give you Pastours according to mine heart which shall feed you with knowledge and understanding It is the Lord of the harvest that sendeth forth labourers into his harvest as our Saviour speaketh Matth. 9.38 And even as hee did at the first in the Primitive Church not onely send forth his Apostles his chiefe labourers into his harvest but did also appoint them the speciall field and part of the field where they should worke Goe not into the way of the Gentiles saith our Saviour to them Matthew 10.5 6. and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not but goe rather to the lost sheepe of the house of Israel And after when hee did send them to the Gentiles to worke in that field hee still had a speciall hand in appointing them what part of the field they should worke in He forbad them to preach the Word in Asia Acts 16.6 and verse 7. Hee suffered them not to goe into Bythinia and verse 10. hee called and commanded them to goe into Macedonia and to preach the Gospell there And even so now also though not so sensibly as then because visions and revelations are now ceased yet as truly and powerfully the Lord hath still a speciall hand in disposing the ministery of his Word who shall enjoy it and who shall want it how long it shall continue where it is and when it shall bee removed from thence It is hee that holdeth the seven starres that is all the starres of the Churches in his right hand as our Saviour speaketh of himselfe Revel 2.1 he disposeth of them as it pleaseth him And hee also protecteth and maintaineth them no man shall bee able to plucke them out of his hand or to remove them till they have done the worke that hee hath appointed them to doe and hee lay them downe himselfe And so the Lord speaketh of his two witnesses that is of that competent number of faithfull teachers that God said hee would raise up to his Church to discover and oppose Antichrist Revel 11. not onely that the just period of time even to a day was determined by him how long they should prophesie verse 3. even a thousand two hundred and threescore daies but also verse 7. that till they had finished their testimony and done that work which the Lord had appointed them the beast that ascended out of the bottomlesse pit should not make warre against them nor overcome and kill them Let no man impute it either to chance or to the goodnesse or policy of man that the Gospell which is banished out of the Palatinate and many other places is preached in this land and among us so plentifully that it hath continued and made it abode with us for so long a time No no let us acknowledge Gods speciall hand and goodnesse towards our land and towards our selves in this and let him have all the glory of it Certainely if wee had hearts rightly to consider and weigh this with our selves wee would find just cause to say of this as the Church doth in another case Psal. 118.23 This is the Lords doing and it is marvellous in our eyes It is of the Lord certainely and of his speciall goodnesse that any man doth enjoy the benefit of a sound ministery whereby hee hath his outward calling unto grace and which is the ordinary meanes of his conversion And even in this first respect the conversion of a man is to be ascribed unto God alone Secondly As God giveth the meanes of grace to all such as doe enjoy them it is of his gift and goodnesse onely that they have them so is this a speciall and rare favour of God not common unto all men All men have not meanes given them of God sufficient to convert them and bring them to saving grace This is a peculiar favour that God vouchsafeth but unto some it is not common to all men It is an errour to thinke that God doth in this respect love and desire the salvation of all men alike that hee giveth to one as well as to another without difference the meanes to bring them to grace and salvation These two things indeed cannot be denyed 1. That God doth vouchsafe the meanes of saving grace yea as excellent means to many a reprobate as hee doth to any of his elect When the sower went forth to sow Matth. 13.3 8. there fell every whit as good seed upon the high-way side and upon the stony and thorny land as upon the good ground But his maine aime is for the elects sake that live amongst them as our Saviour also teacheth us in another case in the Parable of the tares Matthew 13.29 30. 2. To all men even to all the reprobate God vouchsafeth some meanes of grace some meanes to convert them and bring them unto repentance Christ lighteth every man that commeth into the world saith the Apostle Iohn 1.9 Every man hath received from him the light of nature and doth in many things know what is good and what is evill and that which may be knowne of God saith the Apostle Rom. 1.9 that is to say that there is a God and that hee is to be feared and worshipped is manifest in them in their very hearts and consciences for God shewed it unto them even unto all men by nature God hath given this knowledge unto them And they that have this light and knowledge cannot bee denyed to have meanes given them of God to bring them unto grace and unto repentance Nay the Apostle teacheth us Rom. 2.4 that the goodnesse of God whereof all men living doe taste leadeth them unto repentance is a notable meanes to turne and convert their hearts unto God Yea he telleth us ver 15. that the Gentiles have the worke of the law that is to say that which the law requireth written in their hearts and that thereupon they doe by nature the things contained in the law verse 14. But all this that men have by nature these helpes that God thus vouchsafeth unto all men are not sufficient meanes of grace and conversion They are sufficient indeed to make them without excuse and to that end they serve as the Apostle expressely teacheth us Rom. 1.10 By giving unto all men this light and these meanes God hath not left himselfe without witnesse against them as the Apostle speaketh Act. 14.17 But to breed saving grace and to worke sound conversion in the heart they are not sufficient No no it is not the light of nature not that knowledge of God that is gotten by the contemplation of the creature nor the worke of the law that is written in all mens hearts but the Gospell onely that is a sufficient meanes of grace and conversion The Gospell is the ministration of the spirit as the Apostle calleth it 2 Corinth 3.8 And therefore hee telleth the Ephesians 2 12. that while they were without Christ while they were strangers from the covenants of promise they were without hope Till Christ
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
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
this that I shall teach by turning the Grace of God into lasciviousnesse as many did in the Apostles dayes Iude 4. To such Christ and the Doctrine of Gods mercy is a stone of stumbling and a rocke of offence as Peter speaketh 1. Peter 2.8 2. I know well that not onely such men but the most of you that professe the feare of God have no need of comfort but of humbling rather As our Saviour speaketh Matthew 9.12 the whole have no neede of a Physician but they that are sicke And you have just cause to desire rather that Doctrine that may search and pierce and wound your hearts then that that should comfort them and to pray with David Psalme 141.5 Let the righteous smite me that is let him reproove mee that shall bee a benefite and a kindnesse unto me The fat and the strong among Gods sheepe and such are the most of you should be fed with judgement as the Lord speaketh Ezek. 34.16 3. I know well that many of you that truly feare God do not stand in present need of comfort you are for the present in no trouble of mind your hearts are chearefull and comfortable through the assurance and feeling you have of Gods love His Candle shineth upon your head as Iob speaketh 29.3 You know the joyfull scund and can take comfort in his word and promises you walke in the light of Gods countenance and of you I may say as Ethan doth Psalm 89.15 Blessed is the people that know the joyfull sound they shall walke O Lord in the light of thy countenance But though I know all this concerning three sorts of you that heare mee now yet dare I not passe over this use of comfort First Because I am sure that some of you that heare me now have present need of it Nay it cannot be presumed but that in so great a congregation specially of voluntaries whom no law of man as on the Sabbaths but their owne inclination and love to the word draweth together there are many tender hearts that have had experience of this trouble of mind This we may learne from the tēder care the Apostle had in writing to particular Churches to prevent the grieving troubling of the hearts of such people which argueth he doubted not but there were such among them Rom. 8. when he had spoken of the dangerous state of the naturall man ver 8 They that are in the flesh cannot please God he addeth verse 9. But yee are not in the flesh but in the spirit And writing to the Church of Corinth which was a congregation very loose and disordered very sharply and namely 1 Cor. 6.9 10. Know ye not that the unrighteous shal not inherit the kingdome of God be not deceived neither fornicators nor Idolaters nor wantons nor theeves nor drunkards nor revilers shall inherite the kingdome of God Hee addeth by way of prevention because he knew that even in that congregation there could not choose but bee some humbled sinners verse 11. And such were some of you but yee are washed but yee are sanctified but yee are justified c. Sundry other such places I could alleadge for this purpose Secondly there is none of you that heare me this day but though you be for the present whole sound in your spirits cheerfull and comfortable and that upon good ground too the Lord in mercy continue you in that estate yet you must looke for a change you must not thinke this cheerfulnes comfort will last alwaies you must looke to drinke of the cup of inward trouble and affliction of minde which the rest of your brethren and sisters have begun to you in sooner or later in one measure or other it may be ye shall not pledge them in the same glasse that Iob or David began to you in the Lord it may bee out of respect to your weaknesse will call for a lesser glasse for you but pledge them you must and pledge them in the same wine in one measure or other ye know not what your measure will be and you must not choose your glasse your selves the cup is in the Lords hand and he mixeth it and he powreth it out as Asaph speaketh for I have not taken this comparison and allegory from the wretched fashion of your drunkards in drinking of healths but from the sacred Word of God Psal. 75.8 Certainely we must looke for an evill day as the Apostle speaketh Ephes. 6.13 And we have no reason to thinke or hope we may avoid it if we consider 1. That this hath beene the case not of some or of a few good men but of the whole Church the mother of us all who is in that short booke of the Canticles reported twice to have beene in that case Cant. 3.1 and 5.6 Her welbeloved had withdrawne himselfe and was gone 2. That our blessed Saviour had experience of this tentation and affliction that in his owne sense for the present his father had forsaken him Mat. 27 40. and we are all predestinated to be conformed unto his image in affliction Rom. 8.29 3. We all have the same adversary that other of Gods people have had that will buckle and wrestle with us one day This reason the Apostle giveth the Ephesians why they must looke for an evill day Ephes. 6.12 For we wrestle not against flesh and bloud but against principalities against powers c. And if ever hee assault us these are the tentations he is most likely to assault us by and if thou be free from them thou art not of God thou art an hypocrite thou hast no part in Christ Gods mercy belongeth not unto thee For these are his chiefe his fiery darts as the Apostle calleth them Ephes. 6.16 4. That we all give the Lord as just cause daily by our carnall security and neglect of our watch to humble and afflict us as ever any other of his people have done Insomuch as I may say to every one of you as the Prophet Oded did to the Israelites 2 Chron. 28.10 Are there not with you even with you sinners against the Lord our God And this is a chiefe scourge that the Lord useth to afflict his people for their security by even by withdrawing and hiding himselfe from them As Christ served his Church when she grew lazy and was loath to rise and put on her clothes and defile her feet to open unto him he withdrew himselfe and went away Cant. 5.3 6. So that you that have the most cheerefull and comfortable hearts have cause to hearken to this that I shall say for the comfort of Gods afflicted servants because your selves may have use of it hereafter We have the wit now in summer to provide for winter and oft to traine our souldiers and to try their armour aforehand let us learne to be wise for our soules and to get our armour in a readinesse against the day of conflict we are like to have with Satan In which respect
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
Ieremy 2.19 and thy backslidings shall reprove thee know therefore and see that it is an evill thing and bitter that thou hast forsaken the Lord thy God and that my feare is not in thee saith the Lord God of hostes Be thou sure conscience will find thee out and reprove thee sharply for thy sins sooner or later at one time or other Shall Gods people thinke we and his dearest servants be the only men whose sins shall be set before their eyes who shall be vexed and disquieted with the sense of their sins whose consciences shall accuse and smite wound them for sin No no if David and Iob and Peter have bin so troubled and put to such anguish of mind for their sins bee ye sure the reprobate and sinner shall feele much more If this be done to the greene trees that had much sap of grace and goodnesse in them what shall be done to the dry As our Saviour speaketh Lu. 23.31 The sorrow that Gods people endure for their sinnes it is nothing if it be compared with that that the reprobate shall feele The dregs of the cup of the Lords wrath all the wicked of the earth shall wring them out and drinke them as the Psalmist speaketh Psalme 7.5 8. As senslesse and benummed as Iudas his conscience was before he had betrayed Christ so as Christs powerfull ministery as you heard could not awaken it yet did it not alwayes continue so but presently after he had committed his sin it was awakened with a witnesse and did his office upon him as you may see Matth. 27.3 5. This the Lord threatneth to such sinners as have beene least troubled with their sins and most confident of his love Psalme 50.21 These things hast thou done and I kept silence thou thoughtest that I was altogether such a one as thy selfe but I will reprove thee and set them in order before thine eyes And when God shall set thy sins before thee thou shalt not be able to avoid the looking and thinking of them no more then Belshazzar was the hand writing upon the wall Dan. 5.5 And when will God doe this may you say When shall the consciences of all wicked men be awakened I answer 1. God can do it even in the time of our best health and greatest jolitie as he did with Belshazzar 2. He doth it usually in the time of sicknesse or some sharpe affliction as he did with Iosephs brethren Genes 42.21 And 3 If thy conscience doe not awaken before certainly so soone as thou commest to judgement either generall or particular thy conscience will then awaken and doe his office upon thee even the office of an accuser of a witnesse and of a tormentor At the day of the declaration of the just judgement of God the conscience of every man will doe his office as the Apostle speaketh Rom. 2.15 16. Then the bookes shall bee opened Revelat. 20.12 Every mans conscience wherein as in a booke all the actions of his life and words of his mouth and thoughts that have beene in his heart are faithfully recorded and which were in many men all the dayes of their lives like such a clasped or sealed booke as is spoken of Esa. 29.11 that they could never read nor see what was written in it shall then be layd open before him that he may read yea hee shall then be compelled to read what is written in it Then will the Lord bring the hidden things of darkenesse to light as the Apostle speaketh 1 Corinth 4.5 and will make manifest the counsels of mens hearts unto them Then shall all men clearely see not onely what they have done but also whether it have bene good or evill lawfull or unlawfull that they have done The eyes of their consciences are now so blind that they cannot see nor perceive by the clearest light of the Word in the plainest ministery that is that to neglect prayer in secret and in their families to spend the greatest part of every Sabbath irreligiously to neglect the hearing of the Word upon the Lecture day upon every trifling occasion to live in malice to use fraud in their dealings with men to spend their time unprofitably c. are any sinnes but when that day commeth the scales will fall from the eyes of their consciences and they shall clearely see that they are sinnes and grievous sins too Then their conscience will beare witnesse according to the worke of the Law that is written in their hearts Romans 2.15 16. And that which he saith of the knowledge of the Elect in that day is true also of the knowledge that the reprobate shall have then 1 Corinth 13.12 Now they see but as through a glasse darkely but then face to face now they know but in part but then they shall know even as they are knowne And as the Lord speaketh in another case Ier. 23.20 it may be said unto all men in this case In the latter dayes ye shall understand it plainly which now you cannot be perswaded of that these are sinnes LECTVRES ON PSAL. LI. 4 Lecture XLIII on Psalme LI. 4 Decemb. XII MDCXXVI Against thee thee only have I sinned and done this evill in thy sight that thou mightest be justified when thou speakest and bee cleare when thou judgest WEe have heard that in the former verse David maketh confession of his sin in generall it followeth now that we proceed to shew how he doth it in this and the next verses more fully and particularly For 1. Hee maketh confession of the speciall actuall sin that he had offended God by at this time and which Nathan had charged him with in this verse I have done this evill 2. He amplifieth and aggravateth this his sin by three arguments 1. By the person against whom this sin was committed in this verse Against thee thee onely have I sinned and done this evill in thy sight 2. By the fountaine and roote from whence this sin did spring that is to say his naturall corruption verse 5.3 By the knowledge and truth of grace that he had received from God before he fell into this sin in the sixth verse Now in this verse that I have now read there are two things principally to be observed 1. How David accuseth himselfe before God heere and amplifieth his sin against himselfe in these words Against thee thee onely have I sinned and done this evill in thy sight 2. The reason why he doth so in the last words of the verse That thou mayest be justified when thou speakest and be cleare when thou judgest Now then to begin with the first part of the verse for the opening of the words that the Doctrine may the more cleerely arise from them for our instruction and lest he should seeme by this manner of speech to extenuate rather then to aggravate his sins foure questions must be briefly resolved First was this foule act that he committed an offence against God onely was it not
any offence I have committed against men or wrong I have done to them I regard it not that never troubleth me I answer No no it was farre from him to thinke so The wrong hee had done to men by these his sins did trouble his conscience at this time exceedingly as appeareth in the 14. verse Deliver mee from blood-guiltinesse O God thou God of my salvation From bloods it is in the originall in the plurall number The blood of Vriah and of all that were slaine with him lay heavy upon his conscience Nay he knew full well he could have no hope to finde mercy with God at this time by his prayer if hee had not beene troubled in conscience for the wrong hee had done unto men by his sin nay if hee had not unfainedly desired to the utmost of his power to give them satisfaction and make them amends for the wrong hee had done unto them Wee know the rule of Christ which is doubtlesse a morall law and was well knowne to David and written in his heart Mat. 5.23 24. If thou bringest thy gift to the Altar and there remembrest that thy brother hath ought against thee leave there thy gift before the Altar and goe thy way first be reconciled to thy brother and then come and offer thy gift Hee knew full well that the wrong that is done to the basest subject or tenant or servant that any man keepeth will cry to God for vengeance against him and that God will not be appeased till satisfaction be made or at the least endeavoured to be made to the party that was wronged by him When the blood of the poore Gibeonites was unjustly shed by Saul God would not be appeased with the land till the Gibeonites though they were but poore snakes and slaves had satisfaction given unto them as you may read 2 Sam. 21.1 3. Now followeth the fourth and last question Why then doth he say heere that he had sinned onely against the Lord Why doubleth hee his speech thus pathetically Against thee thee onely have I sinned I answer His words are to be taken as spoken not simply but comparatively As if he had said Though by my sins I have many wayes offended against man and wronged him yet the wrong I have done in this to any man is nothing in comparison of the wrong the dishonour the contempt I have done to thy Majesty Though I bee deepely wounded for the wrong I have done to men by my sin yet the griefe and trouble of minde I conceive for that is nothing in comparison of that anguish I finde in my soule for my despising of thee and that light account of thee and of thine eye that hath beene vpon me By the like phrase the captivity is called Ezek. 7.5 An evill an onely evill that is the greatest evill that ever befell that nation So then the Doctrine that ariseth from these words thus opened is this That the offence we have done to God by our sin though it bee not the onely yet it is the chiefe thing above all other that should make us to hate sin and to mourne for it Two branches you see there are of this doctrine and both of them grounded upon that which you have now heard observed unto you in this example of David 1. It is not the onely cause why sin is to bee hated and mourned for 2. It is yet the chiefe cause of all other The former branch shall be confirmed unto you in two points First The very consideration and respect we have to the evill consequents of sin and the punishments that God hath threatned in his word and doth daily exercute upon us for sin may be a just cause even to a faithfull and good soule to move him to be afraid of sin and to hate it and mourne for it If the tokens we discerne of judgements imminent over the nation bring our sins into our remembrance and breed feare and sorrow in us for them as they are apt oft to do with sundry of Gods best servants that is no signe of an heart void of faith David professeth it was so with him Psal. â—19 120 My flesh trembleth for feare of thee and I am afraid of thy judgements Iosiah is commended of God even for this 2 King 22 19. Nay it is no evill signe to be afraid of sin and troubled with feare and griefe for it by the thoughts wee have of our death and of the judgement to come and even of hell it selfe Knowing the terrours of the Lord saith Paul having spoken of the judgement to come 2 Cor. 5.11 wee perswade men and are made manifest unto God And our Saviour chargeth us to feare God even out of this consideration that he hath power to cast both the body and soule into hell Luke 12 5. Neither is it unlawful to mourne for sin even because of those scourges and corrections we receive from the hand of God for it in this life All our afflictions should bring our sins into our remembrance and humble us for them Our sins are the onely things that keepe good things from us as the Prophet speaketh Ier. 5.25 Our sins are the onely causes of all miseries we are subject unto how bitter and extreme soever they be Because thy sins are increased saith the Lord Ier. 30.15 I have done these things unto thee All the evils therefore that wee endure should worke vpon us as they did upon Gods people Lam. 5.15 16. The ioy of our heart is ceased our dance is turned into mourning the crowne is fallen from our head woe unto us that wee have sinned And it is certainely a grievous sin and an argument of a strange stupidity and hardnesse of heart in us that the Lord scourging us so oft one way or other by his judgements we mourne no more for our sins that are the causes of it By every judgement and affliction God calleth us to sorrow for our sin In that day saith the Prophet Esay 22.12 did the Lord call to weeping and to mourning And Mic. 6.9 The Lords voice cryeth to the City so unto the towne to the family to the person whom he smiteth with any of his corrections And what doth it cry Surely the effect and summe of that cry is set down Lam. 3.39..40 Man suffereth for his sin therfore search and try your wayes and turn againe to the Lord. He is therefore a wise and happy man that stoppeth not his eare at this cry but heareth the rod and who hath appointed it Secondly The consideration of the hurt we have done unto others by our sins doth also give great weight to our sins may be a just cause of sorrow trouble to our minds for them Even the hurt wee have done them in temporall things O how it wounded Davids heart when he saw what a pestilence he had brought among his subjects 1 Chron. 21.17 Let thy hand I pray thee ô Lord my God be
in our hearts is because we observe it no more nor take our selves with it we feele it no burden nor trouble to us we complaine not more to God of it nor cry more earnestly to him for helpe against it We have not because we aske not as the Apostle speaketh in another case Iam. 4.2 LECTVRES ON PSAL. LI. 6 Lecture XCV On Psalme LI. 6. August XIX MDCXXVIII And in the hidden part thou hadst made me to know wisedome WE have already heard that David suing unto God for mercy in the pardon of those heinous sinnes hee had falne into doth make humble confession of his sinne and accuse himselfe before God for it not onely in grosse and generall ver 3. but more fully in the three verses following For 1. He acknowledgeth his sin in particular that very sin that Nathan had charged him with ver 4. I have done this evill in thy sight 2. He aggravateth his sinne by foure arguments that is to say 1. From the consideration of the person against whom hee had sinned verse 4. Against thee thee onely have I sinned and done this evill in thy sight 2. From the consideration of the fountaine and root from whence this his sin did spring even his vile and cursed nature ver 5. Behold I was borne in iniquity and in sinne did my mother conceive me 3. From the consideration of that delight the Lord taketh in the truth and uprightnesse of the heart which hee found his corrupt heart so farre from specially in the committing of these foule sinnes in the beginning of this sixt verse Behold thou desirest truth in the inward parts 4. Lastly From the consideration of that truth of saving grace which God had wrought in him before he fell into these sinnes in these last words of the sixt verse And in the hidden part thou hadst made me to know wisedome For so I read the words 1. Because the originall will beare this sense as well as the other as might be shewed by many other places of Scripture where words of the future tense are put for the preter-perfect tense and as appeareth by the judgement of the most and best interpreters that is to say the Septuagint the vulgar latine Pagin Vatablus Tremellius Calvin Bucer the Geneva translatours who all understand the words to be meant of the time past not of the present or future time 2. Because this sense doth best agree with the scope of the place for David doth yet continue in the aggravation of his sinne and in professing his humiliation and sorrow for it The summe then of these words is an aggravation of his foule sinnes from the consideration of that sound conversion and truth of grace that God had wrought in him before hee did thus fall And in the words there are these three principall things to bee observed 1. The description David maketh of his owne true conversion and regeneration In the hidden part he had knowne wisedome 2. The author and worker of this his conversion In the hidden part thou hadst made me to know wisedome 3. The end and purpose David had in mentioning the truth of his conversion in this place that is to say to aggravate and increase his sinne by the consideration of it And for the first of these three points before we can receive that instruction which the Holy Ghost intendeth to give us in them three questions must first be moved and answered for the opening of the words First What meaneth he here by Wisedome I answer By wisedome he meaneth true religion and piety the knowledge of the right way how to serve God and to save our owne soules This onely the Holy Ghost calleth true wisedome Vnto man he said saith Iob 28.28 the feare of the Lord that is wisdome Teach us so to number our daies to be so perswaded of and to thinke of the uncertainty of our lives saith Moses in his prayer Psal. 90 1â— as we may apply our hearts unto wisedome As if hee had said As we may seriously study and endeavour to please thee and provide for the salvation of our owne soules But wisedome is justified of her children saith our Saviour Matth. 11.19 As though he should say Though the right way of salvation which Iohn Baptist and I doe teach be despised and rejected by the world yet by all those that God hath appointed unto salvation it is approved of and received Secondly What meaneth he here by the hidden part I answer By it he meaneth the heart which he called before the inward parts Thus the Lord himselfe expoundeth it Iob 38.36 Who hath put wisedome in the inward parts or who hath given understanding to the heart So the Apostle calleth the regenerate part the hidden man of the heart 1 Pet. 3.4 because it is hidden and concealed from all men Who can know it Ier. 17.9 Thou even thou onely saith Solomon 1 King 8.39 knowest the hearts of all the children of men Thirdly And how is hee then said here to have knowne wisedome in the hidden part I answer He did not onely see and discerne in his judgement the right way of salvation but God had made him able also with his heart and in affection to approve and like of it to know it feelingly experimentally effectually And indeed this is the onely right and saving knowledge This was the knowledge of Christ that the Apostle made so high account of Doubtlesse saith he Phil. 3.8.10 I count all things but losse for the excellency of the knowledge of Iesus Christ that I mâ—y know him and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of his sufferings that is experimentally and effectually And they that know not God and his waies thus in their heart but in their braine onely know him not aright As it is said of the Priests Elyes sonnes 1 Sam. 2.12 and may be too truly of many a Minister now even of such as can preach well that they knew not the Lord. The words then being thus opened we see this Doctrine doth naturally arise from them for our instruction That true and saving knowledge is the principall worke of Gods grace in the conversion of a man See the proofe of this Doctrine in three points First In every one whom God doth convert and regenerate hee worketh saving knowledge spirituall understanding This is the tenour of the new covenant Ier. 31 3â— 34. I will put my law in their inward parts and write it in their hearts and will be their God and they shall be my people And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour and every man his brother saying know the Lord for they shall all know me from the least of them to the greatest of them saith the Lord For I will forgive their iniquity and I will remember their sinne no more Every one whom God receiveth into covenant and to favour whose sinnes he forgiveth even the least the weakest of them all
the Câ—uncâ—ll of Trent the rule of their faith to hold for authenticall in all their publique readings disputations preachings and expositions and charged that no man may dare or presume to reject it upon any pretence whatsoever and consequently no not then when it doth most evidently and palpably sworâ—e from and pervert the meaning of the originall copies both to leave out sondrâ— of the Holy Ghosts words as Selah alwaies in their 〈◊〉 as they do also the conclusion of the Lords prayer as also to add unto the â—oly 〈◊〉 many words yea and sometimes whole verses Secondly to teach and exhort us to neglect no part of the Word no not the least word nor sillable nor title of the canonicall Scripture of which our Saviour speaketh so honourably Matth. 5.18 Verily 〈◊〉 â—nto you till heaven and earth passe one jot or one title shall in no wise passe from the law till all be fulfilled but to esteeme reverently of it though we cannot at the 〈◊〉 reading or hearing of it profit by it or discerne what use it may serve us unto True it is that as the Ministers in reaching may and ought to make choice of and most insist upon those portions of Gods truth above others which are most profitable and usefull for their hearers for this rule the Apostle himselfe followed in his preaching as appeareth by his speech Acts 20.20 and this rule he prescribes to all other teachers Tit. 3.8 so may Gods people likewise in the reading of the Word exercise themselves most in those parts of it that they can best profit by But seeing it is certaine that whatsoever is written is written for our learning Rom. 15.4 we must learne to blame our selves and not the Word if we can receive no profit by every part of it We must lay the fault upon our own dulnesse as the Apostle teacheth the Hebrewes to do Heb. 5.11 The duty and respect we owe even to those parts of the Word which we cannot understand nor profit by and the use we should make thereof standeth in these sixe points principally First we must desire to understand all that God hath revealed and not esteeme of any part of the Scripture as if it concerned us not For this the Lord taxeth his people for as for a heinous sin Hos. 8.12 that they accounted the great things of his law which he had written unto them as a strange thing that nothing belonged unto them Secondly the obscurity of any place should increase our diligence in searching the meaning of it Search the Scriptures saith our Saviour Ioh. 5.39 Herein we should imitate the holy Prophets themselves of whom the Apostle Peter saith 1 Pet. 1.10 11. that they enquired and searched diligently what the meaning of those things might be which God had reveiled and caused them to write concerning Christ and our salvation by him Thirdly learne thereby to acknowledge the necessity of a learned ministry and of that gift of interpretation God hath given unto his servants And know God would have thee to say of sundry parts of his Word which yet are necessary for thee to understand as the noble Eunuch did Act. 8.31 How can I understand them except some man should guide me Fourthly learne thereby to see the necessity of joyning with thy reading humble prayer unto God that hee would open thine understanding and reveale to thee the mysteries contained in his Word and to cry unto the Lord as David himselfe did who was both a King and a Prophet also Psalme 119 1â— Open thou mine eyes that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law Fiftly come to the reading and hearing of the Word with an heart that is humbled and fearefull to offend God For the secret of the Lord is with them that feare him saith David Psal. 25.14 and he will shew them his covenant Sixthly marke and lay up in thine heart even those things which thou understandest not because they may doe thee good hereafter So did the blessed Virgin Luke 2.50 51. So wee finde the Disciples of our Saviour did and had use of that part of Gods Word afterward which when they first heard it they did not understand what it meant When hee was risen from the dead saith the Evangelist Ioh. 2.22 his Disciples remembred that he had said this unto them and they beleeved the Scripture and the word that Iesus had said Now in the Title of this Psalme the first thing that offers it selfe to our consideration is the person to whom it was dedicated or directed to the chiâ—fe musician where wee are to observe That they had in Gods publique worship in Davids time musicians and diverse orders and degrâ—â—es of them Three things are to be observed concerning the worship under the law even in this respect First they had then musicke in the publique worship of God not singing of Psalmes onely but playing upon instruments 1 Chron. 25.6 Nehem. 12 2â— some stringed instruments called Neginoth Psal. 4.1 some windy called Nehiloth Psal. 5.1 Secondly these musicians were all Levites and had a speciall function and calling in that Church by Gods appointment whereupon they were wholly to attend and whereunto they were enabled by speciall gifts received from God 1 Chron. 9.33 And these are the singers chiefe of the fathers of the Levites who remaining in the chambers were free for they were employed in that worke day and night And 2 Chron. 29.25 Hee set the Levites in the house of the Lord with Cymballs with Psalteries and with Harpes according to the commandement of David and of God the Kings Seer and of Nathan the Prophet for so was the commandement of the Lord by his Prophets Therefore also they are called the Lords instruments of musicke 1 Chron. 16.42 2 Chron. 7.6 And the Priests waited on their office the Levites also with instruments of musicke of the Lord. And unto this function also God did enable them with such skill as whereby they did excell all other musicians in the world Of the Caldeaâ—s we do reade that they had great variety of excellent musicians of their owne Dan. â— 5 yet did they greatly desire to heare these musicians of the Temple Psal. 137.3 And this may also seeme to bee the cause of that speciall favour and bounty that Artaxerxâ—s the King of Persia shewed to them more then to any other of the Priests and Levits that belonged to the Temple Nâ—h 1â— 23 Thirdly of these musicians there were sundry orders and degrees some were masters and chiefe musicians some were schollars and inferiour unto them as we shall finde them set downe 1. Chron. 25.1 6. Neh. 12.46 It followeth now that we consider why this Psalme was committed to the chiefe musician And three reasons there were of that First that by that meanes it might be kept and preserved as a part of Gods holy Writ in the Sanctuary for the use of the Church For so we find that all the parts of the holy
Scripture were wont so to be preserved and kept by the Levites in the Santuary Deut. 17.18 The King is commanded to write him a copy of the law in a booke out of that booke which is before the Priests the Levites And 31.9 Moses is said when he had written the law to have delivered unto the Priests the sons of Levi. And verse 26. of that Chapter he commanded the Levites to take the booke of the law and put it in the side of the arke of the covenant of the Lord their God that it might be there for a witnesse against them And there by the speciall providence of God it was preserved and kept safe even to the daies of Iosiah 2 Chron. 34.14 15. though there had beene most wicked Kings such as Ahaz Manasses Amon and many others that were great enemies unto it Secondly this Psalme was committed to the chiefe musician that by his meanes it might be published sung in the temple For this was the office of the Levites and all the musicians of the temple were Levites to sing Davids Psalmes in the temple as we shal see 2 Chr. 29. â—0 Am. 8.3 we read of the songs of the temple Thirdly this Psalme was committed to the chiefe musician that it might be sung in the Temple in the best manner with that musick as might best affect the people of God with the matter of this Psalme and so serve best to their edification For though there were none of the musicians in the Temple but they were well instructed in the songs of the Lord and were cunning therein 1 Chron. 25.7 yet among them some were more skilfull then other some 1 Chron. 15.22 Chenaniah chiefe of the Levites was for song he instructed about the song because he was skilfull Now this being premised for the opening of the words we are to observe here that David committeth this Psalme to a musician to be sung in the Temple yea to the chiefe musician that might sing it in the best manner From whence we are to learne That it is an ancient and excellent ordinance of God that in his worship and service we should sing Psalmes even Davids Psalmes and that we should sing them in that manner as may be most unto edification Observe the proofe of this Doctrine as I shall propound it unto you distinctly in three points First it hath ever beene esteemed a chiefe part of the worship and service of God wherewith he hath beene highly pleased It was used in Moses time Exod. 15.1 and in the time of the Iudges â—udg 5.1 and in the daies of Samuel 1 Sam. 18.6 7. in David and Solomons time 1 Chron. 6.32 in the daies of Iehosaphat 2 Chron. 20.21.22 and of Hezekiah 2 Chron. 29.28.30 and after the captivity in Nehemiahs time Neh. 12.42 yea in the New Testament our Saviour himselfe and his Apostles used it Matth 26 30. and prescribed it to Gods people Col. 3.16 yea it was the exercise of the holy Angels themselves Luk. 2.13 14. Secondly this exercise was wont to be used by Gods people and that by Gods ordinance at all times when they met to performe publique worship to God 1 Chron. 23.30 It is said the office of the Levites that were musicians for the Temple was to stand every morning and thanke and praise the Lord and likewise at even that is at the time of the morning and evening sacrifice yea they were wont at their private prayers also to sing Psalmes for so did Paul and Silas Act. 16.25 Thirdly The Psalmes that GODS people did use to sing in the worship of GOD were most usually Davids Psalmes and those that are accounted among his and that even at such times when there were Prophets in the Church that had extraordinarie gifts and were inspired by the Holy Ghost yet the Church did not usually sing any other then Davids Psalmes This we shall see in the daies of Hezâ—kiah 2 Chron. 29.30 Hezekiah the King and the Princes commanded the Levites to sing praise to the Lord with the words of David and of Asaph the Seer The like we may see in Ezraes time Ezra 3.10 They set the Priests in their apparell with trumpets and the Levites the sons of Asaph with Cymballs to praise the Lord with those songs as Tremelius rendreth it that David the King of Israel did deliver and the Psalme they sung was Psal. 136. as appeareth by the 11. verse And this may also further appeare by that which we reade Neh. 12.46 To which purpose it is worthy the observing that though there were many of Gods holy servants that made songs and Psalmes beside David as Deborah Iudg. 5.1 and Anna the mother of Samuel 1 Sam. 2.1 and Salomon Cant. 1.1 and Mary the blessed Virgin Luk. 1.46 such as might bee used yet were none of them committed to the musitians to be publiquely song in the temple but these of David only In which respect he by an excellency is called the sweet Psalmist of Israel 2 Sam. â—3 1 The reasons and grounds of this Doctrine are these First God hath oft shewed himselfe to take great delight in this part of his worship Two notable examples there be of it The one at the bringing in of the Arke into the Temple in the daies of Salomon 2 Chron. 5.13 Iust at that instant when they lifted up their voice in singing the 136. Psalme the glory of the Lord filled the house The other in that miraculous deliverance God gave to his people against the Ammonites in the daies of Iehosaphat 2 Chron. 20 22. When they began to sing and to praise God the Lord set an ambushment against the children of Ammon and Moab and mount Seir. Secondly it is a singular helpe and meanes to stirre up in us holy affections in Gods service In which respect the Apostle opposeth and preferreth it before wine Eph. 5.18 19. Be not drunk with wine wherein is excesse but be ye filled with the spirit speaking to your selvâ—s in Psalmes and Hymnes and spirituall songs As if he should have said wheras the chiefe pretence men have for their excessive love of wine is that it reviveth and cheereth their spirits Ps. 104.15 I will prescribe a better thing for that purpose to revive your heart and make you cheerefull even to stir up spirituall affections and that is this use to sing Psalmes The use of this Doctrine is first to reprove the generall neglect and falling of from this exercise of singing of Psalmes First it was wont to be the custome aswell to end our Church meetings as to begin them with a Psalme and so the best reformed Congregations use to doe still and surely it maketh much for the decency and solemnity of Gods worship to do so Psal. 147.1 Praise yet the Lord for it is good to sing praises unto our God for it is pleasant and praise is comely This is now a daies much left in many Congregations Secondly it was wont to
of it in our hearts Deut. 4.39 Know therefore this day saith Moses and consider it in thine heart David was much given to this Psal. 119.15 I will meditate in thy precepts The blessed Virgin is commended for this Luk. 2.19 All the things she heard concerning Christ she kept them and pondered them in her â—eart This is enjoyned as a duty most necessary to this purpose Esa 46.8 Bring it againe to minde O ye transgressors For 1. This would argue a love to that we heare and a delight in it Psal. 1.2 His delight is in the law of the Lord and in that law doth he meditate day and night and 119.97 O how love I thy law it is my meditation all the day 2. This would greatly increase our comfort in the Word and cause us to feele more sweetnesse in it as the chawing of our meate makes us tast more sweetnesse in it Psal. 119.15 16. I will meditate in thy precepts and have respect unto thy waies I will delight my selfe in thy statutes 3. This would greatly increase and confirme our knowledge Psal. 119.99 I have more understanding then all my teachers for thy testimonies are my meditation 4. This would cause the Word to have more power in our hearts to draw us to practise and to nourish and increase the life of godlinesse in us As meat though it be never so good never so well dressed nourisheth us not but is rather a burden then benefit unto us if our stomack cannot concoct and digest it so it is with the food of our soules Iosh. 1.8 Thou shalt meditate in the law day and night that thou maist observe to do according to all that is written therein How then should the Word you heare doe you good when you never thinke of it after you have once heard it It is noted of the Disciples that though they had seene Christs mighty power in the miracles of the loaves yet their faith was never the stronger but upon every new tentation and occasion of feare they were extreamely troubled and that this was the cause of it Mar. 6.52 For they considered not the miracle of the loaves for their heart was hardned They had seene that miracle and it may be also remembred it but they had not considered and meditated of it and therefore they were never the better for it Thirdly you must conferre of that which you have heard and repeate it among your selves 1. It is often spoken of in Scripture as a duty wee owe to God and his Word to speake of it unto others Psal. 119.172 My tongue shall speake of thy Word for all thy commandements are righteousnesse Yea this is noted as a speciall use we should make of our reading and hearing of the Word to speake of it unto others it must not be in our heart onely but in our mouth too Iosh. 1.8 This booke of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth And that which is said of the Priest Mal. 2.7 that his lips should keepe knowledge is said likewise of every one that truly feares God Pro. 5.2 My son attend unto my wisdome and bow thine eare unto mine understanding that thy lips may keepe knowledge 2. You that go home together from the Sermon should make this use of your company to conferre together of that which you have heard as they did Luk. 24.14 3. Yea you should all count it a benefit to have a companion you may conferre with about that which you have heard Christs Disciples used it much When Christ had taught how hard it was for rich men to be saved it is said Mar. 10.26 They were astonished out of measure and said among themselves who then can be saved The like you shall find spoken of their conferring among themselves of another Sermon of our Saviours Ioh. 16.17 18. Yea it is reported of other of his hearers too besides his Disciples that they did use to conferre among themselves of that which he had taught Ioh. 7 35 36. 4. But chiefly this is required of you that have families that you repeate unto them examine them conferre with them about that which they have heard For this we have a plaine commandment Deut. 11.18 19. Ye shall lay up these my words in your heart-and yee shall teach them your children speaking of them when thou sittest in thy house c. Yea it is said to be a chiefe thing that the Lord had respect unto in giving us his Word and vouchsafing to us the knowledge of it that we might instruct our families in it Deut. 4.10 Gather me the people together and I will make them to â—eare my words that they may learne to feare me and that they may teach their children According to that proverbe Mat. 5.15 Men do not light a candle to put it under a bushell but on a candle-sticke and it giveth light to all that are in the house For this we have an example which above all others we should desire to follow even the practise of our blessed Saviour himselfe who though he spent himselfe so much in his publique labours yet did use to conferre with his family of the Sermons hee had made to examine them and make all things plainer to them Mat. 13.51 Have ye understood all these things And Mar. 4.34 When they were alone he expounded all things to his Disciples This repeating and conferring of that wee have heard would certainely greatly further our profiting by the Word In this that proverbe will be found true as much as in any other thing Eccl. 4.9 Two are better then one We may all in this kinde receive helpe one from another even he that is stronger in knowledge and grace from another that is weaker then himselfe is Yea God is so pleased with it that a blessing may be expected from God in the use of it It is said of the two Disciples that went toward Emmaus Luke 24. â—5 That whâ—le they communed together and reasoned Iesus himselfe drew neare and went with them And againe that when they went to relate to the Apostles that they had seene him and what he had said to them and the Apostles and they were conferring of this matter it is said Luk. 24.36 That as they spake Iesus himselfe stood in the midst of them Foure speciall benefits certainely you might reape by it First It would make your children and servants to marke better then they do what they heare if they knew they should be examined when they came home The Disciples of our Saviour were so diligent and watchfull in hearing that hee commends them for it Mat. â—3 16 Blessed are your eares for they heare And what made them so attentive Surely this was one cause that they knew their master was wont to examine them as you heard Mat. 13. â—1 Secondly It would much helpe and confirme both your families and your selves also in the understanding and beleeving of that which hath beene taught you if you would thus repeate
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
The caveats are two First take heed thou seeke not to ease and deliver thy selfe out of this distresse by unlawfull means And there be three false wayes whereby men are wont to seeke ease in this case and to put God and their owne spirituall estate out of their mind 1. By shunning that ministery that did use to touch them to the quicke and to pierce their hearts Thus did Ahab shun Micajah 1 Kin. 22.8 I hate him for he doth not prophesie good concerning me but evill And Felix Paul Acts 24.25 Goe thy way for this time and when I have a convenient season I will call for thee 2. By giving over their private duties of reading and prayer saying in their hearts with that desperate Pursevant whom Ioram sent to apprehend the Prophet 2. Kings 6.33 What should I wait for the Lord serve the Lord any longer 3. By giving themselves over to carnall mirth to drinking and gaming and good fellowship according to the counsell Sauls Courtiers gave to him 1 Samuel 16.16 Seeke out a cunning player on a Harpe and when the evill spirit from God is upon thee let him play and thou shalt be well But take thou heed of seeking ease to thy soule any of these wayes hate them abhorre them that give thee this counsell and say with Iob 21.16 Let the counsell of the wicked be farre from me and with David Psal. 119.128 I hate every false way For 1. they that take this counsell make Satan their Physician to cure them when God hath made them sicke their Surgeon to heale the wounds that God hath made in their soules And certainely all his medicines and salves have deadly poison in them the wounds hee seemes to heale hee makes farre more incurable The wounds that God makes none but God can cure Iob. 5.18 Hee woundeth and his hands make whole Gods meanes which they shunne though they doe make them sad for a time yet they have in them the seed and roote of comfort and will bring the heart to comfort in the end if they bee constantly and conscionably used the sadnesse that they cause maketh the heart better as Solomon speaketh Ecclesi 7.3 That ministery that pierceth most is of a healing and comforting nature compared therefore to an excellent oyle and balme Psalm 141.5 And of Religion and religious duties Solomon saith Proverbs 3.17 All her paths are peace Where as Satans meanes on the contrary though they seeme to give ease and joy to the heart for the present yet indeede they doe the heart no good they can worke no sound cure on a wounded spirit Ecclesiast 2.2 I said of mirth what doth it Nay it makes the wound in the end worse then it found it Proverbs 14.13 The end of that mirth is heavinesse 2. They that take this course doe seeke to hide themselves from God as Adam did Genesis 3.8 1. And what madnesse is it for a man to thinke hee can bee able to doe so A child or a servant may runne away from his father or Master when they are angry or threaten them but who can runne away or hide himselfe from God Psalme 139.7 Adam thought to have hidden himselfe but hee could not Genesis 3.9 2. Admit one could doe so yet is not that the way to recover his favour by hiding our selves or running from him Draw neare to God saith the Apostle Iam. 4 ◠and hee will draw neare to you The second caveat I must give you is this take heed you yeeld not unto this tentation but resolve to resist it that is the way to overcome it if thou resist it not thou art in danger to be overcome of it Iames 4.7 Resist the Devill and he will flye from you When so foule a tentation as this is to bee perswaded that God hateth thee and hath rejected thee and is thine enemy that thou hast no part in Christ nor in Gods mercy is suggested into thy mind reject it with detestation as our Saviour did the like Matth. 4.10 Get thee hence Satan But how should I resist it wilt thou say The Apostle telleth thee 1. Peter 5.9 Whom resist stedfast in the faith Two things thou must do in this case First consider what God in his word hath said concerning such as thou art Search into the word acquaint thy selfe with Gods promises Thus did Christ resist Satan Matth. 4.4 7 10. This is the sword of the spirit Ephesi 6.17 Resolve therefore thus with thy selfe as David doth Psal. 85.8 I will hearken not what Satan or mine owne heart saith but what the Lord God will say of such as I am Say to thine heart as our Saviour doth to the Lawyer Luke 10.26 What is written in the Law how readest thou It is written Psal. 103.17 The mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that feare him And such a one thou canst not deny thy selfe to bee It is written Prov. 28.13 He that covereth his sins shall not prosper but who so confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy It is written Ps. 105.3 Let the heart of them rejoyce that seeke the Lord. It is written Rom. 5.20 Where sin abounded there grace did much more abound There is no comparison betweene the multitude and hainousnesse of thy sins and Gods mercy or Christs merit It is written Iohn 6.37 Him that commeth to me desireth unfainedly to have benefite by me and to beleeve in me I will in no wise cast out and such a one thou canst not deny thy selfe to bee And many other such comfortable promises are written in Gods word Acquaint thy selfe with them ô they may stand thee in great stead one day David found this Psal. 119.93 I will never forget thy precepts for with them thou hast quickened me Secondly Resolve with thy selfe thou wilt give credit unto and rest upon that which God hath said in his word though a thousand Devils and thine owne heart also should say never so much to the contrary though thou have no feeling nor comfort at all in the assurance of Gods favour Say with David Psal. 56 3 4. When I am afraid I will trust in thee Why so In God will I praise his word in God have I put my trust As if hee had said though I be full of feares and consequently void of comfort and feeling yet I have Gods word and promise and that I will trust to For we live by our faith and not by our feeling Hab. 2.4 The just shall live by his faith It is the nature of faith to give credit unto and rest upon the word though wee see or feele nothing to rest upon Hebr. 11.1 Faith is the evidence of things not seene So that looke what the Apostle saith of hope Rom. 8.24 We are saved by hope but hope that is seene is not hope the same may be said of faith We are saved by faith but faith that is seene is not faith Indeed that and that only is true faith that is grounded
are to be made of this point And those are foure principally 1. For instruction 2. For the triall and examination of our selves 3. For exhortation 4 For reproofe And first for instruction To teach us how to judge of the hainousnesse of sin that no sin is small or light to be accounted of every sin even that that we thinke to be the least is a dead worke as the Apostle calleth it Heb. 6.1 deserveth eternall death This is a point of great use 1. To worke in us more feare of sin and to arme us against a conceit that usually emboldneth us to many sins and hardeneth us in them because wee thinke that they are but small ones 2. To confirme us against the error of the Papists who to maintaine many other of their false doctrines the better their doctrine of possibility to keepe the whole Law their doctrine of merit their doctrine of Purgatory and such like doe teach that all sins are not in their owne nature mortall nor doe deserve eternall death but that some transgressions of the Law of God are onely veniall sins Foure things there bee that will make the truth that wee maintaine against them in this point evident unto you First Consider the father that begetteth and engendreth it in us and that is the devill who is the father of every lye not of the pernicious lye onely but of every lye Ioh. 8.44 and of every vaine and petry oath Mat. 5.37 Whatsoever is more then these that is then yea in affirming any thing and nay in denying cometh 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from the wicked one that is from the devill as the same phrase is used 1 Iohn 3.12 Secondly Consider the punishment that the righteous God hath inflicted upon men even for the smallest sins And that not onely upon such as wee have no cause to doubt but that they were reprobates as upon Saul who for sparing of Agag and saving the fattest of the oxen and of the sheepe for sacrifice was utterly rejected of God 1 Sam. 15.23 and upon Ananias and Saphira who for dissembling in a small matter were suddenly strucken dead Acts 5.3 But even upon such as we have no cause to doubt but they were his elect children as upon Lots wife who for looking backe out of a loathnesse to leave the profits and pleasures of Sodom was turned into a pillar of salt Gen. 19.26 2. Vpon fifty thousand men of Bethshemesh who were slaine for looking into the Arke 1 Sam. 6.19 3. Vpon Vzzah for touching and staying the Arke when it was in danger to have fallen 2 Sam. 6.7.5 4. Vpon the young Prophet who being deceived by the old Prophet did but eate and drinke in Bethel which God had forbidden him to do 1 King 13.24 5. Vpon the man that was slaine by a lyon for refusing to smite a Prophet of the Lord when God had commanded him 1 King 20.36 6. Vpon Moses himselfe whom God would have slaine in the Inn for delaying the circumcision of his child Exod. 4.24 7. Vpon many of the elect Corinthians that for this very cause were smitten with death because they came unpreparedly unto the Lords table 1 Cor. 11.30 If any man shall object that these examples of Gods marvellous severity upon men for small sins prove not that every small sin deserveth eternall death For we are not to thinke that any of these seven sorts that have beene brought for examples died eternally I answer It is true But these corporall deaths that the Lord smote them with in this manner were evident documents and demonstrations that every one of them were worthy of eternall death for these sins For so the Apostle proveth that infants that never committed actuall sin are worthy of condemnation because they also doe die Rom. 15.14 16. And indeed this is the due desert of all sin Rom. 6.23 The wages of sin is death What death That appeareth by the other member of the verse But the gift of God is eternall life through Iesus Christ our Lord. And thus runneth the sentence of the most righteous law of God Galat. 3.10 Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things that are written in the booke of the law to doe them The least breach of the Law the least omission of any duty commanded in it maketh men liable to the curse of God And to all that are under the curse of God eternall death belongeth according to that Mat. 25.41 Depart from me ye cursed into everlasting fire prepared for the devill and his Angels Thirdly Consider the price whereby we are redeemed from the punishment that is due unto us for the least offence that ever we committed against the Law of God and it will appeare that the least sin deserveth no lesse then eternall death If it were true that a man might be cleansed from the guilt of the least transgression of Gods Law by the sprinkling of a little holy water or by entring into an hallowed Church or by a knocke upon the brest or by a Bishops blessing as the Papists teach then it might well be granted that some sins are veniall and doe not deserve eternall death But the Scripture teacheth that it is the blood of Christ that cleanseth us from all sin 1 Iohn 17. from the least aswell as from the greatest And therefore Gods people under the Law that had committed any sin against any of Gods commandements though they had done it ignorantly must bring their sacrifice unto the Priest or else there could be no atonement made betweene God and them Levi. 5.17 18. Fourthly and lastly Consider the reason of this which hath beene at large delivered in the handling of the doctrine namely that neither our obedience nor our sin is to be valued according to the greatnesse or smallnesse of the thing that is commanded or forbidden nor according to the greatnesse or smallnesse of the good or hurt that is done to man by it but according to the greatnesse and authority of the person that doth command or forbid the thing So when Saul thought that that hee had done if it were any fault was but a very small one Samuel telleth him 1 Sam. 15.23 Rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft and stubbornesse is as iniquity and idolatry As if he should say Thou wilt acknowledge witchcraft and idolatry to bee very hainous sins and I tell thee Saul thy rebellion and stubbornesse against Gods Law is no lesse a sin then that Why but Saul might have said alas I did not this out of a rebellious and stubborne minde wilfully to offend God I did it out of a good intent and the people perswaded me to it and I thought it a shame for me to be lesse forward and zealous to provide for Gods worship then they Yea but saith Samuel thou hadst the commandement of God to the contrary thou hast sleighted and set light by Gods commandement and the Lord accounteth this neglect of his commandement no
corruptions yea that little fire they have is covered in them with such an heape of ashes that little corne that is in them is hid in them in such a deale of chaffe as they can hardly discerne that truth of grace that is them To this case that proverbe may fitly be applyed Pro. 13.7 There is that maketh himselfe rich and hath nothing there is that maketh himselfe poore yet hath great riches See an example of this in David in that prayer he maketh ver 10. of this Psalme Create in me a cleane heart ô God and renew a right spirit within me He had certainely at this time a cleane heart and a right spirit but he could not perceive nor discerne it in himselfe at this time and therefore prayeth God would create it and renew it in him as if it had beene quite gone It is a farre easier thing for a regenerate man to see and discerne the corruption that is in him then the truth of grace that is in him When the Apostle speaketh of the fruits of the flesh he saith of them Gal 5.19 The workes of the flesh are manifest but when he commeth to speake of the fruits of the spirit ver 22. he saith not so of them The grace of Gods spirit is an hidden and secret thing called therefore that hidden man of the heart 1 Pet. 3.4 and cannot be certainely knowne unlesse a man take paines to search into it In this respect it is said the wise merchant Mat. 13.44 when he had found the treasure hid in the field withdrew himselfe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as merchants use to do that have great accounts to make that he might try whether it were the true treasure or no. 2. The difficulty of this worke may appeare by the expresse testimony of the Lord himselfe Ier. 17.9 The heart is deceitfull above all things who can know it It is so deceitfull this darke den hath so many corners and turnings in it that the wisest man in the world by the strength of nature is not able to find it out to know whether it be true or false sound or rotten A man may be an hypocrite and have a false heart and himselfe not know it though some hypocrisie be grosse and palpable yet all is not so This is plaine by that which our Saviour speaketh to the Angell of the Church of Laodicea Rev. 3.17 Thou knowest not that thou art wretched and miserable and poore and blinde and naked 3. The difficulty of this worke is evident by reason also For there be many good things so like unto true grace that may be in a meere naturall man as it is no easie thing to discerne and put a difference betweene them but a man may easily be deceived and think he hath truth of saving grace when he hath nothing but nature in him 1. There are certaine remnants of Gods image in many naturall men that are very like unto true grace The Gentiles that know not the law saith the Apostle Rom. 2.14 doe by nature the things contained in the law They make conscience of and hate many sinnes they may practise many morall vertues as justice mercy and fidelity which our Saviour Matth. 23.23 calleth the weightier points in Gods law And these are certainely in themselves and materially good things and it is said Mar. 10.21 our Saviour looking upon the rich man that had these things in him loved him So that it is no marvell though so many be deceived in them and take them for true grace 2. There are certaine common graces and beginnings of sanctification in many hypocrites that live in Gods Church and in the profession of the Gospell which are yet more like to saving grace then the other are Some of those that fall into the unpardonable sinne have beene inlightned as the Apostle speaketh Heb. 6.4 5. and have tasted of the heavenly gift and have beene made partakers of the Holy Ghost Some such have escaped the pollutions of the world left their knowne sinnes even through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour as the Apostle Peter speaketh 2 Pet. 2.20 3. Yea it is certaine there is a kind of truth and uprightnesse of heart in many a man that never had any truth of saving grace in him I know saith the Lord to Abimelech the King of Gerar an heathen man Gen. 20.6 that thou didst this in the integrity of thy heart Paul even whilst he was a persecuter had a kind of truth and uprightnesse of heart in that which he did I have lived saith he Acts 23 1. in all good conscience before God unto this day He did nothing but that which he was perswaded in his heart he ought to doe I verily thought saith he Act. 26.9 with my selfe that I ought to do many things contrary to the name of Iesus of Nazareth The intent and purpose of his heart was to please and honour God in it In all these three respects it is certainely an hard thing for a man to know whether his heart be right or no if he doe not carefully and diligently observe his owne heart and examine it he will never be able to know it It behoveth us to use all diligence in this businesse it will never els be well done Give diligence saith the Apostle 2 Pet. 1.10 to make your calling and election sure And by making this sure unto our selves that our hearts are upright wee shall make both our calling and election sure And this is the first Motive The second is from the possibility of this worke Though most men be deceived in this point though their heart be so deceitfull though there be so great a resemblance betweene those good things that may be in naturall men and hypocrites and the truth of grace yet if we will take paines to examine our selves well we may certainely know that our hearts are upright if they be so that there is truth of grace in us that there is more in us then can be in any naturall man or hypocrite in the world This also shall be made evident to you in three points First Because the faithfull are exhorted so oft and earnestly to prove and examine themselves whether they be in the faith or no 2 Cor. 13.5 To prove every man his owne worke Gal. 6.4 To make sure to themselves their owne calling and election 2 Pet. 1.10 Now these exhortations had beene in vaine if it were not possible for the faithfull to know they have true faith that the workes and duties they doe are done in uprightnesse if a man might not be certaine and sure that he is effectually called For though God in his law require that of the naturall man which it is impossible for him to do as the Apostle speaketh Rom. 8.3 and may justly do it 1 because when God first gave the law to mankind in Adam he made him able to keepe it 2 because by exacting this of him which he is not able to do he
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.
God had not commanded were suddenly consumed with fire from heaven Levit. 10.1 2. The other is in Vzzah who because in a right good intent hee put forth his hand to stay the arke from falling which hee had no calling nor warrant from Gods Word to do the anger of the Lord was kindled against him and strucke him dead suddenly 2 Sam 6.6.7 And thus have we seene what is the rule and patterne of all true righteousnesse and that nothing can be a good worke that is not done by the direction of Gods Word which is the first generall poiâ—t I propounded in handling the first property of true goodnesse Let us proceed now to the second of them That the cleaving unto the word and following the direction of it in all that we doe is a good note of an upright heart To make Gods Word the onely guide of our life to make conscience of nothing as in it selfe sinfull or holy but onely of that which God hath commanded or forbidden in his Word is a singular note of an upright heart See the proofe of this first in the description the Holy Ghost maketh of the man that hath an upright heart Psal. 119.1 Blessed are the undefiled or the perfect and sincere in the way Yea but how shall we know who are such Who walke in the law of the Lord saith hee As if hee should have said that is the note to know them by So verse 7. I will praise thee with uprightnesse of heart when I shall have learned thy righteous judgements And Psal. 112.1 Blessed is the man that feareth the Lord. Yea but how shall we know him That delighteth greatly in his commandements That is the way to know who truly feareth God Secondly See the proofe of this in foure notable examples 1. Iob was an upright hearted man Iob 1.1 Yea himselfe was very confident of the uprightnesse of his heart as you may see Iob 23.10 He knoweth the way that I take when he hath tried me I shall come forth like gold And what made him so confident of this That he telleth you in the next words verse 11 12. My foot hath held his steps his way have I kept and not declined neither have I gone backe from the commandement of his lips I have esteemed the words of his mouth more then my necessary food 2. Of David likewise God himselfe giveth testimony 1 King 9.4 that he had walked before him in integrity and uprightnesse of heart But how did that appeare That he telleth you in the next words by doing according to all that I have commanded 3. Of Iehoshaphat God giveth testimony 2 Chron. 19.3 that he prepared his heart to seeke God he had an upright heart How did it appeare Surely when he shewed most frailty in taking part first with Ahab then with his sonne Ioram yet even then the uprightnesse of his heart appeared in his dependance upon the direction of Gods Word and the high account he made of it 1 King 22.5 Enquire I pray thee at the word of the Lord saith he to Ahab And verse 7. Is there not here a Prophet of the Lord besides that we may enquire of him And the same you shall see noted of him also when he went with Ioram 2 King 3.11 Is there not here a Prophet of the Lord that we may enquire of the Lord by him And when he heard that Elisha was there The word of the Lord is with him saith he ver 12. so he and by his meanes the other two Kings likewise sent not for the Prophet though that they might well have done but went downe to him The fourth and last example is Iosiah of whose goodnesse the Holy Ghost makes honourable mention even after his death 2 Chron. 35.26 Now the rest of the acts of Iosiah and his goodnesse As if hee should say There was goodnesse indeed and truth of grace in him But how is that proved According to all that is written in the Law of the Lord saith the Text As if he had said His goodnesse appeared in making Gods written Word the onely rule of his life Now let us make some application of all this that wee have heard touching this first property of true goodnesse and righteousnesse and that 1 by way of exhortation 2 by way of tryall and examination of our owne hearts For the first If this be so that the written Word of God is the onely rule of true righteousnesse if it be so perfect a rule and patterne as we have heard if the following of the direction of it in all things be so sure a note of an upright heart then what a necessity is there laid upon every one of us that desire to please God to exercise our selves with all diligence in the reading and hearing and meditating of it What marvell is it though not onely Kings and Magistrates Deut. 17.18.19 Iosh. 1.8 be commanded daily to read and meditate in it but that the Holy Ghost describeth the blessed and good man Psal. 1.2 by this that his delight is in the law of the Lord and in it he doth meditate day and night O with what certainty and security and comfort might we walke in all our wayes if we had that knowledge in the Word and were so well acquainted with it as in these daies wherein we live and under such meanes as we enjoy we might be Secondly Let us all examine the uprightnesse of our hearts by this note 1. Certainly if we make no reckoning of the Word delight not in it desire not the knowledge of it but have other rules to guide our lives and consciences by beside the Word how much devotion so ever seemeth to be in us how good so ever our lives are there is no truth nor uprightnesse in our hearts If either we make the commandements and customes of men or our own heart and good meaning the rule of our spirituall life or if we make conscience of and be religiously strict in the observation of such things as God in his Word hath given us no direction for we are no better then hypocrites See how bitter our Saviour is against the Pharisees for the great conscience they made themselves and for the great zeale they shewed in pressing others to the observation of their purifyings as a point of holinesse which they had no other warrant for but the tradition of their elders and the commandements of men Mar. 7.6 and so forward For this he calleth them hypocrites and saith they did worship God in vaine And the Apostle likewise against such as did forbid marriage and the eating of meates that Gods Word did allow 1 Tim. 4.1 3. he saith this was a doctrine of divels that they that taught it taught lies through hypocrisie and had their consciences seared with a hot iron Marke well I say the vehemency and bitternesse of them both against these men and you will see cause to wonder at it For admit this was an errour
further his owne salvation He is not so dead but there is enough left in him to make him without excuse as the Apostle plainely teacheth Rom. 1.20 He may doe more then he doth to avoid damnation he may doe more then he doth to further his owne salvation and because he will not doe what he may therefore he is inexcusable therefore he is the cause of his owne destruction Why what can he do will you say I answer First He hath power enough left in him by nature to curbe and restraine himselfe from all grosse sinnes from drunkennesse and whoredome and such like sinnes yea and from haunting of lewd company that may draw him to such sinnes he may forbeare these things if he will he hath enough left in him to make him able to live a civill and unblameable life There is many a man that even by the strength of nature can truly say as he said Luk. 18.11 I thanke God I am no extortioner nor unjust in my dealings with men nor an adulterer Secondly He hath enough left in him to make him able to doe many good workes I meane workes that are materially and morally good He can if he will make restitution of that that he hath gotten unjustly and doe workes of mercy also to the poore Els would not Daniel 4.27 have spoken thus to such a man as Nebuchadnezzar was Breake off thy sinnes by righteousnesse and thine iniquities by shewing mercy to the poore And that which the young man saith of the outward observation of all the commandements of the second table Matth. 19 20. All these things have I kept from my youth up that the Apostle speaketh even of many a Gentile Rom. 2.14 The Gentiles do by nature the things contained in the law And in the Church many a man is even by the strength of nature able to say not of the second table onely but of the three latter commandements of the first table also so farre forth as the letter and externall observation of them all these have I kept Thirdly He can if he will frequent the ministery of the Word the plainest and most powerfull ministery and that constantly When thou wert young saith our Saviour to Peter Iohn 21.18 thou girdest thy selfe and walkedst whither thou wouldest So much freedome of will every man hath by nature so much power even by that generall and common grace and assistance that God communicateth unto all men that he may goe to Church if he will yea he may if he will ride or goe many miles to a Sermon ordinarily as well as he may to an market so farre The Lord speaking of such as were no better then naturall men telleth the Prophet Ezek. 33.31 They come to thee as the people commeth and they sit before thee as my people and they heare thy words Fourthly He may if he will so seriously marke and observe the Word that is preached unto him and the judgements of God which he seeth and feeleth as he may bring himselfe thereby unto legall repentance even to such a sight and sense of his sinne and of the wrath of God as may make his heart to quake and judge himselfe to be in a most miserable estate Of them that were no more then naturall men we do read Esa. 58.3 that they did use in the time of Gods judgements upon them to fast and afflict their owne soules And of Ahab and Felix we read how by hearing the Word and observing what they heard they were wrought upon Ahab 1 King 21.27.29 rent his clothes put sackcloth upon his flesh fasted and humbled himselfe before God And Felix Acts 24.25 trembled exceedingly Fiftly and lastly He may be able out of this sense he hath of his owne miserable estate not onely to desire the prayers of others as Pharaoh did Exod. 10.17 and Ieroboam 1 King 13.6 but even himselfe also to cry importunately and pray to God for mercy So it is said of the mariners Ionah 1. that in the extreame feare they were in through the apprehension of Gods wrath they cried not onely every man unto his God verse 5. but unto the Lord also unto Iehovah verse 14. So it is likewise said of Saul Acts 9.11 Behold hee prayeth When our Saviour exhorteth the hypocriticall Iewes in an allegoricall speech to make their peace with God in time while this life and the day of grace lasteth Luke 12.58 59. he maketh this preface to that exhortation verse 57. Yea and why even of your selves judge ye not what is right As if he had said You have so much light and judgement in your selves even by nature as to discerne that that is fit and necessary to be done Even by the light of nature a man may be able out of the apprehension and sense of his owne fearefull condition to desire reconciliation with God and to cry earnestly for it Now if any man shall aske me and what is all to the purpose that you say a naturall man is able to doe seeing none of all this is any thing worth in the sight of God or pleasing unto him seeing there is no true goodnesse in any of this that a naturall man doth Without faith it is impossible to please God Hebrewes 11.6 I answer First That though this be so yet I may say to the naturall man that doth these things that doth thus what in him lyeth as our Saviour said to the Scribe Marke 12.34 Thou art not farre from the kingdome of God such a man is nearer to heaven then any other naturall man in the world is Secondly That though by doing all this that lyeth in his power 1 he cannot deserve neither ex condigno nor ex congruo as the Papists speake that God should save him or give him his grace for Gods grace is free he worketh in men both to will and to doe of his owne good pleasure as the Apostle speaketh Phil. 2.13 2 He can have no certaine assurance when he hath done all this that lyeth in him to doe that he shall find mercy with God for there is no promise made to these things All the promises of God are in Christ yea and Amen as the Apostle speaketh 2 Cor. 1.20 till a man be in Christ he hath no promise from God yet may the naturall man be greatly incouraged to doe thus what lyeth in him to flie from the wrath to come and to please God and may conceive hope that by doing these things as well as he is able God will be pleased out of his infinite goodnesse to shew mercy on him And these grounds he hath out of Gods Word for his encouragement therein 1. Because the Lord hath revealed himselfe in his Word to be so infinite in mercy and goodnesse Exod. 34.7 and hath sworne Ezek. 33.11 that hee hath no pleasure in the death of the wicked 2. Because God seeketh to the vilest sinner in the ministery of his word 2 Cor. 5. â—0
this Neh. 1.11 that he desired to feare Gods name The third example is the Apostle Pauls who desiring the prayers of Gods people for himselfe Heb. 13.18 mentioneth this for their encouragement therein and for his owne comfort that hee had a good conscience in all things desiring to live honestly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And againe Rom. 7. he professeth verse 20 It is no more â— that doe it he did not transgresse Gods law Why so Because as he saith ver 15 hee did not in his mind allow himselfe in any evill that which I doe I allow not And because whatsoever evill he did was against his will verse 16 I doe that which I would not And verse 19. The evill which I would not that I doe and verse 15. What I hate that doe I. So on the other side hee professeth verse 25. that hee himselfe did serve the law of God hee kept Gods law How could that bee when hee confesseth verse 18. that hee found no ability in himselfe to performe that which is good Yes he telleth us how he kept the law for all that Because 1. in his mind hee did consent to the law that it is good verse 16. and verse 12. The law is holy and the commandement is holy and just and good and verse 25. With the mind I my selfe serve the law of God 2 In his will he did desire to obey God in every commandement To will is present with me saith he ver 18. and ver 19. The good that I would I doe not and verse 21. When I would doe good evill is present Certainely these holy men would never have made such mention of the goodnesse of their minds and desires if they had not held this a certaine evidence that they were in the state of grace if they had not beleeved that no sinne shall bee imputed to us which wee doe not allow our selves in and which wee commit against the desire and purpose of our hearts if they had not beleeved that that man hath truth of grace in him that doth unfeinedly desire grace hee doth truly beleeve that doth thus desire to beleeve hee doth truly repent that thus desireth to repent hee doth obey God in all things and lead an holy life that doth thus unfeinedly desire to doe so But see a second proofe of this in the sentence and testimony that God in his word hath given of such men Of this sort I will alleage but two only The first is that of the Apostle 2 Cor. 8.12 If there bee first a willing mind a man is accepted it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 If a man have a mind unfeinedly willing to doe good hee is accepted of God and that that is said of doing good may bee sayd likewise of beleeving of repenting and of every other grace if a man have a mind unfeinedly willing and desirous to beleeve to repent to love and feare God hee is accepted of God And how could he bee accepted of God if hee had not these graces in him indeed The second testimony is that which our Saviour giveth Matth. 5.6 Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousnesse And how could they be blessed that hunger after righteousnesse if they be not righteous how could he that hungreth after faith or any other saving grace be a blessed man â—f this unfeined desire were not a certaine evidence that there is truth of saving faith and grace in that man The third and last proofe is taken from the reasons and grounds of this and those are two First Because this unfeined desire of grace cannot grow from nature seeing while wee were in the state of nature wee were like to him which had a spirit of an uncleane Devill who cryed out with a loud voyce saying Let us alone what have wee to doe with thee thou Iesus of Nazareth Art thou come to destroy us I know thee who thou art the Holy one of God Luk 4.34 but is the worke of Gods sanctifying spirit It is God that worketh in us saith the Apostle Phil. 2 â—3 to will as well as to doe and that of his good pleasure his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his speciall favour and love Secondly This is a speciall part of that purchase that Christ hath made for us That whereas in the first covenant that God made with man no obedience pleased him but an exact doing of whatsoever hee commanded and the sentence of the law raâ—ne thus Galathians 3 10. Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things that are written in the booke of the law to doe them Christ by performing in his owne person this exact obedience to the law for us hath procured that our poore and imperfect obedience which standeth more in an unfeined desire and endeavour to doe the will of God then in any performance we are able to make should be acceptable unto him as the Apostle saith 1 Pet. 2.5 Yet is there a third objection that these poore soules are apt to make against themselves and my desire is to give them as full satisfaction in all their doubts as I can I grant all this saith one that if I had a true and unfeined desire of grace then I had truth of grace in mee indeed I had all the signes of uprightnesse in mee if I did indeed unfeinedly desire them But alas the good desires that seeme to bee in me are most hypocriticall and unsound If I did unfeinedly and with a good and upright heart desire grace I could not be so void of grace as I am For the Lord hath promised to fulfill the desires of them that feare him Psalme 145.19 Hee filleth the hungry with good things Luke 1.53 To this I answer Take heed of denying the work of Gods grace in thy selfe It is an high degree of unthankefulnesse to doe so But take these for certaine evidences that the desire of thy heart is right First Thou esteemest more of the favour of God and of his grace then of any thing else in the world and canst say with David Psalm 4.6 I would joy more in the light of thy countenance then ever worldling or Epicure did in his wealth or pleasure Secondly Thou allowest not thy selfe but strivest against every sinne and corruption thou findest in thy selfe and feelest in thy selfe that blessed combate that Paul speaketh of Galath 5.17 The spirit lusteth against the flesh Thirdly Thou seekest by prayer and all other good meanes to get more grace and cryest with that poore man Marke 9.24 Lord helpe mine unbeliefe Lord helpe my impenitency my worldlinesse c. Yea even when thou hast hardest conceit against thy selfe that thou art but an hypocrite but a cast-away yet thou cryest and prayest still to God for grace as David did Psalme 31.22 Fourthly and lastly Thou mournest and grievest unfeinedly that thou hast no more faith no more grace Thou dost as that poore man Marke 9.24 hee cryed out of his infidelity and watered
5.6 that she had changed Gods judgements into wickednesse more then the nations and his statutes more then the countries that were round about her and yet unto Iudah God gave the meanes of salvation and denied them to all other nations in the world beside Chorazin and Bethsaida were worse people and did not make so good use of the light of nature as Tyre and Sidon did as is plaine by Christs speech Matth. 11.21 and yet unto them the Gospell was preached by Christ himselfe and denied unto the other The Gentiles that lived after Christs ascension and unto whom the Apostles did preach were nothing so morall men nor were comparable in the right use of the light and law of nature unto Socrates and Aristides unto Cato and Scipio and divers others that we read of For of some of them it is said that they even till the time of their calling Tit. 3.3 served divers lusts and pleasures lived in malice and envie and that they were odious men And of some of them it is said 1 Cor. 6.9 11. that they had beene not onely theeves and drunkards and extortioners and adulterers but even effeminate persons and buggerers abusers of themselves with mankind And yet to these God vouchsafed his Gospell and denied it unto the other that were not onely free from these foule vices but were also for morall vertues and for the use they made of the light and law of nature most rare and excellent men And may not wee all to conclude set our seale to this truth from our own experience Is our nation or are those townes in our land where the Gospell is most plentifully preached Or were many of our selves before our calling better people then any of those are to whom the Lord still denieth the light of his Gospell No no the Lord knoweth and our owne hearts know it is not so The Lord in giving us his Gospell had no respect at all to any goodnesse hee saw was in us Nothing moved him to it but his owne free grace and good pleasure towards us wee did nothing at all to further and procure so much as our outward calling All is to bee ascribed unto God alone Lecture CII On Psalme 51.6 November 4. 1628. IT followeth now that we shew this to be so likewise in the inward calling that that is much more to be ascribed wholly unto the Lord nothing unto man himself And this shall also appeare unto us in these three points 1. It is of God only that the meanes of grace become effectuall to the conversion of any man 2. The worke of Gods 〈◊〉 making the meanes of grace effectuall in any is no common worke 3. The worke of Gods spirit in making the meanes of grace effectuall to the conversion of any is most free nothing that man can do can either procure or hinder it For the first The best course I can take for the confirmation of it will bee by answering a question or two that may be moved touching the sufficiency and power that is in the Word and the ministery thereof to work the conversion of man First Doth not the Scripture speake great things and ascribe much to the Word it selfe in this case and to the preaching of it 1 The Word it selfe is said to be lively and mighty in operation sharper then any two edged sword Heb. 4.12 Is not my Word like as a fire saith the Lord Ier. 23.29 and like a hammer that breaketh the rocke in pieces And the Apostle calleth it the incorruptible seed whereby we are borne againe 1 Pet. 1.23 Yea the Prophet expressely saith Psal. 19.7 That the law of the Lord is perfect converting the soule 2. Of the faithfull Ministers and preachers of the Word it is said both 1 Cor. 3.9 and 2 Cor. 6.1 that they are workers together with God And Paul telleth the Corinthians 1 Cor. 4.15 that he was their father in Christ Iesus he had begotten them through the Gospell and 9.1 that they were his worke in the Lord. Yea Philem. 19. Thou owest to me even thine owne selfe To this I answer First That these places are not so to be understood as if there were any naturall vertue or power inherent in the Word it selfe or the ministery thereof given unto it of God as there is in the fire to warme us or in our food to nourish us or in the seed to bring forth fruit Secondly That the reason why the Holy Ghost is pleased thus to speake and to ascribe thus much unto the Word and the ministery thereof is that hee might dignifie this ordinance of his and worke in his people an high esteeme of it And to shew them 1. It is that noble instrument that hee hath ordained to worke the conversion of man by and without which he useth not to worke the conversion of any It pleased God by the foolishnesse of preaching saith the Apostle 1 Corinthians 1.21 to save men And we are the Ministers by whom yee beeleeved saith he 1 Cor. 3.5 even as the Lord gave to every man And Rom. 10.14 How can they beleeve in him of whom they have not heard and how shall they heare without a preacher 2. He useth to work with it and to accompany it by the operation of his spirit though not in every one that heareth it yet in the hearts of his elect according to the promise of Christ Matth. â—8 20 Lo I am with you alway even to the end of the world This made the Apostle to say and to praise God for it 2 Cor. 2.14 that hee did make manifest the savour of his knowledge by them in every place God never placeth the faithfull ministery of the Gospell in any place but he useth to make it savoury and fruitfull unto some 3. To shew us the high account the Lord himselfe maketh of this his ordinance how he esteemeth of it We are unto God a sweet savour in Christ saith the Apostle 2 Cor. 2.15 in them that are saved and in them that perish As if he had said Even where God is not pleased to work with our ministery so farre as to make it effectuall to the conversion of men yet even there also our ministery is never the lesse acceptable to God but he joieth and taketh pleasure in it Thirdly and lastly I answer to this first Question that the vertue and power that the Word and ministery thereof hath to convert and worke grace is not in it selfe but wholly in the spirit of God that worketh with it And so the holy Scripture that ascribeth so much unto the Word as you have heard interpreteth it selfe in sundry places I am the Lord thy God that teacheth thee to profit saith the Lord Esa 48.17 that any man profiteth by the best meanes it is of God onely Of his owne will begat he us by the Word of truth saith the Apostle Iames 1.18 As though hee 〈◊〉 â—ay We were indeed begotten againe by the Word but
was there in him either to further or to hinder any of them And if the efficacie of grace that God giveth to men for their conversion were no more but this that they are made thereby able to convert and repent if they will how could that bee true which the Apostle speaketh 1. Cor. 4.7 Who maketh thee to differ from another and what hast thou that thou hast not received Who made Peter to differ from Iudas that when they had both fallen the one truly repented the other did not Surely if this were so Peter might have said not the Lord but I made my selfe to differ from Iudas he had as sufficient grace given him of God for his conversion as I had he had power given him to repent if he had listed as well as I but he did not make right use of his free will for the accepting of Gods grace as I did and that was it that made the difference betweene him and me Lecture CIII On Psalme 51.6 Nouemb. 11. 1618. IT followeth now that wee proceed to the latter branch of the Doctrine namely to shew That the sound and saving knowledge of the truth that is in any man is to bee ascribed only to the worke of Gods grace and holy spirit not unto any power and ability that is in man himselfe In the hidden part saith David here thou hadst made mee to know wisedome See this confirmed unto you in three points 1. No man is able without the supernaturall grace of Gods spirit to attaine unto that knowledge of the truth as is sufficient unto his salvation 2 This supernaturall grace of Gods spirit is not common nor actually vouchsafed unto all that doe enjoy the meanes of instruction 3. No cause can bee given why this grace should bee vouchsafed unto one rather then unto another but onely the good pleasure and will of God For the first of these points I can no way better confirme it unto you then by answering two objections that may be made against it 1. Concerning the cleare and evident manifestation of the truth in the word and the ministery thereof 2. Concerning the great measure of knowledge that many a man by his naturall abilities without any supernaturall worke of Gods grace hath attained unto For the first It cannot bee denyed that all those truths the knowledge whereof is necessary unto salvation are not darkely and obscurely but plainly and clearely set downe in the holy Scriptures Thy word saith David Psal. 119.105 is a lampe unto my feet and a light unto my path And the Apostle 2 Peter 1.19 calleth the word of prophesie the Scripture of the old Testament a light that shineth in a darke place An evident demonstration of the plainnesse and easinesse of the holy Scripture to be understood is this that it was written for the use not of the learned onely but of all Gods people I have written to him saith the Lord Hosea 8.12 that is to say to Ephraim to the whole people and congregation of Israel the great things of my law but they were counted as a strange thing And how could Ephraim be blamed for counting them as a strange thing if they had beene written so obscurely and darkely that they could not bee understood by them So our Saviour speaking to the multitude to the common people Iohn 5.39 commandeth them to search the Scriptures that is to read and studie them diligently and giveth this for his reason For in them saith hee you thinke to have eternall life and they are they that testifie of mee which hee would never have done if he had thought the Scriptures had beene so darke that the common people could never understand them Neither would the Apostle have commended this in Timothy 2 Tim. 3.15 that from a child hee had knowne the holy Scriptures nor noted it to the praise of his grandmother and mother that they had trained him up so if hee had not knowne that the holy Scriptures are so plaine that even children may bee able to understand them Certainely they are so plaine in those points the knowledge whereof is necessary to the obtaining of eternall life as no man no woman no child need to bee discouraged from the reading and study of them Yea it was purposely written by the holy Ghost in that manner that it might bee understood of the simplest of them that read it and bring them unto knowledge The testimony of the Lord saith David Psal. 19.7 8. is sure making wise the simple the commandement of the Lord is pure enlightning the eyes And 119.130 The entrance of thy words saith hee or the doore of them as it is in the Originall giveth light it giveth understanding unto the simple As if he had said So soone as they doe but open the doore and make any entrance into them they shall see light and get understanding by them And if these necessary truths of God were so plainly delivered and set downe in the word of prophesie in the Scripture of the old Testament how much more in the new wherein all things are plainer then they were in the old and which doth open and interpret those things that were more darkely delivered by the prophets The mystery which was kept secret since the world began saith the Apostle Rom. 16.25 26. is now made manifest and by the Scriptures of the Prophets he meaneth as they are now opened and interpreted according to the commandement of the everlasting God made knowne to all nations for the obedience of faith And if all necessary truths be so plainely set downe and delivered in the written word how much more in the ministery of the word preached For this is a chiefe worke and duty of the ministery to open the Scriptures and make the meaning of them plaine unto the people as those Levites did Nehem. 8.8 They gave the sense of the law of God and caused the people to understand the reading And if all necessary truths be with such evidence and plainnesse delivered in the word and the ministery thereof why may not any man having the use of reason and judgement and being attentive in reading and hearing without the helpe of any supernaturall grace attaine to the sufficient knowledge of them nay how can he choose but doe it To this I answer The whole truth of God that is necessary to be knowne unto salvation is indeed plainely and clearely revealed in the holy Scriptures there is in the word and ministery thereof a bright and shining light But alas every man by nature is blind Hee that lacketh these things saith the Apostle 2 Peter 19. he that is unregenerate and lacketh saving grace is blind And what use can the blind man make of the light while he remaineth blind and till his eyes be opened Till the Lord annoint our eyes with that eye-salve that Christ speaketh of Revel 3.18 and cure us of this blindnesse till he open our eyes till he by his spirit inlighten
then dead men Such a one was Paul who though before his conversion he had lived most civilly and his life touching the righteousnesse which is in the law had beene blamelesse as himselfe speaketh Phil. 3.6 yet was he before his conversion but a dead man For you shall find hee putteth himselfe in that number Even when we were dead in sinnes saith he Ephes. 2.5 Of all men you see it is said that they are by nature not onely halfe dead as the man that went from Ierusalem to Iericho and fell among theeves as Luk 10.30 but stark dead And therefore the worke of our conversion is called by the Holy Ghost not the healing of a wounded man or the curing of a sicke man but the giving of life unto and raising up of a dead man God when wee were dead in sinnes hath quickned us and hath raised us up saith the Apostle Ephes. 2.5 6. It was certainely a mighty worke of Christ when upon his saying to the Leper Matth. 8.3 Bee thou cleane immediatly his Leprosie was cleansed But it was a farre mightier worke of Christ when upon his saying unto Iairus daughter Matth. 5.41 42. Damsell I say unto thee arise straightway the damsell arose and walked And such a mighty worke of Christ as this is the conversion of every man To every soule before it can be converted the Lord by his mighty voice saith as you read Ephes. 5.14 Awake thou that sleepest that is to say the sleepe of death Psalme 13.3 and arise from the dead and Christ shall give thee light The dead shall heare the voice of the Sonne of God saith our Saviour Iohn 5.25 and they that heare shall live Certainely we are all by nature dead in trespasses and sins and our conversion is a reviving and raising up of one that was dead and if a dead man hath any power at all to further his owne resurrection then may it bee granted that there is in a man by nature some power to further the worke of his owne conversion but not els I know well what is objected against this reason that there can bee no strength in it 1. Because it is taken from such sayings of the Holy Ghost as are not proper but similitudes onely figurative and borrowed speeches and that from similitudes nothing can bee taught or concluded demonstratively 2. That the meaning of the Holy Ghost in these speeches cannot be to teach that the naturall man is in all respects like unto a dead man because it is evident every naturall man hath some life left in him But unto this I answer First That the similitudes and borrowed speeches that the Holy Ghost useth in the holy Scriptures are profitable to teach and to convince also As the Apostle speaketh of the whole Scripture 2 Tim. 3.16 All Scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable for Doctrine and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for convincing too Yea and doctrine may be as substantially confirmed and any errour as strongly improved and convinced by those places of holy Scripture as are set downe in similitudes and borrowed speeches as by any other so that those similitudes be not strained beyond the scope and intent of the Holy Ghost in using and applying of them yea the doctrine of salvation is more clearely and convincingly taught unto the faithfull in sundry of the Scripture similitudes and parables then in any other place Therefore the Lord speaketh of this as of a great favour and mercy vouchsafed unto his Church that he hath in his Word taught us by similitudes I have also spoken by the Prophets saith hee Hos. 12.10 and I have multiplied visions and used similitudes by the ministery of the Prophets He taught them many things by parables and said unto them in his doctrine saith the Evangelist of our Saviour Mar. 4.2 He used similitudes and parables much in his ministery and hee taught them doctrine by parables And when he had taught Nicodemus this very doctrine that we have now in hand Ioh. 3.3 the doctrine of the conversion of a man the necessity of it and the manner of it by a similitude and figurative speech borrowed from our naturall generation a similitude which men now a daies can as ill abide should be pressed in the handling of this doctrine as they can this of a naturall mans being dead in trespasses and sins hee sharply reproveth him ver 12. for his blockishnesse and frowardnesse in not understanding and beleeving this truth that was taught him in so plaine a manner and by so familiar a similitude If I have told you earthly things that is this heavenly and necessary Doctrine in an earthly manner by an earthly similitude and ye beleeve not how shall ye beleeve if I tell of heavenly things If I should teach you in a more heavenly manner And surely I am afraid Christ will bee as angry with many now a daies as he was then with Nicodemus that will not beleeve man is by nature utterly void of freedome of will to further the work of God in his conversion though the Lord have so often taught it us in his Word in this earthly manner by these plaine and sensible comparisons and said that we were all by nature dead in trespasses and sinnes that our conversion is a regeneration a new creation a resurrection from the dead yet they will not beleeve it Secondly Whereas they say that the naturall man is not in all respects like unto the dead man for it is evident there is some life left in him I answer That he hath indeed some life The very light of nature which every man hath is a kind of life And so the Evangelist speaketh Iohn 1.4 In him was life and that life was the light of men The Ability that the naturall man hath to doe sundry things that are morally good the Gentiles doe by nature the things contained in the law saith the Apostle Romanes 2.14 argueth there is some life in him A naturall life I confesse he hath as well in his soule as in his body whereby he is able to live unto himselfe and unto men but spirituall life whereby he might live unto God he hath none at all In respect of any ability is in him to further his owne conversion of any ability to do or think or desire any thing that is truly good and pleasing unto God of any freedome of will to accept of Gods grace in Christ when it is offered to him in the Gospell in respect of this spirituall life I say he is starke dead Hee is utterly alienated from the life of God as the Apostle speaketh Ephes. 4.18 For every imagination of the thoughts of his heart is onely evill continually as the Lord speaketh Gen. 6.5 No man hath any jot of spirituall life in him till he be regenerated till Christ dwell in his heart by faith The life which I now live in the flesh saith the Apostle Gal. 2.20 I live by the
was the onely ground of all his comfort he rejoiced and gloryed in nothing els God forbid saith he that I should glory save in the crosse of our Lord Iesus Christ. And thus we have heard the Doctrine confirmed unto us sufficiently Let us now proceed to the reasons and grounds of it and they are two principally according to the two severall branches of the Doctrine First No man can expect any mercy from God but onely through Christ Because he knoweth that he is by nature the child of wrath Wee all saith the Apostle Ephes. 2.3 were by nature the children of wrath even as others the elect as well as the reprobate the blessed Apostle as much as any other man was by nature the child of wrath And as he knoweth hee is in this estate by nature so by falling into and living in knowne sinnes he knoweth likewise that he provoketh the Lord afresh oftentimes and maketh him his enemie Thou hatest all workers of iniquity saith David Psal. 5.5 They rebelled and vexed his holy spirit saith the Prophet Esa. 63.10 speaking of Gods owne people therefore he was turned to be their enemy And who can expect mercy and kindnesse from him whom he knoweth to be his enemy No no no mercy no comfort can be looked for at Gods hands nothing but terrour nothing but indignation and wrath while God is our adversary till we be reconciled unto him Till then if a mans conscience be not senslesse there can be nothing in him but a certaine fearefull looking for of judgement as the Apostle speaketh Heb. 10.27 and of fiery indignation which shall devoure the adversaries Now Christ is the onely mediator between God and us to go betweene us and make reconciliation There is but one Mediator betweene God and man saith the Apostle 1 Tim. 2.5 the man Christ Iesus And Col. 1.19 20. It pleased the Father by him to reconcile all things unto himselfe Secondly No man can expect any mercy from God till he know first that the justice of God is satisfied for him As the Lord hath set this law unto all men to looke first to justice and then to mercy not to shew mercy unto any wiâ—h neglect of justice What doth the Lord require of thee saith he Mic. 6.8 but to do justly and to love mercy Thou shalt not respect the person of the poore in judgement saith the Lord Levit. 19.15 As if he had said Thou shalt not out of compassion to his distressed estate neglect to do justice So hath he set this law unto himselfe to looke first to justice and then to mercy not to have compassion upon any mans misery or to shew mercy on him with neglect of his justice For God is infinite in justice and will have his Law satisfied to the full It is easier for heaven and earth to passe saith our Saviour Luc. 16.17 than for one title of the law to faile As though he should say The Lord had rather heaven and earth and all the creatures therein should come to nought and perish everlastingly than that one word or title of his Law should faile and be unfulfilled And this is the irrecoverable sentence of his Law which the Apostle mentioneth Galat. 3.10 Cursed iâ— every one that continueth not in all things that are written in the Law to do them Till therefore a man know that this sentence of the law be fulfilled till a man know that this curse is borne for him he cannot expect to find any mercy with God See how the Lord hath expressed himselfe in this point even in that place where he hath amplified his mercy most and set it forth to the full I meane Exod. 34.6 7. The Lord is mercifull and gracious long sâ—ffering and abundant in goodnesse and truth keeping mercy for thousands forgiving iniquity and transgression and sinne What can be said more for the amplifying of Gods mercy than is said here And yet mark what followeth in the very next words and that will by no meanes cleare the guilty As if he had said As infinite as the Lord is in mercy yet will he by no meanes cleare any man that is guilty of the transgression of his law without satisfaction be made to his justice for him And who is able to make satisfaction to the justice of God for the sinne of man Who is able to satisfie the law and to beare this penalty and curse that is due unto him for the least transgression of it Who can stand before his indignation saith the Prophet Nah. 1.6 and who can abide in the fiercenesse of his anger Surely all the Angels and Saints in heaven and earth could not do it Onely Christ Iesus who was more than a man was able to doe it and did it for his elect to the utmost The Lord hath laid upon him saith the Prophet Esa. 53.6 the iniquity of us all that is the full punishment of all our iniquities Christ hath redeemed us saith the Apostle Gal. 3.13 from the curse of the law being made a curse for us He trod the winepresse of the fiercenesse and wrath of almighty God saith Iohn Rev. 19.15 There was not one jot of the fiercenesse and wrath of God that was due to the sinnes of any of the elect but he trod it out it came all upon him Christ himselfe our blessed Mediator could not make our peace with God nor get him to pardon our sinne and shew us mercy by intreaty or intercession or by any other meanes till he had satisfied the law for us till he had paid every farthing of our debt till he had borne the curse and punishment that was due to us for our sinnes even to the uttermost When we were enemies saith the Apostle Rom. 5.10 we were reconciled to God by the death of his Sonne nothing but the death of his Sonne would do it This truth the Lord taught his people even under the Law Without a sacrifice without shedding of blood there was no remission of any sinne saith the Apostle Heb. 9.22 It is the bloud saith the Lord Levit. 17.11 that maketh attonement for the soule And these are the reasons and grounds of the Doctrine Now before we come to the uses of it a question must be resolved to prevent the misunderstanding of this that hath beene delivered and to make way for the uses that are to be made of it How can it be said that no mercy can be obtained of God for us by any other way but by the bloudy passion of Iesus Christ seeing the Scripture so oft ascribeth our whole salvation to the meere grace and goodnesse of God onely By grace ye are saved saith the Apostle Eph. 2.5 And for the undoubted certainty of this truth he repeateth it againe Verse 8. in the very same words and teacheth us that our whole salvation commeth most freely unto us I will love them freely saith the Lord Hos. 14.4 We are justified freely by his grace saith the Apostle
for thee the death of the Crosse that cursed death if he had not beene made a curse for thee Christ both redeemed us saith the Apostle Gal. 3.13 from the curse of the law being made a curse for us for it is written Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree The scripture indeed seemeth to ascribe our redemption wholy to his bodily death and to the bloud that he shed for us We have redemption through his bloud even the forgivenesse of our sins saith the Apostle Eph. 1 7. And Revel 5. â— Thou hast redeemed us to God by thy bloud But wee must understand that in these and such like places the holy Ghost useth a Synechdoche that is putteth one part of Christs passion for the whole And two reasons there are why his whole passion is expressed by this part of it rather then by the other 1. Because the shedding of his bloud was the most apparant and sensible signe and evidence that hee did indeed lay downe his life and dye for us yea that hee dyed a violent death For the life of the flesh is in the bloud saith the Lord Levit. 17.11 2. This did best declare him to bee the true propitiatory sacrifice that was figured by all the sacrifices under the law that lambe of God that taketh away the sinnes of the world as Iohn Baptist calleth him Ioh. 1. â—9 But it was not that alone that could have done the deed all the pains and torments he endured in his body for us could not have obtained for us the pardon of any one sin He suffered much more in his soule for us then he did in his body He made his soule an offering for sin as the Prophet speaketh Esa. 53.10 His soule was exceeding sorrowfull even to the death Mat 26.38 He endured the torments of the soule aswell as of the body for us Yea the curse of God and those unspeakeable and unconceivable torments that were due to all the sinnes of all Gods Elect both in body and soule he endured to the uttermost The Lord spared him not as the Apostle saith Rom. 8.32 nor abated him one farthing of our debt but made him pay it all The Lord laid upon him saith the Prophet Esa. 53.6 the iniquity of us all that is the punishment due unto all our iniquities And verse 4. Surely hee hath borne our griefes and carried our sorrowes the sorow and anguish that was due to us for our sinnes hee hath borne it all and every jot of it and so he made full satisfaction to the justice of God for us and unlesse he had so done he could never have redeemed us from our sins He made our peace through the bloud of his crosse saith the Apostle Col. 1.20 by no death but by that cursed death hee could have made our peace with God Fourthly and lastly Christ himselfe by dying for us the death of the Crosse and by enduring in body and soule the torments due to our sins could not have made our peace with God if hee had not beene more then a man more then a creature admit it had beene possible for a creature to have borne Gods curse if hee had not beene God All his sufferings could not have bin a price sufficient to redeeme one soule to purchase the pardon of one sin if they had not bin the sufferings of God himselfe The infinite wrath of God due unto sinne which no creature is able to beare at once and therefore must be enduring of it everlastingly Their worme shall never dye saith the Prophet Esay 66.24 their fire shall never be quenched Christ being God mighty in strength as Iob speaketh Iob 9.4 was able to beare altogether and at once in that short time that he was upon the Crosse. The Apostle calleth the bloud of Christ wherby we are redeemed a precious bloud 1 Pet. 1.19 And indeed it must needs bee precious of infinite price and merit able to countervaile and answer for the everlasting torments that were due to the sins of all Gods elect because it was the bloud of God himselfe God purchased his Church with his owne bloud saith the Apostle Actes 20.28 God laid downe his life for us saith the Apostle 1 Iohn 3.16 The Lord of glory was crucified saith holy Paul 1 Cor. 2.8 Nothing but the infinite suffering of such a person could have procured us the pardon of the least of our sins Now to conclude this use of instruction and to make some application of it Learne by this that thou hast heard to judge rightly of sin of every sin of thine owne sins especially Labour to have a sound judgement in this point to bee perswaded in thy judgement that every sin is a most deadly and heinous thing Know thou and see saith the Lord Ier. 2.19 that it is an evill thing and bitter that thou hast forsaken the Lord thy God and that my feare is not in thee Iudge not according to the appearance Ioh. 7.24 of this matter but judge righteous judgement Iudge not of sin according as the world judgeth of it nor according to those colours that Sathan and thine owne foolish heart is apt to put upon it but judge of sin as God in his word judgeth of it for his judgement will stand when all is done Account it a point of extreame folly in thy selfe and a signe that thou hast lost all judgement that thou art strangely blinded besotted and bewitched by the devill even this I say that thou canst thinke of any sin that it is but a small matter that thou canst so sleight and make nothing of many sins that thou dost in thy heart so scorne and befoole them whom thou seest so precise and fearefull to do the least thing that might offend God Fooles make a mocke of sin saith Solomon Prov. 149. They are fooles certainely and starke fooles that make so small a matter of any sin But for the better perswading you to hearken to my counsell in this I will 1. give you two motives to seeke for soundnesse of judgement in this case â— I will shew you the meanes whereby you may rectifie your judgements in this point And for the Motives consider First That no man can truly repent of his sinne nor bee affected with it as he ought to be till he can rightly judge of sin know how heinous and dangerous a thing it is The will and affections of a man are swayed by his judgement Be ye changed by the renewing of your mind saith the Apostle Rom. 12.2 All saving repentance and change of the heart beginneth in the renewing and rectifying of the mind and judgement This will the better appeare if wee consider five things that are required in true repentance 1. Wee must cast away with loathing and detestation our sinnes as a man would cast away a menstruous and filthy ragge that by chance is fallen upon him and say to it get thee hence Esay 30.22 2. Wee must hate and
Fiftly 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
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
gives to know his Elect by Iohn 10.5 a stranger one that brings new and strange Doctrine other Doctrine then such as their shepheard doth teach they will not follow but will flee from him Lest they should follow him and bee mislead by him they will flee from him if they should not flee from him they feare they might bee seduced by him Yea though Timothy was himselfe a preacher and a man of rare and excellent gifts too yet the Apostle forbids him to reason much with wrangling spirits and such as would use their wits to dispute against the truth Perverse disputings saith hee 1 Timothy 6.5 of men of corrupt mindes and destitute of the truth From such withdraw thy selfe And if such a man might not bee allowed to reason much with heretickes nor to delight to heare what they could say against the truth and for their errours how much lesse may a private Christian bee allowed to doe thus Say not I shall by hearing and reading what they say discerne the absurdity of their opinions the better and bee confirmed in the truth For first This is not the meane that God hath sanctified to confirme his people in the truth but expressely forbidden it as you have heard heare them not saith hee avoid them flee from them Secondly The way that God hath sanctified to confirme thee in the truth sufficiently and abundantly is the sound ministery of his Word Paul and Barnabas by their preaching confirmed the soules of the Disciples Act. 14 21 22. And Paul sent Timothy by his ministery and preaching to establish the Thessalonians 1 Thess. 3.2 Thirdly This will be a meane to weaken thee rather and breed doubts in thee and pervert thee then to confirme thee in the truth Remember what Eve got by giving her selfe liberty to conferre and reason with the Serpent specially when she was alone yet was she then in the state of innocency Gen. 3.1 2. If thou wilt needs heare and read what such men can say bee sure thou have some with thee that is able to detect and confirme thee against their errours Neither say secondly But I know my selfe to bee so setled in the truth that nothing they can say against it shall bee able to move mee but I shall bee rather able to convince them For first Many that oppose the truth and teach errour are full of sleight and cunning craftinesse as the Apostle speaketh Ephes. 4.14 and will speake with farre greater probability and shew of reason then thou art aware of Secondly Heresies are workes of the flesh as the Apostle teacheth us Galathians 5.20 and therefore wee are all by nature much more apt and enclined to receive any heresy then the truth No tow no tinder is apter to take the fire then wee are to receive errour Thirdly Of the Minister of God it is indeed required that hee should bee able by sound Doctrine to convince the gainesayers Titus 1.9 hee hath a calling unto it and therefore hee may safely so farre as the necessity of the Church shall require it heare and read what they can say for themselves For while we walke in any of our waies that God hath appointed us to walke in wee have a promise of protection from God Psalme 91.11 Hee will give his Angels charge over us to keepe us in all our waies But of every private Christian God requireth not this that hee should bee able to convince the gaine-sayer and answer all his cavills they have no calling unto it and therefore cannot expect the like protection from God to bee kept from taking hurt by it Fourthly and lastly Thou hast just cause to feare that because thou presuming upon thine owne strength dost willfully disobey his commandement who hath forbidden thee to heare them commanded thee to avoid them to flee from them God will leave thee and suffer thee either to bee corrupted or unsetled in thy judgement by them Take Salomon for an example of this who because hee did contrary to the commandement of God presume upon his owne understanding and strength hee was so forsaken of God that every one of his strange wives corrupted him in his judgement and drew him to approve of and practise their severall idolatries 1 Kings 11.8 And certainely many now adaies are daily either altogether corrupted or made unsetled in religion by their voluntary and needlesse reasoning with and reading the bookes of Papists and other hereticks To conclude therefore this first direction Bee not so desirous to heare what such men can say but rather as our Saviour Matth. 10.16 commands us to be wise as Serpents learne that wisedome of the Serpent which the Prophet speaketh of Psalme 58.4 5. Stop thine eare and hearken not to the voice of these charmers charme they never so wisely The second direction of the first kind is this If thou do desire to be constant in thy religiō to keep thy self from being corrupted in thy judgemēt that way take heed of affecting in religiō the knowledge of intricate curious unprofitable things There is a desire of knowledg that is most necessary such as al Gods people are to be exhorted unto and there is a desire of knowledge that is most dangerous and which we must warne you all to beware of Concerning the former First It is certaine that whatsoever God hath hath revealed in his Word as it doth concerne all so all Gods people may and should desire to attaine unto the knowledge of it Nay there is not a Chapter not a verse in all the holy Bible but every one of Gods people might make a profitable use of it if the fault or defect were not in himselfe The things revealed saith Moses Deut. 29.29 belong unto us and to our children for ever that we may doe all the words of this law There is no part of Gods revealed will but it would further us in our obedience to God if we understood it as we ought to doe Rom. 15.4 Whatsoever things were written aforetime in the Old Testament and then much more in the New were written for our learning that we through patience and comfort in the Scriptures might have hope Whatsoever is written in the holy Scriptures would further us in our faith and increase our patience and comfort and hope in all our afflictions if we did understand it aright Secondly No man ought to envy unto the people of God any measure or degree of knowledge in the holy Scriptures that they are able to attaine unto but desire and rejoyce in it rather Wee doe not cease to pray for you saith the Apostle Col. 1.9 and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will Nay though any of our people should equall our selves who are their teachers in the knowledge of the Word and be able to discerne when any of us teach unsoundly or mistake the meaning of the Scripture or play the trevants study not for our Sermons but doe the worke of the Lord
15. did me much evill the Lord reward him according to his works of whom he thou aware also for he hath greatly withstood our words And what was the cause of his falling thus fearfully That the Apostle hath told us he forsook a good conscience He gave liberty to himself to sinne against his conscience to live in some knowne sinne Corruption in manners will breed corruption in judgement A man that hath once knowne and professed the truth is seldome knowne to fall into Popery or any other heresie till he had first forsaken a good conscience and by living in knowne sinnes provoked God to give him over thus farre So among other judgements this is one whereby God threatneth to punish the disobedience of his people Deut. 28.36 Thou shalt serve other gods of wood and of stone thou shalt become a grosse and senslesse idolater And the Apostle speaking of them that in this last age should be drawne unto Popery 2 Thes. 2. he speakes of it Vers. 11. as of a fearefull judgement of God upon men for some sinnes they had beene guilty of For the cause saith he God shall send them strong delusiâ—â—s that they should believe a lie They shall be strongly deluded How By the learning or holinesse or miracles of their Priests No but by the most just hand and curse of God upon them God shall send them strong delusions that there shall be no errour in Popery so grosse no lie so palpable but they shall verily and undoubtedly believe it Marvell not then at their confidence For this cause saith the Apostle For what cause What is the sinne 〈◊〉 provokes God to plague men in this manner He nameth two one in Vers. 10 because they received not the love of the truth that they might be saved the second Vers. 12. because they tooke pleasure in unrighteousnesse To conclude then this second direction what hope can there be that many common Protestants though they be willing to heare and make profession of the truth should ever be able to continue constant in the truth in the time of tryall but that they will be apt to turne Papists blasphemers and persecutors of the truth when a time of tryall shall come seeing 1 they beare no love to the truth at all take no delight in it love every trifle and vanity better than it 2 they give liberty to themselves to live in knowne sinnes and take pleasure therein 3 they content themselves with a forme of godlinsse as the Apostle speaketh 2 Tim. 3.5 but deny and renounce the power of it and hate it mortally wheresoever they see it casting the most odious aspersious upon it Lecture CXLIX On Psalme 51.7 Nouem 1. 1631. IT followeth now that we proceed unto the third Direction and that is this He that would preserve himselfe from falling quite away from the truth and forsaking his religion must take heed of declining from or forsaking of the least truth he must not give himselfe liberty to shrink and fall from the least truth that God hath revealed unto him and wherein his conscience hath beene convinced that it is indeed a truth of God Two things there be whereby men do falsly warrant themselves to take this liberty and they be both of them certaine and undeniable truths First That there be many good and worthy men that see not nor make any reckoning of such truths as themselves have been convinced in And indeed a man may bee a right good man and indued with a great measure of saving grace and yet he cannot see nor be perswaded of some truths that God hath taught us in his holy Word but his judgement is erroneous and unsound in some points yea though he hath had great meanes to informe him in the truth yet he cannot see it And that therefore difference in judgement in some things which cannot be without errour on the one side should not alienate the hearts of brethren one from another as I shewed you in my last lecture but two out of Rom. 14 1-6 Secondly That on the other side there be many in whom no life nor power of godlinesse can be discerned that busie themselves altogether and glory in these points And indeed it is an ill signe in any and a shrewd note of an hypocrite to busie his braines about truths of lesâ—e moment with neglect of greater when a man shall seeke to be expert and cunning in those truths which concerne the ceremonies and discipline of the Church and be stiffe in the holding and maintaining of them and yet be ignorant and void of all desire to learne the doctrine of faith and repentance of mortification and newnesse of life the meaning of the ten commandements and articles of our faith of the Lords Prayer and doctrine of the Sacraments For such persons are doubtlesse under that wo that Christ denounceth Mat. 23.24 against them that straine at a gnat and swallow a camell But though these two things I say be so yet for a man to be wilfully ignorant of the truth of God in any thing wherein he is pleased to reveale his will unto us in his holy Word or to forsake it when he hath once beene convinced of it out of this conceit that it is but a small matter a trifle a man may be saved though he never know nor hold such a truth is a very dangerous sinne Observe I pray you the proofe of this in three points First Though some truths of God be comparatively greater than others as our Saviour saith Mat. 23.23 some matters of the Law and Word of God are weightier than others yet is not any one truth of God to be accounted small or of little or no moment even of those points of the law which he cals but gnats in comparison of others our Saviour saith Mat. 23.23 these ought ye to have done and not to leave the other undone even those small things ought not to be neglected ought not to be left undone I have written to them saith the Lord Hos. 8.12 the great things of my Law They are all great things that God hath written and revealed to us in his holy Word All the truths of God which the Apostles when the Spirit fell upon them in cloven tongues like fire did utter and teach are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Acts 2 11. Magnalia Dei the great things of God Yea the least truth of God that he hath revealed in his Word is to be esteemed of greater moment and weight than heaven and earth and all the creatures contained in them It is easier for heaven and earth to passe saith our Saviour Luk. 16.17 than that one title of the law should faile It is therefore a great contempt done unto Gods Word to think so lightly of any thing he hath taught us in it as if it were not worth the knowing or not worth the holding and sticking to when we do know it When David hath professed his high esteeme of Gods Word