loved thus hee was grieved that his enemies would not be reclaimed Mar. 3.5 He mourned for the hardnesse of their hearts and 8.12 He sighed deepely in his spirit for them And of our heavenly Father we read that he loved his enemies thus Psal. 95.10 Fourty yeeres long was I grieved with this generation Canst thou say thou hast loved thus O happy thou then If any man shall object as Iohn 6.60 this is an hard saying who can heare it who can endure such Doctrine flesh and bloud can never doe this I answer 1. flesh and bloud indeed cannot nor flesh and bloud can never inherite the kingdome of God 1. Cor. 15.50 If thou be not regenerate and borne againe thou canst not see the kingdome of God Ioh. 3.3 2. Pray with the Apostle Lu. 17.5 Lord increase our faith If thou wert well perswaded how great the Lords love hath bin to thee thou wouldst easily doe it Lecture XXII on Psalme 51.1 2. Aprill 18. 1626. IT followeth now that we proceed to the second duty that we owe unto men This Doctrine therefore which hath made knowne unto you the wonderfull goodnesse and loving kindnesse of the Lord and the infinitnesse of his tender mercies towards poore miserable sinners that stand in need of his mercy must stirre up and provoke us to be good and mercifull to them that stand in need of us Neither is there any thing in the world that will have that force to make us willing to doe good and to shew mercy unto men as the true knowledge and consideration of this how good and mercifull the Lord hath beene unto us Luke 6.36 Be ye mercifull saith our Saviour as your father also is mercifull and Matth. 18.33 Shouldst not thou also have had compassion on thy fellow-servant even as I had piety on thee Yea Mat. 5.45 our Saviour teaching how bountifull and good the Lord is to all sorts of men perswadeth all his Disciples to be so too by this argument that you may be the children of your Father which is in heaven As if he should say there is nothing whereby you may better be knowne to be the children of God nothing wherein you can more resemble him then in this willingnesse and readinesse to do good and to be beneficiall unto others And there be foure things principally commended to us for our imitation in this example of our heavenly father 1. He is full of the bowells of mercy apt to pittie them he seeth to be in misery 2. He is bountifull and ready to helpe them and do them good 3. His bounty is altogether free and respecteth nothing in them that might move him to it but onely this that they are in misery and have need of him 4. He is apt to do good not only to them that are in misery but to all even to all his creatures First we must labour to be tender hearted and pitifull towards them that are in distresse and misery For this is our fathers disposition as we have heard Iam. 5.11 He is very pitifull and of tender mercy And so must we be if wee will approve our selves to be his children Ephes. 4.32 Be ye kinde one to another and tender hearted 1 Pet. 2.8 Have compassion one of another be pitifull Col. 3.12 Put on as a beautifull garment that will greatly adorne and grace your profession as the elect of God holy and beloved bowels of mercies They are therefore certainely most unlike to our heavenly father 1. That are hard hearted towards the poore not affected nor moved with their cryes and miseries Deut. 15.7 Thou shalt not harden thy heart from thy poore brother 1 Ioh. 3.17 He that shutteth up his bowels of compassion from his needy brother as if he should say when he findeth his heart apt to be moved with compassion violently restraineth himselfe from it how dwelleth the love of God in him We should provoke and force our selves to it as we have heard and not against it Pro. 21.13 He that stoppeth his eares at the cry of the poore and striveth not to be affected with it he also shall cry himselfe God can make the hardest hearted man cry himselfe but he shall not be heard And Pro. 11.17 He that is cruell to the poore troubleth his owne flesh 2. That do the workes of mercy without any mercy at all without any compassion of heart toward the misery of them that they doe relieve But either 1 out of a respect to their owne credit as the Pharisees Mat. 6.1 2. Or 2 out of hypocrisie as Iudas Ioh. 12.5 6. Or 3 out of a desire to be rid of them and freed from the noise of their clamour as the unrighteous judge relieved the poore widow Luk. 18.5 Where as indeed the mercifulnesse of the heart from whence that proceedeth which wee do for the poore is that which graceth our alms-deeds more then the valew of the thing that wee give unto them Mat. 5.7 Blessed are the mercifull Esa. 5 8.10 If thou draw out thy soule to the hungry then shall thy light arise in obscurity and thy darknesse be as the noone day Iob. 30.25 Was not my soule grieved for the poore Secondly we must not content our selves to pity the poore but we must also relieve them and be ready to doe them good For this is the disposition of our heavenly father Psal. 146.7.9 He giveth food to the hungry he relieveth the fatherlesse and the widow Yea he is bountifull in his goodnesse to such Iames 1.5 He giveth to all men as need liberally and upbraideth not And so must we do if we will approve our selves to be the children of our heavenly father And surely there was never any that did find the Lord to be mercifull to them in the pardon of their sinnes that were not by the spirit of God made mercifull to them that stood in need of them Psal. 112.4 5. The righteous man is mercifull and full of compassion a good man is mercifull and lendeth And verse 9. He hath dispersed he hath given to the poore Two things there be that do highly commend this duty unto us 1. That the Lord in his Word hath declared himselfe to be greatly pleased and delighted with it Mic. 6.8 What doth the Lord require of thee but to do justly and to love mercy It is a duty that doth greatly grace all other even the best duties that we can performe Acts 10.4 Thy prayers and thine almes are come up for a memoriall before God Yea it is a duty more pleasing unto God then any outward duty even of the first table Mat. 12.7 I will have mercy and not sacrifice 2. That it is a duty that God hath made greater promises unto then to any other almost that a Christian can performe Mat. 5.7 Blessed are the mercifull for they shall obtaine mercy In which respect Solomon saith Pro. 14.21 He that hath mercy on the poore happy is he And three sorts of promises
morning As many as I love saith Christ Revelat. 2.19 I rebuke and chasten 2. The Lord hath oft dealt very sharpely with his children when hee hath had no purpose therein to take vengeance of them for any of their sinnes nor bin angry with them at all but only to try their faith and obedience and when he hath purposed to do them most good he hath prepared them for it this way as is evident in the case of his wrestling with Iacob and laming of him and in his dealing with the woman of Canaan When Moses speakes of his dealing with Israel in the wildernesse and of all the hardnes they endured there Deut 8.16 he did it saith he that he might humble thee and that he might prove thee to doe thee good at thy latter end Fourthly One chiefe cause of Gods so sharply afflicting and seeming so angry with his people is to draw them to seeke unto him for his favour this way and to come oftner to him or at least to come to him in a better manner with more humility and sense of the need they have of him and with more fervency then they have bin wont to do Hos. 5.15 I will go and returne to my place till they acknowledge their offence and seek my face in their affliction they will seeke me early For as God for his part greatly desires to see his children oft and delights to heare their prayers Cant. 2.14 Let me see thy countenance let mee heare thy voice for sweet is thy voice thy countenance is comely So we for our part are apt like the prodigall Lu. 15.16 17. to neglect our father till extreame need and misery drive us unto him So that to conclude the answer to this first objection No affliction or token of Gods anger how extreame soever should cause us to despaire of help from God or discourage us from seeking comfort from him by prayer but we should resolve with Iob. 13.15 Though he slay me yet will I trust in him Secondly I am in great distresse saith another and I would faire seeke to God for helpe and comfort by prayer but alas I am so vile a sinner and so unworthy that I dare not I know God beareth not sinners Iob. 9.31 And certainely this keepes many from prayer This is a naturall effect of of sin to make men afraid to go to God and to stand before him as appeares in that example of Adam Gen. 3.8 Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord. Conscience of sin will stop our mouthes and make us unapt to speake to God as appeares by Davids prayer heere Psal. 51.15 O Lord open thou my lips It will make us unable to looke up unto God Psal. 40.12 Mine iniquities have taken hold upon me so that I am not able to looke up O that men would thinke of this and it would have great force to restraine them from sin Now for answer unto these that are kept from prayer in their distresse by sense of their owne unworthinesse I have foure things to say First others of Gods servants that have beene as deepely touched with sense of their sins as any of us can be have beene much given to prayer for all that This appeares by Davids example in this Psalme and 40.12 My sinnes are more then the haires of mine head therefore my heart faileth me Yet prayeth he for all that verse 13. Be pleased O Lord to deliver me O Lord make hast to helpe me And so did Ezra 9.6 O my God I am ashamed and blush to lift up my face to thee my God for our iniquities are increased over our head and our trespasse is growne up unto the heavens Paul also had as deepe a sense of his sins and unworthinesse as any man could have For he saith 1 Tim. 1.15 he was the chiefe of all sinners and Ephes. 3.8 he was lesse then the least of all Saints yet he was given much to prayer yea even then when the sense of his sins did most afflict him Act 9 12 Behold he prayeth Secondly the more and more hainous our sins are the more need the more cause have we to seeke to God by prayer for mercy Mat. 9.12 They that be whole need not a Physitian but they that are sicke Thirdly the sense of our sins and unworthinesse if it be sincere and unfained makes us never the lesse but much more capable of mercy and comfort from God by prayer For we go not in our owne name but in Christs That is that that doth give boldnesse Heb. 4.16 None have ever beene so welcome to God nor have found so much mercy with him as they that have come to him in deepest sense of their owne unworthinesse Five notable examples we have for this First In the woman that Christ cured of the bloudy issue that was so humbled in the sense of her unworthinesse that she durst not presume to speake to Christ but Mar. 5.27 came in the preasse behind and touched his garment And when she perceived Christ knew what she had done she came fearing and trembling and fell downe before him verse 33. Secondly In the Centurion Luk. 7.6 7. who thought himselfe not worthy that Christ should enter under his roofe nor that hee should presume to goe to Christ himselfe Thirdly In the Prodigall that thought not himselfe worthy to be called a sonne Luk 15.21 Fourthly In the Publican who thought not himselfe worthy so much as to lift up his eyes to heaven Luk. 18.13 Fiftly in the woman of Canaan that judged her selfe no better then a dog Matth. 15.27 Who cou'd have deeper sense of their owne unworthinesse then these or who did ever receive greater mercy and comfort from God in their prayers then these did So that it is certaine it is not true humility and sense of our unworthinesse that keepes any from prayer They that are truly poore in spirit and do mourne for that will hunger and thirst after righteousnesse and seeke it by all meanes Mat. 5.3 4 6. It is privie pride that keepes men from prayer as it doth that poore wretch that being in extreame want will rather sterve and pine himselfe then he will seeke unto or be beholden to any that is able to succour and relieve him Fourthly whereas thou pretendest that the sense of thy sinne and of thine unworthinesse for sin keepes thee from prayer know thou that thy infidelity that keepes thee from seeking to God for mercy is a farre greater sin then any other yea then all the rest that ever thou committedst as is plaine by that speech of our Saviour Iohn 16.9 He will reprove the world of 〈◊〉 because 〈…〉 not in him Lecture XII On Psalme 51.1 2. Ianuary 10. 1625. THE third Objection followeth that is that they are 〈◊〉 to pray For thus is many a poore soule apt to say I am in great distress and would faine seeke to God by prayer for helpe and 〈◊〉 but alas
and their back-slidings are increased As the sand being the least thing that is yet by number is made extreamely heavy My griefe saith Iob 6.3 would be heavier then the sand of the sea 2. David continued not in the filthy puddle of his sinne above one yeare and thou hast lyen snorting in such and such sins of thine a great many yeares How long is it since thou first began to be a blasphemer a drunkard an uncleane person and given to such other sins and in all this time thou wert never soundly humbled for them never madest thy peace with God I tell thee continuance in sinne unrepented of is a great aggravater of sinne the longer that sinne lyeth upon a man the fouler and more loathsome it will make him in Gods sight the deeper staine and die it will set upon his soule Ier. 4.14 O Ierusalem how long shall thy vaine thoughts lodge within thee Hos. 8.5 How long will it be ere they attaine to innocency 3. So that 1 If David became so filthy by these sinnes but once committed if his sins were so heavy upon his conscience what will thine appeare to be when God shall open thine eyes and restore to thee thy sight that hast made sin thy trade and practise all thy life long 2 If there must be so much a do to make David cleane who had been cleane many yeares before and now lay scarce one yeare in these sins if the Lord must bestow so much washing and rubbing and wringing upon him to get him cleane verse 2. Wash me throughly or multiply thy washings of me wilt thou thinke it a matter of no difficulty a matter not worth the troubling of thy mind about to be cleansed from all thy sinnes 3 If David cryed so earnestly and was so fervent and importunate in this suit and desired nothing but that his sinnes might be pardoned wilt thou be so mad to thinke that a cold cry God mercy and God forgive me will serve thy turne and that thou canst so easily get thy pardon when thou wilt thy selfe Thou wilt say againe Though my sinnes be many and great yet there is no cause I should be so troubled with them nor keepe such a doe for the pardon of them as you speake of for God is mercifull and very ready to forgive To this I answer that touching Gods mercy thou canst not say more then thou shalt heare mee acknowledge when I shall come to the next that is the third and last part of this Text. But for the present this I say First It is true indeed that Gods mercy is infinite When David had spoken of the goodnesse and mercy of God Psal. 106.1 he adds verse 2. Who can utter the mighty acts of the Lord Who can shew forth all his praise And there is a mercy of God that extendeth it selfe to all his creatures Psal. 145 9. The Lord is good to all and his tender mercies are over all his works And so I cannot denie but the leudest man that is may tast and doth daily tast of the mercy of God Iob 25.3 Vpon whom doth not his light arise and Luk 6.35 He is kind to the unthankefull and to the evill But this mercy that we now speake of the mercy of God that reacheth to the pardon of mens sinnes is not common to all this is restrained and limited to a certaine number It is peculiar to the Catholike Church as we are taught in our Creede and as the Prophet speaketh Esa. 33.24 The people that dwell therein shall be forgiven their iniquity It is restrained to them that feare God Luk. 1.50 His mercy is on them that feare him from generation to generation And Psal. 103.11 As the heaven is high above the earth so great is his mercy to them that feare him And verse 17 18. The mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that feare him to such as keepe his covenant and remember his commandements to doe them This mercy is restrained unto such sinners as are humbled and afflicted in heart for their sinnes Psal. 25.16 Turne thee unto me and have mercy upon me for I am desolate and afflicted This mercy God hath threatned to deny to some kinde of men that is 1. To the brutish ignorant Esa. 27.11 It is a people of no understanding therefore he that made them will not have mercy on them and he that formed them will shew them no favour 2. To them that despise and scorne the meanes of grace Pro. 1.27 28. When your feare commeth as a desolation then shall they call upon me but I will not answer they shall seeke me early but they shall not finde me Why what was the reason that is given verse 29 30. For they hated knowledge they would none of my counsell they despised all my reproofe 3. To him that sinneth presumptuously and upon hope of mercy and doth blesse himselfe in his heart saying I shall have peace though I doe walke in the stubbornesse of my heart to add drunkennesse to thirst that is sinne unto sinne or unsatiablenesse in sinne the Lord will not be mercifull unto him Deut 29.19 20. Now then thou that alleadgest this for the reason why thy sinnes shall not trouble thee because God is so mercifull consider with thy selfe how small cause thou hast to trust to that 1. Thou art not a member of the Catholike Church for that is holy and is a communion of Saints 2. Thou art none of them that feare to offend God 3. Thou keepest no covenant with him 4. Thou never remembrest his commandements to doe them 5. Thou art not humbled nor afflicted in heart for thy sinnes 6. Thou art void of understanding 7. Thou art a despiser and scorner of the meanes of grace 8. Thou incouragest and blessest thy selfe in thy sins upon hope of mercy And therefore as Iehu said to Amazias servants 2 King 9.18 19. What hast thou to doe with peace turne thee behind me So doth the Lord say unto thee what hast thou to doe with my mercy Iona 2.8 They that observe lying vanities forsake their owne mercy And this is the first answer I give to the second plea of these men Secondly I answer That the knowledge of the infinitenesse of Gods mercy will make no mans sin the lighter but cause it to lye much the heavier upon the conscience When he shall rightly consider that he hath despised and made so light account of offending so mercifull a God The knowledge of Gods goodnesse should lead men unto repentance it should breake their hearts and make them to mourne for their sins the more and this will heape up wrath unto a man against the day of wrath when a man shall despise the riches of Gods goodnesse and forbearance and long suffering Rom. 2.4 5. It is therefore said Revel 6.16 that wicked men shall cry to mountaines and rocks fall on us and hide us from the face of him that sitteth upon the
that he was in the time of his banishment like a broken vessell that none could make any use of And certainely the poorest servant and drudge that is may have more comfort in his estate then the greatest Gentleman that doth nothing but eat and drink and play nay then the greatest Scholler or Divine in the world that doth no good to others with the knowledge and learning that God hath given him 1 Cor. 12.7 The manifestation of the spirit is given to every man to profit with all And that is the reason why the Apostle preferreth prophesying before all other gifts because it tendeth most to the benefit and profit of others 1 Cor. 14.4 Fiftly Such as are all for themselves and have no care of the common good This is the common sinne of our times 1. In any businesse that concerneth the good of a whole towne how hardly are men drawne to yeeld their helping hand any way 2. In bearing the common burden and charge of a towne how ready are all men to withdraw and exempt themselves 3. Such as are put in trust to deale in businesses of the country or towne they live in are a great deale more carelesse and more lavish in expences then they are wont to be in their owne businesses These men I would have to remember 1. The expresse commandement of God 1 Cor. 10.24 Let no man seeke his owne but every man anothers wealth 2. That the good men have done to others and the care they have had that way will yeeld more comfort to their conscience and give them more assurance that they are now in the state of grace and shall hereafter come to the state of glory then the care they have had and paines they have taken to gather to themselves 1 Tim. 6.18 19. Charge rich men that they do good that they be rich in good workes ready to distribute willing to communicate laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come that they may lay hold on etrnall life For the more good we doe to others the liker we are to our heavenly father as we have heard now 3. This will get us a good name and esteeme both while we live and when we are gone For this was Iehojada so honoured at his death 2 Chron. 24.16 because he had done good in Israel And a good name is more worth then all our wealth Pro. 22.1 A good name is rather to be chosen then great riches 4. This is the best way to assure us of Gods blessing even in these outward things Ps. 37.3 Trust in the Lord and doe good so shalt thou dwell in the land and verily thou shalt be fed Lecture XXIIII on Psalme 51.1 2. May 2. 1626. NOw it followeth that we proceed unto the second sort of duties that we are to be exhorted unto from the consideration of the infinitenesse of Gods mercy and those are such as we owe unto the Lord himselfe There be then two other duties that from this Doctrine wee are to bee exhorted unto The first of them doth most properly respect our selves and I will propound it unto every one of you in the words that Eliphaz in another case useth unto Iob 5.27 Lo this we have searched it so it is heare thou it and know it for thy selfe Observe this well that you have heard of the marvellous mercy of God towards poore sinners it is a most certaine truth as by diligent searching of the holy Scriptures we have made it evident unto you heare thou it whosoever thou art and know it for thy selfe beleeve it and apply it to thine owne soule Seeing the Lord is abundant in loving kindnesse so plenteous in mercy labour thou to know that he is so unto thee that thou maist be able to say as David doth twice in one Psalme Psal. 59.10.17 He is the God of my mercy As if he had said his mercy is mine it belongeth unto me Rest nor content till thou find that his mercifull kindnesse is for thy comfort as David prayeth Psal. 119.76 I speake not of the common mercy of the Lord. I know you can all even the most wretched creature of you all say you have and doe daily tast of that Acts 17.28 In him we live and move and have our being Lam. 3.22 23 It is of the Lords mercies that we are not consumed because his compassions faâ—lâ— not they are renewed every morning And so doth every creature the Lord hath made Psal. 145.9 The Lord is good to all and his tender mercies are over all his workes and 147.9 He giveth to the beast his food and to thâ— yong ravens that cry And this common mercy of God is that which most men content themselves with that they may live and live long and live in health and quietnesse and pleasure though this be no other mercy then the bruit beasts enjoy as well as they But the mercy that I exhort you to make your owne to get assurance that it belongeth to your selves is the speciall mercy of God the mercy of David as Solomon speaketh 2 Chron. 6 4â— Remember the mercies of David thy servant The mercy that David obtained the mercy that David beggeth heere Psal. 51.1 According to the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions That mercy that reacheth unto the pardon of thy sinnes and salvation of thy soule that is the mercy that thou shouldst labour to know it belongeth unto thee Rest not in nor satisfie thy selfe with any other mercy that thou hast received but seeke carefully to make this thine owne Five notable differences there be betweene this mercy of the Lord and the other which may serve for so many motives to provoke us not to rest in the other but to seeke for this First those are such mercies as God casteth upon his enemies and such as he maketh no reckoning of yea more abundantly then upon his owne As it is said of royalty and kingly state one of the chiefe of them Gen. 36.31 Many Kings reigned in the land of Edom before there reigned any king over the children of Israel But these are peculiar to Gods Elect his dearly beloved ones In which respect Christ calleth those not ours but others goods but these mercies he calleth our owne peculiar unto us Luk. 16.12 If ye have not beene faithfull in that which is another mans who shall give you that which is your owne And wilt thou content thy selfe with these mercies rest in them dote upon them which Cain and Iudas and sundry others that thou art perswaded were abhorred of God and fry now in hell had as great a portion of as thy selfe O do not so but cry as Psal. 106.4 Remember me O Lord with the favour that thou bearest unto thy people ô visit me with thy salvation Secondly Those mercies though God bestow them on his elect also and we could not live without them yet they are in his account but trifles and such
thy God to wrath in the wildernesse And to this end Moses spendeth a whole chapter Deut. 9. in calling to the peoples minds and bringing into their remembrance their old sins which he would never have done if he had not knowne this profitable and needfull for them that their repentance for them might bee oft renewed But further then the knowledge of our sins serveth for one of these foure ends it is no benefit it is a judgement and correction of God upon us Therefore it is threatned as a judgement to wicked men Psal. 50.21 I will reproove thee and set thy sins in order before thee Therefore Iob complaineth of it as of a judgement Iob 13.26 Thou writest bitter things against me and makest me to possesse the sins of my youth And Paul prayeth against it 2 Cor. 12.8 I grant indeed it is such a judgement and correction as God useth most to exercise them by that are dearest to him and seeth it to bee most necessary for them as is plaine by the example of Iob 13.26 and of Paul 2 Cor. 12.7 But herein his mercy appeareth that as it is said of all other corrections upon his Church Esa 27.8 In measure thou wilt debate with it so it is in this 1. The Lord doth not let any of us see all our sins but so many of them as he seeth will be sufficicient for us to see for our saving humiliation and repentance Dealing with us in this case as Balak did with Balaam Num. 23.13 Thou shalt see but the utmost part of them thou shalt not see them all And 2. those that he is pleased to discover to us he doth not let us feele the full weight of them nor let us fully see the loathsomnesse of them Oh if the Lord should breake up the sinke that is in every one of our hearts and let us fully discerne and feele how much filth is in them we were never able to abide our selves but should every one of us become a Magormissahib as Ieremy calleth Pashur Ier. 20.3 4. a terrour to our selves If the Lord should let us feele the full weight of our sins certainely we were never able to beare it but should be overwhelmed by it See this not only in the sin of Cain and Iudas that were castawayes Gen. 4.13 Mat. 27.5 but in the sins also of Gods own people Heare what David saith of his sin Ps. 38.4 It is a heavy burden too heavy for me to beare And heare what Paul saith of the incestuous person 2 Cor 2.7 he was in danger to bee swallowed up with overmuch sorrow 1. Thinke of this thou wretched man to whom many foule sins seeme as light as a feather drunkennesse swearing whoring c. when the Lord shall but let thee throughly to see what thou hast done when he shall lay but any one of these sins unto thy charge and cause thee to feele the full weight of it hee shall need to inflict no other punishment upon thee but even to let thee see feele what thou hast done Ier. 2 19. Thine owne wickednes shall correct thee and thy back-slidings shall reprove thee Wickednes will burne like the fire Esa. 9.18 Hell it selfe hath no greater torment then that And this thou hast cause to looke for and knowest not how soone Num. 32.23 Thou hast sinned against the Lord and be thou sure thy sin will find thee out 2. Let us therfore beloved acknowledge it for a mercy of God that he doth give us the sight and sense of our sins so farre forth as is necessary to our saving humiliation and repentance but let us acknowledge it for as great a mercy that hee doth not let us see and feele our sins to the full so as we should be overwhelmed by it Lecture LXIX On Psalme 51.5 Septemb 18. 1627. THe second thing wherein the admirable goodnes of God appeareth unto us is this If we could rightly weigh what we were by nature we would see just cause to wonder at the power and goodnesse of God in this that there should bee any truth of grace in any of us Let us consider this first in generall in the whole worke of our conversion and of that change that is wrought in our hearts by the grace and spirit of God Secondly In every particular act of grace that we do discerne in our selves And for the first wee shall find the Apostle maketh this use of the Doctrine of originall sinne Ephes. 2.4 5. God who is rich in mercy for his great love wherewith hee loved us even when wee were dead in sinnes hath quickened us together with Christ by grace yee are saved As if hee had said this was nothing but meere grace this argued the riches of Gods mercy the greatnesse of his love to doe this When the people beheld the mighty workes that Christ wrought in giving sight to the blind and hearing to the deafe and speech to the dumbe and life to the dead it is said they were all amazed at the mighty power of God Luke 9.43 and as it is said Matth. 9.8 they marvelled and glorified God And the party himselfe whom Christ had restored to sight admired the worke of God upon himselfe and said Iohn 9.32 Since the world began was it not heard that any man opened the eyes of one that was borne blind But the worke that God hath wrought upon our hearts whom he hath converted and begun saving grace in is though not so sensible yet a farre greater demonstration of his power and goodnesse then any of those was and such as wee have much more cause to admire and glorifie God for Certainely it is as possible for a blackmore to change his skinne or a leopard his spots as the Prophet speaketh Ieremy 13.23 for a Camell to goe through the eye of a needle as our Saviour saith Luke 18.25 as for us to have a change wrought in our hearts But blessed bee God that the thing which is impossible with men hath beene possible with God as our Saviour there speaketh Luke 18.27 This admirable power of God is sensible and apparant in the conversion of some men of such I meane as have beene prepared for their conversion with legall terrours such as having beene notorious sinners before have beene by some strong hand of God changed suddenly In the conversion of such as Paul was that of a bloudy persecutour was of a sudden made not onely a disciple but a zealous preacher also Where hee that was even now a Wolfe and a Leopard was so chaunged that hee dwelt with the Lambes and lay downe with the Kids as the Prophet speaketh Esa. 11.6 All men will bee apt to take notice of and to admire the power of God in the conversion of such a man as Paul saith of himselfe Galathians 1.24 that the Churches glorified God in him But the worke of Gods power in the conversion of most men of such as have beene bred in the Church and
For 1 hee knowes many blemishes in his best workes 2 though he did not yet hee knoweth the Lord may 3 Though there were not yet can wee not ground assurance of pardon and eternall life upon them p. 106. The mercy of God is such as we may safely ground our hope upon it for 1 the Lord is of a gracious kind and liberall disposition his love is most free 2 in the Lord there are tender mercies bowels of mercy p. 107. 3 In the Lord there is a multitude of tender mercies p. 109. The religion and Doctrine of the Church of England must needs be true because it ascribes our salvation wholly to Gods free grace p. 110. Lect. 21. The true knowledge of Gods mercy hath great force to move men to forgive wrongs and to live in charity p 111. Take heed of comming out of charity to the Sacrament p. 112. Yet doe they also sin that absent from the Sacrament upon this pretence they are not in charity p. 113. Many thinke they are in charity when they are not and six notes to judge of this by p. 114. Lect. 22. He that hath truly tasted of Gods mercy to him in Christ will be mercifull unto others p. 115. viz. 1 apt to pity them that be in misery 2 bountifull and ready to helpe them do them good p. 116. great promises are made to this p. 117. 3 Free in his bounty mooved to it onely by the sense of their need and misery yet must respect bee had to the deserts of the poore p 118. But the badnesse of the poore should not keepe us from relieving them p. 119. Necessary to urge men to this duty The great sin of many in neglecting to give to the poore Ibid. p. 120 Lect. 23. Gods people are not onely peaceable and harmelesse but strive to be profitable to do good to the places they live in p 121 122. Popery in this sheweth it selfe not to bee of God for it teacheth men to be treacherous unto and to seeke the ruine of their owne countrey p. 123. The great sinne of oppressors and depopulators p 124. This aggravates much the sinne of wicked men that they bring Gods curse upon the Countrey and places they live in Ibid. A great sin for any man to live unprofitably idly p. 125. and to be all for our selves without care of the common good Ibid. Lect. 24. We must not content ourselves to know God iâ— mercifull but labour to know that his mercy even his speciall mercy belongs to us p. 126. Five differences betweene it and the common mercy of the Lord Ibid. p. 127. Five notes whereby wee may know whether Gods speciall mercies belong to us p. 128 Lect. 25. Five effects that the true knowledge of Gods mercy will work in our hearts p. 129 130. The knowledge of Gods mercy may encourage him that hath been the vilâ—st sinnet to turnâ— to God and to seek unto him p. 130 131. 1 Proleps That which the Scripture speaketh of Gods severity against sinners belongs only to the impenitent p. 131. 2 Proleps Though the number of the elect be small in comparison of the reprobate yet no man that desires to repent may judge himselfe to be a reprobate but rather that he is one of Gods elect p. 132. Many grounds there are for this in Gods revealed wil which we are rather to look into then to pay into or meddle with his secret will p. 133. Lect. 26. The best soules most subject to doubts feares p. 134. Though the most hearers have more need to heare the terroâ—rs of the law then the comforts of the Gospel p 135. yet we must preach as well these and rather them then th' other because 1 that there be some in every Congregation that have present need of these comforts it is to be presumed 2 all of us are like to have need of them one day Ibid. 3 of all heaâ—ers we must have most respect to theÌ„ p 136. Such as feare God must strive against their terrours heavinesse and stirre up themselves to receive the comforts of the Gospel p. 137. 1 It s the commandement of God they should bee chearefull 2 They hart themselves greatly by giving way unto this feare and hâ—avinesse Ibid 3 They have manifold causes of joy and comfort p. 138. Lect. 27. 4 The reasons they give against themselves why they have just cause to be so heavy and uncomfortable are insufficient viz. 1 Obj. They cannot be perswaded they are in Gods favour but rather that hee hath utterly rejected them Five considerations that may stay comfort us in this case 1 This is but a tentation of Satan therfore not to be credited It followeth not thou art rejected of God because thou art in thine owne heart so perswaded p. 139. A man may bee in Gods favour yet himselfe not feele perceive it p. 140. an excellent grace to rest upon Gods Word promise even when wee want sense of his favour Ibid. 2 This hath been the case of many of Gods dearest servants and there is great force in this consideration Ibid 3 The Lord hath a speciall hand even in this kind of affliction p. 141. 4 The Lord doth this in love and intends to doe us that good by this kinde of affliction that could not have beene done by any other Ibid. 142. for hereby 1 he causeth us to repent of our security 2 he prevents such sins as he seeth us in danger to fall into 3 he prepares us for such measure of comfort as otherwise we should be uncapable of p. 142. Lect. 28. 4 He weaneth us from the world maketh us think of home 5 Hee worketh us to an high pretious esteeme of his favour p. 143. 6. He causeth us to bee better rooted setled in a christian course theÌ„ otherwise we could be p. 144. The 5 and last consideration to stay us in this case that God will certainly sustaine and not suffer us to be overcome in it Ibid. Take heed of seeking ease in this case by false waies p. 145. Yeeld not to this â—entation but resolve to resist it Ibid. 1 by considering what God hath said in his Word concerning them that are in this case Ibid. 2 resolve to rest upon Gods promise and trust him on his bare word against thine owne sense p. 146. The hainousnesse of the sin of infidelity appeares 1 by Gods severity against it Ibid. 2 by the dishonour it doth to God 3 by three dangerous effects of it pag. 147. what ability is in us to beleeve Ibid. Lect. 29. Directions how to recover our selvés and overcome this tentation 1 find out the chiefe sin that is the cause of it and mourne more that thou thereby hast forsaken God then that God hath thus forsaken thee 2 call to mind the comfort thou hast found formerly for from thence thou maist ground hope of recovery p. 14â— 149. 3 examine thy present
some naturall life be in the unregenerate he is utterly void of all spirituall life p. 518. God doth in the work of conversion shew and exercise his omnipotent power p. 519. In denying the meanes of conversion or grace to profit by them unto any hee doth not nor can doe them any wrong because he is an absolute Soveraigne Ibid. 520. God denies effectuall grace to profit by the meanes to some that his free grace and mercy to th'elect might be thereby more manifest and glorious p. 520. Lect. 105. The whole glory of mans salvation is due unto the Lord alone p. 521. The salvation of man is to be ascribed only to the free grace mercy of God p. 522. The ascribing all glory to God and none to man the best note to try all doctrines and religions by p 523. The Lord doth not onely in the worke of conversion offer us grace and perswade us to accept of it but conferres and infuseth that grace into the will which actually inclineth it to receive grace p. 524. The grace of conversion is not a fruit of Gods common love but of his speciall love Ibid. God doth not onely make us able to convert and beleeve but he doth cause us actually to repent and to beleeve p. 525. Though we may not receive any thing in religion upon the credit of any man yet we should be constant in the truth we have received by warrant of the Word and teaching of the Spirit Ibid. yea we are bound 1 to be resolute in it 2 to hold it with affection 3 to hate all errors that oppose it 4 to shun seducers p. 526. By our constancy in the truth received we may approve to our selves our own election and calling Ibid. Lect. 106. They are in a fearefull estate that live where they cannot enjoy the ministery of the Word p. 526 527. They are also in a fearefull estate that enjoy long the meanes of grace the ministery of the Word and cannot profit by it p. 528. Many complaine without cause they cannot profit by the Word Ibid. What the true causes are men profit not by the Word p. 529. What they must do that have long enjoyed the Word and cannot profit by it p. 530. They that enjoy the meanes of grace have great cause to bee thankfull to God page 531. But most of all they that have also obtained grace to profit by them Ibid. p. 532. Lect. 107. The regenerate elect childe of God sinnes not so hainously as every unregenerate man may doe 1 There is no sin so hainous but the unregenerate man may fall into but there is one sinne viz. that against the Holy Ghost which it is not possible for any regenerate elect childe of God to commit p. 533. 2. Though hee may possibly fall into any other most hainous sin yet hee cannot commit it so hainously and wickedly as the unregenerate man doâ—h p. 533. The sinnes of the regenerate are not so prejudiciall and dangerous to them as the sinnes of the unregenerate and wicked are for 1 their ordinary and unavoidable frailties which they discerne and bewaile God will never enter into judgement with them for them nor so much as take notice of them 2 the greatest sinâ— they do fall into for them there is hope and promise of pardon 3 No such childe of God being regenerate can fall so fearefully and dangerously but hee shall rise againe and be renewed by repentance p. 534 535. 4 all the sinnes they fall into shall be sanctified to them and tend to their good three waies p. 535 538. Lect. 108. The Sinnes of the regenerate are in sundry respects more hainous then of any other man as appeares 1 by the testimony of the regenerate themselves who have thus judgâ—d of their owne falls and have beene most deepely humbled for them even out of this respect p. 538. 2 testimonies the Lord hath given in this case 1 that he hateth and will plague sinne as much in them as in any other in the world p. 539 542. Lect. 109. God doth in this life snew his hatred more against the sinnes of his owne people for 1 He afflicts in this life all his owne people but not all wicked men p. 542 543 2 when he intends to bring a generall judgement on a nation hee useth to begin at his owne house pag. 543. 3 When he will make any an example unto others of his anger against sinne hee useth to câ—ll out his owne people for this purpose rather then lewd and wicked men p. 544. 4 His judgements are wont to bee more heavie and sharpe upon his owne people then those are that he useth to inflict upon wicked men p. 545. Reason 1 In the respect hee hath and love he beareth to his people that hee may keepe them from sinne and perdition p. 546. Lect. 110. The Lord afflicts his owne people with notorious and publike judgements of purpose that other men even the wicked among whom they live may take notice of them and hath therein not so much respect to their owne sinnes as to those wicked men from whom he gaines glory by this two wayes p. 547. 1 This is most effectuall to awaken the conscience of such of the wicked as belong to God and to bring them to a serious consideration of their owne dangerous estate p. 548. 2 this hath force to harden the hearts of desperate sinners and to make them hate religion the more Ibid. The foule sinnes that they fall into that are of note for piety are more odious to God and men then the sinnes of any other Ibid. For 1 They are committed against greater meanes of knowledge and obedience and the greater meanes any enjoyeth the greater is his sinne p. 549. 2 They are committed against knowledge and conscience more then the sins of any other and the more knowledge any hath the greater is his sin Ibid 3 They are committed against greater mercy received from God and the more kindnesse any hath received the greater is his sin p 550. 4 They doe more hurt for 1 Wicked men are more encouraged and hardned in sinne by their evill example then by any other p 551. 2 Their sinnes are imputed to God religion and so more dishonour redounds to God from their sins then from any other Ibid. Lect. 111. 1. Great is the sin and danger of such as rejoyce to heare and speake of the falls of Gods people and that raise and receive slanders against them p. 552. 2. Great is their sin and danger that take occasion from the sins of professors to hate religion and blaspheme it p 553. 3. Great is their sinne and danger that embolden and harden their hearts in sinne by th' example of the falls of Gods Saints p. 554 557. Lect. 112. All men are apt to thinke them notorious and heinous sinners above others whom they see to bee more afflicted then others p. 557. We may in two respects judge of mens sins by
that we can do nothing in our houses but we shall be sure to heare of it in the pulpit and who can take this well These tale-bearers are the odiousest people in the world say they and the onely make-bates betweene the Minister and his flocke as Solomon saith Pro. 26.20 Where there is no tale-bearer the strife ceaseth I answer First it were surely a great fault in the Minister if he should beleeve or if he should reprove you upon every light hearesay He that would goe to heaven must not take up or receive easily a reproach against his neighbour Psal. 15.3 Secondly this hath beene of old falsly laid to the charge of Gods servants as it was to Ieremiahs Ier. 43.3 Baruch the son of Neriah setteth thee on against us for to deliver us into the hand of the Caldeans that they might put us to death Thirdly it may fall out that we in our ministery may meet with such faults of yours particularly as we never heard you were guilty of nor ever suspected you of this hath oft fallen out and when you find it to be so you must therein acknowledge the divine and searching power of Gods Word and not imagine that some tale-bearer hath beene with us Heb. 4.12 the Word is said to be a discerner a discoverer and a judge of the thoughts and intents of the heart And the unlearned man and unbeleever that came to heare the Prophet finds himselfe reproved for such faults and such secrets of his met with all in their ministery as he knew well the Prophets themselves could never know none but the Lord could be acquainted with 1 Cor. 14.24 25. Fourthly it is not alwaies unlawfull to reproue your sins even upon heare-say So did Ely 1 Sam 2.23 Why doe you such things for I heare of your evill dealings And Paul 1 Cor. 11.18 I heare there be divisions among you and I partly beleeve it It is like some wicked men would be apt enough to say then to Ely and Paul what tale-bearer what pickthanke hath beene with you Do you know or see any such matter in us your selves Yet do they reprove them even upon that they had heard of them Fiftly we may lawfully reprove in our ministery the faults we heare to be in you though we be not certaine of it nay though we hope better of you Because the reproofe may do good to others that be guilty of them and to your selves also though you be not guilty to make you the more fearefull to fall into them So the Apostle speakes of the sin against the Holy Ghost and of universall Apostasy to the Hebrewes though he were fully perswaded they were not guilty of that sin as he saith Heb. 6.9 We are perswaded better things of you and things that accompany salvation Nay it were a benefit to you if we were so fully and particularly acquainted with all your waies that in every Sermon we might meet particularly with your errours sinnes weaknesses and tentations We could in nothing shew our love to you more then in this When Christ spake in the greatest assemblies he was wont to aime in his doctrine chiefly at them whom he loved best Luk. 12.1 LECTVRES ON PSAL. LI. 1 2. Lecture X. on Psalme LI. 1 2. December XXVII MDCXXV 1. Have mercy upon me O God according to thy loving kindnesse according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions 2. Wash me throughly from mine iniquity and cleanse me from my sinne THE last day we finished the Title of this Psalme it followeth now that we proceed to the Psalme it selfe Now the matter and substance of the Psalme is a prayer of David 1. For himselfe to the end of the 17. verse 2. For the Church the good estate whereof he had greatly hazarded and endangered by his sin in the two last verses The prayer he makes for himselfe consisteth of two petitions whereof the 1 concernes his justification consisting in the forgivenesse of his sinnes and the imputation of Christs righteousnesse unto him and the 2 his sanctification consisting in the mortifying of his corruption and the renewing of his heart by the spirit of God both which are amplified by certaine arguments whereby he doth confirme his faith in both these petitions These two verses which containe the summe and effect of his first petition have two principall things to be observed in them 1. The ground of his faith and hope in this his request what gave him hope to obtaine the pardon of his sin Surely the knowledge he had of the mercy of God he pleads nothing but mercy Have mercy upon me O God Why but what ground of hope could he have that ever God would have mercy upon such a wretch as he was that had sinned in so hainous and odious a manner and had hardned his heart so long in his sin Surely none other but the knowledge he had of the Lords gracious disposition 1. Of his loving kindnesse wherby he was apt to shew mercy to his people of his owne free grace without all respect to any desert that may be in them 2. Of the tendernesse of his mercies and those bowells of compassion that are in him whereby he is apt to be affected and grieved with the misery of his people and moved even thereby without any other respect to shew mercy to them 3. Of the multitude and infinitenesse of Gods mercies whereby he is apt to pardon the sinnes of his people though they bee never so many though hee hath forgiven them never so oft already The knowledge I say that David had of these three things in the Lords gracious disposition gave him hope to find mercy with God for the pardon of his sin though it were so great and hainous Have mercy upon me O God according to thy loving kindnesse according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies The second thing to be observed in these two verses is the vehement and earnest manner of propounding and expressing this his request to God for the pardon of his sinnes which appeareth 1. In the aggravating of his sinnes 1. He was guilty of offences of all sorts and kinds transgressions iniquities and sinnes 2. His sinnes were debts written and recorded in Gods debt-booke and such things as made him filthy and loathsome in Gods eyes and his owne so as he was utterly undone if God shewed not mercy on him 2. By iterating his request so often blot out wash mee cleanse mee 3. By the extent and measure of this mercy he craved Wash mee throughly or multiply thy washings and rinsings and scourings of me As if he had said I am so filthy that once washing a little washing will not serve to cleanse me Now the words being thus opened we have this first to observe in them that David being now in extreame anguish of soule his sinnes were ever before him verse 3. sleeping and waking wheresoever he was whatsoever he was doing
in him I will go no further for the setting of this forth unto you then to those three things which David heere in my Text speaketh of and which he observed in the Lords gracious disposition and on which he grounded his hope 1. There is in the Lord loving kindnesse 2. There are in the Lord tender mercies 3. There is in the Lord a multitude of tender mercies For the first The Lord is of a gracious and kind and liberall disposition Ioel 2.13 The Lord is gracious and of great kindnesse The love he sheweth the good he doth to any of his people is most free and hath no cause no ground at all but in himselfe alone The love we beare to any useth to have some ground in the party that we do love we see somewhat in the party that moveth us to it at first But the love the Lord beareth to us had no ground at all in us but in his owne goodnesse and loving kindnesse alone The Apostle therefore calleth it 2 Thess. 1.11 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The good pleasure of his goodnesse He set his love upon us as Moses saith Deut 7 7 8 because he loved us He even resteth in his owne love as the Prophet speaketh Zeph. 3.1 and seeketh no further So speaketh the Lord Exod. 3 â—â— I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious and I will shew mercy on whom I will shew mercy Nothing moved him to be gracious and mercifull unto us but onely his owne good will and pleasure So Esa. 43.25 I even I am he that blâ—â—â—eth ouâ— thy transgressions for mine owne sake So 2 Sam. 7. â—1 For thy words sake and according to thine owne heart thou hast done all these great things True it is that after the Lord hath set his love upon us he worketh that in us by his grace that maketh us amiable and beautifull in his sight and so causeth him to love us the more This is excellently set forth Ezek. 16.9 14. He anointed his beloved one with oyle cloathed her with broidered work covered her with silke deâ—ked her with ornaments put bracelets upon her hands and a chaine about her necke decked her with gold and silver made her exceeding beautifull marke how grace and piety doth beautifie the soule in Gods eye But when he first set his love upon us he saw nothing in us that did move him to love us as is also notably set forth in that 16. of Ezek. When the Lord first passed by his beloved as it is said verse 8 and looked upon her and her time was the time of love when he first loved her what was there in her to move him to it See that verse 6. When I passed by thee and saw thee polluted in thine owne bloud I said unto thee when thou wast in thy bloud live yea I said unto thee when thou wast in thy bloud live Marke how earnest the Lord is to perswade us of the freenesse of his love to us and how it grew not at all from any respect he had to any goodnesse was or should be in us but from his owne loving kindnesse and goodnesse alone And this is the first thing that Daviâ— here considered in the mercy and goodnesse of the Lord that made him to hope he should find mercy with him for the pardon of his sin Secondly In the Lord there are tender mercies bowels of mercy as the word racham which is heere used doth properly signifie For thus it hath pleased the Lord to condescend unto our capacity and to make knowne unto us in his Word his gracious disposition by comparing himselfe unto a most tender hearted man or woman and attributing bowells unto himselfe Esay 63.15 Where is the multitude of thy bowells and of thy mercies towards me are they restrained Luke 1.78 Through the bowells of the mercies of our God whereby the day spring from an high hath visited us And this comparison standeth in two points 1. As a tender-hearted man or woman when they see any to bee in misery cannot choose but pitty them and grieve for them and feele their bowells within moved and pained with it and this is the very nature of man humanity and not the corruption of nature As it is sayd of our Saviour Mat. 9.36 When he saw the multitude fainting and scattered abroad as shâ—epe having no shepheard 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his bowells yearned or were moved towards them ô that the beholding of men in that misery could move us so and Hebr. 4.15 that hee is touched with the feeling of all our infirmities hee doth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 condole and grieve and suffer with us when we do grieve and suffer So the Lord when hee seeth any of his people to bee in misery hee cannot but pitty them and be moved with it and grieve with them Iam. 5.11 He is pitifull and of tender mercy Exod. 22.27 When he cryeth unto me I will heare for I am gracious So it is said Iudg. 10.16 His soule was grieved for the misery of Israel And Esa. 63.9 In all their affliction he was afflicted How can that bee will you say seing himselfe was the author of all their affliction Amos 3.6 Shall there be evill in a City and the Lord hath not done it How is it possible that the Lord would so sharpely correct his people and bring them to that misery if it did so grieve him to see them in misery I answer 1. that this is possible enough Did you never heare of a Iudge that did shed teares even in giving of sentence of death upon a malefactor and shewed a fatherly affection towards the poore wretch even at that time like Ioshua to Achan Iosh. 7.19 My sonne I pray thee give glory to the Lord God of Israel Did you never know any father so tender-hearted as when he hath whipped his child hee hath done it with teares in his eyes yea he could not containe but must needs let his teares fall hee hath smitten and wept and beene as apt to cry even as the child it selfe Surely so it is with the Lord. Psalm 103.13 As a father pitieth his children so doth the Lord pitie them that feare him Even when he correcteth us he pitieth and his bowells yearne towards us 2. He never afflicteth us nor bringeth us unto misery but when his love constraineth him to doe it hee must needs doe it unlesse he would see us perish and that his love to us will not suffer him to doe The Lords love to his children is not fondnesse like the love of many foolish parents his pitie is not like the pitty that is in many men of which wee have a proverb foolish pitty marrs the City that may be called well Crudelis misericordia But the Lords love is guided by his infinite wisedome and judgement hee will correct the dearest of his children and that sharply too rather then hee will see them spoiled 1. Cor. 11.32 When wee are judged
we are chastened of the Lord that we should not bee condemned with the world Yet taketh he no pleasure in correcting them but as hee doth it most unwillingly Psal. 103.8 He is slow to anger Lament 3.33 He doth not afflict willingly nor grieve the children of men so is he most apt to repent him of the evill hee is constrained to bring upon them and to bee troubled with it Therefore it is said of him Ioel 2.13 and in many other places that he repenteth him of the evill Both which properties are most pathetically expressed Hosea 11.8 How shall I give thee up Ephraim How shall I deliver thee up Israel How shall I make thee as Admah How shall I set thee as Zeboim Mine heart is turned within me my repentings are kindled together And this is the first point in this comparison Secondly the very sight of the misery another is in will move a man that hath the bowells of a man and is tender-hearted to pitty his case and bee willing to helpe without any other respect at all to the person be he friend or foe good or bad onely because he seeth him to bee in misery Mine eye affecteth my heart saith the Church Lamen 3.51 because of all the daughters of my City yea the more the misery is that he seeth any man in the more he will pity him and be ready to helpe him as we see in the example of the Samaritan Luke 10 33 34 When he saw the Iew stripped of his cloathes and wounded and halfe dead he had compassion on him and went to him and bound up his wounds c. And in this respect it is oft mentioned as a duty wee owe to them that are in misery to visit them to go and see them Iam. 1.27 Pure religion and undefiled before God is this to visite the fatherlesse and the widow in their affliction But you will say is that enough I answer yes he that doth that if he have a mans heart in him cannot choose but doe what he can to helpe him They have cut off my life in the dungeon saith the Church Lament 3.53 and cast a stone upon me because they would not see my misery and therefore that is noted for the cause why neither the Priest not the Levite helped the poore man they could not abide to looke on him but passed by on the other side Lu. 10.31 32. Even so is it with our most mercifull and tender-hearted Father the very sight of our misery without any other motive in the world is sufficient to move him to pitty and helpe us yea the more our misery is the more ready will he be to succour us Exod. 3.7 See how pathetically the Lord speaketh Surely I have seene the affliction of my people for I know their sorrowes and am come downe to deliver them Ieremy 31.20 My bowells are troubled for him I will surely have mercy upon him saith the Lord. Yea the sight of the misery even of wicked men doth worke this upon his tender heart Psal 146.7 8 9. The Lord looseth the prisoners the Lord openeth the eyes of the blind the Lord raiseth them that are bowed downe the Lord preserveth the strangers hee relieveth the fatherlesse and widow So againe Psalme 78.38 He being full of compassion forgave their iniquity and destroyed them not yea many a time turned he his anger away and did not stirre up all his wrath and yet these men were but hypocrites they never sought to God but in their affliction verse 34. and 36. They did but flatter him with their mouth and lyed unto him with their tongues And thus have you seene the tender mercies of the Lord. Thirdly In the Lord there is a multitude of tender mercies He is aboundant in goodnesse Exod. â—4 6 Plenteous in mercy Psal. 86.5 Full of compassion Psal 86.15 Rich in mercy Ephe. 2.4 Admire it we may but no man is able to expresse and utter how great the mercy of the Lord is Psal 36.7 How excellent is thy loving kindnesse The mercies and kindnesses of all the men in the world compared to it are but as a drop of water to the great Ocean My thoughts are not your thoughts neither are your wayes my wayes saith the Lord. Esay 55.8 9. For as the heavens are higher then the earth so are my wayes higher then your wayes and my thoughts then your thoughts See this difference in three points 1. A man can forgive small wrongs but the wrongs may bee so great as no man can forgive but there is no sin so heinous but the Lord is able to forgive it Exod. 34.7 Forgiving iniquitie transgression and sin Matth. 12.31 All manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men Hee is able to forgive a debt of ten thousand talents and not be undone nay be never the poorer Matth. 18.27 2. A man can forgive one a great wrong if it were but in one action but the wrongs may be so many and of so many kinds as no man can forgive them but the Lord is able to forgive sins though they were as many yea more then the haires of our head as David complaineth his were Psal 40.12 3. A man is able once to forgive yea to forgive it may be even such wrongs as hee counteth very great and manifold but hee can never forgive or thinke well of him whom hee having forgiven sundry times yet hee still wrongeth him in the same kind but the Lord is able to forgive him that hath relapsed often into the same crime For hee requireth this mercy even in us Matth. 18.22 Thou shalt forgive him I say not unto thee untill seven times but untill seventy times seven times So that Gods children shall have no cause to say to their heavenly Father as Esau said to his father Gen. 27.38 Hast thou but one blessing my father Canst thou forgive but once yes hee is able to forgive the same offence often times if it be truly repented of The use of this Doctrine is first for instruction even to teach and assure you to testifie unto you as the Apostle did to Gods people 1. Pet. 5.12 that this is the true grace of God wherein you stand that the religion and Doctrine that is at this day and hath beene through Gods mercy now many above sixty yeeres without interruption taught and professed in the Church of England the Lord in mercy grant it may continue so to bee and which you have received and found comfort in is the only true ancient Catholique Propheticall and Apostolike faith Because it giveth the whole glory of mans salvation and of every degree and piece of it from the beginning to the end to the free grace and mercy of God and to nothing else Therefore the Apostle in that place I last named 1. Pet. 5.12 calleth the true religion and Doctrine of God for that is it hee meaneth in that place by a Metonimy the true grace of God because the whole
as in comparison of these he maketh no reckoning of like a little over-measure that is given you when you have bought any thing like to the browne paper and pack-thrid that the mercers give you for nothing Mat. 6.33 these things shall be added to you But theâ—e mercies he maketh precious account of these are his jewells wherein he setteth forth the riches and glory of his mercy and bounty As Ahashuerus the King of the Medes and Persians shewed the riches of his glorious kingdome and the honour of his excellent majesty in that feast he made to his princes and servants Est. 1.4 so doth God much more set forth the riches and glory of his mercy in bestowing these precious mercies upon any For as the Apostle speaketh Rom. 14.17 The kingdome of God is not meat and drink but righteousnesse and peace and joy in the Holy Ghost These mercies therefore are called Ephes. 1.7 8. the riches of his grace wherein he hath abounded towards us Therefore when Paul speaketh of the mercy of God toward him in the pardon of his sinne he saith 1 Tim. 1.14 that the grace of God was exceeding abundant towards him This is a marvellous mercy of God that he should pardon any of us our sinnes and give us eternall life such a mercy as we can never sufficiently admire and wonder at Shew thy marvellous loving kindnesse ô thou that savest by thy right hand them that put their trust in thâ—e saith David Psal. 17.7 And Paul 2 Thess. 1.10 God shall be admired in all them that beleeve in that day Thirdly Those mercies are but of a short continuance they last no longer then this short and momentany life they are called therefore 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 things of this life 1 Cor. 6.4 But these are everlasting mercies and will out-last this life and endure unto eternity Psal. 103.17 The mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that feare him Fourthly Those mercies are uncertaine even in this life 1 Tim. 6 17. Trust not in uncertaine riches But these are sure mercies not flitting or uncertaine if they be once gotten they can never be lost and are therefore called Esa. 55.3 the sure mercies of David Davids mercies the mercies he begged heere the mercies he made such reckoning of the mercies peculiar to him and the elect of God are sure mercies and can never be lost Fiftly and lastly Those mercies a man may have and have them in abundance and be made never a whit the better man never a whit more acceptable to God never a whit the neerer unto eternall happinesse Nay for the most part they make men that enjoy them most abundantly the worse men a great deale they estrange their hearts from God and deprive them of his kingdome There is a sore evill which I have seene under the sunne saith Solomon Eccl. 5.13 namely riches kept for the owners thereof to their hurt Luke 18.24 How hardly shall they that have riches enter into the kingdome of God vers 25. It is easier for a Camell to go through a needles eye then for a rich man to enter into the kingdome of God But these mercies of David never did any man receive but they made him a better man then he was before No man ever obtained this mercy to have his sinnes pardoned but his heart was changed and he became a new man presently Acts 5 3â— Christ giveth repentance unto Israel and forgivenesse of sinnes So Ezek. 36.25 26. I will sprinkle cleane water upon you and ye shall be cleane a new heart also will I give you and a new spirit will I put within you Labour therefore to make this thine owne to get assurance that these mercies of David do belong to thee that in the time of thy need thou maist have the benefit and comfort of these mercies Els will this one daylie heavie upon thy heart that there being so much mercy in the Lord such a fountaine yea such a sea of mercy yea thou knowing so much and having seene in the ministery of the Gospell this fountaine opened unto thee as the Prophet speaketh Zach. 13.1 yet thou art not washed in it thou art not cleansed from thy sinnes thou art never the better for it That there is mercy enough in the Lord to pardon Davids sinnes and Manasses sinnes and Peters sinnes and Mary Magdalens sinnes yea all manner of sinne and blasphemy as our Saviour speaketh Mat. 12.31 yet thy sin remaineth still unpardoned And all because thou hast despised these riches of the goodnesse of God as the Apostle speaketh Rom. 2.4 Thou hast esteemed much more of those common mercies of God then of these like the Prodigall who so long as he could get enough to fill his belly though it were but hogs-meate never thought of returning to his father and seeking for his favour Luk. 15.16 17. O this is it this despising of the Lords speciall mercies is that that will treasure and heape up wrath to a man against the day of wrath as the Apostle speaketh Rom. 2.5 Now if any man shall say I would faine know that this mercy of God belongeth to me but how may I come to be assured of it To that man I answer there be five things which may be both as signes and notes whereby thou mayst know it belongeth to thee and as meanes also to bring thee unto this assurance that thou desirest First If thou canst seeke and sue to him for this mercy with all thine heart that is more then for any other things prizing this mercy above all other mercies thou needest not doubt but it belongeth to thee thou shalt be sure to have thy part in it Marke the promises made to such as are in this case Ieremy 29.13 Ye shall seeke me and find me when ye shall search for me with all your heart Psalme 69.32 Your heart shall live that seeke God Other mercies thou mayst long for and sue earnestly for and never obtaine them but these spirituall mercies without which thou canst not be saved thou maist bee sure to obtaine if thou canst thus desire and seeke for them Luke 11.13 How much more shall your heavenly father give the holy spirit to them that aske him Psal. 105.3 Let the heart of them rejoyce that seeke the Lord. So that if thou want these the fault is in thy selfe Ye have not saith the Apostle Iam 4.2 because ye aske not Secondly If thou canst be miserable and dejected enough in thine owne eyes thou shalt not need to doubt but this mercy belongeth unto thee Misery we know is the object of mercy and chiefe motive to compassion If thou canst therfore unfainedly lay open unto God thy misery thy spirituall misery I meane the wounds sores of thy soule as poore creeples do their sores to meÌ„ whom they would move to pity them thou needest not doubt to find mercy with the Lord. Thus doth David seeke for mercy heere as you
and what he may do to please and honour him Nothing hath that force to worke in a man an appetite to the Word as this hath 1 Pet. 2.2 3. As new borne babes desire the sincere milke of the Word that ye may grow thereby if so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious As if he had said els you cannot and then you cannot choose but do it So Psal. 119.64 The earth ô Lord is full of thy mercy teach me thy statutes and verse 68. Thou art good and dost good teach me thy statutes As if he had said Who would not seeke to know the will of so mercifull of so bountifull a God as thou art and what may best please thee Fiftly and lastly He must needs be desirous to please him and to doe his will when he knoweth it Nothing hath that force to worke in a man a care of his wayes a care to obey the Lord in all things even in those duties that are most painefull and wherein hee is most to deny and crosse himselfe yea though it were to the laying downe of his life as the true knowledge and consideration of the Lords marvellous goodnesse and mercy hath Thy loving kindnesse is before mine eyes and I have walked in thy truth saith David Psal. 26.3 And the Apostle Rom. 12.1 I beseech you brethren by the mercies of God to present your bodies as a living sacrifice unto God As if he should say if this will not move you to it nothing will The love of Christ constraineth us saith the Apostle 2 Cor. 5.14 because we thus judge that if one dyed for all then were all dead and who can doe too much for him that hath so dearely loved him The goodnesse and mercifulnesse and bountifull disposition wee discerne in some men ô what force hath it to draw and knit our hearts unto them For a good man some will even dare to die saith the Apostle Rom. 5.7 And what is the goodnesse and mercifullnesse of any man if it be compared to the goodnesse and mercy of the Lord Surely not so much as one drop of water compared to the maine Ocean And thus have I finished this use of exhortation and shewed you what the duties are both towards men and towards the Lord himselfe that this Doctrine doth most effectually stirre us up unto It followeth now that we proceed to the third and last use of this Doctrine which is for comfort For this Doctrine serveth most effectually for the comfort 1 of all men how wicked soever they have beene if now they desire to repent 2 and chiefly of Gods own people that have already repented For the first there is not the vilest sinner in the world if he now feele his sins and desire to be reconciled unto God but he may receive comfort and encouragement from this Doctrine to turne unto God and seeke to him for mercy Nothing hath that force to keepe a poore sinner from repentance as this when he doth despaire of finding mercy with God if he should turne and seeke unto him When a sinner doth resolve upon this as Cain did Gen. 4.13 My sinne is greater then can be pardoned This was the maine thing that made those wicked Iewes to resolve that they would walke after their owne devises and every one doe after the imagination of his evill heart as the Prophet saith Ieremy 18.12 because they said there was no hope And on the other side Nothing hath that force to encourage a man to repent and turne unto God as if he can be perswaded of this that how vile a sinner soever he hath beene yet he may hope to find mercy with him if he can seeke unto him for it The Rebell or Pyrat that knoweth there is a proclamation out against him will never come in but if he once heare and can beleeve that there is a Proclamation of pardon yea and of some great advancement if he will yeeld himselfe and come in this and nothing else will cause him to come in and change his course become a faithfull and legall subject This is that which the Apostle teacheth Rom. 2.4 The goodnes of the Lord if it were rightly knowne and beleeved not driveth and draweth as his terrours doe but leadeth men willingly unto repentance Insomuch that as Benhadads servants perswaded him by this argument to seeke peace and reconciliation with Ahab when he had highly provoked him 1. King 20. â—1 Behold we have heard that the Kings of the house of Israel are mercifull Kings So have Gods Prophets and servants sought to perswade the most hainous sinners to seeke peace with God and to turne unto him by this argument because he is so mercifull a God Foure notable proofes I will give you for this and no more First thus doth the Prophet Esay perswade all sorts of sinners Esay 55.7 Let the wicked forsake his wayes and the unrighteous man his thoughts and let him returne unto the Lord and he will have mercy upon him and to our God for he will aboundantly pardon Secondly thus doth Hezechiah perswade the ten tribes that had deepely revolted unto repentance 2 Cor. 30.9 For the Lord your God saith he is gracious and mercifull and will not turne away his face from you if yee returne unto him Thirdly thus also speaketh the Lord to Israel even after their captivity when their case seemed most desperate and irrecoverable Ierem. 3.12 Goe and proclaime these words toward the North and say returne thou backsliding Israel saith the Lord for I am mercifull saith the Lord. And fourthly thus doth the Apostle Peter perswade with those Iewes that had beene the betrayers and murderers of the Lord of life when they were even almost in despaire and knew not what to doe Acts 2.38 â—9 Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Iesus Christ for the remission of sins and yee shall receive the gift of the holy Ghost for the promise is to you and to your children and to them that are afarre off even as many as the Lord our God shall call So that I may boldly say to him amongst you all that hath beene the most notorious sinner if God have now given thee a heart desirous to forsake thy sins and to turne unto him be not discouraged thou needst not doubt of finding mercy with him if thou canst seeke unto him Two maine objections there be whereby some kind of men are kept from turning unto God and seeking to him for mercy specially at such times as they stand most in need of mercy First Though God be mercifull yet he is also just yea a most severe and terrible judge to take vengeance on such wicked men as I have bin Exod 34.7 He will by no meanes cleare the guilty and Psal. 5.5 He hateth and abhorreth all the workers of iniquity I answer This is not meant of such as feele their sins and desire to repent as thou dost but of
such as love their sins Psal. 11.5 The wicked and him that loveth violence doth his soule hate Of such as goe on in their sins Psal. 68.21 God will wound the head of his enemies Who are these He answereth in the next words which are an exegesis or interpretation of the former such as goe on in their trespasses To such doe all the curses of the law all those sentences of the holy Scripture that set forth the severity of God belong not to such as feele their sins to be a burden to them and desire to turne unto God 1. Tim. 1.9 10. Know this that the Law is made the curses of the Law are written and appointed for the lawlesse and disobedient for the ungodly and for sinners for the unholy and profane c. The second objection is this Though God be infinite in mercy and his common mercies be over all his workes yet his speciall mercy belongeth to none but to his elect and they are but a few Mat. 20.16 Many are called but few are chosen The greatest part of men are vessels of wrath as the Apostle speaketh Rom. 9.22 predestinated and ordained unto damnation Iude 4. And I have so lived as I see cause to feare I am of that number at least I cannot be sure that I shall find mercy with God though I should turne unto him I answer That though 1. the Lord did indeed in his eternall counsell predestinate some unto life and some unto perdition 2. and that the number of the Elect bee small in comparison of the reprobate yet hath no poore sinner that desireth to turne to God any just cause given him to be discouraged from it by this Doctrine This I will prove to you by three reasons First Because no man ought no man can say and conclude that he is a reprobate because of the life he hath lead That he is in the way that leadeth unto destruction he may know but that he is one of those that God did in his eternall decree appoint unto destruction he cannot know 1. Because God hath not by his word or spirit reveiled this to any particular man that he is a reprobate excepting only him that hath sinned against the holy Ghost which sin thou art farre enough from that desirest to repent and to turne to God Concerning the election of particular men God hath indeed given testimony both by his word 1 Thess. 1.4 5. and by his spirit also Rom. 8.16 The spirit it selfe beareth witnesse with our spirit that wee are the children of God 1. Iohn 5.10 He that beleeveth in the Sonne of God hath the witnesse in himselfe But Gods spirit never testified unto any man that he is a reprobate So that to every man that is so conceited we may say as Paul in another case doth Galat. 5.8 This perswasion commeth not of him that calleth you It commeth not of God And as our Saviour saith Matth. 5.37 Whatsoever is more then this commeth of the evill one Besides 2. God hath hertofore and may still call most wicked men at the very last houre of their lives and so declare them to be his elect who of all men in the world were most unlikely to be of his Elect as wee see in the example of the thiefe Luke 23.40 Secondly As no man can justly say he is a reprobate because God neither by his word nor spirit hath testified any such thing of him so such sinners as I now speake of have just cause to judge that they are not reprobates that God hath not appointed them to wrath but to obtaine salvation by our Lord Iesus Christ as the Apostle speaketh 1 Thes. 5.9 For those whom God hath made vessels of wrath are fitted unto destruction as the Apostle saith Rom. 9.22 They goe on still in the way that leadeth unto destruction and are hardened in their sins Though the greatest part of men shall not find mercy with God yet the cause of this is not in the Lord it is in themselves only because they seeke it not Hos. 13.9 O Israel thou hast destroyed thy selfe God sheweth himselfe ready enough to receive even such unto mercy but they care not for it So speaketh Christ even of Ierusalem though she had killed and stoned his Prophets Matth. 23.37 How often would I have gathered thy children together even as a Henne gathereth her chickens under her wings and ye would not That sinner therefore that findeth God hath wrought in him a desire to get under Gods wings a desire to repent and to turne unto God is in the way that leadeth unto life God is preparing and fitting him for glory and therefore he hath just cause to judge that he is no reprobate but a vessell of mercy Rom. 9.23 Thirdly and lastly No man is to judge of his present or future estate nor of Gods purpose towards him by the secret will of God but by his reveiled will Deut. 29.29 The secret things belong unto the Lord our God but those things that are reveiled belong to us and to our children for ever We may not in this case pry curiously nor enquire into the secret counsell of God but reverently admire it and cry with the Apostle Rom 11.33 ô altitudo ô the depth Remember what befell the men of Bethshemesh 1. Sam. 6.19 God smote aboue fifty thousand of them for looking into the Arke of God Looke thou enquire thou into the reveiled will of God and there thou shalt find enough to encourage thee to turne unto him and to assure thee that thou needest not doubt to find mercy and grace with him if thou canst now seeke it First God hath reveiled in his Word that he doth not desire nor take pleasure in the destruction of any wicked man no not in his temporall destruction Hee gave the old World warning of the Floud an hundred and twenty yeares before it came that by their repentance they might have prevented it as you shall see by comparing 1 Peter 3.20 with Gene. 6.3 He gave Pharaoh and the Aegyptians warning of the plagues they enforced him to bring upon them that by their repentance they might prevent them And in giving them warning of the fiery haile he expressely saith he did it to that end that they might save their servants and their cattell from that destruction Exod. 9.19 Send therefore now and gather thy cattell and all that thou hast in the field c. When his people had so deeply provoked him to bring them into miserable captivity and he had assured them by his Prophets that he would do it yet how oft was his heart turned within him and his repentings kindled together as the Prophet speaketh Hosea 11.8 How oft and how earnestly doth he warne them of it How many meanes doth hee use to perswade them that by their repentance they would prevent it See for proofe of this Ieremy 26.2 3. And 36.2 3 6 7. And if hee take no pleasure in the destruction
of the bodies of wicked men is it possible hee should delight in the destruction and damnation of their soules No no hearken how deepely he protesteth against this Ezekiel 33.11 Say unto them as I live saith the Lord I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked Yea he protesteth this so deepely even for this very purpose that hee might encourage every poore sinner to turne unto him I have no pleasure in the death of him that dyeth saith the Lord God Ezekiel 18.32 wherefore turne your selves and live yee Secondly God hath reveiled in his Word that he doth earnestly desire the repentance and salvation of the most wicked man and taketh great pleasure in it and therefore earnestly seeketh to reclaime them Ezek. 33.11 As I live saith the Lord I have no pleasure in his death but that he turne from his way and live turne yee turne yee from your evill wayes for why will yee dye ô house of Israel And this thou hadst heretofore and hast this day experience of in thy selfe How earnestly and how mightily hath God laboured with thee this way Yea he beseecheth thee and prayeth thee to be reconciled to him 2. Cor. 5.20 Yea there is nothing would so much delight him as to see thee repent as is set forth in the father of the prodigall ô what mirth and joy made he when he returned to him Luke 15.23 24. Thirdly God hath reveiled in his Word that Christ with all his merits should be in the ministery of the Gospell offered unto all that feele themselves to be sinners as the brazen serpent was listed up for all to looke upon that were stung Num. 21.9 unto thee as well as unto any other is he offered and thou art commanded to beleeve he dyed for thee Mar. 16.15 Preach the Gospel to every creature And what is it to preach the Gospel to him Surely to say to him as Lu. 2.11 Vnto you is borne this day in the city of David a Saviour which is Christ the Lord. So Christ inviteth all Ioh. 7.37 Iesus cryed saying if any man thirst let him come unto me and drinke And of his invitation of sinners in this sort the Lord saith Esa. 45.19 I said not in vaine seek ye me I the Lord speake righteousnesse If a poore sinner being thus invited should come to Christ for grace would he reject him No in no wise Ioh. 6.37 All that the father giveth mee shall come unto me and him that commeth unto me I will in no wise cast out Fourthly God hath not in words only but really given thee cause to feele by manifold experiments that he loveth thee and wisheth thee well Even this is an argument of his love that he hath preserved thee from so many dangers Ps. 41.11 By this I know that thou favourest me because mine enemy doth not triumph over me that he feedeth and cloatheth thee Deut. 10.18 He loveth the stranger in giving him food and raiment that thou sleepest so safely and quietly on nights Psal. 127.2 He giveth his beloved sleep Thou wilt say these are but common mercies I answer True yet concerning them observe foure things 1. That to the faithfull these are pledges of his speciall love as these places have proved 2. That they are arguments of his goodnesse even towards all men that enjoy them For so saith the Apostle Rom. 2.4 And if any man should have done this for thee saved thy life but once when thou wert in danger to have lost it delivered thee out of debt and danger maintained thee with food and raiment all thy life thou wouldest not doubt but he loved thee unfainedly Thou wouldest count it a foule sin to suspect or doubt of his love or to entertaine such a thought ô but for all that he hath done this for me I doubt I have not his heart I doubt hee hath purposed in himselfe to be my destroyer in the end And is it nothing for thee to suspect this of God 3. Though these be but common mercies yet it is a great sin to despise or set light by them Rom. 2.4 Despisest thou the riches of his goodnesse and forbearance and long suffering 4. Thou depisest them if thou be not by them led and encouraged to repent and turne unto God Rom. ◠4 Lecture XXVI on Psalme 51.1 ◠May 23. 1626. NOw it followeth that we proceed to the second sort of those to whom the consideration of the loving kindnesse tender mercies and the multitude of tender mercies that are in the Lord doth minister cause of comfort and encouragement and those are such as are regenerate and in the state of Grace and have truly repented yet are subject oft to inward feares and trouble by doubting of the mercy and love of God For it is evident by the Word and by daily experience also that many of Gods dearest and choicest servants such as above all other have most title to these speciall mercies of God that wee have heard of are yet much subject to trouble of mind much given to inward heavinesse and feare yea many of them are in that case that David complaineth he was in Psalme 88.15 While I suffer thy terrours I am distracted Yea 2. many of them continue a long time in this case as David complaineth Psal 38.6 I am troubled I am bowed downe greatly I goe mourning all the day long and Heman Psal. 88.15 I am afflicted and ready to dye from my youth up while I suffer thy terrours And upon this ground groweth all this trouble of mind and terrour that they are subject unto that they cannot be perswaded that they are in the favour of God and that his speciall mercy and loving kindnesse belongeth unto them This Heman expresseth to have beene the cause of all his trouble Psalme 88.14 Lord why castest thou off my soule why hidest thou thy face from mee Now before I speake any thing to the comfort of these poore soules I thinke it necessary to give you some reasons why I insist upon this use For I know well that many of you will thinke this a needlesse labour and be little or not at all affected with this Sermon Pro. 27.7 The full soule loatheth the honie combe 1. I know well the most of you stand in no need of comfort you have much more need of humbling then of comfort a great deale The secure sinner that never felt yet what it was to bee troubled in mind for sin hath more need to heare of the terrors of the Law then of the comforts of the Gospell The Law was made saith the Apostle 1. Tim. 1.9 that is appointed and ordained of God for the lawlesse and disobedient for the ungodly and for sinners These comforts that I am to speake of are the childrens bread and it is not meete to take the childrens bread and to cast it to doggs as our Saviour speaketh Matthew 15.26 I know well that such kind of men will bee likely to take hurt by
Another promise we read of Iob 33 27 28. He looketh upon men and if any say I have sinned and perverted that which was right and it profited me not hee will deliver his soule from going into the pit and his life shall see the light Another promise we have Prov. 28 13. He that confesseth and forsaketh his sinnes confessing goeth before forsaking shall find mercy Another promise is in that knowne place 1 Iohn 1.9 If wee confesse our sins God is faithfull and just see the certainty of this promise and how wee may build upon it to forgive us our sinnes and cleanse us from all unrighteousnesse See the extent and largenesse of this promise he will forgive and cleanse such from all unrighteousnesse Thirdly Gods Prophets and ministers to whom as I told you the last day the Lord hath given speciall commission and authority to remit and retaine the sins of men to pronounce unto men in his name and assure them of pardon and promised to ratifie what they doe in this case accordingly Iob. 20.23 Whose soever sins ye remit they are remitted have bin wont confidently to assure men of mercy and pardon upon their unfeined confession of their sins Thus did Samuel when the people had fully and particularly confessed their sins 1 Samuel 12 19. Wee have added to all other our sinnes this evill to aske us a King presently he comforteth them and giveth them assurance of mercy vers 20.22 Feare not saith he for the Lord will not forsake his people for his great names sake because it hath pleased the Lord to make you his people So dealt Nathan with David 2 Samuel 12.13 David said unto Nathan I have sinned against the Lord that was the summe and breviate of his confession uttered no doubt in that manner as gave Nathan just cause to judge it was unfeined and Nathan said unto David the Lord also hath put away thy sinne thou shalt not dye The fourth proofe is the experience of Gods servants that by taking this course have found comfort The Publican when out of shame compunction of heart hee had cryed God bee mercifull to mee a sinner Luke 18.13 14. which was a short indeed but a most unfeined and effectuall confession of his sin he went downe to his house justified hee obtained mercy The like experiment wee have of this in the prodigall son Luke 15.18 20. who when he did but fully resolve and purpose with himselfe to go and confesse his sin unto his father before he could doe it he found mercy his father prevented him when he was yet a great way off his father saw him and had compassion and ran and fell on his necke and kissed him But the most famous experiment of all others is that of David Psal. 32.3.5 Being in distresse of conscience for sin he professeth that till he tooke this course he could find no comfort but upon the taking of this course he found ease presently And it is a thing very observable even the difference that was betweene Saul and David The sinne of Saul mentioned 1. Sam. 15. was nothing so hainous as that of Davids mentioned 2 Sam. 11. and 12. And yet Saul after hee committed it could never find mercy with God but the spirit of the Lord the common gifts of the spirit departed from Saul and an evill spirit from the Lord troubled him 1 Samuel 16.14 and hee waxed worse and worse ever after But David found mercy with God and grew in grace exceedingly And the speciall difference that is noted by the holy Ghost betweene them is this David when God had used an effectuall meanes to discover his sin to him confessed it freely and unfainedly 2 Samuel 12.13 Saul though hee had as effectuall meanes to discover his sin to him as David had 1 Samuel 15.16 19. yet could not unfeinedly and freely confesse his sin but did what hee could to hide it and deny it and cloake it and extenuate it 1. Sam. 15.20 21. and though he seemed at length to confesse it verse 24. yet was that extorted not free and voluntary the losse of his Kingdom and of his honor and dignity troubled him more then his sin as appeareth verse 30. The fift and last proofe of the second branch of the Doctrine is the practise of Gods Saints who have ever beene wont upon the former grounds of Gods direction and promise and their owne experience to take this course to find mercy with God and have put great confidence in it And for this Davids example is most observable Hee maketh this heere a ground of his hope in prayer Have mercy upon mee blot out my transgressions for I acknowledge my transgressions And 2. Sam. 24.10 David said unto the Lord I have sinned greatly in that I have done and now I beseech thee ô Lord take away the iniquity of thy servant for I have done very foolishly Yea Psalme 32.5 Hee mentioneth nothing else that hee did to finde mercy with God when he was in distresse but this onely I acknowledged my sinne unto thee and mine iniquity have I not hid I sayd I will confesse my transgressions unto the Lord. Did hee not also make petition for pardon Surely either expressely or intentionally hee did but the chiefe thing that hee did and that that hee greatly relyed his hope upon was the hearty confession hee made of his sins And this course Gods servants have taken in seeking to find mercy with God even for others Looke whom they have beene suitors for their sinnes they have beene wont to confesse to God So did Moses in that vehement and extraordinary suite hee made for Israel Exodus 32.31 Oh this people saith hee have sinned a great sinne and have made them gods of gold So did Aaron when in the solemne feast hee was to make atonement betweene God and the people Leviticus 16.21 Aaron shall confesse over their sacrifice all the iniquities of the children of Israel and all their transgressions in all their sinnes See how large and full a confession it must be So did Nehemiah in his private fast he kept for the Church I confesse saith he Nehemiah 1.6 7 the sinnes of the children of Israel which wee have sinned against thee wee have dealt very corruptly against thee c. Yea in their publike fasts wherein they have beene most importunate suitors for others their prayers have beene sometimes almost wholly spent in confession of their sinnes As wee shall see in a private fast that Daniel kept Daniel 9. where his prayer consisting of sixteene verses foureteene of them were spent in confession of sinne And in the publike fast mentioned Nehemiah 9. where it is not onely sayd verse 2. that the summe and effect of that whole dayes worke was a confession of their sinnes and the iniquities of their fathers but the prayer that was used that day consisting but of thirty and two verses verse 6.37 one and thirty of those verses you shall finde were spent in the
others at least not aggravate it by the circumstances of it as we shall heare it is fit we should doe There is therefore a necessity we should doe it in secret The second motive is from the conveniencie of it For we make confession of our sins in secret unto God much more effectually then any other way wee can doe And that in two respects First We may powre out our hearts more fully and freely unto God in secret then we can doe in the presence of any other man For we are all of us apt to thinke that if we should in a particular manner utter and expresse how vile wretches we are before those that love vs and thinke best of us they would never thinke well of us againe while we live but account vs ranke hypocrites And indeed it may be so they would In which respect we reade Zach. 12.12 that the husband should mourne apart and the wife apart they should not disclose their sins one to another But there is no such thing to stay or hinder us from being free and open hearted in secret For 1. we can say no worse by our selves then the Lord knoweth already better then our selves according to that speech of David Psal. 69.5 O God thou knowest my foolishnesse and my sins are not hid from thee and 139.2 3. O Lord thou understandest my thought afarre off thou compassest my paths and my lying downe and art acquainted with all my wayes 2. We may be sure he will not like the worse but the better of us for confessing and opening of our sins unto him if we accuse our selues he will be the readier to absolve us According to that we have heard 1 Iohn 1.9 If we confesse our sins he is faithfull and just to forgive us and 1 Cor. 11.31 If we would judge our selves wee should not bee judged Yee people saith David Psal. 62.8 powre out your hearts before him God is a refuge for us As if he had said ye have no cause to feare or be ashamed to open your hearts to him the more you can lay to your owne charge and accuse your selves of the more ready you shall finde him to bee a refuge and a comfort unto you There is no cause of feare for an humbled soule to goe to him Will hee plead against me with his great power saith Ioh 23.6 no but hee would put strength in mee Iames 1.5 Hee giveth to all men liberally and upbraideth not The second respect wherein the conveniency of secret confession may appeare is this That wee may in secret use more helpes of voice and gesture and confesse our sins and make our complaint against our selves with more expressions of griefe then we can doe in the presence of others A man that would be ashamed to shed teares before men in the acknowledgment of his sins may be bold to doe it before the Lord. As Iob speaketh of himselfe Iob 16.20 Mine eye powreth out teares that is weepeth aboundantly unto God Thus did Iacob when he was alone Hos. 12.4 And I tell you even this maketh our confession of sins the more effectuall with God when we can doe it with teares As appeareth by that speech of God to Hezekiah 2 King 20.5 I have heard thy prayer and seene thy teares And this second respect may seeme to have moved David when he fasted and prayed for the child to goe in to doe it 2 Sam. 12.16 and both other of Gods servants and our blessed Saviour himselfe too make choice of a secret place for their devotions So did Elizeus 2 King 4.33 So did Peter Act. 10.9 So did our Saviour Mar. 1.35 They knew they might have more liberty for voice and gesture and teares there then they could have had in the company of men The third and last motive that may provoke us unto this duty is the consideration of the fruits and benefits that are to be received by it And those are two principally First This will give a man farre greater assurance of the truth and uprightnesse of his heart when he can confesse and bewaile his sin in secret unto God then any confession of his sin in the presence of others is able to doe This is one of the arguments wherby Iob proveth himselfe to have bin no hypocrite as his friends charged him because he had not been wont to cover his transgressions from God as Adam did not to hide them in his bosome but had beene wont freely and ingeniously to confesse them unto God Iob 31.33 This argueth there is no guile in the spirit when a man can acknowledge his sins unto God and confesse his transgressions unto him Psal. 32.2 3.5 And our Saviour perswading his disciples to take heed of hypocrisie in performing religious duties prescribeth this for an antidote to preserve them from it to learne to make conscience of doing them in secret Mat. 6.5 6. Be not as the hypocrites for they love to pray in open places where they may be seene of men but thou when 〈◊〉 prayest enter into thy closet For it is strange to see how far an hypocrite may go in performing religious duties in the presence of others as our Saviour there sheweth they love to pray saith he standing in the Synagogues They will seeme to shew great delight and zeale in good duties so long as they have men to be witnesses of it Yea in this very point of making confession of their sins before men hypocrites and gracelesse men have gone very far Pharaoh did this to Moses and Aaron sundry times Exod. 9.27 and 10.16 and Saul unto Samuel 1 Sam. 15 24.30 auricular confession unto a Priest you see a rancke hypocrite may make and Iudas made confession of his sin before the Priests and Elders publikely in the Temple Yea to the party he hath wronged an hypocrite will be able to confes his sin as Saul did to David 1 Sam. 24.17 18. and 26.21 But of none of these you can read that ever they could go to God in secret and powre out their hearts before him So that you see this is one benefit a man shal receive by it it will give him a cōfortable assurance of the sincerity uprightnes of his heart before God Secondly It will give great assurance to a man of mercy from God in the pardon of his sins Gods people have bin wont to find as great ease to their consciences by confessing their sins to God as ever stomack that was sick and oppressed did by casting up the meat that offended it or sore that was impostumated by giving vent to the filthy matter that put it unto paine David professeth of himselfe Ps. 119.25 26. that when his soule cleaved to the dust that it was quite cast downe and dejected as one foyled and wounded by his enemy and ready to give up the Ghost he tooke this course to relieve himselfe and found comfort in it hee declared his wayes unto God and he heard him And in another place
having spoken of his owne experience in this case how hee being in extreame anguish of mind and unable to find case any other way by betaking himselfe to this course found comfort and assurance of mercy from God Ps. 32.5 I acknowledged my sin unto thee and mine iniquity 〈◊〉 I not â—id I said I will acknowledge my transgression unto the Lord and thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin He inferreth thereupon ver 6. For this cause shall every one that is godly pray unto thee that is every one that is godly that is truly humbled for his sin shall be encouraged by my example to seek the same way for mercy that I have done And what followeth Surely to the flouds of great waters they shall not come nigh unto him As if he had said He that taketh this course let his afflictions and sorrowes be never so great he shall not be overwhelmed with them hee shall bee sure to find comfort in them And it cannot otherwise be but they take this course must needs find comfort in it for God hath bound himselfe by promise to it Pro. 28.13 Hâ— that confesseth and forsaketh his sins shall find mercy 1 Ioh. 1.9 If we confesse our sins God is faithfull and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from 〈◊〉 unrighteousnes So Ioh 33.27 28. If any say I have sinned and perverted that which was right and it profited me not he will deliver his soule from going into the pit and his life shall see the light Yea he hath bound himselfe by promise to his people that though they be never so much oppressed burdened in their minds either with the sense of their sins or with any judgements that for their sins are fallen upon them though they even pine away in their iniquity as he speaketh Lev. 26.39 foretelling the case his people should be in in the time of their captivity yet saith he ver 40.42 If then they shall confesse their iniquity and the iniquity of their fathers with their owne trespasse which they have trespassed against me and that also they have walked contrary unto me then will I remember my covenant And as these promises are made to all Gods people that can confesse and complaine of their sins unto him so specially to such as can acquaint themselves with God and accustom themselves to do this in secret according to that speech of our blessed Saviour Mat. 6.6 Pray to thy father which is in secret and thy father which is in secret will reward thee openly and ver 18. Shew thy selfe to fast and to be humbled to thy father which is in secret and thy father which is in secret shall reward thee openly I speake not thus much to encourage any hypocrite that is apt to blesse himselfe in his profane neglect of praying with his family and of joyning with Gods people in prayer either ordinary or extraordinary and say though I doe not joyne with others in these duties yet I use to pray and confesse my sins in secret unto God upon my bed that is the best of al. For to these I say as our Saviour doth Mat 23.23 This ought ye to do and not to leave the other undone And if thou didst indeed of conscience towards God in a conscionable manner pray in secret cenfesse thy sins in secret thou wouldst also joyne with Gods people in these duties because God hath aswell coÌ„manded the one as the other For whosoever shal keep the whole law yet offend in one point is guilty of al Iam. 2.10 But I have spoken all this to so many of you as feare the Lord that use to pray and confesse your sins with your families and joyne with Gods people in the publike coÌ„fessions that are made in the congregation do so stil in Gods name but rest not in that learne to do this duty in secret also get thee into thy closet to do this yea if thou have no place private enough in thine house to do it in do as yong Isaac did Gen. 24.63 and our Saviour Luke 5.16 get thee into the field sometimes to do it Doe as David did Psal. 22.2 in the nights upon thy bed And when thou art alone poure out thy heart unto God lay open thy sins before him in particular and aggravate them with the circumstances whereby they are made more hainous worke thy heart to do it with sorrow and with teares seeke ease to thy heart and comfort this way when thou art in greatest heavinesse remember the promises God hath made to shew mercy to them that can doe so stay thy faith upon them expect the performance of them and challenge it as his hand and doubtlesse thou shalt find comfort in it Lecture XXXIX on Psalme 51.3 Novemb. 7. 1626. NOw it followeth that we proceed unto the meanes whereby we may attaine unto this grace And those are five principally First He that would be able to confesse his sins aright unto God must seeke knowledge and understanding in the word of God without which no man can tell what is sin and what is not Rom. 3.20 By the Law commeth the knowledge of sin and Eph. 5.3 All things that are reproved are made manifest by the light And though there be light sufficient in nature to discover unto us some sins specially in the outward breaches of the second table Rom. 2. â—5 The worke of the Law is written in their hearts their consciences also bearing witnes and accordingly accusing or excusing them Yet are there two defects in that light 1. It will not discover to us all our sins nay there be many foule sins and such as of all other most provoke God against us which the naturall man cannot discerne by that light to be sins The way of the wicked is as darkenesse saith Solomon Pro. 4.19 they know not at what they stumble That which Paul saith of concupiscence the root of all sin may be said of many other Rom. 7 7. I had not knowne lust that is to say not to be sin unlesse the Law had said thou shalt not covet 2. Those sins that it doth discover to us it doth not discover them effectually so as to humble us and drive us to God thereby but either dimly by the halves so as they never affect or trouble us As our Saviour speaketh Pro. 10.23 It is a sport to a foole to doe mischiefe or else to make us inexcusable and overwhelme us with despaire as Genesis 3.8 But that knowledge of sin that is effectuall to humble us and drive us unto Gods mercy-seat commeth not by the light of nature but only by the word It is that only that doth so convince a man of sin and manifest to him the secrets of his heart as maketh him fall down on his face and worship God as the Apostle speaketh 1 Cor. 14.24 25. In which respect Paul saith Rom. 7.7 I had not knowne sinne but by the Law As if hee should say I
the Apostle Rom. 1.28 God gave them over to a reprobate mind This is of all the judgements of God the most admirable and dreadfull to see what meanes God giveth to wicked men to awaken their consciences how senslesse they remain still To see men smitten of God as I shewed you Iudas was whom no ministery could stir or as Pharaoh or Ieroboam whom no judgments could move Thus speaketh the Lord of this judgement Stay your selves and wonder saith the Lord Esa. 29.9 Why what should they stay themselves to consider and wonder at Surely at this judgement that was upon the Prophets and rulers and people of that time They are drunken saith he but not with wine the Lord hath powred out upon you the spirit of deep sleep and hath closed your eyes This is the admirable judgement when all is done Let no man therefore any longer account it a blessing to have a senslesse conscience that will never put him in mind of his sins nor checke him for them but account it a great favour of God to have a wakefull and a tender conscience and pray with the Prophet Psal. 13.3 O Lord my God lighten mine eyes lest I sleep the sleep of death that deep and deadly sleep of a benummed and senslesse conscience Remember and beleeve that saying of Solomon Pro. 28.14 Blessed is the man that feareth alway but he that hardeneth his heart shall fall into mischiefe David had never as we see here humbled himselfe thus and run to Gods mercy-seat sued for pardon so fervently as he did if his conscience being awakened had not thus set his sins before him Six great benefits I told you of the last day that Gods people receive by the wakefulnesse and tendernesse of their conscience that puts them oft in remembrance of their sins You will object It cannot surely be esteemed a mercy but a judgement and tentation to have mine old sins brought oft into my remembrance which I have long since repented of and obtained assurance of the pardon of I answer Yes it is profitable to remember and thinke oft even of those sins as wee heard the last day in the proofe of the Doctrine that thou mayest increase the assurance of the pardon of those sins both 1. by examining the truth of thy repentance for to haue ceased long from those sins will not argue thou hast truely repented and 2. By renewing and encreasing thy humiliation for them But if we should much busie our selves with calling our sins to minde and musing of them it would bring us to despaire and deprive vs of all comfort I answer 1. the sight of thy sins how hainous soever they have beene and sorrow for them may stand well enough with true faith and confidence in Gods mercy many have had deepe sence of their sins that have also had sound faith A man may see in himselfe aboundant matter of sorrow and feare and yet discerne even at that time more matter of comfort and joy in the Lord. Thus Daniel did Dan. 9.8 9. O Lord to us belongeth confusion of face to our King to our Princes and to our fathers because we have sinned against thee to the Lord our God belonge mercies and forgivenesses though wee have rebelled against thee Serve the Lord with feare saith the Psalmist Psal. 2.11 and rejoyce with trembling And it is said of the two Maryes Mat. 28.8 that they departed quickly from the sepulcher with feare and great joy 2. Yea a man is never so fit to admire and take comfort in the mercy of God as when he seeth the multitude and odiousnesse of his owne sins Never did Paul so rejoyce in Gods mercy as when he had most sence of his owne sins as is evident 1 Tim. 1 12.-15.3 The sight of thy sins so long as it is joyned with a godly sorrow and hatred of them a desire of reconciliatiō with God so long as it driveth thee to acknowledgement humbling thy selfe before God is not the way to desperatiō but unto sound comfort It is the unwillingnesse of men to see and acknowledge their sins that bringeth despaire and not their willingnesse to doe it as we may see in David While he kept silence his bones waxed old through his roaring all the day long Psal. 32.3 But what course tooke he to finde comfort See ver 5. I acknowledged my sin unto thee and mine iniquity have I not hid I said I will confesse my transgressions unto the Lord and thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin It is a mans putting of his mouth in the dust that giveth him hope of mercy Lam 3.29 The afflicted and poore in spirit trust in the Lord Zach. 3.12 But how can this be will some say that it should be such a blessing to have a tender conscience that is so apt to put a man in mind of his sins seeing the conscience when it accuseth a man useth also to smite and wound him as it was with David 1 Sam 24.5 and that there is no paine or anguish in the world comparable to that which the strokes and wounds of the conscience put a man unto Pro. 18.14 A wounded spirit who can beare I answer 1. If thou wouldst waken thy owne conscience by a due examination of thy owne wayes and calling thy sins to thine owne remembrance it would be lesse bitter and painefull to thee then if by this neglecting thy selfe thou put the Lord to doe it 1 Cor. 11.23.31 Let a man examine himselfe for if we would judge our selues we should not be judged It is a fearefull thing to fall into the hands of the living God Heb. 10 31. 2. I answer that it is true indeed a tender and wakefull conscience will put a man to paine and trouble but the paine and trouble that driveth a man to God as Davids did here is a wholesome and medicinable paine a meanes to keepe us from those paines and sorrowes that are everlasting Of this kinde of chastisement which the conscience giveth us that may bee said which Paul saith of all Gods chastisements Heb 12.11 No chastisement for the present seemeth joyous but grievous neverthelesse afterward it yeeldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousnesse to them that are exercised thereby The third and last thing I have to say to these sencelesse men is this that the state they are now in will not last alwayes Certainely that conscience that is now so dead asleepe will one day awaken and doe his office by setting thy sins before thee either to drive thee to God by repentance as it did David here or to drive thee to the Devill by desperation as it did Cain and Iudas That which Moses said to the two tribes the halfe Num. 32.13 may be sayd to euery secure and dead hearted sinner Yee have sinned against the Lord and bee you sure your sinne will find you out Thine owne wickednesse shall correct thee saith the Lord by the Prophet
refuge for us Gods people have no other refuge to flye unto in all their distresses but him alone Yea nature hath taught this to all men as wee may see both in Scripture Ion. 1.5 and in dayly experience how the worst will looke towards God in their extreame sicknesse and send for the minister then to pray for them For that which Solomon saith of riches Prov. 11.4 may bee said of pleasures and friends and all other things wee have most set our hearts on they will not availe us in the day of wrath Loe thus good and gracious the Lord hath beene to every one of us even in the things that concerne this mortall life but 2. he hath shewed much more goodnesse to our soules then all this commeth to For as our soules are farre more excellent then our bodies so the Lord hath much more care of them then of our bodies Hee is in a speciall manner called the father of spirits Heb. 12.9 and hath doubtlesse a fatherly care of them in a speciall manner Let me therefore say to you as the Prophet doth Ps. 6â— â—6 Come and heare all ye that feare God I will declare what hee hath done not for my soule onely but for every one of your soules Neither will I speake of those bounties of the Lord that are peculiar to some choice servants of his but of those that are common to all that doe unfeinedly feare him even to the meanest of them Nor of all them neither but of three of them only which may sufficiently serve to demonstrate this point First When wee had lost our selves by the voluntary transgression of our first parents and made our selves the children of his wrath and slaves of the Devill hee bought us againe with no meaner a ransome then the bloud of his only Sonne Iohn 3.16 So God loved the world that he gave his onely begotten Sonne that whosoever beleeveth in him might not perish but have life everlasting And how did he give him The Apostle telleth us Rom. 8.32 Hee spared not his owne sonne but delivered him up for us all He did not remit unto him the least jot of those torments that were due in his justice to our sins but made him a curse for us as the Apostle speaketh Gal. 3.13 Hee dranke at the hand of the Lord the cup of his fury as the Prophet speaketh in another case Esa. 51.17 He drunke the dregs of the cup of trembling and wrung them out This amplifyeth greatly the goodnesse and bounty of the Lord to his people that this ransome was paid for them in a speciall manner Esa. 53.5 Hee was wounded for our transgressions he was bruised for our iniquities and verse 12. He hare the sins of many He prayed not for the world Iohn 17.9 Oh what a goodnesse of God was this to us that passing by and neglecting the greatest part of the world he should thinke upon us in a speciall manner to pay such a ransome for us Oh what cause have every one of us to admire this mercy of the Lord and to say with Iob 7.17 What is man that thou shouldest magnifie him and that thou shouldest set thine heart upon him What was I that thou shouldest make so precious account of me that thou shouldest pay such a ransome to redeeme my soule Secondly when we lay snorting in our sins without all regard either to our owne wretched condition or to the ransome that was paid for us he awakened us and called us to the knowledge of our selves and of Christ. Hee cryed to us as Cantic 6.13 Returne returne ô Shulamite returne returne that wee may looke upon thee He besought us to bee reconciled to him as the Apostle speaketh 2 Cor. 5.20 stood long at our doore and knocked Rev. 3.20 waited long and endured many a repulse from us as he saith Rom. 10.21 All the day I have stretched out my hands unto a rebellious and a gaine saying people and at last overcame us with his kindnesse changed and converted our hearts and made us new creatures When the Apostle had said Ephes. 2.5 Even when wee were dead in sins he quickned us he addeth by grace yee are saved Nothing but grace nothing but the goodnesse of God was the cause of it He wrought such a change in us as is mentioned Esay 11.6 The wolfe shall dwell with the lambe and the leopard shall lye downe with the kid and the calfe and the young lyon and the fatling together and a little child shall leade them And this also doth greatly amplifie the goodnesse of God towards us in our conversion if we shall consider how rare a mercie it is 1. How the Lord vouchsafeth not so much as the outward calling in particular to the greatest part of the world by farre He sheweth his word unto Iacob saith the Psalmist Psal. 147.19 20. his statutes and his judgements unto Israel He hath not dealt so with any nation and as for his judgements they have not knowne them 2. How few of those that the Lord vouchsafeth the outward calling unto receive grace to believe and obey the truth as our Saviour speaketh Mat. 22.14 Many are called but few are chosen How many our selves may observe of our owne kindred of our owne neighbours of them that have as long as we obtained the same meanes of our betters every way of them whose lives have beene far more civill and unblameable then ours whom yet God vouchsafeth no such grace unto So that I may say to you as the Apostle doth 1 Cor. 1.26 You see your calling brethren how that not many wise men after the flesh not many mighty not many noble are called This consideration was the thing that bred such zealous love in Davids heart toward the Lord 2 Sam. 6.21 It was before the Lord saith he to scoffing Michall which chose me before thy father and before all his house to appoint mee ruler over the people of the Lord over Israel therefore will I play before the Lord. This was that that moved our blessed Saviour to rejoyce so in his spirit in the behalfe of the faithfull in his time and ascribe it all meerely to the free grace and goodnesse of the Lord. Luke 10.21 Thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent and hast revealed them unto babes Thirdly When after he had thus converted and called us wee have beene apt through our frailty and corruption ever and anon to fall away from him againe we are kept by the power of God unto salvation as the Apostle speaketh 1 Pet. 1.5 he will not suffer his to take such falls as shall breake their neckes or to fall into such pits as we should never get out of againe Hee will keepe the feet of his Saints from such falls as Hannah speaketh 1 Sam 2.9 Hee hath beat us for falling and haply for our carelesnesse left us to take such falls as have bruised us fore or broken an arme or a leg of us but he
neighbours here now whom I know to be faulty this way and whom it may be I shall not see here this twelve-moneth againe I have the more willingly enlarged my selfe in the application of this point and though I see small hope to prevaile with any of you for the belly hath no eares and the Ale-house-haunter is usually a scorner and derider of Gods Word yet because I know that that is unpossible with men is possible with God as our Saviour spake in a case not much unlike to this Luke 18.27 and God hath oft wrought by a Sermon as great wonders as this commeth to I will conclude my speech to you with that prayer that Noah once made for his sons Genesis 9.27 God perswade Iaphet to dwell in the tents of Sem. The Lord perswade you to shun and forsake these tents of wickednesse to love and frequent better the assemblies and congregations of his people where his ordinance and service is to bee found The third and last rule whereby we are to judge what sins are greater and more hainous then other is this The sins that are committed by such as are of speciall note above others for the profession of true religion and piety are geater then the sins of other men This is plaine by that speech of the Apostle Rom. 2.9 Tribulation and anguish shall be upon every soule that doth evill upon the Iew first and also upon the Gentile Why upon the Iew first rather then upon the Gentile Because God received more contempt and dishonour by the sins of such then of other men The name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles through you saith the Apostle Rom. 2.24 The second use that this Doctrine serveth unto is for the examination of our selves and for the triall of the truth and soundnesse of our repentance which it highly concerneth us to know and to take heed wee bee not deceived in it 1. It is no good argument to prove we have truly repented because we have sometimes found deepe remorse and trouble of mind for our sins For so had Ahab and Iudas as we have often heard 2. Neither is it a good argument we have truly repented because we have now left the sins wee were heretofore given unto For the Apostle speaketh of certaine hypocrites that were cleane escaped from them that live in errour that had escaped the pollutions of the world even through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Iesus Christ. 2 Pet. 2.18.20 By what notes may we then judge of the truth and soundnes of our repentance surely by these two principally 1. When we can grieve for our sins hate and forsake them chiefly out of this respect because the Lord is offended grieved and dishonoured by them when our sorrow is according to God as the Apostle speaketh 2 Cor. 7.10 when our repentance is repentance towards God as the same Apostle calleth it Acts 20.24 2. When our sorrow for sin our hatred and forsaking of it groweth from faith and when the knowledge and perswasion we have of Gods fatherly goodnesse and mercy rather then of his power or his justice and anger against sin can make us to mourne for our sins to hate and forsake them For so is true repentance described Zac. 12.10 I will powre upon them the spirit of grace and of supplication and then they shall mourne as one mourneth for his only sonne And in 1. Pet. 2.1 3. Lay aside all malice and guile and hypocrisies and envies and evill speakings if so bee that ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious Would we therefore know the true cause why our hearts are so hard and senslesse why wee cannot grieve and mourne more for our sins why wee cannot more willingly forsake and cast off many of our sins surely the Lord hath not yet powred upon us the spirit of grace nor given us thereby a sound assurance of his mercy and fatherly love towards us in Christ. We have not yet tasted though it may be we know it and can acknowledge it with our tongues and discourse learnedly and eloquently of it nor have we attained to a particular a lively and comfortable assurance that the Lord is gracious For if we had certainly nothing would be so effectuall to worke in us a sound griefe of heart for sin nothing would cause us so much to hate and abhorre sin as this that wee have thereby offended and grieved and made so light account of so good and so gracious a father as the Lord is unto us This was that that above all things so much troubled and afflicted the heart of David here Against thee thoe onely have I sinned and done this evill in thy sight Lecture XLVII On Psalme 51.4 Ianu. 30. 1626. FOlloweth the third use that this Doctrine serveth unto And that is for exhortation to perswade every one of us that forasmuch as every sin is an offence against the Majesty of almighty God a contempt done unto him and a despising and sleighting of his commandement that therfore we would take heed how wee give our selves liberty either to commit the smallest sin that wee are tempted unto or to make light account of any sin that we have committed upon this conceit that it is but a small one Certainly we are bound to take notice of to be humbled for and to strive against the very least of our corruptions the very least transgression of the law of God even our passionatnes aptnes to be angry without cause and to exceed therein even of our mispending of our time and trifling it out both when we are alone and in company yea even on the Sabbath day and our formality in Gods worship and of our unprofitablenes that we do so little good and of that delight we take to heare and speake of the faults of others and of the unsanctifiednesse of our thoughts yea even of our very dreames that savour of corruption as it may appeare by the equity of that law we read of Deut. 23.10 11. Three speciall motives there be besides the reasons you have heard of the last day in the use of instruction that may be effectuall to perswade us unto this First He that giveth liberty to himselfe in the smallest sins will be in danger by little and litle to grow careles of and to fall into greater sins and so in the end to loose all grace all conscience of sin A little leaven saith the Apostle Gal. 5.9 leaveneth the whole lampe And this is that that our Saviour teacheth us Mat. 5.19 Whosoever shall breake one of the least commandements and shall teach men so that is justifie defend and allow himselfe or others in it he shall be called the least in the kingdome of heaven that is he shall be of no worth of no reckoning for grace among the people of God Dead flyes saith Solomon Eccle. 10.1 cause the oyntment of the Apothecary to send forth a stinking savour so doth a little folly him
to this may that speech of our Saviour be applied Matth. 9.29 According to thy faith so be it unto thee Fiftly and lastly That soule that can seeke to Christ for helpe against any corruption and confidently expect to receive it and wait upon him for it shall be sure not to be overcome of it Esa. 40.31 They that waite upon the Lord shall renew their strength And 30.18 Blessed are all they that waite for him Lecture LXVIII On Psalme 51.5 Septemb 11. 1627. THe fourth and last use that the third and last Doctrine that we have learned out of these words touching the heinousnesse and danger of originall sinne serveth unto is To breed thankfullnesse in us and so to comfort us in the acknowledgement and admiration of the goodnesse and mercy of God For the Doctrine of originall sinne and the true consideration of this how vile and corrupt we are even by nature doth notably set forth the goodnesse of God towards us and hath great force to make us thankfull for it and cause us to admire and take comfort in it This use we find the Apostle made of this Doctrine Rom. 7. For having meditated seriously of the strength of corruption that was still in his nature and being deepely affected and humbled with it as appeareth by that exclamation of his verse 24. O wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from the body of this death Presently hee bursteth forth into this voice of joy and thanksgiving verse 25. I thanke God through Iesus Christ our Lord. As if he should say O how much am I bound to God for his mercy towards me in Iesus Christ. Certainely we can never be truly thankfull to God for his mercies we cannot value them aright nor relish the sweetnesse of them till we do apprehend and can feelingly acknowledge how unworthy we are that God should shew any respect unto us and can say with Iacob Gen. 32.10 I am unworthy of the least of all the mercies and of all the truth which thou hast shewed unto thy servant The blessed Virgin in her song Luk. 1.48 giveth this for the reason why her soule did magnifie the Lord and her spirit did rejoyce in God her Saviour because the Lord had regarded the low estate of his handmaid had so farre regarded one that was in so low and base an estate as shee was And surely if we knew our owne vilenesse well as it hath beene discovered to us by this Doctrine of originall sinne and could also have grace seriously to thinke of it our soules would also magnifie the Lord and our spirits would rejoyce in God our Saviour Gods mercies would be sweeter to us then they are we could not choose but wonder that the Lord should be so gracious and good to us that are even by nature so alienated from him and enemies in our minds unto him as the Apostle speaketh Col. 1.21 Every imagination of the thoughts of whose hearts are onely evill continually Gen. 6.5 That he I say should neverthelesse be so good and gracious unto us as he is It would make every one of us say oft unto the Lord as Mephibosheth once did to David 2 Sam. 9.8 What is thy servant that thou shouldst looke upon such a dead dog as I am But to speake more distinctly of this point there be foure things especially wherein the knowledge of the vilenesse and corruption of our nature may cause us to admire the mercy and goodnesse of God 1. That there being such a world of wickednesse in every mans nature as there is the Lord is pleased so farre forth to keepe it under by his restraining grace that it breaketh forth no more then it doth 2. That the nature of man being in all the parts of it so extreamely corrupted any of Gods people should have any goodnesse at all in them 3. That there being so strong corruptions remaining in the very best of us any of us should be able to hold out in a Christian course 4 and lastly That the corruption of our nature being so great as it is it should do us no more hart but that we should bee so fully and perfectly freed from the danger of it And for the first of these Certainely when we rightly consider what the nature of man is we shall see just cause to admire the mercy of God towards us even in his restraining grace and to blame our selves that we have not taken better notice of it and beene more thankfull unto God for it hitherto Let us consider the worke and power of it first in others secondly in our selves and wee shall see that wee receive great benefit by it both waies And first for the worke of it in other men It must needs be acknowledged as a great favour of God that any of us live in such safety and peace as we doe when we go abroad when we are at home by night or by day if we did rightly consider what times these are what kind of people they be that wee live by even such as are by nature strongly inclined not to malice onely but to all kind of mischiefe besides Such as whose naturall disposition the Apostle describeth Rom. 3.14 17. Their mouth is full of cursing and bitternesse their feet are swift to shed bloud destruction and misery are in their waies that is to say a desire to bring others to misery and destruction and the way of peace how to live peaceably they have not knowne This being so how commeth it to passe that wee receive no hurt at all by such kind of persons as these are Sanctifying grace they have none to change their natures For as the Apostle saith of them in the next words verse 18. There is no feare of God before their eyes Besides wee heare daily of other lewd men that in such and such places have committed strange outrages upon men in the high waies as they have beene travelling and in their houses while they have beene asleepe on their beds How falleth it out then that wee have lived in such safety hitherto You will say because the Lord hath beene our keeper Psal. 121.5 he hath kept watch and ward about us He hath made a hedge about us and our houses as Satan said of Iob 1.10 This is true indeed but a principall meanes whereby the Lord hath so kept us is this restraining grace of his in the hearts even of the most wicked men Observe I pray you the worke of it and the benefit we receive by it in three degrees First Whereas there is no corruption that a naturall man is more strongly inclined unto then to hate all such as feare God according to that of Pro. 29.27 He that is upright in his waies be he otherwise never so harmelesse or peaceable is an abomination to the wicked How commeth it to passe that in many naturall yea otherwise lewd men wee live by we could never yet discerne the least malice against us
that ever they desired that ever it came into their thought to doe us any hurt Shall wee impute this to any goodnesse of nature that is in them No no this is to be ascribed to the powerfull restraining grace of that God who made this promise to his servants that were compassed about with most wicked people on every side Exod. 34.24 No man shall desire thy land when thou shalt go up to appeare before the Lord thy God thrice in a yeere Secondly Whereas we know there be many lewd men amongst us not Papists onely but others to whom we are an extreame eye-sore that do with all their hearts desire to do us a mischiefe and have even in their words oft bewraied as much Of whom we may say with David Psal. 57.4 My soule is among lions and I lie even among them that are set on fire How commeth it to passe that they have yet done us no hurt nor so much as attempted any thing against us Surely that God that restrained Laban from hurting Iacob though hee had pursued him sixe dayes journey with a great power and full purpose to bee revenged on him and continued in this purpose till the very night before hee overtooke him as you shall find Gen. 31.23.29 that God I say is he that hath kept all these lewd men from doing us that hurt that they have desired and purposed to doe Hee that when the Sunne ariseth Psal. 104.22 23. maketh the Lyons to gather themselves together and lay them downe in their dens that man may goe forth to his worke and to his labour untill the evening Hee that shut the mouthes of the Lyons from hurting Daniel 6.22 doth curbe and muzzle these men from hurting us and let him have the glory of all that safety wee live in Thirdly and lastly Whereas every wicked man doth naturally hate us according to that sentence of God Genes 3.15 I will put enmity betweene thee and the woman and betweene thy seed and her seed How commeth it to passe that many wicked men we live by are not onely harmelesse and void of malice towards us but neighbourly and courteous and kind unto us Surely of this wee may say as the Prophet doth in another case Psalme 118.23 This is the Lords doing and it should seeme marvellous in our eyes Hee that made Esau run to meet Iacob and to embrace him and fall on his necke and kisse him Gen. 23 4. Hee that gave his people such favour in the sight of the Egyptians Exod. 11.3 that they thought nothing too good for them is the only cause of all this And certainely if the Lord should not thus restraine wicked men if hee should set their hearts at liberty and let loose all that wickednesse that is in them wee might with much more safety live among Lyons and Beares then among them When our Saviour had told his disciples Matth. 10.16 Behold I send you forth as sheepe into the midst of wolves hee addeth presently verse 17. but beware of men As if he had said What speake I of wolves you have more cause to feare danger from men then from wolves or from any other creature whatsoever Let us therefore beloved 1. Among other mercies of God take notice of this and bee thankefull for it that in so wicked a world wee live in such peace and safety as wee doe 2. Let us in these dangerous times wherein wee see cause of so great feare on every side by reason of the multitude and cruelty and strength of our enemies both at home and abroad learne to secure and quiet our hearts in the providence of this mighty God that can thus command and rule the hearts of the vilest men upon earth yea though they were the mightiest Princes that can turne them whether soever he will as Solomon speaketh Prov. 21.1 Let us seriously meditate of that which the Prophet speaketh Psal. 76.10 Surely the rage of man shall turne to thy praise the remnant of the rage thou wilt restraine 1. God can and will in his time restraine the remnant of the rage that the bloudy enemies of his Gospel are apt to shew still against his people 2. And surely the rage that they have already shewed shall in the end tend to his praise or else it should not have proceeded so farre as it hath done That wee may bee able thus to quiet and secure our hearts in the providence of this mighty God 1. Let us never give our selves rest till wee be able through a lively faith to say with Gods people Psal. 48.14 This God is our God for ever and ever he will be our guide and shepheard even unto death 2. Let us live in his feare and labour to please him in all our wayes For when a mans wayes please the Lord as the holy Ghost saith Prov. 16.7 hee maketh even his enemies to bee at peace with him Then may wee bee secure and void of feare though the times were much worse and our enemies many more and stronger then they are then may we say as David doth when his heart was made glad with the light of Gods countenance Psal 4.8 I will both lay me downe in peace and sleepe also for thou Lord only makest mee to dwell in safety And so much shall suffice to bee spoken of the benefit wee receive by the worke of Gods restraining grace in the hearts of other men But yet in the worke of Gods restraining grace in our owne selves we have much more cause to admire the goodnes of God towards us By the former he hath provided for our outward security and safety in the world but by this hee doth procure and maintain the inward peace tranquilitie of our consciences For seeing as wee have heard wee are all of us by nature as bad as any other Wee are all by nature the children of wrath even as others as the Apostle speaketh Ephes. 2.3 Wee have all of us still even after our regeneration the whole body of sin not one member of it wanting in us the seeds of all sins as appeareth plainly by that complaint of the Apostle Rom. 7 24. Who shall deliver me from the body of this death How commeth it to passe that wee are not in our lives as well as in our natures as bad as any others Surely the Lord by his restraining grace suffereth not all the corruption that is in our nature to breake forth in us as hee said to Abimelech Genesis 20.6 so may hee-say to every one of us I have kept thee that thou shouldst not sin against mee in these and these kinds Why but will you say this is true indeed of heathens and naturall men they are kept from sin by restraining grace but there is more in us that are regenerate then so we have sanctifying grace also I answere This is true and of that I shall speake in the next place but yet the best of Gods servants are much bound to him also
even for his restraining grace See three notable benefits we doe receive even by that First Though wee have in our nature the seeds of all sinne yet there are many foule sinnes wee never felt in our selves the least inclination unto The Lord hath so kept them under as they never yet shewed themselves to bee in us but as it is said of Saul and other of Davids enemies that were with Saul 1 Samuel 26.12 so it may bee said of many noisome lusts that are in our nature the Lord hath sent a dead sleepe upon them that they never stirre in us Thinke not thinke not beloved that thou art made of a better mould that thou art better by nature I say not then Lot or David or Peter but even then the Sodomites or Cain was or then any of the most monstrous sinners that ever thou hast knowne or heard of because thou hast not felt thy selfe inclined to such foule sinnes as they fell into thinke not that thou hast not any inclinations in thine heart to such sinnes because thou hast not felt them stirring in thee at any time but ascribe that to this grace of God and consider who it is that hath made thee to differ from another from any other man as the Apostle speaketh in another case 1 Cor. 4.7 that thou mayest be humbled in thy selfe and give the glory of it unto God Learne thou to be thankfull unto God as well for keeping thee from these sins that thou never feltest thy selfe given unto as for the pardon of those that thou hast most offended in Secondly Many of us have felt in our selves some motions and inclinations unto many foule sinnes that others have fallen into but they have not put forth themselves in us in their full strength nor set upon us with that force and violence as they have upon others they have not bin furthered in us with such tentations as they have bin in others if they had we certainly had fallen as shamefully as others have done And what hath beene the cause that wee have not hatched these cockatrice eggs as the Prophet calleth them Esa. 59.5 It may bee thou wilt say that by the sactifying spirit of God thou hast resisted thy corruption when thou didst feele it arise thou hast prayed against it and so by the spirit hast mortified it And this I doubt not but every child of God may truly say of many a corruption they have found in themselves But that is not all If these sins that we have beene preserved from had set upon us with that strength and violence as they have done upon others or as many other of our sins have done upon our selves if they had beene set forward by the like tentations we had doubtlesse beene overcome by them as well as others And whereunto is this to bee ascribed that they have not done so surely to this mighty power of Gods restraining grace in us That whereas in other men yea in some of his owne people as wee may see Psalm 81.12 the Lord le ts goe his hand and suffereth their lusts to have the sway giveth them up to their owne hearts lusts and saith to their corruptions as hee did to the deceiving spirits 1 Kings 22.22 Goe and prevaile Hee hath dealt more graciously with us and though to humble us hee hath let us see what monsters wee lodge in our breasts what abominable corruptions we have in our hearts yet he holdeth them in a chaine and letteth them not loose upon us but pulleth them in againe that they may not prevaile against us He that hath set barres and doores to the raging sea as hee speaketh Iob 38.10 11. and said hitherto shalt thou come and no further and here shall thy proud waves be stayed is hee only that stinteth and gageth the corruptions of our hearts that sets such limits and bounds unto them Let us also beloved take notice of this mercy of God and be thankfull for it When thou seest or hearest of the outragious sins that many fall into drunkenesse adultery murder blasphemy and such like sins pity thou their case and lift up thy heart in thankfulnesse unto God that hath kept thee from being thy selfe as bad as they are That speech of the Pharisee Luke 18.11 if it had come from an humbled heart had beene a good speech and such as beseemeth every one of us to use unto God Lord I thanke thee I am not as other men are extortioners unjust adulterers Consider thus with thy selfe I am by nature as bad as the worst man I know yea I find my selfe sometimes enclined and ready even to fall into those very sinnes that have brought others to so much shame And then thinke upon and blesse that hand that hath kept thee from falling and say in thankefulnesse of heart with the Prophet Psal. 94.18 When I sayd my foot slippeth thy mercy ô Lord did hold me up The third and last benefit we receive by this restraining grace of God in our selves is this that the Lord letteth us not know all the vilenesse and wickednesse that is in us but concealeth and hideth a great part of it from us But you will say to mee Is it a benefit to bee kept from the knowledge of our sinnes I answer No not from all knowledge of our sins For it is a great benefit to have our sins discovered to us 1. So farre forth as is necessary to drive us unto Christ to shew us how wretched wee are without him For this maketh us capable of benefit by Christ. 1 Timothy 1.15 this maketh us able to prize him and thirst after him Numbers 21.9 this maketh us able to relish and find sweetnesse in him Matth. 11.28 2. So farre forth as is necessary to bring us unto repentance for them and to keepe us from living and continuing in them Iere. 8.6 No man repented him of his wickednesse saying what have I done So farre forth we should labour to find out our sins by diligent search Psal. 4.4 and should be content that others should acquaint us with them Psal. 141.5 3. So farre forth as is necessary for the pacifying of Gods wrath in any speciall judgements that are upon us For in this case as the Lord restifieth by his judgements that hee hath matter against us Ruth 1.21 so it is our duty and the way for us to appease the Lords anger by a diligent search and examination of our selves to find out the speciall sin whereby we have thus provoked God Lam. 3.39.40 Yea in this case we are bound to beg of God that he would discover those speciall sins unto us as Iob did Iob 13.23 4. So farre forth as it is necessary to keepe us from pride and to humble us For to this end God commanded his people to remember and oft to call to their minds their old sinne and the most hainous of them all Deut 9.7 Remember and forget not how thou provokedst the Lord
and powers and against the rulers of the darknesse of this world against spirituall wickednesse in high places Nothing but a divine power could keepe grace alive in such hearts as ours are Wee are kept saith the Apostle 1 Peter 1.5 by the power of God unto salvation Secondly His admirable goodnesse is the cause of this and the unchangablenesse of his love to them whom he hath once effectually called called according to his purpose and eternall counsell as the Apostle speaketh Rom. 8.28 Hee never loved any thus farre as to call them effectually and to worke truth of grace in their hearts but he loved them to the end Having loved his owne which were in the world saith the Evangelist of our blessed Saviour Iohn 13.1 he loved them to the end I have loved thee saith the Lord to his Church Ier. 31.3 with an everlasting love therefore with loving kindnesse have I drawne thee Them whom he hath shewed such loving kindnesse unto as to draw them to himselfe by an effectuall calling he loveth with an everlasting love The Lord advanced Saul to be King over his people and gave him his spirit that is such gifts of his spirit as might fit him for that calling As soone as Samuel had anointed him the spirit of the Lord came upon him as the Text saith 1 Sam. 10.6 9 and he was turned into another man God gave him another heart But this favour and love God shewed to Saul was not an unchangable and everlasting love It repenteth me saith the Lord 1 Sam. 15.11 that I have set up Saul to be King And 1 Sam. 16.14 The spirit of the Lord departed from Saul hee had received excellent gifts of Gods spirit and lost them quite againe But if God have advanced any of us to this dignity to be a true Convert to be effectually called Ioh. 1.12 he never repenteth him of it this favour and love of God is unchangable and everlasting The gifts and calling of God are without repentance as the Apostle speaketh Rom. 11.29 In respect of this good and perfect gift the Apostle calleth the Lord Iam. 1.17 the father of lights in whom is no variablenesse neither shadow of turning And were it not for this that Gods love to such as he hath once regenerated and given saving grace to is constant and everlasting if any thing could have changed or altered him alas there is none of us all but we have done enough a thousand times to have lost him for ever and to have caused him to depart quite from us and to have stripped us of all grace long ago Before we passe from this point let us apply it to our selves in a few words that is in five First Seeing sanctifying grace is of such constancie and a fruit of Gods everlasting and unchangable love ô how carefull should we be to get grace if wee want it and to get assurance that we have it in truth if we thinke we have it 1. All other blessings and good things wealth and pleasure and honour and health are of no continuance And that that Paul saith of Riches 1 Tim 6.17 may be said of them all they are uncertaine riches uncertaine good things But true grace is durable riches as Solomon calleth it Pro. 8.18 These are the sure mercies of David as the Holy Ghost calleth them Esa. 55.3 2. No other good thing we can enjoy is any certaine argument of Gods speciall love and favour No man knoweth either love or hatred by any thing that is before him saith Solomon Eccle. 9.1 Esau of whom it is said God hated him Mal. 1.3 yet did enjoy all worldly blessings in greater measure then Iacob did as is plaine by that speech of Moses Gen. 36.31 But true grace is a certaine argument of Gods love yea of his speciall and everlasting love According to that speech of the Lord Ier. 31.3 I have loved thee with an everlasting love therefore with loving kindnesse have I drawne thee Secondly So many of us as have by the mercy of God beene preserved any time in the state of grace let us blesse God for it let us admire and magnifie the power and goodnesse of God towards us in this behalfe It hath ever beene esteemed in Gods Church a great honour to a man to be an old Disciple The Holy Ghost maketh an honourable mention of Mnason of Cyprus for this Act. 21.16 And Paul saith of Andronicus and Iunia Rom. 16.7 that they were of note among the Apostles and honoureth them for this that they were in Christ before him If any of us have found mercy with God to be old Disciples Nay if we be of any standing in Christianity and keepe our standing let us give God the glory of it thinke of it often and never thinke we can be sufficiently thankfull to God for it O blesse our God ye people saith David Psal. 66.8 9. and make the voice of his praise to be heard which holdeth our soule in life and suffreth not our feet to be moved Praise God for keeping and preserving the life of grace in thy soule all this while Say with David Psal. 116.7 8. The Lord hath dealt bountifully with thee for thou hast delivered my soule from death mine eyes from teares and my feet from falling Praise God for keeping thee fom deadly and irrecoverable falls Yea take thou up that thanksgiving which of all the formes of thanksgiving that we read of in Scripture hath been most in use with Gods Saints as if it were not for spending of time I could give you many instances of I meane that Psal. 106.1 Praise ye the Lord ô give thanks unto the Lord for he is good for his mercy endureth for ever God is more to be praised by us for the unchangeablenesse and constancy of his love to such wretches as wee are then for any other of his mercies how great so ever they bee Thirdly Let none of us be proud of our standing in the state of grace but let us give God all the glory of it Let us all say with the Apostle 1 Cor. 15.10 By the grace of God I am that I am And that which the Apostle there speaketh of his labours we must say in this case It is not I that have held out all this while not I but the grace of God which was with me It is the Lord as Annah speaketh 1 Sam. 2.9 that keepeth the â—eet of his Saints for in his owne might shall no man be strong It is not by any strength of our owne that we have stood all this while but by the strength and free grace of God onely Fourthly Seeing our perseverance in grace dependeth wholly upon the power and goodnesse of God let none of us be secure but watchfull and wary and fearfull to offend God who if he do but let go his hold and withdraw his hand we cannot stand one moment longer no more then a child of a yeare old or the staffe ye walke
words this comfortable sentence verse 18. Wee know that whosoever is borne of God sinneth not This wee know and are most certaine of that hee can never fall into that sinne Insomuch as that which the Apostle speaketh of the whole Church of the Iewes Rom. 11.11 may be truly said of every elect child of God Have they stumbled that they should fall that is that they should fall finally and for ever for in the next verse 12. hee granteth they are fallen God forbid saith hee See this also plainly taught us Psal. 15. where the Prophet having described the upright hearted Christian by sundry properties and actions hee concludeth verse 5. Hee that doth these things shall never bee mooved never bee utterly and finally overcome by any tentation And this is that which our Saviour teacheth also Mat. 7.24 25. Whosoever heareth these sayings of mine and doth them I will liken him unto a wise man that built his house upon a rock and the raine descended and the flouds came and the winds blew and beat upon that house and it fell not because it was built upon a rock And that which hee saith of a godly life hee saith Matth. 16.18 of a lively and true faith also Thou art Peter a rocke impregnable whom Satan with all his might shall not be able to overcome though thou shalt fall thou shalt not fall utterly and upon this rocke this faith that thou hast made confession of I will build my Church and the gates of hell all the cunning all the power of Satan shall not prevaile against it If any man shall aske me and why cannot a chosen vessell and true beleever what tentations soever shall assault him perish irrecoverably I answer There bee two pillars that uphold him and make it impossible for him to fall in that manner of which I spake the last day 1. The almighty power of God 2. The unchangeable love of God Both fitly typified by those two pillars we read of 1 Kin 7.21 that were in Solomons Temple which was also it selfe a type of the Church and people of God the one was called Iachin that is to say he will establish the other Boaz in him is strength First Let us begin with Boaz. In the Lord is strength enough to keepe us from falling totally or finally Vpon this pillar our Saviour lyeth this Doctrine Iohn 10.28.29 None of my sheepe shall perish my father which gave them me is greater then all and no man is able to plucke them out of my fathers hand No no man if hee bee once one of Christs sheepe a true beleever no man can plucke him away Vpon this pillar doth Paul ground his confidence 2 Tim. 1.12 I am not ashamed for I know whom I have beleeved and I am perswaded that hee is able to keepe that which I have committed unto him against that day Yea upon this pillar hee groundeth the confidence even of the weakest Christian that is having an honest heart Rom. 14. For speaking of one that is weake in the faith verse 1. he saith thus of him verse 4. Yea he shall be held up for God is able to make him stand Now for the second pillar lachin hee will establish The Lord not only hath strength to keepe his people but wee are also sure he will establish them that they shall not perish This pillar God giveth his Church to ground and build upon Esa. 54.10 The mountaines shall depart and the hills bee removed but my kindnesse shall not depart from thee neither shall the covenant of my peace bee removed saith the Lord that hath mercy on thee Vpon this pillar doth the Church ground her confidence Esa. 64.5 Behold thou art wroth for wee have sinned in those is continuance and wee shall bee saved And so doth David Psalm 23.6 Surely goodnesse and mercy shall follow mee all the dayes of my life And 48.14 This God is our God for ever and ever he will be our guide even unto death Lecture LXXII On Psalme 51.5 Octob. 16. 1627. IT followeth now that wee proceed to the fourth and last point wherein the admirable goodnesse of God is set forth by the Doctrine of originall sin and that is this That the sinfulnesse and corruption of our nature being so great as it is it should doe us no more hurt then it doth And surely this is a thing that wee can never sufficiently admire that wee not onely slipping and falling oft into many actuall sins but having also still in us so vile a nature such a fountaine of corruption that maketh us wee cannot cease from sin any one moment and like the troubled sea that cannot rest it is the Prophets comparison though in another sense Esa. 57.20 is ever casting up some filthy myre and dirt or other to defile our best actions by that wee being such I say the Lord should not loath and abhorre both our selves and every thing that proceedeth from us That the Lord should notwithstanding all this have so gracious respect unto us and to our poore service as he hath this doth notably set forth his admirable goodnesse and mercy towards us This will the better appeare unto us if wee shall distinctly consider these three things 1. What wee and our best actions and performances are 2. What the Lord is in the holinesse of his owne nature 3. What the respect is that the Lord notwithstanding doth shew to us and to the service we do unto him For the first Our flesh and corrupt nature is such as it will not suffer us to doe any one duty in that manner as wee ought This blessed Paul complained of Rom. 7.18 To will is present with mee this was doubtlesse the speech of a regenerate man but how to performe that which is good I find not And that that hee saith of himselfe there hee saith of all the faithfull Galat. 5.17 Yee cannot doe the thing that yee would Nay it doth so palpably corrupt and defile every good thing wee desire to doe as our selves cannot choose if there bee any truth of grace in us but discerne and bee ashamed of it and complaine of it also as the Church doth Esa. 64.6 Wee are all as the uncleane man the leper and all our righteousnesses not one but all are as filthy rags So that when wee have done the best service that ever wee did to God wee have cause to cry God mercy for it and to pray with good Nehemiah 13.22 Lord pardon mee according to the greatnesse of thy mercy And if we as blind and senselesse and full of selfe-love as we are can discerne so much filth our selves in them what can the Lord doe Who is greater then our heart as the Apostle speaketh 1 Ioh. 3.20 and knoweth all things For the second point The Lord wee know is so infinitely holy that hee cannot abide to looke upon hee cannot but detest all filthinesse and sin Thou art of purer eyes saith the Prophet Hab. 1.13
he that doth not heartily desire this did never yet know how to pray aright Now if any of us doe indeed pity the estate of wicked men and desire that they may bee saved let us then pray and procure for them so farre as in us lyeth that they may have the meanes of knowledge For this is the way yea this is the onely way to bring them unto salvation God will have all men saith the Apostle 1 Timothy 2.4 that is some of all sorts of men for that phrase cannot bee properly meant of any that shall perish God will have all men to bee saved and to come unto the knowledge of the truth As if hee had said Looke whom God will have to bee saved them hee will bring to the knowledge of the truth So when the Church maketh so fervent a prayer unto God for the conversion of all nations Psalm 67 3 5. shee prefixeth this as the meanes whereby that was to be effected and brought to passe verse 1 2. God be mercifull unto us to the whole catholique Church to the whole number and company of his Elect for so that prayer is to bee understood God bee mercifull unto us and blesse us and cause his face to shine upon us that thy way may bee knowne upon earth and thy saving health among all nations As if shee had said This is the greatest mercy and blessing the greatest fruit of Gods speciall favour unto a people when hee giveth them the meanes whereby they may know his wayes how to serve and please him and his saving health how to attaine unto the eternall salvation of their owne soules and till this mercy bee vouchsafed to them as appeareth by the coherence of the third verse with these two men can never praise God nor worship him aright This is the greatest outward fruit of Gods mercy and goodnesse towards men of all others when hee giveth them able and faithfull teachers to bring them unto knowledge As the Apostle also teacheth us Ephes. 4.8 When Christ ascended up on high and led captivitie captive went up in his triumph after he had conquered Satan upon the crosse he gave gifts unto men And what were those gifts which that great King and conqerour at such a time when hee would expresse his bounty to the full did bestow upon men Surely they are expressed verse 11. He gave some Apostles and some Prophets and some Evangelists and some Pastors and teachers As if he had said He gave able ministers unto his Church as the greatest outward gift that he had to bestow upon them And as this is the greatest outward worke of mercy and love in God towards man so is it certainly the greatest worke of mercy and charity in man towards man to provide for them the meanes of sound knowledge and instruction The Papists glory much of their good workes and thinke they have therein a great advantage against us And if their religion were indeed more fruitfull in good works then ours is they had a just and great advantage against us for you shall know them by their fruits saith our Saviour Mat. 7.16 But what are the workes whereby they teach men they may merit most at Gods hands Surely to give largely to the Church To what end Was it to provide thereby that the people might bee taught and instructed how to know God and to worship him aright No no the whole endeavour of their Church hath beene to take from men the key of knowledge as our Saviour speaketh Luk. 11.5 2. that is the meanes of knowledge whereby as by a key men are to have their entrance into the kingdome of heaven all that was given to their Church wherein as their fore-fathers the Pharisees did they teach men to put such confidence was to maintaine a sort of idle fellowes to say masses and sing dirges for their soules And what goodnesse I pray you was there in these workes No no blessed bee the Lord our God the Papists have no just cause of glorying against the Gospell in this behalfe For though we have too many amongst us whom the Lord hath greatly blessed with worldly wealth that neither in their life nor at their death doe honour God with their substance as the holy Ghost telleth us Prov. 3.9 they are bound to doe and that even with the first fruits of all their increase As if hee had said God should have the first part of all Though wee have many I say that are too strait-handed and hearted this way that being of great ability give nothing to God or at least nothing proportionable unto their estates that when they make their wills and find they have hundreds and thousands to dispose of yet never thinke of God give nothing to speake of unto pious uses all is too little they thinke for their children and kindred And shall their children and kindred prosper the better for this thinke you when God is robbed of his part No no the sentence of God shall stand which hee pronounceth of the man that is bountifull in the workes of charity Psalm 37.26 Hee is ever mercifull and lendeth and his seed is blessed his children shall bee never the poorer for that Though wee have I say too many such of our profession yet is not this the fault of our religion our religion teacheth the necessity of such good workes as much as Popery doth this is onely the fault of these carnall and worldly minded professours of our religion having a shew of godlinesse but denying the power of it as the Apostle speaketh 2 Tim. 3.5 these are spots in our Church as the Apostle speaketh Iude 12. they blemish and shame our religion But though wee have too many such yet is it thanks bee to God notorious to the world that the Gospell hath beene more fruitfull in all sorts of good workes that have beene good workes indeed then ever popery was More hath bin given in this land within these threescore yeeres to the building and increase of hospitals of Colledges and other schooles of good learning and to such like works as are truly charitable then were in any one hundred yeeres during all the time and reigne of popery But this is a good worke passing all other wherein the Gospell glorieth and triumpheth against popery that the Gospell hath made men carefull and liberall to provide for the soules of Gods people to provide meanes of knowledge and sound instruction for them That there have beene so many good Lectures founded of late That there hath bin such care taken and cost bestowed for the redeeming of Impropriations restoring of them to the Church That even in this last Session of Parliament there was so earnest endeavour used by the state and God be mercifull unto them that were the hinderers of so honourable and pious a worke that out of every impropriation in the land there should bee so much taken as might make a competent maintenance for an able teacher These these
are the works which as they be proper and peculiar to the Gospell and such as popery could never skill of so are they of all other the best works most acceptable unto God and most profitable unto men And certainly to conclude this first branch of my exhortation of all good workes of all workes of charity that any man can doe this is the best and that that will yeeld him most comfort when he hath beene the instrument to provide the meanes of knowledge and instruction for a people to settle and establish a sound ministery among them that had none before and to maintaine and so to give incouragement to an able and conscionable minister that is already setled and placed among a people It is said of good Iehoshaphat 2 Chron. 7.6 that his heart was lift up in the wayes of the Lord. As if the holy Ghost had said thus of him Hee did most zealously seeke to promote and advance the true religion of God And how did hee most shew his goodnesse and zeale That you shall see in the three next verses Hee provided carefully that all his people might bee well taught and instructed he sent teaching Levites and able ministers into all parts of the land and magistrates also with them to protect and encourage them in their ministery And this is noted for one of the best works that ever Hezechiah did 2 Chron 30.22 He spake comfortably to all the Levites that taught the good knowledge of the Lord 1. he encouraged and heartned he spake to the heart saith the originall of all the Levites 2. hee encouraged them because they were able and conscionable teachers because they taught the good knowledge of God to the people And hee did not so himselfe onely but it is said further of him 2 Chron. 31.4 Hee commanded the people to doe the like to give the portion of the Priests and the Levites that they might bee encouraged in the Law of the Lord. Hee knew they could never doe their duty with any heart and encouragement if due maintenance were with-held from them See yet a third example for this in King Iosiah of whom wee read also 2 Chron. 35.2 3. that hee encouraged the Priests and Levites to the service of the house of the Lord. No good worke wee can doe will better argue that wee are truly religious and feare God indeed then the kindnesse and bounty wee shew to Gods faithfull ministers Obadiah feared God greatly 1 Kings 18.34 and marke the reason is given to prove this for when Iezebel cut off the Prophets of the Lord Obadiah tooke an hundred Prophets and hid them and fed them And it is worthy further to be observed in the example of Iehoshaphat 2 Chron 17.7 that hee is said to have sent his princes to teach in the cities of Iudah They were not preachers certainely hee sent them onely to countenance and encourage the Levites and even for that cause they are said to teach in the cities of Iudah And so all you that doe encourage the ministers of God that doe comfort and protect them in their ministery are your selves doers of this blessed worke So saith our Saviour Matth. 10.41 Hee that receiveth a Prophet in the name of a Prophet shall receive a Prophets reward A Prophets reward is due to him that doth the worke of a Prophet but every one that doth entertaine and encourage the faithfull ministers of the Gospell any way doth the worke of a Prophet for he shall receive a Prophets reward I know well this is a great paradox to many now a dayes 1. they thinke they may bestow their bounty twenty wayes better then in placing and maintaining of able ministers 2. they thinke there is no want of preaching there are preachers enough and too many too every where 3. they thinke it a great priviledge to give nothing to the maintenance or to increase the maintenance of a preacher 4. they are so farre from encouraging the minister by any free gift for the increase of his maintenance that by spoyling and with-holding from him that which is his due they discourage him in his ministery all that they can But to these men I have foure things to say First That in the judgement of those three worthy Kings nay in the judgement of the holy Ghost who noteth and commendeth them for this to place and maintaine able ministers is a chiefe good worke a principall worke of mercy above all others Secondly That notwithstanding the plenty of teachers they talke of yet there bee still a great number of congregations that want able teachers whose case is extreamely to bee pitied thinke of their case and judge of it by the Prophets words Now for a long season saith he 2 Chron. 15.3 Israel hath beene without the true God and without a teaching Priest and without law Thirdly That the want of sound knowledge and instruction is the chiefe cause of all the wickednes in the land and that so many perish in their sins as appeaâ—reth by that complaint the Lord maketh Hos. 4.6 My people perish for want of knowledge Fourthly and lastly To him that is still resolved notwithstanding all that hath beene said it is no good worke no deed of charity to place and maintaine able ministers it is no sinne at all to shew no kindnesse to give no encouragement that way to his teacher no nor to with-hold from him what hee can I can say no more but what the Angell of God saith Revel 22.11 Hee that is unjust let him bee unjust still But let him withall blot out of his Bible and so his owne name also out of the booke of life that expresse commandement of God Gal. 6.6 Let him that is taught in the word communicate with him that teacheth in all good things And this shall suffice for the first branch of my exhortation that concerneth the duty wee owe unto other men wee are bound to desire and procure so farre as in us lyeth that all men may have the meanes of knowledge Secondly If knowledge bee both the foundation and the seed also of all other graces as wee have heard it is then such of us as have charge of others as all we that are parents and governours of families have are bound to use our best endeavour to bring them to knowledge that are under our charge It is a vaine thing for us to hope that either by correction or example or by any other meanes of civill education they can bee brought to grace till the knowledge of religion bee first wrought in them This is plaine by that direction the Apostle giveth unto parents Ephes. 6.4 and that that he saith to parents of their children may as well bee said to masters of their servants And yee fathers provoke not your children to wrath but bring them up in the instruction and information of the Lord. To this end 1. We must hold our selves bound to teach them our selves God established a testimony in
the Lord Hos. 8.12 speaking of Ephraim the whole Church of Israel as of one man the great things of my law but they were counted as a strange thing As if he had said The whole Scripture is as a letter or Epistle sent from God to every man and woman that is a member of his Church and it is an high contempt done to God by any man that refuseth to receive it or counteth it as a strange thing that thinketh there is any thing in it that concerneth not him Nay there is nothing that a Christian man is more interested in which a man may say it belongeth to him and is his owne wherein he may challenge a propriety to himselfe then the holy Scriptures It is therefore called his inheritance Moses commanded us a law say Gods people Deut. 33.4 even the inheritance of the congregation of Iacob And so David speaketh of it Psal. 119.111 Thy testimonies have I taken as an heritage for ever And what may be said more properly to be a mans owne then his inheritance is Or who would not be desirous to know his owne inheritance yea and every parcell every foot of land that doth belong unto it The second sort of Motives to perswade us to seeke knowledge is taken from the consideration of the necessity and benefit of knowledge compared with the danger and mischiefe of ignorance This wee shall see in foure points First Knowledge is a duty commanded us of God and that in the first and greatest commandement of his law Every man is bound to know God and his will revealed in his Word as well as he is bound to feare God or to love him or to beleeve in him or to performe any other duty of service or worship unto him And thou Solomon my sonne saith David not as a father onely but as a Prophet too 1 Chron. 28.9 know thou the God of thy father Be ye not unwise saith the Apostle Ephes. 5.17 but understanding what the will of the Lord is Yea you are all bound to increase in knowledge as God giveth you meanes and to seeke to abound in it The words of the Apostle 1 Cor. 14.20 Brethren be not children in understanding but in understanding be perfect men and Col. 3.6 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly are plaine and direct commandements of God given unto every man On the other side Ignorance in these matters is a sin that grieveth God much and highly provoketh him See how God complaineth of this Ier. 4.22 My people are foolish they have not knowne me they are sortish children and have no understanding Yea see how angry Christ was for this even with elect Disciples Are ye also yet without understanding saith he to them Matth. 15.16 when they understood not the meaning of that he had said touching that which defileth a man And at another time Mar. 8.17 Perceive yee not yet neither understand Have ye your hearts yet hardned And how doth the Apostle Heb. 5.11.12 rebuke them for being such dullards under the meanes of knowledge that they had so long enjoyed Yea he threatneth them Heb. 6.1 4. that if they did not stirre up themselves and endeavour to grow to greater ripenesse and perfection in knowledge they would bee in danger to fall quite away from God even into the unpardonable sin Certainely God will be angry even with you that are his owne people if you profit not in knowledge according to the meanes he giveth you What will hee then bee with them that have no spirituall knowledge in them at all nor any desire of knowledge Let no man thinke it an advantage to him to be ignorant of the will of God when he may have the meanes of knowledge or that such ignorance will be any excuse to his sin To such the Lord will say as Abiah the King of Iuda said to Israel 2 Chron. 13 5. Ought ye not to know whether thou knowest my will or no that is nether here nor there but oughtest thou not to have knowne is it not thy sin that thou art so ignorant of it Say not thou before the Angel before Christ the Angell of the covenant saith Solomon Eccle. 5.6 it was an errour it was out of mine ignorance that I made such a vow wherefore should God be angry at thy voice and destroy the worke of thine hands As if he had said That will not excuse thy rash vow but rather such an excuse will anger the Lord and provoke him to accurse thee in whatsoever thou takest in hand Be not deceived beloved certainely God will be highly offended with you even for your ignorance The wrath of God is revealed from heaven against men for their ignorance many waies 1. In corporall judgements My people are gone into captivity saith the Lord Esa. 5.13 because they have no knowledge This is the cause of many judgements of God that have fallen upon the state and upon many of your owne families and persons that there is so much ignorance so little desire of knowledge among men 2. In spirituall judgements The people that doth not understand shall fall Hos. 4.14 Certainely God punisheth the wilfull ignorance of many men and their contempt of knowledge by giving them up unto many foule sins As they regarded not to know God saith the Apostle Rom. 1.28 even so God delivered them up unto a reprobate mind to doe those things which are not convenient 3. With eternall judgements It is a people that doe err in their heart saith the Lord Psal. 95.10 11. and they have not knowne my waies unto whom I sware in my wrath that they should not enter into my rest As if he had said Even for this cause they shall never come to heaven for that is meant by Gods rest there and not the land of Canaan onely as is plaine by that application the Apostle maketh of this place Heb. 3. 4. because they have not knowne my waies saith the Lord. Certainely men shall be damned not onely though they sinned ignorantly their ignorance shall be no excuse unto them but even because of their ignorance When Christ shall come at the last day inflaming fire as the Apostle speaketh 2 Thess. 1.8 he will take vengeance on them that know not God It is a people of no understanding saith the Lord Esa. 27.11 therefore he that made them will not have mercy upon them and he that formed them will shew them no favour Let no man plead for his ignorance that yet his punishment in hell shall not bee so great as theirs that have had much knowledge and yet have done as bad as hee His ignorance will bee some priviledge unto him For so saith our Saviour Luke 12. â—8 Hee that knew not his masters will and did commit things worthy of stripes shall bee beaten with few stripes For 1. No heart can conceive how great and intolerable his misery shall bee that shall have the fewest stripes that shall have the least portion
faith of the son of God And Heb. 10.38 The just shall live by saith And in respect of this want of all spirituall life the naturall man is truly said to be dead in trespasses and sinnes and the man that is converted is truly said by the Apostle Rom. 6.13 to be made alive from the dead And this shall suffice to be spoken of the first reason and ground of the Doctrine The conversion of a man is to bee ascribed wholly unto God there is nothing in man himselfe to further or helpe forward this worke but that which the Scripture speaketh to abase and vilifie man may be applied to this case principally Cease ye from man whose breath is in his nostrills saith the Prophet Esa. 2.22 talke no more of his abilities put no confidence in any thing that is in him for wherein it he to be accounted of And 40.17 All nations before him in this case especially are as nothing and they are counted to him lesse then nothing and vanity Now the second reason and ground of the Doctrine respecteth the Lord himselfe For if we will consider the hand that the Lord hath in the worke of mans conversion we shall easily discerne good reason why this work must needs bee wholly ascribed unto the Lord and neither in whole nor in part unto man himselfe For first If any man shall say It is absurd and against all reason to say that the grace of God in mans conversion is so powerfull as it admits no other resistance I will answer him It is not absurd it is most agreeable to reason because the power of God who is the doer of this mighty worke is such as no man can withstand If God be pleased to shew his power in this worke who shall resist it I will worke and who shall let it saith the Lord Esa. 43.13 Hee doth according to his will saith the Prophet Daniel 4.35 in the army of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth and none can stay his hand Yes say they it is not to be doubted but the power of God is irresistible but God is not pleased to shew his almighty power in the conversion of a man but to worke it onely by his Word and by the sweet motives and perswasions that are contained in it But to this I answer Yes God sheweth and exerciseth his omnipotent power in the conversion of a man as much as ever he did in any other of his most mighty and miraculous workes When a strong man armed keepeth his pallace saith our Saviour Luke 11.21 22. his goods are in peace till a stronger then hee come upon him and overcome him Certainely while we were in our naturall estate Satan like a strong and armed man had us in his possession if a stronger then he had not come if the Lord himselfe had not shewed his almighty power in delivering us wee had never beene converted any of us Therefore the Apostle saith 2 Pet. 1.3 that God by his divine power hath given us all things that pertainâ— to life and godlinesse True grace was never wrought in any but by a divine power Yea the Apostle plainely telleth us Ephesiansâ— 19 20. that no man is brought unto true faith but by the working of Gods mighty power yea hee calleth it the exceeding greatnesse of Gods power that worketh faith in a man yea he saith God sheweth and exerciseth no lesse power in this worke then hee did in raising Christ from the dead And therefore the grace of God in mans conversion must needs bee most powerfull there is great reason you see for it why it should bee so Secondly If any man shall aske me a reason for this Why God should give the meanes of grace to one and deny them unto another why to one that enjoyeth the meanes hee should give effectuall grace to profit and bee converted by them and not unto another why hee should give the meanes and grace to such as have beene worse men and denie it to such as have beene nothing so bad I answer That if we would but consider who it is that doth thus and why he doth it we shall find great reason for it For first The Lord that doth this is a most absolute soveraigne and hath a supreame and independant power to dispose of his owne gift as seemeth best unto himselfe Is it not lawfull for me to doe what I will with mine owne saith the Lord of the vineyard Mat. 20.15 In respect of this his sovereignty it is that Elihu speaketh thus to Iob Iob 33.13 Why dost thou strive against him for hee giveth not account of any of his matters As if he had said Hee is not bound to give a reason of any thing that he doth and therefore it is madnesse for man to wrangle or murmur against any of his doings In respect of this his sovereignty it is not possible the Lord should do wrong unto any of his creatures Who hath enjoyned him his way or prescribed him a law and rule to worke by saith Elihu Iob 36.23 or who can say thou hast wrought iniquity If God should have denied the meanes of grace or in giving the meanes should have denied grace to profit by them to all men he had done them no wrong at all For who hath deserved that hee should doe this for him Nay who hath not deserved the contrary Who hath first given unto him and it shall bee recompensed to him againe saith the Apostle Romanes 11.35 In respect of this absolute sovereignty of the Lord he hath no other rule to guide him nothing at all to move him to give the meanes of conversion or the grace of conversion unto any but onely his owne holy will and good pleasure according to that of the Apostle Romanes 9.18 Hee hath mercy on whom hee will have mercy and whom hee will hee hardeneth Secondly Consider why God doth thus why hee doth not give this effectuall grace to profit by the meanes of grace to all men but to a few in comparison why hee denieth this mercy to such as may seeme most worthy of it and vouchsafeth it to them that are most unworthy and you shall see great reason in it Surely the Lord doth this that hee might make that free grace and mercy of his towards his elect the more glorious and the more admirable For as it is certaine that the maine end the Lord hath aimed at in all his counsels and in all his workes is his owne glory The Lord hath made all things for himselfe saith Solomon Proverbs 16.4 All things were created by him and for him saith the Apostle Col. 1.16 So a secundary end the Lord hath aimed at in all his counsels and workes is the happinesse and glory of his elect All things are for your sakes to further and increase your happinesse saith the Apostle to the faithfull 2 Cor. 4.15 And as the glory that God hath principally sought and aimed
at in all his counsels and workes is the glory of his mercy Hee delighteth in mercy saith the Prophet Mic. 7.18 Hee hath predestinated us to the adoption of children by Iesus Christ unto himselfe saith the Apostle Ephes. 1.5 6. according to the good pleasure of his will to the praise of the glory of his grace So even in his denying of the meanes of conversion and the grace of conversion to many people hee hath had respect to this even to glorifie his mercy the more towards his owne people The Apostle telleth us 2 Thess. 1.10 that at the day of judgement God shall bee made marvellous in all them that beleeve As if hee had said His mercy toward the faithfull in electing them to life in redeeming them in calling them effectually in justifying and sanctifying them shall bee admired and wondred at by men and Angels at that day When they shall see how many God hath denied this mercy unto yea to how many that were in many respects farre better then themselves then will this mercy of God towards them seeme as it is indeed admirable in their eyes If this mercy had beene universall to all men God could not have beene so glorified in it in this world if the Lord should have given this grace or meanes alike to all men the glory of his speciall mercy and free grace had not beene so manifested as in this it is Thus the Apostle speaking Romanes 9.22 23. of the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction and of the ends that the Lord aimed at and had respect unto in it hee doth not say that hee did it onely to shew his wrath and to make his power knowne upon them but that the Lord even thereby might make knowne the riches of his glory upon the vessels of mercy The reprobates are fitted to destruction effectuall grace is denied unto them that the riches of Gods grace and mercy towards his elect to whom hee vouchsafeth both might be set forth the better by this comparison and glorified the more And this was the true cause of that joy our Saviour expressed Luke 10.21 In that houre saith the Evangelist Iesus rejoyced in spirit and said I thanke thee ô father Lord of heaven and earth that thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent and hast revealed them unto babes Did hee rejoyce in the judgement of God upon the wise and prudent No verily but so farre forth onely as it served to set forth the mercy of God towards those babes This made him to admire and magnifie the mercy of God towards those babes so much the more when he considered what manner of persons that mercy was denied unto when he considered that it was no common but a rare mercy that God had vouchsafed unto them Lecture CV On Psalme 51.6 December 9. 1628. IT followeth now that wee proceed unto the uses that this Doctrine serveth unto And they are principally two First For instruction to establish our judgements in the truth and confirme us against those errours which in this great worke of mans conversion do derogate from the glory of Gods free grace and give too much unto man himselfe Secondly For exhortation to worke upon our affections and stirre us up unto sundry duties For the first This doctrine serveth notably to establish our hearts in the truth of that holy religion which wee doe professe and to assure us that it is the onely true Doctrine and religion of Christ. Yea it may serve for a touchstone to try all other Doctrines in religion by and to discover to us the falshood and vanity of all other Doctrines and religions whatsoever how faire a shew soever of truth and holinesse they doe beare or whatsoever the persons be that doe hold and professe them That Doctrine and religion that doth derogate never so little from the honour of God that doth not give the whole honour and glory of mans salvation unto him alone but giveth some cause of boasting and glorying unto man himselfe certainely that cannot bee the true Doctrine and religion of Christ. It is not that wisedome that Doctrine and religion that descendeth from above as the Apostle speaketh Iames 3.15 See this distinctly proved unto you in these three points 1. All the glory of mans salvation is due to God alone and no part of it unto man 2. All the glory of mans salvation is to be ascribed onely to the free grace and mercy of God and not unto any thing in man himselfe that might move God to it 3. The ascribing of the whole glory of mans salvation to the Lord alone and to his free grace is the chiefe rule whereby the true Doctrine and religion of God is to be tryed and judged of For the first This hath ever beene the profession of Gods true Church and servants to give all glory to God alone specially in this great worke of the salvation of man This was the song of that heavenly host the blessed Angels that came to bring the glad tidings of the birth of Christ Luke 2.14 Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace good will towards men As if hee had said It is enough for men that through Christ their peace is to bee made Gods good will and free favour is to bee purchased for them though they have no part of the glory of this worke ascribed unto them that is wholly due unto the Lord alone Glory to God in the highest This was the profession of the whole Catholike Church Revel 4.9 11. When those foure beasts representing the whole Church under the New Testament gave glory and honour and thankes to him that sat upon the throne the foure and twenty Elders representing the whole Church under the Old Testament fell downe before him that sat on the throne and cast their crownes before the throne saying thou art worthy ô Lord to receive glory As if he should say Though they had crownes and Christ had made them Kings and Priests unto God to reigne evâ—n on the earth that is to vanquish and overcome their owne corruptions and the tentations of Satan and of the world as themselves say Rev. 5.10 yet they cast downe their crownes they disclaime all honour that may seeme to be due unto themselves they ascribe all the honour and glory of whatsoever goodnesse was in them unto him that sat upon the throne unto the Lord alone Al the glory of mans salvation you see is due to the Lord alone Secondly All the glory of mans salvation is to be ascribed onely to the free grace and mercy of God This hath also ever beene the profession of Gods true Church and people Thus the blessed Apostle though hee had doubtlesse as great helpe from nature as ever man had If any other man thinketh saith he Phil. 4. â— that he hath whereof he might trust in the flesh I more yet professeth 1 Cor. 15.10 By the grace of God I am what I am So the Prophet
Lords garner and who are chaffe that shall be cast into the unquenchable fire Oh consider this I pray you and lay it to heart ye that doe enjoy the ministery of the word And if you have beene unprofitable hearers hitherto thinke seriously of the danger of your estate and use your utmost endeavour to come out of it which is the second thing that I told you I must exhort you unto And if you desire this you must doe these three things First Neglect not the meanes though you have beene hearers thus long and got no good by it God hath not beene pleased to worke with his word in your hearts yet you must bee hearers still If ever God purpose to worke grace in thy heart he will worke it by this meanes Doe therefore as those poore impotent persons did Iohn 5.3 Come to the poole of Bethesda and lye there waiting for the moving of the water Vse the meanes and wait for the good houre when God shall be pleased to worke with his word in thy heart That which Solomon saith of the workes of mercy Eccle. 11.6 In the morning sow thy seed and in the evening with-hold not thy hand for thou knowest not whether shall prosper either this or that As if hee had said Whether shall do most good that may be fitly applyed to this case Heare the word in the morning in thy youth and with-hold not thy selfe from it in the evening in thine age for what knowest thou which is the time God hath determined to convert thee in or which is the sermon that hee will doe it by Though hee have shewed no signe of his eternall love toward thee all this while but of his wrath rather yet I may say to thee as the Prophet doth in another case Ioel 2.14 Who knoweth whether he will returne and repent and leave a blessing behind him for as he saith ver â—3 he is gracious and mercifull slow to anger and of great kindnesse and repenteth him of the evill Secondly Seeing it is so dangerous a signe to remaine blockish and senselesse and a non-proficient under the meanes of grace therefore content not thy selfe to heare but as our Saviour saith to his hearers Luke 8.18 so say I to you Take heed how you heare Hearken diligently unto mee saith the Lord Esay 55.2 Prepare thy selfe before keepe thine eye and eare and mind attentive when thou hearest meditate conferre use all the meanes thou canst to make thy hearing profitable unto thee Thirdly and lastly Rest not in nor ascribe too much to the meanes nor to any thing thy selfe can doe to make them profitable to thee It is not of him that willeth nor of him that runneth but of God that sheweth mercy saith the Apostle Rom. 9.16 Thinke not thou canst receive and profit by the Word when thou listest thou canst repent when thou listest Say not ô if I lived under such a mans ministery how should I profit No no remember who it is that saith Esa. 48.17 Thus saith the Lord thy redeemer the holy one of Israel I am the Lord thy God that teacheth thee to profit I have planted saith Paul 1 Cor. 3.6 and Apollo watered but God gave the increase And therefore thou must joyne prayer with thy hearing and beg earnestly of God that he would worke with his word in thy heart If thou cryest after knowledge saith Solomon Prov. 2.3.5 and listest up thy voyce cryest heartily and earnestly for understanding then shalt thou understand the feare of the Lord and find the knowledge of God The third and last sort of people which I told you this use of exhortation doth concerne are such as have obtained of God not onely the meanes of grace the ministery of his Word but grace also to profit by them Such of you for I doubt not but many of you are such must know that you can never bee sufficiently thankefull unto God for this singular mercy First It is a great mercy a great signe of his speciall and eternall love that hee giveth thee the sound ministery of his Word And I may say to thee as they did to blind Markeâ—0 â—0 49 Bee of good comfort arise hâ—e calleth thee Even this outward calling on thee by his Word is a great signe hee loveth thee and would have thee to bee saved it is a just cause of hope and comfort unto thee Looke abroad in the world and thou shalt find it is no common mercy hee hath not dealt so with every nation Psal. 147. â—0 That the place where thou livest should bee as Goshen enjoy the light Exod. 10.21 23. when as so many other places remaine in palpable darkenesse as all the rest of Egypt did this is surely to be acknowledged as a singular mercy of God unto thee Surely I may say unto you as our Saviour doth to his disciples Matth. 13.17 Many righteous men many good people desire to heare that that you heare would count it their happinesse to enjoy the meanes that you do where you dwell and cannot This is a great mercy that you enjoy the meanes But secondly it is yet a farre greater mercy if you have felt the power of God in them to your conversion if God have given you hearts to savour them and profit by them If God have done this for thee beloved know thou hast cause to doe as that poore convert did when he had felt this power of God in his ordinance 1 Cor 14.25 even to fall downe upon thy face and to worship and praise God for it From hence thou mayest conclude infallibly and so canst thou noâ— from al the outward blessings that ever thou receivest from him that God loveth thee with an everlasting love and hath chosen thee to life before the world was I have loved thee saith the Lord Iere. 31.3 with an everlasting love therefore in loving kindnesse have I drawne thee If God have shewed thee that mercy that loving kindnesse as to draw thee by his word and spirit certainly he hath loved thee with an everlasting love Admit God hath done no more for thee but this admit he exercise thee with never so many afflictions outward or inward admit thou find thy selfe to be so much the more subject to scorne and contempt in the world yet art thou an happy soule We know saith the Apostle Rom. 8.28 that all things worke together for good to them that love God to them that are called according to his purpose If thou find thy selfe to be thus effectually and inwardly called certainly every thing that befalleth thee shall tend to the increase of thy happinesse O looke about thee I beseech thee looke upon many of thy neighbours yea looke upon sundry that are neerer unto thee who all enjoy the same meanes that thou dost and yet never felt any sweetnesse never felt any power in them Let the hardnesse of heart and profanenesse that thou seest in others draw thee to an admiration of this goodnesse and
foure principally First The regenerate sinne against greater meanes of knowledge and obedience then other men doe and therefore their sinnes are greater more heinous and odious unto God then the sinnes of other men True it is that all wicked men doe sin against the meanes and that is that that doth aggravate the sinne of every man and will make him inexcusable as the Apostle speaketh Rom. 1.20 that he sinneth against the meanes God hath given him to keepe him from sinne But Gods people that live in his Church in the valley of vision as the Prophet calleth it Esa. 22.1 under the ministery of the Gospell enjoy farre greater and stronger meanes then all other men do For that is the power of God unto salvation as the Apostle calleth it Rom. 1.16 And proportionable to the greatnesse and excellency of the meanes that God vouchsafeth to any to keepe him from sinne is the greatnesse and heinousnesse of his sinne in the sight of God All men shall find one day that even the having of a sound ministery of the Word whether they profit by it or profit not even the having of such meanes will greatly increase the heinousnesse of their sinnes Whether they will heare or whether they will forbeare saith the Lord Ezek. 2.5 yet they shall know that there hath beene a Prophet among them As if he should say They shall know what it is to have had excellent meanes and not to be bettered by them So saith our Saviour of the Iewes that enjoyed his ministery Iohn 15.22 If I had not come and spoken unto them they had not had sinne that is their sinne had beene nothing in comparison of that that now it is but now they have no cloke no excuse for their sinne And for this cause he saith Mat. 11.24 that it should be more tolerable for Sodom in the day of judgement then for Capernaum The sinnes of Capernaum were more heinous and odious unto God then the sinnes of Sodom because they were committed against greater and stronger meanes then the other were Secondly The regenerate sinne against greater knowledge then other men doe and therefore their sinnes are greater and more heinous then other mens are True it is that all wicked men doe sinne against their knowledge and conscience for by the light of nature they know many things that they doe to be evill Iohn 1.9 Rom. 2.15 And this sinning against their knowledge and conscience is that that greatly increaseth the sinne of every naturall man Because knowing the judgement of God that they that commit such things are worthy of death saith the Apostle Rom. 1.32 yet they not onely doe the same but have pleasure in them that doe them This shall stop the mouth of all iniquity as the Psalmist speaketh Psal. 107.42 at the day of Iudgement when the bookes of conscience shall bee opened and men shall be judged according to that that is written therein Revel 20.12 But all that live in the Church sinne more against knowledge sinne against a farre greater light then any other man doth The light men have by nature is but a dimme light they that seeke God by that light do but grope after him as the Apostle speaketh Acts 17.27 The word is a farre clearer light and they that are instructed by it have a farre clearer knowledge then by any other meanes a man can have The commandement is a lamp saith Solomon Pro. 6.23 and the law is light And yet they that are inwardly inlightned by the spirit of God as all the regenerate are have a farre clearer light and knowledge of God then any man can have that enjoyeth the outward light of the word onely when in the hidden part the Lord hath made a man to know wisedome as David speaketh here For though the word be a most cleare light yet every naturall man hath such a vaile over his heart as he cannot cleerely discerne it but when the heart is once turned to the Lord and converted as the Apostle teacheth 2 Cor. 3.15 16. that evill is taken away The regenerate mans knowledge is farre greater and clearer then any other mans can bee and consequently his sin must needs be also greater then any other mans For the greater measure and degree of knowledge that any man hath the greater is his sin To him that knoweth to do well and doth it not saith the Apostle Iam. 4.17 to him it is sin What and to no body els yes but not so much to any other sin shall not be imputed and laid so heavy to the charge of any man as to him that hath sinned against his owne knowledge and conscience If you were blind saith our Saviour Iohn 9.41 ye should have no sinne that is nothing so much sin so hainous sin as now ye have The servant that knoweth his Lords will saith our Saviour Luke 12.47 and prepared not himselfe nor did according to his will shall bee beaten with many stripes And no marvell for all sins against knowledge are in some degree presumptuous sins and are committed with an higher hand and in more direct contempt of God then other sins are as appeareth by that opposition that is made betweene sins of ignorance and presumptuous sins both in Numb 15.27.30 and Psal. 19.12 13. Thirdly The regenerate sin against greater mercy and kindnesse they have received from God then other men do and therefore their sins are greater and more hainous then the sins of other men True it is there is no wicked man but he hath received much mercy and kindnesse from God The Lord is good to all saith the Psalmist Psalme 145.9 and his tender mercies are above all his workes And his sinning against this goodnesse and mercy of God is that that greatly increaseth the sin of every wicked man and will much aggravate his condemnation This is that that treasureth up wrath unto them against the day of wrath as the Apostle speaketh Rom. 2.4 5. But the mercies and kindnesses that God hath shewed to any wicked man are nothing if they be compared with that which he hath shewed to every regenerate soule They are but common mercies they are but as the crummes that fall from their masters table as that poore woman speaketh Matth 15.27 Remember mee ô Lord saith David Psalme 106 4 with the favour that thou bearest unto thy people The Lord hath shewed another manner of favour and love to his owne people he hath done more for the poorest wretch that is regenerate he hath given him more then all the world besides Hee hath given them his owne sonne To us a sonne is given Esa. 9.6 He hath given them a full and free pardon of all their sinnes Thou hast forgiven the iniquity of thy people thou hast covered all their sinne saith David Psalme 85.2 Hee hath given them his holy spirit Because yee are sonnes saith the Apostle Gal. 4.6 God hath sent forth the spirit of his son into your hearts He will give them the
of the most important passages of the story are And why hath the Lord done this Surely because he saw it was necessary for poore humbled sinners that it should be so surely because he saw how apt his poore children would be partly through the corruption of their owne heart and partly through the subtilty of Satan when they had fallen into grosse sinnes to despaire of mercy to thinke their sinne is greater then can be pardoned that there is no hope of finding mercy with God if they should turne unto him and repent that there was never child of God that sinned as they have done For their sakes it is to keepe them from despaire to encourage them to rise out of their sinnes and to turne to God by repentance the Lord would needs have these foule sinnes of his dearest servants recorded who though they sinned as grossely as any humbled sinner can possibly now doe yet upon their rising againe by repentance and turning unto God did find mercy with him And that this was a maine end God respected in this the Apostle plainely telleth us 1 Tim. 1.16 He fell so grievously and yet obtained mercy that God might make him a patterne to all his poore servants that should come after him of his readinesse to receive the foulest sinners unto mercy upon their unfeigned repentance This then is a second end God had in permitting his servants to fall and in letting thee to know of their falls that thou when thou art fallen and humbled for thy fall mightest be encouraged to rise againe and dost thou pervert it to a quite contrary end even to embolden and incourage thy selfe to fall These examples which the Lord intended onely for the helpe of the humbled sinner as a cord to pulâ— him out of the water thou that art a presumptuous sinner and hast therefore nothing to doe with them dost let Satan use them as a cord to pull thee into the water and to keepe thee there to thine owne perdition And this is the first thing I have to say unto these men Secondly Thou hast no cause at all to comfort thy selfe in thy sins by the falls of any of Gods people thou readest of in the Scripture or observest in thine own experience For none of all their sinnes are like unto thine If thou wert such a sinner as they were thou wert an happy man They committed more hâ—inous sinnes then ever thou didst it may be yet were they not so heinous sinners in Gods sight as thou art Thou canst not find in all the Scriptures an example of any one child of God that sinned as thou dost Three maine differences are to be observed betweene them and thee First Thou readest of no child of God that sinned but thou readest also that he repented and was humbled for his sinne yea that the measure of his humiliation was proportionable to the measure of his sinne David was deepely humbled for his sinne as appeareth in the 8. verse of this Psalme Hee watered his bed with his teares Psal. 6 6. Manasses humbled himselfe greatly before the Lord 2 Chron. 33.12 Peter wept bitterly Matth 2â— 7â— If thou couldst do so thou mightest take comfort in the examples of their falls but thou knowest it is farre otherwise with thee Secondly None of them after their repentance did ever fall into those foule sinnes againe Noah was never drunke but once David turned not aside from any thing that God commanded him saith the Holy Ghost 1 King 15.5 that is to say not in any grosse and scandalous crime all the daies of his life save onely in the matter of Vria the Hirtite The like may be said of Peter and all the rest And therefore what comfort can the common drunkard and adulterer and blasphemer take in their examples who though he hath fiâ—s of remorse for his siâ—s yet cannot leave them possibly Thirdly and lastly There was never any child of God that fell into any foule sinne but it was against the purpose of his heart I have said that I would keepe thy words saith David Psalme 119.57 this was his resolution and the setled purpose of his heart A wise mâ—n feareth saith Solomon Pro. 14.16 and departeth from evill hee purposeth not to fall into sinne And therefore the Apostle calleth the falls of Gods child an over-taking in a fault Gal. 6 1. when he falleth into sin it is through the malice and eager pursuit of his corrupt nature or of the divell whereby he is suddenly taken and as it were circumvented and overcome contrary to his purpose and resolutions But on the other side thou never purposest or resolvest to keepe Gods commandements and to resist tentations or if thou do yet thou hast no care to performe thy vowes and promises of obedience thou dost sleight and despise the waies thou shouldst walk in as Solomon speaketh Pro. 19.16 The third and last thing I have to say to these men is this That admit thy case were in all respects such as theirs was yet shalt thou find no cause to imbolden thy selfe to sinne by their example if thou wouldst consider well how they smarted for their sinnes It is true indeed Gods owne people many of them have sinned shamefully but it is as true which thou hast heard proved at large in the Doctrine that the Lord did never so sharply scourge any other in this life for their sinnes as he hath done them And if thou couldst well weigh with thy selfe how dearely they paid for their sinnes thou wouldest bee loath to purchase the pleasure or profit that any sinne can yeeld thee at so deare a rate And therefore it is to bee observed that as the sinnes of Gods people are recorded in the Word so are the fearefull judgements also recorded that followed them for these sinnes Noahs drunkennesse is recorded and so is the fearfull curse also that by occasion of that sinne fell upon his sonne Ham and all his posterity Gen. 9.25 Lotâ— incest is mentioned and so is the judgement also that followed it Gen. 19.37 38. the cursed posterity that came of that sinne were a scourge to Gods people for many generations as you may see Psal. 83.8 Solomons fall is mentioned and so is the judgement that fell on his posterity for it 1 King 11.31.33 I shall not need to speak of David of Hezekiah of Manasses or of Peter all whose sinnes are recorded indeed in the Word but it is as well and as carefully recorded how they smarted for them And to conclude of every sinne of theirs I may say to thee as Abner spake to Ioab in another case 2 Sam. 2.26 Knowest thou not that it was bitternesse in the latter end Lecture CXII On Psalme 51.6 March 3. 1628. THe second sort of uses that this Doctrine serveth unto hath relation unto the judgements of God executed upon others specially upon his owne Church and people The Doctrine which we have heard teacheth us how to judge and how to
for themselves why they cannot rejoyce nor take that comfort in him that they ought to do which I will endeavour to strengthen you against Alas saith one how can I be joyfull or comfortable in Christ that have the hand of God so heavy upon me many wayes as I have both in outward and inward afflictions and which though I have oft and long sought to the Lord to be eased and delivered from them yet I cannot prevaile To this I answer Remember what thou hast heard in the Doctrine 1. Thou maist be as deare to God as any is upon earth though thou be thus afflicted For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth saith the Apostle Heb. 12.6 and scourgeth every sonne whom hee receiveth 2. Thou canst not justly say that those afflictions that thou complainest so much of are certaine arguments that God is angry with thee for some sinne that thou art guilty of For it may be he hath no respect at all in them to thy sinnes but either to keepe thee from some sin that he seeth thou art in danger to fall into if thou shouldst not bee thus kept under as it was in Pauls case 2 Cor. 12 7. or to try thy faith and patience and make thee an example of faith and patience unto others as it was in Iobs case 3. Admit God hath respect to thy sinne in keeping thee thus under the rod so long yet are not thy afflictions punishments whereby God taketh vengeance on thee for thy sinnes but fatherly chastisements onely whereby he intendeth to doe thee good Christ thy Saviour hath borne the whole punishment due to thy sins The Lord hath laid upon him saith the Prophet Esa. 53.6 the iniquity of us all And thou maist be sure that God hath pardoned and will never lay to thy charge that sinne that he thus correcteth in thee because thou dost what thou canst to find out thy sinnes and the sins thou hast found out thou art unfeignedly humbled for and resolvest to forsake For repentance and remission of sins are never separated as is plaine by that speech of Christ Luke 24.47 4. Lastly So long as thy sinnes are pardoned thou maist bee and hast just cause to bee comfortable what ever thine afflictions be Sonne be of good cheere saith our Saviour Matth. 9.2 to the man that had as uncomfortable a disease upon him as a man can lightly have thy sinnes are forgiven thee As if hee had said This is a sufficient cause of comfort unto thee what ever thy distresses and afflictions be How can I take comfort in Christ saith another that am privy to my selfe of such odious and enormious sins as I have beene guilty of in times past yea as I find in my selfe continually such cursed and blasphemous thoughts as never child of God was troubled with To this I answer First Christ hath satisfied the justice of God not for small and ordinary and common sinnes of his people onely but for all their sinnes how great and heinous soever they have beene The bloud of Iesus Christ his Sonne cleanseth us from all sinne saith the Apostle 1 Iohn 1.7 As all bodily diseases were alike to him He healed every disease saith the Evangelist Mat 9.35 and every sicknesse among the people so all sinnes which are the diseases of our soules are alike to him Blesse the Lord ô my soule saith David Psal. 103.2 3. who forgiveth all thine iniquities and healeth all thy diseases Let Israel hope in the Lord saith David Psalme 130.7 for with the Lord there is mercy and with him there is plenteous redemption As if he had said The redemption that Christ made the ransome that hee paid was not scant but plenteous enough and enough againe for all the sinnes of his people how many or how heinous soever they were Where sinne abounded saith the Apostle Romanes 5.20 grace did much more abound As if hee should say No sinne of any of Gods elect can be so great but the merit of Christ and Gods mercy in him is farre greater Secondly The benefit of this ransome that Christ hath paid doth certainely belong to thee because those heinous sins that thou complainest of are a burden to thy conscience thou yeeldest not to them but labourest and strivest against them For our Saviour expressely saith that such shall find rest and comfort by him Come unto me saith he Mat. 11.28 all ye that labour and are heavie laden and I will give you rest Thirdly and lastly The consideration of the heinousnesse of thy sins which thou art thus troubled with and consequently which Christ hath purchased thy pardon for should be so farre from making thee unable to rejoyce in Christ as none under heaven hath so much cause to rejoyce and take comfort in him as thou hast They to whom many and foule sins such as that poore womans were of whom Christ speaketh Luk. 7.47 are forgiven will love Christ and consequently rejoyce in him much but to whom little is forgiven the same will love but litle Paul that counted himselfe chiefe of all sinners as he saith 1 Tim. 1.15 found more joy and comfort in Christ then we shall read of any other to have done this he often maketh profession of 1 Cor. 15.31 Gal. 6.14 Phil. 3.3 and sundry other places Nay in that very place where he calleth to remembrance how horrible a sinner he had beene and what mercy hee had found with God through Christ he bursteth forth into this doxology 1 Tim. 1.17 Now unto the King eternall immortall invisible the only wise God be honour and glory for ever and ever Amen There is yet a third objection A third reason that many a poore soule alledgeth why he cannot rejoyce in Christ nor take comfort in him He that truly beleeveth in Christ hath just cause indeed to rejoyce in him saith he As Elizabeth said of Mary Luk. 1.45 Blessed is she that beleeveth so saith he ô they are happy that can truly beleeve in Christ. But alas I cannot beleeve Now unto this poore soule I have these two things to say First Yeeld not to this infidelity of thy heart but strive against it stir up thy selfe to take hold of Christ to beleeve in him and consider what encouragements God hath given thee in his Word to do so 1. God hath commanded that Christ and the pardon that he hath purchased should in the ministery of the Gospell be offered in most generall termes to thee as well as to any other thou art not excepted out of this pardon Goe and preach the Gospell saith Christ Mat. 16.15 that is offer this pardon to every creature 2. Christ hath in his Word made offer of himselfe and all his merits to such as thou art more then to any other 1. Thou knowest and feelest the burden of thy sins And such he inviteth above all others to come to him Matth. 11.28 and assureth them they shall receive benefit by him 2. Thou thirstest
proceed unto the fourth and last of those Motives which I promised to give you to perswade you to seeke without delay to know that you are through Christ justified in Gods sight And that is this That when a man is once justified then he shall be sure to be sanctified and never till then If any man desire to get strength against any lust or corruption that troubleth him most or to obtaine any grace that he standeth most in need of let him first labour to know that he is justified and that his sinnes are forgiven him That is the onely sure way to attaine unto both till a man know himselfe to be justified let him use never so many meanes to attaine either of them he shall but loose his labour I will give you the proofe of this first in the generall by shewing you that all true sanctification proceedeth from justification secondly in both the parts of sanctification that is to say mortification of the old man and vivification of the new For the first Doe any of you desire to have a better heart and to lead a better life which wee all ought and every good heart doe desire more then any thing els in the world then labour to get assurance that Christ is thine that thy sinnes are forgiven thee that thou art through him reconciled unto God this is the onely sure way to amend both thy heart and life This will doe it and nothing but this will ever bee able to do it Two sorts of proofes I will give you for this 1. The inward instrument whereby the spirit of God worketh sanctification in the heart of man the inward principle and root of all grace is faith that justifieth a man and maketh knowne the love of God to him in Christ. 2. The outward instrument whereby the spirit of God worketh sanctification in the heart of man is the preaching of the glad tidings of the Gospell unto him For the first I will give you foure plaine places of Scripture for the proofe of it The first is that speech of our Saviour unto Paul Acts 26.18 where speaking of them that shall inherit eternall life he calleth them such as are sanctified by faith in him As if he had said It is faith in Christ such a faith as assureth a man that Christ is his and that God is through Christ reconciled unto him that sanctifyeth a man and nothing but that The second place is Heb. 9.14 Where the Apostle comparing the bloud of Christ with the bloud of the legall sacrifices and having shewed in the former verse that the sprinkling even of that upon the people did worke a kinde of externall and legall sanctification in them How much more saith he shall the bloud of Christ being sprinkled upon you and applyed to your hearts by the spirit of God purge your consciences from dead workes to serve the living God As if he should say so soone as the bloud of Christ is sprinkled upon the conscience so soone as ever the spirit of God hath by faith assured a man that the pardon which Christ by his bloud hath purchased doth belong unto him this will certainly follow of it his heart and conscience will be purged and cleansed from dead workes from those workes which while he was a naturall man dead in trespasses and sinnes he lived in and he shall be enabled to serve God in newnesse of life The third place for the proofe of this is in 2 Pet. 1.4 Where the Apostle saith that by the knowledge of Christ are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises that by these you might be partakers of the divine nature having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust Two things are to bee observed in these words of the Apostle 1. How come Gods people to escape the corruption that is in the world through lust How come they to forsake and be preserved from those sinnes that both themselves in times past and the whole world still through the strength of our naturall concupiscence liveth in How come they to be partakers of the divine nature How come they to have the Image of God which consisteth in true holinesse and righteousnesse renewed in them Why saith the Apostle we attaine unto all this this change is wrought in us by the exceeding great and precious promises of God which are given unto us not by any thing we were able to doe by any endeavour wee could use by any penance we could put our selves unto no nor by the law or judgements of God but by receiving and beleeving the exceeding great and precious promises that God hath given us of pardon and mercy was this blessed change wrought in us But then 2. How came wee to have interest in these exceeding great and precious promises of God Surely saith the Apostle Verse 3. And in the very first words of this verse through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and Vertue that is through the knowledge of Christ. By knowing Christ to be ours In whom all the promises of God are yea and Amen as the Apostle speaketh 2 Cor. 1.20 wee come to have Title to all the exceeding great and precious promises of God The fourth and last place of Scripture which I promised to give you for confirmation of this first point is that speech of the Apostle Eph. 3.19 Where the Apostle praying for the Ephesians that God would make them able to know the love of Christ that passeth knowledge which was so infinitely great unto every poore sinner that beleeveth in him as no heart of man is able fully to know and comprehend it he giveth this for the reason of that prayer that he made for them that yee might be filled saith he with all the fulnesse of God As if he had said the more knowledge you shall have of the wonderfull love that Christ hath borne unto you the more that you shall be assured of it the more you look into it and meditate of it the more you shall bee filled with all the fulnesse of God the more shall you abound in sanctification and in every saving grace Now for the second sort of proofes I spake of the outward instrument wherby the spirit of God useth to worke sanctification and holinesse in the heart of man is the preaching of the glad tydings of the Gospell the opening and applying to him the new Testament and covenant of God the covenant of grace the promises of Gods free grace and mercy in Christ. True it is the Lord sometimes by his judgements and plagues but more usually by the Ministery of the law useth to prepare men unto grace and worke a kinde of repentance and change in the heart of man But the meanes whereby he useth to sanctifie a man indeed to mortifie and kill sin in the root to worke a saving change and true grace in his heart is by preaching the Gospell and making knowne to him his mercy in Christ.
received them by the ministery of the Church and preaching of the Word Therefore the Apostle calls the ministery of the Gospell 2 Cor. 3.8 the ministration of the spirit As if hee had said The meanes whereby the Lord conveyes his spirit into the heart of man and whereby the spirit worketh grace in mans heart is the ministery of the Word Received ye the spirit saith he Galathians 3.2 by the workes of the law or by the hearing of faith that is the Doctrine of faith preached So speaking of faith the greatest worke of the spirit he saith Rom. 10.17 faith comes by hearing Therefore when our Saviour had said Iohn 6.45 It is written in the Prophets they shall bee all taught of God hee addeth immediatly every man therefore that hath heard and learned of the father commeth unto me As if he had said The father teacheth no man ordinarily but in and by the hearing of his Word preached Therefore when the Lord makes that gracious promise to every faithfull man that hee will by his spirit plainely teach and direct him which way to take even then when he is in most danger to be mislead and seduced Esa. 30.21 Thine eares shall heare a word behind thee saying this not that but this is the way walke yee in it continue goe on in it leave it not when thou turnest unto the right hand and when thou turnest unto the left As if he should have said When thou shalt be in danger to be seduced and drawne out of the right way even then my spirit shall resolve and confirme thee in the truth and keepe thee in it I say when the Lord doth promise thus plainely and particularly to teach and guide his people aright by his spirit even in controverted truthes you shall find in the former verse 20. how and by what meanes the spirit will thus teach and guide his people Thy teachers saith he shall not bee removed into a corner any more but thine eyes shall see thy teachers and then followeth and thine eares shall heare a word behind thee As if hee should say I will accompany the ministery of my Word with the efficacy and operation of my spirit and by the ministery of thy teachers my spirit shall instruct and guide thee in the right way And thus you see the first reason of the Doctrine opened and confirmed unto you that the spirit of God wheresoever hee dwells will teach and perswade the heart in the truth of religion The second reason of it is this That when once a man is taught of God and instructed by his spirit in the truth hee will certainely cleave unto it and hold fast whatsoever hee hath learned of that heavenly teacher Teach mee O Lord saith David Psalme 119.33 the way of thy statutes that is that way unto life and salvation which thou hast in thy Word prescribed a plaine periphrasis of the true religion of God and I shall keepe it unto the end As if hee had said I shall never fall nor bee drawne away from it when once thou hast by thy spirit instructed and resolved me in it And verse 102. I have not departed from thy judgements saith he but have beene constant in thy truth for thou hast taught mee So saith the Apostle also of all that are taught of God 1 Iohn 2.27 The same anointing saith hee the spirit of God hee meanes teacheth you of all things of all things that are necessary for you to know and it is truth and is no lie this teaching of the spirit is cleare certaine and even as it hath taught you ye shall abide in him As if he should say Ye shall abide in Christ and in the profession of every truth of his because ye have beene taught by his holy spirit And thus have I shewed you the reasons and grounds of this point that he that hath the spirit of Christ will be constant in the Religion of Christ and firmly cleave unto the truth of God Lecture CXLVI On Psalme 51.7 Aug. 30. 1631. IT followeth now that we proceede to make some application of it unto our selves For seeing as wee have heard the Spirit of God wheresoever it dwels will teach and resolve the heart in the truth of Religion and he that is thus taught of God cannot but be constant in the truth seeing the Lord makes so great account of them that cleave to his truth and the faithfull themselves have found such comfort in this when they have beene in great distresse wee are therefore to be exhorted that every one of us would labour by this note to approve our selves to have the Spirit of Christ and so to be his even by our resolution and constancy in our Religion and cleaving fast unto the truth of God which we have received and doe make profession of This is an exhortation which we shall finde much pressed upon Gods people by the Holy Ghost specially in the New Testament Watch yee take heed unto your selves saith the Apostle 1 Cor. 16.13 stand fast in the faith in the Doctrine of faith quit yee like men in withstanding manfully all such as would seduce you bee strong and resolute in the truth Observe his earnestnesse in the many words he useth So Phil. 4.1 Stand fast in the Lord in the faith and Doctrine of Christ my dearely beloved And 2 Thes. 2.15 Therefore brethren saith hee sland fast and hold the traditions the doctrines delivered unto you which you have beene taught whether by word by lively voice in the Ministery of the word preached which you heare or by our Epistle or by the holy Scripture which yee reade And againe Heb. 4.14 Let us hold fast our proâ—ession saith he And againe Heb. 10.23 Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering Remember how thou hast received and heard saith our Saviour Revel 3.3 and hold fast And if the people of God then had such need to have this exhortation pressed upon them while the Apostles themselves lived by whom they had beene taught and confirmed in the truth with farre more evidence and demonstration of the spirit and of power as the Apostle speaketh 1 Cor. 2.4 then is it to bee found in the Ministery of any of Gods servants now how much more necessary is this exhortation for us all in these dayes No not so will you say For those were dayes of bloudy persecution and of a fiery tryall The Magistrate was a mortall enemy to Christ and his Gospell and the Iewes every where incensed him against it but we thankes be to God live under a Christian Magistrate and in dayes of great peace we have peace at home and peace abroad To this I answer that though we through the great mercy of God doe enjoy the Gospell in great peace and have it also maintained and countenanced by publike authority and though the religious disposition of our gracious King who hath both heretofore and of late so fully declared himselfe
may fall fearefully into odious sinnes 8 Why the Lord suffers his people to fall 9 10 The best have therefore great cause to feare 10 11 Means to keep us from falling 11 Take heed of declining in the least matters 795 When they are fallen they cannot rise up again of themselves 13 Comfort against tentations of falling away 352 357 Differences between the falls of the elect and others 355 556 Their sinne is great that rejoyce to heare and speak of them 552 And theirs that embolden themselves to sin by them 554 557 Why the falls of the godly are recorded in the Word 555 Family True converts will have a care to reforme their families 288 630 Such as have children and families are charged with the soules of them 289 481 Must answer for their open proâ—anenesse and contempt of religion 711 Fast. Humiliation necessary in every fast and for what causes we should be humbled 311 313 Feeling A man may be in the state of grace and highly in Gods favour though be feele is not nor have the comfort of it 140 141 Feare of God That may be well done that is done cut of feare of Gods judgements 387 But it must be such a feare as is mixed with love 388 A man may be subject to slavish feares and yet truly love God 392 Reasons of it 393 394 We must strive against these feares 395 6 Means to overcome them 396 734 735 He that is in the state of grace must be affraid to sin 569 570 Must feare every degree of sin must continue in this feare Ibid Faith the root of it 741 Freedome of will How dead we are by nature 305 517 518 Wicked men have no true desire nor wiâ—l tâ— have grace and to be saved 454 455 Wicked men may forbeare many sinnes and doe much more good than they do 457 He that doth what lieth in him is nearer to salvation than another naturall man 458 The naturall man is able to â—â—ve to men and to himselfe but not to God 518 G. God HIs omnipresence and omniscience 221 222 His holinesse 222 His Maiesty 223 His goodnesse and bounty 224 Gods love Wicked men are perswaded God loveth them and hee doth indeed with a common love 398 Faith assures us of Gods speciall love 400 Rest not in common favours but get assurance of Gods speciall love 401 402 687 688 Motives to seeke for assurance of Gods speciall love 402 406 Meanes to get it 406 c Grace We are bound to give God thanks for his restraining grace in others 337. In our selves 339 Saving grace is of a permanent and durable nature 428 Gospell The preaching of the Gospell is the outward instrument whereby the Spirit workes sanctification 732 H. Hearers TO love and reverence Gods Ministers 22 167 What Ministry they should most prize 22 23 Yet must they esteeme reverently of the meanest faithfull Minister 23 Reprooâ—e of hearers that love not their Ministers person 24 That discourage their Ministers 480 That regard not his Ministry 24 169 The danger of such as neglect to heare 26 That heare without profit 27 528 Many complaine without cause they cannot profit by the Word 528 What the true causes are men profit not by the Word 529 What they must do that have long enjoyed the Ministry of the Word and cannot profit by it 530 Hearers must examine what they heare 790 How wee may heare with profit 30 c. 742 1. What we must do before 30 35 792 2. What in hearing 35 39 3. What after 39 44 Resort to Ministers for resolution 43 Heart Grosse sinnes harden the heart 14 15 16 Hardnesse of heart a â—earefull judgement 16 Meanes to deliver and preserve us from it 16 17 735 Make conscience of the first stirâ—ings of thy corruption there 317 When God hath a mans heart it is a signe of uprightnesse 438 c. 463 Signes that the purpose and desire of the heart is right 465 Honour Whom God accounts truly honourable 286 Hope A sound hope that when wee shall die wee shall goe to heaven a speciall meanes of patience 270 Signes of a true hope 271 Humiliation The knowledge of our naturall corruption is of great force to humble us 308 We have cause to be humbled when wee have performed our best duties 309 When we go before God in prayer Ibid. Specially at fasts 311 And at the Sacrament 574 Seeking assurance of Gods favour with an humbled soule is a speciall meanes to obtaine it 408 647 Humiliation for sinne a speciall meanes to obtaine sanctified knowledge 498 He that is in the state of grace â—ath more cause to be humbled for his grosse sinnes than any other man 573 Foure benefits of â—ound humiliation 574 The humbled soule most capable of mercy 647 648 None fit to receive Christ but the humble and such as find themselves utterly void of all grace 691 Hypocrisie The best are apt to suspect themselves to be hypocrites 460 Comfort for such 461 Many things in an hypocrite better than in any meere naturall man 697 An hypocrite may go farre 698 c. The good things in them not to be misliked and scorned 699 In some respects the hypocrite is worse and in worse case than the open profane person 719 Signes of an hypocrite 720 c I. Idlenesse A Great sinne for any man to live idly and un-profitably 125 Idolatry It is a good thing and pleasing to God to hate Idolatry 712 714 Ignorance Is a sinne that much provokes God 494 It is a signe one is under Sathans power 496 Such a one easily seduced Ibid. Such an one is full of doubts and feares 497 Infants Every Infant so soone as it is borne or conceived is guilty of sin in the sight of God and deserveth to be damned 277 In what respects called Innocents Ibid. And said to be holy 278 How severe God hath beene in his judgements towards some Infants 279 280 The originall corruption of Infants consists in three things Ibid Observe Gods judgements on them 281 The sin that is in Infants is derived to them from their parents 282 Infidelity The hainousnesse of that sin 146 147 Notwithstanding Infidelity discerned and bewailed a man may trust in Gods mercy 648 682 Infirmities Foure notes to discerne a sin of infirmity from a reigning sin 709 Ioy. The humble-hearted man hath great cause of Ioy. 138 Gods children have cause to be comfortable and to serve God with alacrity 364 365 He that truly believeth he is justified by Christ must needs rejoyce in him 675 c. Their great sin that do not 680 Iudgements of God The Lord sheweth his severity more in this life against the sinnes of his owne people than of the wicked 1. He afflicts all them 2. Begins with them 542 543. 3. He usually makes them examples 544. 4. His judgements are wont to be heavier and sharper on them 545 This be doth to keep them from sin and perdition 546 He getteth himselfe glory from
p. 448. 2 The taskes God sets his servants are not hard nor heavie 1 Indeed to wicked men they are not onely difficult but impossible Ibid. 2 To the godliest the commandements of God as the law enjoynes them are impossiâ—le 3 To yeeld Evangelicall obedience to the commandements of God is very difficult to the regenerate in respect of the remnants of naturall corruption in them p. 449. Yet is not the service of God so painefull as needs discourage us from it for 1 The Commandements are possible to the regenerate 2 yea to the weaker Christian they are easie as Christ enjoynes them 3 They are to them in respect of the inward man nothing grievous p. 450. This none can doubt of that considers the gracious disposition of the Lord and master we doe service to p. 551. This appeares in foure points 1 his aptnesse to passe by and winke at our offences and failings in his service Ibid. 2 his aptnesse to accept of that little we are able to do 3 when he enjoynes services of extraordinary difficulty hee gives extraordinary supply of strength and assistance p. 452. 4 The wages and reward he giveth Even in this life if we serve him we shall be sure 1 of his countenance and speciall favour 2 of protection and safety in times of greatest danger 3 of competency in outward things 4 when time of paiment commeth we shall be abundantly recompensed for all the paines wee have taken p. 4.53 The consideration of this wages and the hope of it should make us go through with our work cheerefully p. 454. Lect. 92. This doth greatly aggravate the sinne and damnation of wicked men that they have no grace nor are saved because they have no will nor desire to have grace and to bee saved p. 454. Wicked men are apt to impute all to Gods decree and will onely Ibid. But as the Lord is not the cause of any mans sinne but man himselfe so is not God the cause of any mans destruction but man himselfe p. 455. for 1 they will take no paines to obtaine grace and to escape damnation Ibid. 2 when they may have the meanes of grace and salvation without charge or paines they neglect them and account them a burden p. 456. 3 when God forceth good motions upon them they resist them 4 They doe in their hearts despise grace and salvation Ibid. Obj. This cannot be because 1 a man is dead in trespasses and who can blame a dead man for not desiring to live 2 the matter of mans salvation dependeth wholly upon the will of God 3 God can if he will overcome this unwillingnes that is in man Answ. 1. God is not the cause why man is dead in sin but himselfe 2 God is not bound to restore him to life 3 He is not so dead but there 's enough left in him to make him inexcusable he may do more then he doth p. 457. for he may if he will 1 forbeare many sinnes that make him more uncapable of grace and will increase his damnation 2 do many good workes 3 frequent the meanes even the best meanes Ibid 4 So observe and take to heart the Word and judgements of God as to bring his heart thereby unto Legall repentance and humiliation p. 458. 5 Out of the sense of his owne wretchednesse not onely desire the prayers of others but himselfe also pray and cry to God for mercy p. 458. Obj. All this that the naturall man can do is nothing worth nor pleasing to God Answ. Yet 1 he is nearer to salvation that doth thus what lieth in him then any other naturall man is 2 though by doing all this he cannot deserve nor be assured God will give him grace yet may he hope herein to finde mercy because 1 God so infinite in goodnesse Ibid. 2 he seeketh to the vilest sinners 3 he hath shewed much respect even to these endeavours of sundry naturall men p. 459. 3 They that doe not thus what they are able are hereby 1 made more inexcusable 2 worse and worse and 3 shall receive greater damnation Ibid. Lect. 93. Gods Ministers are of all workes of their ministery most bound to comfort th' afflicted soules p 459. Obj. They apt to doubt they are hypocrites that they have not one of the signes of uprightnesse in them p. 460. Answ. 1. The having some dregs of hypocritic or other sins will not prove one an hypocrite or wicked man unlesse it reigne in him p. 461. 2 Hypocrisie nor any other sin doth reigne in him that discernes it and feeleth it to be a burden Ibid. 462. 3 He that cannot take comfort in any of the rest of the signes of an upright heart may in this if he finde that in his minde he consents to the Word and unfeignedly also desires to please God in all things and to doe his will Ibid. Because he that hath this hath all the rest p. 463. This confirmed by three forts of proofes Ibid. Foure signes of an heart that 's set to please God and truly desires grace p. 465. Lect. 94. Motives to perswade us to labour to be upright in heart Such God hath promised to be good unto p. 466. 1 in outward things viz. 1 in their habitations and dwellings 2 in their children 3 in al other good things 4 yea in times of common calamity p. 467. And in spirituall things also for such 1 shall never loose Gods favour and grace 2 shall have strength from God to endure any tryall p. 468. 3 Have a joyfull issue out of all their tentations and spirituall desertions p. 469. Meanes to purge us from hypocrisie and to get and preserve uprightnesse 1 The heart must be broken before ever it can be found 2 Get true faith in Christ 3 Take heed of living in knowne sin Ibid. 4 Thinke oft of this that Gods eye is upon thee 5 Complaine to God of the falsehood of thine heart and beg an upright heart of him p. 470. Lect. 95. What 's meant by knowing of wisdome in the hidden part p. 472. True and saving knowledge is the principall work of Gods grace in the conversion of man For 1 in every one whom he converts he worketh saving knowledge Ibid. 2 This the first worke of grace 3 The change and conversion of a sinner consists chiefly in this p. 473. Reason 1 Because it is the foundation and that gives stability and durablenesse to all other graces 2 It is the seed and beginning of all other graces p. 473 477. Lect. 96. We are bound to desire procure so farre as in us lyeth that all men may have the meanes of knowledge for we are bound to pitty the estate of all even the worst men that live and to desire their salvation and knowledge is the onely meanes to bring them to salvation p 477 478. A sound ministery the greatest outward fruit of Gods mercy to a people 478. The Gospell hath beene more fruitfull in good works then popery p.
479. Though it be the great sin of many professors of the Gospel that they give little or nothing to charitable pious uses yet the greatest work of charity mercy that can be don is to provide for a people able Ministers and to maintaine and encourage them Ib. 480. Parents and masters of families must use their utmost endeavour to bring their children and servants to knowledge and by what meanes p. 481. Ministers first and chiefe care must be to bring the people to knowledge Ibid. and therefore must 1 Catechise them 2 teach plainely 3 ground all their application upon sound doctrine 4 study for their Sermons p. 482. Lect. 97. All Gods people should seeke for knowledge 1 not resting in any good thing they seeme to have without this 2 not contenting themselves with every small measure of knowledge but seeke for a setled and well grounded knowledge and certainty in religion p. 483. Yet is there a kinde of knowledge in religion and divine things that 1 many hypocrites doe attaine unto Ibid. 2 and wherein they excell most Christians 3 yea which is the greatest barre and impediment to grace of all others p 484. The knowledge wee should labour for is sanctified knowledge such as Gods Spirit worketh in the regenerate Ibid. Wee should examine whether our knowledge be such or no. Signes of saving knowledge p. 485. 1 th' object of it is the Word 2 Specially such parts of it as are most usefull and most concerne us Ibid. 3 It s a cleere and certaine knowledge 4 There 's no fullnesse nor satiety in it but the more a man hath it the more he feeleth the want of it and desires it p. 486. Lect. 98. Saving knowledge may be knowne by the effects of it 1 It humbleth them that have it and puffs them not up p. 487. 2 It workes upon the heart to stirre up good affections p. 488. 3 It s operative and powerfull to reforme the heart and life of him that hath it p. 489 490. 4 It strengthens a man against tentations p. 491. Lect. 99. Motives to seeke knowledge 1 The matters we are exhorted to get knowledge in concerne all one as well as another for 1 all challenge an equall interest in God therefore it concernes one as well as another to know him his will p. 492. 2 all Gods people have equall interest in the holy Scripture one as much as another and therfore it concernes all to be well acquainted with them and expert in them p. 493. 2 Great is the necessity and benefit of knowledge and great is the danger and mischiefe of ignorance for 1 knowledge is a duty commanded a grace highly pleasing to God and such as hath a promise of blessing Ibid. Whereas ignorance is a sin which much grieveth and provoketh God yea such a sin as he hath revealed his wrath from heaven against by judgements both corporall spirituall and eternall p. 494. 2 Knowledge is a comfortable signe of a mans election and that hee is in covenant with God and that his heart is upright pag. 495. Whereas ignorance is a signe of reprobation and that one still remaines under the power of Sathan and hath a wicked and naughty heart p. 496. 3 He that hath knowledge will bee constant in religion and not be corrupted by any seducers whereas hee that is ignorant will easily bee drawne away from the truth hee professeth Ibid. 4 He that hath knowledge walketh boldly and comfortably in all his waies whereas hee that is ignorant must needs bee full of doubts and feares p. 497. Lect. 100. Meanes of sanctified and saving knowledge 1 None can attaine it that is not sensible of his owne ignorance p. 498. 2 nor he that hath not an heart truly humbled Ibid 3 nor that doth not attend diligently conscionably upon the sound ministery of the Word preached p. 499 502. 4 Reading of the Word is also a good meanes to confirme and establish the heart in knowledge So is 5 Meditation 6 good conference and 7 Prayer p. 502. Lect. 101. The Conversion of a man is to bee ascribed wholly unto God and the mighty working of his grace 1 of God it is that any man enjoyeth sufficient meanes of grace even a sound ministery in this Gods speciall hand and goodnesse is to be acknowledged p. 503. 2 This is no common favour but a speciall and rare favour of God p. 504 505. 3 The right use of the light of nature cannot deserve God should give his Gospell to any neither hath he respect to any goodnesse in man but is mooved to it onely by his owne free grace p. 506 507. Lect. 102. That the meanes of grace become effectuall to the conversion of any is to be ascribed onely to the Spirit of God not to the meanes themselves Why so much is ascribed in Scripture to the Word it selfe and to the ministery thereof p. 507 509. Powerfull and effectuall grace is not given to all men that enjoy the meanes to profit be converted by them if they will p. 510. The worke of grace in the conversion of man is most free it dependeth wholly upon the will good pleasure of God Ibid. 511 Lect. 103. No man is able to attaine to that knowledge of the truth as is sufficient to salvation by any ability that is in him by nature without the supernaturall worke of Gods grace p. 512. for 1 though the Scripture be plaine and lightsome and all truths needfull to be knowne are clearly and evidently delivered in it specially in the New Testament and more especially being interpreted to us in the ministery of the Word yet are we all by nature blind Ibid. p. 513. and void of capacity and a vaile is over our hearts which till God do cure and remoove we can make no use of that light p. 514. Proportionable to the work of the Spirit in opening our eyes and curing our blindnesse shall our knowledge be God perfects not this cure in any during this life nor doth hee so fully cure it in some of his good servants as in other some but in heaven this cure shall bee perfected Ibid. 2 Though some naturall men have attained to a great measure of knowledge yet not such as is sufficient to salvation for it is but literall and historicall it is not a full assurance of understanding it s not spirituall knowledge that none can attaine unto without supernaturall grace Ibid. p. 515. This supernaturall work of Gods grace as it is extraordinary and miraculous so is it rare and vouchsafed but to few Ibid. 516. Th' onely cause why God vouchsafeth it to one rather then another is his owne good pleasure and will nothing in man himselfe Ibid. Lect. 104. Every man by nature is dead in trespasses and our conversion is the reviving or raising of a dead man p. 516 517. From the Scripture similitudes doctrines may be taught and errors convinced p. 517 518. Though
all helpe and comfort any way els but only in Christ and so to flye to him to obtaine thy pardon Then mayest thou have good hope that thy sins are pardoned Secondly If a man feele himselfe to be sanctified and changed by the spirit of Christ then may he be sure he is justified and washed from his sins by the bloud of Christ. Where God pardoneth sin there he subdueth and destroyeth the power of it Micah 7.18 19. When he had said Who is a God like unto thee that pardoneth iniquity he addeth hee will have compassion upon us he will subdue our iniquities Rom. 6.14 Sin shall not have dominion over you for you are not under the Law but under grace When Christ hath once procured for a man the pardon of his sin he turneth the heart quite from it and worketh in him such a change as he becommeth another man Acts 3.26 God hath sent his Sonne to blesse you in turning every one of you from your iniquities See some examples and experiments of this What a marvellous change was wrought in those converts of Ephesus that had used curious arts after God had pardoned their sins they did so hate that sin that they had lived in that they burnt the books that had bin the meanes and instruments of that sin though they came to the value of 15000 pieces of silver which was at the least eight hundred pounds sterling Acts 19.19 So after Peters sin of denying Christ for feare was pardodoned what a change was wrought in him None of all the Apostles so bold in confessing Christ afterwards as he was Acts 2.14.3.12.4.8 So when Pauls sin of hating and persecuting of the Saints was pardoned never did any of Gods servants shew that love to the Saints that hee did See how many hee sends speciall salutations to and in how kind a manner Rom. 16. See in what termes hee expresseth his affections to the Saints oft times Phil. 4.1 My brethren dearely beloved and longed for my joy and Crowne And Philem. 12. He calls Onesimus a poore servant his owne bowells Yea where sinne is pardoned not the outward man onely but the very heart is changed Ezechiel 36.25 27. Then will I sprinckle cleane water upon you and yee shall bee cleane from all your filthinesse A new heart also will I give you and I will put my spirit within you and cause you to walke in my statutes Thou therefore that art perswaded thy foule sinnes are pardoned try it by this note Is thy heart now quite turned from these sinnes that above all other thou now hatest them most art most afraid of them shunnest the beginnings and occasions of them Yea thou that hast beene the civilest man dost thou find a change wrought in thee a new heart given thee Then thou mayst have a comfortable assurance that thou hast indeed obtained thy pardon Thirdly if a man feele that the knowledge of Gods love in pardoning his sin hath wrought in his heart a true love to God and that the change I told you of proceedeth from his love to God This note thou shalt find given by our Saviour Luke 7.47 Her sinnes which are many are forgiven her for shee loved much This property of a man whose sinnes are pardoned you shall see in David Psal. 116.1 I love the Lord because he hath heard my voice and my supplication And what was his supplication Even for pardon of his sinne as you shall see ver 3 4. The sorrowes of death compassed me the paines of bell gat hold on me I found trouble and sorrow then called I upon the name of the Lord O Lord deliver my soule And in Peter whom when Christ would comfort and assure that his sin was pardoned by what note doth he labour to assure him of it Iob. 21 15. Simon thou sonne of Iona lovest thou me more then these For indeed no man can love the Lord and obey him out of love but he that first is perswaded of Gods love to him in the pardon of his sinnes 1 Ioh. 4.10 Herein is love not that we loved God but that hee loved us and sent his Sonne to be the propitiation for our sins Hast thou no love to God to his Word and servants Dost thou all that thou dost in his service out of by-respects Flatter not thy selfe thy sinnes are not pardoned Fourthly If the love that we beare to God for the pardoning of our sinnes can make us unfainedly willing to forgive all men even those that have most wronged us This note is given with great earnestnesse and asseveration by our blessed Saviour not onely in the fift petition Mat. 6.12 but immediately after the end of the whole prayer Mat. 6.14 15. For if yee forgive men your heavenly father will forgive you if ye forgive not men neither will your father forgive you Canst thou not forgive thy greatest enemies Strivest thou not against the motions to revenge and malice Art thou not humbled for them Certainely thy sinnes are not yet pardoned thou art still in thy sinnes An hypocrite can give much and doe many kindnesses to them that never wronged him A man may bestow all his goods to feed the poore and yet not have charity 1 Cor. 13.3 Luke 6.32 33. If you love them that love you and doe good to them that doe good to you what thanke have ye For sinners also do the same But out of love to God to forgive them that have wronged us and love our enemies that argueth a mans sins are pardoned Lecture XIX On Psal. 51.1 2. March 21. 1625. WE have already heard that in these words there were three things principally to be observed 1. That David in the great distresse he was now in flyeth unto God by prayer and seeketh helpe and comfort that way 2. That in this prayer wherein he seeketh helpe and comfort from God he begs nothing but the pardon of his sinnes 3. That the onely ground of his hope to speed well in this prayer and to obtaine the pardon of his sinnes was the knowledge he had of the mercy of God The two first of these wee have already finished it followeth now that we proceed to the third and last of them It is therefore here to be observed 1. That seeking pardon of his sinnes at the hands of God he pleadeth nothing but mercy hopeth to obtaine it no other way maketh that the onely ground of his hope in this suit and cryeth Have mercy on me ô Lord. 2. That the thing that made him hope he should find this mercy with God was nothing he found in himselfe but onely the knowledge he had of the Lords gracious disposition Have mercy upon mee ô God according to thy loving kindnesse according to the multitude of thy tender mercies As if he had said ô Lord there is nothing els to move thee to have mercy upon me but onely thine owne gracious and mercifull disposition 3. Yet had David before his fall done
many good workes Suffered great wrongs from Saul with wonderfull patience and freedome from desire of revenge 1 Sam. 24.5 6. Shewed marvellous zeale for God in fighting his battells 1 Sam. 25.28 Shewed marvellous love to the Word and worship of God Psal. 27.4 One thing have I desired of the Lord and that will I seek after that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the daies of my life and 84.1 How amiable are thy tabernacles O Lord of hosts And even at this instant when he maketh this prayer to God there was a great deale of goodnesse and grace in him 1. He confesseth freely his sinne unto God verse 3 4. 2. He was wonderfully humbled for it and grieved and broken hearted verse 8.17 3. His heart was quite changed and turned from his sinne unto God he loved him unfainedly and desired his glory verse 13 14. 4 And all this he did in uprightnesse of heart verse 6. Yet now comming to beg pardon of his sins he groundeth his hope to obtaine it upon none of his former good workes upon none of the goodnesse that he found now in himselfe but onely upon the mercy of God Now from these three points thus observed in the Text this Doctrine ariseth for our instruction That the best of Gods servants have no other ground of hope to find favour with God for the pardon of their sins but onely in the mercy of the Lord. Vpon this Gods choicest Saints have builded alwaies and in seeking pardon of their sins have pleaded nothing but this So doth David heere and so doth he in many other Psalmes Psal. 6 2 4. Have mercy upon me O Lord for I am weake returne ô Lord deliver my soule ô save me for thy mercies sake and 25.6 7. Remember ô Lord thy tender mercies and thy loving kindnesses for they have beene ever of old according to thy mercy remember thou me for thy goodnesse sake ô Lord. So doth Daniel in his prayer Dan. 9.9 To the Lord our God belong mercies and forgivenesses All pardons are mercies and are obtained by mercy onely Yea in all their prayers wherein they have sued to him for any blessing this hath ever beene in their eye and that which they have built all their confidence upon Psal. 5.7 As for me I will come into thy house in the multitude of thy mercy This shall ever draw me and incourage me to come unto thee And 69.13 O God in the multitude of thy mercy heare me And 115.1 Not unto us Lord not unto us but unto thy name give glory for thy mercy and for thy truths sake But what should I heape up testimonies in so plaine a case And yet because it is so usefull and comfortable a point I will not passe over it too sleightly but insist a while upon it so farre as I shall judge necessary for your edification And before I come to the reasons and grounds of the Doctrine I will answer two maine objections that the heart of man wil be apt to make against this Doctrine First How can our hope to finde favour with God be grounded onely upon the mercy of God How can the pardon of our sins bee ascribed to the meere mercy of God and to his free grace when wee obtaine not this favour of God till it was dearely bought and purchased 1 Cor. 6.20 Ye are bought with a price Yea sucha price as was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fully answerable in worth to the soules of all Gods elect and to that which God hath given us 1 Tim. 2.6 He gave himselfe a ransome for all The Lord forgave not one farthing of that summe wherein we stood indebted to him till he was fully satisfied for it First hee exacted and received by Christs passive obedience the whole forfeiture of our obligation hee had against us and so came wee to the pardon of our sins In which respect it may be said as Esa. 40.2 Wee have in our surety received at the Lords hand double for all our sinnes Secondly hee exacted and received also in Christs active obedience the whole debt of obedience to his Law that wee did owe unto him For Christ our surety not for himselfe but for us fulfilled all righteousnesse Matth. 3.15 And so came we to the title and right wee have to the Kingdome of Heaven So that it may seeme not the meere mercy and free grace of God but Christ is the only ground of our hope as he is called 1. Tim. 1.1 The Lord Iesus Christ is our hope And 1. Iohn 2.2 He is the propitiation for our sins To this I answer That the foundation of all our hope and comfort we have in Christ is in the mercy and free grace of God only For although the pardon of our sins and salvation of our soules in respect of Christ our surety was no free gift but a deare purchase and the Lord shewed no mercy at all to him but justice only yea rigour of justice Rom. 8.32 He spared not his owne sonne but delivered him up for us all Gal. 3.13 Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the Law being made a curse for us Looke upon him when he was in his agony and passion paying our forfeiture and there was nothing to bee seene from top to toe soule and body but the curse of God he was all curse made a curse Yet do we obtaine this pardon and the salvation of our soules not by purchase but by the free gift of God Esa 9. ◠Vnto us a Sonne is given Ioh. 4.10 If thou knewest the gift of God And the mercy and free grace of God never appeared so much to us-ward in all the works that ever he did as in this worke of redeeming us from our sins by the bloud of Christ. For thus speaketh the Apostle Ephes. 1 7. In whom we have redemption through his bloud the forgivenesse of sins according to the riches of his grace the riches of Gods grace appeared in this Observe this I pray you in five points First It was the wonderfull mercy of God to us and nothing else that moved him to find out and appoint the meanes to satisfie his owne justice by It was the Lord himselfe that did fore-ordaine his owne Son to be our propitiation Rom. 3 27. He purposed this in himselfe Ephes. 1.9 And so the Lord indeed made satisfaction unto himselfe 2. Cor. 5.19 God was in Christ reconciling the world to himselfe His love and mercy appeared more unto us in this then if by his absolute prerogative he had forgiven us without exacting any satisfaction at all Iohn 3.16 God so loved the world that he gave his onely begotten Sonne And Iohn 4.10 Herein is love not that we loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins Secondly It was the wonderfull mercy of God to us and nothing else that moved him to give any of us to Christ and to appoint