with an everlasting former love not beginning at that instant discoverie thereof Vse 1 The Use heereof is first of all against those who measure Gods love and favour by their owne feeling because as God loved them before so hee loves them as well and as dearely still when he hideth his face from them as when hee suffered his loving kindnesse to shine most comfortably upon them Hee loved Christ as dearely when he hanged on the tree in torment of soule and body as hee did when he said This is my beloved sonne Mat. 3.17 in whom I am well pleased yea and when hee received him up into glory The Sunne shineth as cleerely in the darkest day as it doth in the brightest The difference is not in the Sunne but in some clouds which hinder the manifestation of the light thereof So God loveth us as well when he shineth not in the brightnesse of his countenance upon us as when he doth Iob 42.7 Iob was as much beloved of God in the middest of his miseries as he was afterwards when he came to enjoy the aboundance of his mercies I will love them freely c. The last Point which we gather from hence Observ as a speciall ground of comfort is this That this free love and favour of God is the cause of all other mercies and free favours whereby hee discovereth his love unto us 1. It is the cause of election Rom. 5.11 even so then as this present time also there is a remnant according to the election of grace So 2. For Vocation when the Apostle had shewed that the Ephesians were saved by Grace Ephe. 5.7 hee adds that in the ages to come hee might shew the exceeding riches of his grace In his kindnesse towards us through Christ Iesus hee afterwards sheweth when this grace began first to have being Ephe. 2.10 For wee are his workemanship created vnto good workes which God hath before ordained that wee should walke therein 3. Forgivenesse of sinnes In whom we have a redemption through his blood even the forgivenesse of sinns Ephe. 1.7 according to the riches of his grace So 4. For the grace of Love Wee love him 1 Joh. 4.19 because he loved us first 5. For Justification and Sanctification It is said that Christ hath loved us Rev. 1.5 why For he hath washed us from our sinnes in his owne blood and Saint Iohn saith He hath made us Kings and Priests unto God and his Father 1. Kings to fight against the world the flesh and the divell 2. Priests to teach instruct reprove and comfort our selves and others by the word of God and then to offer up the sacrifice of a broken heart in prayers and praises All comes from freedome of love 6. So every good Inclination comes hence For it is God which worketh in us Hos 5.14 Phil. 1.13 both to will and to doe of his good pleasure So 7. Every good Worke For we are his workemanship created in Christ Iesus unto good workes which he had before ordained that we should walke therein For by grace ye are saved saith he through faith Ephe. 2.8.10 So 8. For Eternall life the Apostle sheweth It is the gift of God Rom. 6.23 through Iesus Christ our Lord. This should teach us in the first place to bee humbled in that we are so miserable naughty servants doing so little worke nay nothing as we should yet should have so good wages 1 Cor. 4.7 Ephes 2.9 but God loves us freely c. It should rather humble us the more then puffe us up in pride in regard that there was nothing in us which might deserve any thing at Gods hand Vse 2 And hence also it followeth infallibly Ioh. 17.23 24. that if he loved us from everlasting with a free love in a sort as he loved Christ that therefore the effects of his love towards us shall never faile as the Apostle sheweth Rom. 11.29 The gifts and calling of God are without Repentance Faith and Repentance being fruits of his love wrought in us shall hold out therfore the weakenesse of these graces as they shall not hinder our salvation no more should they discourage us or hinder the comfort of our profession Because that Faith and Repentance which wee have is not any worke of ours but the worke of Gods free love in us therefore they shall bee continued and accepted For our Perseverance doth not stand in this that wee have strength in our selves to continue faithfull to God but because he out of his free love continueth faithfull to us and will never faile nor forsake them whom he hath once taken into his everlasting favour on whom hee hath set his everlasting free love as the Apostle speakes of Christ Who also shall confirme you unto the end 1 Cor. 1.8 9. that yee may be blamelesse in the day of our Lord Iesus Christ but upon what ground God is faithfull by whom wee were called unto the fellowship of his Sonne Iesus Christ our Lord. So that if any of the Elect should fall away God should be unfaithfull The case in Perseverance is not how faithfull wee are but how faithfull God is who guides us heere with his Counsell in all things Psal 73.24 and afterwards receiveth us into glory So in another place after the Apostle had prayed Now the very God of Peace Sanctifie you wholy 1 Thess 5.23 24. and I pray God your whole spirit and soule and body bee preserved blamelesse unto the comming of our Lord Iesus Christ What maketh he the ground of this his Prayer Faithfull is hee that calleth you who also will doe it Vse 3 If then wee would have God to manifest his free love to us let us strive to be obedient to his Commandements and stirre up our hearts by all meanes to love him who hath so freely loved us Quest Now how should we manifest our love to God Answ How to manifest our love to God First in loving his Word as Psal 19. Psal 119. Secondly in loving his people 1 Ioh. 5.1 2. Thirdly in longing for and loving his second comming Revel 22.20 Now followeth the Reason of the discoverie of this free love shewed now in time to them For mine Anger is turned away from him Here is the third Branch of Gods answer to their Petition Mine Anger is turned away from him which is included and implied in the former I will heale their backsliding how could hee doe this if he were Angrie No he saith I will love them freely which argues that his anger was appeased God knoweth that variety of words and expressions are all little enough to raise up and comfort a doubting wounded galled soule which when it is touched with a sense of sinne and of his displeasure cannot heare words enough of comfort This God knowes well enough and therefore hee adds expression upon expression I will heale their backsliding I will love them freely for
Reason 2 2. Because no creature can deserve any thing at Gods hands 1. Because by nature wee are all Gods enemies and therefore what can enemies deserve nothing but wrath and vengeance 2. If we have any graces they are the gift of God and therefore wee deserve nothing by them they being of his owne gift So saint Iames speakes Iam. 1.17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above and commeth downe from the Father of lights with whom is no variablenesse nor shadow of turning And Saint Paul saith That of him and through him and to him are all things Rom. 11.36 what should follow heereupon To whom be glory for ever Vse 1 This in the first place serves for reproofe of our adversaries of the Romish Church who say that God loves us for something foreseene in us which is good or for somewhat which in time wee would doe to deserve favour at his hands but both are false the cause of love is free from himselfe for when wee have done our best Luk. 17.10 yet saith the Holy Ghost wee are unprofitable servants Vse 2 Secondly It is for reproofe of Gods owne deare children who because they finde no deserving in themselves are therefore discouraged at the sight of their owne unworthinesse whereas quite contrary the sight of our owne unworthinesse should make us the more fit subjects for Christs free love which hath nothing to doe with them that stand upon deserving Many of Gods deare children are troubled with temptations doubts and feares of Gods love and favour towards them because they expect to finde it in the fruits of Grace and not in free Grace it selfe If wee would have any sound peace let us look for it in free Grace Therefore the blessed Apostle in the entrance of his salutations in his Epistles still joyneth Grace and then Peace to shew us that if wee looke for sound Peace wee can no where finde it but in Grace Wee would finde Peace in the Grace that is in us but it is labour in vaine for wee shall never finde it but in free Grace Vse 3 Hence wee may also bee comforted in the certainety of our salvation for that grace and love and favour whereby wee are saved is in God not in us Now whatsoever is in him is immutable and sure So saith the Apostle Neverthelesse the foundation of God standeth sure 2 Tim 2.19 having this seale the Lord knoweth them that are his and let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity Where speaking of election which comes from the free love of God hee makes that a sure foundation to build on if there bee a reformation to depart from iniquity wee may be comfortably assured of our salvation And as it is with Election so is it with all the other fruits of God love Vocation Rom. 3.24 Joh. 13.1 Adoption Iustification and Perseverance the foundation of God fastly sealed in the way of holinesse stands good and sure in all Vse 4 This further teacheth us Thankfulnesse unto God who hath so freely loved us for if there were deserving on our part what place were left for thankfulnesse We know one who deserves nothing and hath small matters bestowed upon him at least will be thankfull for such favours But when one is so farre from deserving any thing that by the contrary hee deserveth all plagues and punishments hath yet many and aboundant mercies bestowed freely upon him this doth exceedingly provoke especially a generous spirit to a suitable thankfulnesse as much as may be Vse 5 And let it likewise breed Confidence in us to God in all our miseries both for pardon of sinne helpe in distresse and comfort in sorrowes because he loves us freely and did love us whilst we were enemies make therefore upon all occasions the Apostles use of it For if when wee were enemies wee were reconciled to God Rom. 5.10 by the death of his sonne much more being reconciled wee shall be saved by his life I will love them freely In the next place from hence we observe another point which necessarily followeth upon the former Observ That God did not then begin to love them when he said I will love them freely but to discover that love unto them which hee carried unto them from all eternity For instance hereof Saint Paul was beloved of God ere God manifested his love unto him as hee testifieth of himselfe that the discoverie of this free love was Gal. 1.15.16 when it pleased God who seperated me from my mothers wombe and called mee by his Grace to reveale his sonne in mee c. So Ephes 1.3 4. The Apostle blesseth God in his salutation unto them who had blessed them with all spirituall blessings in heavenly places in Christ But whence fetcheth hee the ground hereof According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world that we should be holy and unblameable before him in love Ephe. 1.4 Wee need not multiply places more to prove it our adversaries would faine seeme to cleere God onely in all and so shrowd their arguments under such needlesse pretences shift of all places name wee never so many with their strong heads distinctions and sophismes But God will one day give them no thankes for their labour the will of God how unequall soever in our eyes who cannot with our shallow conceits sound the depth of such misteries being ground enough to justifie all his actions whatsoever Wee will therefore come to some Reasons of the point Reason 1 Because Whatsoever is in God manifested in time is eternall and everlasting in him without beginning and ending for wh tsoever is in God is God 1 Joh. 4.8 Joh. 14.6 God is not loving but Love and he is not onely true but Truth it selfe hee is not wise onely but Wisdome it selfe And therefore his love discovered in time must needs bee from all eternity Reason 2 Secondly Jf God did then first begin to love us when he manifested his love unto us then there should be a change in God because hee should love them now that hee did not formerly love As wee see those who loved Paul after his Conversion loved him not before there was then a change in the Church in which case if God should so love hee should bee changeable and so be like unto man Reason 3 And then againe Christs Prayer Iohn 17. makes it cleere that the love of God beginneth not with the manifestation thereof for Christ there knowing all the Fathers secrets as comming out of the bosome of the Father intimates the contrary where he makes one end of his prayer for them to be Ioh. 17.23 That the world may know that thou hast loved them as thou hast loved me Now how he loved Christ is also shewed a little after For thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world Joh. 17.24 Therefore the Saints and Children of God are loved
good 1. To know Gods free grace First labour to know God and his free Grace in Jesus Christ 2 Pet 3.18 Grow in Grace and in the knowledge of our Lord Iesus Christ they goe both together the more we grow in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ and of the Grace of God in him the more grace and rootednesse wee shall have For that which the soule doth cleerely apprehend it fastens upon in that measure it apprehendeth it Cleerenesse in the understanding breeds earnestnesse in the affections and fastnesse too So the more wee grow in knowledg the more we roote our selves in that we know And therefore the Apostle prayes for the Ephesians that they might have the Spirit of Revelation c. That they might know the height breadth depth and length of Gods love that passeth knowledge Ephes 3.14 For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ of whom the whole family of Heaven and Earth is named that he would grant you according to the riches of his Glory to bee strengthened by his Spirit in the inner-man that Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith that ye being rooted and grounded in love in the sense of Gods love to us and so of our love to him againe for we are not rooted in love to God till we be rooted in the sense of Gods love to us that you may bee able to comprehend with all Saints the height and breadth c. 1. Labour to know the Promises And withall labour to know the gratious Promises of Christ for we are knit to him by vertue of his word and Promises which like himselfe are Yea and Amen JEHOVAH yesterday to day the same for ever 2 Cor. 1.20 So al his Promises made in him they are Yea and Amen in themselves firme and firme to us in him They are Yea and Amen that is they are made and performed in Christ in whom they are sure to be performed and thereupon they are firme too God made them who is JEHOVAH and they are made in Christ that is JEHOVAH So God the Father JEHOVAH he promiseth and he makes them good in Christ JEHOVAH who is unchangeable But this is not enough 3. Our hearts must be stablished on that which is firme wee must labour to have our hearts stablished that they may rely firmely on that which is firme For if a thing be never so firme except we rely firmely on it there is no stability or strength from it Now when there is strength in the thing and strength in the soule that strength is impregnable and unconquerable strength In Christ they are Yea and Amen in whom he stablisheth us annoints us seales us and gives us the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts How doth God stablish us upon the Promises How God doth stablish us The rest which followeth is an explication of this when he gives us the earnest of the Spirit and seales us to be his in token he meanes to make good the bargaine then we are established But we are never firmely established till we get the assurance of salvation Then as the Promises are Yea and Amen in themselves so we are stablished upon them when we are sealed and have the earnest of the Spirit Let us labour therefore to grow in the knowledge of Gods love in Christ to know the height breadth depth and length of it and to grow in all the gratious Promises which are made in Christ who is Amen himselfe as his Promises are and then when we are sealed and annointed by the Spirit we shall be so stablished that nothing shall moove us Therefore let us use all meanes for the establishing of growth in us the Word and Sacraments especially For as Baptisme admits us into the house of God so by the Sacrament of the Lords Supper the blessed food of the soule wee are strengthened In the use of these meanes let us make suite unto God to make good his gratious Promise unto us that wee shall grow as Lillies and take roote as the Cedars in Lebanon Let us know that we ought every day to labour to be more and more rooted do we know what times may befall us We have need to grow every day to grow upward and in breadth and in depth If wee considered what times we may live to it should force us to grow every way especially in humility that roote and mother or graces to grow downeward in that to grow in knowledge and faith untill wee be filled with the fullnesse of God Object A poore Christian ofttimes makes this Objection O I doe not grow therefore I feare my state I am oft shaken therefore this Promise is not fulfilled to me Answ To this I answer Christians may be deceived for they doe grow ofttimes in firmenesse strength and stability though they doe not spread out they may grow in refinednesse that that which comes from them may bee more pure and lesse mixed with naturall corruption Pride self-Selfe-love and the like This is a temptation that old men are subject too especially in whom the heate of nature decayes who thinke withall that grace decayes But it is not so for ofttimes when grace is carried with the heate of nature it makes a greater shew being helpt by nature The demonstration but not the truth of grace is thus helpt Therfore this clause of the Promise is made good in old Christians they are every day more and more rooted firme stable and judicious and more able in those graces which belong to their place and condition Therefore they should not be discouraged though they be not carried with the streame and tide of nature help'd with that vigour that sometime was in them They grow in judiciousnesse mortifiednesse in heavenly-mindednesse and in ability to give good counsell to others This is well for we grow not in grace one way but divers waies not onely when wee grow in outward demonstration and in many fruits and actions but when wee grow in refinednesse and judiciousnesse as was said then wee are said to grow likewise Yet notwithstanding it should be the indeavour of all to grow what they can in grace when if they grow not so fast as others let them know that there are severall ages in Christ A young Christian cannot be so planted and so deepely rooted as another that is of a greater standing This should not discourage any seeing there are babes in Christ as well as strong men Therefore where there is truth of heart with indeavour to grow better and better and to use all meanes let no man be discouraged Remember alway this for a truth that we may grow and we ought to grow and the children of God ordinarily have growne more and more both in fruitfullnesse and stedfastnesse every way but not with a like growth in measure or time Therefore labour to make use of these Promises and not to favour our selves in an ungrowing
a fruitfull love pag. 205 206. Why Gods grace is compared unto the Dew pag. 207. Grace comes insensibly and invisibly pag. 209. â—â—0 c How to come to have grace to sanctifie and alter our nature pag. 218. Christians grow like Lillies pag. 219 220. The first spring of the Gospell was speedie pag. 221. Water every yeare turned into wine pag. 222. Of a necessity in growth pag. 224. We must claime the promises pag. 225. Whence comes the stability of Gods children pag. 227 228 229. Why Gods children are not comfortable pag. 230 231 c. How to be rooted in grace pag. 237. VVe must labour to know the promises pag. 239. Why Christians feare their estate is not good pag. 241 242 243. The benefit of fruitfulnesse pag. 256 257 c. The Church yeelds a shadow pag. 264 265 c. The family the better for a good governour pag. 271 272 c. Gods children shall revive as corne pag. 279 280 281. Christians compared to the Vine in fruitfulnesse pag. 283 284 c. VVhy Christians send forth so sweet a sent pag. 292 293 c. A fruitfull conversation very savoury pag. 297 298 c. True renouncing of sinne must be with indignation pag. 307. The soules aime pag. 308 309. VVee must not onely leave sinne but loath sinne pag. 310 311 312 c. Limitation for expressing our hatred to sinne pag. 317 318 c. How we may come to hate sinne pag. 321 c. The consideration of what we are and hope to be will keepe us in good temper pag. 328. Of Idolatry pag. 333. The reasons of Ephraims hatred of Idolatry pa. 334 335 c. The Idolatry of Christians 344 c. The scope of the new covenant pag. 355 c. Corporall and spirituall adultery pag. 359. VVhy we must not have any more to doe with Idols pag. 366 367. Helps to hate sinne pag. 368 369 c. Nothing lost by renouncing Idolatry p. 373 c. Never better with a Christian then when he hath renounced all wicked courses pag 378 379. How God sees the afflictions of his children pag. 380 381 c. The most comfortable creature in the excesse harmefull pag. 385. Renouncing Idolatry brings protection pag. 386 387 c. VVe are subject to scorchings here pag. 391. The misery of those that have not God for a shadow pag 392 393 c. From man comes nothing that is good p. 403 c. VVhy some have more grace then others pa. 408. 409 c. Against future feares pag. 416 417 c. There are but few truly wise pag. 426 427 c. VVorldly wisedome what it is pag. 432 433. True wisdome carries men to Gods word pa. 435. Gods wayes to us pag. 441 c. The word of the Lord perfect pag. 445 446 447. The best way to a right end is to take in Gods waies pag. 448 449. VVho be just men pag. 450 451 c. The disposition of just men pag. 457 458 459. Men must have spirituall life before they can walke pag. 461 462 c. Helps to walke pag. 467 468 c. VVhy we should walke in Gods wayes pag. 472. 473 c. THE RETVRNING BACKSLIDER SERMON I. Hos. 14.1 2. O Israel Returne unto the Lord thy God For thou hast fallen by thine iniquity Take with you words and turne to the Lord say unto him take away all iniquity c. THE whole frame of Godlinesse is a Mysterie The Apostle calleth it a great Mysterie comprehending all under these particulars God was manifested in the flesh Iustified in the Spirit 1 Tim. 3.16 Seene of Angels Preached unto the Gentiles Beleeved on in the world received up into Glory Amongst which Mysteries this may well be the Mysterie of Mysteries God was manifest in the flesh which includeth also another Mysterie The Gratiousnesse and abundant tender Mercy of God towards miserable wretched and sinnefull Creatures even in the heigth of their Rebellion appointing such a remedie to heale them which is the subject of this Chapter and last part of this Prophecie which as in thunders out Terrible Iudgments against hard-hearted impenitent sinners such as were the most part of Israel So is it mingled full of many and sweet Consolations to the faithfull in those times scattered amongst the wicked troup of Idolaters then living The time when Hosea prophecied was under the Reigne of Vzziah Iotham Ahaz and HeZekiah Kings of Iudah and in the daies of Ieroboam the sonne of Ioash King of Israel In whose daies Idolatry was first universally set up and countenanced by Regall power This Ieroboam who caused Israel to sinne that he might strengthen himselfe made use of Religion and profanely mixed it with his civill assures in carnall pollicie and so leavened the whole lump of Israell with Idolatry that shortly after the whole Ten Tribes for their sin and their injustice cruelty lust securitie and such other sins as accompanied and sprang from this brutish Idolatry were led away captive by the King of Assyria and the Lords Righteous judgment made manifest upon them There being notwithstanding amongst these some faithfull ones though thinly scattered who mourned for and by their good examples reproved these abhominable courses There being also a seed of the Elect unconverted and of the converted some that were carried down to farr in the strength of this streame of wickednesse In this Chapter therefore being the conclusion of this Prophesie there are many excellent and heavenly incouragements also many earnest incitements to repentance and returning to the Lord with free and gratious promises not only of pardon and acceptance but of great rewards in things spirituall and temporall to such as should thus returne O Israel Returne unto the Lord thy God for thou hast fallen by thine iniquity Take with you words and turne to the Lord say unto him Take away all iniquity c. In this Chapter 1. We have an Exhortation to Repentance with the Motives enforcing the same O Israel Returne unto the Lord thy God V. 1. 2. The Forme Take with you words and say unto the Lord c. Uer. 2. 3. A Restipâ—â—ation what they should Doe and Returne backe againe having their Prayers granted 1. Thankesgiving So will wee render the Calves of our life 2. Sound Reformation of their beloved Sin Ashur shall not save us c. with the Reason thereof For in that the Fatherlesse findeth Mercy Uerse 3. 4. Gods Answer to their Petitions 1. In what Hee will doe for them Heale their backsliding Love them freely and be as the Dew unto Israel with the Reason thereof For mine Anger is turned away from him V. 4. 2. What hee will Worke in them A proportionable speedie growth in height bredth and depth He shall grow as the Lillie and Cast forth his rootes as Lebanon c. Which Mercy is further Amplified by a blessing powred out also upon their Families They that dwell under his shadow shall returne Verse 5. 6. 7. 5. There
Quest Why lips are mentioned for praise onely Answ But why doth the Prophet especially mention lips The Calves of our lips which are our words 1. Partly because Christ who is the Word delights in our words 2. Because our Tongue is our glory and that whereby we glorifie God 3. And especially because our Tongue is that which excites others Being a trumpet of praise ordained of God for this purpose Therefore The Calves of our lips Partly because it stirres up our selves and others and partly because God delights in words especially of his owne dictating To come then to speake more fully of Praise and Thankesgiving let us consider what a sweet excellent and prevailing duty this is which the Church to bind God promiseth unto him The Calves of our lips I will not bee long in the point Helpes to praise God but onely come to some helpes how we may come to doe it First this Praising of God must be from an humble broken heart 1. It must bee from an humble broken heart the humble soule that sees it selfe not worthy of any favour and confesseth sinne before God is alway a thankfull soule Take away our iniquity and then doe good to us we are empty our selves Then will we render thee the Calves of our lips What made David so thankefull a man He was an humble man and so Iaakob what abased him so in his owne eyes his humility Gen. 32.10 Lord I am lesse then the least of thy mercies He that thinkes himselfe unworthie of any thing will be thankfull for everything and he who thinkes himselfe unworthy of any blessing will be contented with the least Therefore let us worke our hearts to humility in consideration of our sinnefullnesse vilenesse and unworthinesse which will make us thankfull especially of the best blessings when we consider their greatnesse and our unworthinesse of them A proud man can never be thankfull Therfore that Religion which teacheth pride cannot bee a thankfull Religion Popery is compounded of spirituall pride Merit of Congruity before Conversion Merit of Condignity and desert of heaven after Free-will and the like to puffe up nature what a Religion is this must we light a candle before the divell is not nature proud enough but we must light a candle to it 2. A due consideration of the greatnesse of the blessings to be spiritually proud is worst of all And with our owne unworthinesse add this a consideration of the greatnesse of the thing we blesse God for setting as high a price upon it as wee can by considering what and how miserable we were without it He will blesse God joyfully for pardon of sin who sees how miserable he were without it in misery next to divels ready to drop into hell every moment and the more excellent we are so much the more accursed without the forgivenesse of sinnes For the soule by reason of the largenesse thereof is so much the more capable and comprehensible of misery as the divels are more capable then wee therefore are most accursed O this will make us blesse God for the pardon of sinne and likewise let us set a price upon all Gods blessings considering what we were without our senses speech meate drinke rest c. O beloved we forget to praise God sufficiently for our senses This little sparke of Reason in us is an excellent thing grace is founded upon it if we were without Reason what were we If we wanted sight hearing speech rest and other daily blessings how uncomfortable were our lives This consideration will add and set a price to their worth and make us thankfull to consider our misery without them But such is our corruption that favours are more knowne by the want then by the enjoying of them when too late we many times finde how dark and uncomfortable we are without them then smarting the more soundly because in time we did not sufficiently prize and were thankfull for them And then labour to get further and further assurance that wee are Gods children beloved of him 3. To get assurance that we are in Gods love this will make us thankefull both for what we have and hope for It lets out the life blood of Thankefullnesse to teach doubting or falling from grace What is the end I beseech you why the glory to come is revealed before the time that we shall be sonnes and daughters Kings and Queenes heires and co-heires with Christ and all that he hath is ours Is not this knowledge revealed before hand that our praise and thankesgiving should before hand be sutable to this Revelation being set with Christ in heavenly places already Whence comes those strong phrases we are raised with Christ Eph 2.6 sit with him in heavenly Places Col. 1.13 are translated from death to life Tronsformed into his image 2 Pet. 1.4 Partakers of the divine nature c. If any thing that can come betwixt our beleeving and our fitting there could disappoint us thereof or unsettle us it may as well put Christ out of Heaven for we sit with him That Popish Doctrine of doubting kills Thankfullnesse to God If we yeeld to the uncomfortable Popish Doctrine of doubting we cannot be heartily thankfull for blessings for still there will rise in the soule surmises I know not whether God favour me or not it may bee I am onely fatted for the day of slaughter God gives mee outward things to damne me and make me the more inexcusable what a cooler of praise is this to be ever doubting and to have no assurance of Gods favour But when upon good evidence which cannot deceive wee have somewhat wrought in us distinct from the greater number of worldlings Gods stampe set upon us having evidences of the state of grace by conformity to Christ and walking humbly by the Rule of the Word in all Gods waies Then we may heartily be thankfull yea and we shall breake forth in Thankesgiving this being an estate of Peace and joy unspeakeable and glorious wherein we take every thing as an evidence of Gods love That assurance of being in the state of grace is the nurse of Thankesgiving Thus the assurance of our being in the state of grace makes us thankfull for every thing so by the contrary being not in some measure assured of Gods love in Christ wee cannot bee Thankfull for everything For it will alwaies come in our minde I know not how I have these things and what account I shall give for them Therefore even for the honour of God and that we may praise him the more cheerefully let us labour to have further and further evidences of the state of grace to make us thankfull both for things present and to come seeing faith takes to trust things to come as if it had them in possession Whereby we are assured of this that wee shall come to heaven as sure as if we were there already This makes us praise God before hand for
Lebanon IT was a good speech of S. Austin those that are to petition great persons they will obtaine some who are skilfull to frame their Petitions least by their unskillfullnesse they provoke Anger insteed of carrying away the benefit desired So it is here with Gods people being to deale with the great God and not being able to frame their owne petitions God as we heard before doth it for them and answers them gratiously with the same mercies which he had suggested them to aske his answer being exact to their petitions I will heale their backsliding I will love them freely c. wherein God exceeds all Physitians in the world whatsoever for they have nature to helpe them Physicke is the mid-wife of Nature helping it to doe that which it cannot doe of it selfe Physick can doe nothing to a dead man but God is so great a Physitian that hee first gives life and after that spirituall Life is in some degrees begun by little and little he heales more and more I will heale their backslidings We have an error crept in amongst some of the meaner ignorant sort of people who thinke that God sees no sinne when he hath once pardoned men in Justification who falsely smooth themselves in this wicked sensuall conceit thinke they can commit no sinne offensive to God as though God should frame such a Justification for men to blindfold him and cast dust as it were in his eyes or justifie men to make them loose and idle No it is false as appeareth by this place for how can God heale that he sees not He sees it not to be revenged on them for it but hee sees sinne to correct it and to heale it He sees it not after a revengefull wrathfull justice to cast us into Hell and damne us for it but he sees it after a sort to make us smart and lament for it and to have many times a bitter sense of his wrath and forsaking as men undone without a new supply of comfort and peace from Heaven Let a man neglect Sanctification daily sorrow and confession of sinne and now and then even craving new pardon for sinnes past casting all upon a fantasticke conceit of faith in their justification what followes but Pride Hardnesse of heart Contempt of others and neglect of better then themselves and pronenesse out of Gods judgement to fall from ill to worse from one error to another In this case the heart is false and deceitfull for whilst it pretends a glorious faith to looke back to Christ to live by faith and lay all on him by justification it windes it selfe out of all taskes of Religion sets the heart at liberty neglects Sanctification and Mortification of lusts and beautifying the image of God in them giving too much way to the flesh Therefore away with this false and selfe-conceited opinion which drawes poyson out of that which God speakes to confirme and stablish us That hee sees no iniquity in Iaakob c. Whence from these Hyperbolicall speeches they thinke that God seeth not that which we our selves see But hee heales our backslidings therefore hee sees them for how can he heale a wound if he see it not He sees it but not to their destruction who are freely justified by his grace But we will leave this point it being too much honour to them to spend time in confutation of it and will rather say unto it as Isay speakes of a menstruous cloth get thee hence Isa 30.22 Now as God is a most gratious God never weary of well doing and comforting his people because it is his nature to be mercifull So hee hath suteable expressions of it hee goes on with mercy upon mercy loving kindnesse upon loving kindnesse Hee had promised before I will heale their Backeslidings take in summe all their Apostacie all shall bee healed But this is not all hee answers all the accusations and doubts of Satan who is still objecting against us our unworthinesse miserie wretchednesse to have such favours conferred on such filthy creatures Therefore hee takes of all with this which followeth as they had prayed Receive us gratiously So the answer is full and suitable to their request I will love them freely Put case they out of conscience of their own guilt should see no worth in themselves or cause why they should bee respected yet I see reason in mine owne love I will love them freely Quest But may some say How can God love freely Answ Aske thy selfe doth not a father and a mother love their child freely what doth the child deserve of the father and mother a great while Nothing but the mother hath many a weary night and foule hand with it Hath God planted an affection in us to love our children freely and shall not God much more who gives this love and plants it in us bee admitted to love freely But indeed there is absurdity and infidelity in distrust For it is against reason to deny the mighty God that which wee have in our selves If hee did not love freely how could hee love at all what could hee fore-see in us to love us for before hand the very manhood of Christ deserved not the grace of union it was freely given I will love them freely That which first of al we observe hence is this much Observ That God loves his people freely So Rom. 5.8 9. Saith the Apostle God commendeth his love towards us in that while we were yet sinners Christ dyed for us much more being justified by his blood wee shall bee saved from wrath through him The like wee have in Ezekiell saith God Ezek. 36.22 Therefore say unto the house of Israell thus saith the Lord God I doe not this for your sakes O house of Israell but for mine holy Names sake which ye have profaned among the heathen whether ye went Adam when hee had sinned that maine great sinne what did hee fly from God run away Gen. 3.12 13. and when God called to him and debated the matter with him he accused God and excused himselfe Yet for all this God pittied him and cloathed him and made him that promise of the blessed seed What desert was there here in Adam nay rather the quite contary yet God loved him freely The same may bee said of Saint Paul for the time past a persecuter what deserving was therein him none at all yet hee found Gods free love in his conversion Act. 9.15 for saith God to Ananias Hee is a chosen vessell unto mee to beare my name before the Gentiles Heere was no deserving in Saint Paul Act. 9.5 but Gods free election which in time tooke place and so wee may say of the Prodigall having spent all Luk. 15.20 his Father pardoned all and loved him freely Reason 1 The Reason hereof is 1. Because it is his name and nature to bee gratious Exo. 34.6 and to loue freely and whatsoever is Gods nature that hath a freedome in the working
and alter our former lewd courses our sinnes are not yet forgiven For wheresoever God takes away sinne and loves freely there also he gives the best fruits of his love bestowes the dew of his grace to worke upon and alter our natures Christ came not by blood alone to die for us but by water also to sanctifie us He will not onely love freely but he will be as the dew where he loves freely therefore if we have not sanctifying grace we have not as yet pardoning grace For we know the Prophet joynes them both together Psa 32.1 1. Blessed is the man unto whom the Lord imputeth not iniquity and in whose spirit there is no guile If we retaine a guilefull false spirit our sinnes are not forgiven we see both these are put together Vse 2 And seeing all these good things come from God it is necessary to take notice of what hath beene said of Gods goodnesse that we doe not rob God of his due glory nor our selves of the due comfort that we may draw thence The Egyptians had the river Nylus that overflowed the land every yeere caused by anniversary winds which so blew into the mouth of the river that it could not discharge it selfe into the sea whereupon it overflowed the bankes and left a fruitfull slime upon the ground so that they needed not nine as other Countries because it was watered with Nylus Hereupon they did not depend upon Gods blessing nor were so holy as they should but were proud of their river as is intimated by Moses unto the people Deut. 11.10 11. But the land whether thou goest in to possesse it is not as the land of Egypt from whence yee came out where thou sowest thy seed and wateredst it with thy foot as a garden of herbes But the land whether yee goe to possesse it is a land of hills and valleyes and drinketh water of the raine of heaven a land which the Lord thy God careth for c. They having more immediately raine from Heaven saw Gods hand in watering it whereas the Egyptians did not And what makes a Papist to be so unthankfull He thinks he can with his owne industry water his owne ground with somewhat in himselfe What makes another man thankfull on the other side Because he knoweth he hath all things by dependance from the first cause for as in nature Act. 17.28 In God wee live moove and have our beeing much more in grace we have all our nourishment spirituall being Mal. 4.2 mooving and life from the dew of Heaven all our heate is from the Sunne of Righteousnesse which makes a Christian life to be nothing else but a gratious dependance Phil. 4.13 I can do all things saith Saint Paul big and great words O! but it is through Christ that strengthens me These things must not be forgotten for a child of the Church is a child of grace by grace he is what he is he hath all from Heaven Eze. 29.9 Suitable to the former place is that in Ezekiel And the land of Aegypt shall be desolate and waste and they shall know that I am the Lord because hee hath said the river is mine and I have made it He shall be desolate because he boasts and brags of his river and depends not upon God for the sweet showers of the former and the latter raine they boasted because it was a fat fruitfull countrie which the Romans called their granary But wee must looke for all from Heaven God by his Spirit will be as the dew You know in Paradise there were foure rivers that watred the Garden of God that sweet place That the head whence all blessing come is in Heaven and made it fruitfull but the heads of all these rivers were out of Paradise So it is with the Church of God Psal 46.4 There is a River the streames whereof makes glad the Citie of God as the Psalmist speakes many pretious comfortable graces the particulars whereof follow but where is the head-spring of that river it is in Heaven We have all from God through Christ the Mediator So though we have of the Water and Dew yet notwithstanding the head and spring of all is from without the Church in Heaven in Christ in the Mediator And therefore in all the excellent things we enjoy in the Church let us looke to the Originall first cause Christ by his Spirit He is as the Dew to his Church Vse 3 This affoords likewise an Vse of Direction Quest How to come to have grace to sanctifie and alter our natures Answ How to have grace to sanctifie our natures Doe as the Church doth heere desire it of God Lord teach me to see and know my sinnes Lord Take away all iniquity and receive me gratiously Heale my soule for I have sinned against thee O love mee freely Turne away thy angry face from my sinnes and be as the Dew unto my barren soule my dead soule O quicken it make good thy promise come swiftly come speedily come unresistably like raine upon the mowen grasse Psal 72.6 as showers to water with the dew of grace and fructifie my drie parched soule Thus we should be earnest with God for grace for our selves and for the Churches abroad for our Church and State at home Therefore let such an use be made of it generally as God and not other forraigne helps may especially bee trusted in for it is the onely way to destruction to let God alone and to trust to this bodie and that bodie for in this case many times God makes those we thus trust in our destruction as the Assyrians and Babylonians were the ruine of the ten Tribes But begin alwaies first in Heaven set that great wheele a working and he will make all things comfortable especially for our soules then we shall not onely finde him to make good this promise I will be as the Dew unto Israell but the residue which follow after He shall grow as the Lillie c. Those unto whom God is Dew a double blessing he will make them grow and so grow as they shall grow up as the Lillie Thistles and nettles and ill weeds grow apace also but not as Lillies but Gods children are Lillies and then they grow as Lillies Quest Answ Christians grow like Lillies How doe Christians grow like Lillies First for beauty and glory There is such a kinde of glory and beauty in that plant that it is said by our Saviour 1. In regard of beauty and glory Mat. 5.29 That Salomon in all his royalty was not arrayed like one of these because his was a borrowed glory from the creature but the Lillie hath a native beauty of its owne Againe 2. In regard of sweet fragrant smell the Lillie hath a sweet and fragrant smell so have Christians a sweetnesse and shining exprest in their conversation as we have it a little after His smell shall bee as Lebanon c. And
particular Christian and it is very necessary it should be so for without growth neither can we give God his due Honour nor he receive the smell of a sweet Sacrifice from us as is fit Nor can we without it with-stand our enemies or beare our crosses that God may call us too Againe without growth and strength we cannot performe those great duties that God requires at our hands of Thankfulnesse nor doe things so cheerefully and sweetly as may be comfortable to us In summe without growth wee can doe nothing acceptably either to God or his people the more Grace the more acceptance Which is spoken that wee may value the Promises this especially that we shall grow up in Grace and Knowledge as the Lillie and cast forth our rootes as Lebanon But how shall wee come to grow Answ Goe to God that we may continually have from him the sanctifying dew of his grace goe first for pardon of sinne 1. We must goe to God claiming the promises in a right order then for a heart to reforme our wayes to enter in a new covenant for the time to come that wee will not trust in Ashur but will renounce our particular personall sinnes after which we shall find sanctifying grace so as the dew of Gods Spirit will make us grow therefore take this order to improove the promises Goe to God for his love in Christ for the pardoning of sinne and accepting of us in him that we may find a sence of his love in accepting of our persons in the pardoning of our sinne which is the ground of love for then this sence of his love will kindle our love towards him againe feeling that we are in the state of grace Then goe to God for his promise in this order Lord thou hast promised that thou wilt be as the dew and that we shall grow as Lillies make good thy promise then that I may finde the effectuall power of it transforming my soule into the blessed Image of thy deare Sonne And know 2. We must use all meanes of growth that we must use all the meanes of growth together with the promise for in the things of this life if a man were assured that the next yeare would be a very plentifull yeare would men therefore because they were thus forewarned hang up their plowes and not prepare their ground no but they would the rather be encouraged to take paines because they know that howsoever God be pleased to vouchsafe plenty yet he will doe it in the use of meanes observing and depending on his Providence So when he hath made gratious promises of the Dew of his Grace and of growth as Lillies c. This implyeth a subordinate serving of his gratious Providence therefore it is a way to stirre us up unto the use of all meanes rather and not to take us off from them Gen. 17.8 Even as God when hee told the Israelites I will give you the Land ef Canaan did onely promise it leaving the remainder to their conquest in the use of meanes Should this have made them cast away their swords No but it was that they might fight and fight the more couragiously So when God hath promised growth in Grace should this make us carelesse O no it should make us more diligent and carefull and comforts us in the use of meanes knowing that our labour shall not be in vaine in the Lord. 1 Cor. 15.58 Now Lord I know I shall not loose my labour in hearing in receiving of the Sacrament in the communion of Saints and use of sanctified Meanes for thou hast made a gratious promise that I shall grew as the Lillie and that thou wilt be as the Dew unto me therefore make thy good worke begun effectuall unto my poore soule that it may flourish and bee refreshed as a watred garden But there are severall sorts of growth formerly touched either 1. A growing upward or 2. A growing in the roote or 3. A Spreading and growing in the Fruit and Sweetnesse Therefore Christians must not alwayes looke to have their growth in one and the same place but must wisely consider of Gods prudent dealing with his children in this kinde as will bee further seene hereafter in the particulars Hee shall cast forth his rootes as Lebanon That is He shall cast and spread and so put forth his rootes as Lebanon he shall grow upward and downeward in regard of firmenesse he shall be more rooted Jn what proportion Trees grow upwards in that proportion they take roote downewards because otherwise they may be top heavy and overturne a blast of winde taking advantage of their talnesse and weakenesse to roote them out the sooner therefore proportionable to their spreading above there must be a rooting in the ground As the prophet speakes to Hezekiah of Gods people 2 King 19.30 And the remnant that is escaped of the house of Iudah shall yet againe take roote downeward and beare fruit upward There must be firmenesse in the roote as well as growth in the branches for which cause God here promiseth to the Church and every Christian stability and fixednesse that as he groweth upward like the Lillie so he should grow downward firme and strong Quest Now whence comes this rootednesse and firme stabilitie of Gods Children Answ The cause of the Saints stability Ioh 1.16 Especially from this that they are now in the Covenant of grace rooted in Christ who is God-man in whom they are firmely rooted In Adam we had a roote of our owne but now our roote is in Christ All grace is first powred into Christs blessed Nature and then at a second hand Out of his fulnesse we all receive grace for grace Being rooted in Christ we become firme for there is in him an everlasting marriage and union Rom. 11.18 The Roote beareth us wee beare not the Roote Christ beareth us wee beare not him So now in the covenant of grace all the firmenesse is out of us Even as salvation it selfe was wrought out of us by a Mediatour so it is kept by a Mediatour out of us all goodnesse grace and favour of God to us is not in us but in Christ but it is so out of us as Christ and we are one But now we onely speake of the cause of our firmenesse and stability that because we are in the state of grace we have an everlasting firmenesse as we are in Christ Jesus God now making a second covenant he will not have it disanulled as the first was Lev. 18.5 for his second workes are better then his first His first Covenant was Doe this and live but his second is Rom. 10.9 Beleeve this and live So as howsoever our state in grace be but little yet it is of a blessed growing spreading firme nature so sure as what is begun in grace will end in glory where God gives the first fruits he will give tenths yea the full harvest and all Because by
God stablisheth grace in none who are gratious for themselves meerely but for the good of others also that converse with them whether it bee Governours or servants no man liveth to himselfe and for himselfe onely but for the good of all within their reach Vse 1 For Use therfore first this shall be for incouragement to all Governours of families to bee good if not for themselves yet in love to those that are theirs Jt may be some have no care of their owne soules or good But hast thou no care of thy children of thy wife that lieth in thy bosome or of thy servants if thou hast not a heart of stone or marble surely thou wouldest desire that for them that thou dost not for thy selfe thinke of this at least thou wouldest have thy children good and prosper Labour then if we would have all prosper who come under our roofe that our families may be little Churches of God that all who come under our shadow may revive and returne Therefore out of love to those that belong to us let us labour to be good Is it not a pittifull thing that some who are Governours of others they looke to them as to beasts and use their service as a man would use the service of his beast they feed their bodies and thinke they have no charge of their soules Now this is one reason why all that come under the shadow of a good Governour are the better because they take care for their instruction and best good that they live in obedience to Gods Ordinances and not like wilde creatures ruffians vagabonds Cains and the like What a strange thing is this to have a care of the body the worser part and neglect the more excellent part their soules Vse 2 Make wee also this Use of Tryall art thou a good and a gratious Governour indeed then grace in thy heart is communicative it will spread over thy family thou wilt labour to make thy children and thy servants good to make all good that come under thy roofe Other things are not alwayes communicative gold is a dead thing and other goods thou mayest keepe by thee which doe not spread But if thou hast the best good Faith and Love with a gratious heart this is like oyle or like fire which will not be held in but out and shew themselves they will and shine in their kinde So grace is a spreading communicative thing all that come therefore under the shadow of a gratious family are said to returne and be the better for it Make this therefore an use of Tryall whether thou be a gratious Governour or not is thou canst say with Ioshua when he called the people togther saith he doe what you will J know what I will doe I and my house will serve the Lord. Iosh 24.15 If you will be Idolaters or so and so but I and my house will serve the Lord so certainely there is no man who in truth of heart feares the Lord but he is able to say I and my house will serve the Lord. Vse 3 Lastly for Terrour let us behold the dangerous and cursed estate of those that dwell out of Christs shadow the Church and good meanes who lie open to the indignation of God and storme of his wrath Who howsoever they may blesse themselves in a thing of naught yet it is a fearefull thing to lie under a curse and that soule must needs be barren where the dew of grace fals not for God usually derives spirituall and heavenly things by outward meanes They that dwell under his shadow shall returne They shall returne to God and by returning to him returne as it were and revive As when in a swoond a mans spirits returne againe hee is said to revive But the ground of Returning is that they shall returne to God and come under his roofe in the Church But more immediately this is true they shall returne and shall quicken and revive in returning Which wee spake of in the beginning of the Chapter Onely this shall be added to that that a wicked man out of judgment of the danger of his estate may make a stop but turning is more then so in this case a man turnes his face to God and heaven-wards to good things formerly neglected on which he turned his backe formerly What is turning but a change of posture when the face is turned towards that the backe was to before So it is in this spirituall turning to God when heavenly things are in our face when God and Hierusalem the Church are in our eye still minding heavenly things and not earthly then we are said to returne And therefore these converts mentioned in Ieremie are thus described in their conversion Ier. 50.5 asking the way to Zion with their faces thither-ward whereas before in the dayes of our corruption we turned our backs to God now when we returne Psal 16.8 we set the Lord alwayes before us in every thing this is properly to returne to revive and flourish also in returning Thus wee have heard how all who live under the shadow of Christ doe returne and what use wee should make of it The end of the eighth Sermon THE NINTH SERMON HOS 14.6 They that dwell under his shadow shall returne they shall revive as the Corne and grow as the Vine the sent thereof shall be as the Vine of Lebanon OUR desire of good things is not so large as God is bountifull in satisfying our desires going beyond them as we see in this Chapter their hearts were too narrow to receive all that good which God intended them Receive us gratiously this was their petition whereunto God answers that hee would be as the dew unto them that they should grow ac the Lillie and cast forth their roote as Lebanon and their branches shall spread that they should grow in all dimensions upwards and downwards and spread in beauty and smell Their beauty shall be like the Olive and their smell like Lebanon And because he would be God-like like himselfe that is throughly and abundantly gratious and mercifull he doth not only as we have heard promise a blessing to Israell himselfe but unto all neere unto him and belonging to him Those that are under his shadow shall returne they shall revive as the corne We are all too shallow to conceive either the infinite vastnesse of Gods justice to impenitent sinners or his boundlesse mercy and goodnesse to his poore Church and children Therefore God to helpe our weake conceit in this kinde borroweth all the excellencies of nature and makes use of them in grace He takes out of the booke of nature into his booke what may instruct our soules and therefore sets downe the growing estate of a Christian by all excellent comparisons that nature will afford many whereof we have gone over the last we spake of was that mercy which God superabundantly shewes unto the friends and servants of the Church Those that dwell under
and will smell a sweet savour of rest as it is said of Noah after his comming out of the Arke for God delights in his owne graces which he admireth in us As hee said to the woeman of Canaan O woeman great is thy faith Mat 15.28 be it unto thee as thou wilt God as it were stands admiring his owne graces he is so delighted with the Faith Love Prayers and Patience of his children which is further excellently expressed in the Canticles Cant. 3.6 Who is this that commeth up out of the wildernesse like pillars of smoake perfumed with mirrh and frankincense and all the spices of the merchant Christ there is brought in admiring at his Church and Children conflicting through all the miseries and incumbrances of this world which hinder and oppose their journey to Heaven-wards wherein they thrust forth all the practise of their holy graces which smell like spices Then let us not envy God the Saints and holy people the sweetnesse of our graces but let our sent smell abroad to the content and comfort of all that they may delight in these graces that come from us in our Humility Patience Faith Love Sincerity and all these graces wherein we resemble Christ and shew forth his holy vertues therefore for our owne comfort and the delight of all and to assure our selves of Heaven and of the love of God whilst we live here let us labour to be fruitfull in our conversations and to cast forth a sent in regard of others which hath an attractive drawing force For when they see a holy fruitfull and gratious conversation it casts forth a sent and makes others like Religion Cant. 5. So God is glorified and Religion is adorned What greater ornament to Religion then to see a fruitfull gratious Christian who hath ability and a heart to doe good upon all occasions with an humble meeke peaceable spirit taught of God to be so for the good and love of others That a little gratious conversation is more winning then many words There must be Pomegranates with bells a sweet conversation with words a little wherof will doe more good to others then a great many words A good conversation is sweet and hath a kind of oratorie joyned with it Therefore if neither for God or Christ or others yet for our owne sakes and the reflection of that good sent upon our selves let us be fruitfull A man cannot grow in fruitfullnesse but hee must needs grow in comfort Peace and Joy Nothing cheereth and solaceth the heart of a Christian more then this the conscience that God honoureth him to be fruitfull to doe good and cast a sweet savor to draw others to good things This will comfort us upon our death-beds more then all other things Therefore in all these respects for love of God others and our selves which are delighted with the expressions of our graces let us labour to be fruitfull trees in Gods garden and to bring forth much fruite that we may send forth a sent like Lebanon Now who would not be in such an estate and condition as this as to have title to all these gratious promises for the dew of Grace to fall upon him To grow as Lillies in height and to spread as other plants doe to grow upwards and downewards to be rooted as Cedars and fruitfull as Vines The Spirit of God sets himselfe here to shew Spirituall things by Earthly comparisons to make us the more capable of them The misery of the contrary condition may well stirre us up to seeke after the forementioned For what a misery is it to have the curse of God upon ones soule to have it like the barren wildernesse void of all grace and comfort that may delight others or is spirituall savoury or savingly good So all these promises tend to incourage us to be in the condition of Gods Children that when we are in that estate we may comfort our selves and be able to claime our part portion and interest in these excellent promises Thus by Gods blessing we have passed over the particulars of Gods gratious promises to his Church and all that shall come under the Church all which should incourage us to goe to God and doe as the Church doth here take words to our selves and desire God to take away all iniquity and heale all our backeslidings and that we may renounce all vaine confidence as the Church doth here who is taught to trust horses no longer Ashur shall not save us And then let us as was said cleave unto the blessed promises that wee may improove them and make them our own every day more and more Therefore let us have in the eye of our soule the excellency of growth or else we shall not value these promises Let us consider what an excellent condition it is to grow flourish and be fruitfull having a due esteeme of all these promises before hand The excellency of a growing Christian Prov. 28.1 Doe but consider how excellent a Christian is that groweth above others what a majesty he hath in his carriage how undauntedly he walks in all oppositions whatsoever as a Lyon in his courses How he overlookes Hell Wrath Death Damnation and all What a sweet communion he enjoyeth with God in all the disconsolations that the world puts upon him He carrieth his Heaven in his heart and a Paradice within him which is planted with all graces whereas another man carrieth his Hell about him Wherefore let us take such courses to helpe our selves as the Church doth here trust in God and not in man or in the arme of flesh and be incouraged from all which hath beene said to have a good conceit of God to bee fruitfull and draw on others to goodnesse that God his Saints and Angells may be delighted with the sent of our graces and our selves comforted that we may rejoyce in our portion and lot that God hath dealt so gratiously to us and glory more that he has made us members of Christ and heires of Heaven then in any condition of this world O the incomparable excellent state of a Christian above all the glory of this world who not onely groweth but shall grow to heaven-wards still and as he hath begun to hate sinne shall hate it more and more God hath undertaken it shall be so Ephraim after all these sweet promises and dew of Grace shall say What have I any more to doe with Idols c. The prosecution whereof must be referred untill the next time The end of the ninth Sermon THE TENTH SERMON HOS 14.8 Ephraim shall say what have J any more to doe with Idols J have heard him and observed him J am like a greene firre tree from me is thy fruit found WEE have heard at severall times heretofore how God out of the largenesse of his goodnesse goeth beyond those desires which hee putteth into his peoples hearts They briefly intreat him to Doe good to them and to deale gratiously with
I am a man of uncleane lips c. for mine eyes have seene the King the Lord of Hostes Thus when once he had communion with God he began to loath himselfe So if we would hate evill let us labour more and more to be holy and to increase in that divine affection of love For in what measure wee love that which is good in that measure we hate the evill As it is Psal 97.10 Yee that love the Lord hate evill Insinuating that all that love the Lord hate evill All those that are neere unto God they hate all sin the more they grow into communion with God the more they grow in the hatred of all that is contrary Let us therfore never talk of love to God and of Piety and such like for if there be any grace or communion with God we hate all sin in that measure as God hateth he who hath no zeale to reforme that which God hateth he hath no love at all 2. Wee must set before us what sinne is in itselfe Againe the way to stir us up to hate sin in our selves and others out of that hatred to reforme it is to set before us what it is in it selfe that it is the loathsomest thing in the world worse then the Divel himself for it is sin which makes him a Divell That Corruption Pride Worldlines and Profanesse which we cherish is worse then the Divell himself because this made him a Divell Let us make sin therfore as loathsome as we can and then we shall hate it And let us present it to our soules as the most dangerous thing of all the ill of ills which bringeth all other evills upon us This may appeare more ugly in our sight in that the foulenesse thereof could not bee expiated but by the death of the Sonne of God And consider what great torments he hath prepared for that which we so cherish this proud sinfull and carnall disposition of ours so opposite to all goodnesse God hath appointed to punish it with eternall seperation from his presence It maketh God hate his owne creatures Goe ye cursed into everlasting fire Mat. 25.41 prepared for the Divell and his Angels 3. Wee must consider the dangerous condition of unrepenting sinners And to stir us up to reforme sin in all that belong unto us we must consider the dangerous condition that they live and die in in whom this not reformed Eternall torments and seperation is from God These things may help to work in our hearts a hatred of sin and from this hatred a Reformation of it with zeale and indignation Therefore let us labour more and more for this temper of soule that we may be like God and carry the Characters of the Children of God in us There is no affection will distinguish us from Hypocrits more then hatred which commeth of love which is the first borne and breeding affection of all others For why doe we hate any thing but because it is opposite to that we love why doe we hate ill but because it is opposite to God and to Christ whom we love amongst others take we along this consideration with us that it is the Speare which wounded our blessed Saviour and that it is that he hates most which we love most Consider the Holinesse of God that he would punish it in his owne sonne ere it should not be punished 4. Wee must consider it is the bane of all our comforts And consider that it is the bane of all our comfort this which we so cherish and that it imbitters all things to us We cannot rejoyce no not in the good blessings of God whilst we are guilty of sinne Psal 66.18 neither can we pray comfortably whilst our hearts regard it In this case that which should rejoyce the heart communion with God Psal 50.16 is terrible to us What have I to doe to take his name in my mouth when I embrace such sinnes The day of judgement is terrible also for how can a man thinke comfortably thereof if therewith hee expect a heavie doome for his sinnes he liveth in So we may say of the day of death none of these can be thought upon without terror when therewithall it commeth to ones minde the cutting off from their sinnes 2 Cor. 5.11 and the terror of the Lord against all sinne whatsoever It should be the joy of our hearts to thinke of these happy times therefore there must needs be a great deale of sinne and Atheisme in our hearts when we cannot thinke comfortably of them For either wee believe not these things and so are plaine Atheists or else if we beleeve them wee are exceeding foolish to loose future joyes for the poore pleasures of sinne for a season 5. We must grow in the love of grace and goodnesse Let us labour to grow in grace more more for the more we grow in the love of God and of of good things the more we shall hate sin for whatsoever may be said for the growth of love cherishing of it to good things the same may be said for the hatred of ill in a contrary sense The last helpe shall be to place and drive our affections a contrary way 6. Change the object to its right opposite to translate and place them on a contrary object when they are stirred up to evill attempts As when Hatred is stirred up direct it to its proper object sinne when Love is irregular thinke with our selves that God hath not planted this affection for this object but to carry me another way J must love God above all and all that hee loveth for his sake Hath God put Love and Hatred into my heart to hate my brother whom I should love and to love the Divell and hate God O no! I should love God above all and my brother as my selfe and hate the Divell and all his workes whom J have renounced in my Baptisme therefore in distempers of the affections make a diversion and turne them the right way As Physitians use to doe when the distempered blood runs dangerously one way If they cannot stop that they open a veine to drive the course of the blood another way So it is Christian pollicie when the affections run dangerously one way then to reflect thus upon our selves I but is this the end why God hath placed this affection in me Certainely no he hath planted this affection in me for another purpose Therefore I will hate that which I should hate sinne in generall and my owne sinne most of all which makes me hate my brother This should be our daily taske and study to take off the affections where they should not be placed and to fix them where they should be placed and there to let them goe amaine the faster the better restraining them where they should not runne out Thus we ought to temper our selves and to worke in our selves as much as may be a sound
from God therefore I must serve him and serve him as he must be served in Spirit and Truth What makes a man reverence another Ioh. 4.24 I depend upon him without him J sinke will this make a man serve man and will it not make us serve God and serve him with feare what breeds an awfull feare this that if he withdraw his influence I fall into sinne despaire and discomfort so that the ground of all feare of God and service springing from this feare it is from hence that from him all my fruit all my grace and comfort is found therefore I must have grace to serve him as a God in feare For if the soule be not possest and seasoned with this heavenly doctrine that all comes from him then surely where is Gods service what becomes of it where is that adoration and magnifying of God in our hearts where 's that putting off our selves upon him in all condions Vse 4 Againe this inforceth another part of Gods spirituall and heavenly worship cleaving to God in our affections especially these two in our Faith and Love that as all comes from and by Christ Jesus so thereby we may draw from him the fruit of grace and comfort So that this spiritual cleaving and uniting of our soules to Christ it comes from this that I have all from him therefore I must cleave to him seeing whatsoever is spirituall holy and comfortable I must have from him Therefore if we would worship God in Spirit and Truth as we should doe and set him up in his due place in the soule let us labour to have our judgements sanctified in this that all comes from God If we were surely grounded in the Goodnesse Mercy and Riches of Gods grace and knew that all our fruit comes and is from him this would make us to conclude that therefore it is reason that we should worship him and depend upon him strictly As the Prophet speakes of Idols Ier. 10.5 that they can neither doe us good nor harme inforcing that they should not feare them so wee may say of all other things distinct from God they can neither doe good nor harme except God inable them Will you be slaves to men they cannot doe good nor harme but as God uses them whose creatures they are Therefore the worship of God is also founded hence that God does all good or harme if men doe it they doe it from him he gives them leave as it is said of Shimei 2 Sam. 16.10 God bid him raile on David If they doe us good they are his conduits whereby he deriveth good to us therefore all is from him we see then how all the true and hearty worship of God comes from this From mee is thy fruit found Vse 5 This should make us likewise as to worship God in spirit and in truth so to be resolute in good causes whatsoever come of it looke for a ground and then be resolute because all comes from God who will sand by us in his owne cause and quarrell But if I forsake this and that suppoâ—t I shall lay open my selfe to injuryes and wrongs Marke what the Spirit of God saith Ye that love the Lord hate that which is evill Psal â—9 10 But if I hate that which is evill Idols c. As Ephraim here doth I shall be despised and trampled upon No saith he God preserves the soules of his hee will be a shield and a buckler Psal 84. a Sunne and a shield and no good thing shall be wanting to them that leade a godly life God will be a Sunne for all good and a shield to keepe off all ill therefore let us be resolute in good causes Whence comes all shifting halting imperfect walking and inconstancie in the wayes of God but from this that men know not where to have men they are not grounded on this that whatsoever is fruitfull and good comes from God who will give whatsoever is fruitfull and good in depending upon him This made the three children in Daniell couragious they knew they should have fruit from God that is grace comfort and peace the best fruit of all And therefore know O King Dan. 3.18 that we will not worship thine Idoll nor fall downe before it So holy Hester being well grounded could say Hest 4.16 If I perish I perish I know the cause is good and if all helpe in the creature be remooved and taken away yet I shall have fruit in God Let us therefore carry this about us as a principle of holy life to know that our good is hid up in God and not in the creature so that if all helpe were taken away yet we have it immediately purer and better in the fountaine What if there were not a creature in the world to helpe me what if all were against me yet God may make all their powers and indeavours fruitfull There is such fruit from God that he can make the worst things which befalleth us fruitfull when he pleaseth there is a blessing in curses and crosses a good fruit in them who can doe him harme that God turneth the bitterest things he suffers to his good Let none be daunted in a good cause but goe on resolutly seeing God hath all in himselfe Was not Moses forty dayes without any earthly comfort on the mount Exod. 34.28 Mat. 4.2 and Christ also without naturall sustentation so long did not God give light without a Sunne in the first creation we are tyed to meanes but he is not We thinke if such friends and helps be taken away that then all is gone but what were they were not they meanes which God used at his good pleasure and cannot hee give comfort without them yes certainely the greatest comfort and grace is oft-times given immediately from God when he salutes the soule by his owne Spirit as he did Paul and Sylas in the dungeon who in the midst of discomfort Act. 16.25 had their spirit inlarged to sing hymnes at mid-night God reserving that comfort for that time Therefore seeing all comfort is from God and hee is not tyed to this or that meanes nay can blesse all contrary meanes is not this a ground of Resolution Vse 6 Therefore now make a Use of Comfort of it Of comfort seeing all fruit is from God who is in Covenant with his Children in Jesus Christ and who will improove all his attributes for their good his Wisdome Goodnesse Power and Mercy let them therefore take comfort to themselves that howsoever the world may take their friends from them Riches Liberty and what you will can they take God and fruit from them No From me is thy fruit found If they could take away the Spirit of God grace and comfort from us it were something but can they doe that no the worst they can doe is to send us to Heaven to the Fountaine of all grace and comfort so that in this world they cannot cast us
another but God hath provided some defence against it p. 383 384. Antimonians Antimonians error refuted page 170. Association In Association we must joyne with those that are good p. 223. All wicked Associations will end in everlasting hatred page 326 327. Assurance Assurance of Gods love causeth thankfullnesse page 53 54. B Blessings Blessings of God not to bee spent on our lusts page 60. Outward Blessings may bee praied for page 36 37. Blessings how to know they come from Gods love p. â—7 c. Backesliding Backesliding Gods children prone too page 131. Barrennesse Barrennesse in goodnesse ought not to discourage us page 213. Barrennesse under meanes not endur'd by God page 254. Baptisme Baptisme made an Idoll by Papists page 337. Bread Bread in the Lords Supper made an Idoll by Papists p. 338. Beleeving Beleeving more honours God then our sinnes dishonour him p. 150 151. Boasting Boasting is Idolatry page 82. C Confidence Carnall Confidence the danger of it page 84. Confidence not placed on the creature by a true Christian page 78 79. Confidence in outward helpes men prone to by nature page 60. Confidence in the creature when exceeded in page 80. Creature The Creature not able to help us in our greatest need page 71. Creature the vanity of it page 72. Creatures emptinesse discovered in sundry respects page 85 86. The most comfortable Creatures in their excesse hurt p. 384 385. Christians Christians why hated of the world page 105. Christians place no confidence in the creatures page 78 79. Christian course to be in love with it page 417 418. A Christians glory is to bee fruitfull in his places page 253 c. Christians their comfortable estate page 243 253. Christians compared to Lillies in regard of their growth in grace page 219. Christians ought all to be excellent in their kinde page 204 205. Christians compared to Corne in sundry respects p. 279 c. Christians are fruitfull under good meanes page 279. Christians like Vines for fruitfullnesse page 283 c. Christians that are unfruitfull are the worst of men page 285. Christians that are fruitfull God takes a speciall care of page 287 288. Christians that are weake not to bee discouraged page 289 290. Christians how they come to send forth a sweet sent page 292 293. Church Church how God governes it by contraries page 286 c. Church in misery to be prayed for page 111. The Church yeelds a shadow page 264 c. Out of the Church no salvation page 267. Church the benefits of being in it page 267. Church who live out of it are in a wofull estate page 274. Churches outward condition despicable page 284. Church of God weake of it selfe page 286. Children Children ought not to hinder our standing out in a good cause page 114. Children ought not to make us worldly page 115. Children at our death in faith to be commended to God page 117 118. Children of God are alwaies in his sight page 379 380. Comfort arising from hence page 380 381. Children of God have a contrary disposition to the world page 457 c. Children of God not to feare future things page 416. Confession Confession to whom to bee made page 24. Confession of our sins is a signe of the forgivenesse of our sinnes page 29. Conviction Want of Conviction of sinne makes us carelesse of sin p. 140. Comforts Comforts abused proove snares page 385. Comfort naturally accompanieth good actions page 294. Comforts of Christians why not apprehended by them page 230 231. Conversation Conversation fruitfull the excellency of it page 297 c. Communion Communion with God to bee laboured for page 39 40. No Communion betweene God and Idols page 103 104. Communion with God will make us hate sinne page 321 322. Conscience A good Conscience ought not to be parted with page 113. Condition No Condition so disconsolate but God can alter it page 102. Crucifixes Crucifixes not to be used page 343. Causes In good Causes wee ought to be resolute page 413 414. Having God for our shelter wee ought to bee bold in good Causes page 395 c. Commandement Gods Commandements ought to be obeyed page 447. Company Good Company a meanes to enable us to walke resolutely in Gods waies page 468. D Destruction Destruction spirituall meanes the best to prevent it page 7. Distressed Distressed persons God very mercifull too page 109. Diseases Diseases of the soule how to know them page 134 135 c. Doubting Doubting kills thankfullnesse page 53. Doubting of Gods mercy a great sinne page 150. E Eye Eye of God continually on all his children page 379 380. Gods Eye being upon us should make our eye be upon him page 38â— Gods Eye being upon us should make us bould in his cause page 381. Extremities Extremities why Gods children suffered to fall into page 108 109. Example We must not live by Example page 4â—7 End To come to a right End the best way is to take Gods way page 448. Consideration of our End will make us walke resolutely in Gods waies page 468. F Falls Falls of Gods children made their gaine page 230. Fatherlesse Fatherlesse God especially mercifull too page 109. Family Family all under it the better for a godly Governor page â—08 Forces Forces home or forraigne not to be trusted too page 77. Forgivenesse Forgivenesse of sinnes how knowne to be truly desired page â—6 27. Forgivenesse of sins to be desired above all mercies p. 27 28. Forgivenesse of sins the misery of those that want it p. 31 32. Forgivenesse of sins not easily attained page 164. Free Free love of God to his people page 172 173 c. Free love of God the cause of all mercies page 179 c. Fruitfullnesse Fruitfulnesse the benefit of it page 256. Fruitfullnesse of Christians in their particular places is their glory page 253 c. Fruitfullnesse of Christians delightfull to God and man page 257 258. Fruitfullnesse in grace brings peace and comfort to a man page 298. Fruitfull Christians leave a good sent behind them p. 259. Fruitfull Christians compared to Vines page 283 c. Fruitfull Christians God hath a speciall care of page 287 288. Fruitfull Conversation the excellencie of it page 297 298. Fruitlesse Fruitlesse Christians of all men the worst page 285. G Good All Good comes from God page 405 c. No Good that is saving comes from man page 403. Good works why they cannot merit page 405. God God rightly apprehended makes us shake off all false trusts page 104. God is our All-sufficiency in all estates page 113. God in distresses to bee trusted in page 119. God is the great Physitian of the soule page 140 c. God is willing to heale and save our soules page 142 c. God loves his people freely page 172 173 c. God to make him our shadow page 394. God being our shelter and shadow wee should bee bould in good causes page 395. God being our shadow the comfort of it
RIC SIBBS S THEOL D AVL KATHARINAE CANTAB MAG NEC NON HOSPITIO GRAI A S CONCIONIBVS Aetat Suae 58. THE RETVRNING BACKSLIDER OR A COMMENTARIE upon the whole XIIII Chapter of the Prophecy of the Prophet HOSEA Wherein is shewed the large extent of GODS free Mercy even unto the most miserable forlorne and wretched sinners that may be upon their Humiliation and Repentance Preached by that Learned and Judicious Divine Dr. SIBBS late Preacher to the Honourable Society of Grayes Inne and Master of Katherine Hall in CAMBRIDGE Published by his owne Permission before his Death JEREM. 3. 10 11. Goe and Proclaime these words towards the North and say Returne thou Backsliding Israel saith the LORD and I will not cause mine Anger to fall upon you for I am mercifull saith the LORD and I will not keepe Anger for ever Onely acknowledge thine Iniquity c. LONDON Printed by G. M for George Edwards in the Old Baily in Greene-Arbour at the signe of the Angell MDCXXXIX To the Reader GOod Reader this Treatise begs the favour of those concerning whom especially it is said Christ came for poore trembling siners the blind the prisoners of hope such who by the assiduity iteration and multitude of Satans discouragements temptations sit as it were in darknes in the valley of death to whom every sowre thing is sweet Because these most of all relish and stand in need of mercy for when the least flame of that unsupportable wrath breakes forth in shew which is powred out like fire and kindled by the breath of the Lord of Hostes like a river of brimstone which can make the mountaines quake the hils melt burne up the earth and all that is therein the poore soule for the time thinking on nothing but blackenesse and darkenesse of tempest whilst by past sinnes without sight of the Mediator stares them in the face with millions of unconceiveable horrors and astonishments then to see light in darknesse Mercy in wrath the Sun-shine of righteousnesse a gratious God appeased by a Mediator with some sight and sense of its interest therin this must needs overjoy the troubled soule which is the maine subject of this booke how gratious God is to encourage miserable sinners to returne what incouragements and helps hee gives them what effects his gratious working hath in them and how sweetly they close with him againe Wherefore though this messe comes not unto thee set forth in a Lordly dish not having passed since the preaching thereof under the exquisite hand of the most worthy Author yet despise it not for many times though things of greater judgement affect the understanding most yet things of lesser concisenesse worke more upon the affections in a plaine flowing way which happinesse with all other felicities he wisheth thee who is ever Thine in the best bonds J H. THE SVMME OF THIS TREATISE THE time when Hosea prophesied pag. 2. The people of God are exhorted to repentance by many motives pag. 3. Gods answer to their petitions pag. 4. God comes not suddenly upon his children but gives them warning pag. 6. Which ariseth from the goodnesse of his nature pag. 7. Spirituall meanes best for preventing judgments pag. 7. In returning to God there must be a stop pag. 8. Humiliation what it is pag. 9. Resolution what it is pag. 9. How to know the truth of our Humiliation pag. 10. Where there is a falling into sinne there will be a falling into misery pag 12 c. God is willing to be at peace with us pag. 16. In all our distresses we must come to God in praier pag. 17 18 c. Why we must bring words with us though God knowes our mind pag. 22. That words and purposes must concurre in prayer pag. 23. Confession how it is to be made pag. 24. Why all iniquity is to be praid against pag. 25. The tryall of a sound desire pag. 26. Mercy begged above all pag. 27. Whether we ought not to thinke of our former sins pag. 28. How we may know our sinnes are forgiven pag. 29 c. The misery of those that have not their sinnes forgiven pag. 32. Gods favours are compleate to his children pag. 33. The loadstone of the soule is good pag. 34 c. How we may know blessings come from the love of God pag. 37 38 c. The use of vowes pag. 42 c. of a broken heart pag. 45 c What the sacrifice of praise is pag. 48 49. Why lips are mentioned for praise pag. 50. Helps to praise God pag. 51 52 Doubting kils thankefulnesse pag. 53. Assurance is the nurse of thanksgiving pag. 54. We should take advantage of our dispositions pa. 59. Incouragements to praise God pag 60 c. How to know when praise is accepted pag. 63. Reformation must be joyned with prayer pag. 66. True repentance is of the particular sin pag. 67 68 c. The creature cannot helpe of it selfe pag. 71 c. We are not to place our confidence in forces at home or abroad pag. 77. Warre is lawfull pag. 78 79. How we shall know when we exceed in confidence in the creature pag. 80 81. Boasting is Idolatry pag. 82 83. The danger of carnall confidence pag. 84. The emptinesse of the creature pag 85 c Men naturally prone to Idolatry pag. 92 93 c. Bitternesse of sinne causeth repentance pag. 99 100 101. Our affiance ought not to be upon the creature but upon God pag. 102. What Religion is pag. 103 104. Why the world hates Christians pag. 105. Mercy a most sweet object pag. 106 107 c. Why God shewes mercy to the distressed pag. 110 111 c. Worldlinesse to be hated pag. 115 116 c. How to retort Satans pollicy in our extreamity pag. 119. Where God gives a spirit of prayer he will answer pag. 126 127. Why we should come before God in prayer pag. 128 129. That Gods Church and Children are prone to backesliding pag. 131 c. How shall we know we are sicke of this pag. 134 c. Repentance not to be delayed pag. 139. Want of conviction makes us carelesse pag. 150 151 152. God is willing to save us pag 143 c. The scope of the new Covenant pag. 149. The greatest sinne is to deny God the glory of his Mercy pag. 150. An incouragement to search our sins deepely pag. 151 c. How to know God hath pardoned our sins pag. 156 157 158. Why carnall men are so quiet pag. 159. How to know the pardon of sin pag. 160. Why God suffers infirmities pag. 161 c. Why the soule must be humbled pag. 165. How God loves freely pag. 172 173 c. Gods anger against sinne pag. 183 184 c. Repentance turnes away Gods anger pag. 188 189. c. How anger felt may be remooved pag. 193. How to know afflictions are not in wrath though continued pag 195 196 197. That God hath a salve for every sore pag. 202. Gods love is