reproue the cursed practise of vngodly men Vse it is wonderfull to see how bold they bee to abuse Gods Seruants to mocke them and to disgrace them to slander and reuile them they thinke them the worst men that liue in the world they traduce them and bring them on the Stage they loade them with vile and odious names Now what doe they else then set themselues against God himselfe seeing they hate them whom God loues And as this may serue for the terrour of the wicked so it serues to comfort euery poore child of God What though the world hate thee so God loue thee Oh remember that the Lord loues and allowes of thee Now then if God approue of thee what though all men in the world did refuse or condemne thee If the King should grace a man and honour him what would this man care for the contempt of a Scullion boy Well let this be a comfort and encouragement vnto vs that God knowes and allowes of vs For what were the fauour and approbation of men if this were wanting Obiect How a mā may know whether Christ approue of him But how shall a man know whether God knoweth him thus with his speciall knowledge or not I answere First if God know any man for his by his speciall and effectuall knowledge Answere then hee begets in him the knowledge of himselfe As the light of the Sunne falling on our eye by whose light wee behold the Sunne againe Ioh. 10. I know my Sheep saith Christ and they know mee Secondly if God thus know any man with his especiall and effectuall knowledge of his so as hee loues and likes of him it begets the loue of God in a mans heart So as God loues him hee is inflamed to loue God againe 1. Ioh. 4.9 and in loue vnto him is loath to offend him and most carefull to please him And therefore if wee would know whether wee be thus knowne of God let vs labour to finde our hearts thus enflamed with the loue of him Thirdly whom GOD knoweth thus he chuseth to bee his Childe in CHRIST IESVS delights to blesse him Now then this workes in the heart of a godly man another work namely to choose God to bee his God to set his heart on him to delight in him to adore him as his God to loue him feare him obey and cal vpon him and to trust in him as his God Thus you see how a man may know whether God know him with this special and effectual knowledge which is proper to the Elect alone namely by these fruites and effects in our hearts For as we see though euery man cannot come to see the Kings Broad Seale yet can discerne the picture of it in wax and say This is the Kings Broad Seale So though men cannot ascend to Heauen to know the secret counsell of God yet by these fruites and effectes of his knowledge men may know his will whether they be his or not Well to conclude seeing the Lord thus knowes and acknowledgeth yea loues and likes of the life of a godly and righteous man let vs bee encouraged to goe through-stitch and to resolue of this neuer to be daunted or discouraged with the hard measure of vngodly men All our care should bee to please God and to bee approued of him and therefore so long as hee doth approue of vs let vs not care what man can doe against vs. But the way of the wicked shall perish Doct. 2 The Lord hates a wicked man and al he doth Esay 1.11 HEere we learne that the whole life of a wicked man and whatsoeuer he doth is abhominable the Lord hates him and all he doth What haue I to doe with the multitude of your Sacrifices saith the Lord. And againe Esay 66.3 The Sacrifices of the wicked are abhominable vnto the Lord. Now if the best actions of a wicked man his Hearing Reading praying Ier. 7.8 Prou. 15.8 and Receiuing be abhominable to the Lord how much more their swearing cursing banning prophaning the Sabboth drunkennesse vncleannesse lying stealing c. Againe without faith it is impossible to please God Heb. 11.6 Now no wicked man can haue true faith because Faith purifies the heart Acts 15.9 and is neuer seuered from true repentance and amendment of life And therfore the way of the wicked seeme it neuer so goodly and glorious in the world all their studies and endeuours shall perish and come to destruction in the end Pro. 20.17 Iob. 20.29 This is the portion of the wicked man and the heritage that he shall haue from God for his workes This shewes the state of most men to bee miserable and vnhappy Vse For onely those bee blessed whose liues do please God Now alas what delight can God haue in the filthy liues of most men whose whole delight and study is in sin and wickednesse in all kinde of lewdnesse and prophannesse haue no care to please God but euen obstinately rebell against him surely the Lord hates them and all they do O wofull condition of such sinful men that betake themselues thus vnto the way of sinne Not as though they walk therein but for a time but as such as purpose to tread therein for euer From this wofull estate the Lord deliuer vs for his Christs sake Amen A Prayer for the Morning O LORD and our good GOD wee thy poore vnworthy seruants according to our bounden duetie are heere assembled together in thy Name O LORD it is thy owne Commandement that wee should call vpon thee in all our necessities and it is likewise thy promise that thou wilt heare vs in assurance whereof wee are bold now to come vnto thee acknowledging first of all that wee are altogether vnworthy of our selues as of our selues to request for any fauour or mercie at thy hands for from our cradles vnto this present there hath beene in vs nothing else but Apostasie and rebellion yea Lord we haue so added sinne vnto sinne as if there were no other end why wee were sent into the world but to prouoke thee to wrath and to heap vp a great measure of iniquitie against our own soules against the day of wrath Our sinnes of omission our sinnes of commission ô Lord they are many and great and if thou shouldest call vs to a reckoning euen for the least of them we are not able to answere thy Maiesty for one of a thousand yea Lord wee confesse that it is thy mercie that endureth for euer and that hath beene the cause that wee haue not long agoe tasted of thy iudgements O Lord be thou mercifull vnto vs still for thy Names sake separate our sinnes as farre from thy presence as the East is from the West Bury them in the graue of thy Sonne Christ that they may neuer rise vp againe in this world to accuse vs or in the world to come to condemne vs. Teach vs to consider good much lesse to
of the whole Sciptures it shall make this Doctrine so much the more apparant vnto vs that is That wheresoeuer there is a comfort laid downe in the Word the same comfort is still restrained to the godly As that of the holy Apostle Saint Paul in the eight chapter and first verse of his Epistle to the Romans There is no condemnation A maruellous comfort to heare that wee are freed from that heauy and grieuous curse which wee had incurred by reason of sin yet lest the wicked should presume hereby and take it vnto themselues vnto whom in no wise it doth belong The Apostle restraineth the comfort in the same Verse to them that are in Christ Iesus and lest men should deceiue themselues to take this comfort to themselues vnto whom it doth not belong hee marketh them out as it were in their fore-heads saying They are such as walke not after the flesh but after the Spirit The like of Dauid Lord who shall enter into thy holy Tabernacle Psalm 15. c. Hee that hath cleane hands and pure heart c. Besides none are blessed but such as bee in the fauour of God as the Prophet Dauid saith In thy fauour is life such as bee reconciled to God in Iesus Christ As for such as be out of his fauour they be cursed and miserable bee they what they will bee Now onely the godly man that is humbled that is sanctified that is borne anew is hee alone that is in the fauour of God therefore onely the godly man is blessed Obiect Wherein stands the blessednesse of Gods children of a godly and a righteous man Answ I answere in this that a godly man that is humbled for his sins is now reconciled to God so as God the Father becomes his Father Wherein the godly man is blest adopts him to be his Childe loues him and delights in him as his Childe Behold what loue the Father hath giuen vs that wee should bee called the Sonnes of God And hereupon come the amiable and loue-Titles that Christ giueth vnto his Church Cant. 5.2 Psal 105.12.13 Deut 7.6 Psa 91.1.2.3 Open vnto mee my Sister my Loue my Doue my vndefiled Great are the affections of feruent loue that parents beare towardes their Children which none can expresse but they that feele and yet all their loue is nothing in comparison of the loue of God towardes his children this the Prophet teacheth Can a woman forget her childe Esa 49.15 and not haue compassion on the Sonne of her wombe yet will not I forget thee Another part of the happinesse of a godly man doth consist in this that hee hath assurance of the pardon of his sinnes that they are all done away and shall neuer be layd to his charge but are washed away in the bloud of IESVS CHRIST according to that of the Prophet Dauid Psal 32.1 Actes 3.26 Blessed is hee whose wickednesse is forgiuen Hee hath all his sinnes originall and actuall Rom 8.1 1. Pet. 2.24 Rom. 4 5. 2. Cor. 19. with the guilt and punishment belonging vnto them freely and fully forgiuen vnto him And all the righteousnesse of CHRIST freely and fully imputed vnto him and so GOD is reconciled vnto him and approueth him as righteous in his sight And thus the Apostle reasoneth Rom. 8.33 Heerein was that loue of GOD made manifest amongst vs because GOD sent his onely begotten Son into the world that wee might liue through him Heerein is that loue not that wee loued GOD but that hee loued vs and sent his Sonne to be a reconciliation for our sinnes An other part of the happinesse of a godly man doth consist in this that hee hath peace of Conscience whereas the wicked and vngodlie man hath a dead and sleepie conscience or else an accusing conscience There is no peace to the wicked saith my God Esay 57. But the godly man that is reconciled to God in Christ Iesus hath the free pardon of al his sinnes hee hath sweete peace of conscience Rom. 4.17 which doth not accuse but excuse him to God yea hee hath exceeding ioy in the HOLIE GHOST that hee knoweth his sinnes are pardoned Pax est hereditas Christianorum Aug. Serm. de temp according to that of the Apostle The kingdome of God standeth not in meate and drinke but in righteousnesse peace and ioy in the HOLIE GHOST And indeed whom should hee feare Perfecta absolata uiusque exusatio testimonium conscientiae suae Bern. or whereof should hee be afraide God is become his Father the Angels are become his attendants they pitch their Tents round about them and haue a charge of them the Saints of Heauen and Earth are their fellow Brethren the Creatures of Almightie God are their friends yea their seruants to do them good al their daies The diuells nor all the powers of darkenesse shall not hurt them Psal 37.25 Psal 34.7 Psal 91.11 Hosea 2.18 Col. 2.15 For Christ hath spoiled Principalities and Powers and hath made a shew of them openly and hath triumphed ouer them vpon the Crosse yea that which is more the Lord Iesus Christ to whom all Iudgement is committed is become their Lord and Sauiour So that they shall neuer come into condemnation but shall passe from death vnto life Ioh. 5.24 Lastly the godly man is assured that the kingdome of Heauen and eternall life belongs vnto him And that hee shall be partaker of Eternall glorie life and saluation and shall liue in the presence of God the Father the Sonne and Holy Ghost for euermore Non arrogantia est sed fides c. Aug. Serm. 8. and this assurance in the godlie is no presumption but Faith for euery godly man hath in him the Spirit of Grace and Adoption and he that hath the Spirit of Adoption knowes that hee hath it and is able through the same Spirit to say Gala. 2.20 2. Cor. 13 5 I liue and Christ liueth in me This was in Iob when he said I know that my Redeemer liueth c. This was in Saint Paul Rom 8. I am perswaded that neyther heighth nor depth c. In these and the like Priuiledges stands the happie and blessed estate of Gods children Vse 1 The vse of this Doctrine is most excellent for seeing the priuiledges of Gods ehildren are so great and so excellent that therefore they must needes bee most happie and hlessed For howsoeuer the world accompt them miserable grinning at them with their teeth 1. Pet. 1.18 nodding at them with their heades hissing at them with their tongues and euery way most contumeliously reproaching them with their wordes yet wee see heere how deere and precious they are with God and in the reputation of Iesus Christ who bought them at a price and redeemed them euen with his owne bloud 1. Cor. 3.21 Beholde what loue the Father hath giuen to vs that wee should be called the Sonnes of God And
It behooueth vs therefore to be as wise as Serpents Mat. 10.16 and as innocent as Doues to the end wee may stoppe the mouthes of gaine-sayers and cut off occasions from them that seeke occasions And to this end wee must euermore bee mindfull in our prayers to pray vnto God to be deliuered from them for vnlesse we be armed from aboue we shall easily be ouertaken by their assaults and through the corruptions of our owne hearts which are prone vnto all sinne they deale warily and circumspectly they worke by all meanes to peruert our waies and to make vs two-fold worse then themselues the child of Satan How much more carefull ought we to bee to preuent them which we shall do the better by shunning the occasions of sinne Secondly wee are taught heere Vse 2 that if we labour to bee the Disciples of Christ and to bee blessed what entertainement we shall finde in the world namely to haue wicked and vngodly men to stand in our way and hinder vs as they did stand in Zacheus way when hee went forth to see Christ Luk. 19.3 If thou bee once in Gods presence and dost beginne to call vpon him for mercy Luk. 18.39 they will rebuke thee as they did the poore blind man in the Gospel If thou bee sicke yea dead in trespasses and sinnes and Christ doth beginne to come home to the house of thy Soule to heale thee and to raise thee vp from the death of thy sinnes they will stoppe his passage and entrance in if possibly they can As they did when Christ came to the Rulers Daughter that was dead Matt. 9.23 But as Christ turned them out of doores saying Get yee hence So must thou shake them off and not communicate with flesh and bloud in matters that concerne eternal life and the saluation of thy soule For if thou doe thou canst neuer be saued Neyther must we look after the loue and liking of the world nor hang vpon men for their applause and fauour for where there is not the feare of God surely such men are most vnconstant in their wayes turning vpon euery small occasion yea and the loue and fauor of such men must needes be bent towards the worst seeing themselues are bad and set themselues in no good way Remember what Christ said vnto his Disciples Ioh. 15.19 If yee were of the world the world would loue his owne But because yee are not of the world But I haue chosen you out of the world therefore the world hateth you Wherefore as they that run at tilt looke not to the vulgar people what they say but to the Iudges so care not thou for the world But looke euer what the Iudge of heauen and earth doth allow and approue of That hath not walked in the counsell of the wicked By Counsell hee heere meaneth the subtilties and crafts of the wicked by which they push themselues forward and labour to draw others to be like vnto themselues according to that of Salomon My sonne if sinners intice thee Prouer. 11 consent not vnto them From whence wee gather a fourth poynt of Doctrine Namely that it is a most horrible Doctr. 4. To giue euill counsell is an horrible sinne and grieuous sin to giue euill counsell To commit sinne is that which highly offends the Maiestie of God and draweth downe vpon vs all punishments both temporall and eternall but to counsell others to commit sinne is the very height of sin This is noted in the Scripture to be the sinne of Iezabell who was a furtherer of Ahabs winkednesse 1. Reg. 21.7 for when hee could not by any lawfull meanes attaine the Vine-yard of Naboth shee said vnto him Dost thou sway the Scepter rule the Kingdome and manage the State Arise and eate bread I will giue thee the vineyard This was the counsell of Achitophel vnto Absolom 2. Sam. 16.21 fearing his reconciliation to his father Dauid and therein his owne iust confusion hee giues such counsell whereby hee might take away all hope of agreement Go into thy fathers Concubines which hee hath left to keepe the house and when all Israel shall heare thou art abhorred of thy father the hands of all that are with thee shall bee strong This is likewise set downe by Salomon in the Prouerbes where he expresseth the sin of seducers Prou. 1.11 saying Come with vs let vs lie in waite for the bloud of the innocents wee will swallow them vp aliue like a graue euen whole as those that go downe into the pit Cast in thy Lot amongst vs we will all haue one purse their feet runne to euill and they make hast to shed bloud And this doth appeare in the brethren of Ioseph when they purposed the ouerthrow of their brother Gen. 37.10 Come say they let vs slay him and cast him into some pit and we will say a wicked beast hath deuoured him And this appeared to bee the malice of the High Priests and Elders of the people who moued the people to desire that Barrabas might bee deliuered rather then CHRIST Mar. 15.11 and perswaded Iudas for a summe of mony to betray him Mat. 28.12 Inticed the Souldiers with a great summe of money to noise it abroad that his Disciples came by night and stole him away while they slept All these testimonies and many more may serue for the confirmation of this doctrine that it is a most horrible and grieuous sinne to giue euill counsell Seeing that it is a most great and Vse 1 grieuous sinne to giue euill counsell this teacheth vs our duety that whensoeuer they shall set vpon vs to draw vs away from GOD that wee bee carefull that wee consent not vnto them It is not enough for a man to say Alas I deuised it not neither am I the first that haue committed the like for this shall excuse no man that hee was not the author of an euill For surely if it bee so great a sinne to seduce it is no lesse sinne to bee seduced and GOD will one day finde them no lesse guilty but shall partake with them of the same punishment if a man should haue about him a great summe of money or other treasure and should willingly and wittingly put himselfe into the companie of thieues and will be drawne by them out of the way were this man to be pittied if hee should loose all that he had Euen so is it with a Christian that doth carry daily about with him a rich Treasure his Soule and conscience which hee must keepe vnspotted of the world If he listen to the charmes of the wicked and will be drawne out of the way of Gods commaundements to commit sinne and so make shipwracke of faith and a good conscience is it not iust with God that this man should perish for the same So then wee see it standeth vs in hand to beware of consenting to sinne and counselling others to commit sinne For
applying of the heauenly doctrine of the word of God And indeede this is heere set downe as a true fruit of our loue to the word as the loue of the word is made a true fruit of a godly man for as it is impossible a man should be truely religious and feare God yet haue no sound loue nor delight in the word of God so is it likewise impossible a man or woman should truly loue the word of God in their heart that seldome or neuer bestow any paines in the serious and earnest meditation of the same Dauid calls God to witnes that the loue he bare to the law of God was exceeding great when he said O how do I loue thy Law Psa 119.97 And in the same verse he seemes to proue the same to God it is my meditation continually which indeed is a note of true loue to be euer thinking of the thing beloued And in very deed the carefull and diligent study the often and earnest meditation of the word of God is the very life and strength of all our worship and seruice of God for if men should reade much and neuer meditate it would doe them no good if men should heare much often neuer meditate they should be little the better If men should pray much and often and neuer meditate they should finde small comfort If men come often to the Sacraments and doe not before and after meditate of the Couenant of grace they should not receiue much good thereby so that you see that Meditation is all in all it puts life to our reading hearing praying receiuing and without it al our reading hearing praying and receiuing will stand vs in small stead For without this Meditation this Lawe that is the word of God will eyther in time be forgotten whereby wee shall become vnmindefull of it or else it will prooue as a Talent hid in the ground vtterly vnfruitfull vnto vs for this Meditation indeed is the third steppe of a true conuert The first is to heare the word of God readily the second to remember it diligently and the third to Meditate on it seriously and this is compared to the Chewing of the Cud Deut. 14.6.7 which is neuer found in the vncleane but in the cleane beasts True it is that hearing and reading the Word will beget knowledge but Meditation is the speciall meanes to worke vpon the affection for else all our knowledge shall onely be in generall idle and swimming in the brayne which may well bee called braine-knowledge but no heart-knowledge but by serious Meditation wee doe applie that wee heare to our owne selues in particular laying the Doctrine to our owne hearts applying it to our selues to comfort our sad soules to humble them for our sinnes and to square our liues thereby that wee may in all things keepe a cleare conscience before God and man The Lord giues Ioshuah a straight charge to doe thus Let not the Booke of the Lawe depart out of thy mouth But meditate therein day and night That thou mayest obserue and doe according to all that is written therein for then shalt thou make thy way prosperous and thou shalt then haue good successe Ioshua 1.8 and Deuteron 6. vers 6.7.8 And thus the seruants of God haue been much exercised in meditation and thereby haue growne woonderfull not only in knowledge but in practise as we may see in Dauid Psa 119. who tooke great delight in Gods Lawe and made it his meditation continually And of Isaac it is reported that hee went out into the fieldes in the euening to meditate Genesis cha 24. This reprooues the common fault Vse 1 in the world that most men vtterly neglect this duety seldome or neuer settle themselues to meditate in the Lawe of God and his heauenly Doctrine It is hard to finde a man or woman that makes any conscience of this duetie to set themselues apart and set themselues in Gods presence to call to minde that they haue heard and learned to applie it to themselues in particular to humble them or to comfort them And this is the cause why most men hearing and reading so much as they haue yet profit so little in knowledge faith repentance and obedience They can be content to heare the word preached and taught and it may be now and then to reade a chapter but to thinke vpon it to ruminate vpon the word of God and as it were to chew the Cudde to call the same to minde againe to applie it to themselues to labour to profit by it this they cannot indure this they care not for For if men did carefully meditate of the things they heard and read how could they be so ignorant in Gods word as most be So voyde of knowledge faith repentance humilitie zeale patience and the like gifts and graces which accompany godlie and holie meditation For bookes of Statutes men wil not only haue them in their houses but at their fingers ends but Bible they haue none And if they haue it lieth vpon the deske or table and they reade it not And if sometimes they reade yet they neuer meditate thereon This may admonish all men as Vse 2 they loue their owne soules to make more care and conscience of the performance of this duetie to call to minde that wee doe heare or reade to thinke and muse vpon it to chew the Cudde to lay it to heart yea and to applie it to our owne soules and consciences in particular This is like the rumination or chewing of the Cudde to lay it to bee found onely in the cleane beasts whereas they which chewed not the Cudde Deuter. 14 6.7 were vncleane This is the marke and propertie of a godlie and Blessed man whereas the not doing it is the marke of a wicked vngodly man Let vs then remember that we make the word of God our Meditation continually Many men meditate much some in one thing and some in another as they are led by fond affection some thinke of honours some of pleasures some of riches some of one thing and some of another And of these they doate and dreame talke and speake continually But heere wee are taught another lesson namely that our mindes must especially be set vpon the word of God that must be our delight and the ioy of our heart 3. Point The last point in this Verse is the circumstance of Time namely not by fittes But the godly man keepes a continuall course in the study and meditation of the word of God so as hee setteth apart some time for the worship and seruice of God at least twice a day to meditate and study in Gods Booke Hence wee learne that euery one Doctr. 4. A godly man sets some time apart euery day for Gods seruice that will liue a godly life and so please God that he may find comfort to his owne soule and be blessed in the end must set some time apart euery day for
harbour there it guideth the affections loue hatred sorrow c. Such a man loues nothing more then God hates nothing more then sinne reioyceth in nothing more then in doing the will of God and sorrowes for nothing more their that hee should offend so good and gracious a God Againe it is the foundation of all our obedience For without faith it is impossible to please God Heb. 11.6 And without it wee can neither pray heare or performe any duety that shall bee acceptable with God 2 Of repentance The second is the fruite of Repentance whereby a man is humbled for his sinnes past and is affraid of sinne in time to come This fruit of Repentance is of absolute necessity to saluation according to that of our Sauiour Except yee repent yee shall all perish Luk. 13.5 And onely godly sorrow must worke this true repentance in a man Godly sorrow causeth repentance in a man to saluation 2. Cor. 7.10 And therefore in the Scriptures are recorded the mournings of the godly in the daies of their humiliation Dauids Fainting Psal 6.6 Ezechias chattering like a Crane Esay 38.14 Iob abhorring himselfe in dust and ashes Peter weeping bitterly Math. 26.75 Mary Magdalene washing Christs feete with her Teares Luke 7.38 And Paul crying out O wretched man that I am Rom. 7.24 Wee must mourne with these heere Psal 126.5 if wee will reioyce with them heereafter And surely if there were neither heauen nor hell neither reward nor punishment yet the godly would sorrow for sinne for offending their good and gracious God and louing Father Besides this sorrow in a godly man for his sins past he is exceeding affraid of sin in time to come as Dauid was who prayed vnto God so earnestly that hee would Stablish him with his free Spirit Psalme fifty one and the tenth verse That seeing hee had such woefull experience of his owne weakenesse he prayes vnto the Lord that hee would giue him his preuenting grace that hee might neuer fall into the like sin againe So the godly Israelites in Ezra his time Ezr. 9.10.3 when they had with griefe of heart bewailed their sinnes vnto God they resolue to make a Couenant with God and solemnly to bind themselues to put away their strange wiues whereby they had so much dishonoured him And so it is with all the faithfull euen as a good child hauing by his vntowardnesse vexed his father is carefull afterwards to please him againe by all meanes possible Well then dost thou finde these fruits of true repentance in thee art thou grieued and euen payned at thy heart for thy wicked life for thy ignorance vnbeleefe hardnesse of heart thy neglect of prayer and calling on Gods Name Art thou grieued for want of reuerence in Gods worship for thy abusing Gods Name by swearing cursing and banning for contempt of his Word and Sacraments for prophaning of his Saboaths carelesse gouerning of thy Family for thy malice vnbeleefe vncleane proud and couetous thoughts drunkenesse vncleanesse and the like Againe dost thou finde in thee an earnest desire to walke with God in obedience to all his Commandements to liue in no knowne sinne but in all things to please God to the vtmost of thy power These be the fruites of righteousnesse whereby wee are knowne to bee of God The third is the fruite of New Obedience or of a godly life 3 Of Obedience both in the obedience of Gods Lawes in the first and second Table Christ makes this the eare-marke of his sheepe To heare his voyce and follow him Ioh. 10. And wee are willed by the Authour of the Epistle to the Hebrews to cast away euery thing that presseth downe Heb. 12.1 and the sinne that hangeth so fast on and to runne with patience to the race that is set before vs. This was godly Dauids resolution I will runne the way of thy Commandements Psa 119 32 and Dauid describing the true worshippers of God Psa 119.1 Psal 15.2 saith They goe on from strength to strength seruing God in truth of heart without hypocrisie And it is said here That the fruit of a godly man doth neuer fade And howsoeuer the worke of mortification is neuer perfected in this life but that the remnants and reliques of sinne will still remaine euen in the godly themselues yet they euer sinne with griefe of heart and CHRISTS death doth set such a worke-against all sinne that the regenerate man can truely say It is not I but sinne that dwelleth in mee So then if thou desirest to please God in all his Commandements at all times and in all places and to doe all duties of loue vnto men required in the Commandements of the second Table shewing thy fruites in doing good to the poore distressed Members of Iesus Christ feeding cloathing and comforting them in their need In thy generall calling to bring forth the fruit of godlinesse to bee much and often exercised in Prayer Hearing Reading Meditating c. As also in thy particular calling to do thy duety with faith and a good conscience without fraude guile deceipt c. These be the fruits that are required in all those that are the Members of Iesus Christ and ingrafted into his mysticall body This Doctrine doth flatly condemne Vse 1 all such as vnfruitfull and barren Trees as bring forth no fruit of a godly righteous and religious life such as liue in continuall ignorance blindnesse hardnesse of heart in contempt of the Word prophanation of the Sabaoth our ciuill honest men which are so much admired if they bee not good Christians who should And if they bee not saued I know not who should goe to heauen Well euery good Tree brings forth good fruite Math. 7.17 Where bee your good fruites No fruit of faith no fruit of repentance nor new obedience but in stead thereof the fruites of infidelity hardnesse of heart and disobedience Alas that poore soules should thus goe blinde-folde to hell to thinke that such should be saued what then should become of hell As though a man might be a true member of Iesus Christ and ingrafted into his mysticall body and yet bee barren of good fruite No no it cannot bee for there is such a liuely power in this stocke of life Christ Iesus That they who are once ingrafted into him bring forth fruite incontinent As wee may see in the Theefe vpon the Crosse Luke 9. what fruite hee bare in an instant of time confessing first his owne sinnes secondly reprouing the sinnes of his companion Thirdly cleering Christ to be innocent Lastly praying that Christ would remember him when hee came into his kingdome And this wee may see in Zacheus Lydia c. Math. 22. Actes 16. Who were no sooner conuerted but brought forth fruit incontinently And yet wee see how many dry fruitlesse and barren trees deceiue the world as the figge-tree Christ Oh hee is a very honest man keepes a good house Math. 3.10 doth
Salomon saith The hope of the wicked shall perish Wherein the wicked are accursed But it wil be asked Wherein stands their misery and cursed estate I answere First in this that they be out of Gods fauour God hates them and all they doe And is not this a misery of all miseries to be cursed and miserable indeed to haue God our enemy to haue Iesus Christ the Iudge our enemy to haue all the creatures in heauen and earth against vs For as those be truly blessed that God loues and be in his fauour So they be most cursed and miserable that be out of his fauour whom his soule abhorreth and such are the wicked according to that of the Prophet Psal 5.5 The foolish shal not stand in thy sight for thou hatest all them that worke iniquitie Secondly they haue no pardon of their sinnes Luke 13.5 and so lie vnder the curse of God in danger of eternall death euery day they rise without repentance there is no pardon But the wicked cannot repent being hardened in sinne and delight in sin yea all their sinnes stand in account against them the Lord keepes them in remembrance and one day hee will bring out his Booke of reckonning I will reproue thee Psal 50.17 18. and set before thee the things thou hast done Oh full little doe wicked men thinke of this that their secret sins in hugger-mugger in darke corners committed shall one day come to reckoning and they called to a reckoning for the same and then their owne consciences will they nill they shall cry out and say Righteous is the Lord and true are his iudgements Thirdly they haue no peace of conscience Esay 57. There is no peace to the wicked saith my God but a Hell in their conscience hauing in them either an Accusing Conscience like Cain Achitophel Saul Iudas and the like or else a dead and sleepy conscience like Nabal which iudgement is no way inferiour to the former This fearfull iudgment of God vpon the wicked is nothing else but a fore-runner of those paines which are prepared for the wicked and are as it were the smoake of that fire which hereafter shall torment them Fourthly a wicked man is the heire of vengeance and the firebrand of hell and shall as sure bee damned as if hee were in hell alreadie and therefore CHRIST saith that The wicked are damned already Ioh. 3.18 and that fiue wayes First in Gods counsell before all worlds Secondly in the Word wherein their sentence of condemnation is read already Thirdly in their owne consciences which is a fore-runner of the finall iudgement Fourthly by the iudgements begun already vpon them as hardnesse of heart blindnesse of minde hatred of the light and the like means of saluation Fiftly by the horrible torment of the soule which it doth assuredly expect when the full viall of Gods wrath shall be powred vpon it O miserable and vnhappy condition woe worth the time may such say that euer they were borne Who is a wicked man Answer A wicked man described in generall Hee that liues and lies in sinne without repentance But such a man is a wicked man as Doth walke in the counsell of the wicked that doth stand in the way of sinners that doth sit in the seate of the scorners For as hee is a godly man that is carefull to shunne and auoide the bad counsell and lewd company of wicked vngodly men so he is a wicked man that loues and likes their bad counsel lewd company And as a noble mans seruant is knowne by his liuery so we may certainly iudge of men by their companie A good man loues good companie a godly man makes much of them that feare the Lord. Psal 16.3 Psal 101.6 7. Gen. 37.2.4 My eyes saith Dauid shall bee vpon the faithfull in the Land This we may see in Iacob who loued Ioseph aboue all his brethren because he had grace in him All my delight is vpon thy Saints But wicked men are like Birds of a Feather which flie together and like will to like So that if you wold aske a certaine rule how to iudge of men whether they bee good or bad godly or wicked I know not any rule more sure for a mans outward life to iudge of him then by his company And therefore as S. Iohn makes it a marke of Gods childe and a certaine signe of the loue of God to vs If we loue the brethren 1. Ioh. 3.14 so on the other side it is a fearfull note of a wicked man when hee hath no delight in the companie of Gods children and faithful seruants Psal 50.17 18. but delight onely in the company of the wicked and vngodly Vse 1 Let all wicked men lay this Doctrine to heart and be affected with it and let me say to them as Dauid said to the vngodly Psa 50.16 vnto the vngodly said God what hast thou to do to take my couenant in thy mouth seeing thou hatest to be reformed and hast cast my word behind thee When thou sawest a thiefe thou consentedst vnto him and hast beene partaker with the adulterer c. These things hast thou done and I held my peace and thou thoughtest that I was like thee But I will reproue thee and set before thee the things thou hast done Oh consider this yee that forget God lest I teare you in peeces and there be none to deliuer you Oh that the wicked vngodly of the world would consider in what a cursed state they stand in what extreame danger to loose their owne soules cleane out of Gods fauour so as hee hates and abhorres them and all they do Now as Salomon saith if the wrath of the King bee as the roaring of a Lyon how much more the wrath of the eternall God who is able not onely to kill the body but to cast both soule and body for euer into hel fire Oh then be admonished say you had a farre warning repent in time liue no longer in sin turne to God with all speed while it is called to day Say with Dauid Away from me yee wicked I will keepe the commandements of my God And this remember that as bad company and the society of wicked men is a fearefull signe of a wicked man so it is most dangerous for sin is as a spirituall plague or leprosie it is of a spreading and contagious nature Prou. 6. Can a man touch pitch and not bee defiled Then may a man keepe company with the wicked and not bee corrupted Gen. 41.15.16 Ioseph liuing in the Court of Pharaoh how soone had he learnd to sweare by the life of Pharaoh Besides we shal be compelled to winke at the sins of those whom wee loue and so consenting to them are guilty of them 2. Pet. 2.8 Psal 12.5 Againe wee cannot but bee vexed with them and greeued at the heart as Lot was yea and in danger to bee