his fatherly affection and loue in Christ more fully and cleerely to vs then hee had done to his Church vnder the Law Gal. 4. 3. 4 5. We when we were children were in bondage vnder the elements of the world But when the fulnesse of the time was come God sent forth his Sonne made of a woman made vnder the Law To redeeme them that were vnder the Law that wee might receiue the adoption of sonnes From hence then we haue this Doctrine to learne That No man can worship God aright till he know God to be his Father the better a man is perswaded and assured of Gods fatherly loue to him in Christ the better seruice he shall doe vnto him Therefore our Sauiour teaching vs to pray bids vs say Our Father Matth. 6. 9. As if he should say presume not to aske any petition of God till thou canst so conceiue and be perswaded of him And the Apostle tells vs it is the spirit of adoption that makes vs able to pray and makes this the voice of the spirit of prayer it cryes Abba O Father Rom. 8. 15. Yea he makes it an impossible thing for any man to pray aright without this assurance Rom. 10. 14 How shall they call on him in whom they haue not beleeued The reason of it is first because till we know God is our Father and Ioueth vs in Christ we cannot be assured that he will accept vs. When we know he is our Father in Christ it makes vs goe to him with boldnesse and confidence in Christ we haue boldnesse and accesse with confidence through faith in him Eph. 3. 12. I will arise and go to my father saith the Prodigall Luke 15. 18. and will say vnto him father I haue sinned against heauen and before thee Though he had sinned so outragiously yet the consideration of this that it was his father he was to go vnto gaue him boldnesse It giues vs assurance that not withstanding our infirmities he will accept vs I will spare him and deale gently and indulgently with him saith the Lord Mal. 3. 17. as a man spareth his son that serueth him When the Prodigall was yet a great way off his father saw him and had compassion and ran and fell on his necke and kissed him Luke 15. 20. And nothing graceth our prayers more with God then this confidence and boldnes Let vs come boldly to the throne of grace that we may obtaine mercy and finde grace to helpe in time of need saith the Apostle Heb. 4. 16. But without this faith and perswasion that God is our Father we can haue no assurance that any thing we doe in his seruice pleaseth him without faith it is impossible to please God Heb. 11. 6. And the best thing we doe in his seruice without this assurance that we please him in so doing is sinne Rom. 14. 23. Whatsoeuer is not of faith is sinne Secondly because till a man be perâ—…waded of Gods loue and fatherly affection towards him in Christ he can neuer serue him of loue nor with a good heart but vpon some by-respects vpon a seruile feare or hope of merit Heb. 10. 22. We can neuer draw neere to God with a true heart till we haue assurance of faith and our hearts sprinkled from an euill conscience No man can truely loue God till he be perswaded by the spirit of Gods loue to him Wee loue God because he loued vs first 1. Iohn 4. 19. true loue comes from a pure heart and a good conscience and faith vnfained 1. Tim. 1. 5. And whatsoeuer seruice we doe to God vnlesse it proceed out of a good heart and from loue to God it cannot please him though a man should giue his body to be burned in Martyrdome yet if that proceed not from his loue to God it would profit him nothing 1. Corinthians 13. 3. For what man would accept of any seruice from him that hee knowes loues him not The Vse of the Doctrine is to exhort vs to get good assurance to our hearts that God is our Father that he beares a fatherly affection to vs aboue all sinnes striue against infidelity Examine your selues whither yee bee in the faith prooue your selues 2. Cor. 13. 5. Many want this assurance and seeke it not many seeme to haue it and haue it not I will giue you foure notes to trie it by 1. God is a Father to no man but in and through Christ Iohn 1. 12. So many as receiued him to them gaue hee power to become the sonnes of God euen to them that beleeue in his name Galathians 4. 5. Hee hath redeemed vs that were vnder the Law that wee might receiue the adoption of sonnes so that vnlesse a man ground his assurance and confidence that God is his Father onely vpon Christ if hee ground it vpon this that God hath made him and preserued him c. his assurance is in vaine 2. He that is perswaded indeed that God is his Father will â—…adly and boldly resort to him in prayer Because yee are sonnes God hath sent forth the spirit of his Sonne into your hearts crying Abba Father Gal. 4. 6. They that seldome pray or pray with no willingnesse and cheerefulnesse or pray with no confidence doubtlesse are not perswaded that God is their father 3. He that is perswaded that God is his Father will not murmure against nor be put out of heart by any of Gods corrections but be perswaded of his loue euen in affliction according to that of the Apostle Heb. 12. 7. 9. If yee endure chastening God dealeth with you as with sonnes for what sonne is hee whom the father chasteneth not And Rom. 15. 3. Being iustified by faith wee glory euen in tribulation They that in the time of their peace and prosperity onely are confident in Gods loue but haue no heart no comfort in affliction are not indeed perswaded that God is their Father 4. He that is indeed perswaded that the Lord beareth the affection of a Father vnto him will beare the affection of a childe vnto God will loue him and be carefull to please him fearefull to offend him Mal. 1. 6. If I bee your Father where is mine honour Heb. 10. 22. No drawing neere to God in assurance of faith till wee be sprinkled in our hearts from an euill conscience and washed in our bodies also They that haue no care to please God nor feare to offend him doubtlesse are not perswaded that God is their Father Now come we to the principall Doctrine which our Sauiour teacheth vs in this place namely That the onely true worship of God the onely worship that pleaseth God now especially vnder the Gospell is that which is spirituall the worship that is proper to the Gospell the true Christian worship is spirituall For so saith our Sauiour here The houre commeth and now it is that the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth and againe They that worship
hath promised to them that loue him and 2. 5. Hath not God chosen the poore of this world rich in faith and heires of the Kingdome which hee hath promised to them that loue him Yea the regenerate man loues the Lord euen then when he correcteth and woundeth him euen then would he not for any thing doe ought that might offend God he desires aboue all things to be reconciled to him and to please him hee bewailes the losse of his fauour So that euen when he is in the greatest affliction of minde hee may be said to bee sicke of loue Canticles 2. 5. his loue to God is the chiefe cause of his sorrow and anguish And his loue appeares in this he serues God willingly and desirously yea his will and desire is aboue his ability 2. Cor. 8. 3. he loues Gods Word he delights in the law of the Lord in his inner man Rom. 7. 22. thy commandements are my delights Psal. 119. 143. he loues his seruants by this wee know we are translated from death to life because wee loue the brethren 1. Iohn 3. 14. Yea this loue he beares to God is the roote of all his obedience His obedience proceeds rather and more from loue than from feare Deut. 7. 9. He keepes couenant and mercy to them that loue him and keepe his commandements Which sentence you shall find repeated twice in the very same words Neh. 1. 5. Dan. 9. 4. his loue to God is that that makes him carefull to keepe his commandements His loue to men also growes from this root 1. Iohn 5. 2. By this we know that wee loue the children of God when wee loue God Heb. 6. 10. God is not vnrighteous to forget your loue which yee haue shewed toward his Name in that yee haue ministred to the Saints and still doe minister Yea euen his feare of God proceeds of loue Hos. 3. 5. They shall seeke the Lord their God and feare him and his goodnesse And for the second branch this loue of the regenerate man growes from faith euen from the assurance he hath of Gods loue to him in Christ. 1. Tim. 1. 5. The end of the commandement is charity out of a pure heart and of a good conscience and of Faith vnfained 1. Ioh. 4. 19. We loue him because he loued vs first But what loue is that he speakes of The naturall man may pretend he loues God because God loued him first as Acts 14. 17. He hath done vs good and giuen vs raine from heauen and fruitfull seasons and filled our hearts with food and gladnesse But if a man know no further loue of God than that haue no better fruit of Gods loue than that he can neuer be able soundly to loue the Lord till he know God hath loued him in Christ he can neuer be soundly perswaded of Gods loue nor soundly loue the Lord againe This is the loue that Iohn meanes in that place when he saith 1. Iohn 5. 19. We loue him because he loued vs first as is plaine verse 10. Herein is loue not that we loued God but that he loued vs and sent his Sonne to be a reconciliation for our sinnes And 1. Iohn 3. 16. Hereby perceiue we the loue of God because he laid downe his life for vs. So Luke 7. 47. Her sins which were many are forgiuen for shee loued much And euery one that can finde this loue in him to God and that the seruice he doth to God he doth it of loue may be sure his heart is vpright in him 1. Cor. 8. 3. If any man loue God the same is knowne of him Thus our Sauiour seekes to recouer and comfort Peter making knowne to him the vprightnesse of his heart by this and to proue vnto him that though he fell fearefully ye he fell not totally Iohn 21. 15. Louest thou me louest thou mee as if he should say Remember that though thou seemedst euen to hate me by denying me yet thou louest me still On the other side no hypocrite or naturall man doth that he doth of loue specially not out of such a loue as growes from Faith vnfained It is euident that for the most part all his obedience growes from feare What good duety soeuer they doe wherein they haue any respect to God they vse to doe it of feare and not of loue Psalme 78. 34. When hee slew them they sought him and they returned and sought God early And what things soeuer he seemes to doe of loue to God it is but a counterfeit and vnsound loue for first he loues not Gods Word but hates it Iohn 3. 19 20. He loueth darkenesse rather than light because his deeds are euill euery one that doth euill hateth the light 1. Iohn 2. 5. Hee that keepeth his word in him is the loue of God perfect indeed hereby we know that we are in him Secondly he loues not Gods seruants but hates them Iohn 15. 19. Because yee are not of the world but I haue chosen you out of the world therefore the world hateth you Thirdly he hath no faith nor assurance of Gods loue to him in Christ. Ephes. 2. 12. Yee were at that time without Christ and were alienated from the common-wealth of Israel and were strangers from the couenant of promise and had no hope and were without God in the world Lecture the hundred and fiue October 15. 1611. IOHN IIII. L. IT remaineth â—…ow that we come to the fourth and last note of difference that may be obserued betweene the obedience of the regenerate and naturall man in the manner of performing good duties And that is this The regenerate man is constant in his obedience to God This we shall finde is a chiefe and one of the most certaine and sensible notes of an vpright heart For there is scarce any one good thing that is in Gods childe but it may seeme to be in the hypocrite saue onely this We will therefore shew first that in euery regenerate man this may be found secondly that it can be found in none other The first is plaine Pro. 10. 25. The righteous is an euerlasting foundation he is no changling You shall see this constancy of his estate first in the grace of regeneration it selfe for the nature and essentiall property of it is to be constant and thus it may be discerned and knowne The spirit of regeneration is like vnto that holy fire that came downe from Heauen and was kept in the Sanctuary that neuer went out Leuit. 6. 12 13. If euer a man had grace he can neuer lose it It is called therefore an immortall seede 1. Pet. 1. 23. The good part that shall neuer be taken away from him that hath once receiued it Luke 10. 42. An euerlasting name that shall not be put out Esay 56. 5. Secondly in the fruits and effects of it Psal. 92. 13 14. Such as be planted in the house of the Lord shall bring forth fruit in their age And thus shall those good
loued much better When a man will pretend a desire to be saued and yet will not leaue his whoring drunkennesse swearing prophaning the Sabbath but hates to be reformed in these and such like things shall we say he doth vnfainedly desire it No no they that seeke him with their whole heart will worke none iniquity but walke in his wayes saith Dauid Psal 119. 2 3. Contrarily the godlies desire is earnest Ye shall seeke me and find me saith the Lord Ier. 29. 13. when ye shall search for me with all your heart 2. They desire it not vnfainedly because they desire it not constantly but as by fits of an ague and flashes of lightning All their goodnesse is as the Prophet speaketh Hos. 6. 4. as a morning cloud and as the early dew it goeth away Contrarily the godlies desire is constant My soule breaketh saith David Psal. 119. 20. for the longing that it hath to thy iudgements at all times 3. They desire it not vnfainedly because they desire it not seasonably but put it off till the day of saluation and time God hath set for their conuersion be past when the Master of the house is risen vp and hath shut to the doore as our Sauiour speaketh Luk. 13. 25. Whereas that which a man desireth vnfainedly and earnestly he will seeke presently and without delay He whose soule thirsteth after God will seeke him early as Dauid speakes Psal. 63. 1. The Kingdome of God must be sought in the first place Mat. 6. 33. 4. They desire it not vnfainedly because they desire it onely out of the slauish feare of God and of his wrath When their feare commeth as a desolation and their destruction like a Whirlewind saith Salomon Pro. 1. 27. 28. then they call vpon God but he will not answer them they seeke him early but find him not Whereas the godly desire it out of loue to God and his grace principally as Dauid did so earnestly desire to dwell in Gods house that he might behold the beauty of the Lord Psal. 27. 4. And out of the loue he bare to him for his goodnesse 5. They desire mercy but not grace and freedome from their misery which is the fruit of their sinne rather then from their sinne which is the root of their misery They chuse iniquity rather then affliction as Elihu speaks Iob 36. 21. Whereas the godly desires as well grace and power to repent and to be deliuered from the power of sinne as mercy and fauour for the pardon of his sinne So did Dauid Psal. 51. 10. Create in me a cleane heart O God and renew a right Spirit within me Hearken vnto me saith the Prophet Esa. 51. 1. Ye that follow after righteousnesse Ye that seeke the Lord. No man seekes the Lord and his fauour aright but he onely that followeth after that is doth earnestly and with his whole endeauour seeke and desire to lead a godly life Lecture the third Feb. 14. 1608. IOHN IIII. X. FOlloweth now the third part of the Text viz. what the reason was she begged not of Christ this water of life She knew not that gift of God and who it was that said vnto her giue me drinke By that gift of God he meaneth himselfe as shall appeare in the Doctrine and the words following are an explication of these words As if he should say If thou knewest that gift of God that is if thou knewest who it is that saith vnto thee giue me drinke if thou knewest me thou wouldest haue asked c. In the words three things are to be obserued 1. That he calleth himselfe that gift of God 2. That he saith the cause why she asked not the water of life of him was for that she knew him not 3. That he saith if she had knowne him she would haue asked it of him First then in that our Sauiour cals himselfe that gift of God we learne That Christ is a gift of God yea the chiefe the greatest gift the principall fruit of his fauour that euer God gaue vnto men Many other excellent gifts he hath bestowed on men A wonderfull token of Gods loue to man it is that he made all the creatures whereof many are farre more glorious and excellent then himselfe for his vse This Dauid when he considered it wondered at Psal. 8. 1. 9. So the comfortable vse of his creatures and that gladnesse of heart he giueth vs in the enioying of them filling our hearts with food and gladnesse as the Apostle speakes Acts 14. 17. Is also a great gift of God and so Salomon cals it Eccl. 5. 18. And yet a greater gift then these it is that he makes vs partakers of the diuine nature and giues vs his spirit The Apostle cals this an vnspeakable gift that the Corinthians were able to yeeld a voluntary submission to the Gospell and to giue chearefully for the reliefe of the poore Saints 2 Cor. 9. 15. And Dauid when he saw how willingly the people had offered to the building of the Temple wonders at this grace and gift of God bestowed on them 1. Chro. 29. 14. Who am I saith he and what is my people that we should be able to offer willingly after this sort In a word the gifts of God vpon man and the tokens of his fauor to him are so many and so great as no man is able to expresse them Psal 40. 5. O Lord my God saith Dauid thou hast made thy wonderfull works so many that none can count in order to thee thy thoughts towards vs I would declare and speake of them but they are more then I am able to expresse Yet are none of them worthy to be named in comparison of this gift the giuing of his owne Sonne to vs is a farre more excellent gift and token of his loue then all the rest When the Prophet had spoken of the great ioy of Gods people Esa. 9 3. They haue reioyced before thee according to the ioy of haruest as men reioyce when they diuide a spoile He giues the reason of this ioy Verse 6. For to vs a Child is borne to vs a Sonne is giuen So the Apostle comparing Christ and the benefits we receiue by him with Adam and the dammage we sustaine by him Rom. 5. Calleth Christ oft the gift of God Verse 15. The gift is not so as the offence for if through the offence of one many be dead much more that grace of God and the gift by grace which is by one man Iesus Christ hath abounded vnto many And Verse 17. For if through the offence of one death raigned through one c. So our Sauiour himselfe speakes of this as of the greatest loue that euer God shewed or could shew vnto man Ioh. 3. 16. God so loued the world that he gaue his onely begotten Sonne And the Apostle Iohn 1 Ioh. 4. 9. In this appeared the loue of God towards vs because God sent his onely begotten Sonne into the world that we might
fragments and superficiall beginnings of true sanctification and grace may fall quite away and lose them Heb. 6. 4 5. Such as haue beene inlightened and tasted of Christ and of the good word of God and powers of the world to come and haue beene partakers of the Holy Ghost may fall away 2. Pet. 2. 20. 22. Such as had escaped from the filthinesse of the world through the acknowledgement of the Lord and of the Sauiour may be intangled therein againe and ouercome so as that their latter end may become worse then euer their beginning was But he that hath not onely tasted but drunke a sound draught of this water of life and let it downe can neuer lose it neuer cast it vp againe 4. A man that hath not only tasted but drunk of this water of life and truly receiued the Spirit of sanctification may seeme to haue lost it somtime for he may decay for a time in the measure of grace and lose the heate and feruency of the spirit that once he had as Christ complaines of the Angell of the Church of Ephesus he had left his first loue Apoc. 2. 4. 2. He may for a time lose the comfortable feeling assurance of grace and be in his owne sense as a man vtterly void of grace This was the case of the Spouse of Christ Cant. 3. 1. 2. and 5 6. Her well-beloued was gone 3. Hee may lose for a time the power and eâ—…icacie and operation of grace and fall into as grosse sinnes as any other man Dauid and Peter may be examples of this yea the best are in great and continuall danger to fall thus if they take not great heed vnto themselues Nay it is a very hard thing for any of Gods children to keepe themselues from these decayes Therefore are those exhortations so often vsed 1. Cor. 10. 12. Wherefore let him that thinketh hee standeth take heed least hee fall Heb. 12. 15. Looking diligently least any man faile of the grace of God least any roote of bitternesse springing vp trouble you and thereby many bee defiled Phil. 2. 12 13. Wherefore my beloued as ye haue alwaies obeyed not as in my presence onely but now much more in my absence worke out your saluation with feare and trembling For it is God that worketh in you both to will and to doe of his owne good pleasure You see then how euen they that haue indeed drunke of this water of life may seeme to haue it quite dryed vp in them But yet though this seeme so it is not so indeed for in all those three cases I haue mentioned ye shall see the children of God that had drunke of this Water of life they had in themselues this Well of water they had grace in them euen then when they seemed to haue lost it There is soundnes of grace in many a one that is much decaied in zeale as is plaine in the case of that Angell of Ephesus Apoc. 2. 2 3. Notwithstanding this his delay in his first loue the Lord knew approued of his workes and commendeth him for his labour and his patience and for this that he could not beare with them that were euill and that he tryed them that said they were Apostles and were not that he had borne and had patience and for his names sake had laboured and had not fainted 2. There is much grace in many a one that haue lost for a time their feeling as is plaine in the example of the Spouse Cant. 5. 6. She grieues and neuer giues ouer seeking till she had found her beloued 3. There remaineth grace in the regenerate euen then when they haue falne most fearefully Whosoeuer is borne of God saith the Apostle 1 Ioh. 3. 9. doth not commit sin for his seede remaineth in him and he cannot sin because he is borne of God the seede of God remaineth in him and therefore he cannot sinne as other men doe he cannot sin with the full consent of his will with the full sway of his soule as before he did This is euident in the example of Dauid for when he complaines as if he had quite lost the spirit Psal. 51. 11 12. Euen then he prayeth and prayeth so as he could neuer haue done if he had not had the spirit of grace in him For how can men call vpon him in whom they haue not beleeued saith the Apostle Rom. 10. 14. and Rom. 8. 26. it is the spirit it selfe that maketh intercession for vs and makes vs able to pray Hauing thus cleared the Doctrine let vs heare how it may be confirmed Let vs hearken vnto some plaine and pregnant testimones of holy Scripture to prooue this that whosoeuer hath truely receiued the Spirit of grace can neuer lose it Psal. 15. When Dauid had spoken of sundry fruits of regeneration hee concludes the Psalme thus verse 5. Hee that doth these things shall neuer be moued Psalme 19. 9. The feare of the Lord is cleane and endureth for euer Psal. 23. 6. Surely goodnesse and mercy shall follow me all the daies of my life So he that heares the Word and doth it is compared to a house that is built vpon a rocke which no raine nor flouds nor windes nor tentations how strong soeuer can ouerthrow Matth. 7. 24. 25. And Luke 8. 13. 15. Though the other hearers beleeue but for a time yet he that with an honest and good heart heares the Word shall keepe it Iohn 6. 56. Hee that eateth my flesh and drinketh my bloud abideth in mee In which respect sauing grace is called The good part that shall not bee taken away Luk. 10. 42. The immortall seede 1. Peter 1. 23. and was fitly resembled by that fire that came downe from heauen that neuer went out Leuit. 6. 12. The Reasons of this are principally three 1. The vnchangeablenesse of Gods loue and decree No man hath receiued the Spirit but onely such as God hath elected to saluation and loued in Christ before all worlds Rom. 8. 30. Whom hee predestinated them he called and none but them Acts 13. 48. So many as were ordained to eternall life beleeued Therefore true faith is called Titus 1. 1. The faith of Gods Elect. A man may make his election sure this way 2. Pet. 1. 10. Now such as are elected cannot possibly fall away this our Sauiour speakes of as of a thing vtterly impossible The false Christs and false Prophets shall shew so great signes and wonders that they shall deceiue if it were possible the very elect faith lie Matth. 24. 24. The loue of God in Christ is vnchangeable Ier. 31. 3. I haue loued thee with an euerlasting loue saith the Lord therefore in mercy haue I drawne thee Whom Christ loues Iohn 13. 2. he loues vnto the end And those that come to him that is which beleeue in him Iohn 6. 35. he will neuer cast away Iohn 6. 37. The gifts and calling of God saith the Apostle Rom 11. 29. that is such
4. But let euery man prooue his owne worke and then shall he haue reioycing in himselfe and not in another The more pretious this treasure is the more need thou hast to take heed thou be not deceiued in it As the wise Merchant did when he had found the true treasure he hideth it and for ioy thereof 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 subducit sese he withdraweth himselfe to consider well and try whether it were true treasure indeed before he sells all that he hath to buy the field where it was Matth. 13. 44. 3. Thou maist if thou wilt try certainely discerne this 1. Cor. 2. 12. The Spirit is giuen vs to that end that we may know the things that are giuen vs of God Some rules I will giue thee whereby thou maist know whether the good things that are in thee be the fruits of grace indeed 1. If they be done by the direction and warrant of the Word thus is Iosias goodnesse commended by the Holy Ghost to be true goodnesse indeed it was according to that which was written in the Law of the Lord as we reade 2. Chron. 35. 26. 2. If thy intent in doing of them be to please serue and honour God not to serue thy selfe or men By this note the Apostle describeth truth of grace both in himselfe and in others Of himselfe he saith Gal. 1. 10. that he did not in his Ministery seeke to please men but that he serued God in his spirit in the Gospell of his Sonne Rom. 1. 9. And of others he saith Rom. 14. 6. that he that did either regard or not regard a day was not to be despised or iudged an hypocrite so long as he did that which he did vnto the Lord and in a care to please and approoue himselfe vnto him 3. If thou doest what thou doest in loue to him because thou knowest how much he is delighted with and honoured by thy obedience For the Apostle saith Gal. 5. 6. that that is true faith and such as will auaile a man and stand him in stead that worketh by loue and causeth him to doe euery good worke that he doth out of loue vnto God And our Sauiour by this argument comforts Peter and assureth him that the fall that he had taken was not vnto perdition because as hee proueth by appealing to his own Conscience Ioh. 21. 15. there was still notwithstanding he denied him with his mouth in his heart an vnfained loue vnto him 4. Ifthou doe what thou doest of faith and the loue thou bearest to him grow from thy assurance that he loueth thee in Christ and that thou art his child that he hath forgiuen thee all thy sins this was the roote of Marios loue Luke 7. 47. shee loued much because she knew many sinnes were forgiuen her 3. To exhort such as haue receiued any grace to take heede of going backe This doctrine tends not to licentiousnesse as Papists slander it For 1. We grant the best may fall and cannot choose but fall vnlesse he take great heed 2. God will be as angry with their sins and correct them as sharpely as others God is very terrible in the assembly of his Saints saith the Prophet Psal. 89. 7. as is euident in the example of his seuerity towards Dauid 2. Sam. 13. 11. 12. Though they cannot fall to death they may receiue such bruises and maimes as they shall neuer clawe of haply while they liue and loose the sense of Gods fauour which they esteeme more of then of all the world Dauid professeth Psal. 46. 7. that there was no ioy in the world comparable vnto the ioy that he found Thy loue is better then wine saith the Spouse Cant. 1. 2. 3. If euer they recouer as they that euer had truth of grace shall certaine doe yet they shall doe it with more difficulty then any other sinner as wee may see in the example of Dauid Psal. 51. Obserue therefore and take heede of those things whereby the good estate of thy soule may be impaired And those are two principally 1. As it is with the state of the body with-hold food and rest and exercise from it and the strongest body will decay so is it with the state of the soule with-hold from it the meanes of grace and it will decay 1 Thess. 5. 19. 20. If Prophecyings be despised the spirit will be quenched yea Pro. 29. 18. Where there is no vision the people will decay Yea Heb. 3. 13. If we doe not daily by all good meanes exhort and stirre vp our selues we are in danger to be hardened 2. As it is with the body by poysoning or wounding it the life of it if it be not quite taken away yet will be endangered and the health and strength of it impaired greatly so it is with the soule by sinning against conscience which is as poyson and a stabbe giuen vnto it it is greatly impaired See this in Dauid and Peter after they had yeelded once to sinne against their conscience they grew weaker and weaker more and more vngratious When Dauid had once yeelded to his lust then he cloakes it and addes sinne to sinne in a strange manner Peter when he had denyed once his Master then he doth it with oathes and execrations and strange impudency THE TWELFTH LECTVRE ON APRILL XXV MDCIX IOH. IIII. XV. The Woman faith vnto him Sir giue me this water that I thirst not neither come hither to draw OVr Sauiour hauing in the two former verses prooued that the Water of life which he had to giue was farre more excellent then the water of Iacobs Well this poore woman though she had before obiected and reasoned against it is now through the diuine power that shee felt in his word conuinced and beleeueth that he had indeed a water to giue that was better then that of Iacobs Well which he that hath once drunke of shall neuer thirst againe And out of this perswasion she had of the truth of that he had said shee did now beare a reuerent estimation to his person whom at first she esteemed basely of as of an ordinary Iew she desireth this water that he had spoken of and saith vnto him Sir giue me of that water yet still conceiuing that this thirst he had spoken of was but the thirst of the body and the Water of life but a materiall water she desires it onely out of a carnall respect she had to her owne profit and ease for so she saith Sir giue me of that water that I may not thirst and come hither to draw First then in that this woman being yet a naturall and wicked woman beleeues now the word of Christ likes it and was affected with it and desires this water he had spoken of and yet doth all this in a carnall respect to her profit and ease We learne That the principall thing the naturall man respecteth in the affection he seemes to beare vnto the Word is his carnall ease and contentment
notwithstanding the grosse sins thou liuedst in before thy calling when there was in thee no grace at all nor loue to God he then loued thee so far forth as to giue thee his Word to offer his Son to thee to giue thee his spirit how canst thou doubt but he will much more loue thee and not cast thee off for thy sinnes now he hath giuen thee a heart to loue and feare his name Secondly this Doctrine serueth for our instruction and imitation that professe our selues to be the children of God we should be followers of God in this as deare children Ephes. 5. 1. 1. As the hainous sins of his Elect doe not hinder God from seeking their calling and conuersion so we should not be discouraged from endeauouring with all long sufferance by all meanes especially by prayer vnto God the conuersion of such as are yet without grace be they neuer so wicked specially such of them as God hath tyed vs vnto by any speciall bond when the Apostle had charged Timothy to take principall care of this that in the Church assemblies prayers of all sorts may be made for Kings and all in authority whereof at that time there few or none that professed or fauoured the truth 1. Tim. 2. 1 2. he tells him vers 3. that this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Sauiour and giues this for the reason of it vers 4. because hee will haue all men of all sorts and conditions of men some to be saued and to come vnto the knowledge of the truth And 2. Tim. 2. 24 25. he saith the seruant and minister of the Lord must be gentle vnto all men apt to teach patient instructing with meeknesse euen them that oppose themselues And Tit. 3. 2 3. he requires of all the faithfull that in their whole conuersation they shew all meekenesse to all men considering how bad themselues euen the best of them were before their conuersion 2. As the Lord loueth no man the worse for that he hath beene after once he hath vnfainedly repented no more should we See this in the Apostles charge concerning the incestuous person Yee ought saith he to forgiue him and comfort him lest peraduenture such a one should be swallowed vp with ouermuch sorrow Wherefore I beseech you that you would confirme your loue toward him 2. Cor. 2. 7 8. 3. As the infirmities of Gods children doe not cause the Lord to despise them or dislike their good workes no more should the infirmities we discerne in them that feare God cause vs to despise them or minish that reuerence and loue that we owe vnto them Despise not any of Christs little ones Matth. 18. 10. Honour all that feare God Psal. 15. 4. THE TWO AND TWENTIETH LECTVRE ON AVGVST XV. MDCIX IOH. IIII. XIX XX. The Woman saith vnto him Sir I perceiue that thou art a Prophet Our Fathers worshipped in this mountaine and yee say that in Ierusalem is the place where men ought to worship WEe haue heard that in the former verses our Sauiour seeking the conuersion of this poore woman and finding she could not or would not vnderstand what he had said vnto her in the commendation of the water of life which he had to bestow vpon her discouereth to her the secret whoredome that she liued in Now in these words the Euangelist setteth downe the effect which this reproofe did take in her heart and how the grace of true conuersion did now begin to worke and shew it selfe in her And this he noteth in three singular effects and fruits of grace that did appeare in her First she denied not nor excused or extenuated the sin which he had charged her with though she might well think he was neuer able either by witnesse or presumptions to conuince her of it Secondly neither doth she like euer the worse of him for dealing thus with her though if she had had in her no better a spirit then she had at the first she would haue scorned and defyed him that he being so meane a person as his habite did giue him to be should thus controll her she would haue told him that he spake this but out of a malicious and hard conceit that he had either against her nation because she was a Samaritan or against her person because she had denyed him water This I say she had beene likely to haue done if she had had nothing but nature in her but she doth not so but out of a tender conscience which the word of Christ and his Spirit had wrought in her she freely acknowledgeth her sin yet doth not the Euangelist who sets downe but the briefe summes of those things that were spoken and done report that she confessed her sin in plaine tearmes but that she did it in a far more effectuall manner to expresse her repentance then could otherwise haue beene done in so few words more effectually then if she should plainely haue said It is true indeed Sir that man that I keepe is not my husband but I liue in shamefull Whoredome with him For in these words Sir I see that thou art a Prophet She doth not onely confesse the truth of that which he chargeth her with but she doth also professe the reuerence and honour she bare to his person and that she esteemed now of him much better then she did before And this is the second fruit of her conuersion which the Euangelist doth record The third is this that perceiuing him to be a Prophet and one that through the diuine knowledge and holinesse that was in him was not onely priuy to her secretest sins but ready also to charge her with them yet she doth not out of a seruile feare and guilty conscience shrinke away from him and shun his company but desireth further communication with him and seekes instruction and resolution from him in a case of conscience that did most neerely concerne her For being touched in conscience with remorse for her sin and carefull to seeke peace with God shee desireth to be resolued by him in the right way how she may seeke the Lord and do him that seruice that may be acceptable vnto him Now of these three signes of grace and fruits of a true conuersion that are noted in this poore Woman let vs consider in order so as we may receiue instruction and comfort by them And first in that it is noted as a fruit of true conuersion and repentance in this Woman that being charged with her sin though it were secret she presently acknowledgeth it and saith as one being out of all doubt and fully resolued Sir I see that thou art a Prophet Wee learne That hee that is truely penitent for any sinne will bee ready to acknowledge his sinne euen to men when hee is charged with it He will be ready to acknowledge his sinne euen vnto men when he is charged with it I doe not say that a man is bound to acknowledge all his
speech of a Cain Gen. 4. 9. Am I my brothers keeper Lecture the fiftieth Aprill 17. 1610. IOHN IIII. XXVIII IT followeth now that we come to the second point wherein this Woman shewed her zeale viz. in leauing her payle behind her And that we may ground our instruction well from this example obserue in it these points 1. She came for water and therefore sure had need and vse of water for some businesses she had to doe at home 2. Yet she leaueth both her water and her payle and the businesse she had to do at home 3. Why did she so Surely her heart was so taken vp with ioy that she knew Christ and with zealous desire to make him knowne to her neighbours that she came carelesse and forgetfull both of her water and of her payle and worldly businesse 2. Though it was not vnlawfull for her after she knew Christ to follow her worldly businesse yet she knew by doing it at this time she should haue sinned because shee should haue neglected a greater duty then the carrying home of her water or doing other of her worldly businesse she feared that she could not haue brought her neighbours soone enough to Christ if she had gone home with her water and therefore she had rather neglect both her water and her payle and the businesse she had to doe at home then to neglect a worke of farre greater importance euen the drawing of her neighbours to Christ. The Doctrine then that we haue to learne from this example is this That the man that knoweth Christ aright and is truely conuerted careth lesse for worldly things then he did before Before we confirme this Doctrine to preuent the mistaking of it two things must be obserued 1. Shee was not bound now she had found Christ and knew him to her comfort to forsake the world quite and giue ouer her worldly businesse There is no opposition betweene these things so as it should be necessary for all that desire to serue God and seeke his kingdome to giue ouer their worldly callings neither is this the way to perfection as Papists haue dreamed No man hath warrant to spend his whole time in priuate deuotion vpon pretence that he will forsake the world Indeed the Minister should say as the Apostles doe Acts 6. 4. Wee will giue our selues continually to prayer and to the ministration of the Word But no other Christian neede say so but rather should seeke to liue in such a calling as wherein he may haue somewhat else to imploy himselfe in for the profit of others Ezek. 18. 18. Because he hath not done good among his people he shall dye in his iniquity Christ vseth not to draw men from their callings but such onely as he chooseth to be his Ministers when the man that was dispossessed would haue continued with him he sent him away saying returne to thine own house Luk. 8. 38 39. The true cause why most men and women by following their worldly businesse loose all grace and become so earthly minded is not in their worldly callings but in themselues and their owne corruption There haue beene Christians that haue had great dealings in the world yet daily serued God and receiued thereby no decay of grace for in them they serued the Lord Christ Colos. 3. 24. Let Ioseph be an example for men in this case he had great dealings in the world both while he was in Potiphars house and specially afterward yet continued he a very religious and holy man And for women Let her be an example that is mentioned Pro. 31. A better huswife cannot be found verse 13. 15. 27. Yet her chiefe praise is this that she was a woman very religious verse 30. And therefore the Apostle speaketh to a Christian seruant hauing an Infidell to his master whose condition in that respect was hardest of all other 1. Cor. 7. 21. Art thou called being a seruant care not for it 2. She was not bound now she knew Christ to her comfort to cast away her payle now she had found this treasure to cast away her worldly goods Nay Religion bindeth a man to be a good husband to seeke to preserue and increase also that estate that God hath giuen him The eighth commandement that bindeth a man not to impaire but to increase so far as in him lyeth the good estate of his neighbour bindeth him much more to haue a care of his owne estate It is not lawfull for a man to be carelesse of his estate no not vpon pretence of charity or mercifulnesse to the poore as is plaine by that strait charge that is so often giuen vs to take heed how we become sureties for another man Pro. 11. 15. and 20. 18 and 22. 26. yea euen in releeuing the Saints we must haue respect to our ability Acts 11. 29. The goods that any man hath are not his owne but they are Gods gifts the siluer is mine and the gold is mine saith the Lord of hoasts Hag. 2. 9. and he is but the steward of them and shall be called to account how he hath vsed them My meate also which I gaue thee fine flowre oyle and hony wherewith I sed thee thou hast euen set it before them for a sweet sauour Ezek. 16. 19. And therefore to cast any of them away euen the least bit of bread oh that our gamesters and drunkards and Prodigals could beleeue this is a sin against God And that is the reason of that law Deut. 20. 19. Thou shalt not destroy the trees for thou mayest eate of them and of that commandement of our Sauiour Ioh. 6. 12. Gather vp the fragments that remaine that nothing bee lost These two points being thus premised let vs now proceed to the confirmation of the Doctrine This is a certaine fruit and sure note of a true Conuert he maketh not that account of worldly things as he did before But as the loue of worldly riches when it once seizeth vpon any heart it presently decayeth grace in it and draweth it away from the loue of heauenly things Matth. 13. 22. The cares of this world and the deceitfulnesse of riches choke the Word and maketh it vnfruitfull So on the other side when once God hath giuen a man a true taste and loue of heauenly things he shall grow to adistaste and light regard of worldly comforts Yea according to the measure of a mans inward loue and ioy he taketh in heauenly things shall his neglect and contempt of the world be in him The expectation and desire Abraham had of heauen made him willing to leaue his owne countrey and to continue out of it all his time The Church is said Apoc. 12. 1. To haue the moone vnder her feet that is all worldly things which like the Moone are subiect to continuall change The power that Gods grace hath this way may bee obserued in three points 1. It maketh a man willing to part with whatsoeuer is dearest to him in the world
if he cannot hold it with Gods fauour That is a treasure for which a man will be content to sell all that euer he hath Matth. 13. 44. to loose all things and to count them but dung in comparison of it Phil. 3. 8. This made all Gods people in Israel to leaue their dwellings and possessions there and to come to Ierusalem where God was purely worshipped 2. Chron. 11. 16. This made Moses willing to forgoe all his honours and pleasures and hopes he had in Pharaohâ—… Court and to ioyne himselfe vnto Gods afflicted and despised Church Heb. 11. 24. 25. 2. It moderateth the affection of a man to earthly things and teacheth him to vse them with more sobriety and indifferency so as he doth neither so greedily desire them nor is so discontented in the want of them nor so lifted vp in the abundance of them as others be it makes him able to say with the Apostle I haue learned in whatsoeuer state I am therewith to bee content I know both how to be abased and I know how to abound euery where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry both to abound and to suffer need Phil. 4. 11 12. He vseth them as the traueller doth his good lodging he findeth in his Inne for his necessity and the better enabling him to goe forward in his iourney homeward but setteth not his heart vpon them Psal. 62. 10. And thus he professeth that he is but a stranger and pilgrime vpon earth and seeketh for another country Heb. 11. 13 14. 3. It so taketh vp a mans heart specially in his first conuersion in his first loue as it maketh him very carelesse and forgetfull of all things else As Peter and Andrew Iames and Iohn straitway left their ships their net and their father and followed Christ Matth. 4. 20. 22. This made Christs hearers Mar. 8. 2. so carelesse of their meat for three daies together and Mary to neglect her huâ—…wifry in the entertaining of Christ and leauing all to sit her downe at Christs feet to heare his words Luke 10. 39. The Reason of this Doctrine is this that they haue found another treasure and where the treasure is there will the heart be Matth. 6. 21. He that once counteth Religion his treasure cannot set his heart on the world the heart can no more be deuided betweene them then it is possible for a man at the same time to looke with one of his eyes towards heauen and with another vpon the ground These two things the loue of the world and the loue of God are of a masterfull disposition Into what heart soeuer they enter they will be commanders and rule alone which is the reason of that speech of our Sauiour Matth. 6. 24. No man serues two masters 1. To instruct vs what to iudge of such Christians as vse not onely on the Sabbath day but on the weeke dayes also to goe to Sermons and Exercises of Religion worldly men thinke of these men that they doe more then they need yea more then they ought to doe that this will bring them to beggery Yea many are afraid to be religious or to frequent the Ministry of some men for feare least they should be drawen to doe thus as they see many of their hearers are In handling this point I will shew 1. What is to be said for the warning and admonition of these men 2. What is to be said for the encouragement and defence of them 1. It is indeed a great sinne in any professour to neglect his calling vpon pretence of following Sermons and seruing God specially if he haue a charge and want other meanes to liue by and that many of the better sort of Christians are too much inclined to this sinne appeareth by Pauls beating on this point so much in his Epistles to the Thessalonians Study to be quiet and to doe your owne businesse and to worke with your owne hands as wee commanded you 1. Thess. 4. 11. We heare that there are some which walke among you disorderly working not at all but are busie-bodies Now them that are such we command and exhort by our Lord Iesus Christ that with quietnesse they worke and eate their owne bread 2. Thess. 3. 11 12. but this is a great sinne For 1. Euery Christian should desire to liue of himselfe that he may not be chargeable vnto others 1. Thess. 5. 11 12. When he had charged them to follow their owne businesse and to worke with their hands he giues this for a reason that nothing may be lacking to them 2. If a man haue a family and prouide not for it he is worse then an Infidell 1. Tim. 5. 8. Therefore Paul saith 1. Cor. 7. 33. The marryed careth and that lawfully for the things of the world 3. Say a man could prouide for himselfe and his family sufficiently yet he must also haue a care to follow his calling that he may haue to giue others that need Rather let him labour working with his hands the thing that is good that he may haue to giue to him that needeth Ephes. 4. 28. And this reason the Apostle giueth why himselfe did at Ephesus with the labour of his owne hands minister vnto his owne necessities and to them that were with him and why according to his example others in the like case of necessity and for the auoiding of scandall should doe the like euen the remembrance of the words of the Lord Iesus how he said it is a more blessed thing to giue then to receiue Act. 20. 24 35. 4. Say a man haue enough for all this yet must he haue care of his estate for this cause because if he decay in it he shall be a scandall to his profession and alienate others from the truth Pro. 14. 20. The poore is hated euen of his owne neighbour Therefore Paul maketh this one reason for this 1. Thess. 4. 11 12. Doe your businesse and worke with your owne hands that yee may walke honestly to them that are without 5. Say a mans estate were so plentifull that no decay could be discerned in it to the scandall of his profession yet is he bound to liue and take paines in some calling wherein he may be profitable to others else can he haue no true comfort in any of Gods blessings that he doth enioy for thus runneth the promise Psalmeâ—…28 â—…28 2. When thou eatest the labours of thy hands thou shalt bee blessed and it shall bee well with thee 2. Thessalonians 3. 12. They onely eate their owne bread that labour in a calling 2. It is to be granted that there is not the like necessity of frequenting the publike exercises of Religion on any other day as there is on the Sabbath for that there is an expresse commandement on that euen the poorest is bound to keepe an holy rest vnto the Lord for the commandement bindeth all men and none is exempted from it Exod. 20.
truth that himselfe doth see If one should say thus of any godly man that doth conforme Surely the truth is so clearely reuealed in these points of difference in our Church that he cannot chuse but see it onely the loue of the world and feare of trouble keepes him from acknowledging and yeelding to it or if another should say of any godly man that doth not conforme Surely it is not possible but he seeth well enough that these are but trifles and not to be laid in ballance with the liberty of his Ministry onely a carnall respect to his credit because he hath stood out and spoken against these things keepes him from yeelding surely both these should offend much God forbid we should iudge thus one of another For my part I am fully perswaded there are godly and conscionable men on both sides that will not sticke to professe euery truth that God hath reuealed vnto them how much soeuer they might disaduantage themselues thereby in their credit and estate amongst men It is of fundamentall points that the Apostle speaketh 2. Cor. 4. 3. 4. If our Gospell bee then hidden it is hidden to them that are lost in whom the God of this world hath blinded their minde For it is certaine that in as great matters as these are about which we differ there haue beene many of Gods dearest children and excellent seruants that haue not had the truth reuealed vnto them but it was hidden vnto them they could not see it Barnabas was a good man and yet could not see that that Paul saw how vnfit it was to take Iohn and Marke with them who had before giuen great offence by departing from them at Pamphilia and refusing to goe with them to the worke Act. 15. 38 39. And both he and Peter were good men and yet could not see that that Paul saw viz. that it was lawfull and fit for them to conuerse with the Gentiles euen in the presence of the Iewes Gal. 2. 11 14. God bestowes his gifts on his seruants in different measure and degree He reueales some parts of his truth to some which he conceales from others euen of his faithfull seruants neither is there any that clearely seeth the truth in all things but in some points he is ignorant and doth erre 1. Cor. 13. 9. We know it in part and prophesie in part Yea say it were passion or preiudice that blinded the iudgement of him that differs from thee though that be a greater infirmity than simple ignorance yet may he be a godly and good man for all that You know who it was that said of himselfe and Barnabas Act. 14. 15. We are euen men subiect to the like passions that yee bee Thirdly if any be a godly man and hath an vpright heart thou art bound to loue and reuerence him how much soeuer his gifts are inferiour to thine or how much soeuer he differs from thee in iudgement It is certaine we are to acknowledge and reuerence Gods gifts wheresoeuer we see them though they be but such as may be in a wicked man Though Ioab were but a naturall man an hypocrite yet the Holy Ghost doth oft speake of and commend sundrie good things in him but if we see a man to be a godly man to haue an honest and vpright heart then are we much more bound to loue and reuerence him yea we should be vnwilling and affraid to note or eye any of his infirmities so as our hearts should be alienated or estranged from him In this we should shew our selues the children of our heauenly Father Hee hath not beheld iniquity in Iacob neither hath he seene peruersenesse in Israel Num. 23. 21. Is he that differs from thee a brother a childe of God take heed how thou despise him take heede that thou loue him This was Abrahams reason to Lot Gen. 13. 8. and Pauls we should endeuour to keepe the vnity of the Spirit in the bond of peace because there is but one body and one spirit and we are called in one hope of our calling Ephes. 4. 34. By this we know we are translated from death to life because we loue the brethren 1. Iohn 3. 14. And Dauid makes this a note of one that shall go to heauen Ps. 15. 4. that he honoureth them that feare the Lord. Yea though he be far thy inferiour though he be full of infirmities the Apostle chargeth Christian husbands to giue honour to their wiues as vnto the weaker vessels because they are heires together of the grace of life 1. Pet. 3. 7. We haue heard what agreement ought to be among Gods faithfull seruants we haue heard the reasons whereby they are to be moued to it I will now proceed to the third and last point which I told you I would handle in this exhortation viz the meanes whereby we may attaine to this vnity and concord and they are principally three 1. If we would all of vs seeke after holinesse till then there can neuer be true peace amongst vs follow peace with all men and holinesse without which no man shall see the Lord Heb. 12. 14. By this we know that we loue the children of God when we loue God and keepe his commandements till then we can neuer beare a true and holy loue vnto any man 1. Iohn 5. 2. Euery man that truely feares God is of a peaceable disposition they are the quiet in the land Psal. 35. 20. And the chiefe raisers and pursuers of contention in the Church haue beene vngodly and gracelesse men such as serue not the Lord Iesus Christ but their own belly Rom. 16. 17 18. And so doth the Apostle Iude describe the seducers of his time to haue beene Iude 8. 11 12. Vngodly men cannot loue nor endure such as vnfainedly feare God no though they be such as agree with them in iudgement in all points that are in controuersie in our Church yet will they esteeme them as Puritans and hate them neuerthelesse and experience sheweth the truth of that which the Lord hath taught vs he that is vpright in the way is abomination to the wicked Pro. 29. 27. These men howsoeuer they talke much and pretend great care of the Churches peace yet are indeed the the chiefe causes of all our contentions They are like those mentioned the words of their mouth are smoother then butter but warre is in their heart Psal. 55. 21. they hate peace and the more wee seeke it the more they are bent to war Psal. 120. 6 7. there is no hope at all of peace and agreement with such men 2. If we would all of vs labour to be humble minded for pride is the chiefe cause of contention onely by pride commeth contention Pro. 13 10. Hee that is of a proud heart stirreth vp strife Pro. 28. 25. and humility is the chiefe breeder and preseruer of vnity If we desire to be kindly affectioned one to another in brotherly loue we must in honour preferre one another Rom. 12.
a seale and an earnest-penny 2. Cor. 1. 22. And well may it secure a man because he that knowes he hath it may be sure he shall neuer lose it it 's an immortall seede 1. Pet. 1. 23. it endures for euer Psal. 19. 9. Obiect No doubt but he that hath the Spirit of God to witnesse to his conscience that he is Gods childe may indeed be certaine of it but who can be assured that he hath the Spirit of God How easie is it for a man to be deceiued in this seeing 1. The heart is so deceitfull Ier. 17 9. 2 There be many remnants of Gods Image in a naturall man that may seeme to be the fruits of the Spirit And 3. There be many common gifts of the Spirit which an Hypocrite and Reprobate may haue Answ. I answer iâ—… is true indeed and therefore the faithfull are oft called vpon to examine themselves 1. Cor. 11. 28. and proue the good things that are in them Gal. 6. 4. But yet this I say that he that hath the Spirit of God may certainely and vndoubtedly know that he hath it and as the Spirit is giuen vs to witnesse to our spirits that we are Gods children so like a good witnesse he speakes so euidently and plainely that he that hath him may know and discerne his voice and plainely vnderstand what he saith Hezechia knew he had walked before God in truth and with a perfect heart and had done that which was good in his sight Esay 38. 3. and Peter knew well that he loued Christ vnfainedly aboue all things Iohn 21. 17. and Paul could say he was assured he had a good conscience in all things Heb. 13. 18. And least any should say these were extraordinary men may all that haue the Spirit be so certaine they haue it as were these three I will therefore shew you that this is the case of all them that haue Gods Spirit not of some rare and extraordinary persons onely The Apostle speakes thus not in his owne name onely but in the name of all the faithfull 1. Iohn 5. 19. We know that we are of God that is borne of God Yea they that haue receiued the Spirit haue beene so certaine of the vprightnesse of their hearts that no opposition of men or Sathan nor any affliction could driue them from it For this we haue a notable example in Iob Iob 27. 5 6. God forbid that I should iustifie you vntill I dye I will neuer take away mine innocency from my selfe I will keepe â—…y righteousnesse and will not forsake it mine heart shall not reprooue me all my daies 3. The third Reason why he that hath Faith may be so certaine of his saluation is because the hope and assurance he hath of his perseuerance to the end is grounded wholly vpon God not vpon any thing that is in himselfe 1. Pet. 〈◊〉 2. Peter saith of the faithfull that their faith and hope is in God The maine argument against the certainety of saluation is the vncertainety of perseuerance Now I haue shewed you in the proofe of the Doctrine that the faithfull may bee certaine of their perseuerance vnto the end Psal. 1â—… 8. 8. The Lord will pâ—…rfect that which concerneth me Phil. 1. 6. Being confident of this very thing that hâ—…e which hath begunne a good Worke in you will performe it vntill the day of Iesus Christ. Vpon what ground will you say is this certainety built Surely not vpon any thing that is in vs for we are exceeding variable and apt to fall and when we had our saluation in our owne keeping though wee were then farre stronger than now we are we lost it quickly But now our state in Christ is in this respect better than it was in Adam we cannot now lose it because it is not in our own keeping our assurance of perseuerance is grounded wholly vpon God If we looke vpon our selues we see cause of feare and doubting but if we looke vp to God we shall finde cause enough of assurance Psal. 61. 2 3. Leade me vnto the Rocke that is higher than I for thou hast beene a shelter for me and a strong Tower 2. Tim. 2. 19. The foundation of God is sure This Rocke how sure it is you shall see in three points 1. We are maruellous vnconstant and fickle in our loue to God and good things we are apt quickly to turne out of the good way Iudg. 2. 19. but God is constant and vnchangeable in his loue I haue loued thee with an euerlasting loue Ier. 31. 3. The decree and counsell of God is vnchangeable I am the Lord I change not Mal. 3. 6. From hence the faithfull man reasoneth thus By his spirit which I know he hath giuen me I am sure God elected and loued me in Christ before all worlds for he neuer bestowed iustifying faith on any but on such so many as were ordained vnto eternall life belieued and none but they Acts 13. 48. therefore true faith is called the faith of Gods Elect Tit. 1. 1. he neuer called any to the loue and obedience of his truth but such whom he did predestinate them he also called Rom. 8 30. Therefore I am sure that how vnconstant and vnchangeable how prone soeuer I am to fall yet I shall neuer fall finally for he is constant in him is no variablenesse neither shadow of changing Iames 1. 17. His decree is immutable it is not possible that any whom he hath elected should perish if it were possible they shall deceiue the very elect Matth. 24. 24. his loue that he hath borne to any in Christ is vnchangeable hauing loued his own which were in the world he loued them to the end Iohn 13. 2. For his loue was free not occasioned by any goodnesse he foresaw would be in vs but the cause of it was his owne good pleasure onely Ephes. 1. 5. At that time when he did perfectly foresee how ignorant weake vntoward vnconstant vngracious we would be yet euen then he set his loue vpon vs and what should then alter or alienate his affection from vs Therefore God speakes thus of his loue to his Elect Ieremie 31. 3. I haue loued thee with an euerlasting loue therefore in mercy haue I drawne thee Esay 54. 10. My kindnesse shall not depart from thee saith the Lord that hath mercy on thee Esay 64. 5. In those is continuance and wee shall bee saued When God hath once drawne a man by his spirit to the faith and obedience of his truth he may then be sure he hath loued him with an euerlasting and vnchangeable loue Rom. 11. 29. The gifts and calling of God are without Repentance Vpon this Dauid grounded his comfort and assurance Psalme 25. 6. Remember Lord thy tender mercies and louing kindnesse for they haue beene for euer And thus he stirres vp all Gods people to doe Psalme 118. 2 3 4. Let Israel and the house of Aaron and they that feare the Lord now say
Gods deare children when they haue neglected the care of a good conscience and fallen into grosse sinnes great sinnes haue brought them into great sorrowes The sinnes that haue been committed with most iollity and pleasure did of all other bring them to the most sorrow of heart in the end This Iob felt when God caused him to possesse the sinnes of his youth he saith Iob 13. 26. that he did write bitter things against him He found much bitternesse in the remembrance of those sinnes And Dauid though he were of a sanguine constitution 1 Sam. 16. 12. and consequently chearfull naturally though he were likewise an excellent Musitian and a King also that had all outward helps to keep sorrow from his heart yet when he had giuen liberty to himself to commit that sweet sin as the world cals it he lost his chearefulnes and grew to that inward anguish of spirit that he cries out in Psal. 51. 8. Make me to heare ioy and gladnesse that the bones which thou hast broken may reioyce And Ps. 31. 10. My life is wasted with heauines and my years with mourning 1 O think vpon this you Belly-gods and Wantons that can find no pleasure but in offending God As pleasant as you be now you will haue the heauiest hearts one day of any people vnder the Sun Woe be to you that laugh now for ye shall mourne and weepe Luke 6. 25. 2 And you Beloued Would you haue a chearfull heart and be comfortable euen in affliction in the time of your sicknesse and at the houre of your death haue care then of a good conscience take heed of knowne sinnes Do you feele your hearts at any time begin to be oppressed with heauinesse Examine your liues find out your chiefe sinnes purge your selues from them by repentance and so shall ye keep your selues from being ouercome with griefe The third preseruatiue and meanes to keep a mans heart from excessiue griefe specially for any worldly occasion is to make the Lord his treasure and not any earthly thing If a man do not ouer-value these earthly comforts husbands wiues friends children health wealth liberty peace c. nor count them his chiefe treasure but esteeme them as they are indeed transitory comforts and count the Lord his fauour and grace his chiefe treasure If a man set not his heart on these things but loue them only in the Lord then shall he not be oppressed with immoderate sorrow for them when God shall take them away What a notable help it is against excessiue sorrow when a man can keep his heart from the ouer-much loue of these things we shall find 1 Cor. 7. â—…0 where when the Apostle had said Let them that weepe be as though they wept not he adds presently And they that reioyce as though they reioyced not as if he should say Wouldst thou keep thy selfe from weeping and mourning too much for these things when thou shalt lose them then reioyce not too much in them when thou doest possesse them And for the other point what force there is in this to stay the heart from immoderate griefe for worldly things when a man can make the Lord his fauour and grace his chiefe treasure you shall find Esa. 33. 6. There shall be stability of thy times strength saluation wisdome and knowledge for the feare of the Lord shall be his treasure As if he should say In all times the man that hath made the feare of the Lord his treasure shall haue stability and strength and saluation wisdome and knowledge And our Sauiour when he dehorts his Disciples from that care for earthly things as will bring griefe and vexation to the heart prescribes this for a remedy against it Mat. 6. 33. But seeke ye first the Kingdome of God and the righteousnesse thereof c. On the other side the man that makes these worldly things his chief treasure and sets his heart vpon them cannot choose but be oppressed with sorrow when he shall be depriued of them as we see in the example of Ahab 1 King 21. 5 6. When he could not get Naboths Vineyard his spirit was exceeding sad and he could not eat his meat And why so His pleasure was his treasure he loued Naboths vineyard too well and it was a death to him to be kept from it Then may I say to euery one of you that haue no felicity but in earthly things in your wealth your belly-cheere your merry company your pastimes and sports your braue apparell your credit and fauour with men you loue them more than God you affect them and care for them more than for God as our Sauiour in another case said Luke 21. 6. Are these the things that ye looke vpon Haue you no better comforts than these Alas how wofull will your case be when you must part with these things Consider what is said Iob 27. 8. What hope hath the hypocrite when he hath heaped vp riches if God take away his soule Can he hope that God will heare his cry when trouble commeth vpon him Will he set his delight on the Almighty and call vpon God at all times Follow therefore the counsaile of our blessed Sauiour Mat. 6. 19. Lay not vp treasures for your selues vpon earth but lay vp treasure for your selues in heauen And marke well the reason of our Sauiour which he giues Verse 21. For where your treasure is there will your hearts be also q. d. If you make earthly things your treasure you will immoderately ioy in them when you haue them and grieue for them when you shall want them Consider first that these things are not our proper goods but cast more plentifully on reprobates than on Gods children If ye haue not been faithfull in that which is another mans who shall giue you that which is your owne Luke 16. 12. But Gods fauour and grace is our peculiar portion These things are not durable neither can we haue any certaintie in them Trust not in vncertain riches 1 Timothie 6. 17. But Gods fauour and grace is euerlasting The feare of the Lord is cleane enduring for euer Psal. 19. 9. These things are vaine and can yeeld vs no helpe no comfort when we shall most stand in need Riches profit not in the day of wrath Prouerb 11. 4. Whereas the sense of Gods fauour and grace will yeeld vs comfort euen in the greatest affliction it will make vs euen to glory in the greatest tribulation Rom. 5. 3. The fourth and last preseruatiue against immoderate sorrow is for a man to be rightly perswaded of his liberty in the vse of the outward comforts of this life as a good diet and good company and following our worldly callings and recreations and such like Let no man say this preseruatiue might well be spared as beseeming the Physitian much better than the Diuine for first many a good soule haue great need of this preseruatiue and giue great aduantage to Satan
12. 13. and 20. 2. But for their foule sinnes we shall finde that Noah was neuer drunke but once nor Dauid committed adultery but once neither Peter returned euer againe to his Apostasie nor Paul to his persecution after they had once repented This is expresly said of Iudah after he truely saw his sinne hee knew Tamar againe no more Genesis 38. 26. Secondly it 's made a property of them that are in Christ Iesus in the state of grace that they walke not after the flesh Rom. 8 verse 1. Though they cannot kill or restraine all outward lusts yet they are made able to keepe them from reigning in them so as willingly to obey it in the lusts thereof as the Apostle speaketh Rom. 6. 12. but they by little and little at the least in the vnfained desire and endeuour of their hearts doe mortifie the deeds of the body by the spirit Rom. 8. 13. And it is a shrewd signe that it reignes when it hath once the body at command which made the Apostle say Let not sin reigne in your mortall bodies neither yeeld you your members as instruments of vnrightonsnes vnto sin Rom. 6. 12 13. On the other side he is called an enemy of God that Psal. 68. 21. goes on in sin And 2. Pet. 2. 19. its made a note of a gracelesse man when he cannot cease from fin The Reason is plaine because the vertue of Christs death is neuer separated from the merit of it When the merit of it is effectuall to iustification and pardon of sin then the vertue of it is effectuall to sanctification to the destroying of the power of sin when once the Lord hath sprinkled cleane water vpon vs and through the imputation of Christs sufferings and righteousnesse made vs cleane when he hath thereby cleansed vs from all the filthinesse of our sinnes then he will also giue vs a new heart and a new spirit he will put into vs he will take the stony heart out of vs and giue vs a heart of flesh Ezek. 36. 25 26. He so speakes peace vnto his people and to his Saints that they may not turne againe vnto folly Psal. 85. 8. Now the vnregenerate man continueth and walketh in sin yea like the dropsie man the more he sins the more he may one foule sin being as a shooing-horne to draw on another Lecture the ninetie eighth August 27. 1611. IOHN IIII. L. NOw hauing the last day preuented the mistaking and abuse of it it remaines that we proceed to the Vses that are to be made of this Doctrine and they are principally three The first is for instruction to teach vs that for as much as the Lord reiects none of his children for their infirmities but loues and esteemes of them neuerthelesse for their weakenesse Therefore we should learne not to despise or reiect any childe of God because of his infirmities for therein the perfection of a Christian shall appeare euen in following and striuing to be like his heauenly father Matth. 5. 45. And we are his children when we resemble him and are of his disposition be ye therefore followers of God as de are children Epes 5. 1. And will any of vs seeme to be holier than God to dislike sinners more than he doth That were grosse hypocrisie Obiect But you will say there is small consequence in this reason seeing they that are Gods children and vpright in heart are perfectly knowne to him so are they not to vs. If we knew who were Gods Elect and who had vpright hearts indeed we would hold our selues bound to loue and beare with all such notwithstanding many weakenesses that we discerned in them but we know the world is full of hypocrites that will make a good profession and yet haue but false hearts Answ. I answer that if a man professe the feare of God and his course of life be agreeable thereunto though he haue many frailties we are bound to esteeme him the childe of God Rom 8. 1. They are in Christ Iesus that walke not after the flesh And 1. Sam. 16. 7. Man iudgeth according to the outward appearance And though we may well be deceiued in this because mens hearts are deceitfull Ier. 17. 9. yet this is a safe and holy errour I may say Our iudgement though it be erroneous in this yet it is the iudgement of true charity and therefore such as God commands and we may haue comfort in 1. Cor. 13. 5. It thinketh not euill verse 7. It beleeueth all things it hopeth all things Now it cannot be denied but in many of these there be sundry infirmities in some error in iudgement in other much frowardnesse vnthankefulnesse pride nay in some foule faults and slips in their conuersation I say not that thou art bound to thinke well of all that professors doe No we heard the last day the Lord fauours not the faults of his dearest children But three duties thou owest to euery one that so professe the feare of God First thou must delight and gladly take notice of the good things that are in him obserue him well to see if you can discerne any one testimony of soundnesse of heart any one signe of the life of grace and gladly take notice of it Let vs consider one another saith the Apostle Heb. 10. 24. and 1. Cor. 16. 17 18. Hauing spoken of the excellent things that were in Stephanus Fortunatus and Achaicus he chargeth the Church that they should know or acknowledge such men Therefore it is to be wished that Christians when they meet would exercise themselues so as they might haue proofe of that grace that is in each other and this would exceedingly encrease loue Secondly because if he doe in any measure soundly feare God thou art bound to honour him in thine heart Psal. 15. 4. None shall goe to heauen that cannot honour them that feare the Lord. Therefore you must not be glad but loth to see or heare of his faults or infirmities Thou shouldst doe to euery childe of God because thou art bound to honour him as Sem and Iaphet did to Noah because they were bound to honour him Gen. 9. 23. couer his nakednesse Euery one of vs should count it a foule corruption in our nature be ashamed of it bewaile it to God and striue against it that we are so like the Beetle or Horse-flie that if he flie into a field that is neuer so full of sweet flowers yet if there be but a little filthy dung in it his eye and sent is onely to that and vpon that onely will he light So are we apt to passe by all the good things that are in any Christian but his slips and infirmities we gladly obserue we heare and inquire of them with great delight Matthew 7. 3. And why seest thou the mote that is in thy brothers eye c. Why art thou so curious an obseruer of his smallest infirmities And yet this is not the corruption of wicked men only but euen of
one belieueth what he teacheth not by an humane Credulity from his Author but by a diuine faith from the Word and because he belieueth he therefore speaketh and speaking from faith in his owne heart he speaketh much more powerfully vnto the begetting and strengthening of faith in the Hearer The priuate Christian in the diligent suruey of this Treatise shall obserue liuely decyphered the scornefull vanity of corrupt Nature the lothsomenesse and desperate danger of sin the wonderfull power of Gods Grace in the conuersion of a sinner the tryall of a mans own deceitfull heart the amiable life of Gods grace in the regenerate the comfortable benefit of afflictions sundry sweet consolations of a troubled spirit the vanity of Popery the necessity of a faithfull Ministry the beauty of Gods Ordinances holily administred and the resolution of sundry cases of conscience fitting these times and all deliuered with such euidence of Scripture-light and Christian experience that the hearts of the godly Readers will at once blesse God who hath giuen such gifts to men and blesse the Writer who hauing spent the strength of his yeares in a faithfull and fruitfull Ministry to the great comfort and succour of many Ministers and people far and neare round about him doth now at last adorne his hoarie head with this Crowne of glory to bring forth his workes to more publike Light now more at the last then at the first My hearts desire is that God would adde yet many daies more to the Authors life and support him still both in body and spirit to bring to light many other such monuments of his fruitfull labours not only that elaborate Commentary vpon the 51. Psalme but likewise such Sermons or Treatises or Letters touching cases of Conscience as haply haue lyenby him these many yeares Why should any Talent lye buried in a Napkin or candle lye hid vnder a bushell which being set on a candlesticke might giue light to all that are in the house Such Opuscula little Treatises as himselfe would hardly acknowledge vnder his owne Name might be of speciall vse and much esteeme with others Witnesse those questions and Answers wherein he hath comprized the doctrine of the Lords Supper which though without his Name they be annexed to a little Treatise of the like Argument set forth by a godly learned Diuine M. William Bradshaw yet haue they beene of singular good vse to many poore soules for their worthy preparation to that Ordinance And in very deed they do more fully furnish a Christian to that whole spirituall Duty then any other in any language that I know in so small a compasse yea and that one Letter of his to a Gentlewoman against the separation which without his consent a separatist printed and refuted hath so strongly and clearely conuinced the iniquity of that way that I could not but acknowledge in it both the wisedome of God and the weakenesse of the separatist His wisdome in bringing to light such a beame of the Light of his truth by the hand of an aduersary against the Authors mind and the weakenesse of the other to aduance the hand of his aduersary to giue himselfe and his cause such a deadly wound in open view as neither himselfe nor all his associates can be able to heale In which respect I conceiue it was that the industrious Doctor Willet in his Dedicatory Epistle to CHRISTS Colledge before his harmony vpon the first of Samuel stileth this our Author Schismaticorum quivulgò Brownistae Malleum the Hammer of Schismatiques whom they commonly call Brownists Now the God of all grace prosper the workes of his seruants to those good ends himselfe hath appointed and they haue aimedat the glory of his owne great Name in the edification and saluation of his people in Christ. So I take leaue and rest desirous to prouoke my selfe and thee to a thankfull and fruitfull vse of such mercies The vnworthiest of the least of Gods Mercies and Seruants I. C. A Table of some principall Points that are handled in these Lectures Abstinence See Fasting Admonition See Reproofe Adoption A. NO man can worship God aright till he haue the Spirit of Adoption and can conceiue of God as of his louing Father pag. 182 Foure notes to try whether we do indeed know God to be our Father pag 183. Adoration Worship See Reuerence The whole worship of God is called Adoration pag. 111. Admiring of men It is folly and sin to admire any man much pag 40. Affection He that hath an vpright heart serues God with affection pag. 480. No seruice pleaseth God that is not done with feeling and affection pag. 198 199. Naturall Affection See Parents Afflâ—…ction In it owne nature it is a curse neither is it a signe of Gods loue to all pag. 394. The greatest may not hope to be exempted from it pag. 388. All men should prepare for it and how 389 It is greatly profitable and necessary for Gods Elect pag. 394. It is no signe of Gods wrath but of his loue rather pag. 398. We may be sure God will doe vs good by it and remoue it when it hath wrought kindly on vs and support vs in it and giue a comfortable end vnto it pag 399. It is a signe of election to profit by it and the contrary of reprobation pag 401. In euery affection we should take notice that God is angry with vs pag. 402. Sixe degrees of Gods proceeding in sanctifying affâ—…ctions to vs which may be so many notes to try whether our affâ—…ctions be san-ctified pag. 40â—… 40â—… Extremity of it will make vs vnfit both to profit by the Word and to pray pag. 433 Alacrity See Cheerefulnesse Antiquity How far forth it is to bee regarded in the matter of Religion pag 141. It is dangerous to ascribe too much to it 144 Our Religion is most antient 145. The popish plea touching the antiquity of theirs is most vaine and insufficient ibid. Apostacie See Perseuerance How farre forth the good things that haue beene in a man may be lost â—…0 51. A dangerous thing to fall from grace or to decay in it 54. Two chiefe causes of it ibid. Comfort for the faithfull that liue in times of generall Apostacie 430 431. Apostles Christ hath taught his Church the whole will of his Father by them 207. Apparell See Attire Appearance of euill is to be auoided 86. Application Ministers must apply the Word and hearers must endure it 373 374. Assemblies See Church-Assemblies Assurance of saluation See Certainty of saluation Attention All should attend diligently at the hearing of the Word 125. 134. 135. Meanes to keepe our hearts attentiue from wandring in prayer c. 198. Attire Modesty in attire required of Christians 87. Authority The wicked are apt to abuse the authoriâ—…y and credit of holy men to the disgrace of Gods truth 35 273. This honour is due to Christ alone to be belieued in matter of Doctrine vpon his bare Word 149. Nothing is to be
Moses speaking of Gods maruellous goodnesse to his Church expresseth it thus Deut. 4. 7. What nation is so great vnto whom the gods came so neare vnto them as the Lord our God is neare vnto vs in all things that we call vnto him for So Dauid setteth forth the plenteousnesse of Gods goodnesse and mercy by this Psal. 86. 5. Thou Lord art good and ready to forgiue and plenteous in mercy vnto all them that call vpon thee And Paul speaking of Gods bounty saith Rom. 10. 12. He that is Lord ouer all is rich vnto all that call vpon him The Reasons why none can looke for grace and mercy from God but those that aske for it why he will be sought vnto for it are three The first of them respecteth the Lord himselfe and his glory for God counteth himselfe greatly honoured when his people pray vnto him and depend vpon him as it is an honour to a man on earth to be much sought vnto and to haue men rely wholly vpon him This the faithfull knew well and haue by this consideration beene prouoked to this duty Therefore Dauid saith Psal. 63. 4. I will magnifie thee all my life and lift vp my hands in thy name when he lifted vp his hands vnto God he magnified him and Psal. 66. 17. I called vnto him with my mouth and he was exalted with my tongue He esteemed doubtlesse meanely enough of his owne prayers though he thus spake but he knew that God accounteth himselfe to be highly exalted and honoured by this when his seruants thus seeke vnto him In which respect also the Church voweth this to God as a duty whereby she knew God accounted himselfe to be much honoured Psal. 80. 18. Quicken vs and we will call vpon thy name The second respecteth the benefit we receiue by it for by praying our faith repentance loue and zeale is exercised and as the strength and vigour of our bodies is by exercise maintained and increased so is grace also increased by exercise Iude 20. But ye beloued edifie your selues in your most holy faith praying in the Holy Ghost By exercising our faith and repentance and loue in prayer we shall edifie our selues The third respects the nature of grace for he that once hath but the least measure of a true taste of it will esteeme it aboue all things in the world and therefore cannot chuse but earnestly desire more of it and he that doth not desire it contemneth it He that hath found the true treasure and ioyeth in it will sell all that he hath to purchase it Mat. 13. 44. 2. Euery blessing is the sweeter to the godly and certainer token of Gods loue if they can feele they haue obtained it by prayer Dauid giues this for the reason of his thankfulnesse and why Gods mercy in his deliuerance was so sweet vnto him why he would extoll the Lord for it Psal. 30. 2. because he obtained it by his prayer O Lord my God saith he I cryed vnto thee and thou hast healed me 3. Yea though they obtaine it not they can beare the want of it the better if they know they haue prayed for it Phil. 4. 6. 7. In euery thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiuing let your requests be made knowne vnto God and the peace of God which passeth all vnderstanding shall keepe your hearts and minds through Christ Iesus The Vse of this Doctrine is first to exhort euery man to foure duties 1. Labour for an vnfained desire of grace for till this thou canst neuer haue any assurance of thy saluation nor receiue any grace from God Luke 1. 53. He filleth the hungry with good things and the rich he sendeth empty away 2. Labour for the Spirit of prayer and supplication for without this thou canst receiue no good thing from God specially no grace Iames 4. 7. Ye haue not because ye aske not 3. In the best meanes cry and pray to God for grace else shall they not profit thee Thus did David though he enioyed excellent meanes of grace Psal. 25. 4. 5. Shew me thy wayes O Lord teach me thy paths lead me in thy truth and teach me and 119. 12. 33. Teach me thy statutes teach me O Lord the way of thy statutes 4. If thou euer hadst this desire this Spirit of supplication and feelest it decayed in thee oh stirre it vp againe and striue to recouer it and herein I may say to thee as the Apostle to them Heb. 10. 32. Call to remembrance the former dayes and as our Sauiour to the Angell of the Church of Ephesus Reu. 2. 5. Remember euen in this from whence thou art fallen and repent For as your desire of grace decayeth so doth your assurance and comfort decay Secondly this doctrine serueth to reproue the wicked and shew the fearefull estate of such as are void of all desire of saluation Psal. 119. 154. Saluation is farre from the wicked for they seeke not thy statutes Certainely thou art yet in thy sinnes in the state of a child of wrath If thou say well if God haue decreed to saue me I shall do well enough I answer thou presumptuous foole what hast thou to do with Gods secrets Deutr. 29. 29. while thou continuest withâ—…t all desire of grace thou hast cause to feare thou art a reprobate But we shall make the better vse of this Doctrine when we haue learned the doctrine that followeth We are therefore further to obserue that as Christ telleth her what she should haue done to obtaine this water of life she should haue asked so he telleth her also what he would haue done if she had asked he would haue giuen it her though she were a Samaritan and a most wicked woman also Whence we learne That all such as can vnfainedly desire and aske grace of God shall be sure to obtaine it See the expresse promises of God for this Mat. 〈◊〉 6. Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after righteousnesse for they shall be filled Mat. 7. 8. Euery one that asketh receiueth and he that seeketh findeth and to him that knocketh it shall be opened Rom. 10. 13. Whosoeuer shall call vpon the name of the Lord shall be saued Reu. 22. 17. Let him that is a thirst come And whosoeuer will let him take the water of life freely The reasons of this are three 1. The infinite goodnesse of the Lord and the earnest desire he hath of the saluation and conuersion of men See this here in Christ he laboureth to worke this desire of the water of life in this wretched woman So Esay 65. 1. Behold me behold c. and so ver 2. I haue spread out my hands all the day vnto a disobedient people Can he then reiect them that vnfainedly desire his grace who is himselfe so earnest a suiter to vs that we would seeke and receiue it 2. The delight God taketh in and the readinesse that is in him to accept
liue through him and Ver. 10. Herein is loue not that we loued him but that he loued vs and sent his Sonne to be a reconciliation for our sinnes The reasons whereby this may appeare to be the greatest gift that euer God gaue man are three 1. In respect of the Lords affection towards vs declared in this gift 2. Of the benefit we receiue by this gift and the fruits and consequents of it 3. The freenesse of this gift For the first though Christ were more worth then ten thousand worlds being in the forme of God and one that thought it no robbery to be equall with God Phil. 2. 6. Though he were infinitely dearer to his Father then any of our children can be to vs. Mat. 12. 18. His beloued in whom his soule delighted I was daily his delight saith he Prouerb 8. 30. Yet as if we were of more worth and dearer vnto him then his onely begotten Sonne he gaue him for vs and that he might expresse his loue to vs he neglected him as it were and withdrew his affection from him Rom. 8. 32. He spared not his owne Sonne He caused him to take vpon him the forme of a seruant and to be of no reputation Phil. 2. 7. to make vs Kings Apoc. 1. 6. 2 Cor. 8. 9. He being rich for our sakes became poore that we through his pouerty might be made rich So that in this it may seeme God hath respected and loued vs aboue his own Son 2. He caused him to be tempted by Sathan for forty dayes together and that in the wildernesse a place of great terrour Mark 1. 17. And surely this was a farre greater indignity and reproch to be done to him then it would be to the greatest Empresse in the world that she should be sollicited by the basest scullion or rogue in a kingdome to commit filthinesse with him yea he permitted him so farre to the power of Sathan that he in those forty dayes carried the precious body of the Sonne of God vp and downe at his pleasure one while to the top of an high mountaine Luke 4. 5. Another while to a pinacle of the Temple Luk. 4. 9. And why did he thus giue his owne Sonne ouer thus farre to the power of Sathan Surely to deliuer vs from the power of Sathan Hebrewes 2. 15. So that in this respect also it may seeme he hath respected and loued vs more then his owne Sonne 3. He powred shame and contempt vpon him greater then euer any creature endured In his life oft he endured great contempt but specially in his death he died the shamefull death of the crosse hanged betweene two thieues both before and after his execution so many reproches and contempts were done to him as no Chronicle can remember the like euer done to any malefactor The whole band of the soldiers being called together clothed him with purple platted a crowne of thornes and put it about his head and began to salute him Haile King of the Iewes and smit him on the head with a reed and did spit vpon him and bowing their knees worshipped him as the holy Euangelist recordeth Mar. 15. 16. 19 We haue known many notorious traitors and other malefactors executed as for example the gunpowder-traitors in whose death all good subiects had cause to reioyce but did you euer know any so reproched and insulted ouer in their death as Christ was In which respect the Prophet saith of him Esa. 53. 2. He had no forme nor beauty he was despised and reiected of men we hid as it were our faces from him he was despised and we esteemed him not and himselfe complained in the person of Dauid that was a type of him Psal. 22. 6. I am a worme and not a man a shame of men and the contempt of the people And why did God powre this contempt on his own Son Surely to deliuer vs from that shame and confusion that did iustly belong vnto vs To vs belongeth confusion of face O Lord to vs belongeth confusion of face saith the Prophet Dan. 9. 7 8. So that in this also it may seeme the Lord hath respected and loued vs aboue his owne Son 4. He made him to be sinne which knew no sinne 2 Cor. 5. 21. As if from the soale of his foot to the crowne of his head nothing had beene whole on him but wounds and swellings and sores full of corruption as the Prophet speakes in another case Esa. 1. 6. imputing to him and as it were clothing him with all the drunkennesses adulteries murders blasphemies of all the Elect througout the world And why did he thus make him sinne surely to make vs free from all sinne thas we might be made the righteousnesse of God in him 2 Cor. 5. 21. So that in this also it may seeme the Lord hath respected and loued vs more then him 5. Lastly he made him a curse for vs Gal. 3. 13. so as for a time nothing could be seene on him but the curse of God no signe of his fauour at all He was in the garden in such sorrow and feare as that he was faine to desire poore weake men to watch with him Mat. 26. 36. and that he shed many teares cryed out and roared with strong cryes Heb. 5. 7. and sweat water and bloud Luke 23. 44. and vpon the Crosse the curse of God was so heauy vpon him that he cryed Mat. 27. 46. My God my God why hast thou forsaken me so that that which is said in another case of the Church Lam. 1. 12. that might our Sauiour haue said at that time Behold and see if there be any sorrow like vnto my sorrow which is done vnto me wherewith the Lord hath afflicted me in the day of his fierce wrath And why was hee thus accursed Surely he was made a curse for vs that the blessing of Abraham might come vpon vs saith the Apostle Gal. 3. 13 14. he endured the sorrowes and terrours of hell that we might be brought to the ioyes of heauen So that in this also it may seeme the Lord hath respected and loued vs more then his owne Sonne Let no man thinke that I haue strayned my selfe to amplifie this matter more then needed no if I had The tongues of men and Angels I were not able suficiently to expresse vnto you the loue of God to man in bestowing this gift and therefore the Apostle saith the Angels wonder at and desire to pry into this mysterie 1. Pet 1. 12. Yea the Prophet saith that the Lord himselfe a wondring at his own loue in this gift shall call Christs name wonderfull Esa. 9 6. The Lord might haue forborne to create vs or when we were created he could haue preserued vs from falling and when we were fallen he could without this cost this gift and price haue redeemed vs but then he should not sufficiently enough haue declared his loue to mankind The second reason whereby this may appeare to be the greatest of all
gifts is in respect of the benefit we receiue by the gift and the fruits and consequents of it For first whereas all worldly benefits yea and many excellent gifts of Gods spirit also a man may enioy and perish with them as Esau Saul and Iudas did this whosoeuer receiueth can neuer perish Iob. 3. 16. whosoeuer beleeueth in him shall not perish but haue life euerlasting 2. All other gifts and benefits proceed from this as from their fountaine or else they are no blessings nor can doe vs any good Earthly blessings we haue no title to neither can they doe vs any good without wee haue him also and them for him and his sake him hath he appointed heire of all things saith the Apostle Heb. 12. and God hath created them to be receiued with thanksgiuing saith he 1. Tim. 4. 3 of them which beleeue and know the truth nor spiritual blessings neither he hath blessed vs with all spirituall blessings in heauenly places in Christ saith Paul Eph. 1. 3. in which respect also the Apostle saith that for all blessings we must giue thankes to God the Father by him Col. 3. 17. and Heb. 13. 15. By him let vs offer the sacrifice of prayse to God continually 3. If we haue this gift we may be sure neuer to want any other blessing that shall be good for vs how shall he not with him also saith the Apostle Rom. 8. 32 freely giue vs all things and so saith our Sauiour also Mat. 6. 33. seeke you first the Kingdome of God and his righteousnes and all these things shall be added vnto you The third reason whereby this may appeare to be the greatest of all gifts is in respect of the freenesse of this gift This giues great price and value to euery gift the more free it is the more it is esteemed Now of all the gifts that euer God bestowed vpon man this was the freest gift First nothing neither the good workes he fore-saw we should doe nor the faith he fore-saw we should haue mooued him at the first to finde out this way for our saluation and to purpose to bestow this gift vpon vs but his owne good pleasure onely and free grace He predestinated vs vnto the adoption of children by Iesus Christ vnto himselfe saith the Apostle Ephe. 1. 5. according to the good pleasure of his will 2. Nothing mooued him to giue and bestow this gift vpon vs but his owne good pleasure and free grace for what was there in them vpon whom he bâ—…stowed it to deserue it by Consider who they were He bestowed not his gift onely vpon some rare persons for their pietie and holinesse as Abraham Iob Mary though if he had it had beene free enough for there was nothing in them to deserue it but vpon vs all Rom. 8. 32. vpon the world Ioh. 3. 16. and what could there be in the world to deserue such a gift 〈◊〉 Ioh. 5. 19. The whole world lies in wickednesse It is therefore to be obserued that the Lord that the freenesse of this gift might be the better acknowledged sent his Sonne at that time when all things in the Church and Common-wealth amongst his owne people were most corrupt and out of order This greatly amplifies the loue of God in this gift Rom. 5. 8. God commendeth his loue towards vs in that when we were yet sinners and enemies also ver 10. Christ died for vs. Thirdly nothing he requires at our hands for the making of this gift our owne but onely that we should feele the need of it and receiue it at his hands He cryes Esa. 55. 1. Hoe euery one that thirsteth come and Ioh. 1. 12. as many as receiued him to them he gaue power to become the Sons of God The Vse of this doctrine is First to teach vs not to rest contented nor to blesse our selues in any blessing or token of Gods fauour we haue receiued till we be assured that God hath giuen vs his owne Sonne This is the only sound cause of ioy Esa. 9. 3. 6. esteeme basely of all other things in comparison of this as Paul did Phil. 3. 8. no other blessing may giue vs iust cause of ioy but this onely Luke 10. 20. in this reioyce not c. but rather reioyce because your names c. for this is the onely certaine and infallible argument of Gods fauour no outward thing can assure thee of it No man knoweth either loue or hatred by all that is before them all things come alike to all saith Salomon Eccl. 9. 1 2. Esau had all outward blessings in farre greater plenty then Iacob had and yet as it is said Mal. 1. 3. Rom. 9. 13. God hated him Then onely shall we be truly thankefull to God and loue him heartily when we can be perswaded he hath so loued vs as to redeeme vs by his Sonne from hell when we can say to him as Dauid doth Psal. 86. 12 13. I will praise thee Oh Lord my God with all mine heart and I will glorifie thy Name for euermore For great is thy mercy toward me and thou hast deliuered my soule from the lowest hell 2. To confirme vs against desperation Hath the Lord so loued the world that he gaue his Sonne to that end that whosoeuer c. not excepting nor excluding thee but offering him vniuersally Iohn 3 16. 2. Yea commanded that to thee in particular in the Ministery of the Gospel he should be offered Marke 16. 15. Preach the Gospell saith he to euery creature 3. Yea commanded thee in particular to beleeue that he belongs to thee that he dyed for thee 1. Iohn 3. 23. This is his commandement that we should beleeue c. 4. Requiring nothing at thy hands to make this gift thine owne but onely to accept and take it at his hands Iohn 1. 12. 5. So desirous that thou mayst haue the benefit of this gift that he hath reuealed in his word that of all thy sins and rebellions he takes this for the worst and accounteth it the most hainous if thou wilt not beleeue and take this gift of him The Holy Ghost shall conuince the world saith our Sauiour himselfe Iohn 16. 9. Of sinne because they beleeue not on me and wilt thou yet doubt that he loueth thee not wilt not thou beleeue that he meaneth as he sayeth and that in this inestimable loue of his he had respect vnto thee as well as vnto any other 3. To teach vs to inquire how we may know that this gift belongeth to vs the rather because it is certaine it belongs not to all Iohn 17. 9. I pray not for the world no not to all that pretend title to it and seeme very that it is theirs Mat. 7. 21. Not euery one that saith Lord Lord shall enter into the Kingdome of heauen Three notes we shall try by whether we haue indeed receiued this gift 1. No man ordinarily comes to Christ till the law hath schooled him and brought
10. 2. But he that knoweth Christ aright cannot chuse but feele in himselfe the want of grace and earnestly desire it See the proofe of this in the description our Sauiour maketh of a true Christian Mat 5. 3. 6. he is poore in spirit he mourneth for that he is meekned and humbled thereby he hungreth and thirsteth after righteousnesse and in the experience of all that haue best knowne Christ and haue been most assured of Gods fauour in him Dauid knew Christ well and see what want of grace he felt in himselfe and the desire hee had of it As the Hart brayeth for the riuers of water so panteth my soule after thee O God Psal. 42. 1. Paul knew Christ well and see the feeling he had of the want of grace in himselfe and desire he had to it To will is present with me saith he Rom. 7. 18. q d. I would faine doe better I would faine haue more grace and verse 24. ô wretched man that I am who shall deliuer me from the body of this death q d. how faine would I be deliuered from this corruption that cleaueth so vnto me And Phil. 3. 10. he professeth his earnest desire was to know Christ and the power of his resurrection that is to know him better and better euery day The reason why men that before felt no want of grace in themselues when once they know Christ aright feâ—…le the want of nothing so much hunger and thirst after nothing so much as Gods grace is this that 1. their regeneration as well as their knowledge is vnperfect 1. Cor. 13. 9. 2. The true knowledge of God is like vnto the light yea to a maruallous light 1. Pet. 2. 9. and the nature of light is to discouer and make all things manifest Eph. 5. 13. and consequently they that haue most grace and sauing knowledge in them must needs discerne better the want of grace in themselues then they that want grace can doe The vse of the Doctrine is first to kindle in vs a desire of sauing knowledge and an earnest endeauour to obtaine it by the vse of all the good meanes God hath appointed For first as a man can haue no assurance of his Election till he feele that the Lord doth effectually call and conuert him and so execute his eternall decree of electing him within himselfe so this is one of the first works of Gods grace whereby a man shall perceiue that he is actually elected when God workes knowledge in him and an endeauour to increase in knowledge Hos. 6. 2. After two dayes he will reuine vs and in the third day he will set vs vp and we shall liue in his sight ver 3. Then shall wee haue knowledge and endeauour our selues to know the Lord Hast thou no knowledge no endeauour after knowledge surely God hath not yet begun to reuiue thee but thou remainest dead in thy sinnes Psal. 67. 1. 2. When God once begins to be mercifull vnto vs and to cause his face to shine vpon vs then shall his wayes and sauing health be made knowne vnto vs. 2 Knowledge is the foundation of all other graces if our faith zeale loue c. be grounded vpon knowledge they will last and abide as the house built vpon the rocke but if we haue neuer so good and holy affections they will be of no continuance vnlesse they be grounded vpon knowledge yea proportionable to the measure of sauing knowledge is the durablenesse and comfort of all other graces 2. Pet. 1. 2. Grace and peace be multiplyed to you by the knowledge of God and of Iesus Christ our Lord ver 3. According as his diuine power hath giuen vs all things that pertaine vnto life and godlinesse through the knowledge of him that hath called vs vnto glorie and vertue That is the reason of this feruent prayer Paul makes Col. 2. 2. That their hearts might be comforted and they knit together in loue and in all riches of the full assurance of vnderstanding to know the mysterie of God the Father and of Christ. So that if thou endeauour not to increase in knowledge all thy good affections will vanish as the morning deaw when they should stand tâ—…ee in most stead 3. Knowledge bringeth with it all other sauing graces so that he that hath true and sanctified knowledge shall be sure to want no grace that is needfull for his saluation Iohn 17. 3. This is life eternall to know thee In which respect you shall see how singular a blessing and token of Gods fauour Dauid esteemed the knowledge of the word to be by his so frequent and feruent prayers he makes to God for it Psal. 25. 4. 5. 8. 9. 12. 14. and in sundry other places of the Psalmes What shall we say to them then that care not for knowledge vse no means to obtaine it read not heare not or if they do doe it not ordinarily or iâ—…â—…hey do that doe it not with any care to profit in knowledge by that they heare or read surely they are far from saluation as Dauid pronounceth Psal. 119. 155. and how well soeuer they think of themselues the Holy Ghost pronounceth them to be prophane Atheists and contemners of God They that doe thus professe in their liues that they desire not the knowledge of his wayes they haue said in their hearts vnto God Depart from vs who is the Almighty that we should serue him Iob. 21. 14. 15. 2. Vse is for them that perswade themselues they haue knowledge that seeing we haue heard there is a knowledge that is common to many a reprobate and will doe a man no good but much hurt and there is a knowledge that is proper to the elect and a certaine signe of Gods fauour and vnchangeable loue that therefore we rest not in this that wee haue knowledge but seeke for sauing and sanctified knowledge and examine our selues well whether we haue yet attained to this knowledge that accompanieth saluation yea or no. I will therefore giue you out of Gods word certaine notes whereby you may discerne it and they may be referred to three heads for sauing knowledge the knowledge of the elect may be discerned from the knowledge that may be in the reprobate 1. By the efficient causes 2. By the effects 3. By the properties of it The efficient causes of it are foure 1. The Spirit of God is the onely worker of it no wit nor meanes nor studie can worke it but the Spirit of God is the onely worker of it Iohn 6. 45. it is written they shall be taught of God And in that respect no man is capable of it but he that hath the Spirit of God Psal. â—…5 4. The secret of the Lord is with them that feare him and he will shew them his Couenant 2. It is not attained but by the hearing of the word ordinarily By reading and other meanes I deny not but a man may attaine to a great measure of
knowledge but the least measure of sauing knowledge of that knowledge that may yeeld him sound comfort no man can ordinarily attaine to but by hearing 1. Cor. 1. 21. It hath pleased God by the foolishnesse of preaching to saue men The glory of the Lord his power and iustice sufficient to make vs to feare him seruilely may be seene elsewhere but the beauty of the Lord which may make him amiable to vs the comfortable knowledge of God is to be seene no where but in the Temple and in this ordinance of his the ministery of his word Psal 27. 4. 3. It is gotten by earnest prayer the man that neuer prayeth may attaine to knowledge but say he haue the best means the best ministry he shall neuer attain to the least measure of sanctified knowledge if he vse not to pray heartily for Gods blessing vpon the meanes Prou. 2. 3. 5. If thou cryest after knowledge then shalt thou vnderstand c. that made Dauid to cry to God so earnestly for this Psal. 119. 18. 4. It is confirmed by experience Psal 119. 140. thy Word is proued most pure and thy seruant loueth it Rom. 12. 2. Be ye changed by the renewing of your mind that ye may proue what that good and acceptable and perfect will of God is This is that knowledge Iob got by his afflictions Iob 42. 5. Now mine eyes seeth thee saith hee This is that spoken of Ier. 32. 8. Then I knew that this was the word of the Lord he knew before but experience now added to the certainty of his knowledge The effects whereby sauing knowledge is to be discerned from the other are three 1. It puffeth not vp a man as other knowledge doth 1. Cor. 8. 2. but makes him to haue a lowly conceit of himselfe because he discerneth much more ignorance then knowledge in himselfe The cause why the Laodiceans were so well conceited of themselues was for that their eyes were not opened Apoc. 3. 17 18. Experience sheweth this to be true in the best of Gods seruants and such as haue most profited by the word they are humble minded and euer complaining of their owne ignorance surely I am more brutish then any man saith Agur Pro. 30. 2. 3. and haue not the vnderstanding of a man I haue neither learned wisdome nor haue the knowledge of the holy 2. It resteth not in the braine but worketh vpon the heart and affections Esa. 51. 7. Ye people that know righteousnesse in whose heart is my law This light is not like that of the Moone but of the Sunne that not onely giueth light but warmeth and quickneth euery thing Paul prayeth their loue might abound in all knowledge and in all feeling or iudgment Phil. 1. 9. No man truely knowes God with a sanctified knowledge but he loues him also and thus are these two graces coupled together Psal. 91. 14. Because he hath set his loue vpon me thereforewill I deliuer him I wil set him on high because he hath knowne my name No man truely knowes God with a sanctified knowledge but he also putteth his trust in him Psal. 9 10. They that know thy name will put their trust in thee 3. It worketh reformation of heart and life Iob 28. 28. To depart from euill is vnderstanding 1. Ioh. 2. 3. Hereby we are sure that we know him if we keepe his commandements and verse 4. He that saith I know him and keepeth not his commandements is a lyer and verse 11. He that hateth his brother is in darknesse and walketh in darknes and knoweth not whither he goeth because that darknesse hath blinded his eyes Therefore it is said of the sonnes of Eli 1. Sam 2. 12. That they knew not God 4. It makes men strong to resist and stand against temptations Prou. 24. 5. A wise man is strong yea a man of knowledge increaseth his strength The properties of sauing and sanctified knowledge are two 1. It is cleare and certaine not confused and doubtfull 1. Cor. 2. 15. He that is spirituall iudgeth all things yet he himselfe is iudged of no man he is soe certaine that no contrary iudgement or censure of any man can make him to alter his iudgement So 1. Ioh. 2. 27. Ye need not that any man teach you but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things 2. There is no satiety in it but the more a man hath of it the more he doth desire it As a new borne babe saith the Apostle 1. Pet. 2. 3 he desireth the sincere milke of the word that he may grow thereby A wise man saith Salomon Pro. 1. 5. wil heare and wil increase learning Apollo Acts. 18. 24. 26. though he were already mighty in the scriptures and able to teach diligently the things of the Lord yet was glad to haue the way of the Lord taught and expounded vnto him more perfectly by Aquila Priscilla And how earnest is Dauid himselfe a man indued with more then an ordinary measure of knowledge as appeares by that which he saith of himselfe Psal. 119. 69 100. yet how earnest I say is he oft with God that he would giue him more knowledge Psal 119. 18. 26. 27. Euery thing by nature doth desire to increase in that good wherewith it is already indued yea the more it hath of it the more it doth desire because it feeleth so much the more the sweetnes of it as so we see that none are so desirous of riches as the richest of knowledge as the best learned And so is it in sauing and sanctified knowledge also he that hath it indeed cannot choose but desire to increase it THE SIXT LECTVRE ON MARCH VII MDCVIII IOH. IIII. XI XII The woman saith vnto him Sir thou hast nothing to draw with and the Well is deepe from whence then hast thou that liuing water Art thou greater then our father Iacob which gaue vs the Well and dranke thereof himselfe and his children and his cattell WE haue heard in the former Verse how our Sauiour did take occasion vpon this Womans refusall to giue him a little water to drinke both to make himselfe knowne vnto her and to speake and make offer vnto her of a better water that he had to bestow vpon her In these words is set downe a reply that the woman maketh vnto this speech of his for she not vnderstanding his meaning but thinking that he had spoken of materiall water reasoneth against him after this manner The water thou speakest of is either the water of this Well or some other better then this but I cannot see how thou shouldest giue me any of the water of this Well because thou hast nothing to draw with and the Well is deepe And as for any other water that is better then this I cannot see how thou shouldest come by it for Iacob our father gaue vs this Well and this was the best water he could giue for it was the same that himselfe and his children and his cattell did
especially that want yeares or such other means of learning should do any great good that they cannot belieue See this in Christs country-men Mat. 13. 55. 57. They were offended at him and could not honour him as they ought because they knew the meannesse of his parentage and education This doctrine serueth first generally to exhort euery one of vs to take notice of this vile corruption in our selues and to striue against it Take heed brethren saith the Apostle Heb. 3. 12. least there be in any of you an euill heart of vnbeliefe Consider with thy selfe 1. Thou canst haue no comfort in God vnlesse thou haue faith Heb. 11. 6. Without faith it is impossible to please him 2. Though it may seeme an easie thing to belieue while thou art in peace and in abundance of all good means of comfort as Papists say this is too easie a way to be the right way to heauen thou wilt find it hard in the time of extremity when that euill day shall come which the Apostle speaks of Eph. 6. 13. Of all things that God hath commanded vs this most needeth the mighty hand of God and the exceeding greatnesse of his power to make vs able to performe it and so speakes the Apostle of it Eph. 1. 19. 3. Thou hast no true faith vnlesse thou canst belieue whatsoeuer God hath said or if thou do distrust the Lord when the meanes do faile Be not therefore too well perswaded of the strength of thy faith but pray and vse all other meanes to get it increased in thee and to haue the infidelity of thy heart subdued more and more The remedy and means for the subduing of it is the consideration of these three points 1. That which the Scripture hath reuealed touching the omnipotency of God Gen. 18. 14. Shall any thing be hard to the Lord ler. 32. 27. I am the Lord God of all flesh is there any thing too hard for me The Lord can do more then he will doe he can of stones raise vp children vnto Abraham Mat. 3. 9. Christ could by prayer haue obtained of his Father more then twelue legions of Angels to rescue him from his enemies Mat. 26. 53. God could haue kept Christ from drinking the cup of his wrath for vs Mar. 14. 36. Yet may no man build on Gods power nor can haue true comfort in it or say God can do this or that if it please him vnlesse he haue his reuealed will to build vpon as well as his omnipotency The Papists in their doctrine of the reall presence and many carnall Protestants in their contempt of the ordinary means are grossely mistaken in this point Therefore the faithfull professing the comfort they tooke in the faith of Gods power vse to ioyne his power and his truth or faithfulnesse together as Psal. 89. 8. O Lord God of hosts who is a strong God like vnto thee or to thy faithfulnesse round about thee And where we haue his word and promise for any thing we may build vpon it and be fully assured that he will performe it be it neuer so vnlike because he is able to do it Thus is the strong faith of Abraham commended by the Apostle Rom. 4. 21. He was fully perswaded that what God had promised he was able also to performe And thus doth Dauid magnifie and set forth the omnipotency of God Psal. 115. 3. Our God is in the heauens he hath done whatsoeuer he pleased See this proued by sundry plaine experiments for of this truth we may say as Psal. 119. 140. Thy word is proued most pure by good experience therefore thy seruant loueth it And these experiments are to be obserued in three points 1. He hath done mighty things by very weak means By three hundred he ouerthrew the huge host of the Midianites and Amalakites who were like Grashoppers in multitude and their Camels without number Iudg 6. 7. 12. 2. He hath done mighty things without any naturall and ordinary means he ouerthrew the mighty wals of Iericho and deliuered the City into his peoples hands onely by the blowing of trumpets of Rams hornes and the shouting of the people Iosh. 6. 20. which made Asa cry to him 2. Chro. 14. 11. It is nothing for thee to helpe with many or with no power 3. He hath done mighty things when all meanes haue seemed as it were to be armed against him and quite contrary to the nature of ordinary means that he might shew himselfe to be indeed the Lord of Hosts as in the case of Israels passing through the Red Sea Exo. 14. 21. 22. And in the preseruation both of the three noble Iewes in the fiery fornace Dan. 3. 27. and of Daniel in the Lions den Dan. 6. 22. 2. To consider how highly God is prouoked with this sinne Psal. 78. 21. 22. 22. 40. 41. They prouoked and grieued him how by tempting and limiting him when Elisha had said To morrow a measure of fine flower should be sold for a shekell because the Prince did but say Though the Lord would make windowes in heauen could this thing come to passe The Prophet in Gods name threatned he should see it for increase of his miserie but not taste of it and so it came to passe for he died a strange and base death 2. King 7. 19. 20. When Zachary a man iust before God and one of whose tongue God might haue had more vse then of many others did but make a doubt vpon this ground he was smitten dumbe for forty weekes Luke 1. 20. Moses and Aaron for doubting vpon this ground also of Gods promise see how seuerely they were punished for it Num. 20. 12. 3. The consideration of the nature of this sinne for as faith is the root of all other good things in vs It is that that purifieth the heart Act. 15. 9. It is that that setteth loue and euery grace on worke faith worketh by loue saith the Apostle Gal. 5. 6. It is that whereby in our whole conuersation we are enabled to liue a holy life The iust shall liue by his faith saith the Prophet Hab. 2. 4. And there is nothing wherein we so much giue glory to God as by our faith Rom. 4. 20. Num. 20. 12. So on the other side nothing so much corrupteth the heart of man as infidelity doth no sinne that we can commit doth the Lord so great dishonour as when we do thus limit him and cannot trust him further then we see him Ioh. 5. 10. He that belieueth not hath made him a lyer And what greater disgrace can you put vpon any man then to giue him the lie Infidelity as it was the first sinne whereby Satan deceiued and poisoned mankind he called Gods truth in question and sought to bring them into a doubt of it Gen. 3. 4. so is it the root of all other our sinnes whereby we depart from God Heb. 3. 12. Therefore doth our Sauiour mention it as the only sinne that the
temptation Matth. 26. 41. And Esay 33. 15. It is made the note of a man that hath a sound heart and may haue boldnesse with God that he stops his eare from hearing of bloud that is from hearing of that that might prouoke him to shed bloud and shutteth his eyes from seeing of euill The Apostle giues no hope to any Christian that he shall be able to resist in the euill day and to stand fast to the end vnlesse he take to him the whole armour of God Ephes. 6. 13. There is not the best man that you know but he would proue as bad as the worst man you know if he should keepe such company as he doth and neglect the meanes of grace as he doth I doe not say that euery one that hath tentations to sin must needs be a wicked man There be some places and conditions of life that God hath called men vnto wherein they haue fewer meanes of grace and stronger tentations to euill then they should haue in other callings Now the faithfull haue a promise from God to preserue them from such tentations as are incident to their lawfull calling and which they cannot auoid vnlesse they would forsake their calling Psalm 91. 11 12. Hee shall giue his Angels charge ouer thee to keepe thee in all thy waies seeme they neuer so dangerous and full of tentation they shall beare thee in their hands that thou hurt not thy foot against a stone Pro. 10. 29. The way of the Lord is strength to the vpright man The man whose heart is vpright shall finde strength enough against euery tentation while he is in the Lords way 2. Chron. 15. 3. While wee are with him hee will bee with vs we may be sure This is the reason why Ioseph continued so religious and chaste euen in Putiphars house Gen. 39. 10. And Obadiah in Ahabs house 1. King 18. 3. And diuers of Neroes houshold seruants were the most zealous Christians that were in all Rome Phil. 4. 22. Therefore the Apostle chargeth Christian women and seruants that they should not forsake their husbands and masters that were Infidells 1. Cor. 7. 13. 21. All these doubtlesse had slender meanes of grace and strong tentations to euill and yet they were not corrupted Why so Because they did not wittingly neglect any meanes of grace neither did they willingly runne into tentation but shunned them and auoided them as much as they were able without forsaking their callings and because they were in Gods way they were vnder his protection But on the contrary such as wittingly presuming on their owne streugth doe runne into tentation and neglect the meanes God hath appointed to preserue them such are out of Gods protection and can haue no assurance to be preserued but it is iust with God to leaue such to themselues that they may fall into most fearefull sinnes See two notable examples of this Salomon presumed he was too wise and learned to be corrupted in Religion by any of his wiues he would be abled to conuert them rather and make good women of them but see how God forsooke him and how strangely he fell 1. King 11. 4. His wiues turned his heart after other gods Peter presumed he had that loue to Christ as though all men should be offended at him yet would he neuer be offended Matth. 26. 33. In so much as though Christ foretold him that he would deny him thrice he could not beleeue it verse 33. Though I should die with thee yet would I not denie thee In this presumption of his he ranne into tentation verse 58. He went into the High Priests hall and sate there with his seruants but see how God left him to himselfe and how fearefully he fell vers 72. 74. It is certaine then that they that presuming on their owne strength dare venture vpon any tentation to vncleanenesse vse not the meanes that God hath prescribed to preserue men from it they doe not feare this sin they do not hate it as they ought to doe If any desire to know what be the tentations and prouocations to this sinne that we must shun and what be the meanes we must vse to preserue vs from it I answer that I finde in the Word seuen speciall things prescribed to them that desire to keepe themselues from this sin 1. He that would keepe himselfe from this sinne must shunne all wantonnesse and dalliance yea all chambering and secret familiarity with women This is forbidden as a worke of darknesse and dishonesty by Gods expresse commandement Rom. 13. 13. Let vs walke honestly as in the day not in chambering and wantonnesse Many are wont to say may not a man doe so much and yet be honest enough I beseech you marke the words well and consider they are not my words but the Holy Ghosts When Abimelech saw Isaac in a secret place sporting with Rebecca he concluded from thence certainely She is thy wife Gen. 26. 8 9. He knew that such a one as Isaac durst not haue vsed such familiarity with another woman no not with his sister It is said of Ioseph that he shunn'd the company of Putiphars wife he would not be with her alone Gen. 39. 10. This is a strange precisenesse will some say Well let him that is sure he hath more strength then Ioseph had giue himselfe more liberty in this case then Ioseph durst doe But you know the Prouerbe who is so bold as blind Bayard who so venterous as he that hath least strength and because most men and women are so confident that this may be done without hurt I beseech you marke what the Holy Ghost who knew what the force of this tentation is and what our strength is better then any of vs doth speaketh of this matter Pro. 6. 29. He that goeth in to his neighbours wife shall not be innocent whosoeuer toucheth her Why what hurt is there in going into her chamber sitting with her in secret touching her He shall not be innocent saith the Holy Ghost yea it is as impossible saith he for any to do this and not to receiue hurt by it as it is for one to carry fire in his bosome or to goe barefoot on hot coales and not be burnt Pro. 6. 27 28. 2. He that would keepe himselfe from this sin must take heed to his eye and not giue it too much liberty to looke on euery thing that it desireth to behold that which he knowes will or may set his heart on fire When a City is besieged by an enemy the chiefe care is to looke to the gates and to fortifie the walls because he is with much more ease and safety resisted while he is without then he can be when he is entred into the City The gate whereat vsually this enemy of ours lust seeketh to enter is the eye Nothing doth more kindle this fire then the beholding of vncleane pictures reading of idle books setting the eye vpon the beauty of wanton women The Apostle
such a one as he can find in his heart to loue and delight in aboue any other he shall neuer be able to keepe himselfe chaâ—…t reioyce with the wife of thy youth let her be as the louing Hinde and pleasant Roe let her brests satisfie thee at all times and be thou rauished alway with her loue And why wilt thou my sonne be rauished with a strange woman and embrace the bâ—…some of a stranger saith the wisedome of God you see it is not so much the hauing of a wife as the hauing of her and delighting in her that is the meanes that God hath sanctified to preserue a man from whoredome Pro. 5. 18 19 20. And that is the chiefe cause why the Popish Clergy through the iust iudgement of God doth so abound in all vnnaturall vncleanenesse because they doe not onely forbeare marriage but binde themselues by vow against it and condemne it in their doctrine and both thinke and speake dishonourably of it Lecture the One and twenty August 8. 1609. WE haue oft heard that these words from the 16. verse to the 18. do offer vnto our consideration foure principall points 1. That our Sauiour thirsting after the saluation of this poore Woman discouereth vnto her her sin and nothing he had said before to her could worke vpon her conscience till he tooke this course with her 2. That the sinne he discouereth to her was a secret sinne vnknowne to all men 3. That among all the secret or open sinnes which he knew by her when he would touch and awaken her conscience he makes choice of the Fornication she liued in and chargeth her onely with that 4. That though he knew she liued in so hainous a sinne he reiects her not for all that The three first points we haue already spoken of it remaineth now that we come to the last though he knew she liued in so hainous a sinne he reiects her not for it From whence that we may the better receiue that comfortable instruction which the Holy Ghost intendeth to giue vs in this example Let vs consider 1. What a manner of person this Woman was 2. The gracious respect Christ had vnto her Shee was 1. An Idolater and what sinne is more odious to God then Idolatry 2. She was an Idolater of that nation which of all others was most odious to Gods people Among them it was the most odious tearme of reproach to call one a Samaritan Iohn 8. 48. 3. She was a filthy harlot And yet see how Christ respected her 1. He seekes her conuersion 2. He beares with her blockishnesse and frowardnesse in reiecting that offer of grace hee made vnto her and giues her not ouer for that 3. When he saw there was no way to doe her good but by charging her conscience with the sin she liued in he doth it most gently and louingly for feare of discouraging of her he called her not harlot but onely intimates to her that hee knew how shee liued and that in most secret manner also while his Disciples were away and no body by but they two onely Now then the Doctrine that we learne from hence is this That the sinnes of Gods Elect how many or how hainous soeuer they be cannot hinder their saluation nor separate them from the loue of God after they once repent of them Before I confirme this vnto you three things are to be promised to preuent the mistaking of this Doctrine 1. It is certaine God hates all sinne in all men as well in the Elect as in the Reprobate with a perfect and infinite hatred aboue that that any tongue can expresse or heart conceiue of Hab. 1. 13. Thou art of pure eyes and canst not see euill thou canst not behold wickednesse 2. If any of Gods owne people fall into grosse and scandalous sinnes he is wont to correct and scourge them shapely for them Dauid may be an example of this 2. Sam. 12. 10 11. 3. He is wont to beare lesse with his owne people in this life then hee doth with the wicked and to correct them for such small faults as he vseth to passe ouer in the vngodly Amos 3. 2. You onely haue I knowne of all the families of the earth therefore will I visit you for all your iniquities Moses did but omit and delay the circumcision of his child and the Lord met him and would haue slaine him for it Exod. 4. 24. Yet can no sinne of Gods Elect how hainous soeuer cause God to hate or reiect them though he hate sinne in them he cannot hate them for sin though he correct and scourge them for sinne yet he cannot hate them for sinne but notwithstanding their sins be neuer so many neuer so hainous he loueth them neuer the lesse with the loue of a father with a most tender and vnspeakeable loue The truth of this Doctrine may appeare vnto vs in foure principall points 2. He is neuer a whit the more vnwilling to offer his grace vnto them and to seeke their conuersion for any hainous sinne they liued in before their calling 2. He thinkes neuer a whit the worse of them for that they haue beene or for any sins they haue liued in before their conuersion after once they haue repented of them 3. He likes neuer the worse of the good workes done by them after their conuersion because of the corruption that is mingled with them 4. He makes their very sinnes turne to their good and to the furtherance of their saluation Of these foure point I will speake in order as briefely as I can For the first Mans reason can conceiue cause why God should haue some respect vnto vs after our conuersion but that he should regard vs so farre as to seeke our saluation with such endeauour care and patience when we were vtterly without grace children of wrath enemies to all goodnesse specially so notorious sinners as many of vs were this argueth a speciall and wonderfull loue indeed and yet so he did What a one was Paul one that breathed out threatnings and slaughter against the Disciples of the Lord Acts 9. 1. one that was not a blasphemer and threatner himselfe and iniurious that is such a one as cared not what wrong he did the faithfull though he had no colour of right or law for that he did against them 1. Tim. 1. 13. But one that did also counsell others to blaspheme the name of Christ against their own knowledge and consciences Acts 26. 11. And what were those whom Christ shewed most kindnesse vnto most care to winne Surely the most notorious and infamous sinners that liued in the world See this here in the example of this woman see it also in another woman an infamous and notorious sinner Luke 7. 39. see it Matth. 9. 10. Many Publicans and Sinners came and sate downe with him at Matthewes feast Insomuch as lewd hypocrites tooke great offence at this Matth. 9. 11. 11. 19. Luk. 7. 39. 15.
that we may truely say that though we our selues are bound to account the corruption that remaineth in vs an intolerable burden which we must be continually humbled for and groane vnder and striue to lessen and desire to be eased of as the Apostle did Rom. 7. 24. because our most holy and heauenly Father is grieued and offended by it and because it is euer budding and bringing forth in vs such fruits as are most bitter vnto vs and breed vs much woe yet the infinite wisedome and power and goodnesse of our God maketh this a great benefit to vs that we are not in this life perfectly regenerated but that the Lord suffers sinne to dwell in vs so long as we abide in this tabernacle If any man shall demand of me the reasons of this Doctrine the cause why the Lord should thus loue his Elect and be so partiall towards them that though he hates sinne in all and hates the Reprobate and damnes them for their sinne yet he hates not his Elect for their sinnes but loues them euen before there is any grace in them at all euen before they haue repented of their sinnes I can giue no other reason of it but his own good will and pleasure onely he hath mercy on whom he will haue mery saith the Apostle Rom. 9. 18. and Ephes. 1. 11. He worketh all things after the counsell of his owne will And in this it becommeth euery mortall man to rest without inquiry any further and to say with the holy Apostle Rom. 9. 21 22. Hath not the Potter power ouer the clay What if God will doe thus 2. The respect God hath to the Sonne of his loue to whom he gaue them before the world was He hath chosen vs in him saith the Apostle Ephes. 1. 4. before the foundation of the world and verse 6. He hath made vs accepted in his beloued Now of this Doctrine I may say as the Prophet doth in another case Esay 28. 9. To whom shall we teach this Doctrine Who is fit to heare and receiue it The Apostle speakes of some that stumble at the Word 1. Pet. 2. 8. and such there haue euer beene in the Church But there is no part of the Word no truth of God that so many doe stumble at as at this Doctrine of the infinite mercy of God vnto sinners For where shall we finde a man almost that doth not abuse this Doctrine to the incouraging of himselfe to sin and to the hardening of his heart against all checke of conscience for sin yet must this doctrine so cleerely and plentifully deliuered in the holy Scripture and tending so much to the comfort of Gods people be taught though there be neuer so many wicked men that will take hurt by it The childrens bread must not be kept from them because of the dogges that will be ready to snatch it out of our hands when we breake it to them Yet before I giue the children their bread and apply this Doctrine to them vnto whom it onely belongeth I will endeauour to driue away the dogges by shewing that the profane and impenitent sinner that turnes Gods grace into wantonnesse and encourageth himselfe to sinne by the knowledge of Gods mercy hath nothing to doe with this Doctrine nor any cause at all to take comfort in it For 1. All this that is spoken in the Word of Gods mercy belongs onely to the Elect which are therfore called Uessels of mercy not to the Reprobates which are called Vessels of wrath Rom. 9. 22. 23. If thou say I may be one of Gods Elect too I answer thou mayest indeed but till thou knowest thy selfe to be so and canst finde the markes of Election in thy selfe thou canst take no comfort in this Doctrine Therefore euery where in Scripture this mercy of God is restrained to them that feare him the Scripture euery where teacheth that none else haue cause to glory in it or trust to it Psal. 118. 4. Let them that feare the Lord now say that his mercy endureth for euer And 115. 11. Ye that feare the Lord trust in the Lord. 2. This is noted by the Holy Ghost to be a fearefull signe of reprobation and that thou shalt neuer tast of Gods mercy because thou stumblest and takest occasion of being more wicked euen from the pure and holy Word of God and from the doctrine of his mercy 1. Pet. 2. 8. 3. This God whose mercy thou so much gloryest in and the doctrine of whose mercy thou dost so much abuse and Christ Iesus through whom thou trustest to finde him so mercifull will appeare vnto thee one day so terrible as thou shalt cry to the hils and rocks to fall vpon thee to hide thee from his presence Apoc. 6. 15 16. Yea this shall increase thy horrour at that day that thou hast sinned against so mercifull a God and when thou shalt discerne that he that is so infinite in mercy toward others yea haply toward such as were more notorious sinners then thy selfe hath no mercy for thee at all Luk. 13. 28. There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth when ye shall see Abraham and Isaac and Iacob and all the Prophets in the Kingdome of God and you your selues thrust out But to let them passe and to apply this Doctrine to such as to whom indeed it onely belongeth First it serueth for the vnspeakeable comfort of all such as can finde in themselues the assured tokens that they are the Elect of God And indeed this Doctrine is to such the foundation of all true comfort If thy sinne cannot hurt thee nothing can hurt thee neither prosperity nor aduersity life nor death the world nor the diuell For as sinne is the sting of death 1. Cor. 15. 56. So is it of euery other thing that thou hast cause to feare Now if thou be Gods Elect thou mayest be thus secure that though thy sins may make thee subiect to many a correction and scourge in this life yet shall they neuer bee able to separate thee from the loue of God or hinder thy eternall happinesse Euery man therefore that desireth to enioy this comfort must labour to make his election certaine to himselfe and that shall he doe by making his effectuall calling certaine to himselfe 2. Pet. 1. 10. And this is an argument of an effectuall calling when hee findes that through Gods grace he is able vnfainedly to repent of all his sinnes that is so to grieue for offending God by them that he can hate and forsake them For this grace of vnfained repentance is giuen to none but them that are of the Israel of God the Elect of God Acts 5. 31. And the departing from iniquity is made a certaine note of Election 2. Timothie 2. 19. So that if thou finde thy selfe able through Gods grace to repent of thy sinnes there is no cause thou shouldest feare damnation for thy sins or the losse of Gods fauour For if
forefathers 2. Of such as liue vnder better meanes of instruction more is required then of such as liue vnder a dumb and ignorant Ministry The Apostle sharpely reprooues the Hebrewes Chap. 5 12. for that whereas considering the time they liued in and meanes they had inioyed they ought to haue beene teachers yet had need to be taught their first principles and tells them Heb. 6. 1. 3. That vnlesse they were carefull to grow forward to perfection they were in great danger to fall into the vnpardonable sinne 3. Of such as haue more leisure and fewer distractions through worldly businesse God requires a greater measure of knowledge then of others That which the Apostle speakes of vnmarried persons holds good proportion with Gentlemen and others that by reason of their estates are freed from that toyle in worldly businesse that others haue 1. Cor. 7. 32. The vnmarryed careth for the things of the Lord how hee may please the Lord verse 33. He that is marryed careth for the things of the world 4. Of such as God hath giuen best naturall parts best wits and best memories vnto he requireth more knowledge then of others For that speech of Christ is generall To whomsoeuer much is giuen of him shall bee much required Luk. 12. 48. Yet remaines the Doctrine true that euery Christian of what sexe and condition soeuer is bound to seeke to be resolued and setled in the knowledge of the true Religion of God Obserue the confirmation of this Doctrine in three seuerall points 1. Euery one is bound to seeke the knowledge of the truth 1. Tim. 2. 4. God would haue all men all sorts to bee saued but how and to come to the knowledge of the truth Though the Lord be infinite in mercy yet they can haue no comfort in his mercy that haue no knowledge Esay 27. 11. It is a people of no vnderstanding therefore he that hath made them shall haue no compassion of them and he that formed them shall haue no mercy on them Say a man lead an honest and vertuous life that will not serue his turne without knowledge 2. Pet. 1. 5. Ioyne to your vertue knowledge Say a man hath a good meaning and be deuout and carefull to please God this will doe him no good without knowledge Rom. 10. 2. The Iewes had the zeale of God but it was not according to knowledge and therefore for all their zeale the wrath of God came on them to the vtmost 1. Thess. 2. 16. 2. No man is to content himselfe with some smattring or small measure of knowledge but euery one is bound to seeke for certainety and to haue a sound iudgement and setled resolution in the matters of his Religion Rom. 14. 5. Let euery man be fully perswaded in his mind that he may be able to say as Rom. 14. 14. I know and am perswaded through the Lord Iesus And Paul's prayer to God for the Colossians was and if he desired it for them they were bound to desire it for themselues that they might know the mysteries of Religion in all riches of the full assurance of vnderstanding Coloss. 2. 2. and verse 7. requireth that they would seeke to be rooted and established in the faith And Peter reports of all the faithfull he wrote to that they had knowledge and were stablished in the present truth 2. Pet. 1. 12. And 2. Pet. 3. 17. Beware least yee fall from your owne stedfastnesse verse 18. but grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord. And Paul tells the Colossians Chap. 1. 22 23. That Christ will present them holy and vnblameable vnto God if they continue in the faith grounded and setled and bee not mooued away from the hope of the Gospell Though it be not required of euery Christian to be able to answer euery thing that is obiected yet should hee be propositi tenax so sure of that truth which he hath learned out of Gods Word that nothing that is obiected by any aduersary may draw him from it 1. Cor. 2. 15. Hee that is spirituall discerneth all things and he is iudged of no man Insomuch as though the learnedst man in the world yea an Angell from heauen should obiect against it yet he would not yeeld to him Gal. 1. 8. 9. In this respect the faithfull man is compared to a tree that growes by the riuers of water and is well rooted But the hypocrite to the chaffe Psal. 1. 3 4. 3. Euery one that hath meanes is bound so farre forth to take notice of the controuersies of Religion as may serue for the setling of his owne heart in the truth 1. Cor. 14. 20. Brethren bee not children in vnderstanding but of a ripe age Phil. 1. 9 10. And this I pray that your loue may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all iudgement and verse 11. that you may allow those things that are best that you may bee pure and without offence vntill the day of Christ. It is the commandement of God to his people Ier. 6. 16. that they would stand in the waies and behold and aske for the old way which is the good way When a man seeth there are diuerse waies and broad ones too 't is not good to goe on carelessely but he should stand still and consider and behold which is the likelier way and aske of such as can direct him It would be a good confirmation to a Christian that hath meanes to direct him to compare the Doctrine of Papists with ours and the weake grounds they haue to build vpon 1. Our Religion is our chiefe inheritance Psal. 119. 111. and our glory Psal. 4. 2. Euery one seekes certaintie in his inheritance if he see any hole in his lease or euidence he will giue no rest to himselfe nor spare cost till he haue made it sure 2. It is necessary to the saluation of euery man that he professe the true Religion and be a member of the true Church For out of the true Church and Religion no man can finde assurance of saluation and comfort See the necessity of this profession Rom. 10. 10. With the mouth man confesseth to saluation Isay 44. 5. One shall say I am the Lords another shall bee called by the name of Iacob another shall subscribe with his hand to the Lord and sirname himselfe by the name of Israel Marke how the profession of the true Religion yea the very hope of saluation and ioyning to the true Church goe together So Noah desiring the saluation of Iaphets posteritie prayes that God would perswade Iaphet to dwell in the tents of Sem Gen. 9. 27. And 2. Chron. 11. 16. All such as set their hearts to seeke God came to Ierusalem So it is said God added to the Church such as should be saued Acts 2. 47. And it was Dauids comfort and glory that he was the sonne of Gods handmaid Psal. 116. 16. As if he should not else haue beene Gods seruant Therefore the true Religion
in this case they may say with Paul Rom. 7. 22. I delight in the Law of God after the inward man whereof this is a signe that they are not satisfied with ought they doe in Gods seruice if they feele not ioy and comfort in it And whatsoeuer they doe if they feele they do it with an vpright heart they reioyce in it as they did 1. Chron. 29. 9. This you shall finde obserued by the Holy Ghost and commended in Gods seruants as a notable signe of their zeale and of the vprightnes of their hearts that Gods seruice was as meate and drinke vnto them they tooke great comfort and delight in it Dauid reports that he and the rest of Gods people with him were wont to goe towards Gods house With the voice of singing and prayse as a multitude that keepeth a feast Psal. 42. 4. And so he stirres vp all Gods people to doe Psal 120. 2. Serue the Lord with gladnesse come before him with ioyfulnesse So it is said of euery part of Gods seruice that Gods people haue found ioy and comfort in it Of Abraham Isaac and Iacob it is said Heb. 11. 1â—… That when God preached the Gospell and the promises of saluation by Christ vnto them they receiued them thankefully saluted and welcomed them they ioyed in them And of three thousand that Peter conuerted it is said Acts 2. 4â—… That they receiued the word gladly That hearer heares with zeale that can doe so It is said likewise of the faithfull that they found great comfort and ioy in prayer It is said of Dauid that as in all his heauinesse and extremity his manner was to betake himselfe to prayer Psal. 109. 4 so that he was wont to find exceeding ioy and comfort in it when he maketh mention how in his great affliction he betooke himselfe to prayer Psal. 30. 8 9 10. He tells vs verse 11. what comfort he found in it Thou hast turned for me my mourning into dancing thou hast put of my sackcloath and girded me with gladnesse according to that promise made vnto the faithfull Esay 56. 7. I will make them ioyfull in my house of prayer Thus haue they ioyed also in the receiuing of the Sacrament 2. Chron. 30. 21. They kept the feast of vnleauened bread with great gladnesse which is also againe repeated ver 25 26. The like is also reported of the Passeouer that was kept in Ezraes time Ezra 6. 22. they kept the feast of vnleauened bread with ioy for the Lord had made them ioyfull Yea euen in giuing of almes for the reliefe of Gods seruants the faithfull haue found great ioy Thus the Apostle reporteth of the Macedonians 2. Cor. 8. 2. In great tryall of affliction their ioy abounded and their most extreame pouerty abounded vnto their rich liberality It was a great comfort vnto them that God had giuen them a heart to shew such loue vnto his Saints To conclude this is obserued to the praise of Gods seruants that as they were wont to come to Gods house as to a feast so were they also wont to goe away from it as from a feast refreshed and comforted in their soules They found such sound and lasting comfort in Gods House and in all the parts of Gods worship as they were wont to goe from it with ioy And the comfort they found in it wrought in them a loue vnto it and a desire to frequent it often It is said of Gods people Neh. 8. 12. that after Gods seruice was finished they shewed a great deale of ioy because they had vnderstood the words that had beene declared vnto them by the Leuites And when Dauid professeth Psol 84. 1 2. That his soul longed and euen fainted for the Courts of the Lord his heart and his flesh cryed out for the liuing God He giues this for the reason of it because he had found such sweetnesse and comfort in Gods worship and ordinances there Oh how amiable saith he are thy Tabernacles O Lord of Hosts The Vse of all this that hath beene said of this second property of true zeale is 1. For reproofe Is this a note of one that serues God with true zeale when the seruice of God is as meat and drinke vnto him when it doth him good at the heart and euen refresheth him he finds ioy and comfort in it Then surely haue we all cause of shame and humbling cause to suspect that we are no better then Laodiceans lukewarme Professors of whom I told you the last day that they are in some respect in worse state then such as are key-cold then Idolaters and men of no Religion Doe wee come to Gods House as to a feast Truely some do some goe further to a Sermon and with more gladnesse of heart then euer they did to a feast But the most goe to Gods house as vnto ward children goe to Schoole or as malefactours that are vnder baile goe vnto the Assises they must needs goe but they goe with no ioy 2. Can we say we haue found comfort in euery part of Gods seruice many cannot tarry till all be done but by their going out proclaime to the whole Congregation that they account it a wearinesse and most tedious thing like those Mal. 1. 13. 2. And of many of them that tarry it out it may be said that the tryall of their countenance testifieth against them that they heare with no ioy they are so drowsie they looke so heauily as a man may easily discerne by their very lookes that they feele no sweetnesse nor sauour in any thing that they heare It is said of a poore lame man Acts 14. 9. that hee heard Paul preach with so ioyfull and cheerefull a countenance that Paul beholding him perceiued by his very countenance that he had faith to be healed True it is that Paul could see further then any of vs yet may we also giue a great ghesse when you heare with any spirit and affection euen by your lookes and haue cause giuen vs thereby many times to wish that either you would heare with more cheerefulnesse or that you would sit behind vs that you may not grieue and discourage vs in the worke of our Ministry as you doe 3. A third signe that many take no coâ—… in Gods Word is this that whereas Gods seruants as we haue heard vse to goe away from the hearing of the Word more comfortable then they came vnto it and loue 〈◊〉 it and the messengers of God from whom they receiued it much 〈◊〉 then they did before these men seldome or neuer goe froâ—… 〈◊〉 but they are much more vexed and disquieted in their miâ—… 〈◊〉 they were before they hate the Preacher more then they did 〈◊〉 Now I would haue these men to consider what it is that disquiâ—… 〈◊〉 I know they will pretend that the Minister hath either 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 error or that he hath maliciously girded and rayled vpon theâ—… 〈◊〉 â—…urely if any Preacher doe so he shall beare his
sinnes and led away with diuers lusts 2. Tim. 3. 6 7. To these I may say Thou canst not now see nor be perswaded of these truths but thou shalt one day there shall bee onely feare to make you to vnderstand the hearing when Gods terrors shall come vpon you which none of you can tell how soone they may come they will make you to vnderstand well and beleeue those things which you haue heard and will not now beleeue Esay 28. 19. 2. There be many that dare reason and dispute against manifest truths that vse to exercise their ripe heads and fresh wits in wrestling with the truth of God and take it for a glory to giue it a foile that tosse Gods Word vp and downe like a tennis-ball and shew no more reuerence to it in their talking of it nor giue more authority to it than to a piece of Tully So farre as they see reason for it they will receiue it and no further To these men I may say as Iob 9. 4. Who hath hardened himselfe against him and prospered It is made a note of Gods childe to tremble at his Word Esay 66. 2. 3. There be many that are so farre from practising what they heare and obeying the truth that they glory in this that they can giue vs the hearing but are not so foolish to beleeue and be ruled by vs or to alter their course for any thing we can say These men glory in their shame for there is no worse signe of Reprobation than this Elyes sonnes hearkened not to the voice of their father because the Lord would slay them 1. Samuel 2. 25. I know that God hath determined to destroy thee because thou hast not hearkened vnto my counsell 2. Chron. 25. 16. Lecture the sixty eighth October 2. 1610. IOHN IIII. XL. WE haue already heard that in this verse and that before the Euangelist sets downe the beginnings of the faith and conuersion of the Samaritans and that therein he obserueth 1. The cause and meanes whereby they were wrought verse 40. 2. The effect and fruit whereby they shewed themselues 3. The respect Christ had vnto them when he saw in them these beginnings of grace The first of these is set downe verse 39. which we finished the last day it remaineth that we proceed to the two last set downe in this verse The effect and fruit whereby these beginnings of grace did shew themselues was this When they were come to him they besought him that he would tarry with them And this they did 1. Out of their loue and reuerent respect vnto him that they might giue him entertainment 2. Out of their desire to make vse of him and to be further instructed by him Now for the first of these two respects it is to be obserued 1. That they who before would haue beene vnwilling to giue him entertainement though he had desired it the Samaritans refused to receiue him or giue him lodging Luke 9. 53. yea to haue performed a far lesse kindnesse to him as we may see verse 9. this woman yee know refused to giue him a little water to quench his thirst now they begin to beleeue beseech him earnestly to abide with them 2. They shew this kindnesse and respect vnto him though they knew they should hereby expose themselues to the hatred of their neighbours 3. They do this because they beleeued him to be a Prophet for as yet they were not perswaded fully as it seemeth verse 42. that he was the Messias 4. They are commended by the Holy Ghost and approued by Christ for it which teacheth vs That it is the property of all that haue receiued any true beginnings of grace to loue and be glad to shew kindnesse vnto the Prophets and Ministers of God This the true seruants of God in all ages haue declared in foure points 1. Such as before their conuersion were the proudest contemners of them and their Ministry haue after their conuersion euer bin wont to shew great reuerence and respect vnto them See this in Naaman the Syrian He that a little before was in a rage against the Prophet 2. King 5. 11. so soone as euer he was by his miraculous cure brought to the true God he with all his traine came and stood reuerently before him and would faine haue shewed reall kindnesse and bounty vnto him ver 15 16. see it also in those that Peter conuerted they that a little before mocked the Apostles and counted them no better then men that were drunke Acts 2. 15. presently vpon their conuersion come and speake reuerently vnto them and seeke to them for comfort ver 37. yea they haue bin apt to exceede that way as we know Cornelius was when he fell downe at Peters feete and worshipped him Act. 10. 25. 2. They haue euer borne a most louing and kinde affection vnto them when he tooke his leaue of the Disciples at Ephesus they all wept sore and fell on his necke and kissed him Acts 20. 37. when he was to goe from Tyre all the Disciples with their wiues and children brought him on his way Acts 21. 5. The Philippians loued their Pastour Epaphroditus so dearely that he being dangerously sicke at Rome tooke great care to keepe it from their knowledge because he knew it would grieue them so much to heare it Phil. 2. 26. 3. They haue shewed great care of their peace and preseruation from trouble and danger when Paul would haue aduentured for the appeasing of the tumult at Ephesus to haue gone out to the multitude and to haue spoken to them the Disciples besought him not to doe it nor they would not suffer him Acts 19. 30 31. when the Disciples at Ptolemais had heard by Agabus what troubles Paul should endure at Ierusalem they besought him with many teares so earnestly not to goe thither that they euen broke his heart with their kindnesse Act. 21. 12 13. Priscilla and Aquila to saue his life had laid downe their owne necks aduentured their owne liues Rom 16. 4. 4. They haue euer beene ready to shew their reuerence and loue vnto them by entertaining them gladly maintaining them and ministring vnto their necessities The Shunamite and her husband you know what kindnesse they shewed to Elisha and what entertainement they gaue him 2. King 4. 8. 10. The good women that followed Christ and found comfort in his doctrine ministred vnto him of their substance Luk. 8. 3. Lydia after she was conuerted constrained Paul and his fellowes to come to her house and to abide there and professeth she should haue taken it for a signe that they had doubted of the truth of her conuersion if they had refused to accept of that kindnesse Acts 16. 15. and the Iaylor washed the wounds of Paul and Silas and gaue them kinde entertainement in his house Acts 16. 33 34. The Galatians thought nothing too deare to bestow vpon Paul though it had been to the plucking out of their owne eyes Gal. 4.
abundance of all earthly blessings that he would giue vnto his people he addeth And I will satiate the soules of the Priests with fatnesse and my people shall bee satisfied with goodnesse saith the Lord Ier. 31. 12. 14. 3. That of all thefts and oppressions this is the most dangerous and damnable when men by fraud or violence withhold that which is due to the Ministers of God will a man rob God yet yee haue robbed mee But yee say wherein haue we robbed thee In tithes and offerings Yee are cursed with a curse for yee haue robbed me euen this whole nation Mal. 3. 8 9. 3. For comfort to such as are Patrons to good Ministers as relieue and countenance them no good worke you can doe will giue that assurance of Gods blessing in outward things as this I haue heard it oft said of some that their bounty vnto Ministers did vndo them but I could neuer heare it proued I doubt not but such might fall into decay for Gods promises for earthly blessings are all with this condition so far as shall be good for them but this doubtlesse was not the cause of it Marke the promise of God Honour the Lord with thy substance and with the first fruits of all thine increase so shall thy barnes be filled with plenty and thy presses shall burst out with new wine Pro. 3. 9. 10. Bring yee all the tithes into the storehouse that there may bee meate in mine house and prooue mee now herewith saith the Lord of hosts if I will not open to you the windowes of heauen and powre you out a blessing that there shall not be roome enough to receiue it And I will rebuke the deuourer for your sake c. And all nations shall call you blessed for yee shall bee a delightsome land saith the Lord of hosts Mal. 3. 10 11 12. Obserue also the experimennt of this in sundry examples who were greatly blessed of God for this the widow of Sarepta for prouiding for Elia 1. Kings 17. 15. the Shunamite for prouiding for Elisha 2. King 17. 30. Ebedmelech for the kindnesse he shewed to Ieremy Ier. 39. 17. Yea in temporall things euen wicked men haue bin blessed of God for this Rehoboam and his Kingdome were so for harbouring and entertaining the faithfull Leuites 2. Chron. 11. 17. Secondly if you doe this with a good heart and shew this loue and respect vnto them euen for their workes sake it will yeeld you great assurance of a better reward also euen of spirituall and eternall blessings Hee that receiueth a Prophet in the name of a Prophet shall receiue a Prophets reward Matth. 10. 41. That Nehemiah knew this well appeares by his prayer when he had taken order that the Priests and Leuites might be plentifully prouided for Remember mee O my God saith he concerning this and wipe not out the good deeds that I haue done for the house of my God and for the offices thereof Neh. 13. 14. And Paul assures the Philippians that the kindnesse they shewed to him in ministring vnto his necessities was a fruit that would abound vnto their account when the day of their account should come it would be abundantly rewarded Phil. 4. 17. Lecture the sixty ninth October 16. 1610. IOHN IIII. XL. IT remaineth now that we proceed to the second end and respect they had in beseeching him to tarry with them and that was as appeareth plainely by the two verses following that they might be instructed by him they inuited him to tarry not only that they might shew kindnesse to him but that they might receiue good from him Yea this was the chiefe respect they had in beseeching him so earnestly that he would tarry with them 1. They vnfainedly desired to be instructed by him 2. They fully purposed to belieue and obey his Doctrine From thence we haue this Doctrine to learne That this is the chiefe way whereby men are to shew their loue and respect to the Prophets of God when they make vse of their gifts and seeke to be directed by them when they receiue and obey their Doctrine This shall be proued in the example of such as the Holy Ghost hath commended for their loue and respect they haue borne to Gods Prophets and Ministers We reade of great reuerence that Cornelius shewed to Peter Act. 10. 25. He went out to meet him and fell downe at his feet and doubtlesse the rest of his entertainement was answerable But the best entertainement he gaue him and that wherein he shewed most reuerent respect vnto him is mentioned vers 33. We are all here present before God to heare all things that are commanded thee of God We reade of certaine women that shewed exceeding loue to Christ 1. They ministred to him of their substance Luk. 8. 8. 2. They forsooke him not in his troubles but followed him to the very Crosse as they went shewed their affection in weeping and lamenting for him Luk. 23. 27. 3. They continued all the time of his Passion beholding him and being eye and eare-witnesses of all that he endured and spake Mat. 27. 55. 4. When he was dead their affection toward him dyed not but they obserued the place where he was buried and went and prepared oyntments to embalme his body Luk. 23. 56. But were these the only waies whereby they shewed their loue and respect vnto him No they made vse of his Ministry Mat. 27. 55. They had followed him from Galile to Ierusalem in his last iourney when he tooke more paines in preaching as I shewed you not long since than he had done before in so much time all his life long yea as it will appeare to them that well weigh the speech of the Euangelist Luk. 8. 1. they made vse of his gifts not only publikely but priuately also Before the multitude assembled and Christ began his Sermon to them these women the Twelue were with him Yea only they indeed may be said to receiue Gods Prophets and to giue them that entertainment that is due vnto them who make vse of their Ministry will be directed by them and obey their Doctrine Paul is earnest with the Corinthians that they would receiue him 2. Cor. 7. 2. Receiue vs we haue done wrong to no man we haue consumed no man we haue defrauded no man His meaning was not to craue of them kindnes in any outward entertainment for he was not among them nor purposed to go shortly to them but onely he desireth them to obey his Doctrine Matth. 10. 14. Whosoeuer shall not receiue you nor heare your words when you depart out of that house or city shake off the dust of your feet It may be the Apostles might come into many a towne that would giue them good entertainment for their miracles which they wrought and into many a house that would receiue and welcome them for kinred sake but such receiue you not saith our Sauiour vnlesse they heare and obey your Doctrine
And therfore what outward kindnesse soeuer they may offer to do vnto you they shall receiue the reward of such as haue contemned and reiected Gods Prophets I will giue you a plaine example for this It is said of our Sauiour Ioh. 1. 11. He came vnto his own and his own receiued him not How is this meant Did not the Iewes receiue him they flocked after him by great multitudes to heare him Luk. 12 1. 2. They oft praised him highly and accounted him to be an excellent Prophet Luk. 7. 16. 3. They inuited him to their houses and made great feasts for him Luk. 14. 1. 4. They would haue bestowed great preferment on him they would haue taken him by force to make him a King Ioh. 6 15. how is it then said that they receiued him not Surely because they obeyed not his word they would not be taught and directed by him as Iohn the Baptist interpreteth it Iohn 3. 32. What he hath seene and heard that he testifieth but no man receiueth his testimony The Reasons of this Doctrine are three 1. In respect of God It is the commandement and will of God that all men should make their vse and profit of such gifts as he hath bestowed on any of his seruants aboue themselues else they sin against God and doe contempt to his good gifts The Queene of Sheba is commended by our Sauiour for comming from the vtmost parts of the earth to make vse of the excellent knowledge God had bestowed on Salomon Mat. 12. 42. And how did sue it she asked him questions and propounded all her doubts vnto him 2. Chron. 9 1. And the like is spoken to the praise of all the Kings of the earth 2. Chron. 9. 23. All the Kings of the earth sought the presence of Salomon to heare his wisedome that God had put in his heart So children should make vse of the knowledge that is in their parents and moue questions to them Deut. 6. 20. When thy son shall aske thee in time to come what meane these ordinances and testimonies and lawes which the Lord our God hath commanded you And wiues should make vse of the knowledge God hath giuen their husbands aboue them 1. Cor. 14. 35. If they would learne any thing let them aske their husbands at home But specially the people of God should make vse of his Ministers this way not onely to heare them publikely but priuately to moue questions to them and to enquire the will of God at them in all their doubts For this meanes God hath sanctified aboue all others to that end Mal. 2. 7. The Priests lips should preserue knowledge and they should seeke the law at his mouth Hag. 2. 12. Aske now the Priests concerning the law And so we shall finde Gods people haue made great vse of their Ministers gifts this way euen in priuate Our Sauiours Disciples did so Mar. 4. 10. and 7. 17. and 10. 10. So the Christians in Corinth moued their doubts to Paul in sundry cases of conscience 1. Cor. 7. 1. 10. 22. And at Ephesus he did much good in priuate houses Acts 20. 20. 2. In respect of Gods Prophets This is the best way whereby Christians may yeeld comfort and encouragement vnto good Ministers when they make vse of their gifts and shew themselues desirous and ready to receiue good by them See a notable example of this in Titus his spirit was refreshed much by all Gods people at Corinth 2. Cor. 7. 13. how by the vse they made of his gifts they receiued him with great reuerence and were obedient to his doctrine as appeareth vers 15. This hath euer bin the minde and speech of a faithfull Minister which Paul expresseth 2. Cor. 12. 14. I seek not yours but you The Apostle when he chargeth the faithfull so to carry themselues toward their Ministers as they may do their work with ioy and not with griefe Heb. 13. 17. he telleth them how they may do that Obey them and submit your selues No kindnes that any can shew vs can so binde vs to them as this when they make vse of our Ministry and profit by vs. Mar. 3. 34 35. Hee looked round about on them which sate in compasse about him and said Behold my mother and my brethren For whosoeuer shall do the will of God is my brother c. Nay we can haue small comfort in the maintenance and countenance we haue from such as receiue no good by our Ministry I cannot say it is vnlawfull for a Preacher to take maintenance from them that receiue no good by his Ministry so long as he doth his endeauour faithfully to do them good but surely a little kindnesse receiued from the other doth him more good and is sweeter to him than a great deale from such men They that Christ is said to receiue maintenance from were such as made vse of his Ministry Luk. 8. 3. And he biddeth his Apostles when they came into any city or towne to enquire who was worthy in it and there to abide till they went thence Matth. 10. 11. 3. In respect of themselues for this is the onely sure argument that their hearts are vpright in the loue they shew vnto Preachers when they make vse of their gifts and will be directed and ruled by them By all other waies but this a man that hath no grace may shew loue and kindnesse to Gods Minister Herod reuerenced Iohn Mar. 6. 20. Nebuchadnezzar did patronize Ieremy and countenanced him and maintained and prouided liberally for him Ier. 39. 11 1â—… yet had neither of these any grace in them The Vse of this Doctrine is for Reproofe of diuers sorts of men which all of them pretend much loue and respect to good Ministers yet it is not with an vpright heart or such as shall be able to yeeld them any sound comfort in the euill day 1 Such as loue them and will commend and countenance them and maintaine them too yet they seldome or neuer heare them or make vse of their Ministry and yet they blesse themselues in this as in a great signe of grace that they loue and maintaine good Preachers To these men I say this may procure thee a temporall reward as it did Potiphar to haue Ioseph in his house though he made no vse of his knowledge and piety Gen. 39. 5. God blessed the Egyptians house for Iosephs sake But sound comfort this can neuer yeeld thee for thou receiuest not a Prophet in the name of a Prophet Mat. 10. 41 but either out of a naturall affection thou bearest to the man or carnall respect thou hast to thine owne credit or some light that thou hast receiued from Gods Word that it is good to loue Preachers or some taste thou hast had of the power and sweetnesse of his Ministry whom thou dost thus affect but none of all these respects will yeeld a man any sound comfort but rather be a strong euidence against him in the day of the
or beare honour to the Lord himselfe but he must needs loue and honour the Prophets and Messengers of God he that despiseth you despiseth me Luk. 10. 16. And that is the cause why the Apostle is so importunate with the Thessalonians to perswade them to esteeme well of their Ministers we beseech you brethren to know them which labour among you and are ouer you in the Lord and admonish you And to esteeme them very highly in loue for their workes sake 1. Thess. 5. 12 13. And indeed this was the true cause why our Sauiour in this place stood so much vpon his honour he would preach no where but where he might haue honour and be well esteemed of Why was he a man that cared much for honour No he professeth of himselfe and in his whole life made it good Ioh. 8. 48 49. I honour my Father I seeke not mine owne praise This was then the reason why he would preach no where but where he might haue honour because he knew none â—…ould receiue good by his Ministry that did not esteeme reuerently of his person They that honour not the Teacher cannot honour nor profit by his Doctrine Lecture the seuentie eight Ianuarie 22. 1610. IOHN IIII. XLIII XLIIII IT followeth now that we proceed to the Vses of this Doctrine 1. For vs that are Ministers That seeing there is an honour due vnto vs and it is not possible for vs to doe any good in our Ministry where we haue no honour and all the honour that is due to vs is due to vs onely for our gifts and for our workes sake we should therefore be humbled in our selues and iudge our selues vnworthy to be imployed in this function and both before we are entred this should keepe vs from being ouer-hasty and forward to take this calling vpon vs and when we are entred this should make vs to walke in it with feare and trembling Iohn the Baptist professed himselfe vnworthy to be imployed euen in the basest office about Christ not worthy to beare his shooes Matth. 3. 11. not worthy to stoope downe to vntie the latchet of his shooe Mar. 1. 7. And Paul said he was vnworthy to be called an Apostle 1. Cor. 15. 9. and hauing spoken of such an honour that belongeth to our Ministry which as one would haue thought would haue puffed him vp rather than haue humbled him he presently as admiring that God should euer aduance any mortall man to that dignity breaketh out into these words 〈◊〉 Cor. 〈◊〉 16. Who is sufficient for these things For as God neuer aduanced any to honour aboue others but he requireth some greater seruice from them than from others in omni honore est onus in all honour there is a burden to whom men haue committed much of them they will aske the more Luke 12. 48. In which respect Saul when he was called of God and his people vnto the place of greatest honour shunned it as much as he could and hid himselfe 1. Sam. 10. 22. so hath it fallen out in this No man that hath rightly conceiued of the burthen God hath annexed to this honourable function hath beene ouer hasty to take this calling vpon him no man taketh this honour to himselfe but he that is called of God Heb. 5. 4. till God haue euen thrust him in as it were by violence by the head and shoulders Two famous examples we haue for this the one in Moses who three seuerall times hung of and excused himselfe Exod. 3. 11. and 4. 1. 10. 13. the other in Ieremie who cryed out thus ah Lord God behold I cannot speake for I am a childe Chap. 1. 6. Euery ignorant idle couetous and scandalous Minister is apt to glory in this Doctrine and to challenge to himselfe this honour that is due to the Ministers of the Gospell but he neuer thinketh of the burthen God hath annexed to this honour The second Vse of this Doctrine is for the people that seeing it is euident by this Doctrine that you owe vs honour neither can you profit by our Doctrine vnlesse you can giue honour vnto vs and God esteemeth you as dogges and swine vnworthy of the comfort of his Gospell if you cannot esteeme of vs therefore it standeth you vpon to learne what honour is due to vs and when you know it to giue vs our due in this kinde The Apostles rule is generall Rom. 13. 7. Render to all their dues tribute to whom tribute is due feare to whom feare honour to whom honour First then you must know that the honour you owe vnto vs is not such as is due to the Magistrates and great men of the world we doe not challenge to our selues either that ciuill authority or that reuerence or those titles or that outward pompe and state or that wealth and abundance that is due vnto them Our Sauiour Christ giueth this for the reason why he had not such a retinue and company of seruants as might haue rescued him from them that apprehended him because his Kingdome was not of this world Ioh. 18. 36. The chiefe honour that is due to vs is more inward and spirituall and standeth in foure points principally The first degree of honour that you owe to vs is in your mindes and iudgements that you rightly esteeme of the neede you haue of Gods Ordinance in our Ministry and of the inestimable benefit you receiue by it This is that the Apostle teacheth vs when he saith 1. Thess. 5. 12. I besecch you Brethren that you know them that labour among you And 1. Cor. 4. 1. Let a man so account of vs as of the Ministers of Christ and Stewards of the mysteries of God On the other side a chiefe dishonour it is to the Ministry when men thinke it is a calling of no such necessity but that they may well enough be saued without it as they did among the Corinthians that said they cared neither for Paul nor for Apollo nor for Cephas they were Christs they did so wholly relye vpon Christ for their saluation as that they regarded not the Ministry of any of his seruants 1. Cor. 1. 12. that they can profit better by reading good Bookes c. The second degree of honour you owe to vs is in your affections that you reuerence vs in your hearts and haue vs in singular loue for our workes sake 1. Thess. 5. 13. You should count it your happinesse to haue such Teachers as you may reuerence for otherwise you shall be able to profit little or nothing by their Ministry On the other fide they are to be held contemners of the Ministry that desire none but such as may be their vnderlings such as they may rule at their pleasure euen in the matter of their Ministry and prescribe vnto them what they shall preach and what they shall not preach and say prophesie not vnto vs right things speake vnto vs smooth things Esay 30. 10. 12. or else such
whatsoeuer the Scribes and Pharisees sitting in Moses chaire that is teaching the Doctrine of Moses did bid them to doe though they themselues were most wicked men much lesse may the small infirmities of a godly Minister priuiledge the people to make light account of his wholesome Doctrine Paul reioyceth that Christ was preached euen by those that preached him with an intent to adde affliction to his bands Phil 1. 18. which he would neuer haue done if the grosse sinnes of the Minister much lesse if his small infirmities had force to make the holy Doctrine he deliuered vnauaileable to the comfort of Gods people The infirmities of Gods seruants shall not hinder the fruit of their Ministry nor cause God to withhold his blessing from it This is plaine in the example of Ionah whose Ministry became effectuall to the conuersion of the Niniuites Ionah 3. 4 5. though he himselfe had many and strange infirmities Ion. 1. 2. 5. and 4. 1. 4. Lastly it makes much for your benefit that God teacheth you not by Angels nor by men of Angelicall perfection but by poore weake men that are sinners as well as you for by this meanes we are able to teach you with more feeling experience and compassion than otherwise we could doe This is that which the Apostle teacheth concerning the High Priest vnder the Law Heb. 5. 2. Hee was able sufficiently to haue compassion on them that were ignorant and that were out of the way because that he also was compassed with infirmitie So that we see the infirmities we discerne in Gods Ministers are no iust cause why we should despise or contemne their Ministry 3. The third corruption which causeth men to contemne the Ministers of God specially their owne Pastours is curiosity and desire of nouelty because men cannot esteeme of those blessings that they haue long enioyed but still desire variety and change men are apt to grow weary of their owne Minister be their gifts neuer so good and to preferre a stranger before him though his gifts bee farre inferiour to their owne The remedies I will giue you against this corruption are these three 1. The people of God owe most reuerence and loue to their owne Pastours specially if they be such as in whose Ministry they haue already found the blessing of God and cooperating of his Spirit to such I say they owe more respect than to any other though their gifts be greater 1. Thess. 5. 12 13. Now I beseech you brethren know them that labour among you and are ouer you in the Lord and admonish you and haue them in singular loue That was the cause why the Apostle was so carefull to commend to the people of God their own Pastours as Tychicus to the Ephesians 6. 21. Epaphroditus to the Philippians 2. 25 26. Epaphras to the Colossians 1. 7. and 4. 12 13. Therefore also Gods seruants may without any presumption challenge a more speciall respect from their owne people than from any other as Samuel saith to Saul 1. Sam. 15. 1. The Lord sent mee to annoint thee King ouer his people now therefore obey the voice of the word of the Lord. So Paul to the Corinthians 1. Epist. 4. 15. Though ye haue ten thousand instructers in Christ yet ye haue not many fathers 2. The people of God may receiue much more good and expect a greater blessing from God by hearing constantly one and the same man than by hearing now one and then another For this in a speciall sort is Gods ordinance that euery flocke should haue a Pastour of their owne on whom they may depend and whom they may heare constantly 1. Pet. 5. 2. Feed the flocke of Christ that dependeth vpon you Acts 14. 23. They ordained them Elders in euery Congregation 3. Lastly there is no iust occasion giuen to any to loath or be weary of the Ministry of any of Gods faithfull seruants how oft or how long soeuer they haue heard them For though they heare the same men they shall not heare the same things but they shall haue variety and choice enough euen at their owne table if their Minister be a faithfull steward Matth. 13. 52. He bringeth forth out of his store-house things both new and old Cant. 7. 13. In our gates are all sweet things both new and old Eccles. 12. 9 10. The good Preacher searcheth forth and prepareth many Parables he seeketh to finde out pleasant words and an vpright writing Yea though he teach but the same things that thou hast often heard yet if thou wert such a Hearer as were renewed in the spirit of thy minde thou wouldest finde small cause to complaine Behold it is a wearinesse Mal. 1. 13. For as they that haue Gods spirit when they giue God praises euen for those blessings which they haue long enioyed and oft praised God for doe yet sing as it were a new song Reu. 14. 3. so doe they when they heare the same things they haue oft heard alwaies finde some new increase eyther of knowledge or of holy affections so as they heare it alwaies as a new Doctrine The fourth and last corruption that alienates the heart of Gods people from his faithfull Ministers specially from their owne Pastours is felfe-felfe-loue and desire to be flattered and soothed vp in their sinnes Their owne Pastour that knoweth them dealeth they thinke too particularly in his Ministry in all his Doctrines and Reproofes he pointeth at them The Remedies against this corruption are these foure 1. To consider that the Minister should desire to haue that knowledge of all his hearers that he may be able to speake as particularly to euery one as is possible Ier. 6. 27. I haue set thee in a Watch-tower among my people that thou mayst know and try their waies Though he may not make priuate faults publike or so touch the sinne as he note and disgrace the person yet he may apply his reproofes particularly so as the party himselfe that is guilty may know and feele himselfe touched with the reproofe Thus dealt Nathan with Dauid 2. Sam. 12. 7. Yea he ought to be as particular as he can in his Ministry it is the life and excellency of Preaching We must in preaching ayme as directly as we can at him whom we desire to profit Our Doctrine must be as a garment fitted for the body it is made for a garment that is fit for euery body is fit for no body Paul saith of himselfe Col 1. 26. that in his preaching he laboured to admonish euery man to teach euery man to present euery man perfect in Christ Iesus 2. It may well be that our ministry may touch your sinnes particularly and hit vpon the very secret thoughts that are in your hearts and vpon the words you haue spoken in your priuy Chambers though we our selues know no such matter by you For the Word is a searcher and discouerer of the secrets of the heart as the Lord himselfe is Heb. 4. 12. and compared
duty that we must performe vnto others First for our selues We are to be exhorted that we would loue Church-meetings and delight more in them and be more thankfull to God for them than we haue hitherto been Labour for that affection that Dauid had Psal. 122. 1. I was glad when they said vnto me Let vs goe vnto the house of the Lord. Yea pray for the continuance of our solemne Assemblies both here and in other places of the Countrey This was also Dauids heart Psal. 122. 6. Pray for the peace of Ierusalem they shall prosper that loue thee And marke the Reasons Vers. 8 9. For my brethren and Companions sakes I will now say Peace be within thee Because of the house of the Lord our God I will seek thy good And therefore labour to walk worthy of this blessing and to profit by it For no enemy can put downe our meetings till God for our sinnes do put them downe Lam. 2. 6. He hath destroyed his Tabernacle as a garden he hath destroyed his Congregation Secondly concerning others there are two duties we are to be exhorted vnto 1. That euery one of you would call vpon his Neighbour and Friend and draw them to frequent the Church-assemblies When the Lord had prophesied Esay 2. 2. that vnder the dayes of the Gospell All nations should flow vnto the house of the Lord he addeth Vers. 3. that this should be the meane to draw so many to his house Many people shall go and say Come let vs go vp to the house of the Lord. 2. Masters of Families and Parents are to be exhorted that they would not think it sufficient to come to Church themselues but see that their children and seruants come also We should suffer none to attend vs in our owne house that will not attend and go with vs to Gods house Exod. 20. 10. Sonne Daughter Man Maid Stranger Iosh. 24. 15. I and my house will serue the Lord. Dauid speaketh of this as of one of the greatest comforts he had had vpon earth Psal. 42. 4. That he had gone with a multitude and led them into the house of God and Psal. 101. 7. There shall no deceitfull person dwell in mine house Sure he would much more haue said there shall no prophane contemner of Religion dwell in my house The second vse of the Doctrine is for reproofe And there be two sorts of men that are to be reproued by this Doctrine 1. Such as neglect the Church-assemblies in all the parts of Gods worship and seâ—…uice 2. Such as separate themselues from the Church-assemblies in some parts of Gods publike worship Of the first kind there are foure sorts 1. Such as separate from our Church-assemblies vpon pretence of the corruptions that are in them These are marked with a black coale by Iude vers 19. These be they who separate themselues sensuall hauing not the spirit But herein Christians must learne wisely to distinguish betweene such as are vniustly separated by others from the Church-assemblies and such as voluntarily separate themselues these deserue to be called Schismaticks and not the other Neither are they to be accounted Schismaticks as though they dare not be agents or practisers of any corruption that remaineth in the Church yet can beare and tolerate them as burdens without forsaking the Church for them To this first sort I will say no more but wish them well to weigh the examples of Gods seruants that haue been mentioned in this doctrine which frequented so diligently the publike worship of God vsed in Ierusalem when there were farre greater corruptions both in the Priests and people and worship it selfe than can be found in ours 2 Such as absent themselues from the Church-meetings out of respect they haue to their profit they must needs spend some Sabbaths in going to Faires they must go iournies on that day sometimes and make bargaines c. they cannot spare any time from the works of their calling to come to Lectures on the week day They cannot get their liuing they say by going to Church and when they do come to Church on the Sabbath they cannot bring their whole family with them they must leaue some behinde them to looke to their houses for feare of robbing These are like those Mal. 3. 14 that said It is iâ—… vaine to serue God and what profit is it that we haue kept his ordinances To these I say no more but this First if thou couldest come to the Church either on the Sabbath or week day with an vpright heart thou shouldest not need to feare that that would make thee poorer The Lord God would be a sunne and shield vnto thee no good thing would he with-hold from thee Psalme 84. 11. Secondly though thou may in sundry cases of necessity leaue some at home when thou commest to Church yet take heed thou pretend not necessity where none is For if thou dare leaue thy house empty when thou goest to a Faire or to haruest worke and canst trust God with keeping of it then and darest not do so on the Sabbath when thou commest to serue God be thou assured thy heart is naught and God will not hold thee innocent For God hath made a further promise to thee for keeping of thine house when thou leauest it vpon this occasion than at any other time Neither shall any man desire thy land when thou shalt goe to appeare before the Lord thy God thrice in a yeare Exod. 34. 24. 3 Such as though they haue nothing to do if their finger be sore or their head do butake will absent themselues I would haue such to remember the example of Hezechiah who in three dayes after he had been sick of a most painfull and mortall disease went into the Temple Esa. 38. 22. and the woman that on the Sabbath resorted to the Synagogue though she had had a spirit of infirmity eighteene yeares Luke 13. 10 11. And because the true cause of their absence is for that they find no comfort nor take any delight in our Church-exercises I would haue them to consider that there is no one more certaine signe of a dead heart void of all grace and sense of Gods loue than this not to be able to take any delight in his publike worship as may appeare by the contrary in these two places Psal. 84. 12. Dauid loued Gods Tabernacles so well because his heart and his flesh reioyced in the liuing God And 1 Pet. 2. 2 3. Such as haue tasted how sweet the Lord is will desire the sincere milke of the Word And know thou that as thou carest not for appearing in the Assemblies of the righteous in this life so hast thou cause to feare that thou shalt not stand in the Assembly of the righteous in the life to come Psal. 1. 5. when thou wilt esteeme better of them than now thou dost 4 Such as absent themselues vpon this pretence that they can serue God as well and spend their time
of the second commandement which concerneth his outward worship I will visit the iniquity of the fathers vpon the children to the third and fourth generation of them that hate me Exod. 20. 5. generally all wickednesse will do it Cursed shall be the fruit of thy body Deut. 18. 18. Thirdly let vs all learne by this what a happy thing it is to haue God for our Father If we that are euill Matth. 7. 11. when our childe asketh vs bread will not giue him a stone if we when he asketh fish will not giue him a serpent if we Mal. 3. 17. doe so spare them if we Esay 49. 15. cannot forget them if we be so apt to receiue our childe how hainously soeuer he hath offended vs vpon his submission how much more will the Lord receiue vs Luke 15. 20. If we shew our affection most when our children are in extremity how much more will the Lord his soule was grieued for the misery of Israel Iudg. 10 16. If we take no pleasure in beating our children how much lesse the Lord he doth not afflict willingly nor grieue the children of men Lam. 3. 33. Lecture the eightie fiue March 19. 1610. IOHN IIII. XLVII NOw it remaineth that wee procede vnto the third and last point which wee obserued in these words namely the benefit that this great man receiued by his affliction Concerning which these three points are to be obserued First it humbled him greatly and abated his pride for as great a man as he was yet he himselfe seeketh helpe for his sonne and 2. he meekely and patiently bare a very sharpe checke that Christ gaue vnto him verse 48 without euer replying or expostulating the matter with him Secondly it did driue him to seeke to Christ yea to seeke earnestly and importunately for helpe Doubtlesse first he had heard much of Christ before this time and did also esteeme him a great Prophet but whether it were for feare of Herod or some other carnall respect he came not vnto him till this affliction did driue him vnto him secondly he had also vsed the benefit of physicke and all other ordinary meanes before and till that he seeth no meanes would preuaile but his sonne grew into extremity and was euen ready to dye he comes not to Christ. Thirdly this affliction became vnto him a meane and occasion of his vnfained conuersion for first it softened his heart and prepared it to beleeue the word of Christ secondly it brought both himselfe and his whole family to the Faith The Doctrine then we haue here to learne is this That affliction is greatly profitable and necessary vnto all the Elect of God Marke that I say vnto the Elect of God for affliction in it selfe is a curse of God and fruit of his wrath due to sinne whether we be afflicted in our bodies or in our mindes or in our children or in our goods or in our good name there is no affliction of what kinde soeuer but it is in it owne nature a curse of God the Lord makes this preface to all the particular euils and afflictions that he threatneth If thou wilt not hearken to the voice of the Lord thy God then all these curses shall come vpon thee and ouertake thee Deut. 28. 15. And daily experience teacheth vs afflictions are not profitable to all men Pharaoh had afflictions enow but still his heart was harder and harder Of all the afflictions of the Reprobate we may say as our Sauiour speaketh in another case Matth. 24. 8. All these are but the beginnings of sorrowes The losses and afflictions the paines and sorrowes they feele in this life are but as earnests of those vnspeakeable and euerlasting torments that are prepared for them in the life to come This that I speake of therefore that men should receiue so great good by affliction is a priuiledge peculiar to the Elect of God Romanes 8. 28. All things and hee speaketh specially of afflictions worke together for the best to them that loue God euen to them that are called according to his purpose To them all things are sanctified all things are made good euen those things that in themselues are most euill 1. Cor. 3. 21 22. All things are yours whether it be this world or life or death or things present or things to come all are yours and yee are Christs The Crosse of Christ like vnto the Tree that God shewed Moses Exod. 15. 25. hath made affliction which was before as the waters of Mara bitter and unwholesome to be sweet and wholesome to all his people To all such I say affliction is both profitable and necessary For the profit of them you know what Dauid said Hee had afflictions of all kindes and of them all he saith Psal. 119. 71. It is good for me that I haue beene afflicted And the Church Lam. 3. 27. speaketh more generally It is good for a man that he heare the yoke in his youth But I say not onely they are profitable but they are necessary also as necessary as meat and drinke Vnlesse God would see vs perish he must needs afflict vs yea the best man that euer was hath had great need of it to his dying day Psalme 73. 14. Daily haue I beene punished and chastened euery morning Acts 14. 22. We must through many afflictions enter into the Kingdome of God or we can neuer come there That is the reason of that strange and passionate speech the Lord vseth of his people Ier. 9. 7. Behold I will melt them and try them for what should I els do for the Daughter of my People As if he should say I can deuise no way to do them good but by casting them into the fornace of affliction Reasons of this Doctrine I might giue many but I will content my selfe with those few that the Text affordeth me in the example of this Ruler First his affliction as I shewed you did humble him This is the first Reason why it is so profitable and necessary because it humbleth the heart of man and abateth his pride There is no one sinne we know that maketh a man more odious to God or that is a greater barre to our saluation than pride is Prou. 16. 5. All that are proud in heart are abomination to the Lord. Iames 4. 6. The Scripture offereth more grace and therefore saith God resisteth the proud and giueth grace to the humble Neither is there any man high or low rich or poore godly or vngodly but he hath in him that old leauen that Paul speaketh of 1. Cor. 5. 7. which puffeth vp his heart and causeth him to swell and to thinke too well of himselfe All the oppression and cruelty that the Mighty practise vpon their inferiours proceedeth from this roote Psal. 119. 122. Let not the proud oppresse mee and so doth the malice and vnreconcileable heart that is in men Pro. 13. 10. Onely by pride doth man make contention From hence it commeth
viz. It was so much against his reuealed will that it was impossible euen for him And what was that that disinabled so the Almighty Sonne of God and so bound as it were his hands behind him Surely the Vnbeliefe of the men of Nazaret as it followes in the next words Mar. 6. 6. And he maruelled at their Vnbelief And more plainly Mat. 13. 58. He did not many great works there for their Vnbeliefs sake The other example is of the Nation and Church of the Iewes though their priuiledges and prerogatiues were great euery way yet we know that when some forty eight yeares after Christ or thereabouts the wrath of God came on them to the vtmost so as it did neuer vpon any Nation vnder heauen though they were the naturall branches of the Lords Oliue yet did he breake them off and cast them away And what was the cause of it Surely they were guilty of many hainous sinnes but the Apostle plainly saith the chiefe cause why God reiected them was their Vnbeliefe because they did not giue credit to his Word Rom. 11. 20. Through Unbeliefe they were broken off saith he So that in these foure examples God hath giuen euident demonstration how much he abhorreth this sinne and how it barreth him from shewing mercy on men But yet this will appeare more plainly if we shall looke into some examples of Gods deare children I will onely name two of them one in the Old Testament and the other in the New The first is Moses a man highly in Gods fauour aboue all the men in the world when God had bidden him speake to the rocke before all the people and promised that it should giue forth water in that abundance that the whole congregation and all their cattell should haue enough to drinke Numbers 20. 8. Moses did not absolutely refuse to giue credit to the Word of the Lord but onely doubted and made a question of it and that not so much out of any distrust he had of Gods power and truth as out of the conceit he had of the great vnworthinesse of that wicked people Numb 20. 10. Heare now ye rebels saith he shall we bring you water out of the rocke But see how seuerely God punished his seruant Moses for this For this sinne he shut him out of the Land of Canaan Numb 20. 12. Yea though Moses earnestly sought to him for it as we shall find Deut. 3. 25. I pray thee let me go ouer and see the good Land that is beyond Iordan that goodly mountaine of Lebanon But the Lord was angry with me saith he for your sakes and would not heare me And the Lord said vnto me Let it suffice thee speake no more to me of this matter The last example is Zachary a man iust before God when the Lord had promised him by his Angell that his wife Elizabeth should beare him a sonne Luke 1. 13. Zachary did but doubt and make a question of the matter and said vnto the Angell whereby shall I know this for I am an old man and my wife is of great age Luke 1. 18. But see how sharply God punished his seruant Zachary for this Though he were a Priest and such a one as whose tongue God might haue had more vse of than of many others yet was he smitten dumbe for this and so remained full forty weeks Luke 1. 20. Behold saith the Angell thou shalt be dumbe till the day that these things be done because thou belieuedst not my words The Reasons of this Doctrine are two As there is nothing wherein we so much giue glory to God as when we belieue and giue credit to his Word so there is nothing wherein we do so much derogate from Gods honour and rob him of his glory as when we refuse to giue credit to his Word When we belieue whatsoeuer the Lord hath spoken we do thereby giue him the glory of his truth his power his iustice his goodnesse Iohn 3. 33. He that hath receiued his testimony hath sealed that God is true So the Apostle saith of Abraham that when he doubted not of the promise of God through vnbeliefe but was strengthened in the faith he gaue glory to God Rom. 4. 20. On the other side he that cannot giue credit to Gods Word dishonoureth him in the highest degree 1 Iohn 5. 10. He that belieueth not God hath made him a lyar and what greater disgrace can ye put vpon any man of worth than to giue him the lye The second Reason of the Doctrine is this Because Infidelity as it was the first sinne whereby Sathan got entrance into the heart of man and drew him from God Gen. 3. 4. so is it still the root and mother of all other sinnes Heb. 3. 12. The euill heart is called the heart of Vnbeliefe there it begins that is the first thing that corrupteth the heart As faith is the root and fountaine of all other graces that is it that purifieth the heart Act. 15. 9. If we belieue his Word we cannot choose but loue him feare him obey him and put our trust in him So on the other side Infidelity is the fountaine of all vngraciousnesse and when once men begin to entertaine a doubting of the truth of any thing God hath reuealed in his Word then begins their heart to be poysoned and corrupted then begin they to depart from the liuing God and fall from his feare and loue and obedience Let vs now come to the Vse of this Doctrine and we shall find it serueth first for exhortation secondly for reproofe thirdly for comfort First seeing no sinne offends God so much as infidelity no sinne is such a barre to all Gods mercies no sinne hath that force to poyson and corrupt the heart we are therefore all of vs to hearken to the exhortation Take heed brethren lest there be in any of you an euill heart of vnbeliefe Heb. 3. 12. Take heed of entertaining the least doubt of any truth that God hath clearely reuealed to thee out of the Word And because first we are all by nature full of infidelity as appeares by this that Christ so often checks his elect Disciples for this Matth. 6. 30. O ye of little Faith And secondly proportionable to the measure of faith will our feare and loue and obedience and comfort be Striue therefore by all good meanes to obtaine an vndoubted certainty of the truth of Gods Word and to confirme thy heart against all doubts and infidelity And foure principall means I find that we are directed to in this case 1 The consideration of the testimony which the Lord himselfe hath giuen of the vndoubted certaintie of his holy Word Matth. 5. 18. Truly I say vnto you till heauen and earth perish one iot or one title of the Law shall not scape till all things be fulfilled Yea it is a notable thing to obserue how precise God hath been in this point that as it is said of Samuel 1 Sam. 3.
ioy vnspeakable and glorious As if he should say You belieue neuerthelesse assuredly in him though you did neuer see him 4 The true belieuer giues credit to the Word not onely in those truths wherein he hath no helpe from sense or reason to confirme him but euen where they are both against him Rom. 4. 18. Abraham against hope of sense and reason belieued vnder hope of Gods Word that he should be the Father of many Nations Let vs now come to the Vse of this Doctrine and we shall find it serueth first for instruction secondly for reproofe thirdly for comfort First for instruction to the Teacher secondly to the Hearer 1 To vs that are teachers sith our Ministry is ordained to bring men to Faith and there is no other means els ordained to that end Rom. 10. 17. and faith is grounded onely vpon the Word that therefore our chiefe care should be to bring good euidence from the Word for euery thing that we teach Mar. 4. 14. The sower soweth the word that is the onely seed of grace 2 Tim. 4. 2. Teach the Word improue rebuke exhort with all long-suffering and Doctrine 2 This serueth for the instruction of the Hearers seeing the excellency and happinesse of a Christian consisteth in his Faith By faith we are iustified in Gods sight and haue peace towards God Rom. 5. 1. By Faith we are sanctified Acts 15. 9. By Faith we stand and perseuere in the state of grace Thou standest by faith Rom. 11. 20. By Faith we quench all the fiery darts of the Deuill Ephes. 6. 16. And this faith is grounded onely vpon the Word of God We are therefore to be exhorted to seek good ground in the Word for that that we hold in Religion and therefore both to acquaint our selues with it in priuate and in frequenting the publike Ministry thereof to heare with iudgement and to mark well how that that is taught vs is grounded vpon the Word Euery Christian should esteem it a singular fauour of God that we may haue his Word in our houses to read on when we will and a foule sin not to make our vse of it This God complaines of as of a foule sin I haue written vnto them the great things of my Law and they were counted as a strange thing that did not belong vnto them that they had nothing to do withall Hos. 8. 12. And the Prophet describing vnto vs the man that shall be saued describes him by this Psal. 1. 2. that his delight is in the Law of God Euery man will grant that there is no hope a man should come to happinesse vnlesse he be such a one as is described Psal. 1. and such a one thou canst not be till thou can delight in Gods Word So likewise when we frequent the Ministry of the word we should learne to heare with iudgement and not so much to regard the zeale or vtterance of our Teachers as to marke well how they ground that that they teach vpon the Word of God Phil. 1. 9. This I pray saith Paul that your loue may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all iudgement For this those Noble-men of Berea are commended Acts 17. 11 12. They searched the Scriptures daily whether those things were so Therefore many of them belieued The second Vse of this Doctrine is for reproofe and terrour of carnall men He that wants faith it is impossible for him to please God Heb. 11. 6. but the wrath of God abideth on him Iohn 3. 36. And by this Doctrine it is euident the most men want true faith because the faith they seeme to haue is grounded not vpon the Word of God but onely vpon sense they belieue no farther than they see This shall appeare euidently in three Points 1. The faith they haue is grounded not vpon Gods Word but vpon sense Those truths that they see generally receiued and allowed of by men those they are content to hold but those truths that are reiected by men though they haue neuer so good a ground in Gods Word yet they cannot belieue I might instance this in sundry particulars if time would permit Whereas he whose Faith is grounded vpon Gods Word likes neuer the worse of any truth God hath reuealed to him because he seeth it reiected by men but euen as it is in other cases This is the triall of our loue to men Pro. 17. 17. A friend loues at all times and a brother is borne for aduersitie so it is in this It is time for thee Lord to worke for they haue made void thy Law therefore loue I thy commandements aboue gold yea aboue fine gold therefore I esteeme all thy precepts concerning all things to be right and I hate eue ry false way Psal. 119. 126 127 128. He that indeed loues Gods truth will loue it the more because it is reiected by the world 2 The faith they haue in Gods iustice is grounded not vpon the Word of God but vpon sense onely When the heauy hand of God is vpon them in some iudgement they can belieue indeed he is iustly offended with them for their sinnes When they heare the terrible thunder and see the lightening they can tremble before the Lord but so soone as this is past they cast off all feare of God nothing that they heare spoken out of Gods Word against their sinnes can moue them one whit Whereas the true belieuer that grounds his faith vpon Gods Word hath the feare of God in him at all times Blessed is the man that feareth alway Pro. 28. 14. and is much more assured of Gods iustice and hatred against sinne by that that he hath learned out of Gods Word than by any thing he can see or feele They tremble at the word Esa. 66. 2. So Noah being warned of God concerning things not seene though himselfe was expresly exempted from the iudgement yet was moued with feare Heb. 11. 7. For this the Nineuites are commended Ionah 3. 4 5. By the preaching of Ionab they were brought to that feare and humiliation though they saw not nor felt any thing that might cause them to feare 3 The Faith that the carnall man hath in Christ and perswasion of Gods mercy is not grounded vpon the Word but vpon sense onely he is indeed oft very confident of Gods fauour both for the present and for the time to come he saith to his soule Eat thy bread with ioy and drinke thy wine with a merrie heart for God now accepteth thy works Eccles. 9. 7. But what is the ground of his assurance He saith he sees Gods loue and feeles it daily The iudgements of God are farre aboue out of his sight Psal. 10. 5. But alas this will be found a false ground Eccles. 9. 2. No man knowes either loue or hatred of that that is before them Whereas the child of God is assured of Gods fauour for the present and the time to come by that which he heares and
the professors of Gods truth that they heare nothing they talke of nothing so willingly as they do of the faults of others euen of their brethren Psal. 50. 20. Thou sittest and speakest against thy brother c. There is no talke that men will sit so long at and so willingly as this Pro. 18. 8. The words of a tale-bearer are as flatteries and they goe downe to the bowels of the belly O if the Lord should so gladly pry into all the faults of his seruants as we that are fellow-seruants do into the infirmities one of another who were able to abide it Psal. 130. 3. If thou O Lord shalt streightly marke iniquities O Lord who shall stand Let vs therefore in this also shew our selues the children of our heauenly father that as he doth vnwillingly see the faults of his children hee hath not beheld iniquity in Iacob Num. 23. 21. and passeth by many of their transgressions Micah 7. 18. so let vs learne to do Let vs be loth to see and heare of the infirmities of Gods seruants Thirdly thou must take heed that when his infirmities and faults be such as thou canst not choose but take notice of then that thou despise him not nor reiect him for his infirmities not for errour in iudgement Let not him that eateth despise him that eateth not and let him that eateth not iudge him that eateth Why doest thou iudge thy brother or why doest thou set at nought thy brother Rom. 14. 3. 10. not for infirmities and slips in his life and conuersation Mat. 18. 10. See that yee despise not one of these little ones Where our Sauiour cals the faithfull so neither in respect of their stature as verse 2. nor in respect of their pouerty and contemptible estate in the world but in respect of their many errours and infirmities as is plaine by the comparison he vseth vers 12. It is not lawfull to despise so little and meane a Christian as through his errours and falls is like vnto a stray and lost sheepe And marke our Sauiours reason for this vers 10. Because God despiseth them not but makes great account of them and hath appointed his Angels to guard and attend them yea vers 11. he sent his Sonne into the world chiefly for their sakes therefore must we take heed we despise them not Now it is certaine that many offend this way that take themselues to be right good Christians they that pretend great loue and respect to good men and euen to all them that feare God yet will be found to be despisers of these little ones This will appeare euidently in three things First by the aptnesse that is in Christians to iudge one another If any differ from them in iudgement but euen in the controuersies of our Church about matters of ceremony If we discerne in any professor neuer so little frowardnesse or vnthankfulnesse or pride or such like corruption though both the one and the other do professe the feare of God not in word only but in their whole conuersation straight we are apt to conclude surely he is but a carnall man he is but an hypocrite there is no soundnesse or sincerity of heart in him Now this is a plaine despising of Christs little ones When the Apostle had said Rom. 14. 34. Let not him that eateth despise him that eateth not he adds presently And let not him that eateth not iudge him that eateth for God hath receiued him Who art thou that condemnest another mans seruant he standeth or falleth to his owne master The second signe of this is the aptnesse that is in Christians to estrange themselues one from another in affection in countenance in society for euery small infirmity they discerne one in another This is also a plaine despising of Christs little ones and a spice of that foule sin that the Prophet notes in the hypocrites of his time Esay 65. 5. Which say Stand apart come not neare mee for I am holier then thou Of our Sauiour we reade that though his kinsfolkes and all the company that met at the wedding in Cana of Galile were addicted to the superstitious purifications of the Iewes yet did not he for that their errour in iudgement and practice shunne their company and society Iohn 2. 6. And of the first Christians in the Primitiue Church it is said Acts 2. 42. that as they did ioyne together in the Apostles Doctrine and fellowship and breaking of bread and prayers so they were not strange one to another but maintained a sweet fellowship and society together vers 46. They did eate their meate together with gladnesse and singlenesse of heart And so should we doubtlesse do vpon the same ground Certainly they that are of the same minde in all substantiall points of Religion and are enliued and guided by the same spirit of grace ought not to be strange one vnto another Not loue onely but brotherly kindnesse is required of vs one toward another 2. Peter 1. 7. A third signe of this is the generall neglect of all meanes to reclaime or strengthen a weake brother we are apt to obserue euery fault in a weake brother to dislike him for it to speake of it also to others but neither by prayer to God nor by brotherly admonition will we seeke to reclaime him This is a plaine despising of Christs little ones count him not as an enemie but admonish him as a brother 2. Thess. 3 15. we count him not as a brother but as an enemy whom we refuse to admonish Now because this is so generall a fault and such a fault as greatly hindreth not only the loue that should be among vs and the comfort that Christians might finde in their mutuall society but also the growth of grace and religion in the Church I will therefore shew you out of Gods Word by what meanes euery one of vs may master and sudue this corruption in our selues The first is the consideration of the commandement of God whereby we are so oft and straightly charged to shew our loue and tender respect to Christs little ones We know it is oft made a certaine note of one that is in the state of grace when he can loue the brethren when he can loue a Christian because he is a Christian and he that loueth not his brother abideth in death 1. Iohn 3. 14. Now this is no certaine argument that we loue the brethren when we can loue and esteeme such as excell in grace for so farre forth many a wicked man hath loued Gods seruants Herod himselfe reuerenced and esteemed of Iohn Mar. 6. 20. but therein appeares the truth of our loue when we can loue such a one as we know to be a brother though wee doe see sundry faults and infirmities in him The louing of all the Saints is oft noted for an argument of this true loue Ephes. 1. 15. Col. 1. 4. Phil. 1. 5. Marke therefore how oft we are charged with this respect to
but onely that we should not suffer it to reigne in vs Rom 6. 12. 3 He not onely accepteth and taketh in good part the poorest seruice we doe to him notwithstanding our corruptions and frailties but euen delighteth and taketh great pleasure in them Cant. 2. 14. He accounteth all our good workes as the fruit of the Vine Esa. 5. 4. Yea it cannot choose but be so for Christ casteth of his odours into them and so presenteth them to his Father Reu. 8. 3. Lecture the hundredth Septemb. 10. 1611. IOHN IIII. L. IT followeth now that we come to the third and last Vse that is to be made of the former Doctrine and that is to exhort euery man that for as much as the Lord hath such gracious respect to all his seruants in whom he doth discerne truth and vprightnesse of heart he will beare much with them and accept of them and their seruices notwithstanding all their infirmities that therefore we would euery one of vs labour by diligent triall and examination of our selues to finde that there is this truth and vprightnesse in our hearts Now to stirre vp my selfe and you all to this care let vs consider these three things First the blessed estate and condition of that man who is sound and vpright in heart Secondly the dangerous estate of the man that is an hypocrite and hath a false heart Thirdly the difficulty of discerning the vprightnesse of the heart and putting a difference between him that is an hypocrite and him that is vpright in heart And for the first the man that knoweth his heart void of hypocrisie though he haue many weaknesses and frailties may be sure that he is Gods child and may be out of doubt that he is in Gods fauour and that nothing shall euer be able to separate him from the loue of God It is oft said the Lord valueth and esteemeth of euery mans actions according to the heart they proceed from Ier. 17. 10. I the Lord search the heart and trie the reines euen to giue euery one according to his waies 1 Reg. 8. 39. Be mercifull and doe and giue to euery man according to all his waies as thou knowest his heart He accepteth Abels sacrifice not Cains Abrahams laughing not Sarah's Maries question not Zacharies esteemeth more of a cup of cold water that one giueth than of many thousands that another giueth of the widowes two mites more than of all that the rich men cast into the treasurie Luke 21. 3 4. And when the Holy Ghost speaketh thus his meaning is to say God esteemeth euery man according to that grace he discerneth in him the man that hath any sauing grace in him he acknowledgeth for his owne and the words and actions that proceed from his grace and spirit he will accept of In this respect they that haue receiued the Spirit of God are said to haue the Lords marke Ezek. 9. 4. and the Lords seale vpon them Eph. 4. 30. But why is this respect that God hath to the grace of his Spirit called the beholding of the heart the respecting of the heart Surely because the heart is the chiefe and most proper seat of Gods grace and of the spirit of regeneration in euery man the seed of God is sowne in the furrowes of the heart 1 Ioh. 3. 9. Therefore also is the regenerate part called oft the inner man Rom. 7. 22. 2 Cor. 4. 16. Eph. 3. 16. and the hid man of the heart 1 Pet. 3. 4. Now as God esteemeth of euery mans actions according to that heart and inward grace it proceedeth from so yet he esteemeth men not so much according to the measure and quantity of grace they haue as according to the truth and soundnesse of grace that he discerneth in them and this is a comfortable point if it be well considered If a man haue any one grace in him in truth and soundnes though it be but one though that one be exceeding small and weake as that little spark in the smoking flaxe and you know a very little spark will make flaxe to smoke Mat. 12. 20. he may be sure he is the child of God Mark therefore how oft this is spoken of as the most infallible note of Gods child Ioh. 1. 47. Behold indeed an Israelite saith Christ of Nathaniel in whom is no guile Psal. 32. 2. Blessed is the man to whom the Lord imputeth not iniquity But how shall we know this happy man whose sinnes are forgiuen he addeth and in whose spirit there is no guile And Ver. 11. Be glad ye righteous and reioyce in the Lord Yes but who is righteous If none may reioyce but those that are righteous what are we the better therefore he expounds himself in the next words and be ioyfull all ye that are vpright in heart Heare what a prayer the Prophet maketh Psal. 125. 4. Do good vnto those that be good and to them that are vpright in heart See the Lords answer to that prayer Esa. 63. 8. He said Surely they are my people children that will not lie So I was their Sauiour Marke what comfort the poore seruants of God haue found in this Remember now O Lord I be seeth thee how I haue walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart Esa. 38. 3. Now on the other side consider the dangerous and fearfull condition of euery hypocrite of euery man who hath a false and vnsound heart for let such a one liue neuer so ciuilly before men yea let him perform neuer so good duties and such as God commandeth yet 1. He doth but lose his labour God accepteth nothing that he doth as it is said of Amazia 2 Chro. 25. 2. He did that which was right in the sight of the Lord but not with a sound heart 2. His state shal be fearfull in the life to come as well as the state of the vilest liuer Mat. 24. 51 God will cut him off and giue him his portion with hypocrites there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth 3. When God doth by affliction awaken his conscience and discouer to him the vnsoundnes of his heart he hath vsually as little comfort as hope in God he is wont to be as much ouerwhelmed with terrors and anguish of heart as the most prophane and lewd man in the world Iob 27. 8. What hope hath the hypocrite when he hath heaped vp riches if God take away his soule and 36. 13 14. Hypocrites in heart increase the wrath for they call not when he bindeth them their soule dieth in youth and their life among the whore-mongers The third and last Reason that may moue vs to examine our hearts well and try whether there be any truth and soundnesse in them is in consideration of the great difficulty that there is in discerning the vprightnesse of the heart for first the heart of man is exceeding deceitfull Ier. 17. 9. There is indeed an hypocrisie and falsnesse of heart which is not vnknowne but
to another as is plaine verse 10. feruent in spirit seruing the Lord. And exhorting Seruants to their duties to Infidell Masters he saith Colos. 3. 24. Yee serue the Lord Christ. True it is an intent and desire to please God in that we doe is not sufficient to argue a sound and sanctified heart vnlesse it be guided by knowledge the wretched Iewes euen in contradicting and persecuting Christ and his Gospell had the zeale of God Rom. 10. 2. and without knowledge the minde and intent of a mans heart cannot bee good Pro. 19. 2. But yet this is a singular and certaine note of an vpright heart when in doing the duties which he knowes God in his Word hath commanded the intent of his heart is onely to please and honour God thereby and nothing else This is made the touch-stone to trie the sincerity and vprightnesse of the Magistrates heart by Psal. 101. 1. I will sing mercy and iudgement to thee O Lord will I sing As if he should say That shall be the marke that I will aime at in all that I do both in my works of mercy and of iustice also So Christ makes this the touch-stone to trie the vprightnesse of the Ministers heart by Iohn 7. 18. He that seeketh his glory that sent him the same is true and there is no vnrighteousnesse in him So Paul labouring to restraine the faithfull from condemning their brethren that differed from them in practise about indifferent things giues this reason Iudge them not for they do that they doe with an vpright heart How proues he that Why saith he Rom. 14. 6. he that obserueth the day obserueth it to the Lord and he that obserueth not the day obserueth it not to the Lord. He that eateth eateth to the Lord for he giueth God thankes and he that eateth not eateth not to the Lord and giueth God thankes Why but may some say how could he that obserued the day and abstained from eating do it to the Lord viz. to please and obey the Lord when the Lord now since the death of Christ required no such thing of him I answer he knew God had in his law required him to doe so and he knew not that God had abrogated that law This ignorance God passed by and had respect to this vprightnesse of his heart notwithstanding it In this respect of all workes those will yeeld a man greatest comfort and assurance of the vprightnesse of his heart wherein there is least danger of hauing any other respect but onely to the Lord as first of all liberality that which is shewed to the poore Eccles. 11. 1. Cast thy bread vpon the waters for thou shalt finde it after many daies Luke 14. 13 14. When thou makest a feast call the poore maimed lame blinde and thou shalt be blessed because they cannot recompense thee for thou shalt be recompensed at the resurrection of the iust So secondly of all loue and kindnesse that is the surest signe of grace which we shew to our enemies and to such Christians as are poore and in whom we see sundry infirmities Matth. 5. 44 45. I say vnto you loue your enemies blesse them that curse you doe good to them that hate you and pray for them that hurt you and persecute you that you may bee that is may be knowne to be the children of your father which is in heauen and Mat. 10. 42. Whosoeuer shall giue to one of these little ones to drinke a cup of cold water only in the name of a Disciple verily I say vnto you he shall not lose his reward So thirdly of all duties of piety domesticall duties will yeeld a man more assurance of his sincerity than publique Psal. 101. 2. I will walke in my house with a perfect heart and secret more than domesticall Matth. 6. 6. But when thou prayest enter into thy chamber and when thou hast shut thy doore pray vnto thy father which seeth in secret and thy father that seeth in secret shall reward thee openly Zac. 12. 12 13. The land shall bewaile euery family apart the family of the house of Dauid Nathan Leui Shimei apart and their wiues apart O that the time would permit me to stand vpon the application of this point but I cannot doe it you must doe it your selues By this note trie thine own heart in all the duties thou performest to men in all the duties of thy calling but specially in the duties of Gods seruice aske thine owne heart that question which Christ asked Andrew and his fellow when they first followed him Iohn 1. 38. What seeke yee Dost thou that which thou dost in obedience to him is the intent and purpose of thy heart to please and honour him Surely the least duty thou dost so will yeeld thee both comfort and reward also Col. 3. 24. knowing that of the Lord yee shall receiue the reward of inheritance 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for yee serue the Lord Christ. A man may doe the thing God would haue him doe and yet be plagued for it because he doth not serue the Lord in it Baasha is threatned for killing Ieroboam 1. Kings 16. 7. and yet it is said 1. Kings 14. 14. the Lord stirred him vp to do it he did execute and fulfill the Lords will And certainly so shall it be with many a Preacher and hearer they do the duties God would haue them do but they serue not God in them No naturall man can serue God in any good thing he doth his eye is not directed toward the Lord but he looks asquint hath by-respects to his credit or profit or pleasure or merit he seekes himselfe in euery thing he doth euen in the most religious duties Thus God chargeth the hypocrites Zach. 7. 5. When yee fasted and mourned in the fifth and seuenth moneth euen those seuenty yeares did yee fast vnto me euen vnto me He repeates this as if he should say This was that that was wanting in your Fasts Yea but you will say cannot a man haue any soundnesse of grace in his heart vnlesse he haue this sincere and single respect to God in euery thing that he doth This is a hard saying will many a poore Christian thinke I answer that the best cannot wholly free himselfe from self-selfe-loue and ouermuch respect to himselfe not onely in the duties of his calling but euen in Gods worship Yet this he hath First though in sundry particular actions he faile yet ordinarily and in the course of his life he hath this respect to God and this is a blessed signe of grace when our walking and our course of life and conuersation is not after the flesh but after the spirit Rom. 8. 1. Secondly in his minde he consents to this that he should thus doe and his conscience checks him if he do it not and euen in this Paul himselfe found great comfort that in his minde he serued the law of God Rom. 7. 25. Thirdly the desire and endeauour of his
heart is thus to respect the Lord in euery thing he grieues and striues against his corruption and this with God is accepted for the deed if there be first a willing minde it is accepted 2. Cor. 8. 12. Lecture the hundred and fourth October 8. 1611. IOHN IIII. L. LEt vs now come to the second note of difference that is to be obserued in the manner of doing good duties The regenerate man performes the good duties he doth with his heart This we shall finde made a property of true obedience and the note of a sound conuersion Rom. 6. 17. God bee thanked that yee haue beene the seruants of sin but yee haue obeyed from the heart the forme of Doctrine whereinto yee haue beene deliuered He is the same inwardly and in his heart which he maketh shew of yea he hath more goodnesse within him than he can make shew of out of the good treasure of his heart he bringeth forth good things Matth. 12. 35. For the chiefe and most proper seate of grace is the heart and therefore the regenerate part is called the inner man Rom. 7. 22. In his dealings with men a man may know the soundnesse of his regeneration by this note Psalme 15. 2. He walketh vprightly and worketh righteousnesse and speaketh the truth from his heart Colos. 3. 23. Whatsoeuer ye doe doe it from the heart as to the Lord and not to men as if he should say Else ye serue not God in any thing ye doe So in the workes of mercy Esay 58. 18. If thou draw out thy soule to the hungry and satisfie the afflicted soule then shall thy light rise in obscurity and thy darkenesse be as the noone day But specially in the duties of Gods worship a man may know the soundnesse of his regeneration by this note when he hath a care to doe that which he doth from the heart he makes outward profession of good things but his chiefe care is to be religious within He makes conscience also of 〈◊〉 thoughts cleanse me from my secret faults Psalme 19. 14. He is most troubled with his inward corruptions as Paul was O wretched man that I am who shall deliuer me from the body of this death Rom. 7. 24. Psal. 84. 5. Blessed is the man in whose heart are thy waies He knowes well that if the heart be reformed it will be easie to reforme the words and workes Matthew 23. 26. Thou blinde Pharisee cleanse first the inside of the cup and platter that the outside of them may bee cleane also Mal. 2. 16. Keepe your selues in your spirit and transgresse not So also in the particular duties of Gods worship it may giue a man assurance of his regeneration when a mans care is to performe them with his heart Euery one of vs in preaching must be able to say with Paul Romanes 1. 9. I serue God in my spirit in the Gospell of his Sonne And euery one of you in hearing must feele that in you that Lidia did Acts 16. 14. The Lord opened her heart that shee attended to the things that Paul speake And wee all when wee pray must bee able to pray as Paul speakes Ephesians 6. 18. With all manner of prayer and supplication in the spirit And when wee sing Psalmes Wee must make mâ—…lody to the Lord in our hearts Colossians 3. 16. As if hee should say The Lord regards no melody but that True it is there is many a regenerate man that findes much want of this inward truth of heart in the profession and practice of Religion and there is much hypocrisie in the heart of the best man that liues That which the Apostle speakes of Christ 1. Peter 2. 22. Who did no sinne neither was there guile found in his mouth is proper to Christ and could neuer truely be spoken of any meere man Let God bee true and euery man a lyar Romanes 3. 4. But yet this euery regenerate man shall finde in himselfe and may comfort himselfe in it First that this is a matter of griefe and humbling to him when at any time he hath felt this hypocrisie in himselfe and hath had his heart away in any outward seruice he hath done vnto God Secondly that ordinarily his care and vnfained desire hath beene in euery duty he hath done to God to doe it with his heart and so could neuer hypocrite nor naturall man say No hypocrite or naturall man hath his care to serue God with his heart eyther first in duties to men they doe as the Prophet speakes with flattering lips and with a double heart doe they speake Psalme 12. 2. secondly and in duties to God they are as they are described thou art neere in their mouth but farre from their reines Ieremie 12. 2. they draw neere to God with their mouth and with their lips they doe honour him but haue remoued their hearts far from him Esay 29. 13. The third note of difference is this That the regenerate man performes the duties that he doth out of loue to God yea out of such a loue as growes from Faith euen from the assurance he hath of Gods loue to him in Christ. True it is he feareth Gods iudgements passe the time of your soiourning heere with feare 1. Pet. 1. 17. and hee is partly mooued vnto obedience by the feare of Gods iudgements and ought so to be Eccles. 12. 13. Feare God and keepe his commandements And we finde by experience that many a good heart is subiect euen to this feare Psal. 119. 120. My flesh trembleth for feare of thee and I am affraid of thy iudgements Yea the Lord sees it very profitable and necessary for them that they should thus bee made acquainted with his terrours the flesh and vnregenerate part would hardly bee kept in any obedience without this curbe nor would bee forward to any good duties without this spurre 2. Corinthians 7. 1. Finish your sanctification in the feare of God Yet is this a sure note of difference betweene euery hypocrite or naturall man and him that is truely regenerate The regenerate mans obedience growes chiefly from a loue to God yea from such a loue as growes from Faith You shall see cleare proofe for both these branches Euery regenerate man loues the Lord. This is oft made the title of Gods seruants they are called such as loue him Psalme 5. 11. Let them that loue thy Name reioyce in thee and 69. 32. The seede of his seruants shall inherit Zion and they that loue his Name shall dwell therein And 119. 132. Looke vpon me and bee mercifull vnto me as thou vsest to doe to them that loue thy Name Rom. 8. 28. All things worke together for good to them that loue him 1. Corinthians 2. 9. Eye hath not seene nor eare heard neither hath it entred into the heart of man the things which God hath prepared for them that loue him Iames 1. 12. When hee is tryed hee shall receiue the Crowne of life which the Lord
all Ministers yet of all able and faithfull Ministers we are There hath beene long and is at this day great difference of iudgement amongst Gods seruants in our Church some hold that there is a forme of Church gouernement set downe in the Word which was practised in the Apostles times and which all Churches are bound vnto vnto the end of the world other of Gods seruants are of another minde Some hold the ceremonies to be vnlawfull others hold them to be lawfull and fit And this difference in iudgement hath wrought great alienation of heart and affection among Gods seruants but this ought not to be so 1. We should reuerence and esteeme one another so many as we see to be able and painefull and godly men we are to reuerence and esteeme of notwithstanding these differences in iudgement we ought not to despise or condemne one another for these things Rom. 14. 3. Let not him that eateth despise him that eateth not and let not him which eateth not condemne him which eateth The odious termes of Puritans or Formalists of Schismatickes or Time-seruers ought not to be heard amongst brethren 2. We should auoide all bitternesse of contention about these things Though we differ in â—…udgement in these things yet should we endeauour that the people may discerne no difference nor disagreement in Doctrine amongst vs. True it is we may and ought to seeke resolution for our consciences out of Gods Word euen in these things seeme they neuer so small Rom. 14. 〈◊〉 Let euery man bee fully perswaded in his minde And when we haue receiued good resolution in these things we ought to hold that fast so farre forth as God hath reuealed his will vnto vs the Minister especially it is required that he hold fast the faithfull Word Tit. 1. 9. But if we dissent one from another in these things it must be without bitternesse in a brotherly manner Ephes. 4. â—…5 Follow the truth in loue saith the Apostle It is not to be held want of zeale or alteration in iudgement but true wisedome in a Minister to shunne in his Ministry and Doctrine so farre as in him lyeth these points that brethren differ in and to spend his time in such points wherein we all agree and which are more profitable for the people to know Actsâ—…0 â—…0 20. In the building of Salomons Temple it is said that there was no noise of hammer or axe or any toole of Iron heard in the house while it was building 1. King 6. 7. It were to be wished that in our Ministrie whereby Gods spirituall Temples are to be built there might be no noise heard of any iarres or contentions that are among our selues but that we all would doe as Dauid did though his brethren the Iewes had prouoked him much yet could he not be stirred to fight against them but vsed all his skill and force against the Philistines 1. Sam. 27. 7 12. So should we all ioyne our forces against the common aduersary It is promised as a blessed fruit of the Gospell which euery godly man prayeth for and desireth to see Esay 11. 13 14. That Ephraim and Iudah may cease to enuie and vexe one another but that they may ioyne together against the common aduersary 3. Howsoeuer we cannot agree in iudgement yet should we loue one another and be glad to imbrace one anothers acquaintance and to reioyce one in anothers gifts and faithfulnesse and successe in his labours neuerthelesse for the difference that is in iudgement amongst vs about these things Wee haue a worthy example for these things in the Primitiue Church Acts 4. 32. The multitude of them that belieued were of one heart and one soule and therefore it is said of them Acts 2. 46. that they were not strange one to another but maintained a sweet society together and reioyced one in another They did eate their meate together with gladnesse and singlenesse of heart The Reasons that may moue vs to this agreement are these First the great aduantage that all sorts of wicked men Papists Atheists and ignorant persons take at our contentions and disagreements When the Holy Ghost would intimate one cause why Abraham was so loath to fall out with Lot so desirous to compound the differences that were betweene their heard-men he saith Gen. 13. 7. And the Canaanites and the Perizzites dwelt at that time in the land Doubtlesse we haue in our land many Canaanites and Perizzites at this day that doe take great offence at this and make it their chiefe occasion to alienate their hearts from the truth of God and from the reuerence of our calling Matth. 18. 7. Woe bee to the world because of of offences it must needes bee that offences shall come it is iust with God and necessary such wretches should haue somewhat laid in their way to stumble at but Woe bee to that man by whom the offence commeth woe be to vs if we become occasions of such offence vnto them Secondly such as we differ from in iudgement may be Gods deare children and faithfull seruants though they erre and cannot see the truth in these matters as we thinke we do True it is that God hath made this promise to all the faithfull Ier. 32. 38 39. They shall be my people and I will bee their God and I will giue them one heart and one way that they may feare me for euer But this is meant that in fundamentall points they shall all agree True it is also that it is a thing greatly to be wisht and sought after that all Gods seruants might be of one iudgement in all points It is worthy to be obserued how oft the Apostle beats vpon this point 1. Cor. 1. 10. Bee yee knit together in one minde and in one iudgement and 2. Cor. 13. 11. Finally brethren bee perfect bee of good comfort bee of one minde liue in peace and the God of loue and peace shall bee with you Phil. 3. 2. fulfill my ioy that yee may be like minded hauing the same loue being of one accord and of one iudgement The Apostle knew well that the neerer we agree in iudgement the faster will our affections be knit one vnto another But though this be to be desired and endeauoured after yet can it neuer be attained in this life that all Gods faithfull seruants should agree in all points Perfect vnity is not to be looked for in the Church of God till the number of all the elect be fulfilled till the Church be come to her perfection Ephes. 4. 13. Paul speaking of the vnitie of faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God this vnity the perfect vnitie tels vs when it is to be looked for Euen when wee shall all meete together vnto a perfect man and vnto the measure of the age of the fulnesse of Christ. It is great rashnesse and ignorance in any to doubt of the soundnesse of euery mans heart that doth not receiue and imbrace euery