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
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
as the Apostle speaketh 1. Cor. 4. 5. in another case And euen in this life God doth strangely discouer many vncleane persons that haue liued long in secret Salomon brings in the fornicator complaining and bewailing his misery euen in this respect Pro. 5. 14. I was almost brought into the extreamity of misery in the midst of the congregation and assembly And obserue this in them that are the cunningest in this sinne that though no body peraduenture can conuince them euidently of the fact yet euery body through this iust iudgement of God condemnes them for it As the Lord seeth their secretest villanies so euen in this life oft times hee vseth to testifie against them Lecture the seuenteenth Iune 20. 1609. THe third errour of minde whereby Sathan deceiues men and drawes them to this sinne and hardens them in it is the hope of impunity For saith he admit thou doe slip and haue the ill fortune to be discouered what shalt thou be the worse for it 1. With men thou shalt not fare much the worse for this The ciuill Magistrate will not meddle with thee All the punishment is if thou bee a poore body but to stand a while in the Church and say thou art sorry for it and if thou be rich thou mayest auoid that too but what is that And secondly as for thy credit thou shalt not lose much vnlesse it be with a sort of Precisians whom euery man despiseth But for the most thou seest they will like neuer the worse of any for this not of a seruant nor of a neighbour Nay thou mayst see that men that make most open profession of this sin are esteemed and desired by many as the best companions and professors also will be as ready to shew any kindnesse to such as are noted for this as to any other And thirdly as for the Lord thou canst see no cause to thinke that he likes much the worse of a man for this If he did neither thy selfe nor many others that thou knowest could prosper as they doe This as both experience and the Scripture teach vs preuailes marueilously with most men Eccl. 8. 11. Because sentence against an euill worke is not executed speedily therefore the heart of the children of men is fully set in them to doe euill See also the force that is in this to harden men in all kind of sin Mal. 3. 15. We call the proud happy say the prophane of that age yea they that worke wickednesse are set vp yea they that tempt the Lord are euen deliuered Certainely if the law had as well prouided for and the sword of the Magistrate were as ready to be drawne out for the punishment of this sin as of theft we should haue as few whoremongers as theeues Or if in the want of the law in this case all such as are esteemed honest and free from this sin themselues would but hate it in others and discountenance it as they might doubtlesse they might restraine many from it But first the law hath not appointed any punishment for it that is any way proportionable to the hainousnesse of the sin And secondly the ciuill Magistrate almost euery where is vnwilling to vse that authority that the law hath giuen him for the punishment of this sin but counts it as a disparagement vnto him to meddle with it at all And thirdly the punishment of carting and whipping which was wont to be inflicted especially in Market townes is growne out of vse And fourthly some Magistrates and priuate persons doe make so light account of this sin that it is not to be wondred at that this sin is growne so common as it is For the conuincing of this error and preseruing men from it two things are to be considered First that though the Magistrate doe not yet it is his duty to punish this sinne as farre as law giues liberty and his great sinne that he doth not And though priuate Christians doe not yet it is their duty to shew detestation to this sinne Secondly though men faile in their duty yet is there no cause any should commit this sin vpon hope of impunity for though men doe not yet will God certainely punish this sin For first as for the Magistrate we know that by his calling he is Custos vtriusque tabulae and charged with the law of God to see it kept by those that are vnder his authority He is the Minister of God to take vengeance on him that doth euill Rom. 13. 4. The authority he hath and the preheminence God hath giuen him aboue other men is giuen him to that end And the Magistrate is bound by Gods law to punish this sinne as well as any other Iob 31. 11. This is a wickednesse and an iniquity to bee punished by the Iudges And both of the Magistrate and of euery priuate Christian this is required as he desireth that Gods mercy should be vpon him and his posterity that he abhorre this sinne and doe that that in him lieth to bring it vnto shame and punishment Amos 5. 15. Hate the euill and loue the good and establish iudgement in the gate it may be that the Lord God of hosts will be mercifull to the remnant of Iacob I know it is esteemed by many a signe of a good nature and disposition to be kind to all persons how lewd soeuer they be But marke what the Holy Ghost in the Scripture speakes of this kindnesse 1. He makes it a signe that a man hath no feare of God in him when he cannot abhorre sin Psal. 36. 1 4. 2. He saith that that man makes no conscience of sin himselfe that is ready to speake in fauour of a lewd man Pro. 28. 4. They that forsake the law praise the wicked and are apt to speake for them and to take their part but they that keepe the law set themselues against them 3. He makes it a greater signe of an vngracious heart for a man to fauour sin in others then to commit sin himselfe Rom. 1. 31. Which men though they know the law of God how that they that commit such things are worthy of death yet not onely doe the same but also fauour them that doe them And whereas on the other side it is counted pride and malice and cruelty for a man to seeke the disgrace or punishment of any lewd person the Holy Ghost saith there is no true loue in any but in such onely 1. There is no true loue to God in any that cannot vnfeinedly hate sinne whereby he is dishonoured Psal. 97. 10. Yee that loue the Lord hate the thing that is euill 2. There is no true loue to our selues to our families and the place wee liue in vnlesse we hate such sinnes as will bring Gods curse vpon vs. Till Achan was punished Gods curse was vpon the whole host of Israel Iosh. 7. 12. Neither will I bee with you any more except ye destroy the excommunicate from among you And
2. Of this the Lord speaketh Esay 65. 1 2. I said behold me behold me to a nation that called not vpon my name I haue spread out my hands all the day vnto a rebellious people which walked in a way that was not good And Ezek. 16. 6. When I passed by thee I saw thee polluted in thine owne bloud and I said vnto thee when thou wast in thy bloud thou shalt liue euen when thou wast in thy bloud I said vnto thee thou shalt liue Secondly the Lord thinkes neuer the worse of any for that they haue beene for any sins that they haue liued in when once they haue repented of them Ezek. 18. 21 22. If the wicked will returne from all his sinnes that he hath committed and keepe all my statutes All his transgressions that hee hath committed they shall not be mentioned vnto him And Ier. 31. 34. I will forgiue their iniquity and will remember their sinnes no more But as the Lord doth ioy more in one that hath beene a notorious sinner after once he hath repented then in many others as our Sauiour teacheth vs both in the Parable of the lost sheep Luk. 15. 45. and of the lost piece of money vers 8 9. and of the lost child ver 32. and in plaine termes vers 7. so he is wont to shew himselfe more kind and louing to such euer after then to any other of his people Obserue this in the History of the Gospell that our Sauiour neuer shewed so much kindnesse to any as to such as had beene the most notorious sinners He bids himselfe to Zacheus house Luk. 19. 5. He accepts of a strange kindnesse from a woman that had beene a notorious sinner He lets her come behind him as he was sitting at table and wash his feeet with her teares and 2. wipe them with the haires of her head and 3. kisse them and 4. anoint them Luk. 7. 38 39. The first of all that he appeared vnto after his resurrection was Mary Magdalen Mar. 16. 9. He loued Peter neuer the lesse for denying and forswearing him after he had repenced but shewed more kindnesse to him then to any of the Apostles beside to him he appeared after his resur rection before he appeared to any of the rest 1. Cor. 15. 5. and when he did appeare to him in stead of vpbraiding him with his hainous sin he comforts him and renewes his calling to the Apostle-ship Iohn 21. 15. And whereas a thing worthy to be marked there be but foure women mentioned in the pedigree of our Sauiour Matth. 1. there is neuer a one of these foure vpon whom the Scripture hath no set a marke of infamy for notorious sinne The first was Tamar Matth. 1. 3. with whom Iuda her father in law had committed incest Gen. 38 18. The second Rahab Matth. 1. 5. and shee was a common strumpet Heb. 11. 31. The third was Ruth Mat. 1. 5. and she came of Moab whom Lot begot of his owne daughter Gen. 19. 37. The fourth Vriahs wife Matth. 1. 6. whom Dauid had committed adultery with and for whom he was so plagued of God 2. Sam. 12. 9 10. This I say is worthy to be obserued the rather because 1. It is not vsuall with the Holy Ghost to mention women in the Genealogies 2. No woman in this Genealogy is mentioned but these 3. No one vnfaithfull or wicked man is mentioned in his legall genealogy by Ioseph Luk. 3. but in this his naturall genealogy only 4. No reason can be giuen nor vse imagined of mentioning these foure specially of three of them but onely to teach vs this that poore penitent sinners shall haue neuer the lesse honour with God shall be neuer the worse esteemed for that which they haue done after they haue once truely repented and turned to God And thus haue we seene that the Lord likes neuer the worse of any of his elect for the sinnes they liued in before their conuersion Now let vs come to the two last points I propounded to you Thirdly Whereas after our conuersion the best workes we doe are imperfect and stained with many corruptions insomuch as the Prophet saith in the name of the true Church Esay 64. 6. We are all as an vncleane thing and all our righteousnesses are as filthy ragges So that if the Lord should marke the iniquities of his children they cannot stand Psal. 130. 3. Yet doth he not reiect nor abhorre them for these staines But 1. Accepts them neuer the lesse and takes them in good part our spirituall sacrifices are acceptable to God through Christ 1. Pet. 2. 5. 2. Delights and takes pleasure in them Cant. 2. 14. Shew me thy sight let me heare thy voice for thy voice is sweet and thy sight is comely 3. He will reward them also and that with the reward of the inheritance Knowing that of the Lord yee shall receiue the reward of inheritance saith the Apostle euen to the poorest seruant that of conscience towards God should performe to their Masters that were but infidels Col. 3. 24. 4. He will not so much as take notice of or see many of these blemishes that are in our best workes But euen as we stand affected to our owne children whom we loue dearely there is many a blemish which in another mans eye is a great deformity as a mole in the face or pockholes or a squint eye which to vs seemes none at all because loue blindeth vs so is it with the Lord such is his loue to his children that Num. 23. 21. He secth no iniquity in Iacob nor any transgression in Israel but Mic. 7. 18. Passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage which makes the Prophet in the beginning of that verse in admiration to cry Who is a God like to thee Fourthly he is so farre from reiecting his Elect for their sinnes that he like a most skillfull Physitian that can make an Antidote and soueraigne medicine of the most deadly poyson in the world makes the very sinnes of his Elect to turne to the furtherance of their saluation according to that which the Apostle speaketh Rom. 8. 28. This wee shall see in three points 1. The greatest sinner is sooner brought to the sence of his misery and of the need hee hath of Christ to hunger and thirst after Christ then hee that hath liued a more ciuill life Matth. 21. 31. The Publicans and Harlots went into the Kingdome of God and repented before the righteous Pharisees 2. The greater that a mans sinnes haue beene before his conuersion the greater will his loue be to God and care to please him after his conuersion Luke 7. 47. she loued much because many sins had beene forgiuen her 3. The great corruptions the godly finde in themselues keepe them from being proud in themselues and from despising of others And so the Apostle saith of that thorne in his own flesh that he complained so much of 2. Cor. 12. 7. So
and castest my words behind thee Psal. 50. 16 17. And a Bishop must be blamelesse 1. Tim. 3. 2. Yea if he haue beene heretofore infamous for any scandalous sin and haue now repented he ought not to exercise his function in that place where that infamy continueth for he must be one that hath a good report euen of them that are without lest he fall into reproach and by that meanes into the snare of the diuell 1. Tim. 3. 7. The cause why Paul by no meanes would accept of Marke to ioyne with him in his Ministery was because he had giuen offence to the Church by departing from him before Acts 15. 37 38. Yet it is no iust exception to the reproofe that is giuen because we know some faults by him that reprooues vs for then may we reiect all reproofe from men seeing the holiest Minister hath his infirmities and faults we also are men of the like passions with you say the Apostles themselues Acts 14. 15. Yea it it profitable for vs that God teacheth vs not by Angels nor by his Spirit immediately but by poore weake men that are sinners as well as we for by this meanes they may teach vs with more feeling experience and compassion then otherwise they could haue done this reason the Apostle giues why our blessed Sauiour himselfe was in all things excepting sin made like vnto vs Heb. 2. 17. that he might be a mercifull and faithfull high priest Yea say they that teach and reprooue thee be guilty not of humane infirmities onely but of grosse sinnes yet that cannot warrant thee either to refuse to heare them or to obey such reproofes as they giue thee by warrant from the Word of God for the people were bound to heare and obey the good doctrine of the Scribes and Pharisees though their workes were naught Matth. 23. 2 3. And the people of God transgressed because for the sinnes of Elyes sonnes the Priests they abhorred the offerings of the Lord 1. Sam. 2. 17. 24. The third and last of those corruptions which vsually hinder vs from taking reproof in good part is this that we take such as reprooue vs especially publikely to be our enemies or to be set on by some tale-bearers that loue vs not if he would haue come to me saith many a one and told me of my fault in priuate I should haue takenit well but this exclaiming of me and disgracing me in publike argueth no loue An example of this corruption we haue in Ahab who accounted the Prophet Eliah his enemie 1. Kings 21. 20. and those proud men spoken of Ier. 43. 2 3. who charged the Prophet that Baruch had set him on to preach so against them as he did To strengthen vs against this corruption we must consider of these foure points 1. That a man may haue his sin touched and reprooued in the Ministery of the Word when the Minister intends not to touch him nor so much as knowes of his sin as it was with that man that came to heare the Prophets he was conuinced of all he was iudged of all and had the secrets of his heart which were vnknowne both to the Prophets and to all other men made manifest to him 1. Cor. 14. 24 25. We vse not to busie our selues in inquiring curiously or maliciously into your faults nor entertaine tale-bearers but may say to you as the Prophet The Lord teacheth vs and shewes vs your practises and makes vs able to meet with them when wee thinke not of you Ierem. 11. 18 19. 2. That when a mans offence is knowne and scandalous to many the Minister is not bound to admonish him in priuate but may without malice reprooue it publikely for so did Iohn deale with the Pharisees and Sadduces Matth. 3. 7. and Paul euen with Peter himselfe Gal. 2. 14. and we haue an expresse commandement for it 1. Tim. 5. 20. them that sin publikely and notoriously he meanes rebuke before all that others also may fearâ—… 3. Though the sinne be priuate and knowne to no more but the Minister himselfe it may oft-times be much fitter for the Minister to touch and reprooue it in his publike Ministery then to admonish the party in priuate prouided that he so touch the sin as he touch not nor note the person And that for these three reasons 1. Howsoeuer most men will bragge how well they would take it to be admonished in priuate yet they that will try it shall finde there be very few that will take it well 2. There is much more power and authority in such publike reproofe as I haue spoken of then in any priuate because of the promise Christ hath made to be with his seruants in the execution of all the parts of their Ministeriall function Matth. 28. 20. 3. By such a publike reproofe many others may receiue profit which is the reason the Apostle giueth of that commandement 1. Tim. 5. 20. 4. If his reproofe be according to Gods Word thou oughtest to receiue it whatsoeuer his affection be that deliuers it yea thou shouldest count it a dangerous sin for thee thus to censure and iudge of the Preachers affection when thou canst not iustly blame his doctrine and so the Lord speakes of it as of a great sin Hos. 4. 4. this people are as they that striue with the Priest This Doctrine serueth also for reproofe and to discouer the vnsoundnes and hypocâ—…isie of most men Ought euery Christian to loue his Minister with more then an ordinary loue and that for this cause because he vseth to admonish and reprooue him will he that hath any wisedome or grace in him loue the man the better that rebuketh him is it not possible for any man truely to haue repented of any sin that hates and stormes against him that dislikes and censures his sin then surely are most men far from grace and far from true repentance For there is many a man like Ahab who though they acknowledge their Minister to be the faithfull seruant of God as he did Micaiah yet hate him onely because he prophecies not good to them 1. King 22. 8. And generally the people hate the Ministers of the Word onely for doing this worke and duty of their Ministry they hate him that rebuketh in the gate and they abhorre him that speaketh vprightly Am. 5. 10. yea though they giue them no other occasion at all I haue neither lent on vsury nor men haue lent to me on vsury that is I neuer had to doe with them about any worldly occasions yet euery one of them doth curse me saith the Prophet Ier. 15. 10. Now I would haue such men to know that it is not the committing of any sin how hainous soeuer that makes their case so desperate or is so certaine a signe of their perdition as this that they despise admonition Better is a poore and a wise childe then an old and foolish King who will no more be admonished saith Salomon Eccl.
haue neglected their worldly estates their profits or ease out of loue to his seruice No man shall desire thy land when thou shalt goe vp to appeare before the Lord thy God thrice in the yeare Exod. 34. 24. yet were their houses to be left very weake all that while that all the males aboue 20. yeares old were to continue at Ierusalem in those three feasts and they had many enemies in all their borders So we reade that our Sauiour did twice worke a miracle to feed them that came farre and tarryed long to heare him preach Matth. 14. 15. 21. and Mar. 8. 2 9. And no maruell for Heb. 6. 10. God is not vnrighteous to forget your worke and labour of God And what good Master would suffer his seruant to decay and grow to beggery by doing him seruice So that whosoeuer they bee that are thought by following Sermons to haue decayed their estates bee you assured that either their idlenesse and vnthriftinesse otherwayes hath decayed them or else they haue followed Sermons for some by-respects and not with vprightnesse of heart The second Vse is for reproofe 1. To discouer the vnsoundnesse of most mens hearts who make so great reckoning of earthly things and set their hearts vpon them It is euident they neuer yet found the true treasure they neuer truely tasted of heauenly comforts they affect these things so much for that they know no better This is made a note of the man that shall ascend into the hill of the Lord that he hath not lift vp his soule vnto vanity Psalme 24. 4. If any man loue the world the loue of the Father is not in him 1. Iohn 2. 15. Their end is destruction that minde earthly things Phil. 3. 19. 2. To reprooue such Christians as so ouercharge themselues with worldly businesse as they can finde no time for Gods seruice Lecture the two and fiftieth May 8. 1610. IOHN IIII. XXIX XXX THe first point wherein this Woman shewed her zealous endeauour to draw her neighbours vnto Christ we finished the last day and now we are to proceed vnto the two last viz. 1. The thing she mooued her neighbours vnto when she was come vnto them 2. The reason she vsed to persuade them to that she mooued them vnto For the first that we may vnderstand her words well and ground our Doctrine vpon them it is to be obserued 1. Though she was her selfe fully perswaded that Iesus was the Christ and did with all her heart desire that they might be also so perswaded of him yet she taketh not vpon her to teach and conuert them her selfe but seeketh onely to bring them to the same meanes whereby her selfe was conuerted 2. Though she were able by a good argument to conuince their consciences that he was the Messiah and seeketh also to doe it yet she thought not that enough she resteth not in that but would needs haue them to come to him themselues 3. She desires no more of them but that they would come and see him Why may one say what good would that doe could they know by seeing him that he was the Messiah Did she thinke that the beholding of him would suffice to bring them to faith No surely for many saw him that neuer could beleeue in him One would thinke she should rather haue said Come and heare him then come and see him for faith commeth by hearing and not by seeing Rom. 10. 17. If the hauing of Christs picture before our eyes that we may behold it when we pray had beene such a helpe to faith and deuotion as the Papists imagine out of doubt the Holy Ghost would haue so described his stature complexion and countenance in the History of the Gospell as that we might haue had some directions to make his picture by Why then desireth she no more of them but that they would come and see him I answer 1. She doubted not but if they would but come to him he would take occasion to instruct and conuert them as he had done to her selfe 2. When she biddeth them come and see shee meaneth come and prooue and make tryall whether he be not the Christ as the same phrase is vsed Psal. 34. 8. Taste ye and see how gracious the Lord is So that this is the Doctrine we are to learne from hence for our owne instruction That this is a chiefe duty whereby euery man must shew his zeale and desire of the saluation of others to draw them to the same meanes whereby themselues were conuerted to vse that credit and power they haue with them to draw them to the Ministry of the Word True it is this is not all that a priuate Christian may and must doe to procure the conuersion of others For 1. Some priuate Christians are able to teach their families and neighbours themselues and may doe great good that way and all should seeke to be able to doe this Aquila and Priscilla expounded the way of the Lord to Apollos Acts 18. 26. Euen women should be able to teach their children Pro. 1. 8. and 6. 20. and their seruants Pro. 31. 26. and their neighbours Tit. 2. 3. 2. There is great force in priuate admonition and exhortation to further the conuersion of others else our Sauiour would not haue prescribed this course for the restoring of a brother that is fallen that before we tell the Church we should deale with him priuately neither would he haue giuen hope of giuing our brother this way as he doth Mat. 18 15 16. Neither would this haue beene noted as a thing so highly pleasing vnto God and in these desperate and prophane times Gods people did vse this meanes to preserue themselues from the common contagion Mal. 3. 16. Then they that feared the Lord spake often one to another and the Lord hearkened and heard it and a booke of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the Lord and that thought vpon his name 3. A priuate Christian may greatly further the conuersion of others by his holy example Christian women may and ought so to liue as their husbands that obey not the Word may without the Word be won by the conuersation of the wiues 1. Pet. 3. 1. The like may be said of children seruants and neighbours also 4. A priuate Christian may do much for the procuring of the saluation of others by his feruent prayer vnto God for them 1. Iohn 5. 16. If any man see his brother sinne a sinne that is not vnto death let him aske and hee shall giue him life for them that sinne not vnto death When the Holy Ghost had mentioned the feruent prayer that Steuen made for his persecutors Acts 7. 60. immediately he addeth Acts 8. 1. And Saul consented to his death As if he should say Saul was one of these he prayed for and on him that prayer did light whatsoeuer it did on the rest But though a man that hath any zeale and desire of the saluation
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.
10. And when he exhorts them to vnity and loue he tells them first they must with all holinesse and meekenesse and long suffering forbeare one another or else they can neuer keepe the vnity of the spirit in the bond of peace Ephes. 4. 2 3. And when he had exhorted them Phil. 2. 2. to be of one accord and of one minde he tels them verse 3. that if they would doe so they must in lowlines of minde each esteeme other better then himselfe 3. If we would all of vs striue to be zealous of Gods glory and carefull to set forward his worke The true way to haue peace on earth is to giue glory to God on high Luke 〈◊〉 14. Lecture the sixty sixth September 18. 1610. IOHN IIII. XXXVI XXXVIII THe Vse that the people of God that are hearers of the Word are to make of the former Doctrine is this That seeing there ought to be no emulation among the faithfull Ministers of Christ but how great inequality soeuer there be in their gifts or in the fruit of their labours or how great difference soeuer there be among them in iudgement yet they ought all to loue and esteeme one of another That therefore the people of God ought to esteeme and reuerence all Gods faithfull Ministers heare all reioyce in all praise God for all notwithstanding any diuersity of gifts or difference in iudgement that they may discerne among them That as it is made a note of a mans sincerity in the loue of the Saints when he loueth all the Saints Ephes. 1. 15. Colos. 1. 4. Philem 5. because it is euident such a one loueth a righteous man in the name of a righteous man not in any carnall respect Matth. 10. 41. so this is a note of a mans sincerity in his loue to Gods Ministers when he loueth all Gods Ministers because this sheweth he loueth a Prophet in the name of a Prophet and not in any carnall respect Matth. 10 41. True it is that Christians may acknowledge a difference in the gifts of Teachers and preferre one before another yea they should seeke to haue iudgement that they may be able to doe it It is Pauls prayer for the Philippians Philip. 1. 9 10. This I pray that your loue may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all iudgement that yee may discerne the things that excell Yea they may desire to enioy the benefit of the best gifts to heare him that hath the best gifts The speech of the Apostle is generall not to the Ministers onely but to the people in the Church of Corinth 1. Corinthians 12. 31. Desire euen with zeale and holy emulation the best gifts And the rule which you should follow in discerning who hath the best and excellentest gifts is this As in generall all men ought to esteeme that the best gift whereby the Church is most edified it is the Apostles reason 1. Cor. 14. 4. He that prophesieth is greater than he that speaketh with strange tongues because he edifieth the Church more So in particular euery man is bound to be most thankefull to God for and esteeme best of that Ministry whereby himselfe hath receiued most good By this reason Paul challengeth respect and reuerence among the Corinthians aboue other Teachers 1 Cor. 4. 15. Though yee haue ten thousand instructers in Christ yee haue not many fathers Thou hast cause to say He is a good Preacher by whom thou findest thou hast profited in knowledge and grace whatsoeuer other men think of him Thou maist say as 1. Cor. 9. 2. If he be not a good Preacher vnto others yet doubtlesse he is vnto me And indeed he onely is able truely to commend a Preacher that can shew â—…e hath profited and receiued good by his Ministry when not his tongue onely but his life commendeth his Teacher when the knowledge faith and sanctification thou hast receiued by his Ministry commends him then thou commendest him well 2. Cor. 3. 2. Ye are our Epistle of recommendation written in our hearts that is wherein we doe inwardly and heartily reioyce which is vnderstood and read of all men 2. Yea more than that euery Christian should desire to heare such to liue vnder such a Ministry as he may profit by It should not content a man that the Ministry he liueth vnder is a preaching Ministry vnlesse it be such a one as he may profit by such a one as if he be but a babe in Christ can giue him milke speake to his capacity teach him plainely and familiarly and such a one as if he be past a childe growne to further ripenesse is able to giue him stronger meate It is noted for a property of the ordinance of God that it is able to build further to goe forward with Gods building Acts 20. 32. And Gods people should desire the sincere milke of the Word that they might grow thereby 1. Pet. 2. 2. Many Christians doubtlesse are too indifferent in this point they respect not this in the Ministry they liue vnder though it be such as they cannot profit by they care not they grieue not they seeke not further they make Gods seruice nothing but a matter of formality and indifferency And this indifference in the people maketh many Ministers more idle and carelesse in stirring vp Gods gifts in themselues than otherwise they would be But though the people may acknowledge a difference in the gifts of Teachers and ought not to rest in any Ministry they cannot profit by yet are they not to despise any Many hearers offend much in a partiall and factious estimation they haue the Ministers of the Gospell in And this partiality I finde ariseth from two grounds 1. The respect they haue to difference of iudgement that is among vs in smaller matters such as I spake of the last day for in this respect there be many that affect such onely as are of their owne mindes with the dislike of all others that are of another iudgement One sort haue this preiudice against them that dislike the ceremonies that for that very cause they despise them refuse to heare them speake all euill of them whatsoeuer their gifts or doctrine or life be Another sort conceiue such a dislike against them that are conformable as they will not acknowledge nor make vse of the excellent gifts God hath bestowed vpon such onely for this cause 2. The second ground of this partiality is the respect they haue to the great difference of gifts that is among Preachers and in respect of this there be many that will heare and follow and admire some teachers whom they iudge to be of excellent gifts but despise and contemne all others This factious disposition in the hearers of Gods Word hath in all ages beene the cause of much confusion in the Church of God and greatly hindred the fruit of the Gospell of Christ. So when Paul complaineth 1. Cor. 1. 11. that hee heard there were contentions among them he giueth
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
beene done to his Ministers in the example of foure Kings of Iuda which in the beginning of their reigne had beene worthy and excellent Princes and neuer prospered after they had done contempt and dishonour to Gods Prophets The first of these was Asa 2. Chron. 16. Hanani the Prophet came to him and deliuered faithfully a message from the Lord and it is said verse 10. Asa was wroth with the Seer and put him into prison But looke what followed to the end of verse 12. and you shall see he neuer prospered after The next of these Kings was Ioash 2. Chron. 24. Zachary the Prophet the sonne of Iehoiadah the Kings Cousin-Germane deliuereth faithfully a sharpe message from the Lord Ioash commands him to be stoned for it verse 21. But see Uerse 25. what an end he came to shortly after and obserue that though he had many other sinnes yet the Holy Ghost saith this was the sinne that brought that ruine vpon him The third of these Kings was Amaziah 2. Chron. 25. 16. A Prophet came to him in the Name of the Lord and plainly reprooued him Amaziah reiecteth him with great disdaine Haue they made thee the Kings Counsellour Sir must you direct me and tell me what I haue to doe then he putteth him to silence But marke what followed the Prophet telleth him plainely he knew God had determined to destroy him because he had done that And so it fell out indeed verse 27. he was murdered by treason The fourth and last of these Kings was Uzziah 2. Chron. 26. he would needes out of the pride of his heart take vpon him to incroach vpon the Priests office the Priests withstood him verse 19. he was cruelly angry as the word signifieth with the Priests raging against them and threatning them but what followed euen that which the Priests told him verse 18. Thou shalt haue no honour from the Lord God The thing he respected was his honour forsooth it was not for his honour to be ruled by the Priests but what honour got he by it First hee was smitten immediately while he was raging against the Priests with a Leprosie and the Leprosie rose in his very forehead verse 19. Secondly verse 21. He was a Leper to the day of his death and dwelt as a Leper in an house apart because he was cut off from the house of the Lord. Thirdly verse 23. After his death they buried him apart though in the same field from his Ancestors for they said He is a Leper The Reasons of the Doctrine are these 1. In respect of their gifts there is an honour due to the true Prophets and Ministers of God It is a barbarous thing not to reuerence and honour learning and Gods gifts wheresoeuer we discerne them Pro. 13. 15. Good vnderstanding maketh a man acceptable And Eccles. 8. 1. The wisedome of a man maketh his face to shine And aboue all gifts and learning this deserueth most honour when a man hath a gift to diuide the Word aright rightly to interpret the Scriptures and to apply them to the vse of Gods Church When the Apostle had said 1 Cor. 12. 31. Desire you the best gifts he commeth to tell them which are the best gifts and hauing shewed in generall Chap. 13. that no gifts are ought worth to a mans owne comfort vnlesse they be vsed in loue and care to profit others he addeth Chap. 14. 1. Follow after loue and couet spirituall gifts but rather that yee may prophesie And verse 5. I would that you all spake with strange languages but rather that ye prophesied for greater is he that prophesiâ—…th than he that speaketh with tongues 2. In respect of their worke and office that they are employed in honour is due vnto them For how meane and base soeuer we are yet is our office great and honourable Luke 1. 15. Hee shall bee great in the sight of the Lord. Wee are the Messengers of the Lord of Hosts â—…al 2. 7. Wee are Embassadours for Christ 1. Cor. 5. 20. Yea we are his Messengers and Em bassadours in matters concerning the soule the precious soule of man not in matters of this life but in the matters of God Heb. 5. 1. The Priest was taken from among men and ordained for men in things pertaining to God You cannot haue the meanes of saluation the Word and Sacraments but from vs. 1. Cor 4. 1. Let a man so esteeme of vs as of the Ministers of Christ and Disposers of the Mysteries of God Yea you cannot haue sauing knowledge nor faith nor regeneration nor eternall life without vs ordinarily Rom. 10. 14. How can they beleeue in him of whom they haue not heard And how can they heare without a Preacher Ioh. â—…0 23. To vs the keyes of the Kingdome of Heauen are committed And though it be certaine that God hath respect to the Prayers of the meanest of the faithfull and it may fall out that many a priuate Christian hath also a better gifâ—… in prayer than many a good Minister yet hath the Lord more respect to the prayers of his Prophets and Ministers than to any other and they are more effectuall to the comfort of Gods people Gen. 20. 7. He is a Prophet and hee shall pray for thee Iames 5. 14. Moses and Aaron were among his Priests and Samuel among such as call vpon his Name these called vpon the Lord and hee heard them Psal. 99. 6. So it is said 2. Chron. 30. 27. that at the end of the solemne passeouer that was kept by Hezekiah The Priests and the Leuites arose and blessed the People and their voice was heard and their Prayer came vp to heauen to his holy Habitation In respect of all this that I haue said concerning the office and function of the Minister the Apostle telleth the Corinthians there was no proportion betweene that they could giue to their Ministers and that they receiued from them 2. Cor. 9. 11. If we haue sowen vnto you spirituall things is it a great thing that we reape your carnall things Yea more than that he tells Philemon verse 19. that he did owe to him euen his owne selfe And so much may euery faithfull Minister say to so many as haue beene conuerted to God by his Ministry The third Reason why the Lord maketh such account of the honour of his Prophets and is so highly displeased with the indignities that are done vnto them is because men cannot honour nor esteeme of their Doctrine and Message vnlesse they honour and esteeme of them The contempt done to them reacheth to the holy things they are employed in and to the Lord himselfe It is not possible for a man to loue the Word but he must loue and honour the Ministers of it How beautifull are the feet of them that preach the Gospell of peace Rom. 10. 15. Yee haue acknowledged vs in part that we are your reioycing 2. Cor. 1. 14. Nay it is not possible for any man to loue
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
grounded vpon this doctrine The first of these considerations is That affliction is not a signe of Gods hatred but of his loue rather not onely his shaking and holding out of his rod is a signe of his fauour as that was we reade of Ester found fauour in his sight and the King held out vnto her the golden scepter Est 〈◊〉 2. but euen his whipping and scourging of vs with it Though it be a signe of his anger and of a little wrath as the Lord speaketh Esay 54 8 yet of his hatred it is not Pro. 3. 12. The Lord correcteth him whom he loueth euen as a father doth the childe in whom hee dlighteth Heb. 12. 6 7. Whom the Lord loueth he chasteneth and scourgeth euery sonne whom he receiueth if ye endure chastening God offereth himselfe to you as to sonnes for what sonne is it whom the father chasteneth not Therefore Iob wondereth at Gods loue in this Iob 7. 17 18. What is man that thou doest magnifie him and that thou setâ—…est thy heart vpon him and doest visit him euery morning and try est him euery moment And that is the reason why the Lord though he passe by a thousand foule faults in the wicked is wont to whip his owne people if they doe but tread awry Amos 32. You onely haue I knowne of all the families of the earth therefore I will visit you for all youâ—… iniquities And on the other side it is spoken of as an argument of Godâ—… wrath and indignation against desperate sinners that God will for beareâ—…o-correct them Esay 1. 5. Wherefore should yee bee smitten any more for yâ—… fall away more and more And Hosea 4. 14. I will not visit your Daughters when they are Harlots nor your Spouses when they are Whores Oh how great is the blindnesse of such as because though they haue often committed grosse sins yet they prosper still are ready to conclude God loues them and that they that haue greatest afflictions are the worst men most out of Gods fauour No no affliction is not a signe of Gods hatred but of his loue rather And who will not be patient and comfortable in affliction that beleeueth this The second consideration is this The Lord certainely intends our good in all our corrections yea to doe vs that good by them which we could not receiue by any other meanes Be thou assured of this that if thou vnfainedly feare God the Lord intendeth thy good in euery affliction of thine though thou cannot yet perceiue it Psalme 25. 10. All the paths of the Lord are mercy and truth to all such as keepe his couenants and his testimonies Heb. 12. 10. He chasteneth vs for our profit that we might be partakers of his holinesse 1. Cor. 11. 32. When wee are iudged wee are chastened of the Lord that wee might not bee condemned with the world Affliction is a medicine which though it be bitter yet it is well approued by the experience of all Gods people that euer were to be most wholesome and soueraigne If any of vs should in our sicknesse haue a physitian come to vs whom we knew to be so wise and learned that he perfectly knew our estate and what would doe vs good and so louing and good a man also that he did vnfainedly desire to doe vs all the good he could if this man should prescribe to vs a potion and tell vs he had no other meanes to do vs good but that if we take it not we must needs die if we do take it it will certainly do vs good how strange soeuer the working of it seem to be for a while yet in the end it will certainly do vs good and recouer vs there was neuer any of his patients receiued it but it did them good would any of vs be so mad as to reiect such a potion giuen vs by such a Physitian would we not willingly drink it off euery drop though it were neuer so loathsome in colour how bittersoeuer it were in taste how much soeuer it were in quantity Now such a Physitian is the Lord and such a medicine is Affliction When we are iudged we are chastened of the Lord that we may not be condemned with the world 1 Cor. 11. 32. He chasteneth vs for our profit that we might be partakers of his holinesse Heb. 12. 10. Blessed is the man whom thou chastenest O Lord and teachest him out of thy Law that thou mayest giue him rest from the dayes of aduersity vntill the pit be digged for the wicked Psal. 94. 12 13. The third consideration that may make vs patient and comfortable in affliction is this That God will surely remoue it when it hath had that good worke in vs that he hath appointed it for The Lord our God is not like those hard hearted Chyrurgions that care not what paine they put their Patients to but he is very mercifull and tender-hearted he vseth not to apply corasiues nor to launce or seare but vpon great necessity Lam. 3. 33. He doth not punish willingly nor afflict the children of men 1 Pet. 1. 6. Now for a season if need require you are in heauinesse through manifold tentations Is thy affliction sharpe and painfull certainly the Lord seeth thou hast need of it or els he would handle thee more gently When a man hath a deepe wound and festered at the bottome full of corruption or hath some bullet or arrow head or point of a sword that must be taken out the Chyrurgion can neuer cure him well but he must needs put him to great paine launce him and cut him and make the wound bigger before he can heale it and euen so deales the Lord with his patients Iob 5. 17 18. Behold blessed is the man whom God correcteth as if he should say Happy man is he that euer came vnder the hands of this Chyrurgion Therfore refuse not thou the chastening of the Almighty for he makes the wound and binds it vp and his hands make whole The like must we think of the continuance of our afflictions Is thy affliction long certainly thy need requires it should be so it hath not had the good work in thee yet God sent it for The Lord is not like those couetous and wretched Chirurgions that for their owne aduantage will protract their cures but he is most faithfull and will not keep his patients a day longer vnder his hand than their necessity doth require This made Dauid say Psal. 119. 75. I know O Lord that thy iudgements are right and that thou of very faithfulnesse hast caused me to be troubled The fourth consideration is That we haue had much more experience of his goodnesse towards vs in giuing vs prosperity than we haue had of his anger in afflicting vs and there is no proportion betwixt the time of our afflictions and prosperities that which the Lord speaketh by his Prophet For a small moment haue I for saken thee but with great mercies will
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
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
204. The knowledge euen of the vnregenerate if they belong to God is a great aduantage vnto them 205. Who know Christ lesse regard the world 238. Knowledge sanctified notes thereof 238 239. The benefit of such as desire knowledge 360. L. Liberty The true knowledge of our Christian libertie in the vse of things indifferent is a great helpe against vnnecessary heauinesse and sorrow 439 440. Lectures On the weeke day are lawfull ◅42 Loue. Loue of the regenerate 480. Loue of the people is true when they make vse of their Ministers gifts and will be direrected by them 319. To loue and countenance a Minister but not to heare him may procure a temporall reward but no sound comfort 321. M. Masters of families They should see that their whole family ioyne with them in Gods worship 123. How they should gaine loue and reuerence from their seruants 496. Matrimony Second marriages are lawfull 7◅ Though Marriage be not necessary for all for some it is 94. Meanes The Lord doth oft both prepare mē to grace confirme them in it by other meanes besides his word 417. Of grace not to bee despised because they seeme weake and contemptible 32. Both the giuing of them and the successe of them depends only on the good pleasure of God 250. 253. To sin against the meanes of grace greatly aggrauates sin 422. Melancholy Wee are bound to striue against the passion of it 434. The best meanes to preserue vs from the danger of it see sorrow Mercy of God The hainousest sins of the Elect hinders not God from calling them 95. He thinkes neuer the worse of them for their old sins after their conuersion 96. 97. He reiects not their seruices for the corruptions that cleaue to them 97 98. 192. He causeth their fow lest sins to turne to their great good ◅8 The knowledge of it tends greatly to the comfort of the faithfull 99. He will not reiect his children for their infirmities but is therein very tender and respectfull towards them 452. Foure things in the Lords gracious disposition that should mooue vs to serue him willingly 463. Mercifulnesse We should learne to be mercifull by the example of our heauenly Father 100. Ministers They must do the work of their calling with a willing mind 261. Their mutuall agreement loue will much further the Gospell 299. Yet are we not bound to agree with or like of all but we may lawfully discountenance and publikely reproue some Ministers 300. 301. The difference in iudgement or practise about the Ceremonies should not alienate the affections of godly Ministers one from another ◅01 303. He must bee diligent and carefull to teach profitably 367. He must be faithfull and wherein that consists 367. 368. His life must be exemplary for piety 368. They had need be godly men 215. They should encourage their people to moue their doubts to them 227. What they should do when the people leaue them to heare others 271. Faithfull ones need not feare want but shall be sure of good reward 8◅ His chiefe care should be to see fruit of his labours how he may do that 284 289 290. The best haue been apt to be discouraged by the badnesse of their hearers 294. They must not enuie but esteeme louingly and reuerently of their brothers 297. How far they should seeke to agree together and how that may be wrought 299. 305. The Minister to which a man belongs is not to be forsaken 269. Ministers that are faithfull shall be rewarded 283. A faithfull Minister need not be couetous for the things of this life nor feare the malice or subtiltie of enemies 284. Ministers must labour to be fruitfull 289. Ministers encouraged by peoples forwardnes 293. A man may be a faithfull Minister and approued of God though his gifts be far inferiour to other of his fellow-labourers 309. Ministers ought not to be daunted in the presence of any wicked in the exercise of their Ministry 294. Ministers ought to carry themselues so as that they may deserue respect from the people 316. Ministers are bound to teach the whole councell of God 317. Corruptions may be in the deliuery of the truth but the Word hath no corruption in it 317. A Minister may tell his people of the duty they owe him and yet not be proud 317. Their faults may bee publikely and sharply reproued 300 ◅1 There is an honour due to euery true Minister 360. 375. The Lord makes high account of the honour that is done to his faithfull Ministers and is highly displeased with the contempt and indignities done to them 359. This should not puffe him vp but humble him 361. Foure degrees of honour due to them 362. They haue for the most part least esteeme in their owne country and amongst them that are neerest to them in birth and acquaintance 364. How they may get and maintaine reuerence in the peoples hearts 367 368. They should striue to apply them particularly to their hearers 373. They haue authority to reprooue sin in any man 106. 360. They must not be discouraged at the vnfruitfulnesse of their labours 3◅8 The people looke for angelicall perfection in them 366. The faithfull one shall bee sure to haue both honour maintenance and fruit of his labours 375. Comfort for them against the contempt of their calling and persons 376. The fearefull estate of such as despise or doe any indignity to them 359. 360. 376. Men shew respect to their Ministers and comfort them when they make vse of their gifts in priuate 319. Conceitednesse is a cause they do not 222. The Priests had their houses neere the Temple for this end 221. Ministry of the Word See Meanes Great is the necessity of it 278 279. A sound Ministry is the strength of a State 279 This of the new Testament is far more fruitfull then that was vnder the law 287 288 289. A great mercy to teach vs by men rather then immediatly or by Angels 107 ◅42 It is the saluation of men and why it is so called 2◅7 168. How it becomes effectuall 169. Whom God intends to saue he giues the ministry of the Word vnto and grace to profit by it 305 306. God hath been wont to make it effectuall in as many as hee meanes to saue within a short time after they haue first enioyed it 324 325. God neuer giues it to any people but hee makes it effectuall to saue some 376. 289. The ministry of the new Testament in regard of the profitablenesse of it to win soules is far more excellent then that of the old 287 The ministy of the Prophets prepared men to receiue the ministry of the Gospell 287. They that esteeme of the message esteeme of the messenger 309. Ministry effectuall 28◅ Ministry of the Word of great necessity 278. Miracles The chiefe end of them was not to conuert men but to gaine credit to the Word in their hearts and make them willing to heare 37. New formes of Gods worship
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
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
generally haue a reuerent opinion of such men This reason is giuen why the Pharisees durst say nothing against Iohn Mat. 21. 26. For all held Iohn as a Prophet Herod himselfe thought reuerently of him Mar. 6. 20. 2. To secure their owne hearts in their errours and sinnes The finding of this little goodnesse in themselues that they hate not all good men but can thinke and speake reuerently of them doth strangely quiet the conscience of hypocrites for a time as that little goodnesse he found in himselfe did that Pharisee Luke 18. 11. The Vses of this Doctrine are three 1. To discouer vnto vs the weake foundations of the Popish faith and religion which yet I would not be large in had I not two reasons to moue me to it 1. That though I see no cause to doubt that any of you should be inclined that way yet partly the great increase of Papists of late and partly their strange boldnesse and confidence in their religion and readinesse to maintaine and broach their opinions in euery company may cause you sometimes to stagger and thinke they haue some truth on their side if you be not the better grounded and confirmed against them 2. My text here giues me direct occasion to do it yea more direct then any other that I can thinke of in all the Scripture Consider therefore that as the Papists do resemble the Samaritans in many other things so in this point especially that is described in this text namely in aduancing the credit of good and holy men to the discrediting of the truth of God The Papists are right Samaritans and do resemble them in many things 1. The Samaritan in many points of Religion agreed with the people of God for he worshipped the true God Ezra 4. 2. 2. King 17. â—…8 He acknowledged the fiue Bookes of Moses he vsed Circumcision and the Sacrifices of the Law 2. Kings 17. 32. he looked for the Messiah that was to come Iohn 4. 25. So doth the Papist agree with vs in many points of Religion 2. The Samaritan corrupted these parts of the true Religion with grosse Superstition and Idolatry for he had many things besides the Lord that he gaue diuine honour vnto 1. Kings 17. 29. Euery nation made gods of their owne and put them in the houses of the high places which the Samaritans had made euery nation in the cities where they dwelt He worshipped the true God in Images These nations feared the Lord and serued their grauen images saith the text 2. King 17. 41. And in that respect though the Holy Ghost say of them 2. Kings 17. 33. They feared the Lord because they retained many parts of Gods true worship yet in the very next verse he saith They did not feare God they did not worship the true God because they serued him not according to his Word And our Sauiour denieth Ioh. 4. 22. that there câ—…uld be any saluation had in their religion In this point also the Papist is like the Samaritan he hath many petty gods that he giueth diuine honour vnto he worshippeth the true God by Images and in that respect we may as truly say of him as it was said of the Samaritan he worshippeth not the true God at all because he worshippeth him not according to his Word how then can saluation be found in the religion of the Papist 3. The Samaritan was euer the chiefe practiser against the re-edifying of the Temple and of the holy city See some of their practises They weakned the hands of the people of Iudah and troubled them in building and hired Counsellours against them to frustrate their purpose all the dayes of Cyrus as we read Ezra 4. 4. 5. And Neh. 6. 12. 14. They made some of the Prophets and Prophetesses their instruments to hinder the worke So hath the Papist euer beene the author of all the means whereby the growth of religion hath been hindered amongst vs The strange slanders whereby many of the seruants of God haue beene discredited both with the Magistrate and with the people haue come from the Papist The domesticall dissentions and iarres we haue had among our selues haue come from the Papist also But in nothing hath he better resembled the Samaritan then in this case that is here described in this Text namely in pretending great loue and respect to the Saints departed and in aduancing their credit and authority to the discredit of the truth of God The Samaritan pretended great reuerence to Iacob they pretended for this Well from which they fetcht their water that Iacob gaue it them The Papist pretendeth for the power and authority of their Pope from whence in very deed all their religion is deriued and vpon which it is grounded that Peter gaue it him that Peter vsed it himselfe and left it to the Bishops of Rome that are his successours and for their whole religion they pretend that the ancient Fathers and Doctors of the Church deliuered it vnto them And therefore let vs bring neuer so good euidence out of the Word of God against them they are ready to put vs off as the Samaritan doth here Are you or the founders of your religion Luther and Caluin greater then Saint Peter Are you or they better or more likely to see the truth in religion then all the Fathers who gaue vs this religion and themselues professed it and all such as were taught by them We honour the Fathers say they you reiect and despise them The ancient Doctors of the Church are for vs and against you and your new religion Now for answer vnto them we say that the very same errours will be found in this plea of theirs as wee haue found in the argument of this Samaritan-woman for 1. As Iacob gaue no such Well to the Samaritanes so it is euident Peter gaue no such power and authority to the Bishops of Rome as they pretend Marke how we proue this 2. He had no such power and authority himselfe as the Pope exercises Peter exercised no such temporall and ciuill iurisdiction nay he might not do it The king of the Gentiles saith our Sauiour vnto him and the rest of the Apostles Luk. 22. 25 26. exercise lordship ouer them and they that exercise authority vpon them are called Benefactors But yee shall not be so Peter neuer tooke vpon him nor thought hee might take vpon him to depose Princes that should abuse their authority against the true Church and Religion or to absolue subiects from their Oathes of allegiance for he taught the contrary submit your selues to euery ordinance of man for the Lords sake saith he 1. Pet. 2. 13. He had no such ecclesiasticall supremacy ouer the whole Church as the Pope exerciseth for all the rest of the Apostles were equall to him Paul professeth so of himselfe in nothing am I behind the very chiefest Apostles saith he 2. Cor. 12. 11. The same commission the same gifts of the Holy Ghost the same keyes
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
so farre as religion is a friend to that he liketh and imbraceth it but when once it crosseth him in that he regards it not but will be ready to renounce it Before he entertaineth any truth of God he vseth to enquire first whether it will further or hinder his profit be for or against his aduantage yea or no. What profit should wee haue if we pray vnto him say such kinde of men Iob 21. 15. The truth of this Doctrine will appeare in these three points 1. Many things in Religion he likes because they seeme to make for his profit 2. There is no truth that he receiues but he turnes and applyes it to his worldly and carnall aduantage 3. There is no truth that he is so well perswaded of but he will be ready to renounce it when once it prooues an occasion of losse and trouble to him in the world 1. A naturall man yea a very wicked man may in many things consent vnto the truth of God and both in profession and practise shew a liking and loue to religion and that onely for the carnall contentment and benefit that he findes in it You shall finde Iohn 6. 14 15. that a great multitude of the Iewes about 5000 people giue a notable testimony of Christ and shew a marueilous affection vnto him Of a truth this is the Prophet say they that should come into the world yea they would needs haue made him a King But our Sauiour saith of these with a vehement asseueration that they did this onely because they had eate of the loaues and were filled verse 26. And the Lord saith of the wicked Israelites Hos. 10. 11. Eâ—…hraim is as an Hâ—…yfer vsed to delight in threshing alluding to the manner of their threshing the oxen that trod out their corne were at liberty to eate and might not be musled Deut. 25. 4. that is they tooke delight in such duties of religion as did not curbe nor crosse their nature but yeelded profit vnto them Ye shall haue many a meere naturall man yea many a very wicked man that vseth ordinarily to pray and will seldome misse a Sermon yea sometime performe extraordinary duties yea and that not for the credit he hopes to receiue thereby from men for those are the grosser sort of hypocrites Matth. 6. 5. but euen because he is perswaded in his conscience it will be profitable vnto him in his worldly estate and that God will that way reward him for it See a proofe of this Esay 58. 2. They seeke me daily and will know my waies euen as a nation that doth righteously yea they fasted verse 3. and what moued them to doe this Surely their worldly profit and safety they looked for and hoped to merit thereby as appeares verse 3. Wherefore haue we fasted and thou seest it not Some temporall iudgement it seemes befell them which they hoped by their forwardnesse in religious duties to haue preuented whereby God as they conceiued testified that he regarded not their seruices and this did greatly disquiet them But can any one be so simple as to thinke the seruing of God will aduantage him in the world Yes surely for 1. The naturall man may know that the earth is the Lords that God hath made many great promises euen for this life vnto them that serue him godlines is profitable vnto all things saith the Apostle 1. Tim. 4 8 hauing promise of the life that now is and of that which is to come such a promise is that Psal. 34. 9 10. O feare the Lord ye his Saints for there is no â—…ant to them that feare him The young Lyons do lack and suffer hunger but they that seeke the Lord shall not want any good thing 2. He finds by his own experience that when he hath serued God euen after his fashion he hath prospered the better for such is the loue the Lord beareth to piety as he hath beene wont to reward with outward and temporall blessings the very outward duties of his seruice when they haue beene performed but euen in a naturall deuotion without an vpright and faithfull heart See a manifest proofe of this Ps. 78. 34. They sought him Ver. 37. Their heart was not vpright Ver. 38. Yet he being mercifull forgaue their iniquity destroyed them not but oftentimes called backe his anger So it is said of Iehoâ—…haz 2. King 12. 14. He besought the Lord and the Lord heard him and yet ver 2. he was a most wicked man While the Ark of God did but remaine and rest in the house of Obed-Edom three moneth it is said The Lord blessed the house of Obed-Edom and all that he had 2. Chro 13. 14. Neuer did man entertaine any guest that will pay so well for his lodging and so recompence the kindnesse he receiues as religion will do God hath euer been wont to blesse the family where the outward duties of his worship haue beene constantly performed and but an outward conformitie yeelded vnto them 3. Yea God hath bin wont to blesse many a wicked man for the piety of such as haue belonged vnto him and to whom he hath giuen entertainement though himselfe haue not serued God at all Gen. 12. 2. Thou shalt be a blessing saith God to Abraham and expounds himselfe in the next words Verse 3. I will also blesse them that blesse thee See an experiment of it in Putiphar Gen. 39. 5. The Lord blessed the Egyptians house for Iosephs sake Now this many a naturall man obserueth well and this makes him both to serue God himselfe and to like Religion in others It is certaine many a naturall man likes his child and his seruant the better if they be religious and if they be not he wisheth that they were But why doth he so surely he knoweth that he shall haue the more profit by them if they were so he knowes they will be more diligent and more dutifull the more faithfull vnto him and that God will blesse him the better You shall see a plaine proofe for this in Putiphar Gen. 39. 4. He loued no seruant so well as he did Ioseph he trusted him more then any and aduanced him aboue all but marke the reason Verse 3. His master saw that the Lord was with him and that the Lord made all that he did to prosper in his hand I do not say that euery naturall man is thus minded for many haue not that wit and policy in them either they see not that Religion brings such blessings to the place where it is entertained or they are so wicked and prophane that they will rather lose these blessings then they will be beholding to Religion for them But yet this is the disposition of many they like Religion because it is so commodious and were it not for this God should haue no seruice at all done to him by them there would not be so much as a shew of Religion in them so that of these men it may be said
see what a blessing Phineas brought both vpon his owne house and vpon all Israell by the zealous hatred hee shewed against this sinne in the punishing of Zimry and Cozby Numbers 25. 11 12. 3. There is no true loue in any to their neighbours and country but in such onely For the shame and punishment that one man is brought vnto is a meanes to restraine many from committing this sinne and so to preserue them from the curse of God that is due vnto it That is the reason the Lord giueth for the seuerity that he enioyned the Magistrate to vse Deut. 13. 11. That all Israeli may heare and feare and doe no more any such wickednesse as this among you 4. There is no true loue to the sinner himselfe in any but in such onely For the disgrace and punishment that he is brought vnto is the likeliest and best meanes to bring him to true repentance Psal. 83. 16. Fill their faces with shame that they may seeke thy name O Lord 2. Thess. 3. 14. If any man obey not our sayings haue no company with him that he may bee ashamed verse 15. yet count him not as an enemy Secondly It is no aduantage to the vncleane person that men faile in their duty and doe not shew that detestation to his sin that they ought to doe For all kind of sinners may assuredly looke for plagues from God euen in this life though Magistrates should winke at them Behold saith Salomon Pro. 11. 31. the righteous shall bee recompenced on the earth much more the wicked and the sinner And Eccl. 8. 12 13. Though a sinner doe euill an hundred times and his daies bee prolonged Yet surely I know that it shall bee well with them that feare God which feare before him But it shall not bee well with the wicked neither shall bee prolong his daies which are as a shadow because hee feareth not before God Nah. 1. 2 3. God is iealous and the Lord reuengeth the Lord reuengeth and is furious the Lord will take vengeance on his aduersaries and hee reserueth wrath for his enemies The Lord is slow to anger and great in power and will not at all acquit the wicked The Lord hath his way in the Whirle-wind and in the storme and the clouds are the dust of his feet But of all sinners none haue more cause to looke for fearefull iudgements from God then they that liue in this sinne For God hates this sinne and will certainely punish and plague it though men doe not Yea there is no one sinne specially against the second Table which he hath set more euident marks of his indignation vpon and witnessed it by executing his iudgements vpon men for it then this Is not destruction to the wicked saith Iob speaking of this sin Iob 31. 3. and a strange punishment to the workers of iniquity Heb. 13. 4. Whoremongers and Adulterers God will iudge For this very sinne therefell of Israel in one day three and twenty thousand 1. Cor. 10. 8. And the Apostle tells vs that all iudgements that befall a Nation a Country or Towne are to be imputed chiefly to this sinne Ephes. 5. 6. Let no man deceiue you with vaine words for because of these things commeth the wrath of God vpon the children of disobedience But I will shew you more particularly how God is wont to punish this sinne And I am deceiued if any one sinne hath so many punishments so particularly threatned in the word against it as this hath 1. God plagues men in their bodies for this sinne Not onely as Salomon speaketh because Pro. 5. 11. It consumeth the flesh and the body but he hath inuented a plague proper and peculiar to this sinne euen that infectious and loathsome disease which at the first was called the disease of Naples and after the French disease but now may aswell be called the English disease For of very many in all places that may now be said which Zophar speaketh to Iob 20. 11. His bones are full of the sinne of his youth and it shall lie downe with him in the dust Other diseases may well be called the fruits of sinne but is there any sinne that hath a disease that is so naturall a fruit of it and that beares his name in the forehead thereof so as this doth 2. God plagueth men in their goods for this sinne Pro. 6. 26. Because of the whorish woman a man is brought to a morsell of bread Iob 24. 18. Their portion shall bee cursed vpon the earth Many a man is brought to beggery by it Yea this sinne is able to destroy Kings as Salomons mother taught him Pro. 31. 3. 3. God plagueth men in their good name and reputation for this sinne Pro. 6. 33. He shall finde dishonour and his reproach shall neuer be put away Let him haue neuer so much wealth and power he shall haue no true credit nor estimation with men no not with his owne seruants or children or such as are most bound vnto him God told Dauid that when he committed this sin he despised him 2. Sam. 12. 10. And those that despise God shall be sure to be despised 1. Sam. 2. 30. 4. God plagueth men in their posteritie for this sinne Iob 31. 12. This is a fire that shall deuoure to destruction and roote out all mine increase Iob 21. 19. God will lay vp the sorrow of the father for his children Many a goodly family hath beene ouerthrowne by this sin Yea for this sinne God denies a posterity to many It is not only the curse whereby God threatneth the man that commits incestuous vncleannesse that hee shall die childlesse Leuit. 20. 20 21. but of all adulterers and fornicators also the Lord saith Hos. 4. 10. they shall commit whoredome and shall not increase Iudah though in all likelyhood he were but thirty yeares old when he lay with Tamar Gen. 38. and had two sonnes by her yet doe we neuer reade that he had any childe after sure it is that from them two onely and Selah whom he had before the families of Iudah are reckoned Gen. 46. 12. Num. 26. 19. 22. 1. Chron. 2. 3 4. 5. God plagueth the family and towne where such men dwell for this sinne Gen 29. 18. God shut vp euery wombe of the house of Abimilech because of Sarah when there was but a purpose in him to commit adultery with Sarah though he intended it vnwittingly altogether The family and towne is polluted and made guilty of sinne Ier. 2. 2. Thou hast polluted the Land with thy whoredomes Num. 25. 1. The people began to commit whoredome with the daughters of Moab and verse 3. The wrath of the Lord was kindled against Israel and verse 4. Hee sent a plague that consumed twenty foure thousand 6. Because many an vncleane person will be ready to say none of all these plagues I thanke God haue hitherto nor doe now touch me I say vnto such men 1. The longer Gods plagues are deferred
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
3. 20. Eglon himselfe did in reuerence rise out of his seat when a message was brought him from God 2. Because they know it is a great benefit and fruit of Gods loue when he sends his seruants to deale plainely with them and to reproue them when so they sinne against him Pro. 6. 23. Reproofes of instruction are the way of life See it in that speech Reu. 2. 15. Whom I loue I rebuke See it also in Dauids prayer Psal. 141. 5. Let the righteous smite me it shall be a kindnesse Therefore is this theatned as a grieuous iudgement for God to giue ouer reproouing of men by his seruants Hos. 4. 4. yet let no man striue or reprooue another for this people are as they that striue with the Priest 3. Because they know it is the best fruit of loue that any can performe vnto them to admonish and reprooue them thou shalt not hate thy brother in thine heart but thou shalt in any wise rebuke thy neighbour and not suffer sin vpon him saith the Lord Leu. 19. 17. And 2. Thess. 3. 15. He counts thee a brother while he admonisheth thee 2. Cor. 2. 4. I wrote to you so sharpely that you might perceiue the loue which I haue specially vnto you See also Pro. 27. 5 6. Open rebuke is better then secret loue faithfull are the words of a friend 1. This Doctrine serues to exhort euery Christian to striue after and pray for this grace to be able to take a Christian admonition or reproofe in good part and to loue him the better that deales faithfully with him that way whatsoeuer the party be be he a Minister or priuate man This is the exhortation of the Apostle 1. Thess. 5. 12 13. Esteeme them highly in loue for their workes sake And this is their chiefe worke verse 12. to admonish you Marke 1. How earnest the Apostle is with them in this point hee knew well that vnlesse men doe esteeme reuerently of their Ministers and loue them they shall neuer be able to profit by their Doctrine and this experience proues most true 2. Marke why he would haue them to loue their Ministers with a singular loue for their workes sake and what the chiefe worke is he nameth they admonish you euen for this cause they should loue them Now there bee three things principally that keepe men from taking a reproofe in good part against which I will labour out of Gods Word to strengthen you 1. We are ready to thinke of euery one that admonisheth or reprooueth vs that he vsurpeth authority ouer vs makes himselfe our better seekes to reigne as a Lord and to haue our heads vnder his girdle And we cannot abide that a man whom wee know to be either our inferiour or equall should take that vpon him When Lot an equall in the mildest manner did admonish the Sodomites they reiect him thus Gen. 19. 9. Hee is come alone as a stranger and shall he iudge and rule We cannot endure it from an equall When Moses a gouernour in as mild a manner as was possible seeing two of his brethren at variance admonished them and would haue set them at one saying to them Acts 7. 26. Sirs yee are brethren why doe you wrong one another verse 27. He that did the wrong thrust him away and said who made thee a Prince and a Iudge ouer vs When the Prophet came to Amaziah King of Iudah and reprooued him for his Idolatry he was reiected with this taunt Haue they made thee the Kings Counsellour 2. Chron. 25. 16. So that whether he be our inferiour or equall or whether he be one that God hath giuen a speciall calling vnto to admonish vs we are apt by nature to reiect it vpon this ground For strengthening our selues against this corruption we must consider 1. That it is no pride or presumption for the Minister of Christ to reprooue sinne in any man Indeed euery man must in reproouing of his betters shew due reuerence and respect to their calling 1. Tim. 5. 1 2. Rebuke not an Elder but admonish him as a brother the elder women as mothers yet it is no presumption in the Minister of Christ to reprooue sinne in any man For it is his calling Ezek. 3. 17. I haue made thee a Watchman yea we are in Christs roome 2. Cor. 5. 20. And it is necessary Gods people should know this Know them that are ouer you saith the Apostle 1. Thess. 5. 12. If therefore you disdaine to be taught and admonished by vs you disdaine to be taught and admonished by Christ Luk. 10. 16. He that heareth you heareth me and he that despiseth you despiseth me and he that despiseth me despiseth him that sent mee 2. It is no pride nor presumption nor signe of a busie body for a priuate Christian to admonish or reprooue his neighbour For he hath also the commandement of God for it Heb. 10. 24. Let vs consider one another to prouoke vnto loue and good workes 1. Thess. 5. 11. Comfort your selues together and edifie one another as also yee doe Euery man hath a calling and is charged to see Gods law obserued by others so farre as in him lyeth 3. It is no disparagement to the best man to be put in minde of his duty to God euen by one that is much his inferiour and to hearken to him See an example of this in a master Naamans seruants admonish him and he by hearkening to them receiued great good by it 2. King 5. 13. In a husband in all that Sarah hath said vnto thee hearken vnto her voice saith the Lord to Abraham Gen. 21. 12. In a Father Terah hearkened vnto Abraham and left his own country as appeares by comparing Gen. 11. 31. and 12. 1. In a Prince Dauid hearkened to the counsaile of Abigail and blessed God for it 1. Sam. 25. 32. 33. Nay the meaner the person is that admonisheth thee the more shalt thou shew thy obedience to God and the power that his Word and Spirit hath had in thy heart if thou hearken to his counsell Esay 11. 6. A little childe shall leade them The second corruption that hindereth men from accepting reproofe is this if we can say that the party that reprooues vs hath his faults as well as we and euery man is eloquent and witty in discouering the faults of Preachers either such as they are indeed guilty of or such as are maliciously and slanderously deuised and reported of them and thinke it a sufficient reason why they should reiect all that the Preacher can say against their sins This we shall see an example of Iohn 9. 34. thou wert altogether borne in sinnes and durst thou teach vs To strengthen vs against this corruption we must consider that though no man can with comfort nor ought indeede to reprooue sinne in others that is himselfe a wicked man vnto the wicked saith God what hast thou to doe to declare mystatutes seeing thou hatest instruction
the Passeouer Exodus 13. 8. how much more now 3. The third Vse is for exhortation and incouragement to learne of Christ Matth. 11. 29. this will bring much rest to our soules which we must now doe by the written word and ministry thereof God hath committed to vs the word of reconciliation and we are in Christs stead as the Apostle teacheth 2. Cor. 5. 19. 20. And seeing his office is to teach vs all things let vs seeke in all things in euery place as well at home as at the Church in euery condition of life in prosperity aduersity as we are Masters Seruants Landlords c in euery thing that we goe about as buying selling apparell recreations c to receiue direction from him In euery thing inquire what saith Christ concerning this What would he haue me doe That which Paul saith of marriages and meates may be said likewise of apparell recreations all the commodities and gaines of this life they are good to vs when they are sanctified by the Word and prayer 1. Tim. 4. 4 5. Many will heare Christ willingly in some things but in many things they will doe as they list whereas Acts 3. 22 23. Wee should heare him in all things that bee shall say vnto vs and euery soule that will not heare this Prophet shall bee destroyed from among the people THE FIVE AND FORTIETH LECTVRE ON MARCH XIII MDCIX IOH. IIII. XXVI Iesus saith vnto her I that speake vnto thee am He. WE heard the last day what a confession this Woman of Samaria made of the Messiah 1. She knew he would come 2. She knew his comming was then at hand 3. She knew that when he should come he should teach his Church all things that concerned Gods true worship and the saluation of man In these words that I haue now read and the verse following two things are set downe 1. How Christ made himselfe knowne vnto her to be the Messiah which she spake of verse 26. 2. How this conference betweene them was broken of by the comming of the Disciples verse 27. In the first we are to obserue that it is somewhat strange that he thus plainely reuealeth himselfe vnto this Woman here and to inquire what may be the reason of it that so we may receiue a doctrine and instruction from it 1. We shall not finde that in any Sermon he made to the Iewes hee did euer manifest himselfe so plainely to be the Messiah as he doth here to this Woman of Samaria and yet we know he was not sent to the Samaritans but vnto the lost sheepe of the house of Israel Matth. 15. 24. We reade Iohn 10. 24. That the Iewes came about him as he was walking in Salomons Porch and compassed him round that he might not get from them and expostulated with him in this manner how long doest thou hold vs in suspense If thou bee the Christ tell vs plainely yet would he not in plaine tearmes tell them that hee was he yea when Iohn the Baptist sent two choise Disciples to him to know whether he were he that should come or they should waite for another he makes them not a plaine and direct answer but bids them shew Iohn what workes of his they had seene done Luke 7. 19. 22. yea he straitly chargeth his Disciples Matth. 16. 20. That they should tell no man that hee was Iesus the Christ and yet behold he plainely makes himselfe knowne to this poore Woman 2. The Reason why he vouchsafeth this rare fauour to this poore Woman is for that he saw her heart was now prepared to receiue the truth hee told her not so much at the first till he saw her heart was prepared to receiue it he saw her heart was now truely humbled in sense of her sin he saw she esteemed reuerently of his person he saw she was very desirous of sauing knowledge he discerned in her a longing desire for the Messias comming because she knew when he came he would teach his Church all things and therefore now he thus plainely reueales himselfe vnto her In this manner did Christ also deale with the poore man that was borne blinde when he had heard what zeale and grace he had shewed in answering of the Pharisees and enduring of their excommunication he sought him out and finding him made himselfe more plainely knowne vnto him then he did vnto any other almost Ioh. 9. 3â—… 37. To the Iewes in Iohnâ—…0 â—…0 â—…4 he did not make himselfe so plainely knowne because he saw they sought it out of an euill purpose And he charged his Disciples not to make him knowne because he saw the people were not yet prepared to receiue this truth This then is the Doctrine that we are to learne here That the Lord will cleerely reueale himselfe to all such as with an humble and honest heart doe desire to know him When God hath thus prepared the heart of any and made it 1. Humble in sense of his owne ignorance and sinne 2. Vnfainedly desirous of sauing knowledge 3. Desirous of it with an honest heart and purpose to obey the truth he neuer vseth to leaue it there but is wont further to reueale his sauing truth vnto that soule See how this is confirmed in all these three particulars For the first Psal. 25. 9. They that be meeke shall he guide in iudgement and teach the humble his way The man that seeth his ignorance and corruption is poore in spirit and mournes for nothing so much as for it you see God hath promised he will teach him his way For the second the blessed Virgin saith in her Song that this hath euer beene Gods manner Luke 1. 53. To fill the hungry with good things and to send the riâ—…h away empty to such as vnfainedly and earnestly desire to know Christ he will vndoubtedly reueale himselfe For the third Psal 25. 12. What man is he that feares the Lord him shall he teach in the way that he shall chuse And verse 14. The secret of the Lord is reuealed to them that feare him and his Couenant to giue them vnderstanding Iohn 14. 21. He that loueth me shall bee loued of my Father and I will loue him and shew mine owne selfe vnto him And Psal. 50. 23. To him that disposeth his way aright will I shew the saluation of God Such as with an honest heart desire to be taught of God because they feare to offend him because they loue him and desire to please and serue him such he will teach the way they should chuse he will reueale his secrets to them euen the secret of all secrets his decree touching their eternall election The Reasons of this are three 1. The good pleasure of God The free and infinite loue the Lord beareth to them that are his This Reason our Sauiour giueth Mat. 11. 26. euen so Father for so it seemed good in thy sight 2. The vnchangeablenesse of this loue of God and care he hath to perfect
the men Come see a man that hath told me all things that euer I did The word therefore implieth that somewhat that is mentioned before was the cause of her so suddaine and hasty departing from Christ and running into the Citie and what was that Surely if we looke backe into the two former verses we shall finde two causes of it 1. Because the Diâ—…ciples were now come out of the City with meat for him and she thought he would be gone as soone as he had eaten somewhat therefore shee made hast to goe and call her neighbours for feare he should be gone before they could come 2. Because Christ had plainely told her he was the Messias therefore she went her way Why but that should rather haue stayed her still with him and made her desirous of further speech No verily for she did vndoubtedly belieue that he was so indeed as he had said and her heart was so astonished with suddaine ioy and earnest desire to draw her neighbours to him that she could neither speake nor tarry any longer but away shee goeth into the City and telleth her neighbours But why did she leaue her paile behind her Surely though she came to the Well of purpose to fetch water and she had need and vse of water for some worke she had to doe at home yet the ioy she found in the knowledge of Christ and the zealous desire she had to win her neighbours made her carelesse both of the water and of her paile also and forgetfull of the worke she had to doe at home 2. She left it for haste because if she should haue taken it with her and carried it home she could not haue gone with that speed to fetch her neighbours as she thought it was needfull she should doe 3. It is to be obserued that the Euangelist saith when she came into the City she said to these men 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or as the best translaters reade it to the men of that place that is the neighbours among whom she liued and all of them without difference she sought to draw them all vnto Christ. Hauing thus opened the meaning of this verse let vs now obserue two points in it for our instruction 1. The zeale she had to run and fetch her neighbours 2. The leauing of her paile behind her And first in that the Holy Ghost hath here obserued that this Woman so soone as she knew and beleeued in Christ was so zealous to draw her neighbours to him that for their sakes shee was content to leaue Christ though no doubt she desired much to continue with him and to depriue her selfe of the comfort and benefit she might haue found if she had tarryed longer with him 2. And made such hast to fetch them for feare he should be gone before she could bring them 3. And called them all shee saith to the men one as well as another without speciall respect to any with neglect of others 4. And thus she did being but a woman a poore and simple woman We haue this Doctrine to learne That euery one that truely knoweth Christ and findeth comfort in him will be carefull and ready to draw others to him 1. When they haue found this comfort they cannot choose but speake of it to others their hearts would burst if they should not speake of it Gods grace is like fire in their bones as Ier. 20. 9. They cannot hide it Though Christ had charged the two blind men he cured that they should say nothing of it Matth. 9. 30. Yet when they departed they could not for their liues conceale it 2. That which the Apostle requireth of all that haue receiued the wealth of this world 1. Tim. 6. 19. that euery one will doe that hath receiued the heauenly riches of Gods grace they will doe good with it to others they will be ready to distribute and communicate it to others Paul wished heartily that both Agrippa and all that heard him were altogether such as he was excepting his bonds Act. 26. 29. in this is grace not vnlike to worldly wealth no vsurer is forwarder so soone as money commeth in to put it out againe then euery true belieuer is to put out the grace that he hath receiued hee that had receiued the fiue talents went and traded with them Matth. 25. 16. See this in sundry examples Psal. 51. 13. Dauid saith he would teach Gods Wayes to others they that feared the Lord spake often one to another Mal. 3. 16. So soone as Christ had found Philip Philip went and found out Nathaniel Iohn 1. 45. So soone as Matthew was conuerted he gathered together a great company of Publicans and others to meet at his house Luke 5. 29. The Reasons why it must needs be so are many 1. They know the Lord hath straightly commanded and bound them that no man should content himselfe to know belieue repent but seeke also to cause others to doe it Ezek. 18 32. Cause therefore one another to returne and liue yee Luke 22 32. When thou art conuerted strengthen thy brethren 1. Pet. 4. 10. Lâ—…t euery one as hee hath receiued a gift minister the same one vnto another as good disposers 2. The loue they beare to God prouoketh them to doe all they can to enlarge his kingdome Knowing the terror of the Lord we perswade men 2. Cor. 5. 11. verse 14. and the loue of Christ constraineth vs. 3. The loue they beare to their neighbours The first and chiefe worke of faith is loue faith worketh by loue Gal. 5. 6. And there is no loue in him to his neighbour that loueth not his soule Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thy heart thou shalt in any wise rebuke thy neighbour and not suffer sinne vpon him Leuit. 19. 17. Count him not as an enemy but admonish him as a brother 2. Thess. 3. 15. If the conscience of the Lepers accused them for not acquainting the City that was ready to be famished with the victuals and spoile the Assyrians had left behinde them 2. Kings 7. 9. how much more will it doe that in this case 4. They know it is the best meanes to increase the grace they haue The more they draw to knowledge and faith the more will their owne knowledge and faith increase in them I long to see you that I may impart vnto you some spirituall gift that I may be comforted together with you Rom. 1. 11 12. As the casting forth of your seed bringeth it you backe againe with great increase 2 Cor. 9. 6. Because God knew Abraham would make good vse of that he knew for the instruction of his family therefore he would hide nothing from Abraham Gen. 18. 19. 5. They know no good worke they can doe will haue the like recompence of reward as this the workes of mercy men haue done but to the bodies of others haue oft turned away Gods plagues from them that otherwise would haue fallen on them for their sinnes
and seruice to follow precisely the direction of his Word Deut. 4. 2. Yee shall put nothing to the Word that I command you nor take ought therefrom that yee may keepe the commandements of the Lord your God which I command you I answer this was no will-worship neither did they in this more then they were bound to doe for 1. The seruice it selfe that they did to God was expresly and particularly commanded and not of their owne deuising Leuit. 1. 3. A law was set downe for voluntary offerings They that would offer of their owne voluntary will are expresly limited what they should offer and where and how 2. Though there were no particular and expresse commandement for these persons to doe this seruice yet there was a generall commandement that bound them to doe it if their health and ability and necessary occasions would permit them There was a generall commandement that bound them to doe God what seruice they were able to doe Thou shalt loue the Lord thy God with allthine heart and with all thy soule and with all thy might Deut. 6. 5. Which law our Sauiour giueth for the summe of the first Table Matth. 22. 37. The Lord did not expresly command them this seruice 1. Because he would not be burdensome vnto them women and children might haue many iust lets 2. Because he would try their loue The like we may say for the Sabbath God hath expresly commanded vs no more but one day in seuen to rest from our labours and spend in his seruice Exod. 20. 9 10. 1. Because he would not haue his seruice burdensome vnto vs. 2. To try our loue and what we will doe voluntarily for he taketh great pleasure in a voluntary and free seruice The children of Israel brought a willing offering vnto the Lord euery man and woman whose heart made them willing to bring for all manner of worke which the Lord had commanded to be made by the hands of Moses Exod. 35. 29. Therefore Dauid vowed this to God Psal. 54. 6. I will sacrifice freely vnto thee He and the people reioyced and found wonderfull comfort in this when they had offered willingly 1. Chron. 29. 9. While Anna gaue sucke she knew she was not bound to go to the feast shee said to her husband I will not goe vp till the childe bee weaned 1. Sam. 1. 22. The iourney was long and she was to tarry long there but when she was free from that necessary let she knew she was bound to goe euery yeere and shee missed not So that as they that can pleade iust necessity to keepe them from Sermons on the weeke day shall bee held excused so they that are not withheld by any such necessity and vse their liberty as an occasion to the flesh Galathians 5. 13. shall bee iudged voyde of all loue to God and his Word if they neuer heare the Word but vpon the Sabbath Take heede therefore of pretending necessitie in this case say not thou wouldest goe to the Sermon but thou canst not spare so much time If thou canst spare euery weeke as much time in the alehouse or in some vnnecessary recreations or canst spare so much money as can be gotten in this time in sundry idle and vnnecessary expences and canst not spare so much to goe to a Sermon thou art no better then an Hypocrite 4. Euen they whose necessity will not permit them to frequent the publike assemblies on the weeke day yet are bound to nourish in themselues a willing minde to doe it if they were able they should be willing euen aboue their power 2. Cor. 〈◊〉 3. They should desire that liberty that others enioy this way in this case I may that to euery one which in another case the Apostle saith to the seruant if thou maist bee made free vse it rather 1. Cor. 7. 21. and esteeme it a iust cause of griefe to them that they haue not that liberty to follow the meanes of their spirituall comfort as others haue we should all striue to be so affected towards the Lords Tabernacle as Dauid was when he said How amiable are thy Tabernacles O Lord of hostes My soule longeth yea euen fainteth for the courts of the Lord my heart and my flesh cryeth out for the liuing God Psalme 84. 1 2. Euery man is bound to esteeme it a great happinesse to enioy that liberty that he may oft resort to Gods House and to count that time of all other best spent and most to his profit and benefit that is spent in Gods seruice Prouerbs 8. 33 34. Heare instruction and bee wise and refuse it not Blessed is the man that watcheth daily at my gates Psalme 27. 4. One thing haue I desired of the Lord that I will seeke after that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the dayes of my life to behold the beauty of the Lord and to enquire in his Temple Luke 10 42. One thing is needfull Mary hath chosen the better part which shall not be taken away from her Euery man is bound to esteeme this the true and proper end of his being here to get grace and saluation and to thinke them happier then himselfe that may enioy more liberty this way then he doth and though he cannot in person be present with them yet to be with them in heart and desire and to say with Dauid Psal. 84. 4. Blessed are they that dwell in thy house So that of them that are glad of any businesse or excuse to keepe them from the Sermon and count them fooles that take more paines this way then themselues we may boldly say their hearts are not vpright within them 5. They that with an honest heart doe vse to spare some time from their callings to employ this way shall not need to feare that this will bring them to beggery For 1. Godlinesse hath the promise of the life that now is as well as of that that which is to come 1. Tim. 4. 8. And there is generall promise made to all that feare God they that seeke the Lord shall not want any good thing Psalme 34. 10. No rich man vnder heauen can bee so assured that hee and his shall be preserued from beggery as euery poore Christian may be 2. There is a speciall promise this way made to this part of godlinesse aboue all other that they that can make more account of Religion and Gods seruice then of earthly things shall be sure not to be loosers thereby Psal. 119. 165. Great peace haue they which loue thy Law and nothing shall offend them Matth. 6. 33. First seeke the kingdome of God and his righteousnesse and all these things shall be added vnto you and 19. 29. Euery one that hath forsaken houses or brethren or sisters or father or mother or lands for my Name sake shall receiue an hundred fold and shall inherit euerlasting life 3. God hath made these promises good by prouiding miraculously this way for such as
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
fret to see Gods Church grow and increase See this humour also in the wretched Pharisees the peoples zeale in following Christ vexed them and was the chiefe cause of their practises against him Marke 11. 18. They sought how they might destroy him for they feared him because all the people were astonied at his doctrine The second Vse shall be to resolue vs in a case of conscience that concerneth many of you what we are to thinke of the people that goe from their owne Pastours to heare others This I had occasion to speake of not long since but I was not well vnderstood then by some and therefore intend now to deliuer my minde more fully and plainely for the resoluing of this doubt And to this purpose somewhat must be said First to the people that vse to leaue their owne Pastours 2. To the Pastours that are so left by their people To the people I say 1. If thy owne Pastour be a man whose gift is approoued by Gods Church and one who is conscionable in his place and of vnblameable life though his gifts be farre inferiour to some others yet take heed thou leaue him not at any time with contempt of his Ministrie And then thou contemnest his Ministry when thou speakest or thinkest thus in thy heart alas he is no body a good honest man but he hath no gifts I cannot profit by him Marke the reasons why you may not doe this 1. A man may be a true Minister though his gifts be farre inferiour to many others Matth. 25. 15. The Lord gaue to one of his seruants fiue Talents to another but two to another but one The Apostle vseth this as a reason to perswade all the members of the Church to vnity that they of meaner gifts might not enuy them that had better nor they of better gifts despise them that had meaner Ephesians 4. 7. To euery one of vs is giuen grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ. 2. If thy Pastour be a true Minister of Christ and can preach the Gospell in any true measure thou art bound to loue him and reuerence him and thanke God for him By this reason Paul commendeth Timothy to the Church of Corinth 1. Cor. 16. 10. If he come to you let him be without feare take heed you wrong him not disgrace him not for hee worketh the worke of the Lord euen as I doe as well as I. This is that the Apostle speaketh 1. Thess. 5. 13. Haue them in singular loue for their workes sake and Rom. 10. 15. If he bring to vs the glad tidings of peace the glad tidings of good things his feet must be beautifull in our eyes On the other side the contempt done to the Ministry of the meanest of Gods seruants reacheth vnto Christ himselfe Luke 10. 16. hee that despiseth you despiseth mee 3. If thy Pastour be a true Minister of Christ and haue receiued a gift then doubtlesse thou mayst profit by him if the fault be not in thy selfe 1. Cor. 12. 7. The manifestation of the spirit is giuen to euery man to profit withall and yee may all prophesy one by one that all may learne and all may bee comforted 1. Cor. 14. 3â—… The best Christian that is may profit by the meanest of Gods seruants Paul professeth this was one cause why he so earnestly desired to come to the Romanes that he might receiue some good some increase of faith euen from them Rom. 1. 12. And I am perswaded there is neuer a Minister that is of the most excellent gifts if he haue a godly heart but he can truely say he neuer heard any faithfull Minister in his life that was so meane but he could discerne some gift in him that was wanting in himselfe and could receiue some profit by him 4. The fruit and profit that is to be receiued from the Ministry depends not onely nor chiefly vpon the gifts of the man that preacheth but vpon the blessing that God is pleased to giue vnto his owne ordinance Who then is Paul and who is Apollo but Ministers by whom yee beleeued euen as the Lord gaue to euery man I haue planted Apollo watered but God gaue the increase So then neither is he that planted any thing nor he that watereth but God that giueth the increase Now he that planteth and hee that watereth are one 1. Corinthians 3. 5 6 7 8. And God doth oft giue a greater blessing to weaker then to stronger meanes as wee haue heard not long since So that thou must depend vpon God for his blessing on his ordinance rather then vpon the gifts of the teacher And consider the fault may be rather in thy selfe then in thy teacher that thou canst not profit And indeed how is it possible thou shouldest profit by his Ministry if thou come with preiudice without any reuerence and delight vnto it and doest scarse acknowledge Gods ordinance in it nor euer seeke to God for his blessing vpon it Secondly no Christian may vsually and ordinarily leaue his owne Pastour who is so qualified as in the beginning of the first caution is set downe to heare another of better gifts for 1. As it is the ordinance of God that euery Pastour should haue his own flocke to attend and take heed vnto the Apostles ordained Elders in euery congregation Act. 14. 23. neither is that excuse of some ought worth that they are not tyed to one Parish but Ministers of the Church of England so as wheresoeuer they are they cannot iustly be called non-residents from their flocke so is it Gods ordinance that euery one of Gods people should haue a Pastour of his owne to depend vpon 1. Pet. 5. 3. Now he cannot be said to depend vpon his Pastors Ministry that doth ordinarily and vsually leaue it and goe to another 2. It is also Gods ordinance as it is agreeable to good order that Christians should be distinguished and sorted into Congregations according to their dwellings that they that dwell next together should be of the same Congregation and from hence the name Paroichia first came This may appeare by the generall equity of that rule God is not the author of confusion but of peace as in all Churches of the Saints and let all things be done decently and in order 1 Cor. 14. 33. 40. and specially by that we reade that Paul left Titus in Creta to ordaine Elders in euery city they that liued together in the same towne should be vnder the charge of the same Elder Tit. 1. 5. He onely maketh right vse of the benefit of hearing such as haue more excellent gifts then his owne Pastour as learneth thereby to like his owne Pastour the better and to profit more by him The excellent gifts God hath bestowed on others in this case may fitly be resembled vnto Physicke They vse Physicke well and are blessed in the vse of it whose appetite is amended and who are by it made able to relish
maketh a man willing to foregoe the things he hath most delighted in as these women did that gaue their looking glasses made of fine brasse the instrument that they had vse of for the dressing and adorning of themselnes towards the building of Gods Tabernacle Exod. 38. 8. It maketh a man carelesse of his worldly ease and peace See what stripes and imprisonment and perils Paul endured that he might profit the Church 2. Cor. 11. 23 26. It maketh a man willing to neglect the comfort of society Paul was content to tarry at Athens alone and to want the comfort of Timothies societie rather than the Church should want his seruice 1. Thess. 3. 1. In a word though a man may lawfully vse and enioy the comforts of this life yet if he cannot sometimes be content to weane himselfe from them and to want them for the Lords sake and his seruice he hath no true zeale nor loue of God in him Nay a man shall neuer haue any sound comfort in Religion till he can say it hath cost him somewhat I will not offer burnt offerings vnto the Lord my God of that which doth cost me nothing saith Dauid 2. Sam. 24 24. No man can enioy this pearle with comfort that prizeth it not aboue all other things and cannot be content to sell all he hath for it rather then he will want it Matth. 13 46. For reproofe of such as pretend they loue the Lord and his Word and yet preferre euery trifle that hath the least shew of profit and comfort before it will suffer nothing for it will foregoe or forbeare no comfort or contentment of this life for it these men shamefully deceiue themselues Matth. 10. 37. He that loueth father or mother more then me is not worthy of me Specially this serueth to discouer the hypocrisie of such as cannot forbeare their sports on the Lords day first they violate the manifest commandement of God who forbids vs to doe that we take pleasure and delight in vpon his holy day and tells vs we doe not esteeme the Sabbath in our hearts as we doe nor honour him in it if we doe that wherein we finde pleasure vpon that day Esay 58. 13. secondly their sin is much increased and aggrauated because they doe it openly and publikely they declare their sin as Sodome they hide it not Esay 3. 9. thirdly they do it in contempt of the Word by the Ministry whereof the vnlawfulnesse of this hath beene discouered vnto them and they haue beene admonished and reproued for it And this as the Apostle saith Rom. 7. 13. makes sinne exceeding sinfull This circumstance made euen the gathering of a few sticks vpon the Sabbath a capitall crime Num. 15. 35. Let them also looke to this that suffer their seruants so to doe and set them on too Followeth the sixth and last property of true zeale He that hath true zeale maketh the reuealed will of God the guide and directour of his zeale Our Sauiour here shewed his zeale in doing the will of him that sent him and finishing his worke Gal. 4. 18. It is good to loue earnestly alway in a good thing saith the Apostle Pro. 19. 2. Without knowledge the minde is not good and he that hasteth with his feet sinneth as the faster a man goeth if he be out of the way the greater his danger is If a man be in the right way he cannot be too forward zealous or precise Psal. 119. 32. To run the way of Gods commandements is a duty and no fault To exhort such as desire to please God to seeke the knowledge of Gods Word Many good soules haue many troubles and discomforts and make their liues farre more irkesome than they need by making conscience and scruple of many things they need not by being righteous ouermuch as Salomon speaketh Eccles. 7. 18. To exhort all men to examine their zeale Zeale if it be not well guided is like a sword in a mad mans hand the most dangerous thing that may be and that that will draw vs into the most hainous sinnes euen to be most bitter enemies and persecutors of Gods truth and seruants Such is their zeale that stand for and vrge so eagerly the traditions of men This zeale was the chiefe cause of the greatest malice that euer was borne to the Doctrine and Church of God the deuout women in Antioch were the fittest instruments the Iewes could vse to persecute the Apostles and expell them out of their coasts Acts 13. 50. and it was Pauls zeale towards God that made him persecute the way of Christ euen vnto the death Acts 22. 3 4. And that that made the Iewes and other enemies of the Gospell to excommunicate Gods seruants and to kill them was this conceit they had out of a blinde zeale that they did God good seruice in it Iohn 16. 2. THE SIXTIETH LECTVRE ON IVLY XXXI MDCX. IOH. IIII. XXXV XXXVIII Say not yee there are yet foure moneths and then commeth haruest Behold I say vnto you Lift vp your eyes and looke on the fields for they are white already to haruest And he that reapeth receiueth wages and gathereth fruit vnto life eternall that both he that soweth and he that reapeth may reioyce together And herein is that saying true One soweth and another reapeth I sent you to reape that whereon yee bestowed no labour other men laboured and yee are entred into their labours OVr Sauiour hauing in the former verses giuen a most plaine demonstration of that ardent desire that was in him to winne soules vnto God doth in these verses labour to stirre vp and kindle the like affection in his Disciples And this he doth by three very effectuall arguments First from the present necessity of their care and diligence because the haruest was now euen ripe and ready for the sickle verse 35. Secondly from the great reward and comfort they should be sure to receiue for doing of this worke verse 36. Thirdly from the easinesse and facility of the labour God required of them verse 37 38. The first of these three arguments taken from this present necessity our Sauiour setteth downe verse 35. by a comparison taken from the care that men haue of their haruest they thinke of it and talke of it and prouide for it euen foure moneths before it come They so cast and dispose of their businesse that they may haue nothing to hinder them in haruest much more will they haue care of it when their corne groweth ripe and ready for the sickle then they will neglect all other businesse and breake their sweetest sleepe and labour early and late and forget their meales to saue and gather their corne And the reason of this care and diligence of men in their haruest workes is the present necessity when the corne is once ripe it will beare no delay because if it be not reaped and inned it is in danger to be lost and spoiled Now saith our Sauiour the
the Apostle vseth 1. Pet. 〈◊〉 24. when he had said Feed the flocke care for it doe it willingly with a ready minde he giueth this for the reason verse 4. And when the chiefe Shepheard shall ap peare you shall receiue an incorruptible crowne of glory It is very profitable for euery Christian to meditate oft of this day of reckoning when euery man shall receiue his wages according to his worke And this is one notable difference betweene a godly man and a wicked that whereas it is a hell to a wicked man to thinke of his end and of the life to come Amos 6. 〈◊〉 They put farre from them the euill day the godly man hath no comfort nor encouragement like vnto that Psal. 27. 13. I should haue fainted except I had beleeued to see the goodnesse of the Lord in the land of the liuing To exhort all men that they would shew themselues the children of their heauenly Father in esteeming of good Ministers as the Lord esteemeth of them We are fallen into an age wherein the very calling of a Minister is growne into a generall contempt with most men If a man haue not somewhat else beside his Ministry to grace him friends or wealth or titles euery one euen the youngest and basest will despise him I know well a great cause of this is the iust iudgement of God vpon the insufficiencie idlenesse couetousnesse and lasciuiouinesse of many Ministers for so saith the Lord Mal. 2. 9. I haue made you to be despised and vile before all the people because yee kept not my waies but haue beene partiall in the law But these are not the Ministers I would haue you esteeme of for God esteemeth not of such but such as are able Ministers in any good measure and faithfull them I exhort you to loue and esteeme of Learne not of Papists or Atheists how to esteeme a good Minister but learne of thy heauenly Father how to esteeme of him I say not onely take heed thou persecute them not wrong them not disgrace them not deride them not grieue and discourage them not He that derideth and disgraceth Ministers is a persecutor of Ministers when Ismael mocked Isaac the Holy Ghost saith Hee persecuted him Gal 4. 29. and he that grieueth and discourageth a Minister hindereth Gods work in his Ministry therefore the Apostle saith it is vnprofitable for the people when the Minister cannot doe his worke with ioy but with griefe Heb. â—…3 17. But I say more see thou loue euery good Minister and esteeme of him encourage him by all good meanes if thou wilt shew thy selfe the childe of thy heauenly Father so haue good men beene wont to doe Hezechia spake comfortably to all the Leuites and taught the good knowledge of God 2. Chron. 30. â—…2 yea hee commanded the people to giue the portion to the Priests and the Leuites that they might be encouraged in the Law of the Lord 2. Chron. 3â—… 4. and of Iosiah it is said that he encouraged the Priests to the seruice of the house of the Lord 2. Chron. 35. 2. Let no man count himselfe religious that doth not loue and reuerence euery good Minister Matthâ—…0 â—…0 11. Enquire who is worthy that is who feareth God loueth the Word and there be bold to tarrie and receiue entertaiâ—…ement As if he should say Euery one that is worthy wil be ready to shew kindnesse vnto you If yee haue iudged me to bee faithfull to the Lord saith Lydia Acts 16. 15. come into mine house and abide there and she constrained vs. The sixtie two Lecture August 21. 1610. IOHN IIII. XXXVII XXXVIII WE haue already heard that in these verses and those two that goe before our Sauiour hath endeauoured to stirre vp his Disciples to that diligence in their Ministry and that zealous desire to win soules to God as they saw to be now in him and that he vseth three effectuall arguments to perswade them thereunto all set downe in an allegorie and comparison taken from them that doe haruest-worke two ofthem we haue already handled and finished in the two former verses the first taken from the present necessity of Gods people verse 35. and the second taken from the reward and comfort themselues should be sure to receiue by it It followeth now that we proceed vnto the third and last which is set downe in these two verses that I haue now read and that is taken from the facility and easinesse of that worke that they were to doe in comparison of that wherein their fellow seruants the Prophets that had beene before them had laboured This argument he amplifieth by a prouerbiall speech that was common among the Iewes when they saw any enioy the fruit of another mans labour they were wont to say One soweth and another reapeth As we also say in the like case One beateth the bush and another goeth away with the bird This prouerbe saith our Sauiour in some respect may fitly be applyed to your case though in another respect it agreeth not with it Herein is the saying true As if he should say Though not in all respects yet in this it is And in the next verse he sheweth two points wherein this prouerbe agreeth to their case First as he that reapeth takes nothing so much toyle and paines as he did that sowed and did the first workes that belong to husbandry so is it in your case you are to be employed in the best and easiest and most comfortable labour that belongs to my Fathers husbandry not in manuring or plowing or sowing or harrowing or weeding of his ground that is in preparing men to receiue grace and laying the foundation and first principles of religion in the hearts of men as the Prophets were whose paines in that respect were farre greater than yours can be but in reaping and conuerting men effectually to the faith and obedience of the truth you shall presently see the fruit of your labours but so did not they I sent you to reape that wherein yee bestowed no labour Other men laboured c. Secondly as when one receiueth the benefit of another mans labour so is it in your case the Prophets tooke paines for you you shall enioy the fruit of their labours the paines they tooke shall be a great aduantage to you in your Ministry yee shall be able to doe the more good by your preaching because of that that they haue done before you Other men laboured and yet are entred into their labours The point wherein this prouerbe could not fitly be applyed to their case was this that whereas when one soweth and another reapeth he that sowed hath no comfort or fruit of his labour but esteemeth it as a iudgement of God vpon him and repenteth himselfe of the paines he hath taken when he seeth another man hath reaped the fruit of it It is farre otherwise in this case for as he had said before verse 36. he that soweth and hee that reapeth shall
face and worship God and say plainely God is in them indeed He makes the consent and agreement that is among the Prophets in their Ministry to be one chiefe cause of it 1. Cor. 14. 25. He is rebuked of all he is iudged of all And on the contrary side the disagreement and dissention that is amongst the Ministers cannot chuse but be a great stumbling blocke to the people and meanes to hinder their profiting by the Word No engine that Sathan or Antichrist haue doth endanger the Church more than this and therefore nothing that by their instruments they labour more in than to blow the coales amongst vs and encrease the heate of our contentions Paul alledgeth this for the reason why he went vp to Ierusalem to visit the chiefe Apostles to acquaint himselfe and to conferre with them lest by any meanes saith he I should run or had run in vaine Gal. 2. 2. This is the cause of that strange earnestnesse and importunity that Paul vseth in this matter Phil. 2. 1 2. If there be any consolation in Christ if any comfort in loue if any fellowship of the Spirit if any compassion and mercy fulfill my ioy that yee be like minded hauing the same loue being of one accord And Phil. 4. 2. he speakes thus to two women who though they were no Ministers yet laboured with him in the Gospell as he saith verse 3. I pray Euodias and beseech Syntiche that they be of one accord in the Lord. This Doctrine is of great Vse both to vs that are Ministers of God and to you that are his people for we are all ioyntly to be exhorted by this Doctrine first to pray earnestly vnto God who onely is the God of peace and loue 2. Cor. 13. 11. that he would at length compound the dissentions that are in his Church and worke a holy concord amongst all his seruants This is euery mans duty neither may any looke to prosper that cannot doe this pray for the peace of Ierusalem which is by this meanes best procured they shall prosper that loue thee Psal. 122. 6. Secondly that euery one of vs would endeauour in our places to procure it as much as in vslyeth Matth. 5. 9. Blessed are the peace-makers But beside this generall there is a particular vse to be made of this Doctrine both by vs that are Ministers and by all you that are Gods people but in this I desire to be more large than the time will now permit me to be and therefore I will deferre it vntill the next day Lecture the sixty fifth September 11. 1610. IOHN IIII. XXXVI XXXVIII THere is particular Vse to be made of this Doctrine first by the Ministers of the Gospell and secondly by all the people of God All that are faithfull Ministers are to be exhorted by this Doctrine that notwithstanding all excellency of gifts or difference in iudgement or practice that may be amongst any of them yet they would seeke to keepe the vnity of the Spirit in the bond of peace to loue and esteeme one of another That we may all of vs receiue the more good by this exhortation I will speake of it distinctly and shew you first how farre forth the Ministers of the Gospell must agree together secondly the reasons that may moue vs to seeke this agreement thirdly the meanes whereby we may attaine vnto this agreement For the first we must know there is nothing spoken in the handling of this Doctrine in fauour of such Ministers as are ignorant and vngodly men None of vs are bound to loue and esteeme of all Ministers But though in respect of their coate and function they be accounted our brethren yet if they be Idols or wicked and vngodly men we are not bound to esteeme of them Nay the more high and excellent the function and calling is which they haue taken vpon them the more vilely and contemptibly should all good men esteeme of them Matth. 5. 13. If the salt be vnsauory it is fit to bee troden vnder foote of all men If we cannot be familiar with such if we can shew no respect to such let no man account vs proud or malicious we doe no more than we are bound to doe The Ioue and agreement that should be betweene Ministers bindes vs not to like of or winke at the faults that are in Ministers I know some men count it a breach of the Churches peace and an argument of a contentiâ—… and vnquiet spirit in a Minister if he speake against carelesse non-resâ—…ncy if he reprooue the idlenesse and pride or couetousnesse or 〈◊〉 life of any Minister But these men are much deceiued No mâ—…ns 〈◊〉 deserue so sharply to be reprooued as these sins of Ministers for theâ—… are indeed the chiefe causes of all other sins committed in the land 〈◊〉 2â—… 15. From the Prophets of Ierusalem is wickeanesse gone forth into thâ—… 〈◊〉 And in this respect when Gods people in their publike fast made 〈◊〉 confession of those sinnes whereby God had beene most prouoked â—…gainst them they make confession chiefly of the sinnes of their Magistâ—…s and Ministers as the principall causes of all their plagues Neh. 9. 〈◊〉 Our Kings and our Princes our Priests and our Fathers haue not done thy law nor regarded thy commandements nor thy protestations Obiect And whereas some are ready to say this makes the ministry contemptible among the people Answ. I answer First the Holy Ghost saith the quite contrary These sinnes that some Ministers doe commit and the rest winke at and will not reprooue are the true cause of that contempt the ministry is growne vnto Mal. 2. 9. I haue made you to be despised and vile before all the people because yee kept not my waies and haue beene partiall in the law Secondly it is not vnlawfull to bring disgrace and contempt vpon such Ministers They were Preachers whom both Iohn Baptist Matth. 3. 7. and our Sauiour Matth. 12. 24. cals generations of Vipers and that in the hearing of them that were their ordinary hearers And see what strange termes of disgrace Peter giues vnto certaine Preachers in his time 2. Pet. 2. 12. They are bruit beasts led with sensuality And verse 4. Hauing eyes full of adultery and that cannot cease to sinne they haue hearts exercised with couetousnesse and are cursed children Obiect Why but the Pharises sate in Moses chaire and taught some good Doctrine and held many truths in which respect Paul euen after his conuersion cals himselfe a Pharisee Acts 23. 6. so that there was great danger lest our Sauiour so disgracing their persons might worke in their hearers a contempt of their Doctrine Answ. I answer He saw that though they taught some truths yet by their life and other Doctrines they did more hurt than good and that the more credit they had with the people the more hurt they were likely to doe and therefore he disgraceth them thus But though we be not bound to esteeme well of
mercy toward his Church Christ in his great triumph ouer Sathan and all the enemies of our saluation when hee ascended vp on high and led captiuity captiue gaue gifts vnto men in this great variety To some he gaue the gifts fit for Apostles to some for Prophets to some for Euangelists to some for Pastours to some for Teachers Ephes. 48 11. Secondly this was necessary in respect of the seuerall dispositions of Gods people for as it is with the bodies of men all like not the same meate and therefore God in his goodnesse hath prouided such variety of his creatures to serue euery appetite So for some this mans gift is fittest others will profit more by anothers gift yea the same man may for knowledge profit best by one mans gift for memory by ano thers for conscience and affections by a third man Iohn had one gift meete for the disposition of some kinde of men and our Sauiour a very diuerse gift from his yet more meete for the disposition of some kinde of men Matth. 11. 17 19. Thirdly the Lord hath done this for the increase of loue and vnity among his seruants that we might see the need we haue one of another euen of euery one of Gods seruants and so might loue and esteeme of all accordingly 1. Cor. 12. 21. The eye cannot say to the hand I haue no neede of thee nor the head againe to the feete I haue no neeede of you So that to conclude this first reason If Christians were as they should be it would be a great benefit to them to heare if it were possible all Gods seruants It was so to the first and Primitiue Church of Ierusalem when all the Apostles and sundry other worthy men did exercise their Ministry at Ierusalem the faithfull did greatly profit in knowledge and grace by the great variety of Gods gifts in his seruants as it appeares by many testimonies the Holy Ghost giueth of them Acts 2. 42 46. and 4. 32 37. We might see iust cause if the fault were not in our selues to praise God for his great bounty in bestowing such plenty and variety of his gifts and we might also receiue good by euery one whether Paul or Apollo or Cephas all are yours 1. Cor. 3. 22. But this that God hath giuen for so great a benefit most men through their corruption haue turned to a great mischiefe It were a great benefit to some if they neuer had heard any but their own Pastours for by hearing men of other gifts which they better affect they grow to a loathing of the gifts of their own Pastour and of all other men but this shall doubtlesse tend to their further condemnation if they profit not but receiue hurt by this great variety of gifts God hath bestowed vpon his seruants as is plaine by that exprobration our Sauiour vseth against the Iewes that profited neither by Iohns ministry nor by his Luke 7. 31 35. Secondly euen where there is apparant inequalitie of gifts to be discerned yet no one should be so admired as that others should be despised For first a man may be a faithfull Minister sent and approued of God and yet his gift farre inferiour to other of his fellow-seruants euen he that receiued but two talents and gained but other two with them had the commendation of a faithfull seruant as well as he that receiued fiue and gained fiue Matth. 25. 22 23. Secondly the Word of God should be esteemed and receiued not for his sake that bringeth it but for his sake that sendeth it euen the Scribes and Pharisees so long as they sate in Moses chaire and taught nothing but the Doctrine of Moses were to be respected in that which they taught though they were most wicked men Matth. 23 2 3. And the contempt that is done to the Ministry of the meanest whom Christ sendeth is done to him Hee that receiueth whomsoeuer I send receiueth me Ioh. 13. 20. and he that despiseth him despiseth Christ Luk. 10. 16. Thirdly thou maist profit by him that hath the least gift if the fault be not in thy selfe Euery gift that the meanest of Gods seruants hath is giuen him for the profit of the Church 1. Cor. 12. 7. Yee may all prophecy one by one that all may learne and all may bee comforted 1. Cor. 14. 31. for thy profit dependeth not so much on the gifts of the teacher as on Gods blessing it is God that giueth the increase 1. Cor. 3. 7. and who can tell whose Ministry he will blesse most the winde bloweth where it listeth Iohn 3. 8. And he oft worketh most mightily by the weakest meanes my strength is made perfect in weaknesse saith he 2. Cor. 12. 9. And that which is said of the workes of mercy Eccl. 11. 6. In the morning sow thy seed and in the euening withhold not thine hand for thou knowest not whether shall prosper either this or that may fitly be alluded to in this case heare one of Gods seruants as well as another at one time as well as at another for thou knowest not whose Ministry it is what Sermon it is that God will please to worke most within thy heart and make most effectuall to doe thee good THE SIXTIE SEVENTH LECTVRE ON SEPTEMBER XXV MDCX. IOH. IIII. XXXIX XL. And many of the Samaritans of that City beleeued on him for the saying of the Woman which testified He told mee all that euer I did So when the Samaritans were come vnto him they besought him that he would tarry with them and he abode there two daies WE haue already heard in the eight former verses what speech passed betweene Christ and his Apostles after the woman of Samaria was gone from him to call her neighbours And therein we haue heard that our Sauiour so soone as she was gone from him did foresee what successe she would haue and what a number of her neighbours she would draw vnto him The expectation of their comming filled his heart with such ioy and desire of their saluation that he forgat his hunger and the faintnesse of his body yea he vseth it as a reason to stir vp his Disciples to zeale and diligence because they should by and by see by the great number of the Samaritans that would flocke vnto him that Gods people were now prepared to receiue the Gospell In these words and the two verses following the Euangelist declareth how that was indeed fulfilled that our Sauiour did foresee and speake of for many of the Samaritans come to him and bring with them hearts well prepared to receiue good by him They beleeued in him before they came to him vpon that which the woman had spoken of him they came to him with a desire to be instructed by him and therefore they entreate him to make some abode with them and when they had preuailed with him so far as that he was content to lodge with them two daies they made good vse of him while they
giue a sweet rellish to all Gods blessings Ioh. 29. 3. 7. Iob speaking of the comfort he tooke in all Gods blessings in the time of his prosperity in the recreations and delights of his youth in his house in his children in his riches in the honour that God gaue him he alledgeth this for the reason of it Verse 3. His light shined vpon my head Yea euen in affliction it would make vs comfortable Rom. 5. 3. Neither doe we so onely but we reioyce in tribulations and without this we can haue no true ioy but eyther 2. Cor. 5. 12. reioyce in the face not in the heart or for a very short moment our ioy will be as Eccles. 7. 8. like the noise of thornes vnder the pot so is the laughter of fooles Thirdly it would make vs able to go to God in prayer at all times with boldnesse and delight Iob 23. 26. Thou shalt then delight in the Almighty and lift vp thy face vnto God But on the contrary he that wants this assurance can take no comfort or delight in prayer will he delight himselfe in the Almighty will he alwaies call vpon God Iob 27. 10. Fourthly to conclude we haue no true Faith vnlesse we striue for this assurance and what haue we to yeeld vs comfort in life or death if we be without Faith Without faith it is impossible to please God Heb. 11. 6. Now though a man may haue a true Faith and yet so weake that he may want this assurance for a time or haue it in great weakenesse yet without a mourning for and striuing against our doubtings without a seeking for this certainety there can be no true Faith in vs the poore man whose childe was possessed had much vnbeliefe and doubting in him but he wept for it and cryed to Christ for help against it Mar. 9. 24. For Gods Spirit wheresoeuer it is lusteth against the flesh Gal. 5. 17. That makes the Apostle say Heb. 3. 6. His house we are if we hold fast our confidence and the reioycing of our hope vnto the end Now if we desire to attaine to this certaine assurance of Gods fauour and of our saluation to keepe it when we haue it to recouer it when we haue lost it I will shew you some of the principall meanes whereby this may be obtained The first is to esteeme highly of it and account it our chiefe treasure and happinesse for then our heart will be euer vpon it then we will looke to it and be affraid to lose it where your treasure is there will your heart be also Matth. 6. 21. the wise Merchant when he had found the treasure and resolued to purchase it by parting with all that he had did hide it so that he might not lose it Matth. 13. 44. The chiefe cause why many haue so little assurance of their saluation is for that they make no reckoning of it there be a thousand things they regard more than it Dauid made another manner of reckoning of it Psal. 4. 6. Many say who will shew vs any good but Lord lift vp the light of thy countenance vpon vs. As if he should say Let me see it and be assured of it that will suffice me And 63. 3. Thy louing kindnesse is better than life And 80. 7. Cause thy face to shine and wee shall be saued The second meanes is to vse diligently and conscionably the exercises of Religion and parts of Gods worship for they are all ordained of God to worke this assurance in our hearts First the reading of the Word 1. Iohn 1. 4. These things write we vnto you that your ioy may be fuâ—…l Secondly the hearing of the Word Luke 1. 77. The ministry of the Word is ordained of God to giue knowledge of saluation to his people for the remission of their sinnes Thirdly the receiuing of the Sacrament for euery Sacrament is ordained to bee a seale of the righteousnesse of Faith Rom. 4. 11. Fourthly Prayer Iohn 16. 24. Aske and yee shall receiue that your ioy may bee full And this may be said generally of all the exercises of Religion Therefore Dauid giues this for one reason why he did so desire to dwell in Gods house that he might behold the beauty of the Lord Psal. 27. 4. A chiefe cause why many want this assurance is for that they vse not these parts of Gods worship constantly and conscionably The third meanes is to keepe a good conscience carefully Pro. 15. 15. A good conscience is a continuall feast Peace and confidence is oft ascribed to the practice of piety Matth. 7. 24. Hee that heareth of me these words and doth the same is like to him that builds on a rocke Experience and practice of godlinesse are chiefe meanes to worke this full assurance 1. Tim. 6. 18 19. Charge them that are rich that they doe good laying vp in store for themselues a good foundation against the time to come that they may lay hold on eternall life 2. Pet. 1. 5. Ioyne vertue with faith and with vertue knowledge temperance patience godlinesse brotherly kindnesse loue Then followeth verse 10. Giue diligence to make your calling and election sure for if you doe these things ye shall neuer fall And verse 11. For by this meanes an entrance shall bee ministred to you aboundantly into the euerlasting Kingdome of our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ. On the other side the chiefe cause why many can neuer grow to any assurance and many hauing had it haue lost it is the neglect of a good conscience their falling into sinnes against their conscience Me thinkes this should haue great force to restraine men from sin see what adoe Gods deare seruants haue had to recouer their certainty and comfort when they haue falne into foule sinnes Psal. 51. 8. Make me to heare ioy and gladnesse Verse 11. Cast me not away from thy presence Verse 12. Restore me to the ioy of thy saluation The fourth meanes is to obserue our owne waies diligently and when we haue slipped into any sinne to humble our selues speedily before God in the sense and acknowledgement of it and to seeke peace with him This is a sure way to preserue our assurance Iob 13. 15. Though hee slay me I will put my trust in him and I will reproue my waies in his sight Psal. 32. 5. Then I acknowledged my sinnes vnto thee neither did I hide mine iniquity for I thought I will confesse against my selfe my wickednesse vnto the Lord and thou forgauest the punishment of my sinne And this all Gods children haue oft found by experience that they neuer had a more sweet sense and assurance of Gods loue than when they most deepely humbled themselues before him in the free acknowledging and bewailing of their sinnes When they haue sowed most teares this way they haue reaped most ioy Psal. 126. 5. When they haue beene most ready to accuse themselues the Lord hath beene most ready to iustifie them as we see
and strange though it be indeed of lesse worth than the other Though Manna were the excellentest foode that euer mortall man did liue vpon yet when the Israelites had beene vsed to it a while they loathed it and preferred the fish and cucumbers and onions and garlicke of Egypt before it Num. 11. 5 6. Of this corruption the Apostle speaketh 2. Tim. 4. 3. Men will not endure wholesome doctrine and why so They haue itching eares and will after their lusts get them an heape of Teachers Their owne foode be it neuer so wholesome they cannot endure they must haue variety that that is new and strange and that not because they may profit more by them than by their owne as sometimes it falleth out but onely to feede this itching humour of curiositie This is the cause why the Apostle is so earnest with the people euen with the people of God with good people to esteeme well of their owne Pastours And wee beseech you brethren know them which labour among you and are ouer you in the Lord 1. Thess. 5. 12. Obey them which haue the rule ouer you for they watch for your soules as they that must giue account Heb. 13. 17. The fourth and last Reason is the self-selfe-loue that is in all men by nature and great desire to be flattered in their sinnes For the Minister that hath liued long among them knoweth them better than any stranger and is able more particularly to touch and reproue their sinnes If he in his doctrine do but come neare any corruption they know themselues guilty of though he know no such thing by them nor once thinke of them they iudge presently he aymeth at them he intendeth to disgrace them Though a stranger inueigh against their sinnes euery whit as particularly and sharpely as their owne Pastour yet because they thinke he knoweth nothing by them he aymeth not at them they can take it in good part and commend him too This was the cause of the hatred Ahab bare both to Eliah 1. Reg. 21. 20. and to Micaiah 1. Reg. 22. 8. We haue heard the foure Reasons of the Doctrine let vs now come to the Vses of it For it is a Doctrine of good Vse both for vs Ministers and for all you that are the people of God 1. For vs that are Ministers This Doctrine serueth to exhort vs to vse all good meanes to preserue the credit and estimation of our persons in the hearts of Gods people This we are bound to doe 1. Tim. 4. 12. Let no man despise thy youth Tit. 2. 15. See that no man despise thee For if we lose our reuerence and estimation in the hearts of Gods people our Doctrine will do them no good And we may perceiue by this Doctrine how apt the people are to despise vs specially when we haue liued long amongst them It standeth vs vpon therefore so much the more carefully to vse all good meanes whereby we may maintaine our estimation in their hearts And I finde in Gods Word three speciall meanes whereby this may be done First by our Diligence and Care to teach profitably That is the chiefe thing that will procure vs reuerence and estimation if we doe our worke well 1. Thess. 5. 13. Haue them in singular loue for their workes sake This is that that the Apostle teacheth 2. Tim. 2. 15. Study to shew thy selfe approoued vnto God a Worke-man that needeth not bee ashamed diuiding the Word of God aright And 1. Timothie 4. hauing charged Timothie verse 12. too looke to it that no man despise his Youth he telleth him by what meanes he may preserue his Person and Ministry from contempt and disdaine verse 13. and standeth principally vpon this Giue attendance to reading to exhortation and to doctrine Verse 14. Despise not the â—…ift that is in thee but stirre it vp and seeke to increase it And addeth verse 15. These things exercise and giue thy selfe vnto them that it may bee seene how thou profitest among all men If this care and conscience be in vs we shall be sure to haue honour though Sathan and all the world should conspire to disgrace vs A Prophet a true and faithfull Prophet he meanes is not without honour Matth. 13. 57. Mar. 6. 4. If this be wanting no wealth no titles no hospitality no good workes we can doe will be able to preserue vs from contempt The second meanes is by our faithfulnesse in our ministry This differeth from the former for a man may be a diligent and very sufficient Teacher and yet not faithfull in his Ministry This is faithfulnesse when we are carefull to deliuer the whole counsell of God to his people not concealing any part of it for fauour or feare of any man Ier. 23. 28. He that hath my Word let him speake my Word faithfully 1. Cor. 4. 2. It is required of Gods Stewards that euery man be found faithfull 2. Tim. 2. 2. What things thou hast heard of me the same deliuer to faithfull men which shall be able to teach others This hath great force to procure vs reuerence in the hearts of all men When the Pharisees would giue a reason of the reuerence they pretended to beare to our Sauiour they giue this Matth. 22. 16. Master we know that thou are true and teachest the way of God truly neither carest for any man for thou considerest not the person of man And when the Apostle chargeth Titus to looke to it that no man despise him he prescribeth him this way to keepe himselfe from contempt Tit. 2. 15. These things speake and exhort and rebuke with all authority see that no man despise thee Titus might haue said This was a strange direction this is the way rather to procure vs the contempt and hatred of all men if we shall not only teach such particular duties as he had mentioned before but apply them also so particularly by exhorting and rebuking men specially if we do it with such authority and boldnesse as thou speakest off No saith the Apostle feare it not this will gaine thee estimation and honour in the hearts of men yea of all men yea euen of them that were most offended with thee for thy faithfulnesse if they belong to God And this is that that Salomon saith Pro. 28. 23. He that rebuketh a man shall finde more fauour at the length than he that flattereth with his tongue On the other side if a man will make himselfe a base vnderling to any in the matter of his Ministry so as he dareth not deliuer some parts of Gods truth he dareth not reproue some faults for feare of man if he had all the learning in the world yet shall he haue no true honour for thus saith the Lord speaking to the Priests and Teachers of his People Mal. 2. 9. Therefore haue I also made you to be despised and vile before all the People because you haue not kept my waies but haue beene partiall in the
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-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
prayer thou finde the comfort and peace of thy conscience encreased thou art well enough though thou obtaine not that thou askedst Yea this is the most comfortable answer of all that God vseth to giue to the prayers of his seruants By this as by the fire which he was wont to send from heauen to consume the sacrifice 2. Chron. 7. 1. he doth testifie that he is well pleased with the prayers of his seruants And this kinde of answer the godly seldome faile of Psal. 35. 13. I humbled my selfe with fasting and my prayer was turned into mine owne bosome This answer Dauid receiued euen whilst he was praying Psal. 6. 8 9. Away from me all yee workers of iniquity marke what case he was in before from verse 1. to 7. for the Lord hath heard the voice of my weeping the Lord hath heard my petitions the Lord will receiue my prayer This the Apostle speakes of as a thing the faithfull may be sure of whensoeuer they pray aright in euery thing by prayer and supplication with thankesgiuing let your request be made knowne vnto God and the peace of God which passeth all vnderstanding shall keepe your hearts and mindes through Christ Iesus Phil. 4. 6 7. The fourth comfort against this temptation is this If the Lord doe for a time with-hold not only the thing thou prayedst for but this answer also yet be thou assured he doth it for thy good he doth it for one of those three ends thou heardest of in the doctrine And if thou canst finde that the Lords delayes haue had those effects in thee they haue humbled thee they haue approued thy faith and obedience they haue increased thy desire and estimation of his fauour thou art a happy man The Lord in granting our requests respects not so much our words as the meaning of his spirit in our prayers Rom 8. 27. A fift comfort against this tentation is this That till the appointed time come till God see it good to giue thee either the thing thou askest or that sweet peace and comfort of conscience that I spake of he will certainely giue thee strength to abide this triall This is the thing thou most fearest and complainest of thou feelest thy selfe ready to faint and giue ouer but be of good comfort though he let thee feele thy weakenesse and how vnable thou art to stand or goe alone yet as the Nurse that dandles the Childe he holds thee and will not let thee fall Thus Dauid speakes of himselfe in the time of a most grieuous temptation Psal. 73. 22 23. I was as a beast before thee yet was I alwaies with thee thou hast holden me by my right hand Thus though God refused to hearken to Paul in causing the messenger of Sathan to depart from him though he prayed thrice for it yet did he heare and answer his prayer 2. Cor. 12. 9. He said vnto me My grace is sufficient for thee for my power is made perfect through weakenesse And this may be a certaine argument to a man that God hath heard and receiued his prayer though he doe delay to grant his request when Gods grace makes a man able to continue in prayer and to hold out though it be with much paine and discomfort For this comes not of our selues but is a singular gift of God This is plainely proued Psal. 10. 17. Lord thou hast heard the desire of the poore thou wilt prepare their heart thou wilt cause thine eare to heare And this testimony euery true beleeuer may be sure to finde in himselfe euen when to his owne feeling he hath least grace the spirit of God will helpe and sustaine his infirmity Rom. 8. 26. Therefore to conclude this first Vse I will say to them whom God exerciseth with this tentation that which the Apostle doth to them that suffer persecution for righteousnesse sake and feare they shall not be able to hold out 1. Pet. 4. 19. Let them commit their soules to God in well doing as vnto a faithfull Creator The second Vse of this doctrine is to exhort all Gods people that they would labour so to pray as they may haue assurance to be heard when they pray for these comforts belong not to all but to such as pray aright It hath bin wont to be a matter of greatest discomfort to Gods people as we haue heard when they haue prayed and could not finde any audience with God be not silent vnto me lest if thou be silent to mee I become like them that goe downe into the pit Psal. 28. 〈◊〉 Therefore should we both marke well what we haue prayed for and obserue what entertainement we finde when we goe to our Father listen and hearken what answer we receiue from him Dauid prayes oft for an answer in thy faithfulnesse consider me Psal. 143. 1. As he that is a suiter to the King or any great man when he hath deliuered his petition will be diligent to enquire what the King saith to it so should we doe Psal. 8â—… 8. I will hearken what the Lord God will say for he will speake peace c. Two benefits we should receiue by it 1. It would worke in vs a great increase of comfort and assurance of Gods fauour of thankefulnesse and loue to God if we might perceiue that he had respect to our prayers whensoeuer we called vpon him so did it in Dauid as we shall finde in many places of the Psalmes Psal. 6. 8 9. and 28. 6. and 66. 19 20. and 61. 4 5. and 116. 1 4. 2. If by obseruing we shall finde that he hath had no respect to our prayers it would humble and driue vs to search into the cause of it and so inforce vs to make peace with him Foure things there are required in him that would so pray as he may haue assurance to finde audience and to receiue a good answer from God 1. The man himselfe must be in Gods fauour and know himselfe to be reconciled vnto God in Christ the Lord had respect to Abel and to his offering first to Abel and then to his offering Gen. 4. 4. 2. He must bring a heart that hath vnfainedly repented of all knowne sinnes and resolued to doe the will of God in all things If I regard iniquity in mine heart the Lord will not heare mee Psal. 66. 18. we know that God heareth not sinners Ioh. 9. 31. If thou wilt not hearken to God thou canst haue no hope that he will heare thee as he cryed and they would not heare so they cryed and I would not heare saith the Lord of hoasts Zach. 7. 13. 3. He must take heed the things he prayeth for be such as God hath in his Word warranted him to aske this is the confidence that we haue in him that if we aske any thing according to his will he heareth vs 1. Iohn 5. 14. 4. He must not pray coldly nor drowsily but feruently I will pray and cry aloud and he shall heare my
he expostulateth no further with him concerning his infidelity but perceiuing that his minde was so oppressed with griefe that he could not regard nor be affected with that which was said concerning his sinne he beares with him in it and saith no more of his sinne Secondly that he yeeldeth vnto his importunity and healeth his sonne as he had desired Thirdly and lastly he grants him more than he did desire or could hope for at his hands for whereas he desired only that he would go downe and heale his sonne verse 47 49. and that would haue required some time Christ doth immediately deliuer his childe from all his paine and danger and restoreth him to health And for the Reason that moued Christ to shew such respect to this weake man which is the third point I told you is to be obserued in the Text though it were chiefly in himselfe euen in his owne mercy he shewed mercy on him because it pleased him so to doe Rom. 9. 18. yet had he doubtlesse respect vnto those small seedes and beginnings of Faith and vprightnesse of heart which he discerned in him He saw first that he came to him for helpe with an honest heart and perswasion that he was able and willing to doe him good secondly that he was constant and importunate and would not be driuen away by the repulse he receiued from him And for this cause had Christ so great respect vnto him notwithstanding all the faults and weaknesses that he discerned in him Then from these three points thus obserued in the Text this Doctrine ariseth for our instruction That the Lord is not wont to reiect his seruants for any of their infirmities True it is the Lord is not so blinded with affection towards his children as he cannot see any fault in them or doteth so vpon them as to delight in their blemishes or is so indulgent towards them as he is loth to grieue and displease them as many foolish parents are for first he mislikes and is displeased euen with the least fault he sees in any of his children Hab. 1. 13. He hath pure eyes and cannot see euill he cannot behold wickednesse See this in the angry reproofes that Christ hath beene wont to giue euen to his best beloued Disciples euen for their ignorance are ye also yet without vnderstanding Doe yee not yet vnderstand Matth. 15. 16 17. and for their weakenesse of Faith ô faithlesse and peruerse generation how long shall I be with you how long shall I suffer you Matth. 17. 17. and therefore none that hath grace may please himselfe in the least of his corruptions but ought to be grieued and humbled for it Yea if his children doe slip into any foule faults hee will as sharply correct them as he will doe any other Amos 3. 2. You onely haue I knowne of all the families of the earth therefore I will visit you for all your iniquities See an example of Gods seuerity towards Moses for delaying the circumcision of his son in the Iune the Lord met him and sought to kill him that is he did breake forth vpon him by some grieuous iudgement that was so sensible as both Moses and Zipporah tooke notice of it and of the cause of it too viz. the neglect of circumcising their son Exod. 4. 24. yea the Lord will sooner beare with grosse sinnes in others than with the appearance and shew of euill in his owne The Lord your God is a iealous God among you Deut 6. 15. and a iealous husband cannot endure so much as the shewes of vnchaste loue in his wife towards another in lookes or talke or gesture or secret company And therefore the nearer any man drawes to God in a profession of piety and religion the more carefull had he need be to looke to his waies And he is a mad man that imagines because he is a professour God will beare with him in his sinnes And yet for all this the goodnesse of the Lord is certainely wonderfull this way in bearing with his seruants and not reiecting them for their infirmities for besides that none of all their frailties shall be imputed vnto them to their condemnation Rom. 8. 1. He seeth no iniquity in Iacob nor transgression in Israel Num. 23. 21. He doth so passe by many of the foule infirmities of his children as he doth not so much as correct them in this life for them nor checke them nor make any mention at all of them And this is surely very admirable considering how iust the Lord is and how he hates sinne which made the Prophet to burst forth into that admiration Micah 7. 8. Who is a God like to thee that taketh away iniquity and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage This we shall the better beleeue to be so by considering three points First that though the Lord hate all sinne euen in his owne seruants and they dislike themselues for it yet he liketh neuer the worse of them for their frailties Iob we know shewed great impatiency Iob 3. insomuch as afterwards when he considered how he had carryed himselfe he saith Chapt. 42. 6. I abhorre my selfe and repent in dust and ashes but God seeth no such matter in him God counteth him a most patient man when he condemned himselfe God iustified him Ioh 42. 7 8. and twice chargeth his friends thus Yee haue not spoken of â—…e the thing that is right like my seruant Iob. The like we shall see in Dauid he complaineth of himselfe Psalme 40. 12. that his sinnes were more than the haires of his head therefore his heart failed him But the Lord had a farre better opinion of him than he had of himselfe for thus God saith of him 1 Reg. 14. 8. that he had followed him with all his heart and done onely that that was right in his eyes Secondly these very workes wherein his seruants haue shewed much frailty he hath accepted of and taken them in good part and hath not beene wont to reiect the good workes they haue performed because of the corruption they haue shewed in them 2. Chron. 6. 8 Whereas it was in thine heart to build an house to my Name saith the Lord to Dauid yet was it ignorantly and fondly done of him to purpose such a thing without warrant from God as appeareth spake I a word to any of the iudges of Israel whom I commanded to feed my people saying why haue yee not built me a house of Cedars 1. Chron. 17. 6. thou didst well in that thou wast so minded The like to this we may see in a prayer Dauid made Psal. 31. 22. I said in my haste I am cast out of thy sight and what more wicked or corrupt thought could any man haue in prayer yet marke what followeth Yet thou heardest the voice of my prayer when I cryed vnto thee God reiected not his prayer though it were tainted with so foule a corruption But what speake we of Dauid Esay
vnsound iudgement in some cleare and manifest truths or other full of reasoning and oppositions against it 1 Tim. 6. 5. If any consent not to the wholsome words of the Lord Iesus Christ and vseth vaine disputations he knoweth nothing saith the Apostle his mind is corrupt and destitute of truth Fourthly the knowledge of a regenerate man may be discerned by this It hath power to reforme and rule his heart and workes in him a care of practice and obedience Luke 8. 15. They that with an honest and good heart beare the word keepe it and bring forth fruits with patience 1 Iohn 2. 3 4. Hereby we are sure we know him if we keepe his commandements he that saith I know him and keepes not his commandements is a lyar Esa. 2. 3. He shall teach vs his wayes and we will walke in his paths Yea sanctified knowledge makes a man strong to resist and stand against tentation The feare of the Lord that is wisdome and to depart from euill is vnderstanding Iob 28 28. Prou. 24. 5. A wise man is strong for a man of vnderstanding increaseth his strength He that can say as Psal. 17. 4. By the word of thy lips I haue kept me from the path of the destroyer is a happy man he knowes the truth with a sauing knowledge On the contrary side the naturall mans knowledge swimmeth in his braine and hath no power in his heart It is said of the sonnes of Eli They were wicked men and knew not the Lord 1 Sam. 2. 12. They had no iot of sanctified knowledge in them Fiftly and lastly the regenerate man though he find himselfe wanting sometimes in these properties of sanctified knowledge yet feeles he this ignorance and bewailes it and what measure of knowledge soeuer he hath attained to he satisfieth not himselfe in it but the more he knowes the more he desires to increase in knowledge This you shall see in Dauid Open thou mine eyes that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law teach me thy statutes make me to vnderstand the way of thy precepts Psalme 119. 18 26 27. On the other side the naturall man is well perswaded of his owne knowledge thinkes he knowes enough and is full Woe be to you that are full Luke 6. 25. The second grace wherein I told you we were to make triall of the soundnesse of our hearts is Repentance by which I mean in this place onely the forsaking of sinne Now there is no one grace in soundnesse and vprightnesse in that mans heart that hath not vnfainedly repented and forsaken his sinnes Acts 11. 18. Then hath God also to the Gentiles granted repentance vnto life Vnlesse we can be able to say These and these sinnes I know I haue left surely we haue not repented Wee were sometimes foolish disobedient deceiued seruing diuers lusts and pleasures liuing in malice and enuy hatefull and hating one another Tit. 3. 3. And the man that hath vnfainedly repented and forsaken his sins doubtlesse hath an vpright heart Thus saith Dauid of himselfe Psal. 18. 23. I was vpright before him and kept my selfe from mine iniquity for he that hath repented is iustified and hath his sins forgiuen him Act. 5. 31. Christ is called a Prince and Sauiour to giue repentance and forgiuenes of sins If yan man shall aske May not some naturall men forsake and leaue the sins they haue liued in I answer Yes Peter speakes of some temporaries and hypocrites that had escaped the filthinesse of the world 2. Pet. 2. 20. and our Sauiour of one that had the vncleane spirit cast out of him and his house swept and garnished Matth. 12. 44. But these differences there be betwixt the repentance of the regenerate and naturall man 1. The regenerate man forsakes sin of conscience to God euen because he knoweth God hath forbidden it is offended and dishonoured by it as his sorrow for sin is according to God 2. Cor. 79. so is his forsaking of sin also 2. Cor. 7. 10. Yea his forsaking of his sin growes though not only yet chiefly from the knowledge he hath of Gods mercy and from the loue he beares to God for his goodnesse he forsakes his euill way and returnes to the Lord out of this hope and perswasion that he will haue mercy vpon him and that our God will abundantly pardon Esay 55. 7. He feares the Lord and his goodnesse Hos. 3. 5. The grace of God that bringeth saluation the Gospell which makes knowne to vs Gods loue in Christ hath taught him to denie vngodlinesse and worldly lusts Tit. 2. 11 12. On the other side the hypocrite forsakes his sins or rather seemes so to do first for that he wants meanes to follow them as of old or secondly no occasion is offered to shew his corruption in thirdly or out of respect he hath to his credit with men fourthly or out of the apprehension of Gods wrath only 2. The regenerate man forsakes not one or two but all knowne sins Why then there is no man regenerate will you say For in many things we sinne all Iames 2. 3. But my meaning is though he cannot shake off euery sin yet there is no knowne sin that willingly he giueth liberty to himselfe in be it small or great when once it is discouered to him to be a sin he makes a conscience of it as Daniel did of defiling himselfe with the Kings meat Dan. 1. 8. he kept Gods law and his conscience to obey it as the apple of his eye which the least more will offend Pro. 7. 2. This is called precisenesse and foolish nicenesse I grant that it is indeed a note of an hypocrite to be precise and strict in small matters and make no conscience of grosse sins to tithe miâ—…t and cummin and to neglect the weightyer points of the law to streine at a gnat and to swallow a cammell Mat. 23. 23 24. yet he that shall say of the least sin Tush that is nothing If I neuer do worse I shall do well enough doubtlesse that man hath no soundnes in his heart Iames 2. 10 11. Whosoeuer shall keepe the whole Law yet faile in one point is guilty of all For he that said Thou shalt not commit adultery said also Thou shalt not kill The least sin committed wilfully and presumptuously becomes dangerous and damnable the soule that dâ—…th ought presumptuously shall be cut off from among his people as the man was by Gods expresse commandement that had in that sort but gathered a few sticks vpon the Sabbath day Num. 15. 30. 32. On the other side no naturall man or hypocrite euer made conscience of all sin but either he hath some one sin that is his beloued sin which he will not part with as Herod had Mar. 6. 20. or of many sins which he counts small he makes no conscience at all but euen despiseth his waies in them as Salomon speaketh Pro. 19. 16. 3. The regenerate man though he slip often yet
duties which are the fruits of true grace be discerned from such as proceed from some other root If a man doe truely loue the Word and the profession of it he will perseuere in his loue and profession and neuer forsake it Matth. 13. 20 21. of that hearer that heard the Word and incontinently with ioy receiued it and endured but for a season our Sauiour saith the cause was because he had no roote in himselfe He neuer had sound heart And 1. Iohn 2. 19. They went out from vs but they were not of vs for if they had beene of vs they would haue continued with vs. So is it likewise in all other good duties which any man hath beene giuen to if they were the fruits of grace if euer a man did vse to doe them with a good heart he will doe them still I cannot stand vpon all good duties in particular I will instance but in one whereby we may iudge of all the rest for there is the like reason for all If euer a man were wont to be mercifull and liberall in relieuing Gods poore seruants out of a good heart he will be so still You shall see this Esay 32. 8. The liberall man will deuise of liberall things that is he will studie and thinke with himselfe which of Gods seruants stand in neede and how he may shew himselfe mercifull to them and he will continue his liberalitie Another notable place there is for this Heb. 6. The Apostle saith of the Hebrewes verse 9. He was perswaded there were better things in them than in such hypocrites as he had spoken of before and such as accompanied saluation And verse 10. he giues this for the reason in that saith he yee haue ministred to the Saints and yet minister and he adds verse 11. We desire that euery one of you shew the same diligence to the end And why so To the full assurance of hope saith he As if he should haue said There is no full assurance of hope no not in so excellent a fruit of faith as this is vnlesse yee continue to the end Two obiections you may haply make against this which I must giue you to answer to That in many that haue beene truely regenerate great intermissions and giuing ouer of good duties haue beene found the fruits of grace haue beene strangely interrupted and broken off in them He that had come to Dauid at that time when after his adultery hee practised the death of Uriah or to Peter when he forsware his Master and with such direfull curses denied that he knew him would haue beene able to discerne no more fruits of grace nor conscience of their dutie to God in them than in Saul or Iudas A man therefore you will say may be Gods childe and haue a sound heart though he be not thus constant in his obedience as you haue said To this I answer first That though in the time of temptation or of some spirituall desertion the case may be thus with Gods childe for a time yet he cannot continue so but he shall recouer himselfe and doe his first workes againe according to that Psal. 55. 22. Hee will not suffer the righteous to fall for euer Secondly that during the time of this his fall and giuing ouer the practise of those good duties hee was wont to performe the childe of God hath lost the assurance of his hope and of the soundnesse and vprightnesse of his owne heart neither can any other man or himselfe say that any good thing he did before was done in truth now he hath giuen it ouer And indeed if thou obserue it thou shalt finde that none such take any comfort at all to heare or thinke of any good thing he did in times past Heerein I may appeale to the consciences of euery one of you if any such be here that were in times past diligent zealous and conscionable Preachers or such as vsed conscionably and carefully to pray in priuate or such as were carefull to haue the exercises of Religion in your families and haue now quite giuen ouer these things is it any comfort to you that you were such kinde of people in times past Nay is it not rather a vexation to your mindes to thinke of those times because your hearts are apt to tell you all that was done but in hypocrisie Certainely till you recouer your selues and doe your first workes againe you cannot haue any assurance that there was euer any truth or soundnesse in your hearts Yea but will you say though they that are quite falne from the good duties they were wont to performe can haue no assurance of the truth of their hearts yet there is many a one that hath a good heart that yet findes great inconstancy in himselfe and that he oft omits the good duties he should performe and hath not at all times that aptnesse and alacrity in prayer and such like holy exercises as he hath at some times Can such a one haue no assurance of the vprightnesse and soundnesse of his heart I answer First that it is certaine that many a good man may decay in the measure of his practice and doing of good duties euen through a naturall decay of his spirits by age or sicknesse Secondly he may also lose that heate and feruency of spirit that sometimes he had This is plaine in the Angel of the Church of Ephesus Apoc. 2. 4. He had left his first loue and yet had much grace in him still verse 2. I know how thou canst not forbeare them that are euill And verse 6. Thou hatest the deeds of the Nicolaitans which I also hate Yea without daily watchfulnesse and stirring vp of our selues it will not be possible to keep our selues from this decaying in our first loue and feruency in good duties if we do not exhort and stir vp our selues daily we shall be in danger to be hardned through the deceitfulnesse of sin Heb. 3. 13. But yet this you shall finde in euery regenerate man ordinarily vnlesse it be in that case of tentation and spirituall desertion that I spake of in the former obiection First he doth still performe good duties of conscience toward God though not with that chearefulnesse and aptnesse as at other times He keeps his way still and goes on though not so fast and comfortably as he was wont grieuing for his decaies and striuing against his dulnesse and this God greatly delighteth in euen in this Labour of loue as the Apostle calls it Heb. 6. 10. Secondly he rests not in any thing he hath done but is carefull to perseuere and continue to the end For this we haue two notable examples First in Dauid Psal. 146. 2. I will praise the Lord during my life as long as I haue any being I will sing vnto my God And 101. 2. I will do wisely in the perfect way till thou commest to me And Psal. 119. 11â—… I haue applied my heart to fulfill
cast off by vnfained repentance all our knowne sinnes before we come In this respect the wisdome of the Church is to be commended in beginning our publike worship with a holy and good confession of sins it were to be wished that men would make more conscience to ioyne with the congregation in it and to do it with feeling and vnderstanding hearts than the most do This is that that was signified by putting off the shoes and washing of the clothes Exo. 3. 5 and 19. 10. and is more plainly taught I am 1. 21. Lay apart all filthinesse and superfluitie of naughtinesse and receiue with meeknesse the ingrafted word In this respect it is worthy to be obserued that Ezek. 23. 38 39. the Lord notes this for a circumstance that greatly aggrauated their whoredomes and murders That they came the same day into Gods Sanctuary And what maruell is it then that so many receiue no profit but hurt rather by the Word being guilty of hainous sinnes they come to Gods house without the least motion of remorse for them or purpose to forsake them Yea many come on the Lords day to Gods house hauing spent the greatest part of the night before some in drunkennesse some in gaming and other disorders We must labour to bring our hearts to a religious feare of the Maiesty of God with whom we haue to deale and in whose presence we are to appeare in a speciall sort Set thy selfe as in Gods presence and that will keepe thy heart from wandring Acts 10. 33. We are all here present before God saith Cornelius to heare all things that are commanded thee of God That which Salomon vseth as a reason to restraine men from rashnes and irreuerence in prayer serues as fitly to restraine from rashnesse and irreuerence in hearing for reuerence is as well required when God speakes to vs as when we speake to God Eccl. 5. 1. Be not rash with thy mouth nor let thy heart be hasty to vtter a thing before God for God is in the heauens and thou art on the earth This feare of God rising from the apprehension of his glorious presence is a singular means to prepare the heart to heare well Thus God prepared Abraham Gen. 15. 12. A fearefull darknesse fell vpon him first and then the Lord deliuered to him the word of promise Serue the Lord with feare Psal. 2. 11. and 5. 7. I will come to thy house in the multitude of thy mercies and in thy feare will I worship toward thy holy Temple No maruell then though many profit so little both in their comming into Gods house and sitting in it The very triall of their countenance testifieth against them as Esa. 3. 9. that there is no feare nor reuerence of Gods presence in their hearts Thou must rid thy heart of all preiudice and hard conceit of him thou art to heare and labour to be well perswaded of thy Teacher This hath great force to further our profiting by that we heare This was that that made Herod himselfe not onely to heare Iohn gladly but also to practise many things he taught Mar. 6. 20. This made Paul so earnest in protesting his loue and declaring his affection to them he wrote to that he might winne them thereby to haue a good opinion of him because he knew how much this would auaile to their profiting by his Doctrine See how many words he vseth to perswade both the Romanes and Corinthians of this in the beginning of his Epistles vnto them Rom. 1. 8 15. 1 Cor. 1. 4 8. This made him so earnest with the faithfull in that exhortation And we beseech you brethren to know them which labour among you and are ouer you in the Lord and admonish you and esteeme them very highly in loue for their works sake 1 Thess. 5. 12 13. We must bring with vs an appetite euen an earnest desire to profit by that we shall heare As new borne babes desire the sincere milke of the Word 1 Pet. 2. 2. This will greatly further our profiting for the Lord vseth to fill the hungry with good things and to send the rich empty away Luke 1. 53. We must bring with vs an honest heart euen a sincere purpose and resolution to obey the Word in all things and to learne to know the will of God to no other end but that we may direct our liues according to it resoluing as Esay 2. 3. Come ye and let vs go vp to the mountaine of the Lord and he will teach vs his wayes and we will walke in his paths And as Psal. 119. 34. I will obserue thy Law with my whole heart Such shall be sure to profit If any man will do his will he shall know of the Doctrine whether it be of God Ioh. 7. 17. What man is he that feareth the Lord him shall he teach in the way that he shall choose Psal. 25. 12. We must vse to pray before we come We must Pro. 2. 3. call vnto God for knowledge and cry for vnderstanding Verse 5. Then shall we vnderstand the feare of the Lord and find the knowledge of God And the reason is added Uer. 6. For the Lord giueth wisdome out of his mouth commeth knowledge and vnderstanding As if he should say it comes not out of the mouth of the excellentest man that thou canst heare it comes from the Lord onely and therefore thou must seek to him for it THE HVNDRED AND SEVENTH LECTVRE ON OCTOBER XXIX MDCXI IOHN IIII. LI LII LIII And as he was now going downe his seruants met him and told him saying Thy sonne liueth Then enquired he of them the houre when he began to amend and they said vnto him Yesterday at the seuenth houre the Feuer left him So the father knew that it was at the same houre in the which Iesus said vnto him Thy sonne liueth and himselfe belieued and his whole house WE haue already heard that from the beginning of the 46 Uerse to the end of this Chapter the Euangelist doth set downe the History of the second miracle that Christ wrought in Galile in curing of the sonne of a certaine Ruler And that the History stands vpon foure parts First the occasion that was offered vnto Christ to do this miracle Uers. 46 47 Secondly the manner how Christ wrought this miracle Vers. 48 49. and the beginning of the 50. Thirdly the fruit and effect of this miracle from the latter end of the 50 Verse to the end of the 53. Fourthly the conclusion of the story in the 54 Uerse And in the fruit and effect of this miracle which is the third part of the story we haue heard there be three principall things to be obserued First the beginning of the faith and conuersion of this Ruler in the words of the 50 Verse And the man belieued the word that Iesus had spoken vnto him and went his way Secondly the means whereby this faith that was begun in him was
countenance that inward griefe which cannot be hid but shewes it selfe in the countenance the heart is made better Eccles. 7. 3. but his Master liked it not he knew it would discontent his Master as appeares Vers. 2. he was sore afraid when his Master perceiued by his countenance that he was sad And though his Master were void of religion yet he held it his duty to giue contentment to him in this he did striue to be chearfull in his countenance alwaies when he came to attend him I haue now giuen you two examples for this I will giue you two precepts also and so come to the reasons The first is that the Apostle teacheth Eph. 6. 7. when he requires seruants to do that seruice that they do with good will he means not in those words to exempt them from duty and obligation as if he would say The seruice you do is done but of courtesie but though you do no more than in duty you are bound to do yet must you do it of loue and good will or it is nought worth in Gods sight So Tit. 2. 9. Let seruants be subiect to their Masters and please them in all things not answering againe And mark what kind of seruants they were of whom this duty was required the yoke that seruants did beare in those dayes was an iron yoke in comparison of that that seruants beare now For 1. They were vsually bond-men either won in battaile or bought with money and consequently they were 1. bound during life or at their Masters pleasure 2. they could refuse no drudgery they were put to 2. Their Masters were most of them Infidels and enemies to the Gospell And yet those seruants were bound to loue their Masters and to seek to please them in all things How much more are seruants now bound to do this whose yoke is farre more easie and tolerable The Reasons of the Doctrine are these First loue is the root of all duties we do performe to men neither can any be well done vnlesse it proceed from loue and where there is loue all duties will follow Rom. 13. 9 10. Euery Commandement is brieâ—…ty comprehended in this saying euen in this Thou shalt loue thy neighbour as thy selfe therefore loue is the fulfilling of the law There be sundry other duties the seruant owes to his master but all depend vpon this First he must be obedient vnto his Master Col. 3. 22. In all things saith the Apostle and to that end he must be subiect to him not answering againe Tit. 2. 9. els he cannot be obedient vnlesse he acknowledge himselfe to be vnder him and can take an angry and crosse word patiently yea though it be giuen without cause and to that end also he must honour and reuerence him in his heart They must count their Masters worthy of all honour 1 Tim. 96. else can he neuer be subiect to him nor beare his reproofe Secondly he must seek his masters profit Phile. 11. One simus had been an vnprofitable seruant but so soone as he was conuerted Paul giues his word for him that he would be profitable to his Master And to that end he must be faithfull and true Titus 2. 10. Not pickers but such as shew all good faithfulnesse to that end also they must be painfull and diligent in their places els though they be neuer so true they are vnprofitable Pro. 18. 9. He that is sâ—…othfull in his worke is euen the brother of him that is a great â—…aster But the seruant that loueth his Master will make conscience of all these duties and none but he Euery seruant is to esteeme his Master as a Father So Naamans seruant that saw no further than by the light of nature cals him 2 King 5. 13. And so the Lord himselfe in the fift Commandement termes all such as he hath made our superiours in any degree Exod. 20. 12. because from euery one of them the inferiour receiues some benefit as from a Father Because God hath made thy Master his instrument of thy maintenance thou receiuest from God by his hand either food and wages or food and knowledge in some trade whereby thou maist liue the better and be more profitable to the Common-wealth therefore thou art bound to loue him and owest duty vnto him The third Reason is in respect of God and his ordinance How vnworthy so euer the Master himselfe be of this loue yet because God hath set him ouer the seruant and will haue him to do it he must loue him This reason the Apostle giues Eph. 6. 6 7. The seruant must do his seruice of good will and loue because therein he serues Christ doth the will of God he serues the Lord and not men Col. 3. 23. they do it to the Lord and not to men and 1 Tim. 6. 1. Euery seruant must count his Master worthy of all honour First of all honour not of cap and knee onely c. but of loue and obedience Secondly euery Seruant must so esteeme of his Master euen those that had the worst Masters Thirdly he must count him worthy of all honour How can that be will you say if he be an idolater a filthy person or a drunkard Yes in respect of Gods ordinance because God will haue him to be honoured and loued he must do it though there be nothing in the man that deserues honour and loue Who will not giue honour to him whom the King will haue to be honoured how vnworthy soeuer he be otherwise Though Mordecai were in Hamans iudgement very base and one whom he hated extremely yet yee see how ready he was to giue honour to him when the King would haue him to do it Est. 6. 11. If God will haue vs to loue our deadly enemy that hath nothing in him to deserue loue but the contrary we must do it or we can haue no comfort in God Mat. 5. 44. This will greatly adorne and gaine credit to the profession of the Gospell and nothing more when men shall see it works this conscience in seruants that a seruant professing religion is more dutifull more carefull of his Masters comfort and profit than any other This reason the Apostle giues T it 2. 10. That they may adorne the Doctrine of God our Sauiour in all things and 1 Tim. 6. 1. That the name of God and his Doctrine be not euill spoken of And the credit of the Gospell is dearer to euery true Christian than his owne life The last reason is because how vnworthy or vnthankfull or vnable soeuer thy Master is yet if of conscience toward God thou do thy duty thus thou shalt be sure God will reward thee and so on the other side if thou do not thy duty thou shalt haue no reward Ephes. 6. 8. Know yee that whatsoeuer good thing any man doth the same shall he receiue of the Lord whether he be bond or free First the Lord will reward thee in the life to come
Col. 3. 24. knowing that of the Lord yee shall receiue the reward of inheritance Secondly euen in this life the Lord will reward thee with the like when thou shalt be a Master thy selfe with what measure yee mete it shall bee measured to you againe Mat. 7. 2. Take no heede to all words that are spoken lest thou he are thy seruant curse thee For oftentimes also thine owne heart knoweth that thou thy selfe likewise hast cursed others Eccles. 7. 2â—… 22. The Vse this Doctrine serueth vnto is first for Seruants secondly for Masters also And as for seruants before I exhort them to the duty that this Doctrine requireth of them they are first to be admonished by way of caution and preuention to take heede they be not too carefull to please their Masters that they shew not too much loue vnto them The Lord hath set you limits and bounds in this case which you may not passe Loue and obedience is not absolutely due to any Master vpon earth so as we may do any thing to please them any thing they would haue vs to do this honour is due to God alone whom the Apostle therefore cals Iude 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The onely Master All other Masters are called twice by the Apostle Ephes. 6. 5. Col. 3. 22. Masters according to the flâ—…sh they haue nothing to doe with the conscience that is to be reserued to God alone in that case they haue a charge giuen them yee are bought with a price be not yee the seruants of men 1. Cor. 7. 23. I will shew you some particulars that seruants must take heed of in this case First a seruant may not to please his Master conforme himselfe to a false and idolatrous religion this was the thing that Naaman after his conuersion was fearefull lest he should offend in 2. Kings 5. 18. Secondly a seruant may not to please his Master lend him his oath and sweare whatsoeuer he would haue him Gen. 24. 5. As well as Eleazar loued his Master he would not presently sweare when he bad him but he would perfectly know the matter he should sweare to and how he might be able to keepe his oath before he would sweare Thirdly a seruant may not to please his Master execute his malice and reuenge all his quarrels as Absolons seruants did vpon this ground 2. Sam. 13. 8 Kill him feare not haue not I commanded you but all Sauls seruants saue Doeg refused to do it they would not kill the Lords Priests though the king their master commanded them 1. Sam. 22. 17 18. Fourthly a seruant may not to please his Master counsaile him to oppresse and wrong his tenants The Scripture imputes the oppression that many great men vsed to their seruants Amos 4. 1. They oppresse the poore and destroy the needy and say vnto their Masters Bring and let vs drinke Fiftly a seruant may not to please his Master feede his humour in his vncleannesse and filthinesse Gen. 12. 15. Pharaohs seruants saw Sara commeÌ„ded her to Pharaoh so she was taken into his house Sixthly a seruant may not to please or enrich his Master tell a lye or deceiue any for he shall doe his master hurt and no good by getting any thing that way Pro. 21. 6. The gathering of treasures by a deceitfull tongue is vanity tossed to and fro of them that seeke death Seuenthly a seruant may not to please his Master feed his humour by bringing him lyes and slanders Pro. 29. 12. If a Ruler hearken to lies all his seruants are wicked And Hos. 7. 3. They make the King glad with their wickednesse and the Princes with their lyes And so much for the caution that is to be giuen vnto seruants The exhortation is this That euery seruant would subscribe to this commandement of the Lord as well as vnto others and say of it as Rom. 7. 12. This commandement is holy and iust and good and endeauour to shew the truth and soundnesse of that grace that is in him by making conscience of his duty in the calling God hath placed him in Three waies especially there be whereby thou maist shew that thou doest indeed loue thy Master First if thou seeke by all meanes and canst reioyce in his prosperity and welfare as we haue heard Eleazar did Gen. 24. Secondly if thou can beare with his infirmities and not blaze them to his discredit Seruants be subiect to your Masters with all feare not only to the good and gentle but also to the froward 1. Pet. 2. 18. Thirdly if thou be tractable and willing to please him and be ruled by him specially in those things that concerne Gods seruice and worship euery man in such things should be willing to please his neighbour Rom. 15. 2. much more should the seruant be willing to please his Master in them The Vse that Masters are to make of this Doctrine is First to draw them to loue Religion which is such a friend to them and to desire to haue such seruants as are religious If men were not extremely wicked this would perswade them to loue the Gospell that no meanes which the wit of man can deuise haue such force to make good subiects children seruants and neighbours as this hath Secondly to exhort them to carry themselues so towards their seruants as they may deserue loue and reuerence of them The fifth Commandement that bindes all inferiours to honour their superiours as parents bindes all superiours to be as fathers to their inferiours and indeed euery Master should be so to his seruants euen Naaman the Syrian was such a Master that made his seruant when he spake vnto him say O my father 2. King 5. 13. Three speciall waies there be whereby the Master may gaine loue and reuerence of his seruant 1. If thou deale iustly with him performing thy couenant with him paying him his wages not oppressing nor wronging him Masters giue vnto your seruants that which is iust and equall knowing that yee also haue a Master in heauen Col. 4. 1. 2. If thou shew a loue to thy seruant not respecting him onely for thine owne aduantage but shewing a desire that he may benefit himselfe by thy seruice also Our beasts and cattell we may keepe onely for our owne benefit but in all our dealings with men specially Christians we are bound to respect also the good of him we deale with and not our owne good onely Looke not euery man on his own things but euery man also on the things of others Phil. 2. 4. Therefore the Lord gaue a Law to Masters Deut. 15. 12 13. that they should not let their seruants go away empty 3. If thou cause him to perceiue in all thy waies that thou doest indeed feare God and art wont to be more offended with him for his sinne against God than for any neglect of duty to thy selfe when the people vow their obedience vnto Ioshua they add this as the chiefe thing that would keep them
heart and could haue wisht that himselfe bad beene accursed from Christ for restoring of them into Gods fauour See what affection Christ did beare vnto them Luke 19. 41 42. he wept and expressed exceeding compassion towards Ierusalem 2. For their Ancestours sakes the most honourable Nation vnder heauen they haue beene Christ himselfe was a Iew. No nation is able to deriue their pedigree nor bring so Authenticall Records for it as they See how Paul euen before the Corinthians that were Gentiles glorieth in this 2. Cor. 11. 22. Are they Hebrewes so am I are they Israelites so am I are they the seede of Abraham so am I This reason the Apostle giues for the affection he bare to them Rom. 9. 5. For if such respect was had to Iezabel because she was a Kings daughter though otherwise she had beene a wicked woman 2. King 9. verse 34. How much more respect deserueth this Nation euen for this 3. The promise we haue heard God hath made vnto that Nation that he will call them and make them his people againe should prouoke vs to pray for them See the force of this reason 2 Sam. 7. 27. For thou O Lord of hostes God of Israel hast reuealed to thy seruant saying I will build thee an house therefore hath thy seruant found in his heart to pray this prayer vnto thee 4. The glory that shall redound to God by their conuersion For then shall he be more purely worshipped then he is hitherto by all his Elect throughout the world 5. The good that we our selues haue receiued from them For they before the time of our calling prayed for vs and earnestly desired our conuersion as appeares We haue a little sister and she hath no breasts what shall we do for our sister in the day when she shall be spoken for Cant. 8. 8. and by sundry Psalmes Psal. 87. And from them we receiued the Gospell and worship of God in which respect also we may be called their debters as Rom. 15. 27. To comfort such as haue at any time had good euidence of Gods loue to them in Christ. For such may by this example be assured that though they haue iustly deserued he should cast them off and though through the tokens of Gods anger that are vpon them either inwardly or outwardly their owne reason and sense may perswade them he hath cast them off indeed yet whom he hath once loued in Christ and receiued into his couenant and called effectually to be his people and giuen his Spirit vnto them he will loue to the end and can neuer cast them off Ier. 31. 3. I haue loued thee with an euerlasting loue therefore with louing kindnesse haue I drawne thee And Iohn 13. 1. whom Christ loueth he loueth to the end And Rom. 11. 29. the gifts and calling of God are without repentance Let vs therefore giue all diligence to make our calling and election sure and seeke good euidence to our selues that God loueth vs in Christ 2. Pet. 1. 10. There is no certainety in the loue of any mortall creature which yet thou so much dotest vpon but the loue of God is certaine and vnchangeable For the comfort of Christian parents Many are the priuiledges which the Lord hath vouchsafed vnto our children but this is the chiefe that if we know our selues to be the children of God we may be assured that some of our posterity shall be so likewise So that this may quiet and secure our hearts though we haue many children and little to leaue them not only in the whole course of our liues but euen in the houre of death If 1. Wee haue good assurance that ourselues are within Gods Couenant 2. That we haue done our endeauour to bring vp our children in Gods feare and to make them his children THE NINE AND THIRTIETH LECTVRE ON IANVARY XXIII MDCIX IOH. IIII. XXIII XXIIII But the houre commeth and now is when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth for the Father seeketh such to worship him God is a Spirit and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth WE haue already heard that the answer our Sauiour maketh to the question which the woman of Samaria mooued vnto him consisteth of two parts 1. A commendation of that outward worship the Iewes vsed in comparison of that of the Samaritans 2. A discommendation of that outward worship of God which the Iewes vsed in comparison of that which God would shortly establish in his Church The former part of this answer is set downe in the 22. verse which we finished the last day The latter part of his answer is contained in these words which I haue now read vnto you The summe and effect of this part of his answer is this That though the worship which the Iewes then did to God were farre better then that of the Samaritans yet this ceremoniall worship which the Iewes vsed though it were commanded of God himselfe was not so much to be esteemed as she conceiued but should shortly be abolished and in stead thereof another forme of Gods worship should be established which should not consist in ceremonies and shadowes which suited best mans carnall and corrupt nature but should be spirituall as best agreeing to the nature of God and haue in it the truth and substance of all that which was figured and shadowed in those ceremonies The parts of this Text are two 1. A proposition or Doctrine concerning the true worship that Christians are to giue vnto God Now the true worshippers shall worship the father in spirit and in truth which is repeated with some increase they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth 2. The Reasons of this doctrine and Proposition and they are two 1. Because the Father euen seeketh or desireth to haue such worshippers 2. Because God is a Spirit and must therefore haue such worship and seruice done vnto him as is suitable to his nature The Proposition or Doctrine is inlarged or set forth by two circumstances 1. The Person to whom this spirituall worship is to be giuen the Father 2. The time when this spirituall worship shall be giuen vnto him the houre commeth and now is First then it is here to bee obserued that our Sauiour speaking of the worship that Christians should giue vnto God which should be farre better then that which the Iewes then vsed calls God to whom this worship was to be done the Father and that so oft euen three seuerall times once verse 21. and twise in this verse What should bee the reason of this Surely our Sauiour doth hereby intimate one chiefe cause why the Christians vnder the Gospell should doe God better seruice then the Iewes had done vnder the Law because they shall conceiue of God as of their Father True it is the Lord was a Father to his people vnder the Law and so they conceiued of him but the Lord hath reuealed
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