his fatherly affection and loue in Christ more fully and cleerely to vs then hee had done to his Church vnder the Law Gal. 4. 3. 4 5. We when we were children were in bondage vnder the elements of the world But when the fulnesse of the time was come God sent forth his Sonne made of a woman made vnder the Law To redeeme them that were vnder the Law that wee might receiue the adoption of sonnes From hence then we haue this Doctrine to learne That No man can worship God aright till he know God to be his Father the better a man is perswaded and assured of Gods fatherly loue to him in Christ the better seruice he shall doe vnto him Therefore our Sauiour teaching vs to pray bids vs say Our Father Matth. 6. 9. As if he should say presume not to aske any petition of God till thou canst so conceiue and be perswaded of him And the Apostle tells vs it is the spirit of adoption that makes vs able to pray and makes this the voice of the spirit of prayer it cryes Abba O Father Rom. 8. 15. Yea he makes it an impossible thing for any man to pray aright without this assurance Rom. 10. 14 How shall they call on him in whom they haue not beleeued The reason of it is first because till we know God is our Father and Ioueth vs in Christ we cannot be assured that he will accept vs. When we know he is our Father in Christ it makes vs goe to him with boldnesse and confidence in Christ we haue boldnesse and accesse with confidence through faith in him Eph. 3. 12. I will arise and go to my father saith the Prodigall Luke 15. 18. and will say vnto him father I haue sinned against heauen and before thee Though he had sinned so outragiously yet the consideration of this that it was his father he was to go vnto gaue him boldnesse It giues vs assurance that not withstanding our infirmities he will accept vs I will spare him and deale gently and indulgently with him saith the Lord Mal. 3. 17. as a man spareth his son that serueth him When the Prodigall was yet a great way off his father saw him and had compassion and ran and fell on his necke and kissed him Luke 15. 20. And nothing graceth our prayers more with God then this confidence and boldnes Let vs come boldly to the throne of grace that we may obtaine mercy and finde grace to helpe in time of need saith the Apostle Heb. 4. 16. But without this faith and perswasion that God is our Father we can haue no assurance that any thing we doe in his seruice pleaseth him without faith it is impossible to please God Heb. 11. 6. And the best thing we doe in his seruice without this assurance that we please him in so doing is sinne Rom. 14. 23. Whatsoeuer is not of faith is sinne Secondly because till a man be perâ—…waded of Gods loue and fatherly affection towards him in Christ he can neuer serue him of loue nor with a good heart but vpon some by-respects vpon a seruile feare or hope of merit Heb. 10. 22. We can neuer draw neere to God with a true heart till we haue assurance of faith and our hearts sprinkled from an euill conscience No man can truely loue God till he be perswaded by the spirit of Gods loue to him Wee loue God because he loued vs first 1. Iohn 4. 19. true loue comes from a pure heart and a good conscience and faith vnfained 1. Tim. 1. 5. And whatsoeuer seruice we doe to God vnlesse it proceed out of a good heart and from loue to God it cannot please him though a man should giue his body to be burned in Martyrdome yet if that proceed not from his loue to God it would profit him nothing 1. Corinthians 13. 3. For what man would accept of any seruice from him that hee knowes loues him not The Vse of the Doctrine is to exhort vs to get good assurance to our hearts that God is our Father that he beares a fatherly affection to vs aboue all sinnes striue against infidelity Examine your selues whither yee bee in the faith prooue your selues 2. Cor. 13. 5. Many want this assurance and seeke it not many seeme to haue it and haue it not I will giue you foure notes to trie it by 1. God is a Father to no man but in and through Christ Iohn 1. 12. So many as receiued him to them gaue hee power to become the sonnes of God euen to them that beleeue in his name Galathians 4. 5. Hee hath redeemed vs that were vnder the Law that wee might receiue the adoption of sonnes so that vnlesse a man ground his assurance and confidence that God is his Father onely vpon Christ if hee ground it vpon this that God hath made him and preserued him c. his assurance is in vaine 2. He that is perswaded indeed that God is his Father will â—…adly and boldly resort to him in prayer Because yee are sonnes God hath sent forth the spirit of his Sonne into your hearts crying Abba Father Gal. 4. 6. They that seldome pray or pray with no willingnesse and cheerefulnesse or pray with no confidence doubtlesse are not perswaded that God is their father 3. He that is perswaded that God is his Father will not murmure against nor be put out of heart by any of Gods corrections but be perswaded of his loue euen in affliction according to that of the Apostle Heb. 12. 7. 9. If yee endure chastening God dealeth with you as with sonnes for what sonne is hee whom the father chasteneth not And Rom. 15. 3. Being iustified by faith wee glory euen in tribulation They that in the time of their peace and prosperity onely are confident in Gods loue but haue no heart no comfort in affliction are not indeed perswaded that God is their Father 4. He that is indeed perswaded that the Lord beareth the affection of a Father vnto him will beare the affection of a childe vnto God will loue him and be carefull to please him fearefull to offend him Mal. 1. 6. If I bee your Father where is mine honour Heb. 10. 22. No drawing neere to God in assurance of faith till wee be sprinkled in our hearts from an euill conscience and washed in our bodies also They that haue no care to please God nor feare to offend him doubtlesse are not perswaded that God is their Father Now come we to the principall Doctrine which our Sauiour teacheth vs in this place namely That the onely true worship of God the onely worship that pleaseth God now especially vnder the Gospell is that which is spirituall the worship that is proper to the Gospell the true Christian worship is spirituall For so saith our Sauiour here The houre commeth and now it is that the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth and againe They that worship
a seale and an earnest-penny 2. Cor. 1. 22. And well may it secure a man because he that knowes he hath it may be sure he shall neuer lose it it 's an immortall seede 1. Pet. 1. 23. it endures for euer Psal. 19. 9. Obiect No doubt but he that hath the Spirit of God to witnesse to his conscience that he is Gods childe may indeed be certaine of it but who can be assured that he hath the Spirit of God How easie is it for a man to be deceiued in this seeing 1. The heart is so deceitfull Ier. 17 9. 2 There be many remnants of Gods Image in a naturall man that may seeme to be the fruits of the Spirit And 3. There be many common gifts of the Spirit which an Hypocrite and Reprobate may haue Answ. I answer iâ—… is true indeed and therefore the faithfull are oft called vpon to examine themselves 1. Cor. 11. 28. and proue the good things that are in them Gal. 6. 4. But yet this I say that he that hath the Spirit of God may certainely and vndoubtedly know that he hath it and as the Spirit is giuen vs to witnesse to our spirits that we are Gods children so like a good witnesse he speakes so euidently and plainely that he that hath him may know and discerne his voice and plainely vnderstand what he saith Hezechia knew he had walked before God in truth and with a perfect heart and had done that which was good in his sight Esay 38. 3. and Peter knew well that he loued Christ vnfainedly aboue all things Iohn 21. 17. and Paul could say he was assured he had a good conscience in all things Heb. 13. 18. And least any should say these were extraordinary men may all that haue the Spirit be so certaine they haue it as were these three I will therefore shew you that this is the case of all them that haue Gods Spirit not of some rare and extraordinary persons onely The Apostle speakes thus not in his owne name onely but in the name of all the faithfull 1. Iohn 5. 19. We know that we are of God that is borne of God Yea they that haue receiued the Spirit haue beene so certaine of the vprightnesse of their hearts that no opposition of men or Sathan nor any affliction could driue them from it For this we haue a notable example in Iob Iob 27. 5 6. God forbid that I should iustifie you vntill I dye I will neuer take away mine innocency from my selfe I will keepe â—…y righteousnesse and will not forsake it mine heart shall not reprooue me all my daies 3. The third Reason why he that hath Faith may be so certaine of his saluation is because the hope and assurance he hath of his perseuerance to the end is grounded wholly vpon God not vpon any thing that is in himselfe 1. Pet. 〈◊〉 2. Peter saith of the faithfull that their faith and hope is in God The maine argument against the certainety of saluation is the vncertainety of perseuerance Now I haue shewed you in the proofe of the Doctrine that the faithfull may bee certaine of their perseuerance vnto the end Psal. 1â—… 8. 8. The Lord will pâ—…rfect that which concerneth me Phil. 1. 6. Being confident of this very thing that hâ—…e which hath begunne a good Worke in you will performe it vntill the day of Iesus Christ. Vpon what ground will you say is this certainety built Surely not vpon any thing that is in vs for we are exceeding variable and apt to fall and when we had our saluation in our owne keeping though wee were then farre stronger than now we are we lost it quickly But now our state in Christ is in this respect better than it was in Adam we cannot now lose it because it is not in our own keeping our assurance of perseuerance is grounded wholly vpon God If we looke vpon our selues we see cause of feare and doubting but if we looke vp to God we shall finde cause enough of assurance Psal. 61. 2 3. Leade me vnto the Rocke that is higher than I for thou hast beene a shelter for me and a strong Tower 2. Tim. 2. 19. The foundation of God is sure This Rocke how sure it is you shall see in three points 1. We are maruellous vnconstant and fickle in our loue to God and good things we are apt quickly to turne out of the good way Iudg. 2. 19. but God is constant and vnchangeable in his loue I haue loued thee with an euerlasting loue Ier. 31. 3. The decree and counsell of God is vnchangeable I am the Lord I change not Mal. 3. 6. From hence the faithfull man reasoneth thus By his spirit which I know he hath giuen me I am sure God elected and loued me in Christ before all worlds for he neuer bestowed iustifying faith on any but on such so many as were ordained vnto eternall life belieued and none but they Acts 13. 48. therefore true faith is called the faith of Gods Elect Tit. 1. 1. he neuer called any to the loue and obedience of his truth but such whom he did predestinate them he also called Rom. 8 30. Therefore I am sure that how vnconstant and vnchangeable how prone soeuer I am to fall yet I shall neuer fall finally for he is constant in him is no variablenesse neither shadow of changing Iames 1. 17. His decree is immutable it is not possible that any whom he hath elected should perish if it were possible they shall deceiue the very elect Matth. 24. 24. his loue that he hath borne to any in Christ is vnchangeable hauing loued his own which were in the world he loued them to the end Iohn 13. 2. For his loue was free not occasioned by any goodnesse he foresaw would be in vs but the cause of it was his owne good pleasure onely Ephes. 1. 5. At that time when he did perfectly foresee how ignorant weake vntoward vnconstant vngracious we would be yet euen then he set his loue vpon vs and what should then alter or alienate his affection from vs Therefore God speakes thus of his loue to his Elect Ieremie 31. 3. I haue loued thee with an euerlasting loue therefore in mercy haue I drawne thee Esay 54. 10. My kindnesse shall not depart from thee saith the Lord that hath mercy on thee Esay 64. 5. In those is continuance and wee shall bee saued When God hath once drawne a man by his spirit to the faith and obedience of his truth he may then be sure he hath loued him with an euerlasting and vnchangeable loue Rom. 11. 29. The gifts and calling of God are without Repentance Vpon this Dauid grounded his comfort and assurance Psalme 25. 6. Remember Lord thy tender mercies and louing kindnesse for they haue beene for euer And thus he stirres vp all Gods people to doe Psalme 118. 2 3 4. Let Israel and the house of Aaron and they that feare the Lord now say
loued much better When a man will pretend a desire to be saued and yet will not leaue his whoring drunkennesse swearing prophaning the Sabbath but hates to be reformed in these and such like things shall we say he doth vnfainedly desire it No no they that seeke him with their whole heart will worke none iniquity but walke in his wayes saith Dauid Psal 119. 2 3. Contrarily the godlies desire is earnest Ye shall seeke me and find me saith the Lord Ier. 29. 13. when ye shall search for me with all your heart 2. They desire it not vnfainedly because they desire it not constantly but as by fits of an ague and flashes of lightning All their goodnesse is as the Prophet speaketh Hos. 6. 4. as a morning cloud and as the early dew it goeth away Contrarily the godlies desire is constant My soule breaketh saith David Psal. 119. 20. for the longing that it hath to thy iudgements at all times 3. They desire it not vnfainedly because they desire it not seasonably but put it off till the day of saluation and time God hath set for their conuersion be past when the Master of the house is risen vp and hath shut to the doore as our Sauiour speaketh Luk. 13. 25. Whereas that which a man desireth vnfainedly and earnestly he will seeke presently and without delay He whose soule thirsteth after God will seeke him early as Dauid speakes Psal. 63. 1. The Kingdome of God must be sought in the first place Mat. 6. 33. 4. They desire it not vnfainedly because they desire it onely out of the slauish feare of God and of his wrath When their feare commeth as a desolation and their destruction like a Whirlewind saith Salomon Pro. 1. 27. 28. then they call vpon God but he will not answer them they seeke him early but find him not Whereas the godly desire it out of loue to God and his grace principally as Dauid did so earnestly desire to dwell in Gods house that he might behold the beauty of the Lord Psal. 27. 4. And out of the loue he bare to him for his goodnesse 5. They desire mercy but not grace and freedome from their misery which is the fruit of their sinne rather then from their sinne which is the root of their misery They chuse iniquity rather then affliction as Elihu speaks Iob 36. 21. Whereas the godly desires as well grace and power to repent and to be deliuered from the power of sinne as mercy and fauour for the pardon of his sinne So did Dauid Psal. 51. 10. Create in me a cleane heart O God and renew a right Spirit within me Hearken vnto me saith the Prophet Esa. 51. 1. Ye that follow after righteousnesse Ye that seeke the Lord. No man seekes the Lord and his fauour aright but he onely that followeth after that is doth earnestly and with his whole endeauour seeke and desire to lead a godly life Lecture the third Feb. 14. 1608. IOHN IIII. X. FOlloweth now the third part of the Text viz. what the reason was she begged not of Christ this water of life She knew not that gift of God and who it was that said vnto her giue me drinke By that gift of God he meaneth himselfe as shall appeare in the Doctrine and the words following are an explication of these words As if he should say If thou knewest that gift of God that is if thou knewest who it is that saith vnto thee giue me drinke if thou knewest me thou wouldest haue asked c. In the words three things are to be obserued 1. That he calleth himselfe that gift of God 2. That he saith the cause why she asked not the water of life of him was for that she knew him not 3. That he saith if she had knowne him she would haue asked it of him First then in that our Sauiour cals himselfe that gift of God we learne That Christ is a gift of God yea the chiefe the greatest gift the principall fruit of his fauour that euer God gaue vnto men Many other excellent gifts he hath bestowed on men A wonderfull token of Gods loue to man it is that he made all the creatures whereof many are farre more glorious and excellent then himselfe for his vse This Dauid when he considered it wondered at Psal. 8. 1. 9. So the comfortable vse of his creatures and that gladnesse of heart he giueth vs in the enioying of them filling our hearts with food and gladnesse as the Apostle speakes Acts 14. 17. Is also a great gift of God and so Salomon cals it Eccl. 5. 18. And yet a greater gift then these it is that he makes vs partakers of the diuine nature and giues vs his spirit The Apostle cals this an vnspeakable gift that the Corinthians were able to yeeld a voluntary submission to the Gospell and to giue chearefully for the reliefe of the poore Saints 2 Cor. 9. 15. And Dauid when he saw how willingly the people had offered to the building of the Temple wonders at this grace and gift of God bestowed on them 1. Chro. 29. 14. Who am I saith he and what is my people that we should be able to offer willingly after this sort In a word the gifts of God vpon man and the tokens of his fauor to him are so many and so great as no man is able to expresse them Psal 40. 5. O Lord my God saith Dauid thou hast made thy wonderfull works so many that none can count in order to thee thy thoughts towards vs I would declare and speake of them but they are more then I am able to expresse Yet are none of them worthy to be named in comparison of this gift the giuing of his owne Sonne to vs is a farre more excellent gift and token of his loue then all the rest When the Prophet had spoken of the great ioy of Gods people Esa. 9 3. They haue reioyced before thee according to the ioy of haruest as men reioyce when they diuide a spoile He giues the reason of this ioy Verse 6. For to vs a Child is borne to vs a Sonne is giuen So the Apostle comparing Christ and the benefits we receiue by him with Adam and the dammage we sustaine by him Rom. 5. Calleth Christ oft the gift of God Verse 15. The gift is not so as the offence for if through the offence of one many be dead much more that grace of God and the gift by grace which is by one man Iesus Christ hath abounded vnto many And Verse 17. For if through the offence of one death raigned through one c. So our Sauiour himselfe speakes of this as of the greatest loue that euer God shewed or could shew vnto man Ioh. 3. 16. God so loued the world that he gaue his onely begotten Sonne And the Apostle Iohn 1 Ioh. 4. 9. In this appeared the loue of God towards vs because God sent his onely begotten Sonne into the world that we might
fragments and superficiall beginnings of true sanctification and grace may fall quite away and lose them Heb. 6. 4 5. Such as haue beene inlightened and tasted of Christ and of the good word of God and powers of the world to come and haue beene partakers of the Holy Ghost may fall away 2. Pet. 2. 20. 22. Such as had escaped from the filthinesse of the world through the acknowledgement of the Lord and of the Sauiour may be intangled therein againe and ouercome so as that their latter end may become worse then euer their beginning was But he that hath not onely tasted but drunke a sound draught of this water of life and let it downe can neuer lose it neuer cast it vp againe 4. A man that hath not only tasted but drunk of this water of life and truly receiued the Spirit of sanctification may seeme to haue lost it somtime for he may decay for a time in the measure of grace and lose the heate and feruency of the spirit that once he had as Christ complaines of the Angell of the Church of Ephesus he had left his first loue Apoc. 2. 4. 2. He may for a time lose the comfortable feeling assurance of grace and be in his owne sense as a man vtterly void of grace This was the case of the Spouse of Christ Cant. 3. 1. 2. and 5 6. Her well-beloued was gone 3. Hee may lose for a time the power and eâ—…icacie and operation of grace and fall into as grosse sinnes as any other man Dauid and Peter may be examples of this yea the best are in great and continuall danger to fall thus if they take not great heed vnto themselues Nay it is a very hard thing for any of Gods children to keepe themselues from these decayes Therefore are those exhortations so often vsed 1. Cor. 10. 12. Wherefore let him that thinketh hee standeth take heed least hee fall Heb. 12. 15. Looking diligently least any man faile of the grace of God least any roote of bitternesse springing vp trouble you and thereby many bee defiled Phil. 2. 12 13. Wherefore my beloued as ye haue alwaies obeyed not as in my presence onely but now much more in my absence worke out your saluation with feare and trembling For it is God that worketh in you both to will and to doe of his owne good pleasure You see then how euen they that haue indeed drunke of this water of life may seeme to haue it quite dryed vp in them But yet though this seeme so it is not so indeed for in all those three cases I haue mentioned ye shall see the children of God that had drunke of this Water of life they had in themselues this Well of water they had grace in them euen then when they seemed to haue lost it There is soundnes of grace in many a one that is much decaied in zeale as is plaine in the case of that Angell of Ephesus Apoc. 2. 2 3. Notwithstanding this his delay in his first loue the Lord knew approued of his workes and commendeth him for his labour and his patience and for this that he could not beare with them that were euill and that he tryed them that said they were Apostles and were not that he had borne and had patience and for his names sake had laboured and had not fainted 2. There is much grace in many a one that haue lost for a time their feeling as is plaine in the example of the Spouse Cant. 5. 6. She grieues and neuer giues ouer seeking till she had found her beloued 3. There remaineth grace in the regenerate euen then when they haue falne most fearefully Whosoeuer is borne of God saith the Apostle 1 Ioh. 3. 9. doth not commit sin for his seede remaineth in him and he cannot sin because he is borne of God the seede of God remaineth in him and therefore he cannot sinne as other men doe he cannot sin with the full consent of his will with the full sway of his soule as before he did This is euident in the example of Dauid for when he complaines as if he had quite lost the spirit Psal. 51. 11 12. Euen then he prayeth and prayeth so as he could neuer haue done if he had not had the spirit of grace in him For how can men call vpon him in whom they haue not beleeued saith the Apostle Rom. 10. 14. and Rom. 8. 26. it is the spirit it selfe that maketh intercession for vs and makes vs able to pray Hauing thus cleared the Doctrine let vs heare how it may be confirmed Let vs hearken vnto some plaine and pregnant testimones of holy Scripture to prooue this that whosoeuer hath truely receiued the Spirit of grace can neuer lose it Psal. 15. When Dauid had spoken of sundry fruits of regeneration hee concludes the Psalme thus verse 5. Hee that doth these things shall neuer be moued Psalme 19. 9. The feare of the Lord is cleane and endureth for euer Psal. 23. 6. Surely goodnesse and mercy shall follow me all the daies of my life So he that heares the Word and doth it is compared to a house that is built vpon a rocke which no raine nor flouds nor windes nor tentations how strong soeuer can ouerthrow Matth. 7. 24. 25. And Luke 8. 13. 15. Though the other hearers beleeue but for a time yet he that with an honest and good heart heares the Word shall keepe it Iohn 6. 56. Hee that eateth my flesh and drinketh my bloud abideth in mee In which respect sauing grace is called The good part that shall not bee taken away Luk. 10. 42. The immortall seede 1. Peter 1. 23. and was fitly resembled by that fire that came downe from heauen that neuer went out Leuit. 6. 12. The Reasons of this are principally three 1. The vnchangeablenesse of Gods loue and decree No man hath receiued the Spirit but onely such as God hath elected to saluation and loued in Christ before all worlds Rom. 8. 30. Whom hee predestinated them he called and none but them Acts 13. 48. So many as were ordained to eternall life beleeued Therefore true faith is called Titus 1. 1. The faith of Gods Elect. A man may make his election sure this way 2. Pet. 1. 10. Now such as are elected cannot possibly fall away this our Sauiour speakes of as of a thing vtterly impossible The false Christs and false Prophets shall shew so great signes and wonders that they shall deceiue if it were possible the very elect faith lie Matth. 24. 24. The loue of God in Christ is vnchangeable Ier. 31. 3. I haue loued thee with an euerlasting loue saith the Lord therefore in mercy haue I drawne thee Whom Christ loues Iohn 13. 2. he loues vnto the end And those that come to him that is which beleeue in him Iohn 6. 35. he will neuer cast away Iohn 6. 37. The gifts and calling of God saith the Apostle Rom 11. 29. that is such
and castest my words behind thee Psal. 50. 16 17. And a Bishop must be blamelesse 1. Tim. 3. 2. Yea if he haue beene heretofore infamous for any scandalous sin and haue now repented he ought not to exercise his function in that place where that infamy continueth for he must be one that hath a good report euen of them that are without lest he fall into reproach and by that meanes into the snare of the diuell 1. Tim. 3. 7. The cause why Paul by no meanes would accept of Marke to ioyne with him in his Ministery was because he had giuen offence to the Church by departing from him before Acts 15. 37 38. Yet it is no iust exception to the reproofe that is giuen because we know some faults by him that reprooues vs for then may we reiect all reproofe from men seeing the holiest Minister hath his infirmities and faults we also are men of the like passions with you say the Apostles themselues Acts 14. 15. Yea it it profitable for vs that God teacheth vs not by Angels nor by his Spirit immediately but by poore weake men that are sinners as well as we for by this meanes they may teach vs with more feeling experience and compassion then otherwise they could haue done this reason the Apostle giues why our blessed Sauiour himselfe was in all things excepting sin made like vnto vs Heb. 2. 17. that he might be a mercifull and faithfull high priest Yea say they that teach and reprooue thee be guilty not of humane infirmities onely but of grosse sinnes yet that cannot warrant thee either to refuse to heare them or to obey such reproofes as they giue thee by warrant from the Word of God for the people were bound to heare and obey the good doctrine of the Scribes and Pharisees though their workes were naught Matth. 23. 2 3. And the people of God transgressed because for the sinnes of Elyes sonnes the Priests they abhorred the offerings of the Lord 1. Sam. 2. 17. 24. The third and last of those corruptions which vsually hinder vs from taking reproof in good part is this that we take such as reprooue vs especially publikely to be our enemies or to be set on by some tale-bearers that loue vs not if he would haue come to me saith many a one and told me of my fault in priuate I should haue takenit well but this exclaiming of me and disgracing me in publike argueth no loue An example of this corruption we haue in Ahab who accounted the Prophet Eliah his enemie 1. Kings 21. 20. and those proud men spoken of Ier. 43. 2 3. who charged the Prophet that Baruch had set him on to preach so against them as he did To strengthen vs against this corruption we must consider of these foure points 1. That a man may haue his sin touched and reprooued in the Ministery of the Word when the Minister intends not to touch him nor so much as knowes of his sin as it was with that man that came to heare the Prophets he was conuinced of all he was iudged of all and had the secrets of his heart which were vnknowne both to the Prophets and to all other men made manifest to him 1. Cor. 14. 24 25. We vse not to busie our selues in inquiring curiously or maliciously into your faults nor entertaine tale-bearers but may say to you as the Prophet The Lord teacheth vs and shewes vs your practises and makes vs able to meet with them when wee thinke not of you Ierem. 11. 18 19. 2. That when a mans offence is knowne and scandalous to many the Minister is not bound to admonish him in priuate but may without malice reprooue it publikely for so did Iohn deale with the Pharisees and Sadduces Matth. 3. 7. and Paul euen with Peter himselfe Gal. 2. 14. and we haue an expresse commandement for it 1. Tim. 5. 20. them that sin publikely and notoriously he meanes rebuke before all that others also may fearâ—… 3. Though the sinne be priuate and knowne to no more but the Minister himselfe it may oft-times be much fitter for the Minister to touch and reprooue it in his publike Ministery then to admonish the party in priuate prouided that he so touch the sin as he touch not nor note the person And that for these three reasons 1. Howsoeuer most men will bragge how well they would take it to be admonished in priuate yet they that will try it shall finde there be very few that will take it well 2. There is much more power and authority in such publike reproofe as I haue spoken of then in any priuate because of the promise Christ hath made to be with his seruants in the execution of all the parts of their Ministeriall function Matth. 28. 20. 3. By such a publike reproofe many others may receiue profit which is the reason the Apostle giueth of that commandement 1. Tim. 5. 20. 4. If his reproofe be according to Gods Word thou oughtest to receiue it whatsoeuer his affection be that deliuers it yea thou shouldest count it a dangerous sin for thee thus to censure and iudge of the Preachers affection when thou canst not iustly blame his doctrine and so the Lord speakes of it as of a great sin Hos. 4. 4. this people are as they that striue with the Priest This Doctrine serueth also for reproofe and to discouer the vnsoundnes and hypocâ—…isie of most men Ought euery Christian to loue his Minister with more then an ordinary loue and that for this cause because he vseth to admonish and reprooue him will he that hath any wisedome or grace in him loue the man the better that rebuketh him is it not possible for any man truely to haue repented of any sin that hates and stormes against him that dislikes and censures his sin then surely are most men far from grace and far from true repentance For there is many a man like Ahab who though they acknowledge their Minister to be the faithfull seruant of God as he did Micaiah yet hate him onely because he prophecies not good to them 1. King 22. 8. And generally the people hate the Ministers of the Word onely for doing this worke and duty of their Ministry they hate him that rebuketh in the gate and they abhorre him that speaketh vprightly Am. 5. 10. yea though they giue them no other occasion at all I haue neither lent on vsury nor men haue lent to me on vsury that is I neuer had to doe with them about any worldly occasions yet euery one of them doth curse me saith the Prophet Ier. 15. 10. Now I would haue such men to know that it is not the committing of any sin how hainous soeuer that makes their case so desperate or is so certaine a signe of their perdition as this that they despise admonition Better is a poore and a wise childe then an old and foolish King who will no more be admonished saith Salomon Eccl.
hath promised to them that loue him and 2. 5. Hath not God chosen the poore of this world rich in faith and heires of the Kingdome which hee hath promised to them that loue him Yea the regenerate man loues the Lord euen then when he correcteth and woundeth him euen then would he not for any thing doe ought that might offend God he desires aboue all things to be reconciled to him and to please him hee bewailes the losse of his fauour So that euen when he is in the greatest affliction of minde hee may be said to bee sicke of loue Canticles 2. 5. his loue to God is the chiefe cause of his sorrow and anguish And his loue appeares in this he serues God willingly and desirously yea his will and desire is aboue his ability 2. Cor. 8. 3. he loues Gods Word he delights in the law of the Lord in his inner man Rom. 7. 22. thy commandements are my delights Psal. 119. 143. he loues his seruants by this wee know we are translated from death to life because wee loue the brethren 1. Iohn 3. 14. Yea this loue he beares to God is the roote of all his obedience His obedience proceeds rather and more from loue than from feare Deut. 7. 9. He keepes couenant and mercy to them that loue him and keepe his commandements Which sentence you shall find repeated twice in the very same words Neh. 1. 5. Dan. 9. 4. his loue to God is that that makes him carefull to keepe his commandements His loue to men also growes from this root 1. Iohn 5. 2. By this we know that wee loue the children of God when wee loue God Heb. 6. 10. God is not vnrighteous to forget your loue which yee haue shewed toward his Name in that yee haue ministred to the Saints and still doe minister Yea euen his feare of God proceeds of loue Hos. 3. 5. They shall seeke the Lord their God and feare him and his goodnesse And for the second branch this loue of the regenerate man growes from faith euen from the assurance he hath of Gods loue to him in Christ. 1. Tim. 1. 5. The end of the commandement is charity out of a pure heart and of a good conscience and of Faith vnfained 1. Ioh. 4. 19. We loue him because he loued vs first But what loue is that he speakes of The naturall man may pretend he loues God because God loued him first as Acts 14. 17. He hath done vs good and giuen vs raine from heauen and fruitfull seasons and filled our hearts with food and gladnesse But if a man know no further loue of God than that haue no better fruit of Gods loue than that he can neuer be able soundly to loue the Lord till he know God hath loued him in Christ he can neuer be soundly perswaded of Gods loue nor soundly loue the Lord againe This is the loue that Iohn meanes in that place when he saith 1. Iohn 5. 19. We loue him because he loued vs first as is plaine verse 10. Herein is loue not that we loued God but that he loued vs and sent his Sonne to be a reconciliation for our sinnes And 1. Iohn 3. 16. Hereby perceiue we the loue of God because he laid downe his life for vs. So Luke 7. 47. Her sins which were many are forgiuen for shee loued much And euery one that can finde this loue in him to God and that the seruice he doth to God he doth it of loue may be sure his heart is vpright in him 1. Cor. 8. 3. If any man loue God the same is knowne of him Thus our Sauiour seekes to recouer and comfort Peter making knowne to him the vprightnesse of his heart by this and to proue vnto him that though he fell fearefully ye he fell not totally Iohn 21. 15. Louest thou me louest thou mee as if he should say Remember that though thou seemedst euen to hate me by denying me yet thou louest me still On the other side no hypocrite or naturall man doth that he doth of loue specially not out of such a loue as growes from Faith vnfained It is euident that for the most part all his obedience growes from feare What good duety soeuer they doe wherein they haue any respect to God they vse to doe it of feare and not of loue Psalme 78. 34. When hee slew them they sought him and they returned and sought God early And what things soeuer he seemes to doe of loue to God it is but a counterfeit and vnsound loue for first he loues not Gods Word but hates it Iohn 3. 19 20. He loueth darkenesse rather than light because his deeds are euill euery one that doth euill hateth the light 1. Iohn 2. 5. Hee that keepeth his word in him is the loue of God perfect indeed hereby we know that we are in him Secondly he loues not Gods seruants but hates them Iohn 15. 19. Because yee are not of the world but I haue chosen you out of the world therefore the world hateth you Thirdly he hath no faith nor assurance of Gods loue to him in Christ. Ephes. 2. 12. Yee were at that time without Christ and were alienated from the common-wealth of Israel and were strangers from the couenant of promise and had no hope and were without God in the world Lecture the hundred and fiue October 15. 1611. IOHN IIII. L. IT remaineth â—…ow that we come to the fourth and last note of difference that may be obserued betweene the obedience of the regenerate and naturall man in the manner of performing good duties And that is this The regenerate man is constant in his obedience to God This we shall finde is a chiefe and one of the most certaine and sensible notes of an vpright heart For there is scarce any one good thing that is in Gods childe but it may seeme to be in the hypocrite saue onely this We will therefore shew first that in euery regenerate man this may be found secondly that it can be found in none other The first is plaine Pro. 10. 25. The righteous is an euerlasting foundation he is no changling You shall see this constancy of his estate first in the grace of regeneration it selfe for the nature and essentiall property of it is to be constant and thus it may be discerned and knowne The spirit of regeneration is like vnto that holy fire that came downe from Heauen and was kept in the Sanctuary that neuer went out Leuit. 6. 12 13. If euer a man had grace he can neuer lose it It is called therefore an immortall seede 1. Pet. 1. 23. The good part that shall neuer be taken away from him that hath once receiued it Luke 10. 42. An euerlasting name that shall not be put out Esay 56. 5. Secondly in the fruits and effects of it Psal. 92. 13 14. Such as be planted in the house of the Lord shall bring forth fruit in their age And thus shall those good
one belieueth what he teacheth not by an humane Credulity from his Author but by a diuine faith from the Word and because he belieueth he therefore speaketh and speaking from faith in his owne heart he speaketh much more powerfully vnto the begetting and strengthening of faith in the Hearer The priuate Christian in the diligent suruey of this Treatise shall obserue liuely decyphered the scornefull vanity of corrupt Nature the lothsomenesse and desperate danger of sin the wonderfull power of Gods Grace in the conuersion of a sinner the tryall of a mans own deceitfull heart the amiable life of Gods grace in the regenerate the comfortable benefit of afflictions sundry sweet consolations of a troubled spirit the vanity of Popery the necessity of a faithfull Ministry the beauty of Gods Ordinances holily administred and the resolution of sundry cases of conscience fitting these times and all deliuered with such euidence of Scripture-light and Christian experience that the hearts of the godly Readers will at once blesse God who hath giuen such gifts to men and blesse the Writer who hauing spent the strength of his yeares in a faithfull and fruitfull Ministry to the great comfort and succour of many Ministers and people far and neare round about him doth now at last adorne his hoarie head with this Crowne of glory to bring forth his workes to more publike Light now more at the last then at the first My hearts desire is that God would adde yet many daies more to the Authors life and support him still both in body and spirit to bring to light many other such monuments of his fruitfull labours not only that elaborate Commentary vpon the 51. Psalme but likewise such Sermons or Treatises or Letters touching cases of Conscience as haply haue lyenby him these many yeares Why should any Talent lye buried in a Napkin or candle lye hid vnder a bushell which being set on a candlesticke might giue light to all that are in the house Such Opuscula little Treatises as himselfe would hardly acknowledge vnder his owne Name might be of speciall vse and much esteeme with others Witnesse those questions and Answers wherein he hath comprized the doctrine of the Lords Supper which though without his Name they be annexed to a little Treatise of the like Argument set forth by a godly learned Diuine M. William Bradshaw yet haue they beene of singular good vse to many poore soules for their worthy preparation to that Ordinance And in very deed they do more fully furnish a Christian to that whole spirituall Duty then any other in any language that I know in so small a compasse yea and that one Letter of his to a Gentlewoman against the separation which without his consent a separatist printed and refuted hath so strongly and clearely conuinced the iniquity of that way that I could not but acknowledge in it both the wisedome of God and the weakenesse of the separatist His wisdome in bringing to light such a beame of the Light of his truth by the hand of an aduersary against the Authors mind and the weakenesse of the other to aduance the hand of his aduersary to giue himselfe and his cause such a deadly wound in open view as neither himselfe nor all his associates can be able to heale In which respect I conceiue it was that the industrious Doctor Willet in his Dedicatory Epistle to CHRISTS Colledge before his harmony vpon the first of Samuel stileth this our Author Schismaticorum quivulgò Brownistae Malleum the Hammer of Schismatiques whom they commonly call Brownists Now the God of all grace prosper the workes of his seruants to those good ends himselfe hath appointed and they haue aimedat the glory of his owne great Name in the edification and saluation of his people in Christ. So I take leaue and rest desirous to prouoke my selfe and thee to a thankfull and fruitfull vse of such mercies The vnworthiest of the least of Gods Mercies and Seruants I. C. A Table of some principall Points that are handled in these Lectures Abstinence See Fasting Admonition See Reproofe Adoption A. NO man can worship God aright till he haue the Spirit of Adoption and can conceiue of God as of his louing Father pag. 182 Foure notes to try whether we do indeed know God to be our Father pag 183. Adoration Worship See Reuerence The whole worship of God is called Adoration pag. 111. Admiring of men It is folly and sin to admire any man much pag 40. Affection He that hath an vpright heart serues God with affection pag. 480. No seruice pleaseth God that is not done with feeling and affection pag. 198 199. Naturall Affection See Parents Afflâ—…ction In it owne nature it is a curse neither is it a signe of Gods loue to all pag. 394. The greatest may not hope to be exempted from it pag. 388. All men should prepare for it and how 389 It is greatly profitable and necessary for Gods Elect pag. 394. It is no signe of Gods wrath but of his loue rather pag. 398. We may be sure God will doe vs good by it and remoue it when it hath wrought kindly on vs and support vs in it and giue a comfortable end vnto it pag 399. It is a signe of election to profit by it and the contrary of reprobation pag 401. In euery affection we should take notice that God is angry with vs pag. 402. Sixe degrees of Gods proceeding in sanctifying affâ—…ctions to vs which may be so many notes to try whether our affâ—…ctions be san-ctified pag. 40â—… 40â—… Extremity of it will make vs vnfit both to profit by the Word and to pray pag. 433 Alacrity See Cheerefulnesse Antiquity How far forth it is to bee regarded in the matter of Religion pag 141. It is dangerous to ascribe too much to it 144 Our Religion is most antient 145. The popish plea touching the antiquity of theirs is most vaine and insufficient ibid. Apostacie See Perseuerance How farre forth the good things that haue beene in a man may be lost â—…0 51. A dangerous thing to fall from grace or to decay in it 54. Two chiefe causes of it ibid. Comfort for the faithfull that liue in times of generall Apostacie 430 431. Apostles Christ hath taught his Church the whole will of his Father by them 207. Apparell See Attire Appearance of euill is to be auoided 86. Application Ministers must apply the Word and hearers must endure it 373 374. Assemblies See Church-Assemblies Assurance of saluation See Certainty of saluation Attention All should attend diligently at the hearing of the Word 125. 134. 135. Meanes to keepe our hearts attentiue from wandring in prayer c. 198. Attire Modesty in attire required of Christians 87. Authority The wicked are apt to abuse the authoriâ—…y and credit of holy men to the disgrace of Gods truth 35 273. This honour is due to Christ alone to be belieued in matter of Doctrine vpon his bare Word 149. Nothing is to be
and new functions were wont to bee confirmed by miracles 378. We need none now 378. Popish miracles are false and counterfeit 379. They are not done by the power of Christ 449 Christ shewed his power most in curing the bodies of men 445. 447. Sixe points obserued in these miraculous cures 446. Difference betweene Christs miracles and those of the Prophets Apostles 447 448 Multitude Faults that the common sort are especially addicted vnto 2â—…4 It is no safe thing to do as the most doe 427. Comfort for the godly that are scorned for their singularity because they will not doe as the most do 430. 431. N. Name A man is bound to haue care of his good name 86. Why Hebrew names are vsed in the new Testament and why we giue Hebrew names to our children 202. Nature See how void of all goodnesse and full of corruption euery naturall man is 26 28. How much goodnesse may bee in a naturall man 174. Nazaret Why our Sauiour did shun preaching in Nazaret aboue all other places 351 352. O. Obedience No seruice pleaseth God but that that is done in obedience to his Word 160. This is a certain note of an vpright heart 473 Seuen notes of sincere Obedience 474. Regenerate able to obey 473. Difference betwixt obedience of regenerate and other ibid. Others saluation to be sought 246. Obstinacie See hardnesse of heart This greatly aggrauates sin 422. Most men that liue in the Church sinne obstinately 424. Foure signes of a heart that is not hardened nor obstinate in sin 423. The fearefull state of the obstinate 423. P. Painting Painting of the face is vnlawfull 87. Papists They are like to the Samaritans in many things 36 37. They are Idolaters worship the diuell 163 Parents Great is their affection to their children 391. This should confirme vs in the assurance of Gods loue to his children 392. They must take heed of ouer louing their children and how wee may best doe them good 392. What respect is to bee had to the example of our parents in the matter of Religion 143. The hope and comfort Christian Parents may haue concerning their children 180. Their sinnes will bring Gods curse vpon their children and what sins chiefly 393. What a kind of seruice and solemnity it was 380. Patience The faithfull haue beene very patient in affliction and shewed it foure waies 398. The meanes to breed it in vs 398. 399. Peace of conscience It is a fruit of true faith 336. There is a false peace see presumption Euery affliction should driue vs to make peace with God and that three waies 404. Peace-offerings What they signified 187. People See Hearers Persecution None can be saued that is not willing to suffer and euen to die for the truth 139. To deride a Minister is to persecute him 28â—… Perseuerance The regenerate shall perseuere and are carefull so to do 481. He that is truly regenerate shall neuer fall fi nally nor totally yea he may be in this life certaine of it 339 341. Our chiefe care must be to be best at our end 274 275. Phisicke They sinne greatly that despise or neglect it 256 257. Pilgrimage Reasons against it 156. Pouertie The poore that are godly haue no cause to murmur or distrust God 33. The frequenting of religious exercises with an honest heart will begger no man 244. Prayer Helps to keepe the heart from wandring in it 198. Euery man must aske and cry for grace yea all whom God meaneth to saue shal do it 5 Obiection against the necessity of prayer an swered 5 6. All that can vnfainedly seeke to God for grace shall be sure to haue it 8. The weakest Christian should not be discouraged from prayer 9. Spirituall blessings rather to bee prayed for then temporall 9. Faith breeds boldnesse in prayer 336 337. God seemes oft to neglect the prayers of his people and that foure waies 407. Comfort for Gods people in this case 408 409 Labour to pray so as thou maist speed 411. Christ himselfe vsed much to pray 203. God delights greatly in the prayers of his people 193. Affliction driues the faithfull to it 3â—…6 Promises vpon which we should ground our faith in prayer 407. Three reasons why God seemes oft to neglect and reiect the prayers of his people 408. Signes whereby we may know God accepts our prayers though he grant not our Suit 410 411. We should inquire after the successe of our prayers 411 412. Properties requisite in the prayer that would speed well 412. Poore sinners should goe boldly to Christ for helpe in all their distresses 450. Preaching See Minisry A man may try his estate by the iudgement he hath to discerne of sound teaching 113 It is lawfull to keepe Lectures to frequent them euen on the weeke daies 243. Some are bound to goe to Sermons euen on the weeke day 242. Euen they that cannot should yet desire to do it 243. How to iudge of the best Preachers and Preaching 291. The necessity of it 278 279 280. Preparation We can do no duty of Gods seruice wel without it 487. It is a great and necessary helpe for our profiting by the Word 487. This preparation consists in sixe points 489. Thinke of the euill day prepare for it 488 Presumption Lewd men haue no cause to hope they shall repent and find mercy 82 83. They can haue no sound comfort in the knowledge of Gods mercy 99. 452. They are confident of their saluation and the notes wherby true faith may be discerned from this presumption 345. Pride Noe sin makes vs more odious to God 394. The greatest must beware they be not proud either against God or men 388. All men are strangly prone to this soule sin 295. Affliction is a singular meane to abate it 395 Prophanesse The sin of such as carry themselues prophanely in Gods publike worship 134 135. Profession We should all be willing and ready to make profession of our faith 349 350. Professours Poore men young men such as haue been formerly scandalous and women haue beene vsually most forward in Religion 222. This hath beene euer a great scandall to the Word and why 224. Preseruatiues against this scandall 225. Professours should striue to remooue this scandall and how they may do it 226. Prouidence God by his prouidence gouernes all things orders them for the good of his Elect 217. The knowledge of this is vsefull many waies 219. Psalmes It is fit they should be sung in the Congregation 121 122. How we should behaue our selues in singing them 126. Publike worship See Church-Assemblies It is necessary all should be present at euery part of it 121. 128. 129. To be preferred before any priuate 129 130. 153. All should come to the beginning and stay till the end of it 120. 131 132. Rules for reuerence in it see Reuerence All may profit by euery part of it and euery part of it hath good warrant in the Word 121. 122. The whole congregation
Moses speaking of Gods maruellous goodnesse to his Church expresseth it thus Deut. 4. 7. What nation is so great vnto whom the gods came so neare vnto them as the Lord our God is neare vnto vs in all things that we call vnto him for So Dauid setteth forth the plenteousnesse of Gods goodnesse and mercy by this Psal. 86. 5. Thou Lord art good and ready to forgiue and plenteous in mercy vnto all them that call vpon thee And Paul speaking of Gods bounty saith Rom. 10. 12. He that is Lord ouer all is rich vnto all that call vpon him The Reasons why none can looke for grace and mercy from God but those that aske for it why he will be sought vnto for it are three The first of them respecteth the Lord himselfe and his glory for God counteth himselfe greatly honoured when his people pray vnto him and depend vpon him as it is an honour to a man on earth to be much sought vnto and to haue men rely wholly vpon him This the faithfull knew well and haue by this consideration beene prouoked to this duty Therefore Dauid saith Psal. 63. 4. I will magnifie thee all my life and lift vp my hands in thy name when he lifted vp his hands vnto God he magnified him and Psal. 66. 17. I called vnto him with my mouth and he was exalted with my tongue He esteemed doubtlesse meanely enough of his owne prayers though he thus spake but he knew that God accounteth himselfe to be highly exalted and honoured by this when his seruants thus seeke vnto him In which respect also the Church voweth this to God as a duty whereby she knew God accounted himselfe to be much honoured Psal. 80. 18. Quicken vs and we will call vpon thy name The second respecteth the benefit we receiue by it for by praying our faith repentance loue and zeale is exercised and as the strength and vigour of our bodies is by exercise maintained and increased so is grace also increased by exercise Iude 20. But ye beloued edifie your selues in your most holy faith praying in the Holy Ghost By exercising our faith and repentance and loue in prayer we shall edifie our selues The third respects the nature of grace for he that once hath but the least measure of a true taste of it will esteeme it aboue all things in the world and therefore cannot chuse but earnestly desire more of it and he that doth not desire it contemneth it He that hath found the true treasure and ioyeth in it will sell all that he hath to purchase it Mat. 13. 44. 2. Euery blessing is the sweeter to the godly and certainer token of Gods loue if they can feele they haue obtained it by prayer Dauid giues this for the reason of his thankfulnesse and why Gods mercy in his deliuerance was so sweet vnto him why he would extoll the Lord for it Psal. 30. 2. because he obtained it by his prayer O Lord my God saith he I cryed vnto thee and thou hast healed me 3. Yea though they obtaine it not they can beare the want of it the better if they know they haue prayed for it Phil. 4. 6. 7. In euery thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiuing let your requests be made knowne vnto God and the peace of God which passeth all vnderstanding shall keepe your hearts and minds through Christ Iesus The Vse of this Doctrine is first to exhort euery man to foure duties 1. Labour for an vnfained desire of grace for till this thou canst neuer haue any assurance of thy saluation nor receiue any grace from God Luke 1. 53. He filleth the hungry with good things and the rich he sendeth empty away 2. Labour for the Spirit of prayer and supplication for without this thou canst receiue no good thing from God specially no grace Iames 4. 7. Ye haue not because ye aske not 3. In the best meanes cry and pray to God for grace else shall they not profit thee Thus did David though he enioyed excellent meanes of grace Psal. 25. 4. 5. Shew me thy wayes O Lord teach me thy paths lead me in thy truth and teach me and 119. 12. 33. Teach me thy statutes teach me O Lord the way of thy statutes 4. If thou euer hadst this desire this Spirit of supplication and feelest it decayed in thee oh stirre it vp againe and striue to recouer it and herein I may say to thee as the Apostle to them Heb. 10. 32. Call to remembrance the former dayes and as our Sauiour to the Angell of the Church of Ephesus Reu. 2. 5. Remember euen in this from whence thou art fallen and repent For as your desire of grace decayeth so doth your assurance and comfort decay Secondly this doctrine serueth to reproue the wicked and shew the fearefull estate of such as are void of all desire of saluation Psal. 119. 154. Saluation is farre from the wicked for they seeke not thy statutes Certainely thou art yet in thy sinnes in the state of a child of wrath If thou say well if God haue decreed to saue me I shall do well enough I answer thou presumptuous foole what hast thou to do with Gods secrets Deutr. 29. 29. while thou continuest withâ—…t all desire of grace thou hast cause to feare thou art a reprobate But we shall make the better vse of this Doctrine when we haue learned the doctrine that followeth We are therefore further to obserue that as Christ telleth her what she should haue done to obtaine this water of life she should haue asked so he telleth her also what he would haue done if she had asked he would haue giuen it her though she were a Samaritan and a most wicked woman also Whence we learne That all such as can vnfainedly desire and aske grace of God shall be sure to obtaine it See the expresse promises of God for this Mat. 〈◊〉 6. Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after righteousnesse for they shall be filled Mat. 7. 8. Euery one that asketh receiueth and he that seeketh findeth and to him that knocketh it shall be opened Rom. 10. 13. Whosoeuer shall call vpon the name of the Lord shall be saued Reu. 22. 17. Let him that is a thirst come And whosoeuer will let him take the water of life freely The reasons of this are three 1. The infinite goodnesse of the Lord and the earnest desire he hath of the saluation and conuersion of men See this here in Christ he laboureth to worke this desire of the water of life in this wretched woman So Esay 65. 1. Behold me behold c. and so ver 2. I haue spread out my hands all the day vnto a disobedient people Can he then reiect them that vnfainedly desire his grace who is himselfe so earnest a suiter to vs that we would seeke and receiue it 2. The delight God taketh in and the readinesse that is in him to accept
liue through him and Ver. 10. Herein is loue not that we loued him but that he loued vs and sent his Sonne to be a reconciliation for our sinnes The reasons whereby this may appeare to be the greatest gift that euer God gaue man are three 1. In respect of the Lords affection towards vs declared in this gift 2. Of the benefit we receiue by this gift and the fruits and consequents of it 3. The freenesse of this gift For the first though Christ were more worth then ten thousand worlds being in the forme of God and one that thought it no robbery to be equall with God Phil. 2. 6. Though he were infinitely dearer to his Father then any of our children can be to vs. Mat. 12. 18. His beloued in whom his soule delighted I was daily his delight saith he Prouerb 8. 30. Yet as if we were of more worth and dearer vnto him then his onely begotten Sonne he gaue him for vs and that he might expresse his loue to vs he neglected him as it were and withdrew his affection from him Rom. 8. 32. He spared not his owne Sonne He caused him to take vpon him the forme of a seruant and to be of no reputation Phil. 2. 7. to make vs Kings Apoc. 1. 6. 2 Cor. 8. 9. He being rich for our sakes became poore that we through his pouerty might be made rich So that in this it may seeme God hath respected and loued vs aboue his own Son 2. He caused him to be tempted by Sathan for forty dayes together and that in the wildernesse a place of great terrour Mark 1. 17. And surely this was a farre greater indignity and reproch to be done to him then it would be to the greatest Empresse in the world that she should be sollicited by the basest scullion or rogue in a kingdome to commit filthinesse with him yea he permitted him so farre to the power of Sathan that he in those forty dayes carried the precious body of the Sonne of God vp and downe at his pleasure one while to the top of an high mountaine Luke 4. 5. Another while to a pinacle of the Temple Luk. 4. 9. And why did he thus giue his owne Sonne ouer thus farre to the power of Sathan Surely to deliuer vs from the power of Sathan Hebrewes 2. 15. So that in this respect also it may seeme he hath respected and loued vs more then his owne Sonne 3. He powred shame and contempt vpon him greater then euer any creature endured In his life oft he endured great contempt but specially in his death he died the shamefull death of the crosse hanged betweene two thieues both before and after his execution so many reproches and contempts were done to him as no Chronicle can remember the like euer done to any malefactor The whole band of the soldiers being called together clothed him with purple platted a crowne of thornes and put it about his head and began to salute him Haile King of the Iewes and smit him on the head with a reed and did spit vpon him and bowing their knees worshipped him as the holy Euangelist recordeth Mar. 15. 16. 19 We haue known many notorious traitors and other malefactors executed as for example the gunpowder-traitors in whose death all good subiects had cause to reioyce but did you euer know any so reproched and insulted ouer in their death as Christ was In which respect the Prophet saith of him Esa. 53. 2. He had no forme nor beauty he was despised and reiected of men we hid as it were our faces from him he was despised and we esteemed him not and himselfe complained in the person of Dauid that was a type of him Psal. 22. 6. I am a worme and not a man a shame of men and the contempt of the people And why did God powre this contempt on his own Son Surely to deliuer vs from that shame and confusion that did iustly belong vnto vs To vs belongeth confusion of face O Lord to vs belongeth confusion of face saith the Prophet Dan. 9. 7 8. So that in this also it may seeme the Lord hath respected and loued vs aboue his owne Son 4. He made him to be sinne which knew no sinne 2 Cor. 5. 21. As if from the soale of his foot to the crowne of his head nothing had beene whole on him but wounds and swellings and sores full of corruption as the Prophet speakes in another case Esa. 1. 6. imputing to him and as it were clothing him with all the drunkennesses adulteries murders blasphemies of all the Elect througout the world And why did he thus make him sinne surely to make vs free from all sinne thas we might be made the righteousnesse of God in him 2 Cor. 5. 21. So that in this also it may seeme the Lord hath respected and loued vs more then him 5. Lastly he made him a curse for vs Gal. 3. 13. so as for a time nothing could be seene on him but the curse of God no signe of his fauour at all He was in the garden in such sorrow and feare as that he was faine to desire poore weake men to watch with him Mat. 26. 36. and that he shed many teares cryed out and roared with strong cryes Heb. 5. 7. and sweat water and bloud Luke 23. 44. and vpon the Crosse the curse of God was so heauy vpon him that he cryed Mat. 27. 46. My God my God why hast thou forsaken me so that that which is said in another case of the Church Lam. 1. 12. that might our Sauiour haue said at that time Behold and see if there be any sorrow like vnto my sorrow which is done vnto me wherewith the Lord hath afflicted me in the day of his fierce wrath And why was hee thus accursed Surely he was made a curse for vs that the blessing of Abraham might come vpon vs saith the Apostle Gal. 3. 13 14. he endured the sorrowes and terrours of hell that we might be brought to the ioyes of heauen So that in this also it may seeme the Lord hath respected and loued vs more then his owne Sonne Let no man thinke that I haue strayned my selfe to amplifie this matter more then needed no if I had The tongues of men and Angels I were not able suficiently to expresse vnto you the loue of God to man in bestowing this gift and therefore the Apostle saith the Angels wonder at and desire to pry into this mysterie 1. Pet 1. 12. Yea the Prophet saith that the Lord himselfe a wondring at his own loue in this gift shall call Christs name wonderfull Esa. 9 6. The Lord might haue forborne to create vs or when we were created he could haue preserued vs from falling and when we were fallen he could without this cost this gift and price haue redeemed vs but then he should not sufficiently enough haue declared his loue to mankind The second reason whereby this may appeare to be the greatest of all
gifts is in respect of the benefit we receiue by the gift and the fruits and consequents of it For first whereas all worldly benefits yea and many excellent gifts of Gods spirit also a man may enioy and perish with them as Esau Saul and Iudas did this whosoeuer receiueth can neuer perish Iob. 3. 16. whosoeuer beleeueth in him shall not perish but haue life euerlasting 2. All other gifts and benefits proceed from this as from their fountaine or else they are no blessings nor can doe vs any good Earthly blessings we haue no title to neither can they doe vs any good without wee haue him also and them for him and his sake him hath he appointed heire of all things saith the Apostle Heb. 12. and God hath created them to be receiued with thanksgiuing saith he 1. Tim. 4. 3 of them which beleeue and know the truth nor spiritual blessings neither he hath blessed vs with all spirituall blessings in heauenly places in Christ saith Paul Eph. 1. 3. in which respect also the Apostle saith that for all blessings we must giue thankes to God the Father by him Col. 3. 17. and Heb. 13. 15. By him let vs offer the sacrifice of prayse to God continually 3. If we haue this gift we may be sure neuer to want any other blessing that shall be good for vs how shall he not with him also saith the Apostle Rom. 8. 32 freely giue vs all things and so saith our Sauiour also Mat. 6. 33. seeke you first the Kingdome of God and his righteousnes and all these things shall be added vnto you The third reason whereby this may appeare to be the greatest of all gifts is in respect of the freenesse of this gift This giues great price and value to euery gift the more free it is the more it is esteemed Now of all the gifts that euer God bestowed vpon man this was the freest gift First nothing neither the good workes he fore-saw we should doe nor the faith he fore-saw we should haue mooued him at the first to finde out this way for our saluation and to purpose to bestow this gift vpon vs but his owne good pleasure onely and free grace He predestinated vs vnto the adoption of children by Iesus Christ vnto himselfe saith the Apostle Ephe. 1. 5. according to the good pleasure of his will 2. Nothing mooued him to giue and bestow this gift vpon vs but his owne good pleasure and free grace for what was there in them vpon whom he bâ—…stowed it to deserue it by Consider who they were He bestowed not his gift onely vpon some rare persons for their pietie and holinesse as Abraham Iob Mary though if he had it had beene free enough for there was nothing in them to deserue it but vpon vs all Rom. 8. 32. vpon the world Ioh. 3. 16. and what could there be in the world to deserue such a gift 〈◊〉 Ioh. 5. 19. The whole world lies in wickednesse It is therefore to be obserued that the Lord that the freenesse of this gift might be the better acknowledged sent his Sonne at that time when all things in the Church and Common-wealth amongst his owne people were most corrupt and out of order This greatly amplifies the loue of God in this gift Rom. 5. 8. God commendeth his loue towards vs in that when we were yet sinners and enemies also ver 10. Christ died for vs. Thirdly nothing he requires at our hands for the making of this gift our owne but onely that we should feele the need of it and receiue it at his hands He cryes Esa. 55. 1. Hoe euery one that thirsteth come and Ioh. 1. 12. as many as receiued him to them he gaue power to become the Sons of God The Vse of this doctrine is First to teach vs not to rest contented nor to blesse our selues in any blessing or token of Gods fauour we haue receiued till we be assured that God hath giuen vs his owne Sonne This is the only sound cause of ioy Esa. 9. 3. 6. esteeme basely of all other things in comparison of this as Paul did Phil. 3. 8. no other blessing may giue vs iust cause of ioy but this onely Luke 10. 20. in this reioyce not c. but rather reioyce because your names c. for this is the onely certaine and infallible argument of Gods fauour no outward thing can assure thee of it No man knoweth either loue or hatred by all that is before them all things come alike to all saith Salomon Eccl. 9. 1 2. Esau had all outward blessings in farre greater plenty then Iacob had and yet as it is said Mal. 1. 3. Rom. 9. 13. God hated him Then onely shall we be truly thankefull to God and loue him heartily when we can be perswaded he hath so loued vs as to redeeme vs by his Sonne from hell when we can say to him as Dauid doth Psal. 86. 12 13. I will praise thee Oh Lord my God with all mine heart and I will glorifie thy Name for euermore For great is thy mercy toward me and thou hast deliuered my soule from the lowest hell 2. To confirme vs against desperation Hath the Lord so loued the world that he gaue his Sonne to that end that whosoeuer c. not excepting nor excluding thee but offering him vniuersally Iohn 3 16. 2. Yea commanded that to thee in particular in the Ministery of the Gospel he should be offered Marke 16. 15. Preach the Gospell saith he to euery creature 3. Yea commanded thee in particular to beleeue that he belongs to thee that he dyed for thee 1. Iohn 3. 23. This is his commandement that we should beleeue c. 4. Requiring nothing at thy hands to make this gift thine owne but onely to accept and take it at his hands Iohn 1. 12. 5. So desirous that thou mayst haue the benefit of this gift that he hath reuealed in his word that of all thy sins and rebellions he takes this for the worst and accounteth it the most hainous if thou wilt not beleeue and take this gift of him The Holy Ghost shall conuince the world saith our Sauiour himselfe Iohn 16. 9. Of sinne because they beleeue not on me and wilt thou yet doubt that he loueth thee not wilt not thou beleeue that he meaneth as he sayeth and that in this inestimable loue of his he had respect vnto thee as well as vnto any other 3. To teach vs to inquire how we may know that this gift belongeth to vs the rather because it is certaine it belongs not to all Iohn 17. 9. I pray not for the world no not to all that pretend title to it and seeme very that it is theirs Mat. 7. 21. Not euery one that saith Lord Lord shall enter into the Kingdome of heauen Three notes we shall try by whether we haue indeed receiued this gift 1. No man ordinarily comes to Christ till the law hath schooled him and brought
him to Christ Gal. 3. 24. till then we are like the Laodiceans Reuel 3. 17. wee say that we are rich and increased with goods and haue need of nothing wee know not that wee are wretched and miserable and poore and blind and naked till then wee are so proud that we will neuer craue nor stretch out or open our hand to receiue this gift First we must be poore in spirit and mourners for that before euer we can hunger and thirst c. as appeareth by our Sauiours gradation Mat. 5. 3. 4. 6. 2. So soone as we haue receiued Christ we haue receiued also the Spirit of Adoption Rom. 8. 15. And as so soone as he was in the shippe all was calme and quiet Mat 14. 32. so shall we find that vpon the receiuing of Christ our hearts will be at peace Rom. 5. 1 Being iustified by faith we haue peace with God 3. So soone as we haue receiued Christ we haue receiued also the Spirit of sanctification 2. Cor. 5. 17. If any man be in Christ he is a new creature And howsoeuer a man may receiue all other gifts from God and neuer loue him but euen set their mouth against the heauens as the Prophet speaketh Psal. 73. 9. Yet this can none receiue but he shall loue the Lord deerely and study how to honour and shew himselfe thankfull vnto him See this in Dauid Psal 18. 1. I will loue thee O Lord my strength 2. the Lord is my God c. and Psal. 116 1. I loue the Lord because he hath heard my voice and my supplications and the occasion of those supplications the hearing whereof made him so to loue the Lord he expresseth verse 3. The sorrowes of death compassed me and the paines of hell got hold vpon me I found trouble and sorrow He that hath truly felt being schooled and nurtured to it by the ministry of the Law his owne miserable estate by nature and hath receiued by faith this assurance that Christ hath ransomed him from it hath receiued this gift can not chuse but loue the Lord dearely for it Lecture the fourth Feb. 21. 1608. IOHN IIII. X. THe last day beginning to speake of the cause that our Sauiour giueth why this woman did not aske of him the Water of life which was the third generall part of this text she knew not that gift of God nor who it was that said c. I told you there were 3. points to be obserued in these words 1. That he calleth himselfe that gift of God 2. That he saith the cause why she asked not this Water of life of him was for that she knew him not 3. That he saith if she had knowne him she would haue asked it of him The first â—…f these three points we finished the last day and learned from it that Christ is the chiefe the greatest gift the principall token of his loue that euer God gaue vnto men It followeth now that we come to the two last points 1. That hee saith the cause why she asked not was that she knew him not 2. That he saith if she had known him she would haue asked In the first we must obserue that our Sauiour saith the cause why this woman made no vse of him made no reckoning of that Water of life which he had to bestow was for that she knew him not and from thence we learne That ignorance is a chiefe cause of all prophanesse and contempt of Gods grace This we shall find noted of them that haue beene notoriously profane the reason why they refused to serue God and asked what profit they should haue by praying to him is said to be this that they knew him not for so they said Iob 21. 15. Who is the almighty c. and Psal. 10. 4. When Dauid had said the wicked is so proud that he seeketh not for God he giueth this for the reason he thinketh alwayes there is no God Neither is it so onely with notorious Atheists but with euery naturall man euen the ciuillest man in the world whom you see carelesse in religion and a contemner of grace his ignorance is the cause of it The cause why the heathen did not call vpon God Psal. 79. 6. is said to be this that they knew him not Rom. 3. 11. There is none that vnderstandeth there is none that seeketh God Eph. 4. 18. What makes all the Gentiles strangers from the life of God Hauing their vnderstanding darkened they are strangers from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them If men knew and were perswaded of the comfort that is to be found in godlinesse and the reward thereof they could not but desire and loue it So men feare not hell for that they fore-see it not if they could see that pit open if they knew and belieued the torments that the damned doe endure in it they would certainely feare it and the way that leadeth to it The reason of the Doctrine is euident euen in nature for the will and affections are moued by the vnderstanding that sits at the sterne in the soule of man A man can neither feare nor loue nor desire nor hate nor ioy nor grieue for any thing but according to the apprehension he hath of it in his vnderstanding That is the reason why the Scripture imputes all the sinnes of Gods people to the errour of the mind all their sinnes are called the errors of the people Heb. 9. 7. As at the first Satan drew Eue to sinne by deceiuing her 1. Tim. 2. 14. So hath he done all her posterity euer since Sinne deceiued me saith the Apostle Rom. 7. 11. Therefore the Lord in his word makes it the first and greatest worke of grace to reforme the mind and vnderstanding Rom. 12. 2. Be ye changed by the renewing of your mind Col. 3. 10. The new man is renewed in knowledge And there is great cause why this should be acknowledged to be so because the imaginations and thoughts and conceits of the mind are as the Apostle cals them 2. Cor. 10. 4. 5. Those strong holds and those high things within vs that are exalted against the knowledge of Christ. Yea knowledge is the root and fountaine of all other graces 2. Pet. 1. 2. Grace be multiplied vnto you through the knowledge of God and Vers. 3. His diuine power hath giuen vs all things that pertaine to life and godlinesse through the knowledge of him that hath called vs to glory and vertue The first vse of this doctrine is to perswade euery man of the euill and danger of ignorance of the great necessity of seeking the knowledge of Gods Word Shall all men thinke it necessary to take paines for skill and knowledge how to liue here and shall any be so farre giuen vp to a reprobate mind as to thinke there is no danger to liue in the ignorance of Gods Word that there is no paines nor care to be taken for attaining the knowledge of
knowledge but the least measure of sauing knowledge of that knowledge that may yeeld him sound comfort no man can ordinarily attaine to but by hearing 1. Cor. 1. 21. It hath pleased God by the foolishnesse of preaching to saue men The glory of the Lord his power and iustice sufficient to make vs to feare him seruilely may be seene elsewhere but the beauty of the Lord which may make him amiable to vs the comfortable knowledge of God is to be seene no where but in the Temple and in this ordinance of his the ministery of his word Psal 27. 4. 3. It is gotten by earnest prayer the man that neuer prayeth may attaine to knowledge but say he haue the best means the best ministry he shall neuer attain to the least measure of sanctified knowledge if he vse not to pray heartily for Gods blessing vpon the meanes Prou. 2. 3. 5. If thou cryest after knowledge then shalt thou vnderstand c. that made Dauid to cry to God so earnestly for this Psal. 119. 18. 4. It is confirmed by experience Psal 119. 140. thy Word is proued most pure and thy seruant loueth it Rom. 12. 2. Be ye changed by the renewing of your mind that ye may proue what that good and acceptable and perfect will of God is This is that knowledge Iob got by his afflictions Iob 42. 5. Now mine eyes seeth thee saith hee This is that spoken of Ier. 32. 8. Then I knew that this was the word of the Lord he knew before but experience now added to the certainty of his knowledge The effects whereby sauing knowledge is to be discerned from the other are three 1. It puffeth not vp a man as other knowledge doth 1. Cor. 8. 2. but makes him to haue a lowly conceit of himselfe because he discerneth much more ignorance then knowledge in himselfe The cause why the Laodiceans were so well conceited of themselues was for that their eyes were not opened Apoc. 3. 17 18. Experience sheweth this to be true in the best of Gods seruants and such as haue most profited by the word they are humble minded and euer complaining of their owne ignorance surely I am more brutish then any man saith Agur Pro. 30. 2. 3. and haue not the vnderstanding of a man I haue neither learned wisdome nor haue the knowledge of the holy 2. It resteth not in the braine but worketh vpon the heart and affections Esa. 51. 7. Ye people that know righteousnesse in whose heart is my law This light is not like that of the Moone but of the Sunne that not onely giueth light but warmeth and quickneth euery thing Paul prayeth their loue might abound in all knowledge and in all feeling or iudgment Phil. 1. 9. No man truely knowes God with a sanctified knowledge but he loues him also and thus are these two graces coupled together Psal. 91. 14. Because he hath set his loue vpon me thereforewill I deliuer him I wil set him on high because he hath knowne my name No man truely knowes God with a sanctified knowledge but he also putteth his trust in him Psal. 9 10. They that know thy name will put their trust in thee 3. It worketh reformation of heart and life Iob 28. 28. To depart from euill is vnderstanding 1. Ioh. 2. 3. Hereby we are sure that we know him if we keepe his commandements and verse 4. He that saith I know him and keepeth not his commandements is a lyer and verse 11. He that hateth his brother is in darknesse and walketh in darknes and knoweth not whither he goeth because that darknesse hath blinded his eyes Therefore it is said of the sonnes of Eli 1. Sam 2. 12. That they knew not God 4. It makes men strong to resist and stand against temptations Prou. 24. 5. A wise man is strong yea a man of knowledge increaseth his strength The properties of sauing and sanctified knowledge are two 1. It is cleare and certaine not confused and doubtfull 1. Cor. 2. 15. He that is spirituall iudgeth all things yet he himselfe is iudged of no man he is soe certaine that no contrary iudgement or censure of any man can make him to alter his iudgement So 1. Ioh. 2. 27. Ye need not that any man teach you but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things 2. There is no satiety in it but the more a man hath of it the more he doth desire it As a new borne babe saith the Apostle 1. Pet. 2. 3 he desireth the sincere milke of the word that he may grow thereby A wise man saith Salomon Pro. 1. 5. wil heare and wil increase learning Apollo Acts. 18. 24. 26. though he were already mighty in the scriptures and able to teach diligently the things of the Lord yet was glad to haue the way of the Lord taught and expounded vnto him more perfectly by Aquila Priscilla And how earnest is Dauid himselfe a man indued with more then an ordinary measure of knowledge as appeares by that which he saith of himselfe Psal. 119. 69 100. yet how earnest I say is he oft with God that he would giue him more knowledge Psal 119. 18. 26. 27. Euery thing by nature doth desire to increase in that good wherewith it is already indued yea the more it hath of it the more it doth desire because it feeleth so much the more the sweetnes of it as so we see that none are so desirous of riches as the richest of knowledge as the best learned And so is it in sauing and sanctified knowledge also he that hath it indeed cannot choose but desire to increase it THE SIXT LECTVRE ON MARCH VII MDCVIII IOH. IIII. XI XII The woman saith vnto him Sir thou hast nothing to draw with and the Well is deepe from whence then hast thou that liuing water Art thou greater then our father Iacob which gaue vs the Well and dranke thereof himselfe and his children and his cattell WE haue heard in the former Verse how our Sauiour did take occasion vpon this Womans refusall to giue him a little water to drinke both to make himselfe knowne vnto her and to speake and make offer vnto her of a better water that he had to bestow vpon her In these words is set downe a reply that the woman maketh vnto this speech of his for she not vnderstanding his meaning but thinking that he had spoken of materiall water reasoneth against him after this manner The water thou speakest of is either the water of this Well or some other better then this but I cannot see how thou shouldest giue me any of the water of this Well because thou hast nothing to draw with and the Well is deepe And as for any other water that is better then this I cannot see how thou shouldest come by it for Iacob our father gaue vs this Well and this was the best water he could giue for it was the same that himselfe and his children and his cattell did
that we may truely say that though we our selues are bound to account the corruption that remaineth in vs an intolerable burden which we must be continually humbled for and groane vnder and striue to lessen and desire to be eased of as the Apostle did Rom. 7. 24. because our most holy and heauenly Father is grieued and offended by it and because it is euer budding and bringing forth in vs such fruits as are most bitter vnto vs and breed vs much woe yet the infinite wisedome and power and goodnesse of our God maketh this a great benefit to vs that we are not in this life perfectly regenerated but that the Lord suffers sinne to dwell in vs so long as we abide in this tabernacle If any man shall demand of me the reasons of this Doctrine the cause why the Lord should thus loue his Elect and be so partiall towards them that though he hates sinne in all and hates the Reprobate and damnes them for their sinne yet he hates not his Elect for their sinnes but loues them euen before there is any grace in them at all euen before they haue repented of their sinnes I can giue no other reason of it but his own good will and pleasure onely he hath mercy on whom he will haue mery saith the Apostle Rom. 9. 18. and Ephes. 1. 11. He worketh all things after the counsell of his owne will And in this it becommeth euery mortall man to rest without inquiry any further and to say with the holy Apostle Rom. 9. 21 22. Hath not the Potter power ouer the clay What if God will doe thus 2. The respect God hath to the Sonne of his loue to whom he gaue them before the world was He hath chosen vs in him saith the Apostle Ephes. 1. 4. before the foundation of the world and verse 6. He hath made vs accepted in his beloued Now of this Doctrine I may say as the Prophet doth in another case Esay 28. 9. To whom shall we teach this Doctrine Who is fit to heare and receiue it The Apostle speakes of some that stumble at the Word 1. Pet. 2. 8. and such there haue euer beene in the Church But there is no part of the Word no truth of God that so many doe stumble at as at this Doctrine of the infinite mercy of God vnto sinners For where shall we finde a man almost that doth not abuse this Doctrine to the incouraging of himselfe to sin and to the hardening of his heart against all checke of conscience for sin yet must this doctrine so cleerely and plentifully deliuered in the holy Scripture and tending so much to the comfort of Gods people be taught though there be neuer so many wicked men that will take hurt by it The childrens bread must not be kept from them because of the dogges that will be ready to snatch it out of our hands when we breake it to them Yet before I giue the children their bread and apply this Doctrine to them vnto whom it onely belongeth I will endeauour to driue away the dogges by shewing that the profane and impenitent sinner that turnes Gods grace into wantonnesse and encourageth himselfe to sinne by the knowledge of Gods mercy hath nothing to doe with this Doctrine nor any cause at all to take comfort in it For 1. All this that is spoken in the Word of Gods mercy belongs onely to the Elect which are therfore called Uessels of mercy not to the Reprobates which are called Vessels of wrath Rom. 9. 22. 23. If thou say I may be one of Gods Elect too I answer thou mayest indeed but till thou knowest thy selfe to be so and canst finde the markes of Election in thy selfe thou canst take no comfort in this Doctrine Therefore euery where in Scripture this mercy of God is restrained to them that feare him the Scripture euery where teacheth that none else haue cause to glory in it or trust to it Psal. 118. 4. Let them that feare the Lord now say that his mercy endureth for euer And 115. 11. Ye that feare the Lord trust in the Lord. 2. This is noted by the Holy Ghost to be a fearefull signe of reprobation and that thou shalt neuer tast of Gods mercy because thou stumblest and takest occasion of being more wicked euen from the pure and holy Word of God and from the doctrine of his mercy 1. Pet. 2. 8. 3. This God whose mercy thou so much gloryest in and the doctrine of whose mercy thou dost so much abuse and Christ Iesus through whom thou trustest to finde him so mercifull will appeare vnto thee one day so terrible as thou shalt cry to the hils and rocks to fall vpon thee to hide thee from his presence Apoc. 6. 15 16. Yea this shall increase thy horrour at that day that thou hast sinned against so mercifull a God and when thou shalt discerne that he that is so infinite in mercy toward others yea haply toward such as were more notorious sinners then thy selfe hath no mercy for thee at all Luk. 13. 28. There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth when ye shall see Abraham and Isaac and Iacob and all the Prophets in the Kingdome of God and you your selues thrust out But to let them passe and to apply this Doctrine to such as to whom indeed it onely belongeth First it serueth for the vnspeakeable comfort of all such as can finde in themselues the assured tokens that they are the Elect of God And indeed this Doctrine is to such the foundation of all true comfort If thy sinne cannot hurt thee nothing can hurt thee neither prosperity nor aduersity life nor death the world nor the diuell For as sinne is the sting of death 1. Cor. 15. 56. So is it of euery other thing that thou hast cause to feare Now if thou be Gods Elect thou mayest be thus secure that though thy sins may make thee subiect to many a correction and scourge in this life yet shall they neuer bee able to separate thee from the loue of God or hinder thy eternall happinesse Euery man therefore that desireth to enioy this comfort must labour to make his election certaine to himselfe and that shall he doe by making his effectuall calling certaine to himselfe 2. Pet. 1. 10. And this is an argument of an effectuall calling when hee findes that through Gods grace he is able vnfainedly to repent of all his sinnes that is so to grieue for offending God by them that he can hate and forsake them For this grace of vnfained repentance is giuen to none but them that are of the Israel of God the Elect of God Acts 5. 31. And the departing from iniquity is made a certaine note of Election 2. Timothie 2. 19. So that if thou finde thy selfe able through Gods grace to repent of thy sinnes there is no cause thou shouldest feare damnation for thy sins or the losse of Gods fauour For if
speech of a Cain Gen. 4. 9. Am I my brothers keeper Lecture the fiftieth Aprill 17. 1610. IOHN IIII. XXVIII IT followeth now that we come to the second point wherein this Woman shewed her zeale viz. in leauing her payle behind her And that we may ground our instruction well from this example obserue in it these points 1. She came for water and therefore sure had need and vse of water for some businesses she had to doe at home 2. Yet she leaueth both her water and her payle and the businesse she had to do at home 3. Why did she so Surely her heart was so taken vp with ioy that she knew Christ and with zealous desire to make him knowne to her neighbours that she came carelesse and forgetfull both of her water and of her payle and worldly businesse 2. Though it was not vnlawfull for her after she knew Christ to follow her worldly businesse yet she knew by doing it at this time she should haue sinned because shee should haue neglected a greater duty then the carrying home of her water or doing other of her worldly businesse she feared that she could not haue brought her neighbours soone enough to Christ if she had gone home with her water and therefore she had rather neglect both her water and her payle and the businesse she had to doe at home then to neglect a worke of farre greater importance euen the drawing of her neighbours to Christ. The Doctrine then that we haue to learne from this example is this That the man that knoweth Christ aright and is truely conuerted careth lesse for worldly things then he did before Before we confirme this Doctrine to preuent the mistaking of it two things must be obserued 1. Shee was not bound now she had found Christ and knew him to her comfort to forsake the world quite and giue ouer her worldly businesse There is no opposition betweene these things so as it should be necessary for all that desire to serue God and seeke his kingdome to giue ouer their worldly callings neither is this the way to perfection as Papists haue dreamed No man hath warrant to spend his whole time in priuate deuotion vpon pretence that he will forsake the world Indeed the Minister should say as the Apostles doe Acts 6. 4. Wee will giue our selues continually to prayer and to the ministration of the Word But no other Christian neede say so but rather should seeke to liue in such a calling as wherein he may haue somewhat else to imploy himselfe in for the profit of others Ezek. 18. 18. Because he hath not done good among his people he shall dye in his iniquity Christ vseth not to draw men from their callings but such onely as he chooseth to be his Ministers when the man that was dispossessed would haue continued with him he sent him away saying returne to thine own house Luk. 8. 38 39. The true cause why most men and women by following their worldly businesse loose all grace and become so earthly minded is not in their worldly callings but in themselues and their owne corruption There haue beene Christians that haue had great dealings in the world yet daily serued God and receiued thereby no decay of grace for in them they serued the Lord Christ Colos. 3. 24. Let Ioseph be an example for men in this case he had great dealings in the world both while he was in Potiphars house and specially afterward yet continued he a very religious and holy man And for women Let her be an example that is mentioned Pro. 31. A better huswife cannot be found verse 13. 15. 27. Yet her chiefe praise is this that she was a woman very religious verse 30. And therefore the Apostle speaketh to a Christian seruant hauing an Infidell to his master whose condition in that respect was hardest of all other 1. Cor. 7. 21. Art thou called being a seruant care not for it 2. She was not bound now she knew Christ to her comfort to cast away her payle now she had found this treasure to cast away her worldly goods Nay Religion bindeth a man to be a good husband to seeke to preserue and increase also that estate that God hath giuen him The eighth commandement that bindeth a man not to impaire but to increase so far as in him lyeth the good estate of his neighbour bindeth him much more to haue a care of his owne estate It is not lawfull for a man to be carelesse of his estate no not vpon pretence of charity or mercifulnesse to the poore as is plaine by that strait charge that is so often giuen vs to take heed how we become sureties for another man Pro. 11. 15. and 20. 18 and 22. 26. yea euen in releeuing the Saints we must haue respect to our ability Acts 11. 29. The goods that any man hath are not his owne but they are Gods gifts the siluer is mine and the gold is mine saith the Lord of hoasts Hag. 2. 9. and he is but the steward of them and shall be called to account how he hath vsed them My meate also which I gaue thee fine flowre oyle and hony wherewith I sed thee thou hast euen set it before them for a sweet sauour Ezek. 16. 19. And therefore to cast any of them away euen the least bit of bread oh that our gamesters and drunkards and Prodigals could beleeue this is a sin against God And that is the reason of that law Deut. 20. 19. Thou shalt not destroy the trees for thou mayest eate of them and of that commandement of our Sauiour Ioh. 6. 12. Gather vp the fragments that remaine that nothing bee lost These two points being thus premised let vs now proceed to the confirmation of the Doctrine This is a certaine fruit and sure note of a true Conuert he maketh not that account of worldly things as he did before But as the loue of worldly riches when it once seizeth vpon any heart it presently decayeth grace in it and draweth it away from the loue of heauenly things Matth. 13. 22. The cares of this world and the deceitfulnesse of riches choke the Word and maketh it vnfruitfull So on the other side when once God hath giuen a man a true taste and loue of heauenly things he shall grow to adistaste and light regard of worldly comforts Yea according to the measure of a mans inward loue and ioy he taketh in heauenly things shall his neglect and contempt of the world be in him The expectation and desire Abraham had of heauen made him willing to leaue his owne countrey and to continue out of it all his time The Church is said Apoc. 12. 1. To haue the moone vnder her feet that is all worldly things which like the Moone are subiect to continuall change The power that Gods grace hath this way may bee obserued in three points 1. It maketh a man willing to part with whatsoeuer is dearest to him in the world
if he cannot hold it with Gods fauour That is a treasure for which a man will be content to sell all that euer he hath Matth. 13. 44. to loose all things and to count them but dung in comparison of it Phil. 3. 8. This made all Gods people in Israel to leaue their dwellings and possessions there and to come to Ierusalem where God was purely worshipped 2. Chron. 11. 16. This made Moses willing to forgoe all his honours and pleasures and hopes he had in Pharaohâ—… Court and to ioyne himselfe vnto Gods afflicted and despised Church Heb. 11. 24. 25. 2. It moderateth the affection of a man to earthly things and teacheth him to vse them with more sobriety and indifferency so as he doth neither so greedily desire them nor is so discontented in the want of them nor so lifted vp in the abundance of them as others be it makes him able to say with the Apostle I haue learned in whatsoeuer state I am therewith to bee content I know both how to be abased and I know how to abound euery where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry both to abound and to suffer need Phil. 4. 11 12. He vseth them as the traueller doth his good lodging he findeth in his Inne for his necessity and the better enabling him to goe forward in his iourney homeward but setteth not his heart vpon them Psal. 62. 10. And thus he professeth that he is but a stranger and pilgrime vpon earth and seeketh for another country Heb. 11. 13 14. 3. It so taketh vp a mans heart specially in his first conuersion in his first loue as it maketh him very carelesse and forgetfull of all things else As Peter and Andrew Iames and Iohn straitway left their ships their net and their father and followed Christ Matth. 4. 20. 22. This made Christs hearers Mar. 8. 2. so carelesse of their meat for three daies together and Mary to neglect her huâ—…wifry in the entertaining of Christ and leauing all to sit her downe at Christs feet to heare his words Luke 10. 39. The Reason of this Doctrine is this that they haue found another treasure and where the treasure is there will the heart be Matth. 6. 21. He that once counteth Religion his treasure cannot set his heart on the world the heart can no more be deuided betweene them then it is possible for a man at the same time to looke with one of his eyes towards heauen and with another vpon the ground These two things the loue of the world and the loue of God are of a masterfull disposition Into what heart soeuer they enter they will be commanders and rule alone which is the reason of that speech of our Sauiour Matth. 6. 24. No man serues two masters 1. To instruct vs what to iudge of such Christians as vse not onely on the Sabbath day but on the weeke dayes also to goe to Sermons and Exercises of Religion worldly men thinke of these men that they doe more then they need yea more then they ought to doe that this will bring them to beggery Yea many are afraid to be religious or to frequent the Ministry of some men for feare least they should be drawen to doe thus as they see many of their hearers are In handling this point I will shew 1. What is to be said for the warning and admonition of these men 2. What is to be said for the encouragement and defence of them 1. It is indeed a great sinne in any professour to neglect his calling vpon pretence of following Sermons and seruing God specially if he haue a charge and want other meanes to liue by and that many of the better sort of Christians are too much inclined to this sinne appeareth by Pauls beating on this point so much in his Epistles to the Thessalonians Study to be quiet and to doe your owne businesse and to worke with your owne hands as wee commanded you 1. Thess. 4. 11. We heare that there are some which walke among you disorderly working not at all but are busie-bodies Now them that are such we command and exhort by our Lord Iesus Christ that with quietnesse they worke and eate their owne bread 2. Thess. 3. 11 12. but this is a great sinne For 1. Euery Christian should desire to liue of himselfe that he may not be chargeable vnto others 1. Thess. 5. 11 12. When he had charged them to follow their owne businesse and to worke with their hands he giues this for a reason that nothing may be lacking to them 2. If a man haue a family and prouide not for it he is worse then an Infidell 1. Tim. 5. 8. Therefore Paul saith 1. Cor. 7. 33. The marryed careth and that lawfully for the things of the world 3. Say a man could prouide for himselfe and his family sufficiently yet he must also haue a care to follow his calling that he may haue to giue others that need Rather let him labour working with his hands the thing that is good that he may haue to giue to him that needeth Ephes. 4. 28. And this reason the Apostle giueth why himselfe did at Ephesus with the labour of his owne hands minister vnto his owne necessities and to them that were with him and why according to his example others in the like case of necessity and for the auoiding of scandall should doe the like euen the remembrance of the words of the Lord Iesus how he said it is a more blessed thing to giue then to receiue Act. 20. 24 35. 4. Say a man haue enough for all this yet must he haue care of his estate for this cause because if he decay in it he shall be a scandall to his profession and alienate others from the truth Pro. 14. 20. The poore is hated euen of his owne neighbour Therefore Paul maketh this one reason for this 1. Thess. 4. 11 12. Doe your businesse and worke with your owne hands that yee may walke honestly to them that are without 5. Say a mans estate were so plentifull that no decay could be discerned in it to the scandall of his profession yet is he bound to liue and take paines in some calling wherein he may be profitable to others else can he haue no true comfort in any of Gods blessings that he doth enioy for thus runneth the promise Psalmeâ—…28 â—…28 2. When thou eatest the labours of thy hands thou shalt bee blessed and it shall bee well with thee 2. Thessalonians 3. 12. They onely eate their owne bread that labour in a calling 2. It is to be granted that there is not the like necessity of frequenting the publike exercises of Religion on any other day as there is on the Sabbath for that there is an expresse commandement on that euen the poorest is bound to keepe an holy rest vnto the Lord for the commandement bindeth all men and none is exempted from it Exod. 20.
truth that himselfe doth see If one should say thus of any godly man that doth conforme Surely the truth is so clearely reuealed in these points of difference in our Church that he cannot chuse but see it onely the loue of the world and feare of trouble keepes him from acknowledging and yeelding to it or if another should say of any godly man that doth not conforme Surely it is not possible but he seeth well enough that these are but trifles and not to be laid in ballance with the liberty of his Ministry onely a carnall respect to his credit because he hath stood out and spoken against these things keepes him from yeelding surely both these should offend much God forbid we should iudge thus one of another For my part I am fully perswaded there are godly and conscionable men on both sides that will not sticke to professe euery truth that God hath reuealed vnto them how much soeuer they might disaduantage themselues thereby in their credit and estate amongst men It is of fundamentall points that the Apostle speaketh 2. Cor. 4. 3. 4. If our Gospell bee then hidden it is hidden to them that are lost in whom the God of this world hath blinded their minde For it is certaine that in as great matters as these are about which we differ there haue beene many of Gods dearest children and excellent seruants that haue not had the truth reuealed vnto them but it was hidden vnto them they could not see it Barnabas was a good man and yet could not see that that Paul saw how vnfit it was to take Iohn and Marke with them who had before giuen great offence by departing from them at Pamphilia and refusing to goe with them to the worke Act. 15. 38 39. And both he and Peter were good men and yet could not see that that Paul saw viz. that it was lawfull and fit for them to conuerse with the Gentiles euen in the presence of the Iewes Gal. 2. 11 14. God bestowes his gifts on his seruants in different measure and degree He reueales some parts of his truth to some which he conceales from others euen of his faithfull seruants neither is there any that clearely seeth the truth in all things but in some points he is ignorant and doth erre 1. Cor. 13. 9. We know it in part and prophesie in part Yea say it were passion or preiudice that blinded the iudgement of him that differs from thee though that be a greater infirmity than simple ignorance yet may he be a godly and good man for all that You know who it was that said of himselfe and Barnabas Act. 14. 15. We are euen men subiect to the like passions that yee bee Thirdly if any be a godly man and hath an vpright heart thou art bound to loue and reuerence him how much soeuer his gifts are inferiour to thine or how much soeuer he differs from thee in iudgement It is certaine we are to acknowledge and reuerence Gods gifts wheresoeuer we see them though they be but such as may be in a wicked man Though Ioab were but a naturall man an hypocrite yet the Holy Ghost doth oft speake of and commend sundrie good things in him but if we see a man to be a godly man to haue an honest and vpright heart then are we much more bound to loue and reuerence him yea we should be vnwilling and affraid to note or eye any of his infirmities so as our hearts should be alienated or estranged from him In this we should shew our selues the children of our heauenly Father Hee hath not beheld iniquity in Iacob neither hath he seene peruersenesse in Israel Num. 23. 21. Is he that differs from thee a brother a childe of God take heed how thou despise him take heede that thou loue him This was Abrahams reason to Lot Gen. 13. 8. and Pauls we should endeuour to keepe the vnity of the Spirit in the bond of peace because there is but one body and one spirit and we are called in one hope of our calling Ephes. 4. 34. By this we know we are translated from death to life because we loue the brethren 1. Iohn 3. 14. And Dauid makes this a note of one that shall go to heauen Ps. 15. 4. that he honoureth them that feare the Lord. Yea though he be far thy inferiour though he be full of infirmities the Apostle chargeth Christian husbands to giue honour to their wiues as vnto the weaker vessels because they are heires together of the grace of life 1. Pet. 3. 7. We haue heard what agreement ought to be among Gods faithfull seruants we haue heard the reasons whereby they are to be moued to it I will now proceed to the third and last point which I told you I would handle in this exhortation viz the meanes whereby we may attaine to this vnity and concord and they are principally three 1. If we would all of vs seeke after holinesse till then there can neuer be true peace amongst vs follow peace with all men and holinesse without which no man shall see the Lord Heb. 12. 14. By this we know that we loue the children of God when we loue God and keepe his commandements till then we can neuer beare a true and holy loue vnto any man 1. Iohn 5. 2. Euery man that truely feares God is of a peaceable disposition they are the quiet in the land Psal. 35. 20. And the chiefe raisers and pursuers of contention in the Church haue beene vngodly and gracelesse men such as serue not the Lord Iesus Christ but their own belly Rom. 16. 17 18. And so doth the Apostle Iude describe the seducers of his time to haue beene Iude 8. 11 12. Vngodly men cannot loue nor endure such as vnfainedly feare God no though they be such as agree with them in iudgement in all points that are in controuersie in our Church yet will they esteeme them as Puritans and hate them neuerthelesse and experience sheweth the truth of that which the Lord hath taught vs he that is vpright in the way is abomination to the wicked Pro. 29. 27. These men howsoeuer they talke much and pretend great care of the Churches peace yet are indeed the the chiefe causes of all our contentions They are like those mentioned the words of their mouth are smoother then butter but warre is in their heart Psal. 55. 21. they hate peace and the more wee seeke it the more they are bent to war Psal. 120. 6 7. there is no hope at all of peace and agreement with such men 2. If we would all of vs labour to be humble minded for pride is the chiefe cause of contention onely by pride commeth contention Pro. 13 10. Hee that is of a proud heart stirreth vp strife Pro. 28. 25. and humility is the chiefe breeder and preseruer of vnity If we desire to be kindly affectioned one to another in brotherly loue we must in honour preferre one another Rom. 12.
abundance of all earthly blessings that he would giue vnto his people he addeth And I will satiate the soules of the Priests with fatnesse and my people shall bee satisfied with goodnesse saith the Lord Ier. 31. 12. 14. 3. That of all thefts and oppressions this is the most dangerous and damnable when men by fraud or violence withhold that which is due to the Ministers of God will a man rob God yet yee haue robbed mee But yee say wherein haue we robbed thee In tithes and offerings Yee are cursed with a curse for yee haue robbed me euen this whole nation Mal. 3. 8 9. 3. For comfort to such as are Patrons to good Ministers as relieue and countenance them no good worke you can doe will giue that assurance of Gods blessing in outward things as this I haue heard it oft said of some that their bounty vnto Ministers did vndo them but I could neuer heare it proued I doubt not but such might fall into decay for Gods promises for earthly blessings are all with this condition so far as shall be good for them but this doubtlesse was not the cause of it Marke the promise of God Honour the Lord with thy substance and with the first fruits of all thine increase so shall thy barnes be filled with plenty and thy presses shall burst out with new wine Pro. 3. 9. 10. Bring yee all the tithes into the storehouse that there may bee meate in mine house and prooue mee now herewith saith the Lord of hosts if I will not open to you the windowes of heauen and powre you out a blessing that there shall not be roome enough to receiue it And I will rebuke the deuourer for your sake c. And all nations shall call you blessed for yee shall bee a delightsome land saith the Lord of hosts Mal. 3. 10 11 12. Obserue also the experimennt of this in sundry examples who were greatly blessed of God for this the widow of Sarepta for prouiding for Elia 1. Kings 17. 15. the Shunamite for prouiding for Elisha 2. King 17. 30. Ebedmelech for the kindnesse he shewed to Ieremy Ier. 39. 17. Yea in temporall things euen wicked men haue bin blessed of God for this Rehoboam and his Kingdome were so for harbouring and entertaining the faithfull Leuites 2. Chron. 11. 17. Secondly if you doe this with a good heart and shew this loue and respect vnto them euen for their workes sake it will yeeld you great assurance of a better reward also euen of spirituall and eternall blessings Hee that receiueth a Prophet in the name of a Prophet shall receiue a Prophets reward Matth. 10. 41. That Nehemiah knew this well appeares by his prayer when he had taken order that the Priests and Leuites might be plentifully prouided for Remember mee O my God saith he concerning this and wipe not out the good deeds that I haue done for the house of my God and for the offices thereof Neh. 13. 14. And Paul assures the Philippians that the kindnesse they shewed to him in ministring vnto his necessities was a fruit that would abound vnto their account when the day of their account should come it would be abundantly rewarded Phil. 4. 17. Lecture the sixty ninth October 16. 1610. IOHN IIII. XL. IT remaineth now that we proceed to the second end and respect they had in beseeching him to tarry with them and that was as appeareth plainely by the two verses following that they might be instructed by him they inuited him to tarry not only that they might shew kindnesse to him but that they might receiue good from him Yea this was the chiefe respect they had in beseeching him so earnestly that he would tarry with them 1. They vnfainedly desired to be instructed by him 2. They fully purposed to belieue and obey his Doctrine From thence we haue this Doctrine to learne That this is the chiefe way whereby men are to shew their loue and respect to the Prophets of God when they make vse of their gifts and seeke to be directed by them when they receiue and obey their Doctrine This shall be proued in the example of such as the Holy Ghost hath commended for their loue and respect they haue borne to Gods Prophets and Ministers We reade of great reuerence that Cornelius shewed to Peter Act. 10. 25. He went out to meet him and fell downe at his feet and doubtlesse the rest of his entertainement was answerable But the best entertainement he gaue him and that wherein he shewed most reuerent respect vnto him is mentioned vers 33. We are all here present before God to heare all things that are commanded thee of God We reade of certaine women that shewed exceeding loue to Christ 1. They ministred to him of their substance Luk. 8. 8. 2. They forsooke him not in his troubles but followed him to the very Crosse as they went shewed their affection in weeping and lamenting for him Luk. 23. 27. 3. They continued all the time of his Passion beholding him and being eye and eare-witnesses of all that he endured and spake Mat. 27. 55. 4. When he was dead their affection toward him dyed not but they obserued the place where he was buried and went and prepared oyntments to embalme his body Luk. 23. 56. But were these the only waies whereby they shewed their loue and respect vnto him No they made vse of his Ministry Mat. 27. 55. They had followed him from Galile to Ierusalem in his last iourney when he tooke more paines in preaching as I shewed you not long since than he had done before in so much time all his life long yea as it will appeare to them that well weigh the speech of the Euangelist Luk. 8. 1. they made vse of his gifts not only publikely but priuately also Before the multitude assembled and Christ began his Sermon to them these women the Twelue were with him Yea only they indeed may be said to receiue Gods Prophets and to giue them that entertainment that is due vnto them who make vse of their Ministry will be directed by them and obey their Doctrine Paul is earnest with the Corinthians that they would receiue him 2. Cor. 7. 2. Receiue vs we haue done wrong to no man we haue consumed no man we haue defrauded no man His meaning was not to craue of them kindnes in any outward entertainment for he was not among them nor purposed to go shortly to them but onely he desireth them to obey his Doctrine Matth. 10. 14. Whosoeuer shall not receiue you nor heare your words when you depart out of that house or city shake off the dust of your feet It may be the Apostles might come into many a towne that would giue them good entertainment for their miracles which they wrought and into many a house that would receiue and welcome them for kinred sake but such receiue you not saith our Sauiour vnlesse they heare and obey your Doctrine
or beare honour to the Lord himselfe but he must needs loue and honour the Prophets and Messengers of God he that despiseth you despiseth me Luk. 10. 16. And that is the cause why the Apostle is so importunate with the Thessalonians to perswade them to esteeme well of their Ministers we beseech you brethren to know them which labour among you and are ouer you in the Lord and admonish you And to esteeme them very highly in loue for their workes sake 1. Thess. 5. 12 13. And indeed this was the true cause why our Sauiour in this place stood so much vpon his honour he would preach no where but where he might haue honour and be well esteemed of Why was he a man that cared much for honour No he professeth of himselfe and in his whole life made it good Ioh. 8. 48 49. I honour my Father I seeke not mine owne praise This was then the reason why he would preach no where but where he might haue honour because he knew none â—…ould receiue good by his Ministry that did not esteeme reuerently of his person They that honour not the Teacher cannot honour nor profit by his Doctrine Lecture the seuentie eight Ianuarie 22. 1610. IOHN IIII. XLIII XLIIII IT followeth now that we proceed to the Vses of this Doctrine 1. For vs that are Ministers That seeing there is an honour due vnto vs and it is not possible for vs to doe any good in our Ministry where we haue no honour and all the honour that is due to vs is due to vs onely for our gifts and for our workes sake we should therefore be humbled in our selues and iudge our selues vnworthy to be imployed in this function and both before we are entred this should keepe vs from being ouer-hasty and forward to take this calling vpon vs and when we are entred this should make vs to walke in it with feare and trembling Iohn the Baptist professed himselfe vnworthy to be imployed euen in the basest office about Christ not worthy to beare his shooes Matth. 3. 11. not worthy to stoope downe to vntie the latchet of his shooe Mar. 1. 7. And Paul said he was vnworthy to be called an Apostle 1. Cor. 15. 9. and hauing spoken of such an honour that belongeth to our Ministry which as one would haue thought would haue puffed him vp rather than haue humbled him he presently as admiring that God should euer aduance any mortall man to that dignity breaketh out into these words 〈◊〉 Cor. 〈◊〉 16. Who is sufficient for these things For as God neuer aduanced any to honour aboue others but he requireth some greater seruice from them than from others in omni honore est onus in all honour there is a burden to whom men haue committed much of them they will aske the more Luke 12. 48. In which respect Saul when he was called of God and his people vnto the place of greatest honour shunned it as much as he could and hid himselfe 1. Sam. 10. 22. so hath it fallen out in this No man that hath rightly conceiued of the burthen God hath annexed to this honourable function hath beene ouer hasty to take this calling vpon him no man taketh this honour to himselfe but he that is called of God Heb. 5. 4. till God haue euen thrust him in as it were by violence by the head and shoulders Two famous examples we haue for this the one in Moses who three seuerall times hung of and excused himselfe Exod. 3. 11. and 4. 1. 10. 13. the other in Ieremie who cryed out thus ah Lord God behold I cannot speake for I am a childe Chap. 1. 6. Euery ignorant idle couetous and scandalous Minister is apt to glory in this Doctrine and to challenge to himselfe this honour that is due to the Ministers of the Gospell but he neuer thinketh of the burthen God hath annexed to this honour The second Vse of this Doctrine is for the people that seeing it is euident by this Doctrine that you owe vs honour neither can you profit by our Doctrine vnlesse you can giue honour vnto vs and God esteemeth you as dogges and swine vnworthy of the comfort of his Gospell if you cannot esteeme of vs therefore it standeth you vpon to learne what honour is due to vs and when you know it to giue vs our due in this kinde The Apostles rule is generall Rom. 13. 7. Render to all their dues tribute to whom tribute is due feare to whom feare honour to whom honour First then you must know that the honour you owe vnto vs is not such as is due to the Magistrates and great men of the world we doe not challenge to our selues either that ciuill authority or that reuerence or those titles or that outward pompe and state or that wealth and abundance that is due vnto them Our Sauiour Christ giueth this for the reason why he had not such a retinue and company of seruants as might haue rescued him from them that apprehended him because his Kingdome was not of this world Ioh. 18. 36. The chiefe honour that is due to vs is more inward and spirituall and standeth in foure points principally The first degree of honour that you owe to vs is in your mindes and iudgements that you rightly esteeme of the neede you haue of Gods Ordinance in our Ministry and of the inestimable benefit you receiue by it This is that the Apostle teacheth vs when he saith 1. Thess. 5. 12. I besecch you Brethren that you know them that labour among you And 1. Cor. 4. 1. Let a man so account of vs as of the Ministers of Christ and Stewards of the mysteries of God On the other side a chiefe dishonour it is to the Ministry when men thinke it is a calling of no such necessity but that they may well enough be saued without it as they did among the Corinthians that said they cared neither for Paul nor for Apollo nor for Cephas they were Christs they did so wholly relye vpon Christ for their saluation as that they regarded not the Ministry of any of his seruants 1. Cor. 1. 12. that they can profit better by reading good Bookes c. The second degree of honour you owe to vs is in your affections that you reuerence vs in your hearts and haue vs in singular loue for our workes sake 1. Thess. 5. 13. You should count it your happinesse to haue such Teachers as you may reuerence for otherwise you shall be able to profit little or nothing by their Ministry On the other fide they are to be held contemners of the Ministry that desire none but such as may be their vnderlings such as they may rule at their pleasure euen in the matter of their Ministry and prescribe vnto them what they shall preach and what they shall not preach and say prophesie not vnto vs right things speake vnto vs smooth things Esay 30. 10. 12. or else such
whatsoeuer the Scribes and Pharisees sitting in Moses chaire that is teaching the Doctrine of Moses did bid them to doe though they themselues were most wicked men much lesse may the small infirmities of a godly Minister priuiledge the people to make light account of his wholesome Doctrine Paul reioyceth that Christ was preached euen by those that preached him with an intent to adde affliction to his bands Phil 1. 18. which he would neuer haue done if the grosse sinnes of the Minister much lesse if his small infirmities had force to make the holy Doctrine he deliuered vnauaileable to the comfort of Gods people The infirmities of Gods seruants shall not hinder the fruit of their Ministry nor cause God to withhold his blessing from it This is plaine in the example of Ionah whose Ministry became effectuall to the conuersion of the Niniuites Ionah 3. 4 5. though he himselfe had many and strange infirmities Ion. 1. 2. 5. and 4. 1. 4. Lastly it makes much for your benefit that God teacheth you not by Angels nor by men of Angelicall perfection but by poore weake men that are sinners as well as you for by this meanes we are able to teach you with more feeling experience and compassion than otherwise we could doe This is that which the Apostle teacheth concerning the High Priest vnder the Law Heb. 5. 2. Hee was able sufficiently to haue compassion on them that were ignorant and that were out of the way because that he also was compassed with infirmitie So that we see the infirmities we discerne in Gods Ministers are no iust cause why we should despise or contemne their Ministry 3. The third corruption which causeth men to contemne the Ministers of God specially their owne Pastours is curiosity and desire of nouelty because men cannot esteeme of those blessings that they haue long enioyed but still desire variety and change men are apt to grow weary of their owne Minister be their gifts neuer so good and to preferre a stranger before him though his gifts bee farre inferiour to their owne The remedies I will giue you against this corruption are these three 1. The people of God owe most reuerence and loue to their owne Pastours specially if they be such as in whose Ministry they haue already found the blessing of God and cooperating of his Spirit to such I say they owe more respect than to any other though their gifts be greater 1. Thess. 5. 12 13. Now I beseech you brethren know them that labour among you and are ouer you in the Lord and admonish you and haue them in singular loue That was the cause why the Apostle was so carefull to commend to the people of God their own Pastours as Tychicus to the Ephesians 6. 21. Epaphroditus to the Philippians 2. 25 26. Epaphras to the Colossians 1. 7. and 4. 12 13. Therefore also Gods seruants may without any presumption challenge a more speciall respect from their owne people than from any other as Samuel saith to Saul 1. Sam. 15. 1. The Lord sent mee to annoint thee King ouer his people now therefore obey the voice of the word of the Lord. So Paul to the Corinthians 1. Epist. 4. 15. Though ye haue ten thousand instructers in Christ yet ye haue not many fathers 2. The people of God may receiue much more good and expect a greater blessing from God by hearing constantly one and the same man than by hearing now one and then another For this in a speciall sort is Gods ordinance that euery flocke should haue a Pastour of their owne on whom they may depend and whom they may heare constantly 1. Pet. 5. 2. Feed the flocke of Christ that dependeth vpon you Acts 14. 23. They ordained them Elders in euery Congregation 3. Lastly there is no iust occasion giuen to any to loath or be weary of the Ministry of any of Gods faithfull seruants how oft or how long soeuer they haue heard them For though they heare the same men they shall not heare the same things but they shall haue variety and choice enough euen at their owne table if their Minister be a faithfull steward Matth. 13. 52. He bringeth forth out of his store-house things both new and old Cant. 7. 13. In our gates are all sweet things both new and old Eccles. 12. 9 10. The good Preacher searcheth forth and prepareth many Parables he seeketh to finde out pleasant words and an vpright writing Yea though he teach but the same things that thou hast often heard yet if thou wert such a Hearer as were renewed in the spirit of thy minde thou wouldest finde small cause to complaine Behold it is a wearinesse Mal. 1. 13. For as they that haue Gods spirit when they giue God praises euen for those blessings which they haue long enioyed and oft praised God for doe yet sing as it were a new song Reu. 14. 3. so doe they when they heare the same things they haue oft heard alwaies finde some new increase eyther of knowledge or of holy affections so as they heare it alwaies as a new Doctrine The fourth and last corruption that alienates the heart of Gods people from his faithfull Ministers specially from their owne Pastours is felfe-felfe-loue and desire to be flattered and soothed vp in their sinnes Their owne Pastour that knoweth them dealeth they thinke too particularly in his Ministry in all his Doctrines and Reproofes he pointeth at them The Remedies against this corruption are these foure 1. To consider that the Minister should desire to haue that knowledge of all his hearers that he may be able to speake as particularly to euery one as is possible Ier. 6. 27. I haue set thee in a Watch-tower among my people that thou mayst know and try their waies Though he may not make priuate faults publike or so touch the sinne as he note and disgrace the person yet he may apply his reproofes particularly so as the party himselfe that is guilty may know and feele himselfe touched with the reproofe Thus dealt Nathan with Dauid 2. Sam. 12. 7. Yea he ought to be as particular as he can in his Ministry it is the life and excellency of Preaching We must in preaching ayme as directly as we can at him whom we desire to profit Our Doctrine must be as a garment fitted for the body it is made for a garment that is fit for euery body is fit for no body Paul saith of himselfe Col 1. 26. that in his preaching he laboured to admonish euery man to teach euery man to present euery man perfect in Christ Iesus 2. It may well be that our ministry may touch your sinnes particularly and hit vpon the very secret thoughts that are in your hearts and vpon the words you haue spoken in your priuy Chambers though we our selues know no such matter by you For the Word is a searcher and discouerer of the secrets of the heart as the Lord himselfe is Heb. 4. 12. and compared
of the second commandement which concerneth his outward worship I will visit the iniquity of the fathers vpon the children to the third and fourth generation of them that hate me Exod. 20. 5. generally all wickednesse will do it Cursed shall be the fruit of thy body Deut. 18. 18. Thirdly let vs all learne by this what a happy thing it is to haue God for our Father If we that are euill Matth. 7. 11. when our childe asketh vs bread will not giue him a stone if we when he asketh fish will not giue him a serpent if we Mal. 3. 17. doe so spare them if we Esay 49. 15. cannot forget them if we be so apt to receiue our childe how hainously soeuer he hath offended vs vpon his submission how much more will the Lord receiue vs Luke 15. 20. If we shew our affection most when our children are in extremity how much more will the Lord his soule was grieued for the misery of Israel Iudg. 10 16. If we take no pleasure in beating our children how much lesse the Lord he doth not afflict willingly nor grieue the children of men Lam. 3. 33. Lecture the eightie fiue March 19. 1610. IOHN IIII. XLVII NOw it remaineth that wee procede vnto the third and last point which wee obserued in these words namely the benefit that this great man receiued by his affliction Concerning which these three points are to be obserued First it humbled him greatly and abated his pride for as great a man as he was yet he himselfe seeketh helpe for his sonne and 2. he meekely and patiently bare a very sharpe checke that Christ gaue vnto him verse 48 without euer replying or expostulating the matter with him Secondly it did driue him to seeke to Christ yea to seeke earnestly and importunately for helpe Doubtlesse first he had heard much of Christ before this time and did also esteeme him a great Prophet but whether it were for feare of Herod or some other carnall respect he came not vnto him till this affliction did driue him vnto him secondly he had also vsed the benefit of physicke and all other ordinary meanes before and till that he seeth no meanes would preuaile but his sonne grew into extremity and was euen ready to dye he comes not to Christ. Thirdly this affliction became vnto him a meane and occasion of his vnfained conuersion for first it softened his heart and prepared it to beleeue the word of Christ secondly it brought both himselfe and his whole family to the Faith The Doctrine then we haue here to learne is this That affliction is greatly profitable and necessary vnto all the Elect of God Marke that I say vnto the Elect of God for affliction in it selfe is a curse of God and fruit of his wrath due to sinne whether we be afflicted in our bodies or in our mindes or in our children or in our goods or in our good name there is no affliction of what kinde soeuer but it is in it owne nature a curse of God the Lord makes this preface to all the particular euils and afflictions that he threatneth If thou wilt not hearken to the voice of the Lord thy God then all these curses shall come vpon thee and ouertake thee Deut. 28. 15. And daily experience teacheth vs afflictions are not profitable to all men Pharaoh had afflictions enow but still his heart was harder and harder Of all the afflictions of the Reprobate we may say as our Sauiour speaketh in another case Matth. 24. 8. All these are but the beginnings of sorrowes The losses and afflictions the paines and sorrowes they feele in this life are but as earnests of those vnspeakeable and euerlasting torments that are prepared for them in the life to come This that I speake of therefore that men should receiue so great good by affliction is a priuiledge peculiar to the Elect of God Romanes 8. 28. All things and hee speaketh specially of afflictions worke together for the best to them that loue God euen to them that are called according to his purpose To them all things are sanctified all things are made good euen those things that in themselues are most euill 1. Cor. 3. 21 22. All things are yours whether it be this world or life or death or things present or things to come all are yours and yee are Christs The Crosse of Christ like vnto the Tree that God shewed Moses Exod. 15. 25. hath made affliction which was before as the waters of Mara bitter and unwholesome to be sweet and wholesome to all his people To all such I say affliction is both profitable and necessary For the profit of them you know what Dauid said Hee had afflictions of all kindes and of them all he saith Psal. 119. 71. It is good for me that I haue beene afflicted And the Church Lam. 3. 27. speaketh more generally It is good for a man that he heare the yoke in his youth But I say not onely they are profitable but they are necessary also as necessary as meat and drinke Vnlesse God would see vs perish he must needs afflict vs yea the best man that euer was hath had great need of it to his dying day Psalme 73. 14. Daily haue I beene punished and chastened euery morning Acts 14. 22. We must through many afflictions enter into the Kingdome of God or we can neuer come there That is the reason of that strange and passionate speech the Lord vseth of his people Ier. 9. 7. Behold I will melt them and try them for what should I els do for the Daughter of my People As if he should say I can deuise no way to do them good but by casting them into the fornace of affliction Reasons of this Doctrine I might giue many but I will content my selfe with those few that the Text affordeth me in the example of this Ruler First his affliction as I shewed you did humble him This is the first Reason why it is so profitable and necessary because it humbleth the heart of man and abateth his pride There is no one sinne we know that maketh a man more odious to God or that is a greater barre to our saluation than pride is Prou. 16. 5. All that are proud in heart are abomination to the Lord. Iames 4. 6. The Scripture offereth more grace and therefore saith God resisteth the proud and giueth grace to the humble Neither is there any man high or low rich or poore godly or vngodly but he hath in him that old leauen that Paul speaketh of 1. Cor. 5. 7. which puffeth vp his heart and causeth him to swell and to thinke too well of himselfe All the oppression and cruelty that the Mighty practise vpon their inferiours proceedeth from this roote Psal. 119. 122. Let not the proud oppresse mee and so doth the malice and vnreconcileable heart that is in men Pro. 13. 10. Onely by pride doth man make contention From hence it commeth
12. 13. and 20. 2. But for their foule sinnes we shall finde that Noah was neuer drunke but once nor Dauid committed adultery but once neither Peter returned euer againe to his Apostasie nor Paul to his persecution after they had once repented This is expresly said of Iudah after he truely saw his sinne hee knew Tamar againe no more Genesis 38. 26. Secondly it 's made a property of them that are in Christ Iesus in the state of grace that they walke not after the flesh Rom. 8 verse 1. Though they cannot kill or restraine all outward lusts yet they are made able to keepe them from reigning in them so as willingly to obey it in the lusts thereof as the Apostle speaketh Rom. 6. 12. but they by little and little at the least in the vnfained desire and endeuour of their hearts doe mortifie the deeds of the body by the spirit Rom. 8. 13. And it is a shrewd signe that it reignes when it hath once the body at command which made the Apostle say Let not sin reigne in your mortall bodies neither yeeld you your members as instruments of vnrightonsnes vnto sin Rom. 6. 12 13. On the other side he is called an enemy of God that Psal. 68. 21. goes on in sin And 2. Pet. 2. 19. its made a note of a gracelesse man when he cannot cease from fin The Reason is plaine because the vertue of Christs death is neuer separated from the merit of it When the merit of it is effectuall to iustification and pardon of sin then the vertue of it is effectuall to sanctification to the destroying of the power of sin when once the Lord hath sprinkled cleane water vpon vs and through the imputation of Christs sufferings and righteousnesse made vs cleane when he hath thereby cleansed vs from all the filthinesse of our sinnes then he will also giue vs a new heart and a new spirit he will put into vs he will take the stony heart out of vs and giue vs a heart of flesh Ezek. 36. 25 26. He so speakes peace vnto his people and to his Saints that they may not turne againe vnto folly Psal. 85. 8. Now the vnregenerate man continueth and walketh in sin yea like the dropsie man the more he sins the more he may one foule sin being as a shooing-horne to draw on another Lecture the ninetie eighth August 27. 1611. IOHN IIII. L. NOw hauing the last day preuented the mistaking and abuse of it it remaines that we proceed to the Vses that are to be made of this Doctrine and they are principally three The first is for instruction to teach vs that for as much as the Lord reiects none of his children for their infirmities but loues and esteemes of them neuerthelesse for their weakenesse Therefore we should learne not to despise or reiect any childe of God because of his infirmities for therein the perfection of a Christian shall appeare euen in following and striuing to be like his heauenly father Matth. 5. 45. And we are his children when we resemble him and are of his disposition be ye therefore followers of God as de are children Epes 5. 1. And will any of vs seeme to be holier than God to dislike sinners more than he doth That were grosse hypocrisie Obiect But you will say there is small consequence in this reason seeing they that are Gods children and vpright in heart are perfectly knowne to him so are they not to vs. If we knew who were Gods Elect and who had vpright hearts indeed we would hold our selues bound to loue and beare with all such notwithstanding many weakenesses that we discerned in them but we know the world is full of hypocrites that will make a good profession and yet haue but false hearts Answ. I answer that if a man professe the feare of God and his course of life be agreeable thereunto though he haue many frailties we are bound to esteeme him the childe of God Rom 8. 1. They are in Christ Iesus that walke not after the flesh And 1. Sam. 16. 7. Man iudgeth according to the outward appearance And though we may well be deceiued in this because mens hearts are deceitfull Ier. 17. 9. yet this is a safe and holy errour I may say Our iudgement though it be erroneous in this yet it is the iudgement of true charity and therefore such as God commands and we may haue comfort in 1. Cor. 13. 5. It thinketh not euill verse 7. It beleeueth all things it hopeth all things Now it cannot be denied but in many of these there be sundry infirmities in some error in iudgement in other much frowardnesse vnthankefulnesse pride nay in some foule faults and slips in their conuersation I say not that thou art bound to thinke well of all that professors doe No we heard the last day the Lord fauours not the faults of his dearest children But three duties thou owest to euery one that so professe the feare of God First thou must delight and gladly take notice of the good things that are in him obserue him well to see if you can discerne any one testimony of soundnesse of heart any one signe of the life of grace and gladly take notice of it Let vs consider one another saith the Apostle Heb. 10. 24. and 1. Cor. 16. 17 18. Hauing spoken of the excellent things that were in Stephanus Fortunatus and Achaicus he chargeth the Church that they should know or acknowledge such men Therefore it is to be wished that Christians when they meet would exercise themselues so as they might haue proofe of that grace that is in each other and this would exceedingly encrease loue Secondly because if he doe in any measure soundly feare God thou art bound to honour him in thine heart Psal. 15. 4. None shall goe to heauen that cannot honour them that feare the Lord. Therefore you must not be glad but loth to see or heare of his faults or infirmities Thou shouldst doe to euery childe of God because thou art bound to honour him as Sem and Iaphet did to Noah because they were bound to honour him Gen. 9. 23. couer his nakednesse Euery one of vs should count it a foule corruption in our nature be ashamed of it bewaile it to God and striue against it that we are so like the Beetle or Horse-flie that if he flie into a field that is neuer so full of sweet flowers yet if there be but a little filthy dung in it his eye and sent is onely to that and vpon that onely will he light So are we apt to passe by all the good things that are in any Christian but his slips and infirmities we gladly obserue we heare and inquire of them with great delight Matthew 7. 3. And why seest thou the mote that is in thy brothers eye c. Why art thou so curious an obseruer of his smallest infirmities And yet this is not the corruption of wicked men only but euen of