is the first rule I said I would give you to try all doctrines and religions by The true religion giveth all glory to God and none at all to man The second rule is this That doctrine and religion that is most agreeable to naturall reason and groundeth it selfe upon it and not upon the holy Scripture onely that doctrine and religion certainely is not of God This rule we find given us Esa. 8.20 To the law and to the testimony if they speake not according to this word it is because there it no light in them And Iam. 3.15 This wisdome descendeth not from above but is earthly naturall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and divellish That wisdome that is naturall agreeable unto grounded upon naturall reason is not from above but it is earthly and divelish For naturall reason is blind as a beetle in these matters 1 Cor. 2.14 The naturall man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the very same word that Iames useth receiveth not the things of the spirit of God for they are foolishnesse unto him neither can he know them because they are spiritually discerned Whereas on the other side the holy Scriptures are a perfect direction able as the Apostle saith 2 Tim. 3.15 to make a man wise unto salvation and a sure direction therefore can never deceive us Thy testimonies saith the Prophet Psal. 93.5 are very sure For they were all given by divine inspiration of God 2 Tim. 3.16 It is Gods Word 2 Pet. 1.21 The prophesy of the Scripture came not by the will of man but holy men of God spake and wrote too as they were moved by the Holy Ghost So that he that contradicteth the Scripture in any point contradicteth God himselfe And therefore when the great Antichrist is discribed 2 Thess. 2.4 this is one chiefe note that is given us to know him by hee is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one that opposeth himselfe unto
and whether it be right Thus did Hezekiah approve the truth of his heart Esa. 38.3 Remember now ô Lord I beseech thee how I have walked before thee in truth and have done that which is good in thy sight And indeed this is all in all Circumcision is nothing saith the Apostle 1 Cor. 7.19 nor uncircumcision is nothing but the keeping of the commandements of God Certainely if a mans doings if his life and conversation be naught his heart is false and naught whatsoever shewes he maketh how good soever his profession be In this saith the Apostle 1 Iohn 3.10 the children of God are manifest and the children of the divell whosoever doth not righteousnesse is not of God But some may object against this Surely this can bee no good note of uprightnesse of heart seeing many that are farre from that doe many good deeds and live very unblameably 1. Many an hypocrite will compare with Gods best servants in this and glory in many good workes they have done and confidently conclude from thence that they are in a good estate that their hearts are right See three notable examples of this The first is Saul who meeting with Samuel after he had destroyed the Amalekites saluted him thus 1 Sam. 15.13 Blessed be thou of the Lord I have performed the commandement of the Lord. The next is Iehu of whom wee read what a deale of good he did and that as it seemed in obedience to the commandement of the Lord. He utterly destroyed Baal out of Israel 2 Kings 10.28 And the Lord himselfe saith thus to him verse 30. Because thou hast done well in executing that which is right in mine eyes and hast done unto the house of Ahab according to all that was in mine heart thy children of the fourth generation shall sit on the throne of Israel And upon this his obedience he grew so confident that he was Gods faithfull servant that meeting with Iehonadab the sonne of Rechab an holy man Come with me saith he to him 2 King 10.16 and see my zeale for the Lord. The last example is of those hypocrites we read of Esa. 58.2 3. They seeke me daily saith the Lord of them and delight to know my waies as a nation that did righteousnesse they aske of me the ordinances of justice they take delight in approaching to God And see the confidence they reposed in this they were perswaded their obedience and service was such as God could not choose but like of Wherefore have wee fasted say they and thou seest not Wherefore have wee afflicted our soules and thou takest no knowledge 2. The Papist will compare with the best Christian in this and glory in his good workes we know as the Pharisee did Luke 18.11 Nay a great deale more then ever any Pharisee did for hee can perfectly keepe Gods law he saith and merit heaven by it 3. And lastly The morall and civill honest man will also compare in this with them that are most religious he liveth unblameably and doth many good workes The Gentiles which have not the law no true religion no respect to the meanes of saving grace saith the Apostle Rom. 2.14 do by nature the things contained in the law So that it should seeme by all these instances that no certainty can be had of the truth of grace of the uprightnesse of a mans heart by the goodnesse and unblameablenesse of his life by any good workes he is able to do To this I answer That though all these sorts boast of their good lives of the good deeds they doe yet did none of them ever do one good work in all their lives but of them all that may bee said which the Apostle speaketh Romanes 3.12 They are altogether unprofitable there is none that doth good no not one All those three sorts may even by those workes those good lives they brag of bee sufficiently discovered to have no truth of grace nor uprightnesse in their hearts And of them that may bee said which our Saviour speaketh Matth. 7.16 Yee shall know them by their fruits doe men gather grapes of thornes or figs of thistles How is it possible for such kind of men to doe any one worke that is truly good and acceptable unto God None but he that hath an upright heart can in any measure yeeld true obedience to Gods commandements nor doe any good worke By our obedience and the care wee have to keepe Gods commandements we may certainely approve to our selves the uprightnesse of our owne hearts and find even in this that we have more in us then either any Papist or hypocrite or meere civill man in the world could ever have Except your righteousnes saith our Saviour to his hearers Mat. 5.20 and so say I to you exceed the righteousnesse of the Scribes and Pharisees of the hypocrite and civill man ye shall in no wise enter into the kingdome of heaven But the righteousnesse and obedience of the weakest Christian that is upright in heart doth exceed the righteousnesse and obedience of them all in foure properties And by them must every one of us try the truth and sincerity of our obedience and consequently the truth and uprightnesse of our hearts The first is the ground and matter of our righteousnesse and good workes the rule we follow in it The second the root and fountaine from whence our obedience and righteousnesse doth spring The third the extent of it how farre it reacheth The fourth and last the manner how it is performed with what affection we do it what ends we aime at in it Lecture LXXVII On Psalme 51.6 Ianuary 8. 1627. IT followeth now that we proceed to speake particularly of those foure properties of true righteousnesse and goodnesse which I onely propounded unto you the last day And in the handling of them you shall better understand my meaning in them and find that a good life is a certaine and infallible signe of an upright heart The first of these properties then is this True righteousnesse and goodnesse must be materially good it must have a right ground it must be done according to the right rule And in handling of this first property I must shew you two things 1. What that right rule and ground of all true righteousnesse is 2. That the following of that rule in all the good things we doe is a good note of an upright heart Now the onely rule of true righteousnesse is the Word of God As nothing is a sin how great a shew of evill soever it beareth but that which swerveth from the direction of Gods Word 1 Iohn 3.4 Sin is a swerving from the law So is nothing a good worke how great a shew of goodnesse soever it carry but onely that which God in his Word hath directed us to doe Thus the Apostle defineth good workes Ephes. 2.10 to be such as God hath ordained that wee should walke in them And so doth Moses define true righteousnesse Deut.
6.25 It shall be our righteousnesse if we observe to doe all these commandements before the Lord our God as hee hath commanded us When Gods materiall house was to bee built God gave to Moses for the Tabernacle Exod. 25.9 and to David for the Temple 1 Chron. 28.12 a patterne according to which hee would have every thing made and done And of this patterne that God gave to David for the Temple it is expressely said 1 Chron. 28.19 that God gave it him in writing Nothing might bee done either by Moses or by Solomon though they were two of the wisest men that ever lived about the Tabernacle or Temple nor about the whole service of God that was used in them but according to that patterne that God had given them And this charge the Lord did repeate unto Moses to shew the importance and necessity of observing it foure severall times Exodus 25.9.40.26.30.27.8 And so the Apostle also mentioneth it Hebrews 8.5 See saith hee that thou make all things according to the patterne that was shewed thee in the mount And even thus hath the Lord done in the building of his spirituall house hee hath given us a patterne according to which hee would have all our good workes done and he hath given it us in writing in the holy Scriptures and he hath given it us with this charge that whatsoever wee do we doe it according to this patterne See this charge expressely given Deut. 5.32 You shall observe to doe as the Lord your God hath commanded you yee shall not turne aside to the right hand nor to the left As if hee should say ye shall neither doe more nor lesse then that When one asked our Saviour this question Master what shall I doe to inherit eternall life He answereth him thus Luke 10.25 26. How is it written in the law How readest thou As if he had said In the written law of God and there only thou shalt find what those good workes are that God will reward in heaven And that you may the better see what a perfect and absolute patterne and rule this is that God hath given us in his written Word and what necessity there is that we should follow the direction of it in every thing wherein wee desire to please God I will manifest it unto you in six points which I must desire you to attend unto First There is no good worke any man can doe no good thing at all that any man can take in hand to please God with whether it concerne the worship of God or his conversation with men or the carriage of himselfe any manner of way no duty either of holinesse towards God or righteousnesse towards men or sobriety towards himself but he may have cleere direction for it in the Word of God I grant that this cleere direction in every thing is not easily found in the Word much diligence in reading and studying of the Word in attending upon Gods ordinance in the Ministery of his servants and in humble and fervent prayer is required hereunto yet may we certainely if the fault be not in our selves find cleare and certaine direction in the Word for all these things As there was nothing to be done about the Tabernacle not so much as the snuffers or curtaines or rings or pins that were to be used about it but they were all set downe in the patterne that God gave to Moses in the mount See this plainely proved Pro. 2.1.9 My son if thou wilt receive my words saith the wisedome of God and hide my commandements with thee then shalt thou understand righteousnesse and judgement equity yea every good path And indeed how els could the holy Scripture be â—o profitable and sufficient not only to teach and convince in all matters of Doctrine but also to correct and instruct in righteousnes that by it the man of God may become perfect throughly furnished unto every good work as the Apostle saith it is 2 Tim. 3.16 17. if there were any one good duty which the Minister of God might not be able out of the holy Scripture to give Gods people cleere direction in Therefore the Lord giveth this testimony of David 1 King 14.8 that he kept his commandements and followed him with all his heart to do that only that was right in Gods eyes As we do that which is right in Gods eyes then only when we keepe his commandements and follow the direction of his Word so then only do we follow the Lord with all our hearts we serve him with honest upright hearts when we do that only that is right in his eyes that only that we have the direction of his Word for Secondly Nothing that God hath commanded or approved in his Word can be a sin but must needs be lawfull and good how unreasonable or inconvenient or void of good successe soever it may seeme unto flesh and bloud Every creature of God is good saith the Apostle 1 Tim. 4.4 5. for it is sanctified by the Word and prayer As if he should say Whatsoever God hath allowed and sanctified in his Word that must needs bee good Nay to account any thing evill or to make scruple of doing any thing that God in his Word hath approved is doubtlesse a great errour and sinne Be not righteous overmuch saith the Holy Ghost Eccl. 7.16 neither make thy selfe over wise As if he had said Be not holier then God make no more sins then God hath made Our Saviour calleth the Ruler of the Synagogue hypocrite Luke 13.14 15. for holding it unlawfull to doe workes of mercy on the Sabbath day Why Was it not a good thing in him to be so zealous for the observation of the Sabbath or was it a good thing to doe such cures upon the Sabbath Yes verily because God had not in his Word forbidden but allowed and commanded works of mercy to be done then at all times this man in being so hot zealous against it shewed himselfe to be no better then an hypocrite See in a notable example what the danger of this is 1 King 20.35 36. A Prophet said to his neighbour in the word of the Lord and his neighbour knew him to be a Prophet and that it was the word and commandement of the Lord which hee spake smite mee I pray thee and the man refused to smite him hee made scruple to doe it because hee thought it unjust and unreasonable to doe it But what saith the Prophet to him Because thou hast not obeyed the voice of the Lord but wilt be more righteous and mercifull then God would have thee as soone as thou art departed from mee a lion shall slay thee And so it fell out Hee had not sinned in smiting and wounding the Prophet as verse 37. you shall find another upon the same warrant and commandement did yea hee sinned in not doing it in making a scruple of it when he had Gods Word and commandement for it So it
shall have an understanding heart given unto him he shall not be onely taught by men God himselfe will be his teacher God will write his law in his heart Secondly This is the first worke of Gods grace in the regeneration and conversion of man As in the first creation this worldly and naturall light was the first worke that God made Genesis 1.3 so in the regeneration of man which is a second creation this spirituall and supernaturall light is his first work After two daies will he revive us saith the Church Hos. 6.2 3. speaking of their true conversion and turning unto God in the third day he will raise us up and wee shall live in his sight then shall wee have knowledge and endeavour our selves to know the Lord. As if she had said So soone as ever hee hath begun to revive us we shall have knowledge So when God sendeth Paul to convert the Gentiles he mentioneth this as the first worke and fruit of his ministery Acts 26.18 he saith he sent him to open their eyes and to turne them from darknesse unto light As if he had said To deliver them from their blindnesse and ignorance and to breed knowledge in them So speaketh the Apostle of the Iewes 2 Corinthians 3.16 Neverthelesse As if hee had said Though there bee now a vaile upon their heart when it shall turne to the Lord the vaile shall bee taken away As though hee should say So soone as ever they shall be converted they shall be able to understand what Moses hath written concerning Christ. Thirdly and lastly The change and conversion of a sinner is said to consist in this Bee yee transformed or changed saith the Apostle Romanes 12.2 by the renewing of your mind When the mind is once renewed a man is transformed the saving change and conversion of his heart is wrought Ye have put on the new man which is renewed in knowledge saith the Apostle Col. 3.10 after the image of him that created him As if he should say The man that hath this knowledge is certainely renewed become a new creature hath Gods image stamped upon him After ye were illuminated that is after ye were effectually called and converted saith he to the Hebrewes 10.32 ye endured a great fight of afflictions To be inlightned with this knowledge and to bee converted and effectually called he maketh all one thing And as the state wee were in by nature and all the misery we were subject unto in that estate is called darknesse and consisted chiefly in the blindnesse and ignorance we then lived in so the estate of grace and all the comfort and happinesse we enjoy in it is called light and consisteth chiefly in the spirituall knowledge and understanding that we doe enjoy in it Ye were once darknesse saith the Apostle Ephes. 5.8 but now are ye light in the Lord. So speaketh the Apostle 1 Pet. 2.9 Shew forth the praises of him that hath called you out of darknesse into his marvellous light Gods saving grace in the heart of man his effectuall calling and conversion is seene in nothing more then in delivering him out of that darknesse that blindnesse and blockishnesse and ignorance that was in him by nature then in opening of his eyes and renewing his mind then in causing him in his hidden part to know wisedome as the Prophet here speaketh Now if we shall inquire into the ground and reason of this why the Holy Ghost ascribeth so much unto knowledge we shall find two reasons of it principally First Because knowledge is the foundation and that that giveth strength and stability to all other graces If the good profession we make if our faith our love our zeale our repentance bee grounded upon sound knowledge then they will last and abide as the house that is built upon a rock But if these graces or any other holy affections seeme to bee in us in never so great a measure certainely they will bee of no continuance unlesse they bee grounded upon knowledge See this instanced in three particular graces First Our zeale and love to God and goodnesse will never hold out unlesse it be grounded upon sound knowledge This I pray saith the Apostle Phil. 1.9 that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgement As if he had said I know to my great comfort that you are now full of love to God and to his truth and to his servants and I pray God yee may continue and increase in this grace but that can ye never doe unlesse your love your holy and good affections be supported and grounded upon knowledge and sound judgement Secondly We shall never be able to abide constant in the profession of the truth unlesse we be well grounded in the knowledge of it The Apostle telleth us Ephes. 4.12 14. that the function of the ministery was ordained by Christ to bring us to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Sonne of God that wee might bee no more children tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine by sleight of men and cunning craftinesse whereby they lie in wait to deceive As if hee had said 1 The Church of God will never want seducers and false teachers and 2 they are very cunning and will bee ready to cheat us with their false dice and wee 3 are naturally like little children easily cousened or like ships upon the sea that have no anker 4 wee shall never bee able to hold the truth and keepe our selves from being deceived and seduced by them unlesse by living under a sound and constant ministery wee ground our selves well in the knowledge of the truth So the Apostle speaking of some that perverted the writings of Paul 2 Pet. 3.16 saith they were such as were unlearned and unstable men Vnlearned men and such as want knowledge must needs be unstable men they cannot continue constant and steady in the profession of the truth So our Saviour giving the reason why those hearers whom he compareth to stony ground proved temporaries indured but for a time saith of them Mar. 4.16 17. 1 that they had no root in themselves they were never well grounded in the truth 2 that they did receive the Word immediatly with gladnesse they were somewhat too hasty in receiving the truth if they had first taken paines to examine well the grounds of it as those Bereans did Actes 17.11 before they had received it they would not so soone have fallen from it Certainely no constancy in religion can bee expected from those men that are not well grounded in the knowledge of the truth Thirdly and lastly Patience and comfort in affliction will never hold out nor continue when the fiery triall shall come unlesse it be well grounded upon knowledge This is plaine by that prayer which the Apostle maketh for the Colossians Col. 1.9 11. I cease not to pray for you and to desire that you may bee filled with the knowledge
telleth us Zach. 4.7 that when the temple which was a type of the spirituall house and Church of God should be built by Zerubbabel this should be the generall acclamation of al Gods people they should shout and cry grace grace unto it As though he had said They should praise God and ascribe the beginning the proceeding and the perfecting of Gods house this whole spirituall building to the grace of God alone and to nothing els By grace ye are saved saith the Apostle Ephes. 2.5 and not contenting himselfe to have said so once hee saith it againe and saith it most emphatically verse 8 9. By grace ye are saved through faith and that not of your selves it is the gâ—â—t of God not of workes lest any man should boast Marke three points in this Doctrine which the Apostle doth thus earnestly presse upon Gods people 1. Hee contenteth not himselfe to say Wee are saved by grace but he addeth not by workes What needed this superfluity of speech may some say O he knew there were then and ever would bee in the Church erroneous spirits that would seeme to ascribe much to grace in this worke of mans salvation and yet they wouâ—d give somewhat also unto workes somewhat unto that man himselfe being helped a little by Gods grace is able to do Now therefore he opposeth the one to the other the one quite excludeth the other If by grace then not by workes saith he Rom. 11.6 otherwise grace is no grace As if he had said ascribe never so little to workes to that that a man himselfe is able to doe as any cause of his salvation and ye renounce Gods grace utterly Whatsoever glorious words you give of Gods grace you doe indeed and effect denie you are saved by grace 2. Observe that he addeth Not of our selves Our selves have no hand at all in this worke as of our selves all is to be ascribed unto Gods grace 3. He giveth this for the reason why God would not have us to be saved by our workes but by faith onely why he so ordained that we our selves should have no hand at all in this worke but all should be of grace lest any man should boast The same reason he giveth of that marvellous liberty God is pleased to use in the calling and conversion of men in giving the meanes of conversion and grace to profit by them to such as are most unworthy and unlikely and denying it to others that are more worthy more likely men 1 Cor. 1.29 That no flesh should glory in his presence And verse 31. this is given for the reason why Christ is made unto us of God wisedome righteousnesse sanctification and redemption all in all that he that glorieth might glory in the Lord. God cannot abide that any flesh should glory in his presence that any matter of boasting or glorying should bee given unto man His maine drift in his Word and workes is to abase man to pull downe his pride to make him even to despaire in himselfe and on the other side to advance and magnifie the glory of his owne free grace Hee that glorieth let him glory in the Lord saith he and in him alone Wee are the circumcision saith the Apostle Phil. 3.3 that rejoyce in the Lord Iesus and have no confidence in the flesh They onely are the true Israel of God that make Christ the onely ground and matter of their joy and comfort and renounce all confidence all ground of hope and comfort in themselves or in any thing they are able to doe Thirdly and lastly This is the best rule and note to try all doctrines and religions by This is given by our blessed Saviour as a sure note and rule to try all teachers and doctrines by Iohn 7.18 Hee that speaketh of himselfe seeketh his owne glory humane doctrines doe all tend one way or other to the glory of man to the advancing of him but he that seeketh his glory that sent him is true and there is no unrighteousnesse in him As if hee should say That teacher that in his Doctrine giveth no glory to man at all but all unto God alone hee is the onely true teacher that is the onely true Doctrine and religion of God So the Apostle proveth the Doctrine of justification by works to be a false Doctrine and that of justification by faith onely to be a true doctrine by this argument Rom. â— 27 Where is boasting then It is excluded saith he By what law or Doctrine By workes No but by the law or Doctrine of faith As if he should have said That doctrine that doth excluâ—e and shut out all matter of boasting of rejoycing or comfort in himselfe but onely in the Lord that must needs bee the true doctrine of God that that leaveth unto man any matter of boasting at all that must needs bee an earthly and false Doctrine Let us now make some application of these three points 1. Vnto such erroneous and false teachers as trouble and oppose this doctrine 2. Vnto our selves For the first There are two sorts of false teachers that doe most oppose this doctrine the Papist I meane and the Pelagian Both these doe in their Doctrine derogate from the grace of God they give unto man some part of the glory of his own salvation they leave unto man some matter of boasting and glorying before God and therefore their Doctrine must needs be a false and damnable doctrine Of the Papist this will easily be beleeved their doctrine of justification by workes of merit of satisfaction to be made by our selves unto God for our sins either in this life or in purgatory their doctrine of works of supererogation proveth them so palpably to be adversaries of the grace of God thaâ— I shall not need to spend any more time in confuting of them But Pelagius and his followers of old do in words some times seeme to ascribe much to Gods grace in the work of mans conversion but it hath beene the ancient practise of most dangerous seducers as the Apostle teacheth us Rom 16.18 by good words and faire speeches to deceive the hearts of the simple If they that hold damnable opinions should not make some shew of truth and piety few would be deceived by them They shall speake lies in hypocrisie saith he 1 Tim. 4.2 But marke how they expresse themselves and you shall find that for all their good words and faire speeches they are indeed adversaries of the grace of God and hold and teach that that doth greatly derogate from the glory of Gods grace and doth give much matter of boasting and glorying unto man himselfe I will not stand to prove this from their other Doctrines touching our election our redemption our justification and perseverance to the end the maine grounds on which the hope of our salvation and comfort is built all which they have corrupted and poisoned and in all which they derogate from the glory of Gods grace and give too
good works by all their prayers and intercessions to merit of God for any man the pardon of the least sin And in this also Popery doth miserably and damnably deceive the world We know they teach men to trust and expect mercy from God in the pardon of their sin by the merits and intercession of the Saints specially of the blessed Virgin And it is notorious to the world that their whole Church in their publique Liturgie doe oft beg of God the pardon of sinne and deliverance from his wrath for the merits and intercession of such and such Saints Miserable comforters are they that teach poore soules in this case to leane upon the staffe of this bruised reed Of all the Saints that have beene most rich in grace and good workes that may truly bee said which David speaketh of the worldly rich men Psal. 49.7 8. None of them can by any meanes redeeme his brother nor give unto God a ransome for him for the redemption of the soule is precious No Saint was ever able with all his holinesse and good works to pay a price sufficient to satisfie the justice of God for one soule Nay I say more no Saint or Angel durst ever so farre mediate with God as to intreat him for his sake to pardon any one sin to any soule If one man sin against another saith old Ely to his sons 1 Sam. 2.25 the judge shall judge him satisfaction may bee made for the offence by the authority of the magistrate but if a man sin against the Lord who shall intreat for him As if he had said No Saint or Angel dare presume to be so much as a mediatour of intercession unto God for any that hath sinned against him Call now saith Eliphaz to Iob 5.1 if there be any that will answer or speake for thee and to which of the Saints wilt thou turne No none but Christ onely durst ever doe so much for any poore sinner And this is the first point in this Doctrine that doth discover to us how heavy and heinous a thing sin is Secondly Christ himselfe could not cleanse thee from thy sins nor procure thee the pardon of the least of them any other way but by dying for thee The holinesse of his life and that exact obedience he yeelded to the law of God in all points fulfilling all righteousnesse as himselfe speaketh Matth. 3.15 was doubtlesse of great merit and wee received much benefit by it As by one mans disobedience many were made sinners saith the Apostle Rom. 5.19 so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous We are justified in part even by his active obedience for by it we obtaine the imputation of that perfect righteousnesse that giveth us title to the kingdome of heaven For seeing it was not possible for us to enter into life till wee had kept the commandements of God Matth. 19.17 and wee were not able to keepe them our selves it was necessary our surety should keepe them for us And hee by performing to the full for us not for himselfe for he being God and not man only and his manhood having no personall substistance without the Godhead was not bound to keep the law for himselfe he I say by fulfilling the whole law of God did thereby purchase heaven for us and merit that God should account us righteous and perfect fulfillers of his law By this means he brought in everlasting righteousnesse as the Prophet speaketh Dan. 9.24 In which respect also the Apostle saith Rom. 10.4 that Christ is the end of the law for righteousnesse to every one that beleeveth As if he should say The end of the law is to justifie them that fulfill it and this Christ hath done for every one that beleveth in him and so hath made him righteous before God And for this cause the Apostle saith also Rom. 3.31 Doe we then make void the law through faith God forbid Yea we establish the law As though hee had said The Doctrine of justification by faith in Christ doth no way derogate from the law for it acknowledgeth a necessity not only of satisfaction for the penalty that is due to the transgression of it but also of a full and perfect observation of it in all points by them that would enter into life But though this be so yet Christs active obedience his good works and holy life could never have bin meritorious for us could never have justified us nor brought us to heaven if he had not dyed for us And therefore both our justification and our obtaining of heaven is ascribed to his bloud as if that alone had done both Being justified by his bloud saith the Apostle Rom. 5.9 we shall be saved from wrath through him And we have boldnes to enter into the holiest that is into heaven Heb. 10.19 by the bloud of Iesus So the scripture ascribeth much to the intercession that our Saviour daily maketh for us in heaven much comfort doubtlesse we may receive by this that we have such a friend in the court such an advocate to speake and plead and pray for us unto his father He is able saith the Apostle Heb. 7.25 to save them to the uttermost that come to God by him seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them But his intercession could never have bin meritorious for us it could never have prevailed with God for us to the procuring for us the pardon of the least sin if he had not by his death given full satisfaction to the justice of God for us When Christ is described unto Iohn Rev. 5.8 9. as the only mediatour of intercession for his Church unto whom the foure and twenty Elders representing the whole Catholike Church and company of all Gods Saints do bring their golden viols full of odours which are the prayers of the Saints to be presented by him unto his father he is represented to him in the likenes of a lambe that was slaine ver 6.11 And the foure and twenty Elders ver 9. give this for the reason why they bring their prayers unto him and make him their only mediatour of intercession aswell as their only Prophet interpreter of his fathers will Thou art worthy say they to take the booke and to open the seales thereof for thou wast slaine and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood Hee could not have beene our Prophet neither could his intercession and prayers have ever beene meritorious for us if hee had not dyed for us It is the death of Christ that giveth vertue and merit to his intercession and prayers for us It is the blood of sprinkliâ—g that speaketh better things then that of Abel saith the Apostle Hebrewes 12. â—4 It is that that speaketh for us and pleadeth with God continually for mercy as the other did for vengeance Thirdly Christ himselfe could not by dying for thee have cleansed thee from thy sins nor procured the pardon of the least of them if he had not dyed
unfruitfull in the knowledge of our Lord Iesus Christ as the Apostle speaketh 2 Pet. 1.8 They say they know him to be their Lord and Saviour but this knowledge is no way effectuall in them to the reformation either of their hearts or lives Nay this their assurance hath wrought in them quite contrary effects unto those that I have proved unto you to be the kindly fruits of that assurance which the spirit of God worketh in the heart of any man Nothing doth so evidently discover the falshood of this their assurance as the fruits that it doth produce in them In which respects a man may fitly say of them as our Saviour doth of the false Prophets Matth. 7.20 By their fruits yee shall know them This will the better appeare if the confidence of these men be examined particularly according to those six severall effects of true assurance which we have heard of First Though they say they are assured that Christ so dearely loved them as that he shed his most precious bloud for their sinnes yet the knowledge of this love of God to them never made them to mourne or bee troubled in themselves ever a whit the more for their sinnes Nay this very thing maketh them go merrily away with them all and keepeth them from being grieved or troubled for any sinne that ever they committed because they say they know that Christ shed his bloud for their sins hath made their peace with God Seeing Christs soule was heavy Mat. 26.38 to the death for my sins saith he what need I be heavy for them my selfe Thus turning the grace of God into lasciviousnes as the Apostle speaketh Iude 4. As if he should say The very knowledge of this marvellous grace and mercy of God maketh them so lascivious as they are maketh them so joviall in their sins so void of all remorse and sorrow for sin as they are Secondly They are not the more fearefull to offend God in any thing because of his goodnesse towards them which they say they are so sure of nay this very thing maketh them bold to commit any sinne because the devill hath perswaded them as he would faine have perswaded our blessed Saviour Mat. 4.6 that though they do cast themselves headlong into any sin yet Gods mercy and love to them is such as hee will never suffer them to perish by it Tush saith hee I know God will give mee grace to repent of it before I dye and therefore what need I be so scrupulous or fearefull to enjoy the pleasure or profit of this sinne Hee besseth himselfe in his owne heart as Moses speaketh Deut. 29.19 saying I shall have peace though I walke in the imagination of my heart Thirdly They say they have tasted that the Lord is gracious and that they would not loose the sweetnesse and comfort of the assurance they have of Gods love and of their salvation for all the world and yet they love the word never the better for this Nay this is the very cause why they care not for the word have no desire to it no delight in it because they are sure enough already of their salvation and that Christ dyed for their sins They are like unto that faction in Corinth of whom the Apostle speaketh 1 Cor. 1.12 that gloried they were neither followers of Paul nor of Apollo nor of Cephas but of Christ onely They did so depend upon Christ that they cared for never a preacher in the world nor regarded to heare them Fourthly Though they speake and glory much of the Lords mercy and loving kindnes and though they be such as seeme to beare some love to his word to heare it gladly yet they practise nothing that they heare the assurance they have of Gods love maketh them never a whit the more carefull to walke in his truth Yea this very thing maketh them carelesse of doing or practising any thing they heare because they know that they are not under the law but under grace as Paul bringeth in wicked men objecting Rom. 6.15 Because they know Christ dyed for their sins and that we must not be saved by our works but by faith in him onely therefore they thinke it folly in them to be precise in their practise or to doe any good works at all Fiftly They say they are the Lords and have received his spirit which witnesseth with their spirits that they are his children that the Lord hath set his seale and marke upon them though there is no such thing to be seene upon their foreheads which is the place we have heard God setteth his seale upon None that live by them behold them daily converse with them can discerne any grace in them at all Nay men hold it now a dayes an high point of wisedome to conceale their love to religion to shun carefully every thing that may cause them to be noted for it They had rather bee counted any thing then a strict Christian they hold it no advantage no honour at all to have Gods seale on their foreheads but a matter of disgrace rather And yet these men are confident for all that that Christs bloud was shed for them that Gods spirit hath sprinkled it upon them though he have not set Gods marke upon their foreheads yet he hath set it upon their hearts certainly But if no man be so unwise as to light a candle and set it under a bushell as our Saviour speaketh Mat. 5.15 shall we thinke that the most wise God will set the light of his grace so in any mans heart as that none that are in the house with him are able to discerne it Sixtly and lastly They say confidently the Lord is their father and they are his children yet have they no care at all to honour God or to advance his glory any way If I be your father saith the Lord Malachi 1.6 where is mine honour Such as are by the spirit of adoption assured indeed that God is their father cannot but desire with all their hearts to honour him what they may Ye are bought with a price saith the Apostle 1 Cor. 6.20 therefore glorifie God in your body and in your spirit which are Gods And they that know indeed that they are not their own as the Apostle there saith but bought with such a price cannot choose but endeavour to do so Whether we live saith he Rom. 14.8 we live unto the Lord or whether we die we die unto the Lord whether we live therefore or die we are the Lords He that liveth so as God hath honour by his life and he that dyeth so as that God hath honour by his death may be sure he is the Lords and none but he And surely this proveth demonstratively that most men whatsoever they pretend have no true assurance that they are the Lords because it is neither any trouble at all to them to see God dishonoured by others neither have they any care at all to gaine any
they by our doctrine ascribe unto man any matter of glorying at all we give the whole glory of mans justification unto Christ aâ—ore To this I have two things to answer First the Apostle saith Rom. 3.27 that boasting is not excluded by any doctrine but by the Doctrine of justification by faith onely that the Doctrine of justification by works by any workes whether done before or after grace doth leave unto man some matter of boasting And Ephes. 2.8 9. he telleth us plainly that if we could be saved by such works as we that are his workmanship created in Christ Iesus unto good works that is regenerate persons do perform we might have matter of boasting in our selves Secondly Though the good actions that are wrought by the faithfull after grace received be wrought in them by the speciall assistance of the grace of Christ yet are they not Christs actions but their owne When they believe or repent or pray it cannot be said that Christ believeth repenteth or prayeth in them If their actions were meerely the actions of Christ and his grace then indeed we could not deny them to be perfect undefiled and meritorious also then though they were justified by them they could have no cause of glorying or boasting at all but the whole glory of it should redound unto Christ alone But because we are immediate agents in them our selves therefore the Holy Ghost calâ—eth them our own and not Christs works So Paul calleth all that goodnesse that was in him that care and conscience he made to keep Gods law Phil 3-9 〈◊〉 owne righteousnesse And so doth our Saviour also call the good works of the faithfull their owne works Let your light so shine before men saith he Matth. 5.16 that they may see your good works And Rev. 2.9 I know thy works And from hence also it commeth even from the imperfection and corruption that is in us who are the immediate agents in them that they are both imperfect and defiled also For who can bring a cleane thing out of 〈◊〉 uncleane Not one saith Iob 14.4 Though the fountaine from whence they first sprink be most pure yet they receive such pollution from the filthy channels through which they passe as were it not for Christ they could not at all be accepted of God And from hence also it commeth that if we were justified by them we should have some just cause of glorying before God And thus have I confirmed to you the first of those truths which I propounded that is to say That we are not justified before God by our inherent righteousnesse by it we can never be made whiter than the snow in Gods sight It followeth now that wee proceed unto the second That wee are justified before God by the righteousnesse of Christ imputed to us and by that alone In confirming whereof I will observe the same order that I did before First I will shew you by evident proofs of holy Scripture that it is so Secondly I will give you good reasons out of the Word why it must â—eeds be so For proofes I will give you six that are plaine and pregnant 1. The Apostle saith Rom. 4.6 that to the blessed that is to the justified man the Lord imputeth righteousnesse without workes And what righteousnesse can that be Inherent righteousnesse it cannot be for that is not without works it must needs therefore be Christs righteousnesse 2. He saith expresly Rom. 5.19 that by the obedience of one that is of Christ many that is the whole number of Gods elect are made righteous not efficiently and meritoriously onely but formally as by Adams disobedience we were made sinners not efficiently and meritoriously onely but formally his first sinne was made our sinne 3. The Apostle 1 Cor. 1.30 saith that Christ is made to us of God wisdome righteousnesse sanctification and redemption where 1 he expresly distinguisheth righteousnesse from sanctification imputed righteousnesse from inherent righteousnesse and 2 saith that Christs righteousnesse is made ours of God 4. 2 Cor. 5.21 He saith we are made the righteousnesse of God in him where observe 1 That he saith we are made the righteousnesse of God that is righteous by such a righteousnesse as God requireth 2. That he saith not onely in the concrete we are made righteous but in the abstract righteousnesse that is perfectly and fully righteous 3. That we are made so in him not in our selves inherently 5. The Prophet Ieremiah Ier. 23.6 saith this is the name whereby Christ should be called by all Gods people the Lord our righteousnesse As if he had said All Gods people should professe they have no other righteousnesse to stand before God with but onely Christ his righteousnesse and his alone They should say as David doth Psal. 71.16 I will make mention of speake of glory in trust unto thy righteousnesse even of thine onely 6. Lastly This is the confession of all the Saints in that Hallelujah whereby they do solemnize the marriage of the lambe Revel 19.8 To his spouse was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linnen cleane and white For the fine linnen is the righteousnesse of Saints Where observe 1. That that made Christs Spouse and Church most beautifull whiter than the snow in his eye was not so much her owne beauty any righteousnesse of her owne or inherent in her selfe as the robe the fine linnen that was granted to her put upon her none of her owne 2. That this robe this fine linnen is said to be the righteousnesse of Saints Not in our first justification onely as the Papists fondly distinguish but in our second justification also if there were any such even when we are Saints we have no other righteousnesse to make us beautifull in God's eyes but this robe this fine white linnen that is put upon us graunted to us and none of our owne 3. Observe the confirmation and ratification that is given to these words Verse 9. The Angell said unto Iohn These are the true sayings of God And what is this robe this fine linnen that is the righteousnesse of all the Saints Surely Christ and his perfect righteousnesse which is given and imputed unto us of God In which respect they that are baptized into Christ and truly believe in him are said Gal. 3.27 to have put on Christ. And Paul desireth that he may be found in Christ Phil. 3.9 cloathed with this robe not having his owne righteousnesse which is of the law which consisteth in obedience to the Law of God but that which is through the faith of Christ. The righteousnesse which is of God by faith As Iacob got the blessing by having the goodly raiment of his elder brother put upon him Genes 27.15 so must we Now the reason why this must needs be so is evident Because that righteousnesse onely is able to justifie us before God which is perfect and absolute that hath no defect nor blemish in it such as may ablde the
reward them oft that serve his providence in his justice for the ruine and destruction of men though they have no goodnesse in them at all it is no marvell though he reward them much more who by some goodnesse that is in them doe serve his providence in the preservation and welfare of men Secondly These civill vertues must needs be good things and such as God doth love and will reward because they are such things as God hath in his law commanded The Gentiles saith the Apostle Romanes 2.14 15. doe by nature the things contained in the law and shew the worke of the law written in their hearts As if hee should say These things doe evidently shew and declare that the law of God is written in their hearts You see then Beloved wee doe not discommend civill honesty wee doe not discourage naturall men from doing good workes wee doe not condemne all the workes of naturall men nor say that whatsoever they doe that are not religious is abominable and naught Nay wee heartily wish there were much more civill honesty in the world then there is Hee that is truly religious would bee ashamed that any naturall man should bee more honest then hee True religion is no enemy to civill and morall honesty nay it is a great nourisher and increaser of it It is a dangerous errour that most men are growne now unto to thinke it indiscretion and want of learning and judgement in a Minister to stand much in pressing of points of morality in his Sermon or in particular reproofe of such faults as are committed by men in their buying and selling and such like passages of their ordinary conversation and dealings one with another It is thought now adayes there is no divinity in this they goe besides their Text when they deale in these things No no beloved bee not deceived Those points that God in his Word standeth most upon wee must presse most in our ministery and those are these matters of your common practise It is a strange thing to observe how plentifull and particular and precise the Holy Ghost is in pressing men to deale justly in all their dealings with men even in weights and measures of all sorts You shall doe no unrighteousnesse in judgement saith the Lord Levit. 19.35 36 in mâ—â—eyard in weight or in measure Iust ballances just weight a just Ephah and a just Hiâ— shall ye have I am the Lord your God that brought you out of the land of Egypt And againe Deut. 25.13 16. Thou shalt not have in thy bag divers weights of one kind hee meaneth a great and a small Thou shalt not have in thine house diverse measures a great and a small one to buy by another to sell by But thou shalt have a perfect and a just weight a perfect and just measure shalt thou have that thy daies may bee lengthened in the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee For all that doe such things and all that doe unrighteously marke it I pray you all that doe unrighteously in what kind soever are an abomination unto the Lord thy God Marke also I pray you how much the Apostles in the New Testament doe presse upon Gods people in their exhortations that they would bee carefull to walke honestly Walke honestly towards them that are without saith the Apostle Paul 1 Thess. 4.12 And the Apostle Peter 1 Pet. 2.12 Have your conversation honest among the Gentiles And the Apostle Paul againe Phil. 4.8 Whatsoever things are honest think on these things As if he had said Be not forgetfull or carelesse of such things And Rom. 13.13 Let us walke honestly as in the day And in the following words he instanceth in some speciall points of dishonesty he would have them to take heed of It is dishonesty to be drunke yea to use rioting idle-company-keeping haunting and sitting at the ale-house to drinke or to game though a man bee never drunke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith he It is dishonesty to use chambering and wantonnesse secret familiarity and dalliance with a woman lascivious speeches and gestures though a man never commit whordome Yea it is dishonesty saith the Apostle for a man to live in strife and envying to be a contentious person unpeaceable unquiet though he never oppresse or defraud or wrong his neighbour any other way Provide things honest saith he againe Rom. 12.17 In the sight of all men The word he useth there is worth the observing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 As if he had said Cast for this before hand take care of this that you do nothing that is dishonest that you faile not in any point of honesty by no meanes And he professeth Heb. 13.18 that this was a thing himselfe tooke much comfort in that he had a good conscience in all things willing to live honestly And what meaneth he by honesty Surely such duties of the second table which the light of nature teacheth men to make conscience of And why I pray you doe the Apostles stand so much upon commending honesty unto Gods people Surely for two causes First Because they knew that nothing would grace religion so much and win it credit in the eyes of all men as this would doe when they see that they that professe it are of honest conversation just men and faithfull and courteous and meeke and patient and humble and kind and mercifull men This reason the Apostle giveth 1 Pet 2.12 Having your conversation saith he honest among the Gentiles that where as they speake against you as evill doers they may by your good workes which they shall behold that is by your honesty such workes as they by the light of nature know to be good workes glorifie God in the day of visitation Secondly Because they knew that on the other side nothing doth make religion so odious and contemptible in the world nor so much harden the hearts of men against it as the want of honesty in such as doe professe it that they are guilty of such things as even by the light of nature all men may discerne to bee grosse and vile When the Canaanites and Perizzites had seene what the sonnes of Iacob had done to the Shechemites how they had broken their promise and covenant with them how cruelly and barbarously they had used them and all under a colour of zeale for their owne religion this made Iacob and his religion though alas he was farre from approving or consenting to this that they had done stink among the inhabitants of the land as himselfe saith Gen. 34. â—0 You see beloved what moved the Apostles to commend honesty so much unto Gods people in their times and surely the same reasons have moved mee to speake so much in the commendation of it unto you at this time Never was it more neglected by some professours of religion then now it is never did the Gospell receive more dishonour and reproach through the neglect of it then now it doth I beseech you
oxe nor thy asse nor any of thy cattell shall doe any worke upon that Day Of thee that art a man and a Christian man God requireth more than so Hee will have thee not onely to rest from thine owne labours but to spend the Day so farre as thy bodily necessitie will permit in such religious duties as may make thee a more holy and a better man The Hebrew word Sabbat from whence the Sabbath Day received the name signifieth not such a rest as wherein one sitteth still and doth nothing as the word Noach doth but onely a resting and ceasing from that which hee did before So God is said Genesis 2.2 to have rested the seventh Day not that hee rested from all workes For My Father worketh hitherto and I worke saith our Saviour Iohn 5.17 but because he rested from all the worke that hee had made as Moses saith there As if hee had said Hee rested from creating any thing more And so wee likewise are expresly commanded to rest upon the Sabbath not from all workes but from such workes as we did and might doe upon the six dayes God never allowed us any day to spend in idlenesse and doing of nothing specially not that day But hee hath appointed us workes and duties for that Day which hee would have us as carefull to goe about them as we are upon any other day to goe about the workes of our calling and when wee are at them to performe them with every whit as much diligence and care to doe them well as wee doe any worke wee take in hand upon the six dayes Let no man say what would you have us to doe if we may do no businesse upon the Sabbath Would you have us spend the time in sleeping or talking or sitting at our doores or walking abroad How would you have us passe the time for the whole day To such a one I answer Thou hast so much worke to doe as if thou wert as thou shouldst bee thou wouldst complaine that thou wantest time to doe it And yet this worke that God hath enjoyned us to spend this day in hath such interchange and variety in it as no good hearth hath cause with those carnall professours Malachy 1.13 to snuffe at it and to cry behold what a wearinesse it is how â—edious and toylesome a thing it is to keepe the Sabbath as these men would have us to doe But the true Christian findeth just cause to call the Sabbath a delight as the Prophet speaketh Esa 58.13 for all this worke and labour that God hath enjoyned us in it Wee have publike duties to performe on that day in Gods house And both the family-duties and secret duties which wee are bound to performe every day are by the equity of that law Numbers 28.9 10. to bee doubled upon the Sabbath Day And in very deed the Lord hath for that very cause chiefly commanded us to rest from all our owne worke upon the Sabbath Day that wee might the better attend upon and profit by these holy workes these duties of piety and religion which are the proper workes of that Day For that is the chiefe end that the Sabbath was ordained for Remember the Sabbath Day to keepe it holy saith the Lord in the fourth commandement Exodus 20.8 And Deuteroâ—omie 5.12 Keepe the Sabbath Day to sanctifie it And I gave them my Sabbaths saith the Lord Ezekiel 20.12 to be a signe betwixt mee and them that they might know that I am the Lord that sanctifie them As if hee had said Hee remembreth not nor keepeth the Sabbath he regardeth it not nor careth for it how strict soever he be in resting from his owne labours that keepeth it not holy that spendeth in not in such religious duties as wherein we may know and feele by experience that it is the Lord who by his ordinances doth sanctifie him who doth both begin and increase grace in his soule And yet though this be so though the bodily observation of the Sabbath and that that is performed by the outward man onely bee nothing in Gods account in comparison of the spirituall observation of it with the heart and inward man and though our resting from our owne labours in that Day bee the least part even of the outward and bodily observation of it Yet see what account the Lord maketh even of that and how highly he is pleased with it This will sufficiently appeare unto you in that promise the Lord hath made unto it Ier. 17.24 26. wherein he plainly declareth that the flourishing estate both of Church and Common-wealth dependeth greatly even upon this even upon the strict observing of the bodily rest from our owne workes upon the Lords holy Day Two things are to be observed in this promise 1. The duty unto which the promise is made ver 24. If ye diligently hearken unto me saith the Lord to bring in no burden through the gates of the City on the Sabbath Day but hallow the Sabbath Day to doe no worke therein As if hee should say If ye carefully looke to this that no burdens no carriages goe in and out at the gates of Ierusalem on the Sabbath Day that the Sabbath may be but so farre hallowed that no worke be suffred to be done upon that Day You see the promise is made even unto the bodily rest even unto so much as an hypocrite and carnall man may performe and which every Magistrate and Master and Father hath power to compell such unto as are under their government Even to this I say the promise is made Then secondly observe the blessing and reward that is promised even unto this and that is twofold The first concerneth the common-wealth and civill state Verse 25. Then shall there enter into the gates of this City Kings and Princes sitting upon the Throne of David riding in chariots and upon horses they and their Princes the men of Iudah and the inhabitants of Ierusalem and this City shall remaine for ever As if he should say I will maintaine the honour and dignity the wealth and strength the peace and safety of this State and Kingdome The second blessing that is promised concerneth the Church and State of Religion Verse 26. And they shall come from the Cities of Iuda and from the places about Ierusalem c. As if he should say My solemne assemblies shall be duly frequented there shall be no sects and heresies no schisme or separation I will continue mine owne worship and the purity of my holy Religion among you You see beloved by this one place how much God is pleased even with the outward rest from our owne works upon the Sabbath Day and what a happinesse it would bring both to the Church and Common-wealth if even that were observed On the other side it is worth the noting how all publike judgements and common calamities that ever befell Gods people are imputed by the Holy Ghost to no one sinne more than to the profanation of
by promise to them that keepe his Sabbath not onely to worke sanctification increase of holinesse and power over their corruptions which hee professeth in that former place of Ezekiel was the very end hee gave his Sabbath for but also by his spirit of adoption to increase in their hearts a lively sense of his favour assurance that he heareth and accepteth their prayers peace of conscience joy in the Holy Ghost which are blessings the Christian soule prizeth above all things in the world Why may you say may not a man receive increase of grace and spirituall comfort in the use of Gods ordinances on any other day but onely on the Sabbath I answer Yes verily but these promises may give him assurance to receive them more richly and plentifully upon the Sabbath then on any other day The second sort of blessings that the conscionable observers of the Sabbath receive by it are temporall For concerning them also wee have a promise Esa. 58.14 that he that heartily and spiritually keepeth the Sabbath God will cause him to ride upon the high places of the earth he shall have honour and esteeme in the world so farre as it shall be good for him and he will feed him with the heritage of Iacob that is he shall continue and abide safely in the land of Canaan which God promised to Iacob for his inheritance Gen. 28.13.48.4 Yea the Lord will nourish and feed them he shall eat the good things of the land as the Lord promiseth Esa. 1.19 to all that yeeld willing obedience unto him Lecture CXXXVI On Psalme 51.7 December 29. 1629. IT followeth now that we make some application of that which wee have heard touching the Sabbath and so proceed unto the two last particulars of those five which I have proved to be in many a man that is no better then an hypocrite And that which I have to say by way of application is first of all more generall and concerneth all other persons and places as well as this secondly more speciall and concerneth this place principally Of all I may say ô that God would give us hearts to beleeve that which wee have heard taught us concerning the observation of the Sabbath day out of the Word of God by which wee must bee all judged at the great and dreadfull day as our Saviour assureth us Iohn 12.48 O that wee could beleeve that the surest way to make our Church and State to flourish to secure us from enemies abroad and Papists at home to maintaine Gods Gospell and the purity of his religion amongst us that the surest way to make our Townes and families and persons to prosper and do well were to keepe the Lords rest upon his holy day If we could beleeve this then would wee bee the more carefull to keepe the Sabbath better our selves and then would wee doe what lieth in us that it might bee better kept by others also I know our corrupt hearts are apt to have in them many reasonings against the strict observation of the Sabbath day And these imaginations and reasonings that wee have in us against the truth of God the Apostle 2 Cor. 10.4 5. calleth strong holds and high things that exalt themselves against the knowledge of God But of all these strong holds and high things I may say as our Saviour saith in another case and another sense speaking of the faith of miracles Matth. 17.20 If wee had but as much faith as a graine of musterd seed but a little faith to beleeve the promises and threatnings that we have heard concerning the observation or neglect of the Sabbath we might easily remove all these mountaines out of our way Diverse notable good lawes we have had made of late yeares for the better observation of the Sabbath day Some to restraine men from doing their owne workes some other to compell men to doe the Lords worke by frequenting diligently the Church assemblies upon that day And blessed be God that hath given that heart to our King and State to make such lawes In respect whereof it may be fitly said of them as Deborah speaketh in another case Iudg. â— 9 My heart is towards the governours of Israel that offered themselves willingly among the people Blesse ye the Lord. The hearts of all Gods people should be towards the governours of Israel for shewing themselves so willing to provide for the sanctifying of the Lords Sabbath we should all blesse the Lord for them The whole land I nothing doubt fareth the better and hath had the tranquility thereof lengthened the rather even by the zeale that our governours have shewed in this point towards God and towards his house But that which is said of the daies of King Iehosâ—phat 2 Chron. 20.32 33. may fitly be applied to our times Iehosaphat did that which was right in the sight of the Lord. Howbeit the high places were not taken away for as yet the people did not prepare their hearts unto the God of their fathers Our gracious King in Parliament hath done that which is right in the sight of the Lord in making these good lawes Howbeit the Sabbath is still in most places shamefully profaned these good lawes are not executed for the people do not prepare their hearts unto God they have no heart to his honour or service at all And indeed in nothing doth it better appeare that the hearts of the people generally are not prepared unto God but utterly alienated and estranged from him then in this that when they have but the least colour and semblance of law to justifie any of their unwarantable practises whereby they may trouble any of their brethren and devise deceitfull matters against them that are quiet in the land as the Prophet speaketh Psal. 35.20 there they will seeme wondrous zealous for the lawes and presse them hotly they frame their mischiefe by a law as the Prophet speaketh Psal. 94.20 they pretend nothing so much for their deadly hatred against others that are innocent as that they doe not obey the law This was Hamans outcry against Gods people in his time Est. 3.8 These keepe not the kings lawes And of Daniels adversaries against him Dan. 6.13 He regardeth not thee ô king nor the decree that thou hast signed And of those lewd fellowes of the baser sort which we read of Acts 17.5 7. against Paul and the brethren with him These all say they doe contrary to the decrees of Caesar. Whereas I say to colour their malice against God and his people they seeme zealous for the law for the Magistrate Let the Magistrate make lawes that tend most directly to the honour of God that concerne the weightiest matters of Gods law as our gracious Iehosaphat hath done for the observation of the Sabbath for the punishment of swearing for the suppressing of the multitude and disorders of ale-houses the very chiefe nurseries of all profanesse and impiety these lawes you shall find they have no zeale
received them by the ministery of the Church and preaching of the Word Therefore the Apostle calls the ministery of the Gospell 2 Cor. 3.8 the ministration of the spirit As if hee had said The meanes whereby the Lord conveyes his spirit into the heart of man and whereby the spirit worketh grace in mans heart is the ministery of the Word Received ye the spirit saith he Galathians 3.2 by the workes of the law or by the hearing of faith that is the Doctrine of faith preached So speaking of faith the greatest worke of the spirit he saith Rom. 10.17 faith comes by hearing Therefore when our Saviour had said Iohn 6.45 It is written in the Prophets they shall bee all taught of God hee addeth immediatly every man therefore that hath heard and learned of the father commeth unto me As if he had said The father teacheth no man ordinarily but in and by the hearing of his Word preached Therefore when the Lord makes that gracious promise to every faithfull man that hee will by his spirit plainely teach and direct him which way to take even then when he is in most danger to be mislead and seduced Esa. 30.21 Thine eares shall heare a word behind thee saying this not that but this is the way walke yee in it continue goe on in it leave it not when thou turnest unto the right hand and when thou turnest unto the left As if he should have said When thou shalt be in danger to be seduced and drawne out of the right way even then my spirit shall resolve and confirme thee in the truth and keepe thee in it I say when the Lord doth promise thus plainely and particularly to teach and guide his people aright by his spirit even in controverted truthes you shall find in the former verse 20. how and by what meanes the spirit will thus teach and guide his people Thy teachers saith he shall not bee removed into a corner any more but thine eyes shall see thy teachers and then followeth and thine eares shall heare a word behind thee As if hee should say I will accompany the ministery of my Word with the efficacy and operation of my spirit and by the ministery of thy teachers my spirit shall instruct and guide thee in the right way And thus you see the first reason of the Doctrine opened and confirmed unto you that the spirit of God wheresoever hee dwells will teach and perswade the heart in the truth of religion The second reason of it is this That when once a man is taught of God and instructed by his spirit in the truth hee will certainely cleave unto it and hold fast whatsoever hee hath learned of that heavenly teacher Teach mee O Lord saith David Psalme 119.33 the way of thy statutes that is that way unto life and salvation which thou hast in thy Word prescribed a plaine periphrasis of the true religion of God and I shall keepe it unto the end As if hee had said I shall never fall nor bee drawne away from it when once thou hast by thy spirit instructed and resolved me in it And verse 102. I have not departed from thy judgements saith he but have beene constant in thy truth for thou hast taught mee So saith the Apostle also of all that are taught of God 1 Iohn 2.27 The same anointing saith hee the spirit of God hee meanes teacheth you of all things of all things that are necessary for you to know and it is truth and is no lie this teaching of the spirit is cleare certaine and even as it hath taught you ye shall abide in him As if he should say Ye shall abide in Christ and in the profession of every truth of his because ye have beene taught by his holy spirit And thus have I shewed you the reasons and grounds of this point that he that hath the spirit of Christ will be constant in the Religion of Christ and firmly cleave unto the truth of God Lecture CXLVI On Psalme 51.7 Aug. 30. 1631. IT followeth now that we proceede to make some application of it unto our selves For seeing as wee have heard the Spirit of God wheresoever it dwels will teach and resolve the heart in the truth of Religion and he that is thus taught of God cannot but be constant in the truth seeing the Lord makes so great account of them that cleave to his truth and the faithfull themselves have found such comfort in this when they have beene in great distresse wee are therefore to be exhorted that every one of us would labour by this note to approve our selves to have the Spirit of Christ and so to be his even by our resolution and constancy in our Religion and cleaving fast unto the truth of God which we have received and doe make profession of This is an exhortation which we shall finde much pressed upon Gods people by the Holy Ghost specially in the New Testament Watch yee take heed unto your selves saith the Apostle 1 Cor. 16.13 stand fast in the faith in the Doctrine of faith quit yee like men in withstanding manfully all such as would seduce you bee strong and resolute in the truth Observe his earnestnesse in the many words he useth So Phil. 4.1 Stand fast in the Lord in the faith and Doctrine of Christ my dearely beloved And 2 Thes. 2.15 Therefore brethren saith hee sland fast and hold the traditions the doctrines delivered unto you which you have beene taught whether by word by lively voice in the Ministery of the word preached which you heare or by our Epistle or by the holy Scripture which yee reade And againe Heb. 4.14 Let us hold fast our proâ—ession saith he And againe Heb. 10.23 Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering Remember how thou hast received and heard saith our Saviour Revel 3.3 and hold fast And if the people of God then had such need to have this exhortation pressed upon them while the Apostles themselves lived by whom they had beene taught and confirmed in the truth with farre more evidence and demonstration of the spirit and of power as the Apostle speaketh 1 Cor. 2.4 then is it to bee found in the Ministery of any of Gods servants now how much more necessary is this exhortation for us all in these dayes No not so will you say For those were dayes of bloudy persecution and of a fiery tryall The Magistrate was a mortall enemy to Christ and his Gospell and the Iewes every where incensed him against it but we thankes be to God live under a Christian Magistrate and in dayes of great peace we have peace at home and peace abroad To this I answer that though we through the great mercy of God doe enjoy the Gospell in great peace and have it also maintained and countenanced by publike authority and though the religious disposition of our gracious King who hath both heretofore and of late so fully declared himselfe