loves his people and sheweth his love even in reprooving by reproving sin neither in rage nor in a merry and flouting manner nor so as to set a brand of infamy upon them Ibid. Therefore desire to live under such a Minister as will faithfully reprove sinne and the great sin of the people that cannot endure it p. 52. the reasons why men cannot endure such a ministery Ibid. p. 53. the folly and sin of these men discovered in foure points Ibid. Objections answered that are made against such a ministery 1 That they use to raile give bitter and opprobrious termes to men 2 they use in a most unseemely fashion to cry and stampe and beat the pulpit p. 54. 3 They are alwaies chiding and inveighing and shew no love to the people pag. 55. 4 They love noâ— to deale with then people in private but disgrace them publikely 5 They are given to hearken to â—ale-beareâ—s page 56. Lect 10. In all our distresses we must fly to God by prayer and seeke comfort that way p. 59. for 1 In all our afflictions God hath 2 chiefe hand 2 He is able to releeve us 3 himselfe hath prescribed this course to us pag 60. 4 The Lord is ready to be found this way p. 61. The meanes of comfort we all apt to neglect Ibid. Lect. 11. Impediments that keepe us from this remooved 1 Th'extreamity of my affliction overwhelmes me and the tokens of Gods anger upon me are such that I have no hope to speed p. 63 64. 2 I am so vile a sinner that I dare not pray Ibid. p. 65. Lect 12. 3 I cannot pray p. 66 67. Every faithfull man hath the spirit of prayer yea a man may pray most acceptably though he do not feele that he hath faith or the spirit of prayer Ib. Such must bewaile their case to God and strive to pray for all they cannot doe it with feeling and comfort p. 68 69. Lect. 13. 4 It is to no purpose for me to pray Ibid. Resolve this is but a tentation and resist it and how p. 70. Particular answer to Sathans reason in this tentation 1 They that never use to pray doe as well as those that are most given unto it ibid. 2 men use ordinary meanes for their comfort with discretion they may do well enough though they never pray p. 71. Though God usually helpe men by meanes and best by best meanes p. 72. Yet he is the giver of all meanes and the vertue that is in them to do us good commeth wholly from him and Gods servants have therefore in the use of all meanes and in all occaâ—sions of their life sought to him Ibid. p. 73. â— Lect. 14. 3 God knowes our necessities well enough and hath decreed what he will do for us and is of himself apt enough to do us good without our asking Ibid. 74. 4 I have long used to pray and finde no good by it Ibid. It may be God rewards our prayer though we obtaine not our suite presently p. 75. Foure reasons why God delayes his answer Ibid. By five things wee may know God answereth us though we obtaine not what we aske p. 76 77. Lect. 15. When we have prayed long and finde no audience this must trouble us p. 78. We should hearken after our prayers what answer God gives them Ibid. We must not give over praying though we receive no answer p. 79. Examine the cause why thy prayers speed no better p. 80. Six causes for which the Lord useth oft to put back the prayers of his people without a gracious answer p 81 c. Lect. 16. Pardon of sin is more to be desired then deliverance from the greatest judgement that can befall us p. 84. for 1 sin is the greatest evill p. 85 2 pardon of sin a sufficient ground of comfort in any distresse Ibid. 3 in this suit we should be more earnest with God then in any other p. 86. 4 he hath enough to make him happy that hath that Ibid for 1 sin is a debt p 86. 2 sin is filthinesse and uncleannesse p. 87. Lect 17. Most men seeke after many things more then the pardon of sin count not sin the greatest evill nay no evill or misery at all p 88 89. our sins not smaller then such as Gods people have beene greatly humbled for Ibid p. 90. The knowledge of Gods mercy should not cause us to be the lesse troubled for our sins p. 91. for 1 His mercy in pardoning of sinne is not common to all but shall be denied three sorts of sinners Ibid. 2 That will aggravate sin and not make it the lighter p. 92. Nor this conceit that others worse then wee have found mercy both in life and death yet were never humbled For 1 it may bee they found not mercy with God though they prospered Ibid. 2 We are bound in charity to judge the best of their estate Ibid. 3 They may have beene soundly humbled for sin though we know it not p. 93. It s no good argument a sinner dieth in Gods favour because he dieth quietly p. 93. Lect. 18. Seeke pardon of sinne above all things Seeke it without delay and earnestly Ibid. For 1 its possible to be gotten 2 in regard of the excellency of this pardon p. 94. Seeke it speedily 1 in regard of the continuall danger of death we are in 2 in respect we are daily liable to afflictions p. 95. 3 in respect of the present comfort of our life page 96. Meanes to obtaine it 1 Bring the heart to a sound sense of sin Ibid. 2 Pray beg pardon for even such as want assurance of pardon may pray pag. 97. 3 Confesse thy sinnes to God 4 Fly by faith to Christ for it pag. 98. A man may have his pardon and not know and perceive he hath it and the reasons of it Ibid. p. 99. Yet may a man in this life be assured that his sins are pardoned Ibid. We must not be our own judges in this case but this must be knowne by the Word viz. 1 if we came to it the right way viz. by the foure meanes mentioned 2 If we finde ouâ— hearts changed and sanctified p. 100 3 If the knowledge of Gods love hath bred in us a love to him 4 If the knowledge of Gods love maketh us willing to forgive men p. 1â—1 Lect. 19. The best of Gods servants have no other ground of hope to finde favour with God for the pardon of their sinnes but onely in the mercy of the Lord p. 102. For 1 Though Christ hath dearely purchased our pardon yet is it meerely of Gods free grace that wee receive any benefit by him p. 103. 2 Though good workes bee strong foundations of our hope and comfort yet the maine foundation of all the hope and comfort we have in our workes is the mercy and free grace of God p. 104 106. Lect. 20. The best man cannot rely on any goodnesse hee findeth in himselfe For 1 hee knowes many blemishes in his best workes 2
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
us in his eternall counsell to be of that small number that should receive benefit by him Iohn 17.6 Thine they were and thou gavest them me and vers 9. I pray not for the world but for them that thou hast given me for they are thine Thirdly It was the wonderfull mercy of God to us and nothing else that moved him to give any of us the grace to receive Christ by faith being offered to us in the ministery of the Gospell and to obey him Iohn 6.44 No man can come to me except the Father which hath sent me draw him Fourthly It was the wonderfull mercy of God and nothing else that moved him to accept of the satisfaction which Christ our surety hath made for us and not to exact it at our owne hands For nothing bound him to it but his owne free promise In which respect all the Elect that shall have benefite by Christ are called heires of promise Hebr. 6.17 And therefore the Apostle saith Ephesians 1.6 It was to the praise of the glory of his Grace that he hath made us accepted in his beloved As though he should say the glory of his grace is wonderfully set forth in this that hee will accept of Christs satisfaction for us Fiftly and lastly It is his wonderfull mercy and nothing else that moveth him to performe this promise and to keepe covenant with us considering how weake and staggering our faith and obedience is and how oft we breake covenant with him And this made Solomon to fall into that admiration 1 Kin. 8.23 O Lord God of Israel there is no God like unto thee in heaven above or in earth beneath who keepeth covenant and mercy with thy servants that walke before thee with all their heart As if hee had said It is the mercy of God that he keepeth Covenant even with such And thus have I finished the answer to the first objection and shewed you that it doth no whit derogate from the mercy and free grace of God but amplifieth and advanceth it greatly that wee obtaine pardon of our sins by the merit of Christs bloud and no other way The second objection is How can it bee said that wee have no ground of hope to find favour with God and the pardon of our sins but onely in Gods meere mercy and free grace Will a mans good workes do him no good in this case Is there no ground of hope and comfort for us in that goodnesse and grace that God hath wrought in our hearts by his holy spirit The Scripture teacheth us that there bee sundry graces and good workes that may give us much comfort in this case and bee good grounds of hope unto us that wee shall finde favour with God As 1. If a man can find hee doth truly feare God Proverbs 14.26 In the feare of the Lord is strong confidence and his children shall have a place of refuge 2. If a man can find hee hath bin of conscience towards God given unto works of mercy Psal. 18. â—5 With the mercifull thou wilt shew thy selfe mercifull and 41 1. Blessed is hee that considereth the poore the Lord will deliver him in time of trouble and Iam. 2.13 Mercy rejoyceth against judgement 3. If a man can find that of conscience towards God he can forgive his enemies Matth. 6.14 If yee forgive men their trespasses your heavenly Father also will forgive you 4. If a man can find that he is able with an upright heart to confesse his sin unto God even that is a good ground of hope that God will forgive it For thus David reasoneth here verse 2 3. Cleanse me from my sinne for I acknowledge my transgressions 5. and lastly If a man can but humble himselfe and mourne before God for his sin even that will give him good hope of comfort For Christ saith Mat 5.4 Blessed are they that mourne for they shall be comforted And the Publican doing so went home justified Luke 18.14 My answer to this objection shall consist of two parts 1. I will shew you how much is to bee ascribed unto good works and to that goodnesse and grace that Gods children may find in themselves 2. I will let you see that this doth nothing derogate from the truth of my Doctrine concerning the reposing all our hope in the mercy of God only For the first I say first of all that these good works and graces we find in our selves though they bee not the causes why God pardoneth our sins yet are they certaine and infallible signes that wee have found mercy with God and that our sins are pardoned For thus runneth the covenant of God Ezek. 36.25 I will sprinkle cleane water upon you and ye shall be cleane and then followeth verse 26. A new heart also will I give unto you and a new spirit will I put within you And thus speaketh our Saviour of Mary Lu. 7.47 Her sins which are many are forgiven her for she hath loved much As if he had said shee could not have had this grace to love me as she doth if her sins had not bin forgiven Secondly This grace and goodnesse which a man findeth in himselfe may bee a ground of hope unto him that God will respect his prayers Iohn 9 3. Weâ— know that God heareth not sinners but if any man be a worshipper of God and doth his will him he heareth Iohn 3.22 Whatsoever wee aske we receive of him because we keepe his commandements and doe those things that are pleasing in his sight The Angell telleth Cornelius Acts 10.4 thy prayers and thine almes are come up for a memoriall before God Certainely his almes made his prayers more effectuall with God Thirdly The goodnesse and grace which a man findeth in himselfe may bee a sound ground of comfort unto him even in greatest affliction So was it to Paul 2 Cor. 1.12 Our rejoycing is this even the testimony of our conscience that in simplicity and godly sincerity wee have had our conversation in the world So was it to Iob the testimony that his owne heart gave him of the conscience hee had made of all uncleannesse of dealing equally with his servants of his mercifulnesse to the poore of his freedome from covetousnesse and maliciousnesse Iob 31. And of his hearts love to the Word and pure worship of God Iob 23.12 susteined and yeelded him great comfort in his extreame affliction as you may see Iob 31.35 36. If mine adversarie man or Satan had written a booke against mee surely I should take it upon my shoulder and bind it as a crowne to mee So was it to Hezechiah when he had received from God the message of death Esay 38.3 Remember ô Lord I beseech thee how I have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart and have done that which is good in thy sight Fourthly These good works this goodnesse and grace that a man findeth in himselfe are foundations upon which a man may confidently ground and build
his hope to receive a reward and blessing from God This a man must beleeve Hebr. 1.6 He that commeth to God must beleeve that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seeke him Yea a man may ground his hope upon this to receive the greatest reward and blessing of all even eternall life 1 Tim. 6.18 â—9 Charge rich men that they be rich in good workes ready to distribute laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come that they may lay hold on eternall life Fiftly I will say more then all this when a man is to seeke comfort and hope to find mercy with God hee must looke first for it heere Wee read Rom. 8.28 30. of certaine degrees whereby the Lord worketh our salvation like the steppes of Iacobs ladder of which we read Gen. 28.12 whereof the highest were in heaven the lowest upon the earth And although the Lord in his worke begin at the highest step and so come downeward 1. Hee foreknoweth us loveth us setteth his affection upon us 2. Hee predestinateth us 3. He calleth us 4. He justifieth us 5. He sanctifieth and glorifieth us Yet in our worke when we would find comfort in the assurance of our salvation wee must begin at the lowest step and so goe upward We must as David did Psal 77.6 Commune with our owne hearts and let our spirits make diligent search what sanctification what goodnesse and soundnesse of grace wee can find wrought in our owne hearts This sanctifying grace is called the Lords earnest and seale which we have received and have the keeping of our selves 2 Cor. 1 22. He hath sealed us and given us the earnest of the spirit in our hearts Commune therefore with thine owne heart and search for this earnest this seale and if thou find it thou mayest boldly reason thus I am sanctified therefore justified justified therefore called called therefore predestinated predestinated therefore loved of God And thus have I finished the first part of my answer to this second objection and shewed you how much is to bee ascribed unto good works in this case Now I come to the second part of it Though therefore good workes be indeed foundations of our hope and comfort as you have heard yet are they but secondary foundations as the Apostles and Prophets are called the foundations of the Church Ephes. 2.20 Revel 21.14 like the fills you lay in the building of your houses that have a stronger foundation under them upon which both the weight of them and of the whole house doth lie the maine foundation of all the hope and comfort wee can have in any of our good workes in any goodnesse that is in us is the mercy of God only This will appeare evidently to you in two points First it was his mercy onely that moved him to worke this grace in us Phil. 2.13 It is God that worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure Who maketh thee to differ from another saith the Apostle 1 Cor. 4.7 and what hast thou that thou hast not received Secondly it is mercy onely that moveth him to accept or reward any good that we do Psal. â—2 12 Vnto thee ô Lord belongeth mercy for thou renderest to every man according to his worke and 130.4 5. If thou should marke iniquities even the blemishes and foule staines of our best services ô Lord who shall stand But there is forgivenes with thee that thou maist be feared or served And that made Nehemiah 1â— 22 to pray thus Remember me ô my God concerning thâ— also and spare me according to the greatness of thy mercy Lecture XX. On Psalme 51.1 2. March 28. 1626. NOw the Reasoâ—s and grounds of this Doctrine why the best of Gods servants have no other ground of hope to fiâ—de favour with God for the pardon of their sins but onely the mercy of the Lord why they have never pleaded their owne goodnesse but his mercy onely are principally two 1. The utter insufficiency that is in their owne goodnesse to ground their hope upon it 2. The all sufficiency that is in the mercy and goodnesse of God to ground their hope and confidence upon it In respect of the first heare the confession of a man that was rare and singular for piety 2 Cor. 2.11 Though he were in nothing behind the very chiefest Apostles yet he professeth he was nothing Three things there be that will make it evident that the best man that is cannot trust to or rely upon any goodnesse that he finds in himselfe First Himselfe knoweth many blemishes and staines in his best workes Esa. 64.6 All our righteousnesses are as filthy rags He hath no light no truth of grace that feeth not this If we say that we have no sinne saith the Apostle 1 Ioh 1.8 we deceive our selves and the truth is not in us Secondly Though himselfe knew no blemish in his good workes no evill by himselfe yet he knoweth the Lords pure eyes may though he cannot 1 Cor. 4.4 I know nothing by my selfe saith Paul yet am I not heereby justified but he that judgeth me is the Lord. This made David cry Psal. 143 2. Enter not into judgement with thy servant for in thy sight shall no man living be justified Thirdly Admit the goodnesse that is in us had no imperfection in it at all that either our selves or the Lord couâ—d find yet were there no trusting in it that for it God should pardon our sinnes past much lesse give us eternall life For 1. It is no more then we are bound to for the present and therefore cannot satisfie for that that is past Luke 17.10 When ye have done all those things that are commanded you say we are unprofitable servants we have done that which was our dutâ— to doe 2. There is no proportion betwixt that goodnesse that is in us and that which we looke to receive from God for it What is all the money we can make all that we can do or suffer towards the paiment of a debt of ten thousand talents and such a debt is our sin Mat. 8. â—4 What proportion is there betweene the service we can doe to God for a few yeares heere to the wages and reward we looke for the eternall happinesse and glory of the liâ—e to come â— Cor. 4.17 Our light affliction which is but for a moment worketh for us fitteth and prepareth us for a farre more exceeding and eternall wright of glory Rom. 8.18 I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared to the glory that shall be reveiled in us Now for the second Reason on the other side the mercy of God is such and so all sufficient as we may safely ground our hope upon it In which respect the Prophet saith Psal. 9.10 They that know thy name will put their trust in thee They that know how mercifull the Lord is cannot choose but put their trust and confidence
law of God and a breach of it For the law of God requireth of us that wee should love the Lord with all our heart and with all our soule and with all our strength and with all our mind Luke 10.27 And so can we not doe if there be in our heart or soules or mind at any time an evill thought or an evill motion Yet the Scripture teacheth us that this concupiscence or corruption of our nature even in the regenerate◠doth not onely swerve from the law of God but that it doth oppose and resist the spirit of God I see saith the Apostle Rom. 7.23 another law in my members warring against the law of my mind and Gal. 5.17 The flesh lusteth against the spirit and these are contrary the one to the other And therefore it must needs be sin For so the Apostle defineth sin 1 Iohn 3.4 Sinne is the transgression of the law 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is the word this is to teach us that every swerving from the Law is sin This was the argument that convinced Pauls conscience Rom 7.7 I had not knowne lust to be a sin except the Law in the tenth commandement had sayd thou shalt not covet And what kind of lust and concupiscence meaneth hee That which we delight in or consent unto No verily for by the light of nature hee might have knowne that to be a sin heathen men have acknowledged that to be sin hee must needs meane that concupiscence those motions unto evill which the heart doth not delight in nor consent unto Wee have heard how directly the Papists oppose the spirit of God in these two points of their Doctrine of Orignall sin and all to advance the nature of man but I will shew you yet a greater abomination in their Doctrine then these two Their third errour is farre worse then the former two For they teach that the corruption of nature that remaineth in the regenerate the concupiscence and evill motions that they have and consent not to but resist are so farre from defiling their good workes that they make them more meritorious before God then otherwise they could bee because they are done notwithstanding such a combat and resistance as they find in themselves against them I will not trouble you with many words in the confutation of so palpable an errour as this Two reasons only I will give you against it First If this should be true then should the obedience and good workes that mortall and fraile and sinfull men men who have while they carry this flesh about them many infirmities and imperfections bee better and deserve to be more acceptable and pleasing unto God then the good workes of such as have had no imperfection no infirmity in them I grant that God doth indeed in the riches of his grace and mercy in Christ accept of our poore services never the worse for this untowardnesse of our corrupt natures that wee are faine to combate and struggle with in the performance of them according to that of the Apostle Hebr. 6.10 God is not unrighteous that hee should forget your worke and labour of love But to say that this corruption and untowardnesse of our nature the evill thoughts and motions of infidelity blasphemy worldlinesse that trouble us in our best duties are no sins doe not at all defile them but make them the better and more meritorious in the sight of God is little better then grosse blasphemy For then should our poore unperfect and maimed obedience bee better and deserve to bee more acceptable unto God not only then Adams was before his fall and then that is which the Saints in heaven doe now yeeld unto God but even then the obedience of Christ himselfe for he found in himselfe no corruption of nature to struggle with nor to hinder him in it as we doe My second reason against this their last errour is this That if the corruption of nature the regenerate are faine to strive withall doth not at all defile their good workes but maketh them the more meritorious before God then certainely would not the choicest of Gods servants that wee read of in the Scripture have beene so humbled for it cryed out and complained of it unto God counted themselves so vile and wretched creatures by reason of it as they did Would David have so complained unto God here and beene humbled for his naturall corruption even more then for his adultery and murder and would hee have so cryed out of himselfe Behold I was borne in iniquitie and in sinne did my mother conceive mee And Iob 40.4 Behold I am vile And Esay the Prophet Esa. 6.5 Woe is mee for I am undone And the Church Esa. 64.6 We are all as an uncleane man and all our righteousnesses are as filthy raggs And the blessed Apostle Rom. 7.24 O wretched man that I am who shall deliver mee from the body of this death As if hee had said this is a death to mee and nothing so much as this Would all the Saints of God I say have so complained of the corruption of nature that was in them though it did not reigne in them though they obeyed it not in the lusts thereof if they had beleeved as the Church of Rome beleeveth If they had esteemed so lightly of it as Papists do If they had thought it had beene no sinne If they had beene perswaded it was so farre from defiling their good workes that it made them the better even more meritorious before God But I have beene too long in this use of confutation which yet I hope hath not beene altogether unusefull and unprofitable unto you Lecture LXII on Psalme 51.5 Iune 26. 1627. THE second use of this Doctrine is to humble us to abate the pride of our hearts and to cause us to thinke basely of our selves This is one maine end the Lord hath respect unto in not perfecting the worke of regeneration in any of his servants in this life but suffering much corruption of nature to remaine still in them even that hee might humble them and keepe them from pride thereby This is plaine in the Apostles case 2 Cor. 12.7 A thorne in the flesh was given him some lust or other stirred in him and put him to paine left hee should bee exalted Hee dealeth with his people in this case now whom hee bringeth into the Kingdome of heaven into the state of grace as hee did with them of old when hee brought them into the land of Canaan the type of the Kingdome of heaven hee driveth not out all these Canaanites that they might bee scourges in our sides and thornes in our eyes to vex and humble us as Ioshuah speaketh Iosh. 23.13 Great force there is in this to humble the heart of a man that hath grace in him to consider how vile his nature is and what aboundance of corruption doth still remaine in him The naturall man indeed is never the humbler for this because hee hath no
who by the restraining grace of God have bin ever kept from grosse sins is not so sensible but more secret a great deale The most Christians though they bee able to say with the blind man Iohn 9.25 One thing I know whereas I was blind now I see they know well and feele there is a blessed change wrought in their hearts yet when it was wrought or how it was wrought that they know not That which Solomon saith of other of Gods works Ecclesi 11.5 is verified in this especially As thou knowest not what is the way of the spirit nor how the bones doe grow in the wombe of her that is with child even so knowest thou not the workes of God who worketh all And as our Saviour speaketh Marke 4.27 When the seed is sowen in the heart it worketh and springeth and groweth no man knoweth how And yet even in this conversion of such men though the worke of God bee more secret and insensible yet is the almighty power of God to be acknowledged as much in it as in the other As the omnipotency of Christ was as well shewed in the turning of the water into wine Iob. 2.11 and the curing of the woman that had the bloudy issue Mar. 5.29 as in the helping of him that was from his childhood possessed with a dumbe and deafe spirit Marke 9.25 26. O that wee could see and take notice of this admirable power of God in the change that he hath beene pleased to worke in our hearts O that God would bee pleased according to the prayer of the Apostle for the Ephes. 1.18 19. to inlighten the eyes of our understanding that wee may know what is the exceeding greatnesse of his power to us-ward who beleeve according to the working of his mighty power That we may accordingly admire and magnifie it and give him the glory of it And yet his goodnesse and mercy will appeare to bee no lesse admirable in this worke of our conversion then his power was if wee rightly consider what wee were by nature Observe this I pray you in three degrees First That God should seeke out any of us that like a poore lost sheepe was gone astray from him some of us in one evill way some in another according to that parable Luke 15.4 wee being so farre from seeking him from doing any thing to further our owne conversion that we desired nothing lesse but opposed and resisted it and were in our hearts ready to say with the man that had the uncleane spirit Luke 4 34. Let us alone what have wee to doe with thee thou Iesus of Nazareth That hee would take no nay at our hands but by his most effectuall grace overcame us as hee saith Revelation 3.9 Behold I will make them that are of the Synagogue of Satan which say they are Iewes and are not but doe lye behold I will make them to come and worship before thy feete He made us to turne hee made us to obey and follow his call This gracious favour I say that the Lord hath done us in the worke of our conversion ô it was his admirable mercy unto us Secondly That the Lord should seeke reconciliation with us when we were his enemies as the Apostle speaketh 2 Corinth 5.20 and make love to us when wee were such loathsome creatures that passing by us when wee were in our bloud even when wee were in our bloud as hee saith Ezek. 16.6.8 hee should looke upon us and that that should bee the time of his love as hee there speaketh That hee should never give over making love unto us till hee had wonne our hearts and made us able to affect and love him and to seeke him and his love unfeinedly who were by nature much more alienated from him then hee was from us even hated him in our hearts much more then ever hee did us this was I say his admirable mercy toward us And so the Apostle speaketh of it Colos. 1.21 And you that were sometimes alienated and enemies in your minds yet now hath hee reconciled And the Lord by the Prophet Esay 65.1 I am sought of them that asked not for me Even this that such as we were by nature should have the grace to love the Lord and to seeke his favour which we could never have done if he had not bin first reconciled unto us 1 Iohn 4.19 is the admirable goodnesse of God unto us Thirdly That God should thus change and convert our hearts unto him and give us any measure of grace to desire unfeinedly to feare and please him that hee should pull us out of our naturall estate and leave others in it that are farre our betters not onely in birth and wealth and wisedome and learning but even in the unblameablenesse of their conversation also that were never in their lives guilty of so foule sinnes as wee have beene That he should deny this grace to such as the young Noble man was that had lived so civilly and had so many good things in him Mar. 10.20 21. and grant it to such as that infamous harlot was Lu. 7.37 This is certainly the admirable and unspeakeable mercy of God to such a one And as the infinite power and goodnesse of God is to bee acknowledged and admired in the worke of our conversion in generall so is it also in every particular act of Gods grace in us That any of us should bee able to delight in the law of God in the inner man Rom. 7.22 to love the brethren 1 Iohn 3.14 to weepe and shed teares for our sins 2 King 22.19 to make any one prayer Psalme 17.1 to give any almes Matth. 10.42 in truth and uprightnesse of heart considering what we are by nature is to bee ascribed to the marvellous power and goodnesse of God toward us When David and his people had offered toward the building of Gods house it is said 1 Chron. 29.9 They rejoyced with great joy because with a perfect and upright heart they had offered willingly unto the Lord. And David himselfe burst out into words of strange admiration verse 14. But who am I Lord and what is my people that we should be able to offer so willingly after this sort For all things come of thee Now let me apply this that hath bin said in three points and so lay it somewhat neerer to our hearts First If this be so Then let no man hearken to those that reach 1. That God hath no such powerfull hand in the worke of mans conversion but that it lyeth in every mans power and will when God hath done all his worke to turne or not to turne 2. That which God doth in the conversion of any man he doth to all men For the spirit speaketh expressely in the Scriptures 1. That the Lord is not onely a perswader but the worker and mighty doer of this worke of our change and conversion It is God that worketh in us both the will and the deed Phil. 2.13
good part and delighteth in them yet will he take nothing in good part that thou doest What have I to doe saith the Lord Esa. 1.11 with the multitude of your sacrifices As if he had said What care I for them And ver 12. Who required this at your hands to tread in my courts As if he should say What doe you heere Any other place were fitter for you then this Certainely in doing any service to God thou doest but a thankelesse office thou doest but lose thy labour while thou art unconverted Thirdly and lastly Though the Lord will reward and doe good to his children for the poorest and weakest service they doe unto him yet doth he even abhorre such as thou art and the very service that thou dost presume to doe unto him As a Prince would doe him that having a plague sore running upon him should presume to come into his presence and wait at his table The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination unto the Lord saith Solomon Pro. 15.8 Incense is an abomination unto me saith the Lord Esa. 1.13 the new Mosnes and Sabbaths and calling of assemblies I cannot away with You see how small cause wicked men have to presume of Gods mercy or of any good thing they know by themselves O that God would be pleased to awaken them that they could see and consider aright of their wofull estate and labour to get out of it If any man shall object and say Would you not then have wicked men to come to Church Would you not have them to pray and read the Word Would you have no man to doe any good worke but such as are godly I answer Yes verily For first Though in doing this they doe not God any service that will please him yet is there a necessity laid upon them and wo be to them if they do it not These are duties of the morall law that all men stand bound unto The wickedest man in the world is strictly bound by the commandement of God to pray God blameth most wicked men for neglect of this Hos. 7.7 None among them calleth unto me and ver 14. They have not cryed unto me with their heart Yea he condemneth the very Atheist Psal. 14.4 for this because he doth not pray And will poure his wrath upon every family Ier. 10.25 and consequently upon every person that doth not call upon his name So is the wickedest man living bound to heare the Word For hee that turneth away his eare from hearing the law saith Solomon Pro. 28.9 his prayer shall be abominable So God requireth of every man Mic. 6.8 to doe justly and to love mercy and to walke humbly with him So that though he can neither pray nor heare nor give almes but he must needs sinne yet must he pray and heare and give almes for all that An indifferent thing a man is bound to forbeare if he cannot use it without sinne If he cannot use such or such a recreation without chasing or swearing or losing too much time he is bound to forbeare it But duties commanded of God he may not omit because he cannot use them without sin For there are degrees of sinne and he is guilty of a greater sin and sheweth greater contempt to God that doth not pray or heare or give almes at all and so disobeyeth him totally then he doth that doth pray and heare and give almes but not with an honest and good heart and so disobeyeth God but in part only Secondly Though no wicked man can have assurance to receive any reward from God for the best thing he doth because he hath no promise for all the promises of God belong onely to them that are in Christ 2 Cor. 1.20 and to the godly 1 Tim. 4.8 nay though he doe deserve further wrath from God by the best thing he doth yet by being carefull to abstaine from evill and to doe good even after his manner and as he is able hee may receive good three waies For 1. Though he should never find mercy with God unto salvation yet will this lessen his condemnation in hell where every man shall receive torment proportionable to his workes and to that dishonour he hath done to God heere Rom. 2.6 2. This may free him from many temporall judgements and bring upon him many temporall blessings in this life For the Lord out of the infinitenesse of his goodnesse hath oft shewed so much respect unto good things that have beene done even by wicked men though they have beene but the dead carcase and have wanted the life and soule of good workes as to reward them temporally The Lord that is said to feed the young ravens when they cry unto him Iob 38.41 hath oft had respect to the prayer that a man void of grace hath made unto him in his misery As profane a wretch as Ishmael was when he was cast out of his fathers house for his profanesse Gen. 21.9 10. yet when he cried to God in his misery it is twice said in one verse Gen. 21.17 that God heard the voice of the lad and relieved him And we know how much even Ahabs prayer that he made when he was humbled by feare prevailed with God 1 King 21.29 Therefore also Daniel exhorteth Nebuchadnezzar a most wicked man Dan. 4.27 to breake of his sins to cease from oppression and cruelty How By righteousnes that is by making restitution to them that he had wronged And how els By shewing mercy to the poore And why did he counsell a man so void of grace to do so good workes as these Was it not all one as if he should have bidden a dead man to walke Marke the reason and motive the Prophet useth to perswade him to this if it may be saith he a lengthening of thy tranquility As if he should have said It may be these good workes performed even as thou art able to do them will prevent the judgement which God by this dreame that thou hast had doth threaten to bring upon thee and prolong thy peace 3. He may by doing that that lieth in him to do further the eternall salvation of his owne soule For though no wicked nay no naturall man can use the meanes of grace aright nor so as to please God therein yet if the wickedest man that is frequent the ministery of the Word there is hope he may be converted and have grace wrought in him both because it is the meanes ordained of God to breed grace where none is Rom. 10.17 Faith commeth by hearing and because as wicked men as live have been woon to God by their hearing as appeareth not onely by daily experience but by those two notable examples that are recorded in the Word The one 1 Cor. 14.24 25. of the man that was an ignorant man and an infidell before And the other Iohn 7.45 46. of them that came to heare Christ with a most wicked heart to intrap and apprehend him And so much
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
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.
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
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
see in the same chapter Exod. 21.18.22 this is that that maketh all sin so hainous as it is and worthy of infinite eternall punishment because it is committed against and is a contempt done unto a person that is of infinite and eternall majesty That any of us poore mortall wretches wormes rather then men of whom the Prophet saith Ps. 39.5 Verily every man at his best state is altogether vanity and who are counted to him lesse then nothing and vanity as the Prophet speaketh Esa. 40.17 should be so desperatly mad as to provoke despise this glorious God to make light account of any of his commandments in whose hand is our breath and all our wayes as Daniel telleth a great King Dan 5.23 whose glorious greatnes is such as the Angels cover their faces before him Esa. 6.2 In whose sight no creature can stand when he is angry Ps. 76.7 This this is that that doth greatly aggravate our sins Wo unto him that striveth with his maker let the potsheard strive with the potsheards of the earth saith the Lord. Esa. 45.9 Do we provoke the Lord unto wrath saith the Apostle 1 Cor. 10.22 are we stronger then he And yet thus have we done every one of us the consideration of this ought to lye heavy upon our hearts as it did upon Davids when he cryed against thee thee only have I sinned Lecture XLV On Psalme 51.4 Ianuary 9. 1626. FOlloweth now the fourth and last attribute of God that setteth forth the hainousnes of our sins and that is the infinite goodnes and bounty of the Lord. This the Lord expresseth dayly towards all his creatures and we can looke no way but we must needs behold evident proofes and demonstrations of it Psal. 145 9. The Lord is good to all and his tender mercies are over all his works And the consideration even of this bounty of the Lord toward all his creatures though it did not extend it selfe towards us more particularly should much affect us So it did David Psal. 119.68 Thou art good and dost good teach me thy statutes If wee know or heare of a man that is a good house-keeper a bountifull man ready to doe all men good we all esteeme highly of such a one and speake well of him and would be ready to doe him any kindnesse or service though we never drunke of his cup our selves nor received any benefit by him nay though we never saw his face so amiable a thing is this property of goodnes and bounty in our eyes wheresoever we behold it For a good man saith the Apostle Rom. 5.7 peradventure some would even dare to die But alas such is the vile corruption of our nature that the common mercies of the Lord whereby he doth expresse the goodnes and bountifulnes of his nature do little affect us Let therfore every one of us consider how he hath expressed his goodnes and bounty to our selves in particular And of this before I begin to set it before your eyes and put you in mind of it I may say with the Prophet Ps. 40.5 Many ô Lord my God are the wonderfull works which thou hast done and thy thoughts which are to us-ward they cannot be reckoned up in order unto thee if I would declare and speake of them they are moe then can be numbred Yet let us consider I pray you as we are able the marvellous goodnesse and bounty the Lord hath shewed towards every one of us in particular 1. In the things that concerne our bodies and this mortall life 2. In the things that concerne our soules and our everlasting happinesse For the first 1. It is the Lord from whom we have our life and being and without whom we could not consist one moment Act. 17.28 In him we live move and have our being In his hand is our breath and all our wayes Dan. 5.23 2. It is he alone that maintaineth us in this health strength and vigor of body and mind that we do enjoy in that soundnes of limbs and senses and keepeth us from those weaknesses and pains and diseases of body and from that impotency of mind that we see many others subject unto The Lord is the strength of my life saith David Psal. 27.1 Exo. 23.25 He shall blesse thy bread and thy water and I will take sicknes away from the midst of thee 3. It is he alone that while we see many others to beg their bread to feed upon scraps provideth so plentifully for us maketh us to be able to be helpfull unto others to entertaine at this time our friends neighbors maketh us able to make merry together and furnisheth our table with such variety plenty of all good things Thou preparest a table before me saith David Ps. 23.5 in the presence of mine enemies thou anointest my head with oyle my cup runneth over Act. 14.17 He left not himselfe without witnes in that he did good gave us raine and fruitful seasons filling our hearts with food gladnes And it is our extreame blindnes and sottishnes if we ascribe this our plenty and prosperity unto any thing els but the Lords goodnes alone Hos. 2.8 She did not know that I gave her corne and wine and oile multiplied her silver and gold 4. Wheras we see and heare of many others that are undone some by fire and some by theeves and some by witchcraft how commeth it to passe that we and our children and our cattell goods are kept in such safety by day by night at home and abroad Surely the Lord hath made an hedge about us and about our houses and about all that we have as Satan confesseth of Iob 1.10 The Lord is thy keeper saith David Psal. 121.5 If he did not continually watch over us it could not bee with us as it is 5. Whereas wee have every one of us oft times beene in sundry great adversities and dangers aswell as other men what hath beene the cause that we have comen off so well when others by the very same diseases by the same afflictions have beene swallowed up and destroyed Surely this is to bee ascribed to the goodnesse and mercy of the Lord alone And wee have all cause to say with David Psal. 18.2 The Lord is my deliverer and verse 16. He sent from above he tooke me he drew me out of many waters And 68.20 Hee that is our God is the God of salvation and unto God the Lord belong the issues from death 6. and lastly Whereas we must all looke for a change and expect trouble and affliction Iob 5.7 Man is borne unto trouble what refuge have any of us to flye unto in any distresse for helpe and comfort but to the Lord only Psal. 20.7 Some trust in charets and some in horses but wee will remember the name of the Lord our God And 62.8 Trust in him at all times yee people powre out your hearts before him God is a
the son of her vowes Pro. 31.2 she had beene wont to pray much for him They should not onely use these meanes but pray earnestly to God to give them wisdome to know what they may do to destroy corruption and breed grace in their children They should pray as Manoah did Iudg. 13.8 Lord teach me what I shall do to the child that thou hast given me We should do as the woman of Canaan did complaine to God of the corruption that is in our childrens natures and desire him to heale it Have mercy on me O Lord saith she Mat. 15.22 my child is miserably vexed with a divell And as Iob did Iob 1.5 offer sacrifice daily for them pray daily for them that God would forgive them their sins Now to conclude all this that I have said touching the Meanes that parents are to use for the restraining and weakning of that corruption in their children which they have infected them with and to breed grace in them Though I cannot assure you that if you use these meanes you shall see the effect and fruit of them in every one of your children but you may justly object that many parents that have been as carefull as is possible in the use of these means have had as ungracious children as any others for the Lord is the God of all grace and the onely author of it 1 Pet. 5.10 and he giveth successe and fruit to all meanes thereof 1 Cor. 3.6 and he worketh herein most freely according to the good purpose of his owne will as the wind bloweth where it listeth Ioh 3.8 he hath mercy on whom he will and whom he will he hardneth Rom. 9.18 Yet have I two things to say for your incouragement and comfort that are Christian parents 1 None have more cause to expect and with patience to wait for a blessing from God in the use of the meanes of grace towards any then you have towards your children because of the promises God hath made to you concerning your children Gen. 17.7 Psal. 22.29 30. Esa. 44.3 And the fruit of your labour may appeare hereafter though it do not yet as experience hath proved in many good mens children that for a long time lived most ungraciously 2. Admit God be never pleased to vouchsafe a blessing to your labours in your children yet shall your labours and the fruit of them rebound into your own bosome Psal. 35.13 For 1 you highly please God in doing your duty and he accepteth your worke neverthelesse Esa. 49.4 2 Cor. 8.12 which will yeeld you unspeakable comfort 2 Cor. 1.12 2 You have hereby delivered your owne soules so as the sins and damnation of your ungracious children shall never be imputed unto you Ezek. 3.19 Lecture LVII On Psalme 51.5 May 15. 1627. WE have already heard that from these words being opened and cleared from the cavills of the Anabaptists these three doctrines do naturally arise 1. That every infant so soone as it is borne and conceived standeth guilty of sinne before God and is by nature the child of wrath 2. That this sinne that every infant standeth guilty of by nature and whereby it doth deserve eternall damnation is derived to it from Adam by the parents 3. That this sin which every infant is guilty of and which is derived to it from Adam by the parents is the chiefe sin and that which above all others may make us odious and abominable unto God The two former of these doctrines we have already finished it followeth now that we proceed unto the third and last of them We must therefore observe that David doth not mention heere the sinfullnesse and corruption of his nature wherein he was borne and conceived to lessen or extenuate the murder and adultery that he had committed as if his meaning had beene to say unto God Lord there is cause thou shouldst pitie me and have mercy on me and not lay these sinnes to my charge seeing I could do no otherwise I did but my kind the corruption of my nature which I received from my parents was the cause of it No no he hath no purpose at all heere to minse or lessen his sin to excuse or defend himselfe before God but for his further humiliation and abasing himselfe before God he aggravateth his sinne and ascendeth in his confession to an higher step and degree of it As if he had said I have not onely sinned against thee and done this evill of adultery and murder in thy sight but I have done it out of the corruption of my vile nature I was not drawne to it through the violence of any sudden tentation but mine owne filthy nature drew me to it I am not onely guilty of this adultery and murder but I am more vile then so for I have in me and had so soone as I had any being a fountaine of all sinne for which thou maiest justly abhorre me and I loath my selfe much more then for my other sinnes For when they are repented of and I am delivered from the guilt and power of them yet this cursed root of all sinne that is in me will never be destroied till I be destroied my selfe This is the meaning of David here And therefore 1. He doubleth the words of this complaint which he maketh here unto God of his originall sin the corruption of his nature I was brought forth in iniquity and in sinne my mother conceived mee 2. He setteth before this his complaint of the corruption of his nature this word of attention behold as if hee should say this this is it that humbleth me most of all And from these words then wherein David doth in this manner complaine unto God of the corruption of his nature we have this doctrine to learne for our owne instruction That our originall sinne that corruption of nature wherein wee were borne and conceived is the sinne of all others fro which the Lord may most justly abhorre us and for which we should be most humbled and abased in our selves See the proofe of both the branches of this doctrine distinctly First That this is the sinne for which the Lord may most justly abhorre us Man saith Eliphaz Iob 15.16 that is every man which must needs be understood in respect of his nature is filthy and abominable in his sight And the Apostle Ephes. 2.3 We are even by nature the children of wrath As if he had said If we had no other sinne but that the very sinfullnesse of our nature maketh us worthy of Gods wrath and odious unto him This truth the Lord shaddowed out to his people under the law by sundry ceremonies For whereas you shall find few or no lawes made for the shutting men out from the tabernacle which was a type of heaven for actuall sinnes there are many against them that were defiled with such impurities as did typify the corruption of our nature by originall sinne The leper though he were a King might not be
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
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
poore services be as a sacrifice of a most sweet smelling savour unto God Lecture LXXIII on Psalme 51.5 Octob. 30. 1627. THis point may not be passed over without some application And it is to bee applied 1. By way of prevention unto carnall and wicked men who are apt to draw that comfort unto themselves from it that belongeth not unto them 2. By way of incouragement unto the people of God who receive not that comfort from it that they ought to doe First Many a carnall man is apt to stumble at this Doctrine and to blesse himselfe in his grosse sins by it after this manner The Lord saith he you see is not so strict and rigorous as to marke every thing that his people doe amisse hee is apt wee heare to passe by their slips and infirmities but the good things they doe at any time those hee taketh notice of and remembreth and taketh delight in and will undoubtedly reward And therefore saith hee why should my slips and infirmities disquiet mee And what are these slips and infirmities I pray you that he speaketh of Surely swearing ordinarily making himselfe merry now and then with deriding religion and good men breaking the Sabbath wantonnesse drunkennesse and such like Why should I saith hee suffer my mind to be troubled for these things Nay why should I not rather comfort my selfe and rejoyce in those good things I doe For I thanke God I am no Papist but professe the true religion I goe to Church I pray I heare the Word and receive the Sacrament I give to the poore I make conscience of my word I doe no man wrong And these are things I know that God liketh and delighteth in This was just the presumptuous conceit and perswasion of that Pharisee our Saviour speaketh of Luke 18.11 12. And certainly the world is full of such Pharisees even in these dayes Now to beat downe the presumption of these Pharisees I have three things to say First Consider who they are that the Lord standeth so graciously affected unto whose slips and infirmities hee useth thus to winke at whose imperfect services hee is wont thus to delight in and reward Not every one but such onely as are in Christ. Such onely are his children by adoption and grace But what is that to thee Seeing it is certaine thou art not in Christ. Because thou walkest and goest on impenitently in knowne sinnes There is no condemnation saith the Apostle Rom. 8.1 to them that are in Christ Iesus But who are they Hee answereth Which walke not after the flesh but after the spirit It is certaine thou art not the child of God because thou art not led by the spirit of God For so saith the Apostle likewise Rom. 8.14 As many as are led by the spirit of God they are the sonnes of God and none but they Secondly Admit thou wert the child of God admit thou wert in Christ yet could not God beare with such faults as thine are nor take in good part such service as thou usest to doe unto him The Lord hath promised Mat. 3.17 To spare and beare with his children as a man spareth his son that serveth him In those good duties wherein he seeth our heart is set to serve him he wil beare with many defects and failings But he will not beare with the dearest child he hath in any grosse sinne Did he beare with David when he fell to adultery No no he beat him so sore for it as David complaineth heere ver 8. that he brake his bones with beating of him For such sinnes God is very terrible in the assembly of his Saints especially as the Prophet speaketh Psalme 89.7 Nay I say more the Lord will not passe by nor winke at in the dearest child he hath those very defects and failings that are in their best duties if they be reigning corruptions and not infirmities that is if they be not felt and striven against and mourned for Therefore we are required in doing of good duties to watch and observe our owne hearts Continue in prayer and watch in the same saith the Apostle Colos. 4.2 And to strive against our owne corruptions therein Strive with me and for me in prayer saith he Romanes 15.30 And to bewaile unto God our failings in them Spare mee according to the greatnesse of thy mercy saith Nehemiah 13.22 And if God will not winke at such faults as thine are in his dearest children canst thou hope that he will winke at them in thee that art still a child of wrath If God will not accept of the services that his dearest children doe unto him unlesse they be sensible of those corruptions wherewith they are stained canst thou hope that he will accept of thine And what talkest thou of thy serving of God or of any good thing that ever thou didst Alas thou couldest never serve God nor doe any good thing in thy life That which the Prophet saith Ieremie 6.10 of such as thou art their eare is uncircumcised and they cannot hearken thou couldst never in thy life heare one Sermon to any purpose the same may be said of all other duties of Gods service thou couldst never pray nor receive the Sacrament in thy life Yee cannot serve the Lord saith Ioshuah 24.19 to them that lived in idolatry And that which I say of the duties of Gods worship the same I say likewise of all other good workes Thou never didst worke of mercy in thy life thou didst never make conscience of dealing justly and truly with thy neighbour Matthew 12.34 How can ye being evill speake good things Luke 6.43 A corrupt tree bringeth not forth good fruit They that professe that they know God saith the Apostle Titus 1.16 but in their workes denie him being abominable and disobedient are reprobate unto every good worke The good things that such men seeme to doe are not onely defective in the manner or in the measure or in matter of circumstance as the best workes of the faithfull may be but they are utterly void of that which is the very substance and that giveth life and being to a good worke that is faith that worketh by love Gal. 5 6. The third and last thing I have to say to this man is this Thou not being Gods child nor being in Christ but living in the state of impenitency as thou dost and continuing therein shalt find the Lord every whit as austere and rigorous towards thee as he is indulgent and gracious towards his owne children This will appeare in three points First Though he beare with so many faults and frailties in his own children he will not beare with the least fault in thee But thou shalt give account even for every idle word that thou hast spoken at the day of Iudgement as our Saviour speaketh Mat. 12.36 Yea the Lord will bring every secret thought of thine into judgement Eccl. 12.14 Secondly Though he take the poorest and weakest services that his children doe him in
6.25 It shall be our righteousnesse if we observe to doe all these commandements before the Lord our God as hee hath commanded us When Gods materiall house was to bee built God gave to Moses for the Tabernacle Exod. 25.9 and to David for the Temple 1 Chron. 28.12 a patterne according to which hee would have every thing made and done And of this patterne that God gave to David for the Temple it is expressely said 1 Chron. 28.19 that God gave it him in writing Nothing might bee done either by Moses or by Solomon though they were two of the wisest men that ever lived about the Tabernacle or Temple nor about the whole service of God that was used in them but according to that patterne that God had given them And this charge the Lord did repeate unto Moses to shew the importance and necessity of observing it foure severall times Exodus 25.9.40.26.30.27.8 And so the Apostle also mentioneth it Hebrews 8.5 See saith hee that thou make all things according to the patterne that was shewed thee in the mount And even thus hath the Lord done in the building of his spirituall house hee hath given us a patterne according to which hee would have all our good workes done and he hath given it us in writing in the holy Scriptures and he hath given it us with this charge that whatsoever wee do we doe it according to this patterne See this charge expressely given Deut. 5.32 You shall observe to doe as the Lord your God hath commanded you yee shall not turne aside to the right hand nor to the left As if hee should say ye shall neither doe more nor lesse then that When one asked our Saviour this question Master what shall I doe to inherit eternall life He answereth him thus Luke 10.25 26. How is it written in the law How readest thou As if he had said In the written law of God and there only thou shalt find what those good workes are that God will reward in heaven And that you may the better see what a perfect and absolute patterne and rule this is that God hath given us in his written Word and what necessity there is that we should follow the direction of it in every thing wherein wee desire to please God I will manifest it unto you in six points which I must desire you to attend unto First There is no good worke any man can doe no good thing at all that any man can take in hand to please God with whether it concerne the worship of God or his conversation with men or the carriage of himselfe any manner of way no duty either of holinesse towards God or righteousnesse towards men or sobriety towards himself but he may have cleere direction for it in the Word of God I grant that this cleere direction in every thing is not easily found in the Word much diligence in reading and studying of the Word in attending upon Gods ordinance in the Ministery of his servants and in humble and fervent prayer is required hereunto yet may we certainely if the fault be not in our selves find cleare and certaine direction in the Word for all these things As there was nothing to be done about the Tabernacle not so much as the snuffers or curtaines or rings or pins that were to be used about it but they were all set downe in the patterne that God gave to Moses in the mount See this plainely proved Pro. 2.1.9 My son if thou wilt receive my words saith the wisedome of God and hide my commandements with thee then shalt thou understand righteousnesse and judgement equity yea every good path And indeed how els could the holy Scripture be â—o profitable and sufficient not only to teach and convince in all matters of Doctrine but also to correct and instruct in righteousnes that by it the man of God may become perfect throughly furnished unto every good work as the Apostle saith it is 2 Tim. 3.16 17. if there were any one good duty which the Minister of God might not be able out of the holy Scripture to give Gods people cleere direction in Therefore the Lord giveth this testimony of David 1 King 14.8 that he kept his commandements and followed him with all his heart to do that only that was right in Gods eyes As we do that which is right in Gods eyes then only when we keepe his commandements and follow the direction of his Word so then only do we follow the Lord with all our hearts we serve him with honest upright hearts when we do that only that is right in his eyes that only that we have the direction of his Word for Secondly Nothing that God hath commanded or approved in his Word can be a sin but must needs be lawfull and good how unreasonable or inconvenient or void of good successe soever it may seeme unto flesh and bloud Every creature of God is good saith the Apostle 1 Tim. 4.4 5. for it is sanctified by the Word and prayer As if he should say Whatsoever God hath allowed and sanctified in his Word that must needs bee good Nay to account any thing evill or to make scruple of doing any thing that God in his Word hath approved is doubtlesse a great errour and sinne Be not righteous overmuch saith the Holy Ghost Eccl. 7.16 neither make thy selfe over wise As if he had said Be not holier then God make no more sins then God hath made Our Saviour calleth the Ruler of the Synagogue hypocrite Luke 13.14 15. for holding it unlawfull to doe workes of mercy on the Sabbath day Why Was it not a good thing in him to be so zealous for the observation of the Sabbath or was it a good thing to doe such cures upon the Sabbath Yes verily because God had not in his Word forbidden but allowed and commanded works of mercy to be done then at all times this man in being so hot zealous against it shewed himselfe to be no better then an hypocrite See in a notable example what the danger of this is 1 King 20.35 36. A Prophet said to his neighbour in the word of the Lord and his neighbour knew him to be a Prophet and that it was the word and commandement of the Lord which hee spake smite mee I pray thee and the man refused to smite him hee made scruple to doe it because hee thought it unjust and unreasonable to doe it But what saith the Prophet to him Because thou hast not obeyed the voice of the Lord but wilt be more righteous and mercifull then God would have thee as soone as thou art departed from mee a lion shall slay thee And so it fell out Hee had not sinned in smiting and wounding the Prophet as verse 37. you shall find another upon the same warrant and commandement did yea hee sinned in not doing it in making a scruple of it when he had Gods Word and commandement for it So it
and mercy towards men aright when the thing that moveth us to do them is the love we beare unto God So speaketh the Apostle of the workes of mercy Heb. 6.10 God is not unrighteous to forget your worke and labour of love which you have shewed towards his name in that yee have ministred to the Saints and doe minister It was their love to God that moved them to minister to the Saints and such workes of mercy as proceed from that root God will never forget to reward So speaketh the Apostle Iohn likewise 1 Iohn 5.2 By this wee know wee love the children of God when we love God Before we can love the children of God wee must first love God and for that cause love his children In a word to conclude the confirmation of this first branch this is made the root of all obedience in generall to any commandement of God of all good workes Deut. 7.9 He keepeth covenant and mercy with them that love him and keepe his commandements First We must love him before we can keepe any of his commandements well In which respect the Apostle Rom. 13.10 calleth love the fulfilling of the law Hee that hath not this love can keepe no part of Gods law well he cannot fulfill it he that hath it keepeth the whole law yea fulfilleth it keepeth it so as God in Christ accepteth of it as if he had perfectly kept it Now before I passe from this branch an objection must here be answered Is nothing well done unlesse it bee done out of love to God Is nothing well done that is done out of feare of Gods judgements If a man abstaine from sinne and performe good duties out of feare of wrath even out of the feare of hell will God in no case be pleased with this I answer First Yes verily The feare of Gods wrath kept Iob from sundry sinnes It kept him from uncleannesse For hee professing Iob 31.1 that he durst not give himselfe liberty in wanton looks nor in wanton thoughts he telleth us verse 3. what moved him to it Is not destruction saith he to the wicked and a strange punishment to the workers of iniquity And professing verse 21. that he durst not oppresse or wrong any poore man hee giveth this for the reason whereby he was kept from it verse 23. For destruction from God was a terrour to me saith he and by reason of his highnesse I could not endure As though he should say I was not able to beare the wrath and fury of that high and mighty God And the Apostle speaking of Noahs obedience unto that strange commandement that God gave him to prepare the arke one hundred and twenty yeares before the floud came wherein doubtlesse hee made himselfe a scorne and laughing stocke to all that knew him telleth us Heb. 11.7 that he was moved by feare to doe it And the same Apostle professeth of himselfe 2 Cor. 5.11 that he had not beene so diligent and conscionable in his ministery as he was if the feare of Gods wrath against all idle and unconscionable and unprofitable Ministers had not moved him unto it Knowing saith he the terrours of the Lord we perswade men So that it is certainly lawfull and pleasing unto God that we should both thinke oft of Gods wrath due to sinne yea even of the torments prepared in hell for sinners where the worme never dieth and the fire never goeth out and to abstaine and restraine our selves from evill even out of that feare Nay our Saviour commandeth us so to doe Luke 12.5 Feare him that after he hath killed and taken away your life hath power to cast you into hell yea I say unto you feare him But then I answer secondly That no godly man doth abstaine from sinne or doe good duties onely out of this feare of Gods wrath but out of the love hee beareth to God for his goodnesse as well nay more out of that then out of the feare of his wrath This is evident in the Apostle even in that very Chapter 2 Cor. 5. wherein as we have heard he professed what force there was in the terrours of the Lord to move him unto his duty hee telleth us of this other motive verse 14. and saith it was more forcible with him then feare For the love of Christ constraineth us saith he And of Noah it is said Heb. â—1 7 By faith he prepared an Arke There is in the obedience of the godly a holy mixture of feare and love As their love to God is not a fellow-like familiarity as is among equalls but is out of an apprehension of his greatnes and holinesse and justice tempered with feare and a dreadfull awe of him so neither is that feare of God that is in them a servile feare like that of the slave that hath nothing to move him unto duty but the feare of the whip but is out of an apprehension and assurance of his goodnesse mixed with love Like the feare that ought to be in every good child towards his parents Lev. 9.3 Yee shall feare every man his mother and his father Yea the love they beare to God for his goodnesse is the chiefe root of that feare they have of him according to that Hos. 3.5 They shall feare the Lord and his goodnesse in the latter daies The feare they have of God is not such a tormenting feare as wicked men have but there is joy and comfort mixed with their feare They rejoyce even in their trembling as David speaketh Psal. 2.11 Yea they have confidence in their feare Psal. 56.3 What time I am afraid I will trust in thee The feare of wicked men is like that of the souldiers that kept Christ Sepulcher when the Angell that rolled away the stone appeared unto them For feare of him saith the Text Matth. 28.4 the keepers did shake and became as dead men they had no comfort no hope But the feare of the godly is like that of the two Maryes of whom we read verse 8. that when they had both seene the Angell and heard his glorious voice also they departed from the Sepulchre with feare and great joy And thus have I finished the first branch of the Doctrine and shewed you that we can do nothing well we cannot please God in any thing we doe unlesse it proceed from the love we beare to God unlesse it grow from that root Cant. 1.4 The upright love thee Now let us proceed unto the second branch That the true love of God wheresoever it is is an infallible signe of a true and upright heart This you shall heare confirmed unto you by three sorts of proofes First This is oft made in the Word a proper note and character of the elect and upright hearted man that he is such a one as loveth the Lord. Yea these two properties are made convertible termes every good man every upright hearted man loveth the Lord Cant. 1.4 The upright love thee And every one
we proceed unto the second grace whereof the right root of all true righteousnesse and goodnesse doth consist and that is a lively faith The point then that we are now to learne is this That all true love unto God and consequently all true godlinesse and uprightnesse of heart springeth from a lively faith even such a faith as maketh knowne to a man Gods love to him in Christ and maketh him able to receive Christ and to rest upon him See the proofe of this in foure degrees First Without faith it is not possible for a man to repent and forsake sinne in a right manner Sin shall not have dominion over you saith the Apostle Rom. 6.14 for ye are not under the law but under grace As if he had said Till you be under grace till by faith ye be assured of Gods gracious disposition towards you sinne will have dominion over you ye cannot helpe it ye cannot avoid it It is the bloud of Christ only applied by faith that purgeth the conscience from dead workes as the Apostle teacheth Heb. 9.14 Secondly Without faith it is not possible for a man to leade a godly life or to do anything that may please God Heb. 1â— 6 Without saith it is impossible to please God The life that I now live saith the Apostle Gal. 2.20 that is my spirituall life I live by the faith of the sonne of God Thirdly Without faith it is not possible for a man to have an honest and upright heart all he doth will be in hypocrisie till he have a lively faith For it is faith that purifieth the heart Acts 15.9 and that sanctifieth it Acts 26. â—8 Fourthly and lastly Without a lively faith it is impossible to love the Lord. It is saith that worketh by love saith the Apostle Gal. 5.6 As if he had said faith is that that setteth love on working that giveth life and motion unto it This is that which the Apostle also teacheth 1 Tim. 1.5 The end of the commandement is love out of a pure heart and a good conscience and faith unfeigned As if he had said The true love of God which is the very end and perfection the fulfilling of every commandement of God which maketh us able to keepe the commandements and to account them no burden nothing grievous to us which giveth the price and valew in Gods sight to all our obedience springeth from a pure and upright heart and that from a good conscience and that from faith yea from faith unfeigned So that is the maine root of all The reasons hereof are two First Because faith is the onely thing that knitteth us to Christ and maketh him ours Christ dwelleth in our hearts by saith Ephes. 3.17 And till we bee knit to him and he be made ours there can be no goodnesse in us Of his fullnesse have we all received Ioh. 1.16 Without me ye can do nothing saith our Saviour Iohn 15.4 Secondly Because faith and faith onely maketh knowne to us that love of God as is effectuall to to breed in us a true love unto God It is an old and true proverbe and the truth of it is not so certaine in any case as in this magnes omoris amor Love is of an attractive nature like the load-stone to draw love unto it We love God saith the Apostle 1 Iohn 4.19 because he loved us first We can never love him till we be first perswaded of his love to us When the Sun in his full strength heate hath shined much upon it the stony pavement it self will reflect and send up an heate towards the sunne yea a greater heate then either the softer earth or the aire will but till the sun hath shined and shined much upon it it can send up no heate nor have any in it at all And even so it is with our cold and stony hearts when the knowledge and sense of Gods love hath warmed them then will they reflect love to God againe but till then they cannot But to handle this second reason more plainely and profitably two things are to be observed which I will distinctly speake of 1. Nothing but a lively faith can so assure us of Gods love to us as to kindle in our hearts a true love to God 2. A lively faith is able to doe this For the first It may bee objected that a man may bee sufficiently perswaded of Gods love to him though hee have not a lively faith For 1 Experience doth now and in all ages hath proved that many a most wicked man that is utterly void of true faith is fully perswaded that God loveth him and glorieth in nothing more then in that Hee maketh his boast of God as the Apostle speaketh of the wicked Iewes Rom. 2.17 The Lord speaking of some that did both in word and deed commit as much wickednes as they were able Ier. 3.5 yet saith of them ver 4. that these men would cry unto him My God thou art the guide of my youth And our Saviour saith that those cursed Iewes of whom hee pronounceth that the devill was their father Iohn 8.44 yet were themselves fully perswaded of Gods fatherly love unto them and could say of themselves verse 41 Wee have one father even God And what child of God know you upon earth that hath this word I thanke my God so much in his mouth as many a most wicked man hath 2 A man that hath no faith may yet have just cause to bee perswaded of Gods love towards him for God doth indeed love him and sheweth it many wayes that hee doth love him The Lord is good to all saith David Ps. 145.9 and his tender mercies are over all his works He is kind to the unthankefull and to the evill saith our Saviour Luke 6.25 Loe hee is good and kind and tenderly mercifull unto all even unto the worst men And upon whom doth not his light arise saith Bildad Iob 25.3 What man is there in the world that hath not sensible and comfortable experience of Gods love every day And why should not all men then be perswaded that God loveth them Now to this objection I have foure things to answer First It is very true that even these outward and common favours of God that all men enjoy are evident testimonies of Gods love and goodnesse In that hee giveth life and health and seasonable times in that hee causeth us to prosper yea in that hee feedeth us and cloatheth us it is a signe hee loveth us God loveth the stranger saith Moses Deutere 10.18 in giving him food and raiment Secondly To them that are in Christ these temporall and common favours of God are signes and pledges of his speciall love even by them the faithfull are confirmed in the assurance of his eternall love When Iacob saw that God had changed Esaus heart so that he looked and spake kindly to him hee saw Gods face and loving countenance toward him even in that I
his owne salvation He is not so dead but there is enough left in him to make him without excuse as the Apostle plainely teacheth Rom. 1.20 He may doe more then he doth to avoid damnation he may doe more then he doth to further his owne salvation and because he will not doe what he may therefore he is inexcusable therefore he is the cause of his owne destruction Why what can he do will you say I answer First He hath power enough left in him by nature to curbe and restraine himselfe from all grosse sinnes from drunkennesse and whoredome and such like sinnes yea and from haunting of lewd company that may draw him to such sinnes he may forbeare these things if he will he hath enough left in him to make him able to live a civill and unblameable life There is many a man that even by the strength of nature can truly say as he said Luk. 18.11 I thanke God I am no extortioner nor unjust in my dealings with men nor an adulterer Secondly He hath enough left in him to make him able to doe many good workes I meane workes that are materially and morally good He can if he will make restitution of that that he hath gotten unjustly and doe workes of mercy also to the poore Els would not Daniel 4.27 have spoken thus to such a man as Nebuchadnezzar was Breake off thy sinnes by righteousnesse and thine iniquities by shewing mercy to the poore And that which the young man saith of the outward observation of all the commandements of the second table Matth. 19 20. All these things have I kept from my youth up that the Apostle speaketh even of many a Gentile Rom. 2.14 The Gentiles do by nature the things contained in the law And in the Church many a man is even by the strength of nature able to say not of the second table onely but of the three latter commandements of the first table also so farre forth as the letter and externall observation of them all these have I kept Thirdly He can if he will frequent the ministery of the Word the plainest and most powerfull ministery and that constantly When thou wert young saith our Saviour to Peter Iohn 21.18 thou girdest thy selfe and walkedst whither thou wouldest So much freedome of will every man hath by nature so much power even by that generall and common grace and assistance that God communicateth unto all men that he may goe to Church if he will yea he may if he will ride or goe many miles to a Sermon ordinarily as well as he may to an market so farre The Lord speaking of such as were no better then naturall men telleth the Prophet Ezek. 33.31 They come to thee as the people commeth and they sit before thee as my people and they heare thy words Fourthly He may if he will so seriously marke and observe the Word that is preached unto him and the judgements of God which he seeth and feeleth as he may bring himselfe thereby unto legall repentance even to such a sight and sense of his sinne and of the wrath of God as may make his heart to quake and judge himselfe to be in a most miserable estate Of them that were no more then naturall men we do read Esa. 58.3 that they did use in the time of Gods judgements upon them to fast and afflict their owne soules And of Ahab and Felix we read how by hearing the Word and observing what they heard they were wrought upon Ahab 1 King 21.27.29 rent his clothes put sackcloth upon his flesh fasted and humbled himselfe before God And Felix Acts 24.25 trembled exceedingly Fiftly and lastly He may be able out of this sense he hath of his owne miserable estate not onely to desire the prayers of others as Pharaoh did Exod. 10.17 and Ieroboam 1 King 13.6 but even himselfe also to cry importunately and pray to God for mercy So it is said of the mariners Ionah 1. that in the extreame feare they were in through the apprehension of Gods wrath they cried not onely every man unto his God verse 5. but unto the Lord also unto Iehovah verse 14. So it is likewise said of Saul Acts 9.11 Behold hee prayeth When our Saviour exhorteth the hypocriticall Iewes in an allegoricall speech to make their peace with God in time while this life and the day of grace lasteth Luke 12.58 59. he maketh this preface to that exhortation verse 57. Yea and why even of your selves judge ye not what is right As if he had said You have so much light and judgement in your selves even by nature as to discerne that that is fit and necessary to be done Even by the light of nature a man may be able out of the apprehension and sense of his owne fearefull condition to desire reconciliation with God and to cry earnestly for it Now if any man shall aske me and what is all to the purpose that you say a naturall man is able to doe seeing none of all this is any thing worth in the sight of God or pleasing unto him seeing there is no true goodnesse in any of this that a naturall man doth Without faith it is impossible to please God Hebrewes 11.6 I answer First That though this be so yet I may say to the naturall man that doth these things that doth thus what in him lyeth as our Saviour said to the Scribe Marke 12.34 Thou art not farre from the kingdome of God such a man is nearer to heaven then any other naturall man in the world is Secondly That though by doing all this that lyeth in his power 1 he cannot deserve neither ex condigno nor ex congruo as the Papists speake that God should save him or give him his grace for Gods grace is free he worketh in men both to will and to doe of his owne good pleasure as the Apostle speaketh Phil. 2.13 2 He can have no certaine assurance when he hath done all this that lyeth in him to doe that he shall find mercy with God for there is no promise made to these things All the promises of God are in Christ yea and Amen as the Apostle speaketh 2 Cor. 1.20 till a man be in Christ he hath no promise from God yet may the naturall man be greatly incouraged to doe thus what lyeth in him to flie from the wrath to come and to please God and may conceive hope that by doing these things as well as he is able God will be pleased out of his infinite goodnesse to shew mercy on him And these grounds he hath out of Gods Word for his encouragement therein 1. Because the Lord hath revealed himselfe in his Word to be so infinite in mercy and goodnesse Exod. 34.7 and hath sworne Ezek. 33.11 that hee hath no pleasure in the death of the wicked 2. Because God seeketh to the vilest sinner in the ministery of his word 2 Cor. 5. â—0
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
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
experience 1 of Gods marvellous providence in sundry extreamities as Abraham had 2 of Gods gracious presence revealed to us in his house and in the use of his ordinances as Iacob had 3 of the comfortable answer that God hath given to our prayers as hee did to Hannah 4 specially of the fruit happy successe we have found in our fasts the great deliverances we have received by them as Gods people in the daies of Iehosaphat and Mordecai did that we should likewise take heed of forgetting these experiments use all the meanes we can to keepe them in remembrance for ever And that for this very cause because as the Apostle saith Rom. 5.4 Experience worketh hope And that upon this ground because though we be variable the Lord is constant in his love Whom he loveth he loveth to the end Iohn 13.1 In him is no uariablenesse or shadow of turning Iames 1.17 The fourth and last meanes that they must use who desire to obtaine assurance of Gods favour in Christ to preserve it when they have it and to recover it when it is lost is this They must renounce themselves and looke for it onely through the free grace and mercy of God in Iesus Christ. When a man can neither 1 by diligent examination find any goodnesse in himselfe for the present 2 nor call to mind any goodnesse that hath beene in him formerly 3 nor can remember any such speciall mercy or fruit of Gods love that he hath received in times past upon which he can ground any assurance yet if he can then with an humbled soule despairing to get it any other way cast himselfe upon the free grace and mercy of God in Christ and cry with Gods people 2 Chron. 20.12 We know not what to doe but our eyes are upon thee he may obtaine assurance and comfort by this meanes when he cannot doe it by any other By this means David looked to receive his comfort and assurance as you may find by that speech he useth to his owne soule Psalme 42.5 which he repeateth againe verse 12. Why art thou cast downe O my soule and why art thou disquieted within me Hope thou in God for I shall yet praise him for the helpe of his countenance He looked verily to recover the comfortable assurance of Gods favour How looked he to recover it Surely by hoping in God and resting in his mercy So by this meanes the faithfull professe they looked to obtaine the comfortable assurance of Gods love Psal. 33.20 22. Our soule waiteth for the Lord for our heart shall rejoyce in him because we have trusted in his holy name Let thy mercy O Lord be upon us according as we hope in thee Why but you will say can any man hope for mercy from God that can find no goodnesse in himselfe at all The righteous God loveth righteousnesse as we have heard out of Psal. 11.7 Ye that feare the Lord trust in the Lord saith David Psal. 115.11 The mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting saith David Psal. 103.17 upon them that feare him But on the other side Such as have no goodnesse in them but are wicked men his soule hateth as David teacheth us Psal. 11.5 To this I answer That though no impenitent sinner can expect mercy from God neither would I have any such snatch at any thing that I shall say they have nothing to do with it yet the humbled and penitent sinner may as may appeare by examples Sundry that could find no goodnesse in themselves at all and therefore judged themselves utterly unworthy of mercy have yet relyed upon God trusted and looked to receive mercy from him neverthelesse for that Such a one was the Centurion Matth. 8.8 who though he judged himselfe unworthy that Christ should come under his roofe yet did trust to receive mercy from Christ for all that And the woman of Canaan who though she knew no goodnesse in her selfe but counted her selfe no better than a dog Mat. 15.27 yet trusted confidently in Christ for all that And two plain reasons there be for this First because they knew Gods mercy is free and not grounded upon any goodnesse that is in us I will love them freely saith the Lord Hos. 14.4 I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious saith the Lord Exod. 33.19 and will shew mercy on whom I will shew mercy Secondly Because they have trusted to receive mercy from God onely through Christ. In him they knew there was goodnesse enough though there were none in them Looke upon the face of thine annointed saith David Psal. 84.9 As if he should have said Though thou canst see no goodnesse in me for which thou shouldst shew me mercy yet thou maist see enough in him to content thee Cause thy face to shine upon thy Sanctuary that is desolate saith Daniel 9.57 for the Lords sake Christ hath deserued that God should be mercifull to all the belieue in him And whatsoever goodnesse is in him is theirs He is made to us of God saith the Apostle 1 Corinth 1.30 wisdome righteousnesse sanctification and redemption So that an humbled sinner may rely upon and expect mercy of God through Christ though he can discerne no goodnesse at all in himselfe Nay I say more that because thou findest in thy selfe no goodnesse at all therefore art thou of all men the fittest to receive mercy from God through Christ. Hâ—e every one that thirsteth saith the Lord Esa. 55.1 come ye to the waters and he that hath no money As if he had said He that hath no goodnesse in him nothing whereby he may hope to purchase and deserve mercy is neverthelesse capable of mercy for that nay he is the more capable of it because of that that he finds himselfe so As the emptier a glasse is the fitter it is to receive any precious liquor that should be put into it Blessed are the poore in spirit saith our Saviour Matth. 5.3 And To him that worketh not but believeth in him that justifieth the ungodly saith the Apostle Rom. 4.5 To him that hath not any goodnesse not one good work to trust unto but can do God that honour as to believe in him expect and rest upon him for mercy though he know himselfe to be an ungodly man and void of all goodnesse to him his faith is imputed for righteousnesse As if he should say O that is a justifying that is an excellent faith indeed But though a man that feeleth no goodnesse in himselfe may yet expect to receive mercy and assurance of favour from God if he can rest himselfe upon the free grace and mercy of God in Christ and trust to receive it that way and that way alone yet how can such a one as I that am so full of feares and doubts and infidelity ever be able to do that my infidelity barreth me from all hope of mercy If Christ could do no mighty worke in Nazareth because of their infidelity
Meanes to get assurance of Gods favour 641 c. Wicked men Lâ—wd persons are a curse to the place they live in 124 Have no cause to stumble at this that God is so apt to passe by the sâ—ips of his children 361 363 Wicked men must pray and do other good duties and they may receive good theâ— by three wayes 363 364 We must love their persons and yet shew detestation to their vices 749 Works Good works the fruits of Gods sanctifying Spirit in us good grounds of hope and comfort 104 105 The maine foundation of any comfort in them is wholly in Gods mercy 106 Why no man can make them the maine ground of his comfort Ibid. God doth greatly respect the poore and imperfect services of his people and three reasons for that 357 361 Good works must be performed in a right manner 433 438 Word of God The Lord must be justified in whatsoever he hath spoken 238 We must believe it 239 Allow and approve of it as just 240 Take it to heart Ibid. The Word a speciall meanes to enable us to beare afflictions christianly 263 To mortifie our corruptions 321 322 Why so much is ascribed in Scripture to the Word it selâ—e and to the Ministry thereof 507 509 The least thing God hath appointed in his Word may not be neglected 577 579 Try our estate by the Word of God 624 625 The Word a speciall meanes to get comfortable assurance that Christ is ours an 〈◊〉 633 634 A singular good thing to love the Word 700 Worship of God We must depend upon the direction of the Word for 〈◊〉 581 Conscience to be made of the outward parts of Gods Worship and exercises of Râ—ligion 581 582 We must labour to understand every thing we do in the service of God 583 589 Els we shall receive no good by it 584 585 In every part of Gods Worship labour to find God with us in it 587 588 591 Foure motives to stirre up this â—are 591 Foure means to make Gods Ordinances effectuall 592 593 We must not neglect Gods Ordinances though we find no fruit 594 Gods solemne Worship and conscionable use of his Ordinances a meanes to worke 〈◊〉 and recover assurance that Christ is ours 632 True love of God will appeare towards his Worship 799 Z. Zeale EVery one that 〈◊〉 the Spirit of Christ must needs be zealous for God and his worship 799 FINIS Doct. 1. Reason 1 2. Vse 1. 2. The respect we owe even to those parts of the Word which we understaÌ„d not Doct. 2. Reason Vse Doct. 4. Reason 1 2. 3. Vse 1. 2. Doct. 5. Reason 1 2. 3. Vse Object Answ. Quest. Answ. Doct. 6. Reason Vse 1. Vse 2. Doct. 7. Reason Vse 1. Vse 2. 1. Sort. 2. 3. Vse 3. Object Answ. Applic. Applic. Applic. Applic. Applic. Applic. Applic. Applic Applic * So it is in the margent Applic. Applic. Applic. Applic. Applic. Applic. Applic. Applic. Doct. 8. Reason 1 2. 3. Vse Vse 2. Vse 3. Object 1 Answ. Object 2 Answ. 1. 2. Object 3. Answ. Object 4. Answ. Object 5 Answ. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Nota. Doct. 9. Reason 1 2. 3. 4. Vse Vse 2. Motive 1 2. Object 1 Answ. Object 2 Answ. Object 3. Answ. Reason 1 Aâ—sw Reason 2 Answ. Reason 4 Answ. Reason 4 Answ. Answ. 2. Nota Quest. 1 Answ. Quest. 2 Answ. Quest. 3 Answ. Quest. 4 Answ. Doct. 10 Reason Vse 1. Quest. 1 2. 3. Object 1 Answ. 1 Object 2 Answ. Applic. Object 3 Answ. Vse 2. 1 Sort of Motives 2 Sort of Motives Meanes Signes Applic Applic. Applic. Applic. Nota. Doct. 11 Object 1. Answ. Object 2 Answ. Reason Object Answ. Vse Vse 2. 1 Duty Object Answ. Applic. Object Answ. Object Answ. 2 Duty Applic. Applic. Object Answ. Object Answ. Applic. 1. Duty Object Answ. Duty 2. Vse 3. Object 1 Answ. Object 2 Answ. Object Answ. Object 1. Answ. 1. Answ 2. Object Answ. 1. Object Nota. Doct. 12. Branch 1 Branch 2 Reason 1. Reason 2 Reason 3 Vse 1. Three sorts of conâ—ession of sin Object Answ. Appli 1 Appli 2 Appli Quest. Answ. 1 2. Doctr. Proofe Reason Appli Object Answ. Object Answ. Answ. 2. Object Answ. Object Answ. Applic. Applic. Applic. Applic. Applic. Nota. Doct. 13 Object Answ. Object Answ. Reason Reason 2 Reason 3 Quest. Answ. Vse 1. Vse 2. Object 1 Answ. Object Answ. Object 3 Answ. Quest. Answ. Nota. Quest. 1 Answ. Quest. 2 Answ. Quest. 3 Answ. Quest 4 Answ. Doct. 14 Branc. 1 Branch 2 Reason Reason 2 Attribute 1 Attribute 2 Attribute 3 Attribute 4 Vse 1. Object Answ. Object Answ. Applic. Vse 2. Vse 3. Object Answ. Vse 4. Nota. Doct. 15 Quest. 1 Answ. Quest. 2 Answ. Reason 1. Reason 2. Vse Nota. Quest. 1 Answ. Quest. 2 Answ. Quest. 3 Answ. Quest. 4 Answ. Doct. 16 Reason 1 Reason 2. Vse 1. Vse 2. Applic. Applic. Applic. Object Answ. Applic. Applic. 1 Applic. Applic. Applic. Applic. Applic. Applic. Nota. Object 1 Answ. 1. 2. 3. 4. Quest. 2. Answ. Doct. 17 Object 1 Answ. Object 2. Answ. Object 3 Answ. Proofe 1. Proofe 2. Object Answ. Object 2 Answ. 1. Reason 1. Reason 2. Vse 1. Vse 2. Vse 3. Vse 4. Doct. 18 Reason 1 Reason 2 Vse 1. Vse 2. First sort of Motives Second sort of Motives The third sort of motives Meanes Quest. Answ. Applic. Means 2. Applic. Object 1. Answ. 1. 2. 3. Object 2. Answ. Means 3. Applic. Means 4. Applic. Means 5. Applic. Nota. Doct. 19 Branc. 1 Branc. 2 Reason Vse 1. Applic. Vse 2. Vse 3. Motives Means Means 1. Applic. Mans 2 Means 1 Means 2 Means 3 Object 1 Answ. Object 2 Ans. Meanes 4 Applic. Applic. Means 5 Applic. Meanâ— 6 Means 7 Applic. Applic. Quest. Answ. Applic. Object 1 Answ. 1 2. Object 2 Answ. 1. 2. 3. Object Answ. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Vse 4. 1 Restraining grace Applic. Object Applic. Applic. Object Answ Applic. 1 CoÌ„verting grace Applic. 3 Confirming grace Applic. Object Answ. TentatioÌ„ 1 Preservative 1. Object 1 Answ. Quest. Answ. Quest. Answ. Object 2 Answ. 1. 2. 3. Preservative 2. Quest. Answ. TentatioÌ„ 2. Preservative Quest. Answ. 4 Saving grace Applic. Object Answ. 1 2. Doct. 20 Reason 1 Reason 2 Reason 3 Reason 4 Vse 1. Motive 1. Motive 2. Motive 3 Applic. The first signe of uprightnesse of heart Applic. The second signe of uprightnes of heart Object Answ. The first property of obedience and true righteousnesse Applic. The second property of true goodnesse and righteousnesse Branch 1 Object Answ. 1 Answ. 2 Branch 2 Applic. Object Answ. Object Answ. Doct. Reason 1 Reason 2 Object Answ. Applic. Motives Motive 1 Motive 2 Motive 3 Motive 4. Motive 5. Motive 6. Mean 1 Mean 2. Means 3 Means 4. Means 5 Object Answ. Object Applic. The third property of true goodnesse and righteousnesse 1 The subject of sancâ—â—fying grace Caution 1â— Caution 2 Caution 3. Applic. The 〈…〉 Quest. 1 Answ. 1. Quest. 2 Answ. 1. Applic. Applic. Answ. 2. Applic. Applic. Applic. 2 The continuance of saving grace Applic. 1 Object Answ. 1. 2. 3. 4. The â—ourth property of true goodnesse and righteousnesse Applic. Applic. Applic. The third signe of uprightnesse of heart Answ. 1. 2. Applic. 1 Quest. Answ. 1 Answ. 2. Applic. Answ. 1. 2. 3. Quest. Answ. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Quest. Answ. 1. 2. 3. Applic. 2 Object Answ. Object Answ. Vse 2. Motive Quest. Answ. Applic. Means 1 Means 2 Means 3 Means 4 Means 5 Nota. Quest. 1. Answ. Quest. 2. Answ. Quest. 3. Answ. Doct. 21 Reason 1 Object Answ. Reason 2 Object Answ. Vse 1. Applic. The object of true knowledge The properties of saving knowledge The effects of saving knowledge Applic. Applic. Applic. Applic. Motive 1 Motive 2 Meanes to attaine to sound knowledge Means 1 Means 2 Means 3 Object Answ. Applic. Means 4 Means 5 Means 6 Means 7 Nota. Doct. 22 Branch 1 Applic. Applic. Applic. Quest. 1. Answ. 1. Answ. 2. Answ. 3. Quest. 2 Answ. 1. Answ. 2. Branch 2 Object 1 Answ. Object 2 Answ. Reason 1 Object Answ. Answ. 2. Reason 2 Object Answ. Object Answ. Quest. Answ. Vse 1. Applic. 1 Applic. 2 Vse 2. Caution 1 Caution 2 Applic. Nota. Doct. 23 Caution Object 2 Answ. Proofe Object Answ. Quest. Answ. Reason 1 Reason 2 Quest. Answ. Reason 3. Vse 1. Vse 2. Quest. Answ. 1. Answ. 2. Applic. Vse 3. Object Answ. Reason 1 Reason 2 Applic. Applic. Quest. 1 Answ. Quest. 2 Answ. Quâ—st 3 Answ. Nota. Doct. 24 CautioÌ„ 1 CautioÌ„ 2 Reason 1 Reason 2 Vse 1. Vse 2. Motive 1 Motive 2 Motive 3 Motive 4 Nota. Doct. 25 Branch 1 Reason Branch 2 Vse 1. Vse 2. Applic. Motive 1 Motive 2 Motive 3 Motive 4 Means 1 Means 2 Means 3 Means 4 Object Answ. Nota. Doct. 26 Branch 1 Branch 2 Reason 1 Reason 2 Quest. Answ. Vse 1. Applic. Motive 1 Motive 2 Means 1 Means 2 Means 3 Means 4 Means 5 Vse 2. Motive 1 Motive 2 Motive 3 Motive 4 Object Answ. Signe Meanes Nota. Doct. 27 Branch 1 Branch 2 Reason 1. Reason 2. Vse 1. Applic. Vse 2. Motive 1 Motive 2 Signe 1. Applic. Signe 2. Object 1 Answ. Object 2 Answ. 1. Answ. 2. Applic. Signe 3. Applic. Means 1 Applic. Applic. Applic. Applic. Object 1 Answ. Object 2. Answ. Object Answ. Object Answ. Applic. Object 1 Answ. Object 2 Answ. Applic. Vse 3. Object Answ. Quest. Applic. Object 1. Object 2 Answ. Object 3. Answ. 1. 2. Nota. Doct. 28 Quest. Answ. Reason 1 Reason 2 Reason 3. Vse 1. Applic. Errour 1 Object Answ. Object 2. Answ. Object Answ. Object 1 Answ. 1. Answ. 2. Object 2 Answ. Reason 1 Object Reason 2 Object Answ. 1. 2. Reason Object 1 Answ. Object 2 Answ. Object 3 Answ. Vse Applic. Object 1 Answ. Object 2. Answ. 1. 2. 3. Object 3. Answ. Vse 2. Motive 1 Contrâ— Motiv 2 Applic. Motive Applic. Object Answ. Applic. Object Answ. Answ. Object Answ. Object Answ. 1. Answ. 2. Answ. 3. Applic. Object Answ. Object Answ. 1. Object Answ. Applic. Motive 4 Signes Object Answ. Applic. Applic. Object Answ. Applic. Aplic Quest. 1. Answ. Quest. 2. Answ. Quest. 3. Answ. Proof 1 Proofe 2 Reason 1 Object Answ. Reason 2 Aplic Object Answ. Motive 1 Motive 2 Object Answ. Meanes Doct. Reason 1. Object Answ. Object Answ. Reason 2 Reason 3. Applic. 1 Object 1 Answ. 1. Answ. 2. Answ. 3. Object 2 Answ. Object 3 Answ. Object 4. Answ. 1. Answ. 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
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
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
this that I shall teach by turning the Grace of God into lasciviousnesse as many did in the Apostles dayes Iude 4. To such Christ and the Doctrine of Gods mercy is a stone of stumbling and a rocke of offence as Peter speaketh 1. Peter 2.8 2. I know well that not onely such men but the most of you that professe the feare of God have no need of comfort but of humbling rather As our Saviour speaketh Matthew 9.12 the whole have no neede of a Physician but they that are sicke And you have just cause to desire rather that Doctrine that may search and pierce and wound your hearts then that that should comfort them and to pray with David Psalme 141.5 Let the righteous smite me that is let him reproove mee that shall bee a benefite and a kindnesse unto me The fat and the strong among Gods sheepe and such are the most of you should be fed with judgement as the Lord speaketh Ezek. 34.16 3. I know well that many of you that truly feare God do not stand in present need of comfort you are for the present in no trouble of mind your hearts are chearefull and comfortable through the assurance and feeling you have of Gods love His Candle shineth upon your head as Iob speaketh 29.3 You know the joyfull scund and can take comfort in his word and promises you walke in the light of Gods countenance and of you I may say as Ethan doth Psalm 89.15 Blessed is the people that know the joyfull sound they shall walke O Lord in the light of thy countenance But though I know all this concerning three sorts of you that heare mee now yet dare I not passe over this use of comfort First Because I am sure that some of you that heare me now have present need of it Nay it cannot be presumed but that in so great a congregation specially of voluntaries whom no law of man as on the Sabbaths but their owne inclination and love to the word draweth together there are many tender hearts that have had experience of this trouble of mind This we may learne from the tēder care the Apostle had in writing to particular Churches to prevent the grieving troubling of the hearts of such people which argueth he doubted not but there were such among them Rom. 8. when he had spoken of the dangerous state of the naturall man ver 8 They that are in the flesh cannot please God he addeth verse 9. But yee are not in the flesh but in the spirit And writing to the Church of Corinth which was a congregation very loose and disordered very sharply and namely 1 Cor. 6.9 10. Know ye not that the unrighteous shal not inherit the kingdome of God be not deceived neither fornicators nor Idolaters nor wantons nor theeves nor drunkards nor revilers shall inherite the kingdome of God Hee addeth by way of prevention because he knew that even in that congregation there could not choose but bee some humbled sinners verse 11. And such were some of you but yee are washed but yee are sanctified but yee are justified c. Sundry other such places I could alleadge for this purpose Secondly there is none of you that heare me this day but though you be for the present whole sound in your spirits cheerfull and comfortable and that upon good ground too the Lord in mercy continue you in that estate yet you must looke for a change you must not thinke this cheerfulnes comfort will last alwaies you must looke to drinke of the cup of inward trouble and affliction of minde which the rest of your brethren and sisters have begun to you in sooner or later in one measure or other it may be ye shall not pledge them in the same glasse that Iob or David began to you in the Lord it may bee out of respect to your weaknesse will call for a lesser glasse for you but pledge them you must and pledge them in the same wine in one measure or other ye know not what your measure will be and you must not choose your glasse your selves the cup is in the Lords hand and he mixeth it and he powreth it out as Asaph speaketh for I have not taken this comparison and allegory from the wretched fashion of your drunkards in drinking of healths but from the sacred Word of God Psal. 75.8 Certainely we must looke for an evill day as the Apostle speaketh Ephes. 6.13 And we have no reason to thinke or hope we may avoid it if we consider 1. That this hath beene the case not of some or of a few good men but of the whole Church the mother of us all who is in that short booke of the Canticles reported twice to have beene in that case Cant. 3.1 and 5.6 Her welbeloved had withdrawne himselfe and was gone 2. That our blessed Saviour had experience of this tentation and affliction that in his owne sense for the present his father had forsaken him Mat. 27 40. and we are all predestinated to be conformed unto his image in affliction Rom. 8.29 3. We all have the same adversary that other of Gods people have had that will buckle and wrestle with us one day This reason the Apostle giveth the Ephesians why they must looke for an evill day Ephes. 6.12 For we wrestle not against flesh and bloud but against principalities against powers c. And if ever hee assault us these are the tentations he is most likely to assault us by and if thou be free from them thou art not of God thou art an hypocrite thou hast no part in Christ Gods mercy belongeth not unto thee For these are his chiefe his fiery darts as the Apostle calleth them Ephes. 6.16 4. That we all give the Lord as just cause daily by our carnall security and neglect of our watch to humble and afflict us as ever any other of his people have done Insomuch as I may say to every one of you as the Prophet Oded did to the Israelites 2 Chron. 28.10 Are there not with you even with you sinners against the Lord our God And this is a chiefe scourge that the Lord useth to afflict his people for their security by even by withdrawing and hiding himselfe from them As Christ served his Church when she grew lazy and was loath to rise and put on her clothes and defile her feet to open unto him he withdrew himselfe and went away Cant. 5.3 6. So that you that have the most cheerefull and comfortable hearts have cause to hearken to this that I shall say for the comfort of Gods afflicted servants because your selves may have use of it hereafter We have the wit now in summer to provide for winter and oft to traine our souldiers and to try their armour aforehand let us learne to be wise for our soules and to get our armour in a readinesse against the day of conflict we are like to have with Satan In which respect
your selves are precious in Gods sight and of high account with him above all the princes in the world Psal. 147.11 The Lord taketh pleasure in them that feare him He hath appointed the glorious Angels to be your servants Mat. 18.10 Take heed you despise not one of these little ones for I say unto you that in heaven their Angels do alway behold the face of my father You are more gracious with him and may prevaile more with him in prayer and a wise Christian had rather to have one of you to pray for him then all the learned and eloquent men in the world Psal. 145.19 He will fulfill the desire of them that feare him and 10.17 Lord thou hast heard the desire of the humble Your prayers and services how poore and unperfit soever they seeme to your selves he will take in good part Mal. 3.17 I will spare them as a man spareth his owne sonne that serveth him He will not be rigorous to observe what is amisse in your services Mic. 7.18 Who is a God like unto thee that pardoneth iniquity and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage And in this respect you have just cause to be comfortable Rom. 8.31 If God be for us who can be against us at least to hurt us 4. You are the people whom Christ as I told you before hath more care of then of all the world nay then of all his Church besides whom he graciously and earnestly inviteth to come unto him and promiseth ease unto Mat. 11.28 Come unto me all ye that are weary and heavy laden and I will give you rest And therefore you have cause to rejoyce And I may say to you as they did to Bartimeus Mar. 10.49 Be of good comfort arise he calleth thee 5. And lastly you are the people that have speciall interest in all Gods mercies If there be any goodnesse any mercy in the Lord as you have heard from this Text there is an infinite multitude of them they are all yours Luke 1.50 His mercy is on them that feare him from generation to generation You therefore that feare God know 1 that you ought to be comfortable that it is your sin that you are not learne to check your selves for it and say as Psal. 42.11 Why art thou cast downe ô my soule and why art thou disquieted within me 2 Pray to God that he would make thee cheerefull as David doth Ps. 51.8 Make me to heare joy and gladnesse that the bones that thou hast broken may rejoyce and 86.4 Rejoyce the soule of thy servant For he and he onely is able to comfort them that are cast down Esa. 51.12 I even I am he that comforteth you Lecture XXVII On Psalme 51.1 2. May 30. 1626. THe fourth and last thing that I am to say to these poore servants of God that are afflicted in Conscience is That the objections they make against themselves and the reasons whereby they use to conclude against themselves that they have just cause to be thus heavy and uncomfortable are weake and insufficient to inferre any such thing upon The first and chiefe objection they make against themselves is this Alas I cannot be assured of the favour of God or that I have any part in Christ or in his speciall mercy but am rather perswaded God hath rejected me and maketh no other reckoning of me then of an enemy and a castaway and how can I then be comfortable and cheerefull Now my answer unto this so dangerous an objection shall consist of two parts For I will shew you 1 how they that are in this case must stay and comfort themselves while they continue in this tentation that they may not faint and sinke under it and 2 how and by what meanes they may recover themselves out of it and get the victory over it For the first There be five considerations that are of great force to support Gods poore servants that are in this case First Thou must consider that thou hast no cause to give credit unto this perswasion For it is but a tentation of Satan as thou maist know by this because it is so directly opposite to the Word of God The spirit of God saith 1 Tim. 1.15 that this is a true saying and by all meanes worthy to be received that Christ Iesus came into the world to save sinners That above all others such as thou art that are heavy laden are invited by Christ to come to him and promiseth that he will give them rest Mat. 11.28 That this is Gods commandement that wee should beleeve on the name of his son 1 Ioh. 3.23 That Gods mercy belongeth to them that feare him throughout all generations Luk. 1.50 And what spirit then must that needs be that would perswade thee that thou hast no part in Christ nor in the mercy of God Certainely it must needs be the spirit of Satan who is called our adversary 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Pet. 5.8 an enemy and a slanderer a lyer and the father of lies â—oh 8 44. And wilt thou beleeve him 2. But thou sayst thine owne heart perswadeth thee so I answer thy estate is not to be judged of as thou speakest and thinkest of thy selfe For as there is that maketh himselfe rich Pro. 13.7 full of peace and joy from assurance of his salvation and of Gods favour to him that hath nothing not one jot of true peace and joy no favour at all with God so there is that maketh himselfe poore perswadeth himselfe to be in a most wretched estate and hath great riches is highly in Gods favour and hath great store of saving grace It is not therefore safe for a man to judge of his owne estate according to the perswasion he hath of himselfe specially for a Christian that is in this tentation that is in the case of spirituall desertion to judge of his estate towards God according to the perswasion he hath of himselfe As in time past there was much infidelity malice covetousnesse in thee and yet thou didst not thinke so nor couldst be induced to beleeve it so there may be now much grace in thee and yet in this astonishment of thy soule thou canst not see it to be so Thy estate is not to be judged of according to that that thou speakest and thinkest of thy selfe being in this case For thou art now sicke and sicke of such a disease as deadneth and distempereth thine understanding Matth. 9.12 Have yee not knowne many that in burning feavers and such like diseases have had such thoughts and speaches as in their health they would have abhorred And of such a one we are apt to say alas it is not he but his disease that maketh him speake and think so and so shouldst thou say of thy selfe now as Asaph did being in this very case Psal. 77.10 I said this is mine infirmity God forbid he should judge of thee as thou dost of thy selfe in this case No no
not upon any outward or inward signes of Gods favour not upon any thing wee see or feele but upon the word and promise of God onely According to that of David Psal. 119.114 Thou art my hiding place and my shield and in thy word doe I trust Wee must learne to beleeve and trust God upon his bare word and promise without any of these pledges and pawnes of his that are in our owne possession else wee deale no better with him then the most wretched usurer that is will deale with the veryest beggar or bankrupt yea the falsest and dishonestest man in the world hee dares not trust him on his word nor on his oath nor on his bond neither but upon a good pawne and pledge he dare trust him And for a most eâ—fectuall motive unto this consider how fearefull a sin infidelity is not to give credit to the word and promise of God to doubt of Gods love and mercy to thee in Christ. Iohn 16.9 He shall convince the world of sin because they beleeved not on me No sin in all the world is so hainous as that Three things will make this evident to thee First consider the severity God hath shewed toward his dearest servants for not giving credit to his word even in such things as were most unlikely to come to passe God had promised Moses and Aaron that if they would speake to the rocke in the sight of the people it should give forth water enough to satisfie the whole congregation and their cattell too a most unlikely and incredible thing yet because they did but doubt of this God would not let them enter into the promised land Numb 20.8 12. God had promised Zachary hee would give him a son by his wife Elizabeth a thing most unlikely in regard of the age of them both and her barrennesse yet because he doubted of it the Lord made him dumbe Luke 1.20 Secondly Consider the nature of this sin As by faith we greatly honour God and give glory to him Rom. 4.19 20. we sanctifie and hallow his name as the Lord speaketh Num. 20.12 Ye beleeved me not to sanctifie me in the eyes of the children of Israel So by infidelity we rob God of his glory and doe him the greatest dishonour and reproach that can be 1 Ioh. 5.10 He that beleeveth not God hath made him a lyar Thirdly Consider the odiousnes of this sin in the effects of it which are three First as faith is that that maketh us and all our services acceptable and pleasing unto God when they are done out of a perswasion of his fatherly love towards us By faith saith the Apostle Heb. 11.4 Abel offered a more excellent sacrifice then Cain And he that would pray must conceive of God as of his father Mat. 6.9 Yea whatsoever ye doe in word or deed saith the Apostle Colos. 3.17 if ye would have God to accept of it do all in the name of the Lord Iesus that is in this perswasion that through Christ God is well pleased with you giving thanks to God the father by him So infidelity maketh us and all our actions prayers preachings almes c. odious unto God Heb. 11.6 Without faith it is impossible to please God Secondly As faith purifieth the heart keepeth it in a care to please God in a feare to offend him Acts 15.9 So infidelity defileth the heart maketh it lesse fearefull to offend him lesse carefull and willing to doe him any service lesse to hate sin and to love goodnesse in a word more apt to decline and fall from God any way This is plaine by that caveat that the Apostle giveth Heb. 3.12 which it were good for Gods people that are in this tentation oft to thinke upon take heed brethren lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbeliefe in departing from the living God Marke 1. that it is infidelity that maketh the heart evill and naught 2. It is that that maketh us apt to depart and fall away from God Thirdly lastly As faith is the only Antidote and defensative against all Satans tentations the shield that wil quench all his fiery darts Eph. 6.16 So infidelity maketh us naked layeth us open unto every tentation He that wavereth and doubteth saith the Apostle Iam. 1.6 is like a wave of the Sea driven of the winds and tossed So that to conclude this second caveat I must say to every one of Gods children that is under this tentation as the Apostle doth Heb. 10.35 Cast not away thy confidence which hath great recompense of reward And as the Prophet doth Esa. 50.10 Who is there among you that feareth the Lord that walketh in darknes hath no light let him trust in the name of the Lord and stay himselfe upon his God As if he had said If thou be of the number of them that feare to offend God though thou have no comfort no feeling of his favor no light nothing but darknes yet trust in God still for all that because of his word and promise resolve that thou wilt beleeve and be perswaded of his love and put thy trust in him though he do withdraw the signes and sense of his favour from thee and say with Iob. 13.15 Though he stay me yet I will put my trust in him Now if any shall object and say How can we resolve that we will beleeve and be perswaded of Gods love Is that in our power Do you not teach wee have no freedome of will at all to that that is good I answer I speak it confidently upon cleare certaine evidence of the word of God 1. That there is no more freedome of wil in any naturall man to that that is spiritually good then there is in a dead man or in a stone to move it selfe In Adam when he was created we all had it in Adam when he fell we all lost it But 2. I say that by the second Adam we have recovered it againe he by his spirit doth worke in all the regenerate a freedome of will and ability to move our selves to that that is good so as they can say as Paul doth Rom 7.8 To will is present with me And as David Psalme 119.115 Depart from me yee evill doers for I will keepe the commandements of my God And certainely there is great force in this to preserve us from any tentation if wee would thus before-hand set our wills and as it were harden our faces against it by resolving with our selves wee will not yeeld unto it as David did Psalme 119.57 O Lord I have said that I will keepe thy words and sticke to it and verse 106. I have sworne and I will performe it that I wil keepe thy righteous judgements Lecture XXIX On Psalme 51.1 2. Iune 20. 1626. FOlloweth that we now come to the directions I promised to give and to shew you what Gods servants that are in this case of spirituall desertion are to doe to
our Saviour to his elect disciples Mat. 6.26 Behold the foules of the aire and ver 18. Consider the lillies of the field Yea one chiefe cause of that patience and goodnes that God sheweth to all his creatures and to the vilest men is that his owne people might have visible and palpable demonstrations of his speciall love and goodnes toward themselves 2 Cor. 4.15 all things are for your sakes And therefore David thus concludeth that 107. Psalme wherein he had at large discoursed of the goodnesse of God towards all sorts of men that are in distresse verse 43. Whoso is wise and observeth these things even they shall vnderstand the loving kindnes of the Lord. And from thence Gods child that is in distrest of conscience may confidently conclude thus If God be so good to them then sure he will bee much more good to mee and respect me that through his mercy have obtained grace to feare him and to desire to please him Thus our Saviour teacheth his Disciples to reason Matth. 6.26.30 Are not ye much better then they Shall he not much more cloath you ô ye of litle faith And 10.31 Feare ye not therefore ye are of more value then many sparrowes So when David had spoken of the generall goodnesse of the Lord extended to all men Psal. 145.14 16. The Lord upholdeth all that fall and raiseth up all that bee bowed downe the eyes of all wait upon thee thou satisfiest the desire of every living thing Hee inferreeth from thence verse 18.20 The Lord is nigh to all that cast upon him he will fulfill the desire of them that feare him the Lord preserveth all them that love him Secondly consider the goodnesse of God towards thy selfe in thy first conversion when there was no goodnesse in thee at all nothing but ignorance and profanesse when thou wert in thy blood the Lord said unto thee live as hee speaketh Ezek. 16.6 When thou hadst no mind at all to looke towards God but carriedst thy selfe toward him as an enemy hee cast a gracious eye upon thee and changed thy heart as he did upon Peter when hee was renouncing and forswearing him Luke 22.61 when thou soughtest not to him at all nor hadst any care of thy salvation hee did seeke thee with great earnestnesse and patience as he speaketh Rom. 10.21 All the day long have I stretched out my hands unto a disobedient and gaine-saying people Yea when thou wert running away from God in the broad way that leadeth unto destruction he ranne after thee and cryed to thee with great affection and love as Cant. 6.13 Returne returne ô Shulamite returne returne And from this consideration thou mayest thus reason with thine owne soule did the Lord so love mee when there was no goodnesse in me and shall I thinke hee hateth me now that by his grace hee hath wrought some desires in me to feare him and to make conscience of my wayes That cannot bee for certainely the righteous Lord loveth righteousnesse Psalme 11.7 Did the Lord so seeke after me when I ran as fast as I could from him and was he found of me when I sought him not as he speaketh Esa. 65.1 and will he now reject me and not bee found of me when he hath given me a heart to seek him That cannot be For for that I had promise but for this I have 2. Chron. 15.2 If ye seeke him he will be found of you Thirdly and lastly Observe and marke well the testimonies of Gods speciall love and goodnesse towards thee even now in this thy grievous affliction of mind and spirituall disertion and thou shalt find that now hee seemeth to bee most angry with thee he loveth thee dearely in his wrath he remembreth mercy toward thee For how falleth it out that thou art not overcome of this so dangerous a tentation thou still seekest to God and art afraid to offend him thou hast bin oft brought to the very brinke of desperation yet thou art not fallen into the gulfe Thou art perplexed but not in despaire cast downe but not destroyed as the Apostle speaketh 2. Corinth 4.8 9. Thou hast beene as the bush that Moses saw Exod. 3.2 3. that burned with fire and yet was not consumed What hath kept thee from falling into that gulfe from being overcome of Satan from sinking utterly under this intollerable burden of a wounded spirit Certainely certainely thou art kept by the power of God as the Apostle speaketh 1 Peter 1.5 the Lord doth uphold thee This is that that David saith speaking of such a one as thou art Psalme 37.24 Though he fall he shall not be utterly cast downe for the Lord upholdeth him with his hand And as Moses speaketh Deut. 3◠27 The everlasting armes have beene under thee Certainely God never shewed more love to thee in all thy life then thee doth now Hee letteth thee see and feele thine owne weakenesse and readinesse to sin that thou mightest have the better proofe of his marvellous power and love in upholding thee Thus dealt hee with blessed Paul 2 Corinth 12.9 My grace is sufficient for thee for my strength is made perfect in weakenesse As wee see sometimes a tender father that perceiving his child loveth to bee too neere the fire or water will make as though hee would fling him in but then taketh hee fast hold on him least he should fall in indeed even so dealeth the Lord oft with his dearest children hee never holdeth them faster then when hee seemeth even ready to cast them into hell and into the gulfe of desperation So as to conclude if thou couldest observe the Lords dealing with thee now thou wouldest find cause to cry unto him with David Psalme 73.22 23. O how foolish have I bin and ignorant to doubt so of thy love to hearken so much unto Satan I have beene as a beast before thee neverthelesse though I am apt to thinke thou hast quite forsaken me yet I find I am continually with thee thou hast holden mee by my right hand LECTVRES ON PSAL. LI. 3 Lecture XXXI on Psalme LI. 3 Iuly XI MDCXXVI For I acknowledge my transgressions and my sinne is ever before mee WEE have already heard that in the first part of Davids prayer in this Psalme which is for the pardon of his sins two principall things were to be observed 1. The manner of expressing this his suit and request 2. The arguments whereby hee doth confirme his faith and upon which hee doth ground his hope to speed well and obtaine this his suit at the hands of God And the first of these grounds and arguments we have heard was the knowledge he had of the Lords mercy and goodnesse in the two former verses It followeth now that wee proceed unto the second and that is the grace that God had wrought in him that he was able to confesse and acknowledge his sin and this is set downe 1. more generally in this verse that I have now read and 2. more
Luke 24.47 Repentance and remission of sinnes must bee preached in Christs name And this repentance must not be such a one as we fancie and frame to our selves but such as God in his word hath appointed and that is as we have heard that for publike sins we repent publikely He that refuseth to doe this forsaketh you see his owne mercy 2. In the offences we have done to men we can haue no benefit of Christs sacrifice for the pardon of them till we have first endeavoured to give satisfaction unto them whom we have offended This is plaine by that law Levit. 6.5 and by the speech of our Saviour Matt. 5.24 Leave there thy gift before the Altar and goe thy way first bee reconciled to thy brother and then come and offer thy gift He then that refuseth to satisfie the Congregation that he hath offended and to seeke reconciliation with it doth in this respect also forsake his owne mercy and barreth himselfe from having benefit by the sacrifice of Christ. Thus have I shewed you how hainous the sin of these men is now let me endeavour to remove the maine impediment that keepeth men from this duty and that I will doe briefly and so conclude I could be content to doe this but that it will be such a shame and reproch unto me Can any man that hath the spirit and heart of a man in him be willing to make himselfe a gazing and laughing stocke to a whole Congregation And surely it is lamentable to see how the devill who made men impudent and shamelesse when he tempted them to sin overwhelmeth them and stoppeth their mouthes with shame when they should confesse their sin and so finde mercy with God Certainely this is Satans worke and till God bee pleased to deliver men from the power of Satan it will never be better with them But as it is said of the man that was possessed with a dumbe spirit Luke 11.14 When the devil is once gone out of them the dumbe will speake and speake so freely and frankly in the acknowledgment of their sins that men will wonder to see it I answer 1. It will be no reproch unto thee at all 2. If it were yet must thou be willing to doe it First It will be no encrease of shame or reproch to thee at at all For. 1. hereby thou publishest not thy sin which is the onely true cause of shame man never knew what shame meant till sin entred into the world Gen. 3.7.10 nor makest it open that was secret before but thy repentance onely and that is a worke of Gods grace no matter of shame but of glory The spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you saith the Apostle 1 Pet. 4.14 Indeed ungracious men are ashamed of nothing so much as of religion to be thought to have any piety or grace in them but what a height of wickednesse is this Certainely religion will be a glory to him that hath it O yee sons of men saith David Psal. 4.2 how long will yee turne my glory into shame 1. Admit some lewd men will mocke thee for it all good men will esteeme the better of thee for it When Gods people saw Pauls repentance they never reproched him for his former blasphemies but glorified God for it as he speaketh Galat. 1.24 Yea there is more joy in heaven where God and Christ and the elect Angels and the blessed spirits are over one sinner that repenteth then over ninety nine just persons that need no repentance as our Saviour himself assureth us upon his word Luke 15.7.3 It is not possible thou shouldest loose any credit and reputation by obeying God and so honouring him Who thinketh the worse of Moses or David or Peter or Paul for the foule sins that they were guilty of And who is the author of all true credit and reputation even with men Is it not the Lord. Both riches and honour come of thee saith David 1 Chron. 29.12 and Psal. 33. Thou ô Lord art my glory and the lifter up of my head And God hath bound himselfe with promise that no man shall loose but gaine reputation and credit by serving him and doing his will 1 Sam. 2.30 Them that honour me I will honour especially that no man shall loose credit and estimation by humbling and taking shame upon himselfe in the way of unfained repentance as our Saviour promiseth upon occasion taken from his speech of the humiliation of the Publicane Luke 18.14 He that humbleth himselfe shall be exalted Secondly I answer that admit thou couldest not thus publikely confesse thy sin but it would make thee ridiculous and bring a perpetuall reproch and infamy upon thee yet should not this stay thee from this duty For 1. thou canst never have assurance thou hast truly repented that thy heart is truely changed and turned unto God till thou canst deny thy selfe and prefer the honour of God before thine owne credit with men If any man will come after mee saith our Saviour Luke 9.23 let him deny himselfe While we are so farre in love with our selves our owne reason our owne will our owne pleasure or profit till we can crosse our selves in that that is so deare unto us as our credit is and with the foure and twenty Elders Reu. 4.10 cast downe our crownes before the throne of God and at his feet till we can say with David 2 Sam. 6.22 I will yet bee more vile then thus and will be base in mine owne sight we can never know what true repentance meaneth 2. Thy peace with God the peace of thy conscience is more worth then thy credit with all the men in the world Take the blessed Apostle for an example in this point who having spoken Phil. 3.4 6. of many priviledges he had to glory in that tended greatly to gaine him credit in the world professeth verse 7 8. he counted them all losse that is he was contented to loose them all for Christ. For whom saith he I have suffered the losse of all things and doe count them but dung that I may winne Christ. Certainely thy credit will be a losse unto thee but thou shalt be a greater looser by the bargaine if for love of it thou loose thy peace with God O how hard penance will many of the poore seduced Papists endure to pacifie their consciences they will goe bare foot and bareleg to Tyburne c. and yet it is but a false peace that is gotten that way all their labour is spent upon that that satisfieth not as the Prophet speaketh Esay 55 2. And shall we be unwilling to crosse our selves a little in submitting our selves to that course of repentance which God himselfe hath prescribed and which will therefore certainely procure to our hearts that peace of God which passeth all understanding as the Apostle speaketh Phil. 4.7 Lecture XXXVIII On Psalme 51.3 Octob. 31. 1626. IT followeth now that we proceed to the third and last kind of
will is so Thus the Apostle proveth it was no unrighteousnesse in God to love and chuse Iacob and to hate and reject Esau before either of them had done good or evil even before they were borne because his holy will was so Rom. 9.14 15. What shall we then say Is there unrighteousnesse with God God forbid For he saith to Moses I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion And this is the first ground and reason of the Doctrine taken from the consideration of the Iudge himselfe The second respecteth them that are judged and corrected by the Lord. We must needs cleare the Lord from wronging any man in any of his judgements because he never judgeth nor punisheth any man before he hath deserved that and much more then that that God layeth upon him This reason Elihu giveth Iob 34.10 11. Hearken unto me ye men of understanding farre bee it from God that he should doe wickednesse and from the almighty that he should commit iniquitie for the worke of a man shall he render unto him and cause every man to find according to his wayes And the Apostle Rom. 3.19 That every mouth may be stopped and all the world may become guilty before God As if he should have said Seing all the world is guilty before God and lyable to his curse for the transgression of his Law every mouth must needs be stopped if not yet certainly at the day of the Lord no man shall be able to open his mouth against or charge him with injustice in any of his judgements upon men Now this Doctrine serveth unto two uses especially 1. For instruction and the informing of our judgements 2. For exhortation and working upon our will and affections For the first This Doctrine serveth notably for convincing of an errour that hath too much place in the minds of most men All men by nature are apt at least secretly in their hearts to question the righteousnesse of God in many of his judgements When the Apostle had made this objection Rom. 3.5 Is God unrighteous who taketh vengeance He addeth presently these words I speake as a man saith he As if he should say Every naturall man is apt to speake and thinke so This appeareth evidently by the generall opposition that is made against the doctrine of predestination which both our Church and other reformed Churches have long taught and received by cleare warrant of the word of God For not onely the Papist and the Anabaptist and the Pelagian but every naturall man in the world is apt to cavill against this Doctrine to account it a most absurd and unreasonable Doctrine and all because they cannot conceive how it can stand with justice that God should make such a decree as that is But the Doctrine you have now heard and the reasons of it being well understood and beleeved will stop their mouthes and convince their errour in this point This will be evident unto you if you will but observe these foure points First God had done no wrong if in his eternall decree he had chosen no man unto life but reprobated all men unto destruction For he is our absolute soveraigne Lord as we have heard and it was lawfull for him to doe with his owne what himselfe pleased And who hath deserved that God should choose him unto life As the Apostle speaketh in this very case Rom. 11.35 Who hath first given unto him and it shall be recompensed to him againe Secondly God never condemneth any nor did decree to condemne any but for sinne For he will render to every man according to his workes Rom. 2.6 So that if any man be damned the Lord is not the cause of it but himselfe Thou hast destroyed thy selfe saith the Lord to the wicked Iewes Hos. 13.9 And we have more cause to admire the mercy of God that he hath ordained to save any when he did foresee that all would cast away themselves then to doubt of the justice of God in appointing some to destruction which hee did foresee they would by their voluntary and wilfull transgression most justly deserve Thirdly Though God did foresee that such and such would by their sinnes and continuance in infidelity justly deserve eternall damnation yet it was not the end God aimed at and propounded to himselfe in the decree of reprobation that wicked men might perish for that is a thing God never tooke pleasure in As I live saith the Lord God Ezek. 33 11. I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked But the thing that moved God to make that decree and the end he intended and aimed at in it was the manifestation of his owne glory Pro. 16.4 The Lord hath made all things for himselfe yea even the wicked for the day of evill 1. The manifestation of his glorious justice and wrath against sinne upon the reprobate Rom 9.22 2. The manifestation of his glorious mercy towards his elect which could never have beene so glorious if it had beene common to all mankind And this reason also is gven by the Apostle Rom. 19.23 Fourthly The Lords decree as it is not the cause of the damnation of any but their owne sinne so neither is it the cause of their sinne It doth not impose a necessity upon any to sinne but notwithstanding this decree every man sinneth voluntarily and unconstrainedly neither is the Lord but his owne corruption onely and Satan the cause of his sinne Iam. 1.13 14. So that to conclude this first use Let every one of us strive to suppresse and to reject with detestation and trembling all thoughts that shall rise in our hearts to call into question the righteousnesse of God in any of his decrees or judgements According to the example of the Apostle Rom. 3.4 who when he had but by occasion of this doctrine of reprobation mentioned this objection Is there unrighteousnesse with God abhorreth it presently and rejecteth it in this manner God forbid saith he And if we be not able to comprehend how any thing that the Lord hath decreed or done can stand with equity and justice let us ascribe it rather to our owne weaknesse and shallownesse of understanding then impute the least shadow of injustice unto the Lord and check our selves in that manner that holy Iob did Iob 42.3 I have uttered that I understood not things too wonderfull for me which I knew not Lecture L. On Psalme 51.4 Febru 27. 1626. IT followeth now that we proceed unto the second use that this Doctrine serveth unto And that is to stirre up every one of us that we should strive and labour for this grace to be able to do as David doth heere when it shall come to be our owne case to yeeld this passive obedience unto God in all the degrees of it that we have heard of whensoever or howsoever the Lord shall be pleased to judge and correct us The necessity
sight nor sense of it but the godly man is The proudest man that is if he should bee smitten with a leprosie or some such loathsome disease from top to toe would bee much humbled with it And how can Gods child choose but bee much humbled when hee seriously doth thinke of this leprosie of his soule that as the Prophet speaketh Esa. 1.6 From the sole of the foot even to the top of the head in understanding conscience memory will affections there is no soundnesse in him but wounds and bruises and putrifying sores The proudest man that is would bee much dejected and abased in himselfe if from an high and wealthy estate God should cast him into extreame poverty and beggery And the Lord speaketh of this as of a fruit of such judgements Esa. 13.11 that hee will thereby cause the arrogancy of the proud to cease and will lay low the haughtinesse of the terrible And so must Gods child needs whose eyes God hath opened when hee discerneth and considereth seriously what state he was once in by creation and what he is now how wretched and miserable and poore and blind and naked as Christ speaketh to the Laodiceans Rev. 3.17 This knowledge and sense of our spirituall poverty will certainly make us humble in our selves and humble towards others also As our Saviour plainly teacheth Matth. 5.3 5. in the connexion of the three first beatitudes Blessed are the poore in spirit blessed are they that mourne blessed are the meeke They that are poore in spirit cannot choose but mourne and bee humbled in themselves for it and they that are truly humbled in themselves for it cannot choose but bee meeke in spirit towards others they cannot bee insolent nor censorious nor harsh in their disposition and carriage towards others O how apt are wee all to be puffed up with a little knowledge and grace that wee have attained unto above others How apt to despise others because of this If wee knew our owne hearts well certainly wee could not bee so The consideration of what wee were before our calling hath great force to keepe us from despising and censuring others so sharpely as wee are wont Titus 3.2 3. Speake evill of no man but shew all meekenesse to all men for wee our selves were sometimes foolish c. As if hee had said as bad as any other But if wee would consider well what bad hearts wee have since our calling and conversion how untoward to any thing that is good how weake and prone to that that is evill how pregnant and full of vile motions and inclinations continually this would have more force to humble us this way then the former Brethren saith the Apostle Gal. 6.1 if a man bee overtaken in a fault you that are spirituall restore such a one in the spirit of meekenesse considering thy selfe lest thou also be tempted If we would consider our selves well and what we were like to prove if we had the same tentation that others have had this would make us meeke and humble this would keepe us from despising others for their infirmities This was that that made blessed Paul so humble and lowly in his owne eyes that he doth professe that he was not onely in respect of his estate before his calling of all sinners the chiefe 1 Tim. â— 15 but even after his calling Ephes. 3.8 lesse then the least of all Saints How could he speake this in truth may you say Doubtlesse he knew many of the Saints that had more slips and falls then ever he had he knew many of the Saints that had not received that measure of grace from God nor done him that service that he had done yea he professeth of himselfe 2 Cor. 12.11 that he was in nothing behind the very chiefest Apostles And 1 Cor. 15.10 that he had laboured more abundantly then they all How could he then say that he was lesse then the least of all Saints Certainely his meaning is he knew more evill more corruption in his owne heart then he thought was in any Christian in the world besides And this conceit of our selves he requireth to be in all Christians Phil. 2.3 Let each esteeme others better then themselves That pronesse that we find in our owne nature to evill even after our regeneration yea after many yeares spent in the profession of Christianity should be matter of continuall humbling unto us And we have cause even in that respect to complaine as David did Psal. 38.17 I am ready to halt and my sorrow is continually before me Let us now apply this second use of the doctrine unto three particular cases wherein we may have occasion to practise it First Let this humble us in the performing of our best duties and keepe us from priding our selves in them as alas we are all too apt to do See this in the Pharisee Luk. 18.12 We are all by nature Papists and Pharisees in this point apt to conceit we have merited somewhat of God when we have done any thing well If we would but consider and take notice of this when we have done any good duty how our originall sin our corrupt hearts have stained and defiled it and made all our righteousnesse as filthy rags Esa. 64.6 we should find even in our best duties just matter not of pride but of humbling in them and to say of our selves as our Saviour biddeth us in another sense Luk. 17.10 when we have done all we can do we are but unprofitable servants We read of Rebecca Gen. 25.22 that when she had conceived though she knew she bare in her body the promised and blessed seed yet the struggling and combat she felt within her betweene the two twins was so painefull and grievous to her that she cryed out Why am I thus And certainely that combat that Gods child findeth in himselfe in the performing of any good duty that his flesh doth resist and oppose Gods grace and holy spirit in it that it is so crosse and contrary to it that he cannot do the things that he would must needs be a just cause of griefe and humbling unto him as the Apostle speaketh Gal. 5.17 By reason of this every child of God when he hath performed any duty to God in the best manner he can hath cause to pray with good Nehemiah 13.22 O my God pardon me according to the greatnesse of thy mercy Yea without this sense of corruption mixing it selfe with our best duties and sorrow for it we can never performe any good duty acceptably Whatsoever ye do in word or deed saith the Apostle Col. 3.17 do all in the name of the Lord Iesus As if he should say feele the need ye have of Christ in it looke not that God should accept of it but only through him Secondly Let this humble us at all times when we prepare our selves to appeare before God in prayer We cannot be too humble when we are to go to God The greatest persons under heaven should not
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
And Ioh 6.44 No man can come unto me except my father draw him 2. That God doth all in this worke himselfe alone and hath no helpe from man and it is therefore called a creation Ephes. 2.10 a regeneration Iohn 3.3 a raising of one from the dead Ephes. 2.5 6. 3. That this worke that God doth in mans conversion is no common worke For 1. It is evident hee giveth not so much as the outward meanes of grace and conversion in particular to all men Yea to the most of the nations in the world by farre he hath denied his word altogether and suffered them as the Apostle speaketh Acts 14.16 to walke in their owne wayes And even those nations that hee hath vouchsafed his word unto that may bee said of this spirituall raine which he speaketh of the materiall Amos 4.7 I caused it to raine upon one City and caused it not to raine upon another City one piece was rained upon and the other piece whereupon it rained not withered In Phrygia and Galatia Paul preached as you may see Acts. 16.6 7. but was forbidden of the holy Ghost to preach the word in Asia In Misia hee preached but when hee assayed to goe into Bithynia the spirit suffered him not 2. To many of those that hee doth give the meanes unto hee doth not give effectuall grace to bee converted by them To you it is given to know the mysteries of the Kingdome of heaven saith our Saviour Matth. 13.11 but to them it is not given This saving grace it is a rare grace found in very few even of them that doe enjoy the meanes in one of a City or two of a Tribe as the Prophet speaketh Iere. 3.14 Many are called but few are chosen Matth. 22.14 Acts 13.48 As many as were ordained to eternall life beleeved Secondly If this be so let no vaine man thinke that he can repent and will repent before hee dye though hee take his pleasure in sin a while Can the Aethiopian change his skin or the Leopard his spots Iere. 13.23 then mayest thou bee able to repent when thou wilt No no it is the worke of God alone yea the wonderfull and miraculous and rare worke of God to convert a soule And therefore bemone thy state to God with Ephraim Ieremy 31.18 19. and say turne thou mee and I shall bee turned else shall I never bee turned surely after I was turned I repented Till God convert and change thy heart thou canst never repent Apply thy selfe therefore to the meanes that God hath appointed to convert thee by and when hee by his word and spirit offereth to convert thee resist not but yeeld thy selfe unto him Remember the fearefull sentence of God against such as despise or neglect the meanes of their conversion Ezek. 24.13 Because I have purged thee that is offered to doe it given thee the meanes whereby thou mightest have beene purged and thou wast not purged thou shalt not bee purged from thy filthinesse Because thou hast neglected the time of thy visitation as our Saviour speaketh Luk. 19.44 either the meanes shall bee taken from thee or being continued shall bee as a dead letter to thee and never doe thee good And doubtlesse God in his eternall and secret counsell hath set a just time to every one of us that by such a time the meanes shall worke upon us and convert us or they shall never doe us good That which Iob saith of the life of man Iob 14.5 may as truly bee said of all things that fall out in the life of man and specially of his conversion his dayes are determined the number of his moneths are with thee thou hast appointed his bounds that hee cannot passe There is mention made of the times of the Gentiles Luke 21.24 Ierusalem shall bee troden downe till the times of the Gentiles bee fulfilled which is expounded by the Apostle in another phrase Rom. 11.25 untill the fulnesse of the Gentiles bee come in Every nation hath her time set her of God how long shee shall have the meanes of grace and how long the meanes shall become effectuall in her and accompanied with the life and power of Gods spirit and in this time all her fulnesse the full number of those that God hath appointed unto life shall come in God hath set a time for Bohemia and for Germany and for the Palatinate and so hath hee set a time for England also certainely And as God hath set a time for whole Nations so hath he for every Towne and for every person also God hath set a time for this place and God hath set a time for every soule of us that are here if wee come not in by such a time wee may feare wee shall never come in As it is said of Iezabel Revel 2.21 I gave her a space to repent so may it bee said of every one of us here God hath given thee and mee a space too If wee come not in that space we shall never come in When once the master of the house saith our Saviour in a parable Luke 13.25 is risen up and hath shut to the doore and yee then begin to stand without and to knocke at the doore saying Lord Lord open unto us then it will bee to late Now the just period of this time that God hath set to any nation or person is knowne to God alone No man can say of any nation their time is out nor of any person his time is out no nor of himselfe neither my time is out the master of the house hath shut the doore it is to no purpose for mee now to knocke and cry Lord Lord open to mee it is too late for mee to repent It is not for you to know the times or the seasons which the father hath put in his owne power as our Saviour telleth the Apostles themselves Acts 1.7 This is too great a secret for the wisest or learnedst man in the world to know Every man is bound so long as he liveth to use the meanes of grace and hath no cause to despaire of mercy while life lasteth To him that is joyned to all the living there is hope saith Solomon Eccle. 9.4 But yet seeing 1. God must convert thee or thou canst never bee converted and 2. God hath directed thee to meanes whereby hee will doe this worke if ever hee doe it and 3. Hee hath set a certaine time how long thou shalt have these meanes and in which space these meanes shall worke upon thy heart or they shall never work and 4. Thou knowest not how neere this thy time is to an end how soone the master of the house will shut the doore Therefore it standeth thee upon presently and without delay to make thy best use of the meanes of thy conversion God giveth thee and to yeeld thy selfe to his word and spirit whereby hee offereth to draw thee Heb. 3.7 8. To day if yee will heare his voice harden not your hearts Behold
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
that is meat and drinke and clothes doe the Gentiles that are borne to no better hope seeke that is onely or chiefely but seeke ye first the kingdome of God and his righteousnesse And certainely if wee bee borne of God wee shall not bee so base minded as other men are but find in our selves such high and generous spirits as nothing but the reward of the inheritance as the Apostle calleth it Colos. 3.24 nothing but the kingdome of heaven will content us And thus are all they that shall bee saved described Rom. 2.7 They seeke for glory and honour and immortality And this is that Holy ambition that I desire to stirre up in my selfe and in every one of you that wee would strive to bring our hearts to this that wee may bee able to say life is sweete and a good blessing of God and so is health and so is peace and so is a plentifull estate and so is credite and so is mirth but all these things are nothing unto mee without the assurance of Gods speciall love unto mee in Christ. Rejoyce not in this that the spirits are subject unto you saith our Saviour to his Disciples Luke 10.20 and yet that was a great and a rare gift of God but rather rejoyce because your names are written in heaven That even as Absalom 2 Sam. 14.32 thought it nothing to bee restored from his banishment and to bee admitted to live in Ierusalem unlesse hee might see the Kings face so should we esteeme all other comforts and contentments whatsoever as nothing unlesse wee may see the light of Gods countenance see him looke cheerefully upon us and shew himselfe to bee reconciled unto us This is that that David preferred before all the World Psalm 4.6 Many say who will shew us any good who will shew us how wee may get wealth and credite and pleasure and such things but As if hee should say but I am not of their mind Lord lift up the light of thy countenance upon us upon mee and upon thy people this is all in all unto mee This this is that I desire to perswade you unto to get assurance that God loveth you with this speciall love Get assurance of it I say unto your selves Make your casting and election sure saith the Apostle 2 Peter 1.10 Content not your selves with an uncertaine hope in this case but seeke to bee sure of this Yea hee that is most sure of this let him seeke to bee more sure still as the Church doth Canticles 1.2 Let him kisse mee with the kisses of his mouth as if shee had sayd Let him still give mee more evidences of his love for thy love is better then wine Now for the better enforcing of this exhortation 1. I will give you some motives that may provoke you to seeke this assurance of the speciall love of God 2. I will shew you the meanes how you may attaine unto it Wee have all need of motives yea of strong motives to perswade us a strange thing to consider of to seeke Gods favour to seeke assurance that hee loveth us For 1. The most men are like the prodigall of whom wee read Luke 15.16 17. who so long as hee could have enough to fill his belly though it were but the huskes that the swine fed on never thought of his father nor sought for his favour And like profane Esau that despised his birthright Genesis 25.34 If God will but love them so farre as to let them live in wealth and peace and credit and mirth heere his speciall love that reacheth to the forgivenesse of their sinnes and life everlasting they care not for they seeke not after 2. Many that are possessed with the spirit of bondage and often vexed with terrible doubts and feares about this matter yet never seeke for this certainty 3. Many that thinke they have faith content themselves with an uncertaine opinion and wavering hope of Gods favour and never seeke to make this certaine unto themselves Hearken therefore unto sixe Motives I will give you out of Gods word to stirre you up to this First This love of God is an everlasting love I have loved thee saith God to his people to his elect in Christ Ier. 31.3 with an everlasting love And of Christs love the Evangelist saith Ioh. 13.1 Having loved his owne that is such as his father gave him such as beleeved in him unto the end he loved them I am perswaded saith the Apostle Rom. 8.38 39. that neither death nor life nor Angels nor principalities nor powers nor things present nor things to come nor height nor depth nor any other creature shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Iesus our Lord. Then get once the assurance of this love of God in Christ and thou maist bee certaine thou shalt never loose it Thy assurance of it I grant thou mayest loose for a time through thy owne folly but this love of God canst thou never loose if ever thou hadst it The Moone is subject to change and so are all things that are under it but the Sunne though through the interposition of somewhat betweene it and us it doe not alwayes shine upon us yet doth it never change So though our sinnes may raise up a thicke cloud as the Prophet speaketh Esay 44 22. betweene the Lord and us that keepeth the light of his countenance from shining upon us yet is there in this father of lights as the Apostle saith Iames 1.17 no variablenesse at all nor so much as a shadow of turning or changing his affection towards us This is a love therefore worth the having worth the seeking even the seeking to bee sure of it This property of Gods love hath made Gods people highly to esteeme of it O give thanks to the Lord saith David Psalm 118.1 for he is good because his mercy endureth for ever Yea see how the Prophet followeth this and insisteth upon it verse 2.4 This speciall love of God to us in Christ is called Esa. 55.3 The sure mercies of David All the other mercies of God and fruits of his love without Christ which yet men so much dote upon are transitory and such as wee can have no certainty of these only are sure mercies this only is an everlasting and unchangeable love Secondly This would free the heart from those feares that doe so vex and torment us if wee were once sure of this speciall love of God to us That even as when Christ was come into the ship where his Disciples were Marke 6 5â— the wind ceased presently and there was a â—alme so will it bee with thy heart get Christ once into it and it will bee quiet So David professeth that when he had seene the light of Gods countenance and rejoyced in it Psalme 4 8. I will both lay mee downe in peace and sleepe saith he And indeed what need wee to feare if wee have Gods favour If God bee for
1.6 Secondly Every regenerate man is of himselfe exceeding prone thus to quench the spirit and to fall from grace and it is the wonderfull mercy and power of God onely that doth keepe us from falling quite away if hee should let goe his hand never so little we could be no more able to stand then the little infant which the nurse dadeth can doe if she let goe her hold she hath of it or then your staffe can doe when you take off your hand It is God alone that keepeth the feet of his Saints 1 Sam 2. â— And this is a just cause why wee should bee continually in feare of falling away Worke out your salvation saith the Apostle Philippians 2.12 13 with feare and trembling because it is God that worketh in you both to will and to doe of his good pleasure Thirdly As God hath made an everlasting covenant with us that hee will never forsake us and that wee shall not depart from him Ieremy 32. so the meanes whereby he in his goodnesse doth preserve us from falling away from him is by working in us by his spirit this feare of falling away this care to persevere and hold out and grow in grace And so he expressely speaketh Ier. 32.40 I will put my feare in their hearts that they shall not depart from me So that he that findeth not in himselfe this feare of falling away this care to nourish grace in himselfe and to finish his course with joy hath just cause to judge that God never received him into this covenant of grace this everlasting covenant that you have heard of Fourthly and lastly Constancy in well-doing and an uniformity in a Christian course is an inseperable property of true grace It is nothing for any of you to be devout in your prayers and in hearing of the Word in the morning and in your buying and selling afterward to play the cut-throats and cheatours of your neighbours thus much an hypocrite can doe but this is that that may give thee comfort when thou keepest thy heart in the feare of the Lord all the day long as Solomon speaketh Pro. 23.17 When thou canst say with Paul Acts 24.10 Herein doe I exercise my selfe to have alwaies a conscience void of offence towards God and towards men too It is a small signe of grace for any of you to have some fits of remorse for sinne and of good motions and desires when you have beene dangerously sick or the morning before you received the Communion Pharaoh and Saul had such fits and good moods But this is that that will give you comfort when you find your selves constant in the hatred of sin and in performing good duties Blessed is the man that feareth alwaies to offend God saith Solomon Pro. 28.14 And Psal. 106.3 Blessed are they that keepe judgement and doe righteousnesse at all times When we can say with David Psal. 119.117 I will have respect to thy statutes continually Lecture LXXXVIII On Psalme 51.6 April 29. 1628. THe fourth and last property of true obedience of true righteousnesse and goodnesse which will give us a comfortable assurance of the uprightnesse of our hearts is the manner how it is performed with what affection we doe it what ends we aime at in it He that would approve the uprightnesse of his heart by the unblameablenesse and godlinesse of his life must not content himselfe with this that he escheweth evill and doth good he abstaineth from all knowne sinnes that God hath forbidden and performeth all good duties that God hath commanded him to doe unlesse he be carefull also to doe this in that manner as God requireth This I will 1 confirme unto you and then 2 I will give you some directions how to performe good duties in a good and right manner And for the first We shall find that the Lord in requiring obedience of us standeth not so much upon this that we doe good duties as that we doe them in the right manner It shall be our righteousnesse saith Moses Deut. 6.25 if we observe to doe all these commandements before the Lord our God as he hath commanded us As if he had said Say we should doe all he hath commanded us yet if wee doe it not as hee hath commanded us it is no righteousnesse in Gods account You shall see this also confirmed more particularly by instancing in duties of all sorts 1 In those that are to bee performed to men 2 In those that are done directly and immediatly unto God No good thing we doe is of any account with God unlesse it be done in a good manner In the duty of servants toward their masters this is the chiefe thing God requireth he standeth not so much upon what they doe as how and in what manner they doe it that is to say with feare and trembling as the Apostle speaketh Ephes. 6.5 6. in singlenesse of heart as unto Christ not with eye-service as men-pleasers but as the servants of Christ doing the will of God from the heart So in other duties of governement and care of others duties the Apostle standeth upon this principally Rom. 12.8 he that giveth let him do it with simplicity he that ruleth with diligence he that sheweth mercy with cheerefullnesse So though it were an excellent worke of mercy of bounty and kindnesse that Gajus shewed to the godly of whom the Apostle saith Rom. 16.23 that he was not his host onely but the host of the whole Church Yet the thing that graced this excellent good worke of his so much in the sight of God was this that he did it in so good a manner and with so good an heart Beloved saith the Apostle to him 3 Iohn 5. thou dost faithfully whatsoever thou dost both to the brethren and to strangers See this also confirmed in the duties of Gods owne worship which are greater then the other Even in them also the manner of doing them is all in all 1. For prayer if a man pray never so constantly it is to no purpose unlesse he pray in the right manner Iames. 4.3 Ye aske and receive not because ye aske amisse 2. Neither will the receiving of the Sacraments do us any good unlesse we receive them in that manner as we ought to doe The Apostle speaking of the hypocrites that perished in the wildernesse saith of them 1 Cor. 10. 4. They were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea and did all eate the same spirituall meate that wee doe in the Lords Supper and did drinke the same spirituall drinke yet with many of them God was not well pleased 3. Of hearing the Word ye know what our Saviour saith Luke 8.18 Take heed how you heare not onely that you heare and what you heare but even how and in what manner you heare also 4 Lastly Tâ—e preaching of the Word though it be the greatest worke of all other in respect whereof the Apostle saith 2 Cor. 2.15 We are unto
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
Iob. 32.8 There is a spirit in man and the inspiration of the Almighty giveth them understanding Of this knowledge our Saviour saith to Peter Matth. 16.17 Blessed at thou Simon Bar-jona for flesh and bloud hath not reveiled it unto thee but my father which is in heaven Why what was it that Peter had the knowledge of Surely this as you shall find verse 16. That Iesus was Christ the sonne of the living God And could not this bee knowne without the inspiration of the Almighty Why Satan himselfe knew thus much as you shall find Marke 5.7 Yes but he knew it onely with a literall and historicall knowledge he knew it not with that full assurance with that spirituall understanding hee knew not the goodnesse the sweetnesse and power of that truth as Peter did So the Apostle saith Ephes. 4.20 21. No man hath learned Christ no man can know him rightly till he have heard him and beene taught by him Though he have heard and beene taught by the best preachers in the world if hee have not heard Christ by his spirit speaking to his heart if he have not had this inward and powerfull teacher hee can never know Christ aright And that is it which our Saviour also speaketh Iohn 6.45 It is written in the Prophets and they shall bee all taught of God every man therefore saith hee that hath heard and learned of the father commeth unto me and none but he And thus have I finished the first point I propounded for the proofe of the Doctrine No man is able without the supernaturall grace of Gods spirit to attaine unto that knowledge of the truth as is sufficient unto his salvation Now for the second point That this supernaturall grace of Gods spirit is not actually vouchsafed unto all that enjoy the meanes of instruction all are not thus taught of God is alas so evident in dayly experience that it were folly to spend time in prooving of it This as it is a miraculous and extraordinary worke of God God who commanded light to shine out of darkenesse saith the Apostle 2 Cor. 4.6 hath shined in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Iesus Christ As mighty a worke as the creating of light at the first when there was nothing but darkenesse upon the face of the deepe Gen. 1.1 2. as mighty and miraculous a worke as the opening of the eyes of them that were borne blind which could never be done but by the divine power Since the world beganne saith the man that had bin blind Iohn 9.32 was it not heard that any man opened the eyes of one that was borne blind As I say it is a mighty and extraordinary and miraculous worke of God so is it a rare worke also To you it is given saith our Saviour to his Disciples Matth. 13.11 to know the mysteries of the Kingdome of heaven but to them it is not given Though the Lord command us to teach all men Matth. 8.19 he will not teach all men himselfe What man is hee that feareth the Lord saith David Psal. 25.12 him shall be teach the way that hee shall choose As if hee should say Hee will teach none but such as by his holy spirit hee doth also effectually convert and sanctifie such and none but such shall ever attaine to a certaine and spirituall understanding of Gods truth The secret of the Lord saith David Psalme 25.14 is with them that feare him and hee will shew them his covenant The mystery of God saith the Apostle Col. 1.16 is now made manifest as cleare as the light but to whom to his Saints saith hee and to none but them Certainly the Lord himselfe hath nothing so many hearers nothing so many schollers as we his poore servants have Many are called but few are chosen saith our Saviour more then once to his hearers Mat. 20.16 12.14 Now for the third and last point that I propounded That no cause no reason can be given why God by his holy spirit should teach and give saving knowledge to one rather then to another but only the good pleasure and will of God That he denyeth this mercy to the most yea if he had denyed it to all men there had bin cause and reason enough to be found for that in man himselfe But that he vouchsafeth it to some rather then to others of that no reason at all can bee found in man himselfe but of that we must say as our Saviour doth Mat. 11.26 Even so father for so it seemed good in thy sight And with the Apostle Eph. 1.9 He hath made knowne to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure which he had purposed in himselfe Lecture CIIII. On Psalme 51.6 Novemb. 25. 1628. NOvv it followeth that wee proceed unto the grounds and reasons of the Doctrine That it is so we have heard it proved sufficiently but now why it is so yea why it must needs be so that whatsoever goodnesse whatsoever soundnes of knowledge is in any man must be ascribed wholly to Gods grace and nothing to man himselfe that remaineth to be enquired into And we shall find in the holy Scriptures two principall reasons given of this the one of them respecteth man and the other the Lord himselfe For the first Every man by nature is not onely utterly void of all true goodnesse of all sound knowledge and understanding but unable also either to doe anything that might move God to give him his grace or to desire it or to receive and accept of it when it pleaseth the Lord to offer it unto him or to withstand and repell it when God is pleased thereby to enlighten and convert his heart For in all these respects hee is neither better nor worse then a dead man Thus speaketh the holy Ghost not only of such as have bin notorious and grosse sinners of such as by their lewdnesse may be thought to have extinguished in themselves that light and goodnes that was in them by nature Such a one was the prodigall of whom his father saith Luk. 15.24 This my sonne was dead And those widowes the Apostle speaketh of 1 Tim. 5.6 She that liveth in pleasure in wantonnesse he meaneth as appeareth ver 11. is dead while she liveth But of all naturall men indefintely the Holy Ghost speaketh so Let the dead bury the dead saith our Saviour Matth. 8.22 Even of them that God loved before all eternity and ordained unto life the Holy Ghost speaketh thus The elect Ephesians were dead men by nature Ephes. 2.1 And the elect Colossians were dead men by nature also Col. 2.13 Yea of them that have beene most civill and morall men that have lived most unblameably in whom the light of nature and the remnants of Gods image that any naturall man can have did most abound even of them I say the Holy Ghost speaketh thus that in their naturall estate they were no better
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
mercy of God towards thy selfe That the dew of Gods grace should fall upon thy heart as the materiall dew did upon Gideons fleece Iudges 6.37 and the ground that is round about thee should be dry not one drop of this dew upon it is not this a wonderfull mercy O consider it and admire it and say with the Apostle Iude Iohn 14.22 Lord how is it that thou wilt manifest thy selfe to us and not to the world Lord how is it that thou shouldst give thy grace unto me and deny it unto so many that were every whit as good as I nay better farre then I better in state and calling better in capacity and understanding nay better in life more unblameable more civill free from sundry grosse sinnes that I was given unto Take notice of this mercy of God thou that hast received it and rejoyce in it and be thankefull for it But take heed thou be not puft up by it so to thinke better to thy selfe for it as to despise others to whom God hath not yet bin so mercifull this way as he hath bin to thee But say oft to thy soule as the Apostle doth to them 1 Cor. 4.7 Who maketh thee to differ from another and what hast thou that thou hast not received And if thou hast received it why gloriest thou Remember what use David made of the difference God had made betweene him and Saul 2 Sam. 6.22 I will be more vile then thus and will be base in mine owne sight And we shall see great reason for it if we consider well what our Saviour saith Luke 12 48. Vnto whomsoever much is given of him shall be much required Lecture CVII On Psalme 51.6 Ianuary 6. 1628. WEE have already heard that these words doe containe the fourth and last argument whereby David doth aggravate and set forth the hainousnesse of his foule sinnes taken from the consideration of that truth of grace and saving knowledge God had wrought in him before he fell thus fearefully And that there are three principall things to be observed in them 1. The description that David maketh here of his owne true conversion and regeneration In the hidden part hee had knowne wisedome 2. The author and worker of this his conversion that is to say The Lord himselfe In the hidden part thou hadst made me to know wisedome 3. Lastly The end and purpose that David had in mentioning here his conversion that truth of grace and saving knowledge that was in him before his fall that is to say To aggravate and increase his sin by the consideration of it The two former of these points wee have already finished it followeth now that we proceed unto the third and last of them From this then that David doth here aggravate his sins from this consideration that he was a reâ—enerate man he had truth of grace and saving knowledge in him before he fell into these sins we learne That the sinnes that a man committeth that is truly regenerate are in sundry respects much more hainous and dangerous then the same sinnes committed by another man In sundry respects I say but not in all respects This Caution I must needes give you for the opening and explaination of the Doctrine before I come to the confirmation of it And in handling this Caution I must bee something large both because it is a point that may bee of great use unto you and because I have not handled it before nor know when I may have hereafter so fit opportunity to speake of it as in the handling of this Doctrine that cannot be well understood without it You must therefore know that the sins of a regenerate man are not in all respects nor indeed can be either so hainous in themselves or so dangerous to him that committeth them as the sins of the unregenerate are or may be First They are not so hainous in themselves and that in these two respects First There is one hainous sin that no regenerate Elect child of God can possibly fall into He cannot commit the sin against the holy Ghost as hee that is unregenerate may doe There is a sin unto death saith the Apostle 1 Ioh. 5.16 by which he meaneth not that there is a sin that deserveth death for so every sinne doth but a sin which whosoever falleth into and committeth he must needs dye and perish everlastingly and he addeth verse 18. We know that whosoever is borne of God sinneth not that is doth never commit that sin the sin unto death Secondly Those hainous sins that it is possible for a man that is truly regenerate to fall into yet even in them it is not possible for him to sin so hainously as many an unregenerate man doth and as every unregenerate man may doe He may indeed fall into such sins as are for the matter and substance of the fact every whit as hainous as any other mans sin can be Davids and Peters examples prove that to be too true But he cannot commit them so hainously that is in so hainous a manner as the other doth Their spot saith Moses speaking of the rebellious Iewes Deut. 32.5 is not the spot of his children As if he had said They may both have their spots yea and great and foule spots too but there is a great difference betweene the spots of the lewd and unregenerate men and the spots of Gods children And as the Lord gave to the Priest under the law direction how he might distinguish and put a difference betweene the spots of the leprous persons Levit. 13.24 27. and ver 38.39 So hath he also given him in his word direction how we may distinguish and discerne the spots of lewd and wicked men from the spots of his children Of the one it is said Iude 15. that their ungodly deeds are ungodly committed Of the other it is said Psal. 18.21 that they have not wickedly departed from their God As if he should say even then when they have forsaken and departed from their God yet they did iâ— not wickedly in that wicked manner with so wicked a mind and disposition of heart as the other doe The adultery that David committed was doubtlesse great filthinesse and yet there is certainly a great deale more wickednes in the whoredomes of many other men then there was in his In thy filthinesse is lewdnesse saith the Lord to the wicked Iew Eze. 24.13 Was there not so you will say in Davids in every other mans whoredome Surely the fact is most filthy and abominable whosoever committeth it but yet in the heart of many a man that committeth it there is much more lewdnes then there was in Davids So the Apostacy of Peter was out of doubt a most hainous sin yet was it not committed so hainously with so bad an heart as the Apostacy of many a one hath beene that yet did never deny Christ with such oathes and execrations as Peter did Bee not mercifull unto all that
enjoy the blessings of this life specially that we enjoy them with any comfort as those that have just title and right unto them Every man to whom God hath given riches and wealth saith Solomon Eccl. 5.19 and hath given him power a mind to eat thereof and to take his portion and to rejoyce in his labour this is the gift of God But this mercy also the faithfull obtaine onely though Christ. Worthy is the lamb that was staine say the holy Angels Revel 5.12 to receive power and riches and wisedome As if they had said All riches as well as all power and wisedome are his and his onely Him God hath made heire of all things as the Apostle saith Heb. 1.2 All things are yours and ye are Christs saith he 1 Cor. 3.22 23. As though hee had said Nothing is ours wee have not a spirituall and comfortable title to any thing till we be Christs Fiftly The love and good will of God towards us which is the onely root and fountaine of all blessings and good things we receive from him is woon and procured to us onely by Christ. God cannot love or beare good will to any of us but onely through him and for his sake And therefore the Angels sing thus at his comming into the world Luke 2.14 Glory be to God in the highest and on earth peace good will towards men As if they should have said God could beare no good will towards men but only through Christ. Sixtly and lastly No man can have any true boldnesse to goe to God or to looke for any good or mercy from him but onely through Christ. No man commeth unto the father but by me saith our Saviour Ioh. 14 6. In him wee have boldnesse and accesse with confidence saith the Apostle Ephes 3.12 and in him onely Whatsoever good thing we want and would beg of God by prayer we must aske it in his name and looke to obtaine it onely through him and and for his sake Whatsoever ye shall aske the father in my name hee will give it unto you saith our Saviour Iohn 16.23 And whatsoever good thing we have received from God and would be truly thankfull to God for we must ascribe it onely to Christ and acknowledge we have received it for his sake alone Giving thankes to God and the father by him as the Apostle teacheth us Col. 3.17 And thus we have seene the first proofe of the Doctrine No mercy can be expected from God but through Christ alone The second followeth No mercy can bee expected from God by Christ but onely through his bloud if hee had not suffered and endured that for us which hee did both in his soule and body wee could never have found any mercy from God at all See the proofe of this also in three particulars First All the mercies of God that concerne our justification the acquitting us of our sinnes and setting us in Gods favour are obtained to us by the passions and sufferings of Christ. Being justified by his bloud saith the Apostle Rom. 5.9 wee shall bee saved from wrath through him In Christ we have redemption though his bloud saith he Ephes. 1.7 the forgivenesse of sinnes according to the riches of his grace As if he had said It is of the riches of Gods free grace that any of us obtaine the forgivenesse of our sins but the riches of Gods grace are procured to us by the bloud of Christ and by no other meanes Him hath God set forth saith he Rom. 3.25 to be a propitiation through faith in his bloud Three things are to be observed in these words 1. God hath made Christ the mercy-seat The mercy-seat under the law was but a type and figure of him They that would obtaine any mercy from God must seeke it in and through him onely 2. Whereas the mercy-seat under the law stood in the holy of holyes within the vaile and was hiden not onely from the people but from the priests also the High-Priest onely had accesse unto it and that but once a yeare the Lord hath now by the ministery of the Gospell set forth this mercy-seat openly to the view of all men all men may have accesse unto it 3. As the Hhigh-Priest who was a type of Christ came not to the mercy-seat could find no mercy with God nor make atonement betweene him and his people without the bloud of a sacrifice Levit. 16.14 so may no man come to the true mercy-seat nor hope to find mercy with God through Christ but onely by faith in his bloud Secondly All the mercies of God that concerne our sanctification the subduing of our corruptions and the renewing of our hearts are obtained to us by the passion and sufferings of Christ. Therefore doth the Apostle Rom. 6.6 ascribe our mortification to the death of Christ. Our old man saith he is crucified with him that the body of sinne might bee destroyed that hence forth wee should not serve sinne So that ability that is given us of God to lead a new life and to walke in his wayes is ascribed to the passion and sufferings of Christ. It is the bloud of Christ saith the Apostle Heb. 9.14 who through the eternall spirit offered himselfe without spot unto God that purgeth our conscience from dead workes to serve the living God And that strength that any child of God hath to resist tentation is to bee ascribed to the passion and sufferings of Christ. By Christ crucified saith the Apostle Gal. 6.14 the world is crucified unto me and I unto the world Thirdly and lastly All the mercies of God that concerne our glorification and the consummation of our happinesse in the kingdome of heaven are obtained to us by the passion and sufferings of Christ. We have boldnesse saith the Apostle Heb. 10.19 to enter into the Holyest into heaven whereof the holy of holyes in the temple was a figure by the bloud of Iesus As if hee should say There is nothing that can make a man die and goe to God with true boldnesse and expectation of a better life but onely faith in the bloud of Christ. And in this respect it is that the Apostle calleth his whole ministery the preaching of the crosse of Christ 1 Cor. 1.18 and we preach Christ crucified saith he verse 23. that was the whole matter and scope of his ministery to teach men to looke for all mercy and comfort from God onely through the passion and sufferings of Iesus Christ. Yea he telleth the Corinthians 1 Cor 2.2 that when he was among them where learning and eloquence did abound hee determined not to know any thing save Iesus Christ and him crucified he resolved with himselfe to shew no other learning but this to set forth to them in the best manner he could the sufferings of Christ and the benefit and fruit that commeth to Gods people by them Nay he professeth of himselfe Gal. 6.14 that the crosse of Christ his passion and sufferings
good works by all their prayers and intercessions to merit of God for any man the pardon of the least sin And in this also Popery doth miserably and damnably deceive the world We know they teach men to trust and expect mercy from God in the pardon of their sin by the merits and intercession of the Saints specially of the blessed Virgin And it is notorious to the world that their whole Church in their publique Liturgie doe oft beg of God the pardon of sinne and deliverance from his wrath for the merits and intercession of such and such Saints Miserable comforters are they that teach poore soules in this case to leane upon the staffe of this bruised reed Of all the Saints that have beene most rich in grace and good workes that may truly bee said which David speaketh of the worldly rich men Psal. 49.7 8. None of them can by any meanes redeeme his brother nor give unto God a ransome for him for the redemption of the soule is precious No Saint was ever able with all his holinesse and good works to pay a price sufficient to satisfie the justice of God for one soule Nay I say more no Saint or Angel durst ever so farre mediate with God as to intreat him for his sake to pardon any one sin to any soule If one man sin against another saith old Ely to his sons 1 Sam. 2.25 the judge shall judge him satisfaction may bee made for the offence by the authority of the magistrate but if a man sin against the Lord who shall intreat for him As if he had said No Saint or Angel dare presume to be so much as a mediatour of intercession unto God for any that hath sinned against him Call now saith Eliphaz to Iob 5.1 if there be any that will answer or speake for thee and to which of the Saints wilt thou turne No none but Christ onely durst ever doe so much for any poore sinner And this is the first point in this Doctrine that doth discover to us how heavy and heinous a thing sin is Secondly Christ himselfe could not cleanse thee from thy sins nor procure thee the pardon of the least of them any other way but by dying for thee The holinesse of his life and that exact obedience he yeelded to the law of God in all points fulfilling all righteousnesse as himselfe speaketh Matth. 3.15 was doubtlesse of great merit and wee received much benefit by it As by one mans disobedience many were made sinners saith the Apostle Rom. 5.19 so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous We are justified in part even by his active obedience for by it we obtaine the imputation of that perfect righteousnesse that giveth us title to the kingdome of heaven For seeing it was not possible for us to enter into life till wee had kept the commandements of God Matth. 19.17 and wee were not able to keepe them our selves it was necessary our surety should keepe them for us And hee by performing to the full for us not for himselfe for he being God and not man only and his manhood having no personall substistance without the Godhead was not bound to keep the law for himselfe he I say by fulfilling the whole law of God did thereby purchase heaven for us and merit that God should account us righteous and perfect fulfillers of his law By this means he brought in everlasting righteousnesse as the Prophet speaketh Dan. 9.24 In which respect also the Apostle saith Rom. 10.4 that Christ is the end of the law for righteousnesse to every one that beleeveth As if he should say The end of the law is to justifie them that fulfill it and this Christ hath done for every one that beleveth in him and so hath made him righteous before God And for this cause the Apostle saith also Rom. 3.31 Doe we then make void the law through faith God forbid Yea we establish the law As though hee had said The Doctrine of justification by faith in Christ doth no way derogate from the law for it acknowledgeth a necessity not only of satisfaction for the penalty that is due to the transgression of it but also of a full and perfect observation of it in all points by them that would enter into life But though this be so yet Christs active obedience his good works and holy life could never have bin meritorious for us could never have justified us nor brought us to heaven if he had not dyed for us And therefore both our justification and our obtaining of heaven is ascribed to his bloud as if that alone had done both Being justified by his bloud saith the Apostle Rom. 5.9 we shall be saved from wrath through him And we have boldnes to enter into the holiest that is into heaven Heb. 10.19 by the bloud of Iesus So the scripture ascribeth much to the intercession that our Saviour daily maketh for us in heaven much comfort doubtlesse we may receive by this that we have such a friend in the court such an advocate to speake and plead and pray for us unto his father He is able saith the Apostle Heb. 7.25 to save them to the uttermost that come to God by him seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them But his intercession could never have bin meritorious for us it could never have prevailed with God for us to the procuring for us the pardon of the least sin if he had not by his death given full satisfaction to the justice of God for us When Christ is described unto Iohn Rev. 5.8 9. as the only mediatour of intercession for his Church unto whom the foure and twenty Elders representing the whole Catholike Church and company of all Gods Saints do bring their golden viols full of odours which are the prayers of the Saints to be presented by him unto his father he is represented to him in the likenes of a lambe that was slaine ver 6.11 And the foure and twenty Elders ver 9. give this for the reason why they bring their prayers unto him and make him their only mediatour of intercession aswell as their only Prophet interpreter of his fathers will Thou art worthy say they to take the booke and to open the seales thereof for thou wast slaine and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood Hee could not have beene our Prophet neither could his intercession and prayers have ever beene meritorious for us if hee had not dyed for us It is the death of Christ that giveth vertue and merit to his intercession and prayers for us It is the blood of sprinkliâ—g that speaketh better things then that of Abel saith the Apostle Hebrewes 12. â—4 It is that that speaketh for us and pleadeth with God continually for mercy as the other did for vengeance Thirdly Christ himselfe could not by dying for thee have cleansed thee from thy sins nor procured the pardon of the least of them if he had not dyed
as the Holy Ghost witnesseth Mar. 6 5. how can I ever hope to obtaine mercy and assurance of favour from God this way To this I answer First Thou maist notwithstanding thine infidelity so long as the infidelity that is in thee raigneth not but thou discernest bewailest and strivest against it David had doubting and feare and infidelity in him when he cryed Psal. 13.1 How long wilt thou forget me O Lord For ever How long wilt thou hide thy face from me And yet even then he trusted in Gods mercy and hoped to recover assurance of his favour that way as appeareth by his words in the fift verse And when I am afraid saith he Psal. 56 â— when I am disquieted with feares and doubts of any kind I will trust in thee So Psal. 143.7 8. he professeth that when his spirit faâ—led when his spirit was overwhelmed and his heart within him was desolate as he had said before Verse 4. and consequently when he had much infidelity in him yet even then he did trust in God anâ— lifted up his soule unto him And was not the poore woman that had the bloudy issue Luke 8.47 troubled much with doubts and feares and infidelity when yet notwithstanding she did trust and looke to receive mercy and helpe through the free goodnesse of God in Christ. Secondly Though thou feele thy selfe never so unable through thy infidelity to cast thy selfe upon the free grace and mercy of God in Christ yet if thou can bewaile and be soundly humbled for thy infidelity God will make thee able to do it For he hath promised to give grace even this as well as any other to the humble Iam. 4.6 He will keep thee from sinking under and being overcome of thy infidelity And Gods people have never found him readier to shew them mercy this way that when they have felt most weakenesse and infidelity in themselves When the Apostle had been pressed out of measure above his strength as he speaketh 2 Cor. 1.8 9 and had the sentence of death in himselfe God sustained and delivered him and that for this very cause as he saith to teach us that we should not trust in our selves but in God which raiseth the dead which causeth him to professe 2 Cor. 12.10 When I am weak then am I strong He never felt Gods strength more in supporting him and keeping him from sinking under the burden of any tentation than when he found his own weaknesse and readinesse to sink most of all Now to make some application of this we shall find that many of Gods people do greatly offend in this point For they make that inherent grace which they find in themselves the onely ground of all their comfort and assurance of Gods favour while they discerne that in themselves they are quiet and comfortable when they cannot they are utterly out of hope Two evills they commit in this one against themselves another against the Lord. First resting upon that grace they find in themselves and so trusting in their owne heart they leane upon a bruised reed that may and will deceive them Their owne spirit may faile them and be overwhelmed as we have heard David complained that it was with him Psal. 143.4 7. Though that grace that is in them if ever it were in them in truth do not utterly faile yet their heart and spirit the knowledge and feeling of that grace they have may quite faile them for a time This made David say as he doth Psal. 73.26 My flesh and my heart faileth but God is the strength of my heart and my portion for ever Make God himselfe thy rock and portion the onely ground of all thy hope and comfort and he will never faile though thine own flesh and heart do Secondly In doing thus we make an idoll of that inherent grace that is in us and putting that trust in it which we should repose in the Lord alone we commit idolatry we go a whoring after our owne hearts as the Lord speaketh Num. 15.39 For no inherent grace that is in us is God but the gift of God only and therefore cannot be fully trusted in without sinne Let us therefore learne to praise God for any grace he hath wrought in us by his holy Spirit yea let us take comfort in it as in a fruit of his eternall and unchangeable love but let us not so rest upon it as to make it the onely or chiefe ground of our hope and comfort but learne to renounce our selves and all confidence in any goodnesse that is in us and with humbled soules cast our selves wholly upon the free grace and mercy of God in Christ and say with the Apostle Phil. 3.3 We are the circumcision which rejoyce in the Lord Iesus and have no confidence in the flesh Lecture CXXVII On Psalme 51.7 Septem 1. 1629. NOw the third and last use that this Doctrine serveth unto is as I said for the comfort of such of Gods people as though they feare God unfainedly and are carefull in all their wayes to please him yet complaine greatly of this that they cannot feele that the bloud of Christ is by the Spirit of God sprinkled upon their hearts they cannot attaine unto this sensible assurance of the favour of God in Christ. And though 1 I know well that in this profane and loose age few have need of this use of comfort because most men are confident enough of their salvation they are not troubled at all with any doubts or feares his way and the whole have no need of a Physician Matth. 9.12 Doctrine of humiliation and terrour were fitter for most of our hearers than Doctrine of comfort The fat and strong among Gods sheepe should be fed with judgement as the Lord speaketh Ezek. 34.16 Yea 2 I know well that some will be more likely to receive hurt than good by that which you shall now heare For Christ and the Doctrine of Gods mercy in him is a stumbling stone and rock of offence to disobedient and wicked men as the Apostle teacheth us 1 Pet. 2.8 And 3. though in handling of the meanes whereby true assurance may be obtained I have spoken much already for the comfort of such persons Yet have I two reasons why I dare not omit this use of comfort First Because I doubt not but there are some of you that heare me have present need of it And if there were but two or three such among you all I am bound in my ministery to have more respect unto them then to all the rest For to such principally are we sent to preach Hee hath sent me saith our Saviour Esa. 61 1 2. and that which hee that is the great Shepheard of the sheepe said it becommeth us all that are under him tâ— say likewise hee hath sent mee saith he to bind up the broken hearted and to comfort all that mourne in Sion Secondly Because though there be many of you that have not present need of
never have said he might seeme to have had matter of glorying in those works he did while he was an idolater but matter of shame and confusion rather 3. The Apostle speaking unto men that feared God Act. 13.16 telleth them ver 39. that they could not be justified by the law of Moses that is by those workes which were commanded in the law of Moses 4 Lastly David when he was the servant of God a true beleever professeth that he could not stand before Gods judgement in the confidence of his own righteousnes it could not justifie him in Gods sight and therfore cryeth Ps. 143.2 Enter not into judgement with thy servant ô Lord for in thy sight shall no man living be justified And thus you see No man no not the best man that ever lived can be justified before God by any righteousnes that is in himselfe Now I will give you two reasons of it out of Gods Word First The righteousnesse and goodnesse that is in the best man is lame and imperfect and farre short of that God in his law requireth of him yea it is also spotted and defiled with the Leprosy of his originall corruption and therefore it cannot justifie him in Gods sight it cannot stand before God nor abide the tryall at his judgement seat The blessed Apostle himselfe professeth Phil. 3.12 that he was not perfect Iohn Baptist though he were sanctified in his mothers womb yet avoucheth Mat. 3.14 that he had need to be baptized of Christ he was not washed and cleansed sufficiently his sanctification was imperfect And the Church complaineth Esa 64.6 We are all as an uncleane thing and all our righteousnesse are as filthy rags There is not a just man upon earth saith Salomon Eccl. 7.20 that doth good and sinneth not In many things we offend all saith the Apostle Iam. 3.2 If we say saith the Apostle 1 Ioh. 1.8 we have no sin we deceive our selves and the truth is not in us True saith the Papist the justest man is not free from venial sins but that is no hinderance to his justification by his inherent righteousnes To this I answer First 〈◊〉 no sinne is so veniall but it justly deserveth etâ—râ—all â—eath The soule that â—â—nneth it shall die saith the Prophet Ezek. 18.4 And the wages of sin is death saith the Apostle Rom. 6.23 And Gal. 3.10 Cursed is he that continueth not in all things that are written in the law to do them Not onely every thing that is done against Gods Law how small soever it be but every thing that is lest undone which the law commandeth how small soever it be maketh a man lyable to the curse of God Secondly The holiest men that have ever lived and such as the Holy Ghost hath given testimony unto that they were just and perfect men have beene notwithstanding that guilty of such sinnes as the Papists themselves confesse to be mortall Zachary though he were a just man before God as the Holy Ghost saith of him Luke 1.6 yet was he guilty of grosse infidelity in not believing the Word that God spake to him by the Ministry of an Angell Luk. 1.20 yea the holiest men have had that deep sense of their owne sinfulnesse and corruption as they durst not stand before God in their owne righteousnesse they have freely professed they could not be justified by it in Gods sight Thus was Iob perswaded of his owne righteousnesse though hee were a man of whom the Lord himselfe giveth testimony Iob 1.8 that there was none like him upon the earth an upright and a perfect man Though I were righteous saith Iob 9 15. yet would I not answer him but I would make supplication to my Iudge And 10.15 If I be righteous yet will I not lift up my head As if he should say I will not plead my righteousnesse before thee I will not trust to be justified by it in thy sight And thus was David perswaded of his owne righteousnesse of whom yet the Lord saith that hee was a man after his owne heart 1 Samuel 13.14 If thou Lord shouldst marke iniquities saith David Psalme 130.3 O Lord who shall stand Lastly Thus was blessed Paul perswaded of his owne righteousnesse I know nothing by my selfe saith he 1 Corinth 4.4 yet am I not thereby justified but he that justifieth me is the Lord. As if he had said Though I should discerne no defect in mine owne righteousnesse as for the maine bent of my heart and course of my life I do not yet dare not I plead it before God nor hope to be justifyed by it for the Lord that is my Iudge can espie in me much more than I can in my selfe And certainly to conclude this first reason there is no Papist under heaven that hath not lost all conscience but his heart must needs give his tongue the lie when he saith he believeth to be justified before God by that righteousnesse and goodnesse that is inherent and dwelling in himselfe A second reason against it is this If a man could be justified by that righteousnesse that is inherent in himselfe then might he have in himselfe just cause of boasting and glorying before God neither should the whole glory of mans salvation and justification bee due unto the free grace and mercy of God in Christ. This argument the holy Apostle presseth against justification by works and for justification by faith onely Where is boasting then saith he Rom. 3.27 it is excluded By what law or doctrine Of works Nay but by the law or doctrine of faith And againe Rom. 4.2 If Abraham were justifified by works he hath whereof to glory but not before God By grace ye are saved through faith saith he Eph. 2.8 9. not of works least any man should boast So 1 Cor. 1.30 31. he giveth this for the reason why Christ is all in all to us in the matter of our salvation wisdome righteousnesse sanctification and redemption that according as it is written he that glorieth let him glory in the Lord. As if he had said God cannot abide that man should glory before him but would have him to be humbled to the very dust but if he could be justified before God by any goodnesse that is in him then might he have just cause of glorying even before God True saith the Papist if a man could be justified by his owne works by such works as he doth by the power of nature then had he indeed matter of glorying and boasting in himselfe But not when he is justified by such works onely as are wrought by the power of Gods grace in him For these workes are not his owne but the works of Christ and his grace in him according to that speech of the Church Esa. 26.12 Lord thou hast wrought all our workes in us And that of the Apostle Romans 15.18 I will not dare to speake of any of those things which Christ hath not wrought by mee Wee doe not therefore say
onely cause of all the evills and miserie that can befall a man In them all it may bee said as the Church speaketh Lamentations 3.39 Man suffereth for his sinne 2. Sinne is the onely thing that maketh all miserie to bee miserie indeed all crosses and afflictions so intolerable to us as they be Ieremy 8.14 The Lord our God hath put us to silence and given us water of gall to drinke because wee have sinned against the Lord. The sting of death is sin saith the Apostle 1 Corinthians 15.5 6. Neither poverty nor sicknesse nor death it selfe could sting and paine us as they doe if our sinnes were pardoned 3. If all the crosses and miseries of the world should fall upon us the burden and bitternesse of them could not bee so intolerable unto us nor torment us so much as our sinne will doe when God shall charge it upon us O that will bite like a serpent saith Salomon who spake this from experience too Prov. 23.32 and sting like an adder A wounded spirit saith he Proverbs 18.14 who can beare 4. Lastly Sinne and nothing but sinne separateth betweene God and us Your iniquities saith the Prophet Esay 59.2 have separated betweene you and your God and your sinnes have hid his face from you that hee will not heare You see then how sound a ground of true comfort this is and how just cause every humbled soule hath to rejoyce in Christ in respect of this first benefit wee receive by him that through him our sinnes are pardoned that the bloud of Iesus Christ hath cleansed us from all our sins As the Apostle speaketh 1 Ioh. 1.7 And for the second of those benefits which every true beleever receiveth by Christ see also how just a cause of comfort it is to every afflicted soule Esay 61.10 I will greatly rejoyce in the Lord saith the true beelever my soule shall bee joyfull in my God for hee hath cloathed mee with the garments of salvation hee hath imputed and given unto mee the perfect holinesse and obedience of my blessed Saviour and made it mine hee hath covered mee all over from top to toe with the robe of righteousnesse as a bridegrome decketh himselfe with ornaments and as a bride adorneth her selfe with her jewells Great is the comfort that the soule of a Christian findeth in that inherent righteousnesse which God by his spirit hath wrought in him though it bee so poore and unperfect and maimed and slained as it is When he can find that he hath been able to pray or to confesse and mourne for his sinne or to do any other service to God with an honest and upright heart O what a comfort it is unto him And certainly if Christians did thinke well of this it would make them looke better to their hearts when they performe good duties and take heed of slubbering them over it would make them carefull to performe spirituall duties spiritually The people rejoyced saith the Holy Ghost 1 Chronicl 29.9 for that they had offered toward the building of Gods house willingly because with a perfect heart they had offered willingly to the Lord. And our rejoycing is this saith the Apopostle 2 Cor. 1.12 even the testimony of our conscience that in simplicity and godly sincerity not in fleshly wisdome but by the grace of God we have had our conversation in the world And it is joy saith Salomon Proverb 21.15 unto the just man to doe judgement As if he had thus said He joyeth not so much in all the gaine that he getteth by his trading his buying and selling and dealings with men as he doth in this that his conscience beareth witnesse with him that he hath dealt justly with all men he hath gotten it justly whatsoever he hath But if this poore and imperfect righteousnesse that is in us will yeeld us such comfort how just cause of comfort and rejoycing hath every true believer in this that he hath another manner of righteousnesse than this is the perfect righteousnesse of Christ Iesus is his Iob saith of his inherent righteousnesse whereby hee had beene so rich in good workes so abundant in the workes of mercy to all that stood in need of him Iob 29.14 that he put on his righteousnesse and it cloathed him my judgement saith he this care I had to deale justly and uprightly with all men was as a robe and a diademe unto me And a goodly garment and robe doubtlesse that was As comely apparell is knowne to set forth much and adorne the person of a man O that men and women specially knew not this too well O that by their pride in this by their over-much care to adorne and decke their bodies this way they did not make both their bodies and soules loathsome unto God as comely apparell I say if it be used in sobriety and moderation doth much set forth and adorne the body in the eye of man so doe those graces of the Spirit that Iob speaketh of even our inherent righteousnesse much more beautifie and adorne us in the eye both of God and man Be ye cloathed with humility saith the Apostle 1 Pet. 5.5 to all Christians As if he had said That is a goodly garment a goodly robe for any Christian to weare And speaking of Christian women he saith 1 Pet. 3.3 4. their adorning should not be that outward adorning of plaiting the haire no nor of cutting and shearing it would he have said if he had lived to see the fashions of these dayes nor in wearing of gold or jewels saith he nor in putting on of any apparell Why how then should a Christian woman dresse and decke her selfe will you say Surely with the ornament of a meeke and quiet spirit saith he which is in the sight of God of great price Grace is a goodly garment certainely But if this garment of inherent righteousnesse that hath so many spots and rents in it will adorne us so much if that be so much to be joyed in what a beauty and glory is that which the Lord our God hath put upon us wretched sinners in cloathing us with the robe of Christs righteousnesse In that he hath not onely taken from us our owne filthy garments as he did from Iehoshua Zachary 3.4 but cloathed us with change of raiment with a righteousnesse sufficient and more than sufficient to make us comely and beautifull in his eyes In graunting to us that wee should bee arrayed in that fine linnen cleane and white as wee heard the last day out of Revelation 19.8 This robe the Lord hath put upon thee beloved I speake to the poorest to the weakest of all Gods servants that heareth me this day this perfect righteousnesse of Christ is thine O that thou hadst eyes to see thy happinesse in this O that thou hadst an heart to be affected with it and rejoyce in it as thou oughtest to doe Great was the glory of man in his first creation and in that righteousnesse wherewith hee was cloathed
after nothing so much as after Gods favour in him and such he inviteth above all others to come to him and to partake of all his merits In the great day of the feast saith the Evangelist Iohn 7.37 Iesus stood and cryed saying that all might heare him If any man thirst let him come unto me and drinke In which respect I may say to thee as they said to the blind man Mar. 10 49. Be of good comfort he calleth thee 3. If thou being thus invited to come go to Christ and lay hold on him certainely he will not reject thee he doth not make shew of more mercy to thee then he intendeth he meaneth as he saith Him that commeth to me saith he Ioh. 6.37 I will in no wise cast out I said not in vaine saith the Lord Esa. 45 19 seeke ye me I the Lord speake righteousnesse 4. The Lord hath expressely commanded thee to beleeve in Christ that he died for thee And counteth it the greatest sin thou canst commit if thou wilt not beleeve it This is his commandement saith the Apostle 1 Iob 3.23 that wee should beleeve on the name of his son Iesus Christ. And our Saviour saith Ioh. 16.9 that this is the chiefe sin the Holy Ghost should convince the world of Because they beleeve not on me saith he The second thing I have to say for the comfort of this poore soule is this Certainly thou hast true faith in thee though it be weak and though thou perceive it not Els 1 Thou couldst not feele and bewaile the want of it as thou dost For our Saviour saith Mat. 5.3 4. they are blessed that are poore in spirit and doe mourne for it which they could not be unlesse they had true faith 2 Els thou couldst not so unfeignedly and earnestly desire to beleeve and to be partaker of Christ as thou dost For he saith likewise Mat. 5.6 that he that hungreth and thirsteth after righteousnesse is a blessed man which he could never be unlesse he had true faith Lecture CXXXII On Psalme 51.7 Novemb. 10. 1629. IT followeth we proceed unto the second of those uses that tend to the working upon our hearts and directing us how we should be affected with this Doctrine namely unto the use of exhortation And this use of exhortation though it have great afinity with that which you have formerly heard in the use that was made of that Doctrine I taught you out of the first part of this verse touching the necessity of having the bloud of Christ sprinkled and applyed to our owne hearts yet is it so usefull and necessary that I dare not omit it And yet will I not trouble you with repeating and saying over againe the same things which you have heard already but I will endeavour through Gods gracious assistance so to handle it as that that which you shall now heare may serve for a necessary addition and supplement unto that which you have heard formerly and so bee neither tedious nor unprofitable unto you And indeed what one exhortation can any of us that are Gods messengers insist upon that is of so great necessity to bee pressed upon us all as this is For if they that have Christ that truly beleeve in him be so fully and perfectly justified in Gods sight if they have obtained through him such a robe of righteousnesse as will not onely cover them from top to toe so as no jot of their filthy nakednesse shall ever appeare againe to make them loathsome unto God but also adorne and decke them and make them more comely and beautifull in his eye more perfectly righteous then if they had never sinned then if they had in all points kept his righteous law O then why are wee not all of us more in love with Christ Why long wee not more after him Why labour wee not more diligently to make him and this robe of his righteousnesse our owne I counsell thee saith our blessed Saviour to the luke-warme Laodiceans Revelation 3.18 and the same counsell doe I give to my selfe and to you all beloved who are too like unto the Laodiceans in this point luke-warme and indifferent whether wee have Christ made sure unto us or no I counsell thee saith hee to buy of mee this white raiment that thou maist bee clothed and that the shame of thy nakednesse doe not appeare As if hee had said This raiment this robe which thou canst never get of any but of me onely and which thou canst never get of me unlesse thou buy it and be content to part with all that thou hast for it is not onely able to cover all thy nakednesse the filthy nakednesse of thy soule which is much more shamefull then the nakednesse of the body ever could be but it is also white and shining such as will make thee most comely and glorious in the eyes of my father This is also the exhortation that the Apostle giveth to the Romanes Romanes 13.14 Put yee on the Lord Iesus Christ saith hee Hee had exhorted them before verse 12. to put on the armour of light that is to cloth themselves with inherent righteousnesse as hee expoundeth himselfe verse 13. and that is surely as I shewed you the last day a goodly garment and such as will greatly adorne and beautifie a man nay it is not onely as a garment to clothe to decke and adorne a man but it is as armour also that will defend a man from the danger of many a tentation that might hurt and wound him but in this 14. verse hee exhorteth them not to rest in that but labour to get them a better garment then that Put ye on the Lord Iesus saith he As if hee should say This garment will bee farre more usefull unto you will adorne and beautifie you much more then the other can doe See what account the Apostle himselfe made of this robe Doubtlesse saith he Philip. 3.8 9. I count all things but losse I judge them not worth the keeping things that I care not for loosing and casting them away for the excellency of the knowledge of Iesus Christ my Lord as if he had said ô that is the excellent knowledge when all is done to know Christ to be mine to be my Lord for whom saith he I have indeed in the resolution of my mind suffered the losse of all things and do count them but dung in comparison that I may win Christ and make him mine own And be found in him not having mine own righteousnes which is of the law but that which is through the faith of Christ the righteousnes which is of God by faith He maketh this you see the highest pitch of his happinesse and that which hee did desire above all things in the world that he might be found of God when he should call him to appeare before him neither naked nor clothed onely with the garment of his owne inherent righteousnesse but in the pure and glorious robe of Christs
7.25 and the flouds came and the winds blew and beat upon that house and it fell not because it was founded upon a rocke As if hee should say Nothing can overthrow or hurt him that is built upon the rocke In all these things saith the Apostle Romans 8.37 And what were those things See verse 35. In tribulation distresse persecution in famine nakednesse perill sword And what greater evills then these can befall a man In all these things saith hee wee are more then conquerours through him that loved us that is through Christ. Yea the faithfull have never found so much true comfort in all their lives as they have done in their greatest and most extreame afflictions This hath beene evident in the experience of the blessed Martyrs and this God hath made an expresse promise for Vnto the righteous saith the Psalmist 112 4. ariseth light in darkenesse As if hee had sayd In times of darkenesse and affliction then hath their light beene wont to rise most Thy light shall rise in obscurity saith the Lord Esay 58.10 and thy darkenesse shall bee as the noone-day And if there were nothing else to make us in love with Christ to long after him to strive to make him sure to us this were enough to doe it even the sweetenesse that wee shall find in him in the time of affliction A friend loveth at all times saith Salomon Proverbs 17.17 and a brother is borne for adversity As if hee had said There is the tryall of a true friend and of a kind brother indeed when they will stieke close to a man in his adversity Surely there is not such a friend such a brother in the world for this as Christ is wee shall feele the sweetnesse of his love to us most in our greatest affliction Secondly Admit a man had never so good assurance to be exempted from all trouble and affliction to spend all his dayes in peace and prosperity as much as his heart can wish yet can hee have no true comfort in any blessing that hee doth enjoy till hee bee in Christ. Two evident reasons there bee for this 1. They will do him no good at all but much hurt 2. God giveth them not to him in love For the first Though thy health and wealth bee in themselves good things even the good blessings of God Every creature of God is good saith the Apostle 1 Timothy 4.4 yet to thee that hast not Christ they are not good things they can doe thee no good it had beene much better for thee to have beene without them To the unbeleeving nothing is pure saith the Apostle Titus 1.15 That which the Lord saith of some wicked men Malachi 2.2 I will curse your blessings may bee understood as spoken to all that are without Christ though these things bee blessings in themselves yet to thee they will prove curses There is a sore evill which I have seene under the sunne saith Salomon Ecclesiast 5.13 namely riches kept to the owners thereof to their hurt The prosperity of fooles shall destroy them saith hee Proverbs 1.32 Yea the more thou hast of them if thou have not Christ withall the more hurt they will doe thee The meate that is in their boweâ—â—s saith Zophar of wicked men Iob 20.14 shall bee as the gaâ—â— of aspes which verse 16. hee calleth the poison of aspes within him And you know the more poison any man taketh the more it will torment him And how is impossible that the riches of such as are out of Christ should doe them any good how can they choose but doe them much hurt Daily experience proveth that men seldome have good of that that they come unjustly by that they have no just title to that is not their owne If a rich man that hath his grounds never so well stockt with cattell bring but one bullocke that he hath stollen and put among them will it doe him any good Will it not consume all the rest and undoe him Gods curse shall dwell in the tabernacle of the oppressour said Bildad Iob 18.15 because it is none of his hee hath no just title to it hee came not justly by it On the other side That is onely a mans owne that hee commeth rightly by and that that is thus his owne hee may enjoy with comfort Let them worke with quietnesse saith the Apostle 2 Thess. 3.12 and eat their own bread Now none of all the comforts of this life that we possesse are our owne neither have we just title to them a just civill title unto them I know a wicked man may have so as no man may justly take them from them but a spirituall a sanctified a comfortable title to them can we never have till we be Christs I pray consider the reason of this and you will find it to be a most evident truth The Lord when hee made man gave all his creatures unto him and made him Lord over them all Thou madest him saith David Psalme 8.6 to have dominion over the worke of thy hands thou didst put all things under his feet But wee by our fall in Adam forfeited all this title and right wee had to any thing that God hath made and made the good creatures of God accursed unto us Cursed bee the earth for thy sake saith the Lord to man after his fall Genesis 3.17 Now this title which wee had forfeited in the first Adam is restored to us in the second and this curse which wee had brought upon the creatures by our sinne is taken away by Christ and by him onely For God hath made him heire of all things and given them all to him as the Apostle teacheth us Hebrewes 1.2 and through him onely wee come to have this blessed title unto them And how then can a man have any comfort in any thing that hee possesseth How can they be good to him that is not in Christ Secondly God giveth none of these things in love to the man that is not in Christ. True it is all these outward blessings bee in themselves fruits of Gods love and mercy unto men It is an argument of his love to the stranger saith Moses Deut. 10.18 that he giueth him food and raiment And a man may safely conclude God is good to mee and loveth me or els hee would never preserve me and provide for mee as hee doth Yet this love of God that appeareth in any of these outward things is such as a man can take no sound comfort in till he be in Christ. For alas that is but a common love extended to the bruit beasts as well as to thee O Lord thou preservest man and beast saith David Psalme 36.6 There is many a bruit beast that liveth longer and in better health more fully provided for of all things fit for the preservation of this life and that with lesse care and trouble then any man is Yea this love God extendeth unto his very enemies and such as he hath ordained
to everlasting confusion Cain had a greater portion of them then Seth and Esau then Iacob And what comfort can a man have in such fruits of Gods love as these are What comfort can the traitour take in that goodnesse of the King that being apprehended hee giveth order that hee may have a faire and good lodging in the tower and a good diet too till matters be ripe and ready for his arraignement and execution No no he taketh small comfort in all this nothing will assure him of the Kings mercy and love till his pardon bee brought him So may I say of all these outward blessings thou canst have no sound comfort in them till thou have Christ and hast through him gotten the pardon of thy sinnes These are indeed fruits of Gods common love but these are no fruits or signes of Gods speciall or everlasting love of that love that he beareth to them whom he meaneth to save eternally No man knoweth either love or hatred by any thing that is before him saith Salomon Eccl. ◠1 A man cannot argue God loveth him with his speciall love because he enjoyeth these things nor that God hateth him because he wanteth them And it is not that common but this speciall and everlasting love of God onely that we are to make reckoning of and to take comfort in In this was manifested the love of God towards us saith the Apostle 1 Ioh. 4.9 10. because that God sent his onely begotten Sonne into the world that we might live through him Herein is love not that we loved God but that he loved us and sent his Sonne to be the propitiation for our sinnes If thou canst say God hath given Christ unto thee and to thee an heart to receive him then thou maist be bold to say God loveth thee indeed But thou canst never say God loveth thee indeed till thou be in Christ. He is called the Sonne of his love 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Col. 1.13 He hath made us accepted in the beloved saith the Apostle Eph. 1.6 As if he had said He loveth us for his sake and he loveth none but for his sake and with respect unto him onely And what good will it do thee to have all the world if thou have not Gods love What comfort canst thou take in any thing thou hast if God have not given it thee in his love Now on the other side that this Motive may have the more force in thy heart consider what a happinesse it is for a man to be in Christ even in respect of these outward things The true believer and he that knoweth Christ is his may take great comfort even in these outward and common blessings of God God giveth to him saith Salomon speaking of these things Eccles. 2.26 that is good in his sight reconciled to him in Christ and justified before him wisdome and knowledge and joy He joyeth even in these outward blessings he useth them with joy and comfort In which respect it is said by David Psal. 37.16 that a little that a righteous man hath is better than the riches of many wicked men Have he little or have he much he hath more comfort in that he hath than any wicked man in the world can possibly have For First That that he hath is his owne he hath the highest title unto it All things are yours saith the Apostle 1 Cor. 3.21 23. and ye are Christs In giving Christ unto us how shall he not with him also freely give us all things saith the Apostle Rom. 8.32 Secondly He shall have good of that he hath it shall do him good and no hurt it shall not hinder his happinesse it is sanctified unto him The blessing of the Lord it maketh rich saith Salomon Proverb 10.22 and he addeth no sorrow with it As if he had said He that hath wealth with Gods blessing shall have no cause to repent him another day that he lived so prosperously Thus God promiseth his people that are in covenant with him Deut. 30.9 The Lord thy God will make thee plenteous in every worke of thine hand in the fruit of thy body and in the fruit of thy cattell and in the fruit of thy land for good for the Lord will rejoyce over thee for good as he rejoyced over thy fathers Marke how the Lord doth not onely promise unto his people these outward things that he would increase them in their children and in their estates but that he promiseth them also and repeateth this promise twice in this one Verse that he would give them these things for their good they should have good of them they should receive good and no hurt by them To have the things is nothing unlesse we have them with the blessing unlesse God give us good of them When the Apostle had said 1 Tim. 4.3 5. that God hath created all meat to be received with thankesgiving of them that believe and know the truth he addeth in the next words that every creature of God is good As if he had said To the believer all Gods creatures are good and to none but him and he giveth this reason For it is sanctified saith he by the word and prayer As though he should say When Gods creatures are sanctified unto us when we have a holy use of them and are made the better by them then are they good to us and not els and to the true believer they are sanctified and to none but him Thirdly and lastly Whatsoever the true believer he that is in Christ hath in these outward things he hath it in Gods love and therefore he may well take comfort in it We are wont to say that an hearty welcome is the best cheere that any friend can make us Though our fare be but meane yet if we can find we have it with a good will and that our friend is glad of us and thereby we discerne that he doth unfeignedly love us this we esteeme of more worth than the best cheere in the world this maketh the homelyest fare most sweet and acceptable unto us And certainely it is much more so in this case When a man once knoweth he hath Gods love and that that which God hath given him be it little or much is given to him in love O this giveth a most sweet and pleasant relish to all Gods blessings that we do enjoy this maketh a man to take true and solid comfort in them Thus Iacob speaketh of his children Genesis 33.5 These are the children that God of his grace hath given unto thy servant and Verse 11. of his cattell Because God hath dealt graciously with mee and because I have enough Hee tasted Gods speciall love unto him even in these things I told you even now that no unbeliever can take any sound comfort in any of Gods outward blessings because hee cannot conclude from thence that God loveth him with a speciall love but though he cannot he that is in Christ may These common
things are to him pledges of Gods speciall and eternall love and therefore are they sweeter unto him than they can be unto any other man By this I know thou favourest me saith David Psal. 41 1â— because mine enemy doth not triumph over me Was this such a token of Gods speciall favour toward him Why God hath done thus much for many a wicked man he hath graunted temporall deliverances from their enemies to many a one whom he did never beare any speciall favour unto Well though this be so yet to David this was a strong argument of Gods speciall favour he relished Gods love in it And that made this temporall blessing so sweet unto him that made him take such joy and comfort in it as we may see he did by his breaking forth into so hearty and patheticall a thanksgiving for it Verse 13. Blessed bee the Lord God of Israel from everlasting to everlasting Amen and Amen Hee respected the minde and affâ—â—tion of the giver toward him more than of the gift it selfe a great deale And that is the cause why the true believer can rejoyce more in and give God thanks more heartily for his meat and drink and for all other of Gods common mercies than any other man can do O that wee could believe that that hath beene said for this second Motive and lay it to our hearts It is a lamentable thing to see how all men dote upon these outward and common blessings of God how light account they make of Christ in comparison of them They thinke they can never spend time enough in seeking after them The sixe dayes that God hath allowed them to spend for the most part that way saving onely a small portion of every day for a morning and evening sacrifice to be offred unto him are not sufficient but they must also rob the Lord of his Day and spend part of that that way too O the toyle and labour that men willingly and gladly take for the getting of these things For this men will rise up early and sit up late and eat the bread of sorrowes as the Prophet speaketh Psalme 127.3 And on the other side alas how little time are men willing to spend how little labour and diligence do men use to get Christ. Nay the maine cause why Christ is so lightly esteemed of why he is so little sought after is the high esteeme men make of these common blessings if they have them they think themselves happy though they want Christ and miserable if they want them though they should have never so good a portion in Christ and his merits If thou mark well the parable of the guests that were invited unto the great supper Luke 14.18 thou shalt find that the onely thing that made them set light by that great mercy that was offered them was the respect they had to their worldly profits and pleasures They had some-what els to doe then to come to that feast they had other matters matters of their profit and matters of their pleasure which it more concerned them to looke after then after Christ. O that men would see their folly and madnesse in this 1. These things can stand thee in no stead in the evill day nor yeeld thee any comfort then when thou shalt stand in most need of comfort That which Salomon saith of riches Proverbes 11.4 that they availe not in the day of wrath may bee said also of all other outward blessings Nothing but Christ will yeeld thee comfort then 2. For the present thou canst take no sound comfort in them as thou hast heard now 3. Thy preferring of these base things in thy mind and affection before Christ and prising them above him is an high contempt done unto him A goodly price may I say of you as hee did of the Iewes Zachary 11.13 that I was prised at of them 4. Remember the fearefull sentence that was given of them that did as thou dost that out of respect to their profits and pleasures neglected to come to the supper when they were invited Luke 14.24 I say unto you saith the Lord that none of those that were bidden shall taste of my supper It seemeth they neglected the time and offer of grace that the Lord of the feast had made unto them out of this conceit that the Lord that by his servants invited them now to that supper was so bountifull and kept so good a house that though they did not come then they might come soone enough on the morrow or some other day when they had nothing els to doe and find good cheere enough left to serve their turne as no doubt most men conceit God is so mercifull and Christ is so easy to bee had as that any time will serve if it bee but halfe an houre before they die when they can follow their profits and pleasures no longer to seeke after Christ. But marke how these guests were deceived because they came not then when the Lord invited them and specially because they neglected to come upon this ground that they thought their profits and pleasures were more worth more to bee regarded then any of the dainâ—ies that they might feed upon at that feast therefore the Lord vowed that none of them should ever tast of his supper And surely it is much to be feared that as many of you specially of you of this Towne doe match these guests in their sinne so you doe also match them in their punishment and that the Lord hath already passed this dreadfull sentence upon you None of these whom I have so often and so long invited to come to my supper to receive Christ and all his merits in those meanes of grace that I have offered unto them and that have all this while neglected and despised this mercy of mine shall ever tast of my supper shall ever feed upon Christ or receive true comfort by him while they live Lecture CXXXIII On Psalme 51.7 Novemb. 24. 1629. THe third Motive that may perswade us to seeke without delay and labour to find that wee are in Christ that we are fully and perfectly justified in Gods sight through him is this That we can have no true comfort in any goodnesse that seemeth to be in us till we know our selves to bee in Christ. This Motive is in this respect necessary to bee insisted upon because nothing hath more force to dull our appetite unto Christ and keepe us from seeking comfort in him then that contentment and comfort we find in some goodnesse that wee thinke is in our selves Great is the contentment that men find in the outward and common blessings of God and great force there is even in that as we heard the last day to keepe men from hungring and thirsting after Christ. But the comfort and content a man taketh in the least goodnesse that he findeth in himselfe is farre greater and he is apt to blesse himselfe more in that then in any outward blessing
that he doth enjoy Not of works saith the Apostle Ephes. 2.9 good works he meaneth least any man should boast As if he should say A man is exceeding apt to boast of his good workes though not outwardly in words yet inwardly in heart he blesseth himselfe and secureth his heart in nothing so much as in his good workes in any good worke he knoweth by himselfe And when he had said 1 Cor. 1.30 that Christ is made unto us of God wisedome and righteousnesse and sanctification and redemption As if he had said We have all in him he giveth this for the reason of it verse 31. that hee that gloryeth might glory in the Lord. As if he should have said If we had any of this without Christ we would be apt to glory in it and care but a little for him And therefore it is so oft said that the poore and such as find themselves to be utterly destitute of all goodnesse are the onely men that are fit to seeke and receive comfort by Christ. The Lord hath anointed me saith our Saviour Luk. 4.18 to preach the Gospell to the poore As if he should say Small hope there is that any but they will receive it Ho every one that thirsteth saith he Esa. 55.1 come ye to the waters and he that hath no money Where it is to bee observed that hee maketh the man that thirsteth and the man that hath no money all one As if he had said None will thirst after Christ but only those poore wretches that have no money nothing of their owne to take unto So he saith likewise Zach. 11.11 that they were the poore of the flocke that waited on him And who are meant by these poore ones in all these places Surely not such as lived in the want of bodily and worldly wealth but such as are poore in spirit and feele an utter want of all goodnesse in themselves these are the onely men that will thirst after Christ and are fit to receive him And so the Apostle interpreteth that metaphor when he saith Romanes 4.5 to him that worketh not that hath no worke no goodnesse at all to trust unto but beleeveth in him that justifieth the ungodly knoweth himselfe to be void of all goodnesse full of ungodlinesse and therefore flieth to Christ and beleeveth in him to him his faith is counted for righteousnesse Yee see then how apt we are to be kept from Christ from prising him and desiring him as we ought even by those good things that are in us This impediment will easily be remooved if we consider well the force of this third Motive wee can have no true comfort of any good thing that is in us till we bee in Christ. To speake distinctly of this point you shall see the truth of it 1 In those good things that are in many a naturall man 2 In those good things that are in many an hypocrite 3 Lastly In those good things that are in the regenerate man himselfe And in handling these three I will observe this method 1. I will shew you that there are in every one of these some good things 2 That there is no true comfort to be found in any of this goodnesse till we be in Christ. For the first It cannot be denied but there are many good things in some naturall men That that we call civill and morall honesty is certainely in it selfe a good thing That many men live so unblameably free from any open or knowne offence specially against the second table The care that many naturall men have to keepe their word to deale justly with all men to bee helpfull and mercifull to such as stand in need of them and many such like things that may bee discerned in them are doubtlesse very good things The conscience that Abimeleâ—h the King of Gerar made of adultery and that integrity of heart that was in him that way of which wee read Genesis 20.5 was a very good thing Yea those are good things not onely in the esteeme of men but even in the account of the Lord himselfe We read Marke 10.20 21. when our Saviour heard the young man say that he had observed all the commandements of the second table from his youth and knew well that in respect of the outward observation of them be had spoken the truth that beholding him he loved him for this Certainely God loveth and liketh well of these moralities and civill vertues that are in naturall men Yea and he useth to reward them also Let me shew you the proofe of this in three degrees First Many a naturall man by the care hee hath to deale justly with men and by his good workes the workes of charity that hee doth avoideth many temporall judgements of God that doe fall upon other men That is the reason why the Prophet having threatned desolation against the Moabites Esa. 16.3 adviseth them that by executing judgement and shewing mercy to the oppressed they would labour to prevent it And the Prophet Daniel Daniel 4.27 giveth hope unto Nebuchadnezzar himselfe that by righteousnesse and shewing mercy to the poore he might obtaine a lengthening of his tranquillity Secondly It is not to bee doubted but that many naturall men prosper much the better both they and their posterity in their outward estate even for the morall parts that are in them It is said Exodus 1.20 21. that God dealt well with the midwives of Egypt and made them houses because of the mercy they shewed to the Hebrew infants they feared God so farre that they durst not make them away though the King so straitly commanded them to do it Thirdly and lastly The Lord hath been wont to reward these civill vertues and morall parts that are in some naturall men even with spirituall blessings also in some sort For even for this cause by his restraining grace he keepeth them from some sinnes that otherwise they were in danger to fall into I know saith the Lord to Abimilech Gen. 20.6 that thou didst this in the integrity of thy heart for I also withheld thee from sinning against me therefore suffered I thee not to touch her Two evident reasons there are why the Lord must needs love and reward these morall parts these civill vertues that are in many naturall men First Because of the good they doe to others thereby even the service they doe to his good providence in preserving society and peace among men This civill honesty and these good morall parts that are in many naturall men where there is no religion are the very sinewes and bonds of humane society and there were no living or conversing among men without them This reason the Lord giveth why hee would reward Nebuchadnezzar and his army for the service they did against Tyrus Ezekiel 29.20 Because they wrought for me saith the Lord God As if he had said They were instruments of my good providence in the just ruiâ—e and destruction of that wicked people And if God doe
singing of Psalmes we must looke to this wee must sing unto the Lord Ephesians 5.19 Wee must make a melody in our hearts to the Lord. As if hee had said Wee seeke in that duty not to please our selves or others but the Lord. And that which hath beene said of the Sacrament and of preaching and of singing of Psalmes must bee understood likewise of hearing the Word and of prayer and of every other good duty wee performe either of the first or second table if our hearts bee upright wee must doe it as unto the Lord the maine intent and purpose of our heart in doing of it must bee to please the Lord and approve our selves unto him So the Apostle telleth servants that in doing their service unto their masters Ephesians 6.5 7. they must doe it as to Christ as unto the Lord. And verse 9. hee telleth masters they must doe the same things unto their servants a strange speech but the meaning is that they also in their carriage towards their servants in doing the duties of masters must doe it as unto the Lord that is both the servants and masters care in their mutuall duties one to another must chiefly bee this to please and approve themselves unto God In a word The Apostle speaking of himselfe and of all the faithfull 2 Corinthians 5.9 Wherefore wee labour saith he that whether present or absent wee may bee accepted of him As if hee should say This is our maine study and endeavour that while wee live and when wee die wee may please and bee accepted of him Hee that can find this in himselfe may bee certaine that hee is no hypocrite that his heart is upright within him This is the reason the Apostle giveth Romanes 14.6 why the faithfull should not judge one another for indifferent things Hee that regardeth a day regardeth it unto the Lord and hee that regardeth not a day to the Lord hee doth not regard it As if hee should say Both hee that observeth the ceremoniall law in that point and hee that observeth it not doth it not out of any carnall or worldly respect but out of a care hee hath to please God and feare to offend him therefore you may not judge him to bee an hypocrite therefore hee hath an upright heart Hee that findeth this in himselfe may have comfort in his owne estate and none but hee Neither can any man find this in himselfe that the maine end hee aimeth at in every good thing hee doth is to please God unlesse he doth that which hee doth out of love unto God If any man love God saith the Apostle 1 Corinthians 8.3 the same is knowne of him As if hee had said The Lord approveth and highly esteemeth of that man No good thing that we doe can please God unlesse it proceed from the love wee doe beare in our hearts unto him He keepeth covenant and mercy saith Moses Deut. 7.9 with them that love him and keepe his commandements First wee must love him before wee can keepe any of his commandements so as wee may please him therein Neither can any man truly love the Lord nor doe any good thing out of love to him till hee first know that God loveth him in Christ. Herein is love saith the Apostle 1 Iohn 4.10 not that wee loved God but that hee loved us and sent his sonne to bee the propitiation for our sinnes And thus you have heard it sufficiently confirmed unto you that though there bee many good things in some hypocrites yet because they are not in Christ they have no assurance of their reconciliation with God through his bloud therefore they can have no true comfort in them Let us now come to the third part I instanced in that is to say the regenerate themselves In every regenerate man there is true goodnesse indeed and that that farre surpasseth any goodnesse that ever was found in any morall man or in an hypocrite Three notable differences you may observe betweene them First Though they may do many good things in themselves yet of them it could never be said that they were good men But of the regenerate though they themselves be apt to think they are no better then hypocrites and meere naturall men nor so good neither as some of them yet the Holy Ghost giveth testimony of them that they are good men Of Barnabas it is said Act. 11.24 that he was a good man Do good saith David Ps. 125.4 ô Lord unto them that are good and to them that are upright in their hearts As if he had said Every upright hearted man is a good man Secondly Though the other two may do such things as are good in themselves and such as God is pleased with and oft rewardeth them for yet is he never a whit the better pleased with them for them But the Lord is not onely well pleased with the goodnesse that is in the regenerate but he is pleased with them and loveth them the better for it The Lord taketh pleasure in them that feare him Psal. 147.11 Such as are upright in their way are his delight saith Solomon Pro. 11.20 Thirdly Whereas the other two though they may doe many good things yet can take no sound comfort in any of them as wee have heard the regenerate may take much comfort in that goodnesse that truth of grace that they find in themselves So did Paul in his greatest afflictions Our rejoycing is this saith he 2 Cor. 1.12 even the testimony of our conscience So did Hezekiah even then when he thought he should die Esa. 38.3 Remember now ô Lord God I beseech thee saith he how I have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart and have done that which is good in thy sight But though all this be so Yet could not the best of Gods servants take any comfort at all in any goodnesse that is in them were it not for this that they know themselves to bee in Christ and reconciled unto God by his bloud God forbid saith the Apostle Gal. 6.14 that I should glory save in the crosse of the Lord Iesus Christ. Make this sure to thy selfe beloved that Christ is thine and then maist thou find sound comfort in that goodnesse that God hath wrought in thee But it is but cold comfort thou canst have in any good thing that is in thee or done by thee till thou know thy selfe to bee reconciled unto God by Christ rest not in it trust not to it For alas all our righteousnesses are as filthy ragge as the Prophet speaketh Esa. 64.6 And if our high-priest did not beare the iniquity of our holy things as Aaron did Exodus 28.38 our holyest duties could never bee accepted of God but would be most loathsome unto him All our most spirituall sacrifices are acceptable to God by Iesus Christ as the Apostle speaketh 1 Pet. 2.5 and through him alone Lecture CXL On Psalme 51.7 February 16. 1629. IT followeth now that we
faith that God hath so loved him hee cannot choose but love him againe and serve him out of love and not out of feare onely Faith worketh by love saith the Apostle Galathians 5.6 As if hee had said The first and chiefe fruit that it putteth forth and whereby it sheweth that life and efficacy that is in it is this it breedeth in the heart that hath it an unfained love unto God Yea proportionable to our faith and the assurance wee have of Gods love to us will our love unto God bee Many sinnes are forgiven her saith our Saviour Luke 7.47 for shee loved much but to whom little is forgiven the same loveth but a little Certainely beloved the true cause why the most of us beare no more love to God and goodnesse then wee doe is this that either wee have no faith no assurance of Gods love to us in the pardon of our sinnes or els wee have knowne but few sinnes by our selves and have beene but a little humbled for sinne and therefore we are not much affected with the mercy and love that God hath shewed to us in the pardon of our sinnes Now for the force that is in justifying faith to quicken and enable us unto every good duty which is the second particular that I promised to speake of I might be large in the handling of it There is no good duty either towards God or man that thou findest thy selfe most backward in but if thou hadst faith to assure thee of Gods love to thee in Christ and to beleeve the promises that God hath made unto that duty and if thou wouldst also stirre up and exercise thy faith in meditating of Gods mercy and love and of those particular promises thou shouldst find thy selfe thereby made farre more able to performe that duty and to performe it in a holy and comfortable manner then thou art This is that whereby David was wont to prepare himselfe to Gods publique worship I will goe to thine house saith hee Psalme 5.7 in the multitude of thy mercies But I will instance and that briefly too but in two particular duties that is to say the hearing of the word and prayer For the first No man can heare the Word with any affection and fruit till he have faith and be thereby perswaded of Gods love to him in Christ. As new borne babes desire the sincere milke of the Word saith the Apostle 1 Pet. 2.2 3. that you may grow thereby if so bee yee have tasted that the Lord is gracious As if he should say Then and not till then you shall be able to doe it God hath made many promises to such as heare his Word Generall promises 1. Hee will ever assist this ordinance and worke with it Matthew 28.20 Goe teach all nations and loe I am with you to the end of the world 2. That hee will save the soules of his people by this ordinance Iames 1.21 Esa. 55.3 3. That by this ordinance hee will begin grace and convert the soule Psalme 19.7 4. That by this ordinance hee will increase and perfect grace where hee hath begun it Vnto you that heare shall more bee given saith our Saviour Marke 4.24 And Acts 20.32 I commend you to God and to the Word of his grace which is able to build you up And particular promises God hath also made to them that attend upon this ordinance 1. That hee will by this ordinance give them strength to overcome their strongest corruptions Even a young man may cleanse his way thereby Ps. 119.9 2. That he will by this ordinance worke peace in their consciences Esa. 57.19 How falleth it out then that many of us heare constantly and find no such thing Surely the cause is rendred Hebrewes 4.2 The Word preached did not profit them not being mixed with faith in them that heard it In our hearing wee make not use of our faith to make claime to these promises and expect the performance of them unto us Secondly For prayer Till a man have some assurance by faith of the pardon of his sinnes and of Gods favour hee can never pray aright nor with any heart and affection Romanes 10 14. How shall they call on him in whom they have not beleeved It is the spirit of grace that is the spirit of supplications Zach. 12.10 He that goeth to God must apprehend him and conceive of him as of his father Matthew 6.9 And on the other side hee that is by faith perswaded that God is his gracious father cannot choose but resort much to him in hearty prayer Galathians 4.6 O God thou art my God saith David Psalme 63.1 early will I seeke thee And 86.4 5. Vnto the Lord doe I lift up my soule for thou Lord art good and ready to forgive and plenteous in mercy to all that call upon thy name Many are the promises that God hath made unto prayer Generall promises that he will heare and answer us Esa. 30.19 Hee will be very gracious unto thee at the voice of thy cry when hee shall heare it he will answer thee And Iohn 16.23 Whatsoever ye shall aske the father in my name hee will give it unto you And particular promises 1. Deliverance from any trouble and affliction Psalme 50.15 Call upon me in the day of trouble I will deliver thee Or strength and patience to beare it Iames 1.5 If any of you lack wisdome let him aske of God and it shall be given him 2. Whatsoever spirituall grace we stand in need of Luke 11.13 Your heavenly father will give his holy spirit to them that aske him 3. Inward joy and peace of conscience Iob 33.26 Hee shall pray to God and hee will bee favourable unto him and hee shall see his face with joy Aske and ye shall receive that your joy may be full Iohn 16.24 Why then have wee no more heart to prayer Why receive wee no more good by it Surely wee doe not make use of our faith in thinking of and trusting to these promises of God when we goe to prayer and that is a maine cause of it And let not that man thinke saith the Apostle Iames 1.7 that hee shall receive any thing from the Lord. And thus have I finished those foure Motives I promised to give for the enforcing of this exhortation Lecture CXLII On Psalme 51.7 March 2. 1629. IT followeth now that we proceed unto those signes and notes that I promised to give you whereby they that have received Christ and are justified by him may be knowne And surely there is great need that we should have signes and notes given us in Gods Word whereby this may be discerned and judged of For we finde by experience of all ages that many doe verily thinke that Christ and all his merits doe belong to them who yet did never receive him nor have any title to him at all Many will say to me in that day saith our Saviour Matth. 7.22 23. Lord Lord have we not prophesied in
affected with the miseries of the Church and bow 562 c. Pray for the Church 567 Onely the Church hath benefit by Christ. 744 Nor all within that Ibid. Church-Assemblies Being come into them we must set our selves as in the presence of God 35 Their sin which behave themselves unreverently in them 36 That sleepe ordinarily there 708 709 That absent themselves from them 710 Reverence due in them in three regards 709 The fulnesse of them a comfort to Gods children 800 Civill-honesty In it selfe a good thing pleasing to God and such as he useth to reward 692 693 The great sinne of Professors that are defective in that 694 695 Yet no sound comfort to be found in this alone 695 696 Comfort Ministers must take care to comfort such as are afflicted in conscience though the greatest part of their audience stand not in need of the word of consolation 135 136 459 649 650 Reasons to perswade such as are afflicted in mind to give way to comfort 137 God intends good to his children by with-holding comfort from them for a time 142 Comfort for those that complaine and mourne for their unprofitablenesse in the use of Gods ordinances 595 Of their doubtings and infidelity 647 648 654 680 682 Common-wealth A great sin to be all for ourselves and to have no care of the common good 125 We must seeke the good of it 806 The Gospell brings blessings to it 806 807 Communion Their sin that forbeare it because they are out of Charity 113 Because we come not to it rightly humbled wee depart without comfort 265 266 There 's great force in that to work assurance of Gods favour in Christ. 635 And constancy in the truth 797 Concupiscence without consent is sin 306 Conference We should conferre of what we heare specially in our owne families 40 41 Good in trouble of mind to make knowne our case to some faithfull friend or Minister 151 Confession He that truly repents will willingly confesse and bewaile his sin 158 He that can rightly and truly confesse his sins may be sure to find mercy in the pardon of them 159 160 The Reasons why Gods people have beene so willing to confesse their sinnes and why the Lord hath so much delighted to see them do so 161 162 How farre forth confession of sinne in private to a Minister or other friend is not necessary 163 164 How farre forth it is profitable and fit 164 165 Those whose sinnes are publike and scandalous must be willing to make publike confession and profession of their repentance 171 c. Three cautions touching this 171 Confession of our sinnes to God is of all other most necessary and usefull 191 192 Five meanes whereby we may be enabled to confesse our sinnes aright 196 c. Five properties of sincere confession of sinne 198 203 Conscience Thy conscience will one day bring thy secretest sinnes to thy mind 207 And smite thee for them 208 No comparison betweene the pleasure of sinne and that 209 A good conscience a speciall meanes to make us beare affliction comfortably and patiently 272 And to get assurance of Gods favour 409 410 638 641 Make conscience of every truth 793 794 Conversion The power and goodnesse of God to us in it is admirable 342 c. God hath set a time for every mans conversion we must count the present time that 345 Reioyce in the truth of grace wrought in thee 346 In it a change and reformation wrought in the whole man 414 Three cautions 415 416 Conversion is to be ascribed wholly unto God and the mighty working of his grace 503 c. 519 The work of grace in the conversion of man is most free 510 511 God in denying the meanes of conversion or grace of conversion to any doth them no wrong because he is a solute Soveraigne 519 520 In that he denies effectuall grace to profit by the meanes to most he manifests his free grace and mercy to his elect 520 God in conversion not onely offers grace but conâ—ers and inâ—useth that grace into the will that actually inclines it 524 Covetousnesse True saith will subdue it 733 Curiosity Take heed of affecting the knowledge of curious intricate and unprofitable points 785 This discerned three wayes 786 788 D. Death ONe chiefe thing that should make the faithfull willing to die is that then they shall sin no more but be freed from all possibility of falling away 11 324 325 In the best an unwillingnesse to die 325 Delay Presently set upon the practice of what you have learned out of the Word 43 Seeke speedily the pardon of sin 9â— Without delay make thy best use of the meanes of conversion 346 Desire Vnfained desire to please God a signe of uprightnesse 438 439 463 Five differences between the desires of the godly and the wicked 442 443 Signes to know a true desire of grace 465 Doubting All doubting is not a signe of infidelitie 242 Yet a dangerous signe not to bee able to believe the Word nor to be troubled with infidelity Ibid. Or to dispute against the Word 243 Comforts for such of Gods children as doubt they are hypocrites 461 A man may be in the state of grace though hee perceive it not 650 651 He that finds least comfort in himselfe yet should rest upon Christ. 653 E. Enemies WE must love them and expresse it in eight duties 752 753 Errours Corruption in iudgement the most dangerous corruption 779 780 The faithfull may erre in matters of smaller moment 780 781 Yea in fundamentall points for a time 782 We must shun the hearing and conâ—erring with seducers 784 Examination Christians should daily examine their wayes 197 198 A meanes to get and increase assurance of Gods favour 641 643 Example Great force in example 298 Experience It is profitable to call to mind the signes of grace we had in former times 643 And the speciall Experiments wee have had of Gods love in temporall blessing 644 But specially in spirituall things 645 Exercises of Religion Every man is to spend some part of every day in them 320 Conscionable use of them is a meanes to mortifie corruption 321 F. Faith WIthout faith we cannot beare afflictions patiently but having it we may 266 267 How to trie it 268 Diverse effects of it 627 True faith is operative 626 Comfort for such as complaine of the weaknesse of it 269 Till faith come into the heart no sin can be mortified but when it commeth it will mortifie sin 326 327 Two reasons of that 327 330 We must exercise and make use of our faith 330 Faith the root of all true piety and love to God 397 There may be true faith where there is no assurance of salvation 411 650 652 Wherein the nature of true faith consisteth 411 413 653 It will bring comfortable assurance in the end 413 The inward instrument to sanctifie the heart 731 All men by nature unable to believe 746 Falls of the godly The truly regenerate
wicked men two wayes by the Examples of his severity towards his owne children 547 548 Iustification By Christ we are fully and perfectly delivered and freed from all our sinnes 315 316 All true believers are perfectly cleansed from their sinneâ— and pure in Gods eyes 655 The reasons of it 660 661 Foure maine differences betweene justification and sanctification 656 659 How perfectly a true believer is discharged of all his sinnes appeares in 5 points 659 We cannot be justified by inherent righteousnesse 669 670 Reasons of it 670 671 We are justified by Christs righteousnesse imputed to us 672 Objections answered 674 The knowledge of this that Christ hath purchased for us the pardon of our sinnes a sufficient ground of comfort 677. and so is the knowledge of this that Christs perfect obedience is imputed to us Ibid. K. Knowledge A Good signe to desire to know the whole will of God in all things that concerne us 423 786 794 Saving knowledge is the principall worke of Gods grace in the conversion of man 472 It is the foundation of other graces 473 It is the seed of other graces 475 All Gods people must seeke for saving knowledge 483 Signes of sanctified knowledge 485 c 1 The Word the onely object of it 2. Specially such parts of it as are most usefull and profitable for our selves 485. 3. It is cleare and certaine 4. There 's no fulnesse nor satiety in it 486 It works 1 humilitie 487. 2. Good affections 488. 3. Reformation of hearts and liâ—e 489 490. 4. Strengtheneth against tentations 491 Motives to seek knowledge 1. It concernes one as well as another to have knowledge in Religion and in the Scriptures 492 493. 2. It is a duty required of God Ibid. 494 3 It is a comfortable signe of Election and uprightnesse oâ— heart 495 4. It keepeth us constant in Religion and from danger of seducers 490 788 5. It makes us walke boldly and comfortably 497 Meanes 1. Be sensible of ignorance 2. Be truly humbled or sin 498. 3. Depend upon an ordinary and sound ministry 499. 4. Read the Word 5. Meditate 6. Conferre 7. Pray 501. Receive the Word with an honest heart 792 No man by naturall abilities can attaine saving knowledge without supernaturall grace 512 This cure not perfected in this life nor so perfectly in some as others but shall be perfected in heaven 514 Naturall mens knowledge not sufficient to salvation 515 The work of grace enlightning the understanding is extraordinarie and rare 516 This workes most free no reason of it but only Gods good pleasure Ibid. â—abour to understand every thing we do in Gods service 583 Danger of them that make light account of knowledge 598 L. Labour WE cannot performe any spirituall service unto God without labour 34 Love of God The love of God is the root of all true obedience 386 The true love of God a certaine signe of an upright heart 388 389 No wicked man doth indeed love God 390 c. There may bee true love of God in them that are much exercised with slavish feares 394 Love that is wrought in men towards God by his common savours is unsound 398 399 Faith the root of it 742 Every one that hath the Spirit of Christ loves God above all 798 Gods honour must be dearer unto us than any thing 809 M. Magistrates HAve great opportunity to honour God in their places 631 Maliciousnesse True faith will subdue it 733 734 Meanes God is the giver of all meanes and of the vertue in them to do us good 72 Meditation Meditate on that we heare 40 Memory We should be carefull to remember what we heare 39 And to keepe Gods favours in remembrance 646 Mercy of God The onely ground the best can have for hope of pardon is Gods mercy 102 c. Gods mercy most free 107 In him bowels of mercy 107 108 We must not rest in this to know that God is mercifull but labour to know that his mercy yea a speciall mercy belongs to us 126 Five differences between it and common mercies 126 127 Five notes to know whether it belong to us 127 128 Five notable effects that the assurance of Gods speciall mercy worketh in the conscience 129 130 The vilest sinner if he feele his sin and desire to turne to God need not doubt of finding mercy with him 130 c. Gods mercy to us in the things that concerne this life 224 225 In things that concerne our soules 225 c. Learne to be mercifull by example of Gods mercy 115 Ministers Why the faithfullest Ministers are so hated 46 47 What properties should be in the Minister that desires to do good specially in reproving sin 48 52 Ministers should not be given to suits and contentions 51 What manner of men Ministers had need to be 166.167 Ministers must chiefly labour to bring the people to knowledge to ground and stablish them in it 481 By what means he may do that 482 Ministers have great opportunity to honour God 631 Ministers teaching by warrant of Gods Word are to be obyed 724 A man that hath no truth of grace in himselfe may be a meanes to converâ— others 805 Ministry of the Word The means which God hath sanctified and by which he hath been wont to worke repentance and grace 18. and knowledge 499. and constancy in the truth 796 What mighty works it hath wrought and the reason it hath done so 18 21 We should resolve to live under it and why 23 24 48 To be accounted a chiefe blessing 25 478 800 804 That the best that applyeth the Word particularly and reproveth sin boldly 44 A principall work of mercy to procure or provide that for a people 479 It is Gods speciall and free favour that any of us enjoy the sound Ministry of the Word 503 507 That the Ministry of the Word is effectuall to conversion is to be ascribed onely to the Spirit 507 509 They are in a fearefull estate that enjoy not the Ministry of the Word 526 527 And also they that enjoy it and cannot profit by it 528 A great mercy to enjoy the Ministry of the Word but specially when we profit by it 531 532 We should rejoyce in this 802 803 Modesty The people of God dare not speake boldly nor immodestly of filthy actions 6 Mortification Seven meanes of it 317 c. We may with confidence go to Christ for helpe against our spirituall infirmities 331 Objections against that answered 335 Faith the onely means of mortification 732 Musicke Three things to be observed concerning the Musicke they had in the worship of God under the Law 3 N. Neighbours HOw we came to make our selves guilty of the sinnes of others 179 c. 219 We are bound to desire and procure so farre as in us lieth that all men may have the means of knowledge 477 478 O. Oath GReat care to be had in taking an oath and keeping it 183 The common sinne in taking an oath
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