them for the love hee beares to his Sonne And thus wee read in Scripture that Christ presents the prayers of the Saints Besides that the Christian may not thinke too vilely of his workes but be comforted in the Lord concerning them let him further consider these things First that his good workes have the Spirit of Jesus Christ which is in him for the fountaine of them 1 Cor. 12.11 Esa. 26.12 Secondly that the blood of Jesus Christ was shed not onely for his justification but also for his sanctification Heb. 9.14 Thirdly that though his workes are not good effectu yet they are good affectu they are good in desire his desire was to have them as good as God himselfe did require And this God is pleased to accept as if the worke were perfectly done Quest. 2. What are workes good for in that they are called good workes Answ. I answer first affirmatively they are good 1 To testifie our thankfulnesse to God for all his benefits in respect of which we are debteâ—s unto God Rom. 8.12 2 To assure the truth of our faith as the fruits of faith Mat. 7.17 1 Tim. 1.19 Iames 2. 3 To witnesse our election and to make our calling sure 2 Pet. 1.10 4 To discharge our duty of obedience unto which we are bound even in the covenant of grace 5 To further the edification of our brethren whom we helpe both by example and by well-doing to them 6 To winne wicked men to a better estimation of our Religion and to stop their mouthes as here so vers 15. 7 To glorifie God as is in this place mentioned 8 They are good to make us capable of rewards from God in heaven Heb. 10.36 Rom. 2.7 8. yea and in this life too 2 Tim. 4.8 Secondly I say they are not good 1 To justifie us before God as it is at large proved by the Apostle in the Epistle to the Romans and Galatians onely they are good to justifie us before men Iam. 2. 2 Not to merit or deserve heaven by them mens evill workes do merit punishment for the wages of sinne is death but our good workes cannot merit both because the Scripture denies it expresly Eph. 2.8 as also to omit other reasons because the nature of merit casteth away our workes for there must be three things in a worke that must merit First it must be a free worke that was not due by any debt whereas our workes are a part of ouâ— duty and we owe more to God than we can doe Luk. 17.9 Rom. 11.35 Secondly the worke that should merit must be profitable to him of whom wee would merit but no goodnesse of ours can reach to God to profit him Psal. 16.3 Iob 22.2 Thirdly the worke that must merit must be of equall value with the thing that is given for it but neither our sufferings nor our deeds in this life can be worthy of the glory that is to be revealed Rom. 8.18 and therefore is eternall life called The gift of God Rom. 6 2â— The uses follow and are especially for instruction for this doctrine of good workes should teach us First to take notice of this doctrine and as we are carefull to beleeve so to be carefull to maintaine good workes and hereby to confute the malicious Papists that falsly charge us to deny and disgrace good workes Tit. 3.8 14. Secondly every man should bee ready to doe good workes yea to every good worke since they are required of God and are so many waies good and serve us for such excellent uses yea wee should bee zealous of good workes wonderfull eager and desirous to inrich our selves that way Tit. 3.1 2.14 yea wee should hereby shew that wee are indeed wise Christians and well skilled in the use of our Religion Iam. 3.13 and not men onely but women also should be forward in good workes 1 Tim. 2.10 It is their best apparell which should be a speciall motive to them that are so carefull of their attyre And indeed good workes are to be desired and laboured for as the best apparell of any Christian yea they are his armour too Rom. 13.13 yea they are a principall way for his inriching and preferment 1 Tim. 2.20 so as it is a great curse upon a Christian to have no minde to do good workes to bee reprobate to every good worke Tit. 1. ult Thirdly since there are so many things necessary to the constitution of a good worke Christians should in stead of prying into the lives of others every one trie his owne workes and turne often to the light that it may bee indeed manifest that his workes are wrought in God Gal. 6.4 for one day every mans workes shall be tried in the fire when times of triall by great afflictions either upon mens Consciences or otherwise come that mans workes that never seeme glorious and praise worthy will be rejected and cast away even by our selves as vile and unprofitable Besides at the best in our prosperity if the most of our workes be tried by the fire of these rules of Gods Word it is much to be doubted that our workes will burne though upon our repentance for the evill that cleaves to our best workes our selves may bee saved in the day of the Lord. Let Christians therefore be carefull that they lose not the things which they have wrought Now a Christian may lose his workes divers waies First if he be but a Christian in shew he may nay he shall lose all he doth The Pharisees lost all their workes because they were done in hypocrisie Secondly the Christian that hath some kindes of heavenly gifts and temporary graces by falling away in the time of temptation loseth all that hee had wrought before God requires patient continuance in well-doing Rom. â— 8 Thirdly the true Christian may lose what hee wrought if he doe his workes without respect of these Rules If it be not manifest that his works are wrought in God they are lost to him so many of his workes as are so wrought Besides he loseth the comfort of all that he hath wrought and the sense of it if he fall into grosse sinne after calling for so long time as he continueth in sinne without repentance Thus of good workes Which they shall behold It is manifest from hence that good workes may and ought to be so done as that men may see them It is not true that all good workes must be hid from the view and beholding of other men This may seeme strange because the Pharisees were blamed for doing their workes to be seene of men but yet it may be easily and plentifully proved I will first prove it and then explaine it For proofe our Saviour Christ requires that the light of mens good workes should shine that men may see their good workes Mat. 5.16 Christians in respect of their practice should be as shining lights in the midst of a froward and crooked generation Phil. 2.15 16. They must
of his that we might admire it and adore it and embrace it and in the meane time love and delight in the Lords Supper that exhibiteth the body of Christ spiritually unto us rejoycing in such meetings above the joy of all carnall people before any other things Fiftly we should therefore take heed of sinning against our bodies bâ—â— make conscience to serve God both in body and Spirit and say with David and Christ Lord a body thou hast given me for I come to doe thy will Sixtly what cursed monsters are swearers that reare the body of our Lord with their cursed oathes and rake their nailes in his wounds with their blasphemies On the tree The originall word signifies sometimes a staffe Mat. 26.47 sometimes a paire of stockes Acts 16.24 sometimes a tree growing Rev. 2.11 usually wood â— Cor. 3.12 here a Gallowes made of wood Christ bare our sins on the tree because he did in a speciall manner suffer bitter extremities on the tree which he suffered as our Suretie and for our sins for First to die on a tree was by a speciall Law of God made a curse and so is every one that hangs on a tree Gal. 3.13 Secondly he was debarred of the benefit of ordinary naturall comforts for he lived in paine three houres in the dâ—rke and had not the light of the Sunne Thirdly in that darknesse he was put to the most fearfull conflict with the Divels which at that time did with their utmost fury assault him and sight against him Col. 3.25 Fourthly he endured most grievous paines and torments of body and the effusion of his most precious bloud Fiftly he was reckoned amongst the wicked in his death and therefore hanged betweene two malefactors Esay 53.9 Sixtly he was reviled by the base multitude and mocked and derided by the chiefe Priests and Scribes Mat. 27.39 to 45. Seventhly God his Father poured out upon him the fearfull vials of his wrath in with-drawing for a time the sense of his favour Mat. 27.46 Eighthly his whole body was offered up on the tree as a Sacrifice for the sinnes of the world and the substance of all the Sacrifices in the Law Uses We have therefore cause to rejoyce in the crosse of Christ above all things for on the tree he freed us from the curses of the Law and purchased for us the blessings promised to Abraham as the father of the faithfull Gal. 3.13 14. and besides by suffering so shamefull a death he hath sanctified all sorts of wayes of inflicting death upon the godly so as now they may with comfort in a good cause or after repentance for their faults even suffer that death on a tree with joy And we should the more praise God for his favour if he suffer any of us to die of any other more easie or more honourable death And then we may againe see the hatefulnesse of sin in that God punishing our sins in the person of his owne Sonne doth not omit the very circumstances of abasement his justice exacting not onely death but that painfull and ignominious death on the tree Lastly hence we may see how little cause there is for Christians to plead merit if they think how fearfully sinne hath angred God and withall how senselesse the best of us are when wee heare reade or thinke of these sufferings of Christ they may rather see cause for ever to abhorre the doctrine of merit seeing hereby we proclaime our selves to be worthy of the very merits of Christ that can be so little affected with the thought of his sufferings Thus of the matter of Christs sufferings The effects follow and the effects in respect of us are named to be three first the death of sin secondly the life of grace thirdly the healing of our natures That we being dead to sin Men may be said to die divers wayes First in respect of nature when the Frame of nature is dissolved by the pâ—â—ting of the soule from the body Secondly in respect of God when God is departed from men with his grace and righteousnesse and favour thus wicked men are spiritually dead Eph. 2.1 and 4.17 1 Tim. 5.6 〈◊〉 in respect of the world when a man is overwhelmed with crosses 〈…〉 as are 〈◊〉 wit◠〈◊〉 in his reputation he is said to be dead and his life to be hid under 〈…〉 being despised and 〈◊〉 as 〈◊〉 mâ—n oâ—t of â—inde Col. â— 3 Esay 26.19 Fourthly in respect of sinne and so men either are dead for sin as malefactors or dead in sinne as all wicked men or dead to sinne as the godly here To take the soule from the body is the death of all men To take God from the soule is the death of all wicked men To take sinne from the soule is the death of all godly men To be dead to sinne then is to be mortified in respect of sin Sin is said to be dead either in appearance or in deed In appearance only it is dead in such as have their sins only restrained for a time eâ—â—her by Gods owne strong hand or else by themselves kept downe for certaine hypocriticall ends or else for want of occasion or temptation to stir the sinne thus sinne was dead in Paul when he was unregenerate and revived when the Law came Rom. 7.9 Sin is dead indeed in godly men but with a difference for though in this life they be wholly rid of many sins yet some corruptions are not wholly removed yet are they dead to them in the inchoation of it their sins lie a dying but in the life to come they shall be wholly and fully delivered from all sin Thus of the sense There be many Doctrines may be hence observed as Doct. 1. First it is evidently here implied that all men by nature and out of Christ are alive to sin or live to sin and in sinning they may be said to live or be alive or live to it in divers respects 1. Because all the parts of their life are full of sin sin infecteth their persons and their workes 2. Because they are in bondage to sin so as all their life they are at the command of sin they are servants of sin Rom. 6. 3. Because they account sin to be the life of their lives they could not esteeme life but for the hope of liberty and power of sinning It were a death to them to live restrained of sin as appeares when either by punishment or for other ends they are found to cease sinning 4. Because they doe not destroy sin in letting it live they are guilty of the life of sin in them because they will not use the means to subdue and mortifie sin that dwels in them but let it alone unresisted 5. Because they have most life or are most lively when they have most liberty to sin 6. Because they continue in sinne they spend not an houre but it is in sinne yea they so sinne now that they desire to spend everlasting
sleep in the strength of that it hath sucked and further if it be a true desire it is after the word as it is milke and sincere it affecteth plainenesse and acknowledgeth no wisdome like Gods nor effectualnesse of speech more powerfull then the words of sacred scripture and lastly it is such a desire as intends growth in knowledge wisdome utterance prayer grace and holy duties Thus much of the signes The consideration of the glory and necessity of the worke of our new birth may exceedingly reprove the wretched and wilfull neglect of it in thousands of people especially of such as be continuall hearers and cannot be ignorant of the doctrine of it how many are the souls that like the blackamoores will not be made white the spots of whose sinnes are like the spots of the Leopard which will not be gotten out These have had promises to allure them and precepts to divert them and threatnings to humble them and yet are never a whit the better woe unto them they have not sought their peace in the day of peace yea are there not many who heare their own lets opened and yet goe away unreformed Oh the depth of the deceitfulnesse and wickednesse of mans heart Vnto a lively hope c. Foure things may be here noted three of them I will but touch First that there is hope unto the righteous He can be in no such estate or distresse but there is hope the poorest Christian hath his hope and if hee were inclosed with crosses yet he is a prisoner of hope and therefore wee should pray God to shew us the hope of our calling and should the more willingly suffer afflictions rejoycing in hope Secondly none have hope but converted Christians For all carnall men are without hope in the world I meane without true hope For the hope that wicked men have though they leane upon it is but as the house of a spider and therefore woe unto them for their hope when they shall most need it will be as the giving up of the ghost Thirdly there is one hope unto all Gods children they hope for the same glory as they have the same faith and therefore we should live and love so together as they that hope to raigne together in heaven But the fourth thing is the chiefe and that is that there is a lively hope and a dead hope For the one is expressed and the other is manifestly implied There is in godly men a lively hope there is in wicked men but a dâ—ll and a dead hope Now if any aske what difference there is between a lively hope and a dead hope or between the true hope and the false I answer that they differ in six things First in the use of the meanes for a lively hope will use all the meanes that are appointed of God and not that only but it seeketh and expresseth the affections requisite to the right use of the meanes and it will be painefull and patient Now the common hope of carnall men betrayes it selfe in this that they thinke to gâ—e to heaven though they never use the 〈◊〉 or 〈…〉 nor with any paines or patience Secondly in adversity a lively hope plainely shewes it selfe For it will make a man to runne to God and powre out his heart before him resting satisfied if it can get comfort and a promise from God whereas the dead hope is of no use when miseries and adversity comes It delights not in prayer and will not brooke to come in Gods sight it runs to carnall and devillish helps and if it faile in them it excites impatient murmuring or despaire Thirdly a lively hope is attended with lively joyes when God workes the hope of heaven he workes also at some time or other more or lesse the joyes of heaven which hee utterly denies to wicked men Fourthly mans hopes may be tryed by â—he object Aâ—ke a wicked man what is the thing he would have in heaven and he must answer it is the joyes and happinesse of heaven But aske a godly man what he would have in heaven and he soon answers it is the holinesse of heaven hee would be there because he would sin no more but the wicked would be there because they would suffer no more it is righteousnesse that hope waiteth for Fifthly the true hope will acknowledge the truth which is according to godlinesse but the false hope thinkes it enough to know it it will not adventure it selfe to be so forward as to professe it Lastly whosoever hath the true hope purgeth himselfe that he may be pure as Christ is pure but the dead hope cannot abide much mortification The use of all this may be to instruct both carnall men and godly men Carnall men should take notice of this difference that so they might addresse themselves to seeke this true and lively hope which that they may obtaine or attaine they must shun hypocrisie and deny all ungodlinesse and worldly lusts and labour for true grace for the hypocrites hope shall perish and we can never attaine unto the blessed hope unlesse we resolve to live soberly and righteously and religiously in this present world and this everlasting consolation and good hope is had onely by grace and the godly should here learne to hold fast their lively hope as one of the excellentest fruits of their regeneration and their daily refuge should be to nourish and strengthen themselves in it and to that end acquaint themselves constantly with the comforts of the scripture which were penned especially to that end that they might have hope And thus much of the third thing By the resurrection of Iesus Christ from the dead Concerning the resurrection of Christ as it may here be considered of â— propound foure things 1. In what sense it is here to be understood 2. How his resurrection hath relation to us in that our new birth is here haâ—â—ed upon it 3. I answer a question or two which here may be moved and then I make use of all For the first Some have understood by the resurrection of Christ here synecdochically the whole worke of redemption Some understand the words of his spirituall resurrection in our hearts by faith through the operation of the spirit of grace for as he dyeth in us by infidelity so he riseth in us by faith But I â—ake it here as it is commonly taken even for the resurrection of his own person even for that work by which he did shake off the power of death and quicken his dead body restoring the soule to it and receiving to himselfe in his humane nature a blessed celestiall and glorious life In the beleefe of this we differ from Pagans They can beleeve that he dyed but we must beleeve that he rose againe This was solemnly foretold by David and foreshewed by Ioâ—ah manifested by an Angell recorded by the
for no threatnings nor makes any great reckoning of any truth of God But all this is but within 10. The tenth degree is outward Apostacy and this is when a man at length growing audacious in sinning gives over even outwardly all care of honesty or religion openly shewing himselfe to be fallen away from all care of the profession of the truth or respect of godlinesse further than the lawes of men or other carnall respects may lead him 11. The eleventh degree is tradition to Sathan which is done either secretly the Lord giving the sinner up to Sathan or openly where the sinner is delivered to Sathan by the censure of the Church It is true that sometimes Sathan hath possession at consent before practice For then he entred into the heart of Iudas It is true also that the censures of the Church fall upon many after practice before Apostacy But if men doe tarry out all these degrees in this place they will be given up if they prevent not death or death prevent not them c. 12. The twelfth degree is a reprobate sense when a man having been under the power of the devill and not escaping out of his snare by repentance iâ— most fearfully forsaken of God and with unspeakable spirituall wicâ—edâ—esse besotted by Sathan so as all sense and remorse is wholy extinguished iâ— him so as neither the light oâ— Nature nor the light of Scripture can worke upon him 13. The last degree is death even death eternall Thus we see the staires that descend downe to hell and the severall step◠〈…〉 staires Saint Iames makes but 6. degrees For the first motions hee suppresseth Then the first degree is drawing away now that containes the 2 3 and 4. degree as it is here in our reckoning viz. liking delight and security The 〈…〉 â—irth that is practice the fift the finishing of sin which hath in iâ—â—â—stome inâ—â—r◠〈◊〉 outward Apoâ—â—acie tradition and a rebrobate minde the 〈◊〉 iâ— death Thus of the second point 〈…〉 the third wee must understand that the tentations of concupiscence 〈◊〉 the â—entations of Sathan differ thus 1. First the tentatations of Sathan are usually to things against nature or against the God of nature and so the temptations of Blasphemy as they are teâ—med are from Satan or they are against the constitution of nature aâ— the 〈…〉 which a man is moved to kill himselfe or destroy or betray his Câ—untry or Prince or to commit â—â—â—â—mitry Buâ—â—â—râ— or 〈◊〉 2. Secondly the tentations of Sathan are usually sudden and fierce and violent like lightning that leaves not a man time for deliberation Thus he 〈◊〉 CHRIST with the glory of the world but it is in a moment lest ouâ— Saviour by deliberation should finde our reasons of exceptions against earthly glory and so when the devill would perswade to sinne that is grosse and mâ—nstrous hee labours to confound a man with the suddaine fiercenesse and flame of the tentations whereas concupiscence is more lingring and flower 3. Thirdly those evils that are instantly disliked and in no measure consented to or approved are from Sathan and not from concupiscence For concupiscence works by the naturall pronenesse to the evill which cannot be without all desire or liking and these tentations may be none of our sins The first motions are not alwaies to be counted our sinnes For Christ was tempted not onely for the matter but for the manner in all things like unto us yet without sin he had monstrous things cast into his mind by the devill yet he sinned not so likewise it is not our sinne simply that tentations are there For a man doth not sinne in the tentation till hee be in some degree drawne away by it Now for the fourth thing there are many comforts against tentations diversly to be raised out of the Scripture First from example and that both of Christ and Christians Of Christ for he was tempted so the Apostle useth this argument as a comfort Heb. 2.16 and 4. â—5 now there is a threefold comfort from Christs example 1 First that he was tempted as well as wee 2. Secondly that wee see by his example one may be tempted yet without sinne 3. That he was tempted that he might succour us when we are tempted And as we have the example of Christ so we have the example of Christians For as the Apostle Peter saith The same afflictions are accomplished on your brethren that are in the world 1 Pet. 5.12 Secondly from the meditation of the helps in tentations 1. First Gods Spirit is within us to lust against the flesh even to assist with grace and strength against the workings of Sathan 2. Secondly the good Angels invisibly and insensibly are as ready to help and succour as the evill Angels are to tempt and devoure 3. Thirdly Christ is a present cure for the stings of this serpent as the brasen Serpent was to cure the stings of the bodily serpents Now Christ cures us when we looke upon him by faith partly by his intercession and partly by a vertue flowing out of him to us For it is certaine he prayes for us as well as he did for Peter Luk. 21.31 Ioh. 3.14 4. Fourthly Gods care is for us so as no temptation shall befall us but by his sufferance and besides he will have respect to our strength and thirdly hee will give issue with the temptation as is excellently shewed 1 Cor 10.13 Thirdly â—rom the consideration of the effect of tentation For though Sathan would faine carry us away with the whirlewinds of his suggestions yet indeed it is but to winnow us And although it seemes to be against all reason that tentations should purge us yet it is certain Gods children are made more cleare and pure by the very experience in the conflict with inward evils It doth winnow them and drive away a great deale of chaffe even of lightnesse and vanity out of their mindes Againe temptations are but to hide their pride and to keepe them that they be not exalted over-much Lastly we may greatly comfort our selves if we consider the promises the Lord hath made to us in tentations Hee hath promised that hee will tread downe Sathan and that speedily under our feet Hee hath in the Apostle Paul answered and assured us that his grace shall be sufficient for us and his power shall be made knowne in our weaknesse yea and Christ hath promised when we enter into the combat that he will pitch his Tabernacle by us Besides it is an old and ancient promise made long since that if the Devill for terror shew himselfe like the great Leviathan or for fraud like a crooked and piercing serpent or for violence and fury like the dragon in the sea yet the Lord will smite him with his great and sore and mighty sword Thus much of the comforts against temptations The fift and last thing I propounded to be observed was the rules to be
may hence note one excellent pledge of Gods love and goodnesse he is not bound to give us any wages till the end yet see his mercy he doth recompence us every day 4. Fourthly woe unto wicked men their end is shame and confusion even the fruit of all their evill waies or as the Apostle saith their end is damnation Phil. 3.18 The salvation of your soules The soule is a spirituall substance within us by which we resemble God it can subsist of it selfe it hath neither matter nor end it was created of God of nothing and united to the body that God might be rightly knowne and worshipped The soule is a kind of picture of God within us that can live though the body were not when I say it is void of matter I meane it is not made of any other thing as our bodies be there is no metall as I may say of which it may consist and it is such a divine creature as it cannot die as the body doth and it was of purpose put into the body that so amongst the visible creatures God might be known and worshipped For if we had not a soule within us we could never attaine to any knowledge of God more than the bruit beasts For God cannot be knowne by bodily senses Now for the union how the body and soule are knit one to another I cannot expresse it Salvation notes especially that estate of excellency and glory which the faithfull have in another world though properly the word notes but onely what we are delivered and saved from in heaven This salvation excludes all misery and includes all happinesse All misery may be referred to foure heads 1. Sinne. 2. Infirmities 3. Adversaries And 4. Death none of these shall be in heaven All happinesse likewise may be referred to foure heads 1. Perfection of nature 2. Communion with the blessed viz. God Christ Angels and just men 3. And a glorious inheritance in the heaven of the blessed And 4. Immortality all these shall be enjoyed in that other world Now though the soule be taken synecdochically for the soule and body yet the salvation of the soule is principall and more glorious The use may be threefold 1. For information 2. For instruction 3. For reproofe 1. There are three things we may be informed in from the consideration of the salvation of the soules of the faithfull 1. First that godly men are in a wonderfull happy case whatsoever their outward estate be because their soules shall be saved there are springs of joy in the very hope of this immortall happinesse this salvation is so great a mercy as we may truely say his reward is with him 2. Secondly that there is a matchlesse love in God to man not onely in that he provides such an estate but first that he doth it freely without all respects of merit Tit. 3.4 and secondly because he sends up and downe the world to offer this salvation From hence ariseth the Phrase my salvation is gone forth 3. Thirdly that faith is wonderfull precious that brings us such a salvation 2. Further for the second there are divers instructions may be deduced from this doctrine as 1. First it should teach us to deny ungodlinesse and worldly lusts Tit. 2.12 the very thought of going to heaven should extinguish the desire of sinning 2. Secondly we would make God all our trust and our expectation Psal. 62.5 We should resolve to rest upon God For none else either will or can doe so much for us as he can Hee is well said to be the hope of Israel none have so great hopes as the faithfull 3. Thirdly we should labour for the assurance of salvation and lay hold upon it striving to get evidence for it Heaven should suffer violence seeing it may be had we should never be quiet till we can get it 4. Fourthly and lastly such as have attained some assurance of their salvation should looke to foure things 1. First they should strive for large affections to expresse the sense of so great salvation It is such an incomparable benefit as wee should be alwaies praising c. 2. Secondly it should quicken them to good works the remembrance that we shall be saved should be like a fire within us to inflame us to all possible care to please God and to be fruitfull in all well-doing Salvation should be as a burning lamp within us a Christian should never be without fire in his heart in respeâ—t of his care to maintaine good works 3. Thirdly shall wee not be content with any condition in this world seeing wee are so well-provided for in a better what should trouble us if we can remember that after a short time our soules must be saved 4. Fourthly shall we be so glorious in heaven why then our conversation should be in heaven we should be alwaies thinking of heaven our mindes should run upon it 3. Now as this doctrine may informe and teach so it may reprove whole troops of carnall Christians that never labour after this glorious estate that scarce ever aske what they should doe to be saved but sleepe it out in a Lethargie and never aske after nor remember their latter end Thus of the 9. Verse and so of the confirmation by prolepsis or the answer of their objections Verse 10. Of which salvation the Prophets searched and inquired diligently which prophesied of the grace that should come unto you THe consolation propounded verses 3 4 5. is confirmed first by Prolepsis or the answering of Objections verses 6 7 8 9. secondly by testimony of worthy and holy men verses 10 11 12. So that these words make good the consolation of Christians by setting before us what witnesse holy men of old have given of our happinesse that live now under the Gospell In the words five things are particularly to be noted 1. First who testifie or who are Gods witnesses and these are described 1. first more generally and so they were Prophets 2. secondly more specially and so they were those Prophets that were appointed of God to prophesie of the gracious priviledges should come unto us Christians 2. Secondly their adjunct paines and endeavors to furnish themselves in the knowledge of those things that concerne us They searched and inquired diligently 3. Thirdly the question they studied or unto which they testifie In generall it was of salvation ver 10. In speciall it was of the manner and time of the grace foretold 4. Fourthly the occasion that fiered them to this earnest desire after this knowledge and that was the inspiration of the holy Ghost driving them to foretell of the passion of Christ and glories that should follow Now they rightly conjectured that this glory did import some excellent estate of the Church then and that they would faine have knowne 5. Fiftly the successe and that was they were answered by revelation which answer is set downe verse 12. Prophets God hath revealed his will three waies 1. First
For I meddle not with Pagans or Antichristians 1. The first is of Christians in name such as are so onely in appearance or profession or the account of man 2. The second is Christians in signe that is such as are so onely by baptisme that have onely received the outward badge of Christianity 3. The third iâ— such as are so indeed and such onely are they that beleeve in God and that by a lively saith in Christ Jesus 2. Doctrine iâ— that every one that doth beleeve is redeemed Iohn 3.16 Heb. 10.39 The Use is First for comfort to the abject God accepts not persons it matters not what money meanes clothes dyet thou hast onely if thou beleevest be of good comfort Ob. The devils beleeve and yet are not happy Sol. They beleeve that Christ is but they beleeve not in Christ they trust not in him or they beleeve that he is their Judge but not their Saviour Ob. But divers in Iob. 2. beleeved and yet Christ trusted them not Sol. They beleeved his doctrine but they trusted not on his merits they had historicall but not justifying faith Ob. But those that received the word with joy beleeved and yet fell away Mat. 13. Sol. They had a temporary faith but not a saving faith they could neversuffer for his sake nor were they ever new creatures to desire to be rid of all sinne nor did that joy arise from a particular application The second Use is not to have the glorious faith of Christ in respect of persons Iam. 2.1 2. c. Thus of the generall Now in particular concerning faith five things may be here noted 1. The subject of faith viz. you that are begotten againe 2. The object of faith viz. God 3. The nature of faith viz. to beleeve in God 4. The cause of faith viz. Christ by him you beleeve c. 5. The time of the exercise of faith Doe beleeve For the first when he saith for you he meaneth such as he had described before verse 3. so that the doctrine is that faith is seated onely in the hearts of regenerate men onely in the godly It is called the faith of Gods Elect. Tit. 1.1 and their hearts are purified thaâ— have faith Act. 15.9 they are turned from darknesse to light Act. 26.28 1. This doctrine shewes us a way how to try our faith whether we have faith or no namely by the tryall of our regeneration as 1. If our hearts be purified Act. 5.9 that is if wee have been humbled for secret and inward sinnes so as the filthinesse of them is abated and washed away 2. If we have overcome the respect of profits and pleasures of the world so as we can use them as if we used them not 1 Ioh. 5.4 3. If we love our kindred in grace best Gal. 5.6 1 Ioh. 3.14 4. If we find the new gifts of the spirit for faith alwaies dwelleth amongst them Gal. 5.22 2. This doctrine shewes againe the true Christians prerogative God hath dealt better with him then with other men It is no matter if God have not given them so much money or meanes or credit or health as they it is enough God have given them faith 3. It should awaken wicked men in the midst of all their pleasures and riches if they misse faith it should tame their jollity if they consider that they must perish for all those things what hope or comfort can they have when God shall take away their soules Ob. But might some of these say It seems the Lord puts a difference and shuts out men from faith and keeps them without it Sol. 1. The condemnation of the unbeleeuer is of himselfe Iohn 3.20 2. The Lord commands all to beleeve even every creature Mar. 16. 1 Ioh. 3.23 3 He sends the Word to offer grace to all the proclamation is generall and no man excepted that hath desires after God Esay 55.1 4. We see of every condition of men God retaines some to mercy and that shews he takes no pleasure in thy death and that he would have all men be saved Yea 5. the Lord doth beseech men to be reconciled 2 Cor. 5.20 For the second The object of faith is God God is the object of faith not generally in his nature but particularly in his mercies and promises of grace in his word of truth the Goâ—pell When I say God is the object of faith I meane hee is that which faith both looks upon 〈◊〉 relies upon Faith is alive when it beholds Gods face in Christ. It thinkes of God it admires God it longs for God it trusts onely upon God it carries us unto God it is imployed for God it is contented with God it desires no more but God Ob. But what reason hath man to beleeve in God For God is terrible in his nature he abhors sinne and revengeth it with all severity it is hee that will judge men for sinne yea it is hee that woundeth the very particular sinner c. Sol. Yet faith carries men unto God because of his own commandement that men should beleeve because of the gracious promises he hath made to beleevers because of the experience of as miserable sinners as he have beleeved and were not disappointed because faith stils Gods displeasure and makes the Lord put on the bowels of tender kindnesse yea here appeares the wonder of faith that though it know that it is Gods own hand that fighteth against sinne yet it will run onely to God to heale them againe Hosea 6.1 Ob. But must we not beleeve in Christ as well as in God Sol. If by this title of God wee understand the essence of God then CHRIST is included for wee beleeve in the promises of the whole Trinity and so in Christ who is the second person But if by God wee meane the first person in the Trinity and the holy Ghost then it is spoken to our capacitie the more fitly to expresse the meanes of our reconciliation which is by the mediation of Christ the middle person of the Trinity so that the word God doth not exclude Christ from being the object of our faith with the Father but it includes that Christ is more then the object for he is a meanes of our acceptance with the Father c. The Use is twofold 1. Here againe we may take occasion to try our faith If thy faith be a true faith thou maist know it by the object of it if it set thy thoughts and affections on God if thou canst say as David Psal. 73.25 then certainly thou hast faith and so contrariwise 2. Is God the object of faith then be of good comfort hee will never deny his promise Tit. 1.2 Hee is able to keepe what thou committest to him 2 Tim. 1.12 He is an Ocean able every way to fill thee with all sufficiency and happinesse The third thing followes viz. the nature of faith which is to beleeve in God To beleeve is more then to understand
neither will their Baptisme helpe them for neither circumcision nor uncircumcision availeth any thing but a new creature Gal. 6. Ob. If any say But though they be not now under mercy yet hereafter they may bee upon Repentance Answ. I answer that in this they say truly but yet not safely for many men that have promised themselves the late repentance and mercy have died in their sinnes before they could ever repent And thy times are in Gods hands thou knowest not when nor how thou shalt die and therefore the surest way is now to turne to God with all thy heart as they were counselled more at large Ioel 2.12 13. Now for the fourth it may awake some sort of offenders the more effectually that besides the generall threatnings against wicked men they in particular are assured that they are not under mercy As first such as shew no mercy to men Iam. 2.13 and such as transgresse of malicious wickednesse Psal. 59.6 and such as are people of no understanding Esa. 7.11 and such as walke after the imaginations of their owne wicked hearts and will not hearken unto God Ier. 15.5 10 12. and such as blesse themselves in their heart when they heare the curses of the Law Deâ—â— 29.19 and such as steale murther commit adultery and sweare falsly Ier. 7.9 and many other particulars Catalogues might be instanced in all the severall Scriptures the Prophet Malachy puts in such as deale corruptly in tything and offering Malach. 1.8 9. To conclude the counsell of the Prophet Ieremy is excellent in this case who most effectually speakes thus Heare yee give eare bee not proud for the Lord hath spoken Give glory to the Lord your God before he cause darknesse and before your feet stumble upon the darke mountaines and while yee looke for light hee turne it into the shadow of death and make it grosse darknesse But if yee will not heare my soule shall weepe in secret for your pride and mine eye runne downe with teares Ier. 13.15 16. Use 2. Secondly the consideration of this doctrine may justifie the practice of godly Ministers that denounce the judgements of God upon their heaâ—ers that live in sinne without repentance It is their duty to shew them that they are not under mercy they are required to cry aloud and to shew Gods people their sinnes Esa. 58.1 And the Prophets that cried Peace peace are extreamly threatned of God so as for not warning the people the blood of their soules is required of the Prophets Ezek. 33. vers 2. to 10. Use 3. The third use may be therefore for the singular humiliation of wicked men that live in the assemblies of Christians Though they have obtained a place in Gods Church yet they have not obtained mercy but live under the fearefull displeasure of God and this is the more terrible if they consider three things First that this is the case of multitudes of men in the Church but a remnant are under mercy Which will appeare more distinctly if you draw out of our assemblies such as in Scripture are expresly said not to bee under mercie as First take all such as yet live in their naturall Atheisme that mind not God nor Religion that onely care for earthly things and shew it by a constant either neglect or contempt of the publike assemblies of Christians amongst us These cannot obtaine mercy because they refuse to heare Gods voyce and to seeke to the ordinary meanes of mercy Isaiah 50.1 2. Heb. 3.7 Secondly draw out then secret offenders such as sinne in the darke and say Who seeth us There are many amongst us that for ought wee know live honestly who yet in secret are polluted with desperate abominations as fearfull deceit in their callings prodigious filthinesse of body or the like Thirdly remove from us likewise open and notorious offenders such as are drunkards outragious swearers knowne adulterers or fornicators murtherers railers and extortioners For to such belongeth not Gods mercy or Kingdome 1 Cor. 6.9 Fourthly then separate from us such as are onely civilly honest and not religious There are many that are farre from grosse offences either open or secret who are not yet under mercy which is discovered divers wayes as by their ignorance For God will not have mercy upon people that have no understanding Esa. 27.11 And by their impenitencie They never soundly and in secret confessed their sinnes to God they never mourned for their many corruptions there is a world of inward wickednesse which they were never humbled for And also by their unbeliefe They know no way how to be saved by Christ by effectuall beleeving on his mercy but thinke to bee saved by their owne good deeds or else they live in a generall security not looking after salvation but thinking it enough that they are well accounted of amongst men Lastly cast out hypocrites that onely make a shew of godlinesse and have not the power of it that draw neere to God with their mouthes but have their hearts farre from him These in vaine worship God These are Jewes outward but have not the circumcision of the heart and therefore their praise is not of God You may easily conceive how small a number will remaine if all these be deducted out of the societies of Christians Secondly if they withall consider that if mercy be not obtained all else is in vaine It doth not profit him to obtaine credit riches friends in this world long life or ought else if hee obtaine not mercy what shall it advantage thee to obtaine the whole world if for want of mercy thou lose thine owne soule Thirdly it increaseth their misery that they may die in the case they are in For either God may take away the meanes of mercy from them or may leave them to so much insensiblenesse as they may remove themselves from the means of mercy or God being provoked by their loâ—g obstinacie may deliver them up to a reprobate sense or God may suddenly take them away by death and then woe unto them it had beene better for them they had never beene borne Quest. But some may aske What should be the cause that so many obtain not mercy of God seeing God is in his owne nature so gracious and they are in so great need of mercy Answ. I answer that the cause why some obtaine not mercy is First because they seeke it not they be at a great deale of care and paines many times to seeke other things but they altogether neglect their owne mercy and seeke not for it Now God stands upon that that he will be sought unto the house of Israel must know that though God be many waies gracious as is shewed at large Ezek. 36.25 c. yet for all this he will be sought unto or else even Israel may want mercy vers 32. Secondly others are so farre from seeking mercy that they refuse mercy when God in the Gospel daily calls upon them and beseecheth them to bee
downe in him he is lowly and meeke which hee hath learned of Christ Mat. 11.29 Secondly affectionatenesse He loves the name of the Lord and to be the Lords servant Esa. 56.6 He doth good duties with good affections Thirdly contempt of the world He can deny his profit pleasure ease credit or the like He is no more worldly or eaten up with the cares of this life He doth not esteeme of earthly things as he was wont to do and shewes it in his carriage Fourthly sincerity For now he hath respect to all the Commandements of God he desires to be sanctified throughout he is not mended in many things as Herod was but is in some degree mended in all things and besides he is carefull of his waies in all places and companies he will obey absent as well as present Psal. 2.12 and there is no occasion of offence in him 1 Ioh. 2.8 He is wonderfull wary and carfull to provide that he may not be an offence to any body and withall he is not found to strive more for credit than for goodnesse or more ready to judge others than to condemne himselfe Iam. 3.17 If this description be throughly weighed it will be found to containe the most lively and essentiall things that distinguish true converts from all other men Nor may the force of any of these be weakned because many that seeme true Christians do shew the contrary to some of these for many that seeme just to men are an obomination to God and besides these things may be in the weake Christian in some weake measure though not so exactly Thus of the third doctrine Doct. 4. Wee may hence note That there is a peculiar time for the keeping of this visitation of grace All the times of mens lives are not times of visitation there is a speciall day of visitation called in Scripture The day of salvation the accepted time the due time the season of Gods grace 2 Cor. 6.2 That this point may be opened first we may consider of the acceptation of this word Day It usually notes a naturall day that is the space of foure and twenty houres Sometimes it notes the artificiall day of twelve houres from the morning to the evening so Ioh. 11.9 Sometimes it notes time generally as in such Scriptures as say In those dayes the meaning is In those times Sometimes it notes some peculiar season for the doing or suffering of some notable thing as the speciall time when God plagues wicked men is called their day Psal. 37.13 Ioâ— 18.20 So the time when Christ declared himselfe openly to be the Messias is called his day Ioh. 8.46 So it is here taken for that speciall part of our time of life wherein God is pleased to offer and bestow his grace upon us to salvation Now this cannot be the whole space of a mans life for it is evident that many men for a long time of their life have not at all beene visited of God in this visitation of grace they have fate in darknesse and in the shadow of death and this time is called night Rom. 13.13 Againe others are threatned with the utter losse of Gods favour if they observe not a season as Heb. 3.6 c. Luk. 19.41 42. Yea lome men have lived beyond this season and for not observing it were cast away Prov. 1.24 28. The very terme here used shewes it for when he saith The day of visitation he manifestly by the Metaphor of visiting proves a limitation of the time for all the yeare is not the time of visitation among men but some certaine season onely Quest. But how may we know when this season of grace is Answ. It is then when God sends the Gospel to us in the powerfull preaching of it when the light comes then comes this day when the doctrine of salvation is come then the day of salvation is come and God offers his grace then to all within the compasse of that light God keepes his visitation at all times and in all places when the Word of the Kingdome is powerfully preached the time of the continuance of the meanes is the day here meant in a generall consideration But if we looke upon particular persons in places where the means is then it is very hard precisely to measure the time when God doth visit or how long he will offer his grace to them only this is certaine that when God strikes the hearts of particular men with remorse or some speciall discerning or affections in matters of Religion and so bringeth them neere the Kingdome of God if they trifle out this time and receive this generall grace in vaine they may be cast into a reprobate mind and into incurable hardnesse of heart and so God shuts the kingdome of God against them while it is yet open to others Mat. 3.12 Esa. 6.10 compared with Mat. 13.14 15. Use. The use is for the confutation especially of the madnesse of many men that so securely procrastinate and put off the time of their repentance as if they might repent at any time never considering that the meanes of repentance may be taken utterly from them or that they may be cast into a reprobate sense or that death may suddenly prevent them or that the times are onely in Gods hand it is he that appoints and begins and ends this day of visitation at his owne pleasure yea hee doth not allow to all men in every place the like space of time for the continuance of the meanes This day lasteth in some places to some men many yeares whereas in other places the Kingdome of God is taken away from them in a short time as when the Apostles in the Acts were driven from some Cities after they had beene in some places but a yeere or two in others but a month or two in others but a day or two If men object that the theese on the Crosse did delay and yet found the visitation of grace at his last end I answer foure things First that the theese was by an unexpected death prevented of a great part of that time hee might have lived by the course of nature and therefore his example cannot patronize their resolution that thinke they may safely put over all till their last end and yet suppose they may live the full age of the life of man Secondly what can the example of one onely man helpe them seeing thousands have perished at their latter end going away without any repentance or grace Why rather do they not feare seeing so many millions of men are not visited in their later end yea at the very time the other theese repented not so that that example can shew no more than that it is possible that a man should find grace at the end it doth not shew that it is probable or usuall Thirdly they should shew the promise of grace not such men as wilfully neglect the present means and put all off to
before did signifie our sin-guiltinesse and were as an obligation and hand-writing against us Col. 2.14 Secondly they were a badge to distinguish the Jewes from all other nations Gen. 17.13 14. Thirdly they were shadowes and typicall adumbrations of Christ and his benefits Heb. 9.9 10. and 10.1 4. Fourthly they were as a Tutor or Schoole-master to instruct and keepe them under in the minority of the Church Gal. 4.1 2. Now all these uses are abolished by Christ For our condemnation is taken away by Christ and so the hand-writing is cancelled Col. 2.14 and the Gentiles and Jewes are made all one people Ephes. 2.14 15. and Christ the substance and body is come and therefore the shadowes must vanish Col. 2.17 and the heire is as it were now at age and therefore needs not Tutors and Governors Gal. 4.1 2 3. As for the freedome of Christians from the Judiciall Lawes that must bee understood with a distinction for so many of the Judiciall Lawes as did agree with the common politicall law of Nature are in force only so much of the Judiciall Law as did onely concerne the singular and particular policy of the Jewes is abolished Where the reason of the Law is universall the Law bindes all where the respect and reason of the Law is fitted onely to the condition of that people there the Law isâ—abolished Sixthly from servile feare unto which we are and were in bondage by Nature and so we are freed from the servile feares of the grave of men of death there was a spirit of bondage in us by nature wee durst not come into Gods presence and legall terrours did lye at the doore of our hearts to drive us to despaire of mercy or acceptation But when Faith came then the spirit of bondage went away and the hearts of Christians are emboldened with spirituall liberty and firme confidence taking delight in the Law of God in the inner man Rom. 8.15 Luke 1.74 And there was likewise in us by Nature a feare of the reproach and rage of men and the oppositions and scornes of the world from which Gods children are so delivered that many times they have contemned the uttermost fury of Tyrants as Daniel and his companions and the Martyrs and the Patriarchs and Moses c. and from the feare of death We were all in bondage to it all our life but now Christ hath delivered us by destroying him that had the power of death Heb. 2.14 15. This of the first point what we are forced from Now for the second what we are free to and therein are divers comfortable considerations First we are free to the favour and fellowship of God the Father and of the Sonne and of the holy Ghost 1 Ioh. 1.3 7. 1 Cor. 1.9 Ioh. 17 21. 2 Pet. 1.4 1 Ioh. 5.24 Secondly we are free to the Communion of Saints wee are fellow Citizens with the Saints we are written in the writing of the house of Israel and acknowledged as members of the Congregation of the first-borne This is an Article of our Faith Ephes. 2.20 and 3.6 and 4.4 5. Heb. 12.18 c. Thirdly we are free to all the promises of Grace those rich and precious promises we may safely imply they are ours 2 Pet. 1.4 Ephes. 3.6 Fourthly we are free of Gods chamber of Presence we may goe in when we will and aske what we will and it shall be done unto us wee are free to put up as many petitions and suits as we will wee are free to the Throne of Grace Heb. 4.16 Ephes. â— 12 and so in generall wee are free in the whole House of God even to the use of all his ordinances Ioh. 6.36 Fiftly we are free in respect of things indifferent and all things are indifferent that are neither commanded nor forbidden in the Word of God all the restraints that in the time of the old Testament lay upon any creature are now taken off so as all the creatures of God are good and lawfull All things are pure to the pure Titus 1.15 1. Tim. 4.4 Rom. 14. so are dayes meats garments c. So as now Christians may use them or omit them freely Note what I say use as well as omit For some are so singular or simple as to thinke Christian liberty doth only make reference to omit but not to use meats garments dayes or indifferent ceremonies whereas they restraine Christian liberty that forbid the use of those indifferent things as well as they that dislike the omitting only in using men must take heed as hath been shewed before of the opinion of merit worship or necessity to holinesse or salvation which is that which is condemned by the Apostles Uses The Use may be first for humiliation to wicked men for hereby is implyed that they are in great bondage and not free for howsoever it is true that every wicked man in Christian Churches is freed from that yoke of Moses lawes yet in all the rest they are in danger still and bondage They stand bound by the covenant of works to the absolute keeping of the Law because none have the benefit of the new covenant till they be in the same and so all their saylings of the perfect fulfilling of the Law are imputed to them and they are under the execration and all the curses of the Law They are iâ— bondage to the tyrannie of their owne sinnes and have the divell intrenched in strong holdes in their soules They would bee troubled to know that the divell did possesse their bodies and yet doe not consider that the divell doth certainely possesse their soules every wicked man is possessed Besides they are in bondage by these servile feares they dare not set their hearts in Gods sight It is a death to them nor dare they for Religions sake displease men and the feare of death is like a continuall death to them and for all this they are never helped till their hearts be turned to God Secondly we may hence gather the difference between the liberty of the New Testament and that in the Old In the old Testament godly men were free from the rigour and curse of the Law and from the dominion of sinne and power of the divels and from servile fearest onely in the new Testament there are these three things added 1. That the doctrine of liberty in the former things is more cleere and more generally revealed 2. That we are freed from the Mosaicall Lawes 3. That we have liberty in things indifferent A third Use may bee for instruction to teach men to trie their interest to this freedome For such men onely are made free that beleeve in Christ Ioh. 1.12 and resolve to continue in the Word Ioh. 8.31 and are weary and heavie loaden Mat. 11.29 and are throughly turned to God 2. Cor. 3.16 17. Lastly our Christian liberty may be a great comfort to our hearts if wee consider seriously the great miseries we are freed from and the great priviledges we are
repented It is a signe of true mortification when 1. A man hath seriously condemned himselfe before God for his sin 2. When he feeles the wonted violence of affections after sinne and the world to be deaded and his heart growne dull and out of taste in matters of sin and the world He is crucified that hath his lusts and affections crucified Gal. 5.24 3. That he is weary of life is selfe by reason of the remainders of sin in his flesh Rom. 7. 4. That hath felt as sensible sorrowes for his sinnes as he was wont to doe for his crosses sorrowes I say that are voluntary and for sinne as it is sinne Doâ—t 4. The Passion of Christ is the best medicine to kill sin in us he died that we might die to sin There is a vertue in the death of Christ to kill sin Rom. 6. Now the death of Christ may be said to kill sin First in respect of the guilt of sin Christ in his death paid all that was needfull for satisfaction and â—o destroyed the imputation of it and stilled the clamour of it It cannot cry against us in heaven because God is fully satisfied and the bond discharged and cancelled the plea of our sins died in the Passion of Christ. Secondly in respect of the hatefulnesse of it or the demonstration of the hatefulnesse of it The Passion of Christ gives all men occasion to see how unworthy sin is to live that made him die when it was only imputed to him and not done by him Thirdly in respect of the power of it in us actually There is a secret vertue in the wounds of Christ to wound sin and in the death of Christ to kill sinne and therefore the Scripture speakes not only of the merit but of the vertue of his death Rom. 6. Phil. 3. which vertue is secretly derived unto the penitent sinner by the ordinances of Christ his Word Prayer and Sacraments Uses The Use should be for triall men may know whether as yet they have any part in the death of Christ by inquiring whether they be dead in their sins First they have no interest in the merit of his death that have not experience of the vertue of his death in killing their corruptions Secondly for instruction When godly men find any corruption begin to be too strong for them they must flye to Christ for this medicine and then there is no sin so strong in them but by constant prayer to Christ for the vertue of his death will be subdued if they pray in faith Prayer gets the medicine and faith applies it to the disease Doct. 5. True mortification doth not encounter one sin only but sins in the plurall number and indefinitely It notes that in true repeâ—tance there is a respect had to amendment of all sins To amend only one or two faults is not true repentance for he that is truely dead is dead to sins there is no sin but the true Convert desires and endeavours to be rid of it so far as hee knowes it to be a sin Herâ—d did mend in some things but yet was not sound because in one sin he minded no repentance And this point doth give an infallible rule of triall of mens estates in Christ for no wicked man on earth doth so much as in true desire forsake all sin There be some corruptions he knowes that he would upon no conditions part with To desire and endeavour to be rid of all sins is an infallible mark of a child of God Doct. 6. Mortification makes a man dead only to sins it doth not make him of a dead and lumpish disposition in doing good duties Heb. 9.14 nor doth it require that it should destroy his nature or naturall temper or the parts of his body but his sin only nor doth it kill his contentment in the creatures of God and the use of lawfull things nor doth it destroy his liberty in lawfull delights and recreations it kils his sin only Might live unto righteousnesse These words containe the second effect of Christs death and passion viz. the raising of us unto a righteous life his death makes us live and live righteously Divers Doctrines may be hence observed Doct. 1. First that men truely mortified shall live happily These dead men will live there is no danger in great sorrow and the other workes of mortification It kils sin but the soule lives by that meanes He is sure to live that is dead to his sins Rom. 8.13 Esay 26.19 1 Pet. 4.6 Ezek. 18. Hos. 14.2 The reasons are first because God hath promised comfort to such as mourne for sin Mat. 5.4 Pro. 14.10 Secondly Christ hath a speciall charge given him to looke to those mourners that they miscarry not Esay 61.1 2 3. Thirdly they are freed from eternall death they cannot be condemned 1 Cor. 11.31 32. Iob 33.27 28. Fourthly because the fruit of the lips is peace to these they are ever after interessed in the comforts of the Word Esay 57. 15 18. Fiftly the nature of godly sorrow is only to tend to repentance it is worldly sorrow that tends to death 2 Cor. 7.10 Sixtly they that are conformed to the similitude of Christs death by mortification shall be conformed to Christs life by the resurrection from the dead Rom. 6.5 8 11. Uses The Use may be first for confutation of such as think that mortification is a way full of danger and makes many men come to great extremities whereas they may here see there is no danger in it Hellish terrours and despaire and some kinde of diseases may make strange effects in some men but never was any hurt by godly sorrow for sin if we will beleeve the Scriptures and therefore it should incourage men to fall to worke soundly about searching their wayes and confessing their sins and judging themselves in secret for their sinnes Iames 4.7 2 Cor. 7.10 11. But here men must looke to some few rules First that they see the warrant of the course in the Word and know the places that require these duties that they lay up such promises made to the duties of mortification as may uphold their hearts in the practice of them Thirdly that they refuse not consolation but when they have found true humiliation for their sins and comfort from God in his ordinances that they turne their sorrow into joy and their prayers into thanksgiving and spend their dayes alwayes rejoycing in the Lord. Doct. 2. It is not enough to die to sinne unlesse wee also live to righteousnesse it is not enough to forsake our sinnes but wee must spend our dayes in good workes we are so charged to cease to doe evill as withall we are charged to learne to doe well Esay 1.16 we must bring forth fruits worthy amendment of life as well as confesse our sinnes Matth. 3.8 A man will cut downe his fig-tree for want of good fruit though it beare no ill fruit Luke 13.6 It will not please any
3.9 Phil. 2.2 3. 5. Men miserably neglect thankfulnesse to God for the good they receive daily from his mercies Col. 3.17 6. Many faile publikely and shamefully in want of care to come time enough to Gods service Zech. 8.21 Esay 60.8 In these things Christians should be admonished to mind their wayes and their workes and to strive to walke as becommeth the Gospel and the death of Christ that they may hold fast the light of the truth and shew out better the glory of a Christian life And thus of living to righteousnesse Now followes the third forme of speech By whose stripes we are healed The healing of our sicknesses is reckoned as another fruit of the Passion of Christ or else it is the same with the former exprest in other words These words then are borrowed from the Prophet Esay ch 53.5 who doth chiefely understand the spirituall healing of our soules of our sins as the coherence shewes in the Prophet but yet the Evangelist saith Mat. 8.17 and understands of the healing of our bodies also And therefore I consider of the death of Christ both in respect of soule and body And first as this healing is referred to the soule divers Doctrines may be observed Doct. 1. The soules of all men are diseased by nature even the very soules of the Elect are so till they be healed by Christ. The soule is diseased divers wayes especially by sorrowes and sins it is the disease by sin is here meant Quest. It would be inquired how the soule comes to be sick of these diseases and why sin is called sicknesse in the soule Ans. This spirituall sicknesse comes into the soule by propagation Adam hath infected all his posterity and every man hath increased the diseases of his nature by his owne wilfull transgressions Now sin is called sicknesse because it doth worke that upon the soule which sicknesse doth upon the body for sin hath weakned the strength of the soule in all the faculties of it which all men may discerne and observe in themselves by nature Besides it causeth spottednesse and deformity in the soule as sicknesse doth in the body and therefore sin was likened to the leprosie in the Law Further it often causeth pain and torment in the soule as wounds and diseases do in the body for there is no peace to the wicked especially when God fighteth against them with his terrours Besides it will cause the death of the soule as sicknesse will of the body if it be not helped and so men are said to be dead in sins Use. The Use may be to shew the fearfull negligence of worlds of people that are exceeding carefull to help their bodies to health but never think of the poore soule that lieth lamentably full of diseases And withall it shewes that all wicked men are men of ill natures because their dispositions are all diseased though there be degrees of ill nature or of this evill in men natures as there is difference of sicknesses in mens bodies And godly men should be compassionate when they see the grievous diseases in the natures and lives of other men remembering that they also were by nature subject to the same diseases as well as they Doct. 2. The diseases in the soules of men by nature are very grievous which is here also implied in that God was faine to send his owne Son to help and heale us Now that the diseases of mens soules are so grievous may appeare many wayes First because such a multitude of men are infected not some one person in the whole world in the body of mankind not on some part but from the crowne of the head to the soale of the foot all full of sores and diseases There is no man that sinneth not and so no man that is not sick and that is the reason why men feare the pestilence because it makes so many sicke Secondly because the soule of man by nature is sicke of a multitude of diseases at once for even sin is a sicknesse and so our sicknesses are innumerable because our sins are so And hence it is that in Scripture so many metaphors are used to expresse the sicknesse of the soule as leprosie wounds plagues poyson gall c. Thirdly because the disease lieth in the soule it selfe Of diseases those are most mortall that get into the spirits and doe most enfeeble man how much more when it is in the soule Fourthly because in respect of our selves our sins or our diseases are incurable we can give our selves no remedy that can help us Ier. 30. Fiftly because in the Colledge of spirituall Physicians there is scarce one of a thousand that can help the poore soule out of these diseases Iob 33. Sixtly because there be but certaine seasons onely in which men can be healed as it was with the lame man at the poole of Bethesda and if men misse these seasons they are in danger to dye of these sicknesses There be seasons of grace and dayes of salvation and men must not harden their hearts while it is called To day Use. The Use should be to awaken wicked men to a serious consideration of their danger and at length to thinke of helpe for their soules being thus diseased as they would doe for their bodies if they were desperately sicke Ob. We feele no such diseases in our soules Sol. First wicked men have a kinde of spirituall lethargie upon them and so are in grievous danger but by reason of their spirituall sleepinesse they feele it not Secondly though they feele not their diseases now they shall doe hereafter and then thinke what a paine it will be unto them when God awakens them whether they will or no. It may be it will be in this life as it was with Cain and Iudas and then a wounded spirit will ake so who can beare it Thirdly the matter is not altogether so easie with wicked men as they pretend fâ—r they doe feele so much as may shew they are very sicke Sometimes they feele their consciences galling and paining them at the very heart for the time and what are the passions and perturbations of their soules but as so many fits ofâ—a Feaver And that they are grievously sicke may appeare by the want of their spirituall senses they can hardly see or heare any thing Besides they may know they are sicke by the potions of afflictions which God gives them who doth nothing in vaine Doct. 3. That in Christ the diseases of our soules may be healed Esay 53.5 Mal. 4.2 Luke 4.18 He is a sure Physician for our soules God hath undertaken it that he will cure and heale us he challengeth it as a glory to himselfe which he executes by Christ Iob 5.17 18. Deut. 32.39 Now in as much as our diseases may be healed by Christ and that he is our Physician appointed by God we may gather many arguments of great comfort even from hence that he is the Physician First because
heed that wee provoke not God by carelesnesse and boldnesse in favouring any corruption Deut. 32.18 19. Thirdly our adoption should be a singular consolation to us against all the miseries of this life It matters not though our life be hid and though it doe not appeare to the world what we are and though we have many crosses and losses and persecutions yet the thought of our inheritance with God should swallow up all Whatsoever we are now yet when Christ appeares we shall appeare in glory and there can be no comparison betweene the suffering of this life and the glory to be revealed upon us Rom. 8.17 Mat. 19.29 Col. 3.2 4. 1 Iohn 3.2 And that we may be the more comforted we should often pray to God to shew us by degrees and to make us know the riches of our inheritance both in what we possesse in this world and what we looke for in heaven And thus of the title of our dignities We are heires Of life Now follows to consider what we inherit and that is life wee are heires of life It is somewhat a strange speech but yet if we consider of it life is a most sweet thing there can be no happinesse without it A living Dog is better than a dead Lyon But as life is to be taken here it is a treasure above all treasures in the world But the enquirie into it is very difficult it is wonderfull hard to find out what life is especially to describe or define the life here mentioned as the glory of Gods adopted ones Life in Scripture is either naturall or spirituall as for naturall life especially since the fall that is so poore a thing as to be an heire to it is no great preferment By naturall life I meane that life that men live while they are unregenerate I say that life is a very poore thing which will appeare if we consider the qualitie of it or the meanes of preserving it or the short continuance of it or the subject of it or the things with which it is opprest or the whole nature of it 1. For the qualitie of it what is life It is but a winde or breath God breathed into man the breath of life as if his life were but his breath Gen. 2.7 and so it is said Every thing that had the breath of life Gen. 6.17 7. 15.22 My life is a wind saith Iob chap. 7.7 What is your life saith S. Iames it is even a vapour that appeareth for a little while and then vanisheth away Jam. 4.14 2. If we consider the short continuance of it It will vanish away of it selfe after a while as we see in that place It is compared to a Weavers Shuttle or at the best every houre of our life or every action addes secretly a threed till the web be woven and then we are cut off So Hezekiah compares himselfe to a Weaver in that respect Esay 38.12 Our life is scarce a span long for to live is but to die to begin to live is to begin to die for death takes away time past and every moment we yeeld something to death 3. If wee consider the poore meanes of preserving life It is such a weake thing that if wee doe not daily give it food it will faile us and if it be not kept with rayment it will be extinguished And for the meanes we use how silly are they Our life is called the life of our hands Esay 57.10 because it will not last unlesse wee make hard shift with our hands to preserve it 4. If wee consider the subject of it it is but our bodies for our soules in our naturall condition according to the sense of Scripture are dead in trespasses and sinnes They have as it were a being but not a life Our soules in respect of the substance of them are excellent things because invisible and spirituall existences but yet are destitute of that life is proper to them They are things indeed will last long but are void of that life which is spirituall 5. If we consider the miseries with which this life is infested both by sin and the punishments of it As for sinne it is leprous from the womb and charged with Adams fault and erres so often as cannot be numbred the faults of it are more than the haires of our heads As for punishment how hath God avenged himselfe upon thy wretched life to thrust thee out of Paradise and would not let thee enjoy life in any place that was not accursed The Divels also compasse about thy life to destroy it 2 Cor. 10.5 What deformities and infirmities are found in all the Vessels of life even in all the parts of thy bodie in which it dwells And without thee in the objects of life how is it frighted with cares plagues or vexed with particular crosses How doth God passe by thee in many blessings he gives before thy face to others and will not to thee And what thou hast to comfort thy life is it not cursed to thee so as thou feelest vanity and vexation in the use of it But above all how is thy life frighted with the danger of eternall death 6. Lastly if we consider the whole nature of life The Apostle here thinkes it is not worth the naming by the name of life when he saith only of the godly that they are heires of life as if there were no living men but they and as if they had beene dead all the time they were till they were adopted But it is not naturall life is here meant but spirituall life called in Scripture new life and the life of God and eternall life The words of the Apostle Paul Tit. 3.7 when he saith We are heires according to the hope of eternall life serve to expound these words of the Apostle Peter Now concerning this life it is above the reach of all mortall creatures to describe it as it is especially in the perfection of it in heaven for Saint Paul saith of what he saw in heaven that he saw things that could not be uttered 2 Cor. 12. and Saint Iohn saith it doth not appeare what we shall be â— Ioh. 3. 2. And in 1 Cor. 2.9 it is said that eye hath not seene nor eare heard nor hath it entred into the heart of man to conceive what God hath prepared for them that love him Yea Christ himselfe doth seeme to grant that as man he did not fully see the glory of this eternall life in his mortall condition where speaking of his estate after death he said Thou wilt shew me the paths of life Acts 2. And for so much as is revealed concerning this spirituall and eternall life two things must be remembred the one That the doctrine of this life lieth hid from ages and generations in extreme darknesse and when the Gospel treats of it it brings it as it were out of a darke dungeon into the light 2 Tim. 1.10 the other is That when it is
then we shall see God by direct vision Moses that saw as much of God as a mortall man then could saw but his backe parts he saw God as we see a man going from us but then we shall see him face to face as he is comming to us yea as he is possessed by us Wee shall not need helpe to shew God to us as we doe now for God himselfe shall be our everlasting light as was shewed before There is a foure-fold vision of God the one is natuâ—all as when wee see him in the creatures the other is speculous or Symbolicall when we see God in certaine signes of his presence as in the burning fire in the Bush or in the Cloud or Pillar of fire at the Tabernacle The third is the vision of Faith when we know how good God is by the promises of his word to us in Christ. The last is the vision of â—lory which differs from all the former in a way of seeing unknowne to us Thirdly our knowledge will differ in the measure Now wee know bâ—t in part there are many things wee know not and what wee doe know wee know but obscurely and darkly then wee shall know perfectly even as wee are now knowne perfectly of God 1 Cor. 13.10 11. c. and so wee shall know both God and the Creatâ—res There is a world of most delightfull and rare knowledge of the Creatures which wee attaine not to in this life but the chiefe glory of our knowledge then shall bee in the perfect vision of God and those unspeakable beauties of his nature when wee shall behold perfectly the glory of every propertie or attribute in God which will be sufficient to breed everlasting wonder and delight In a word the knowledge of the meanest Christian in heaven shall be above the knowledge of Prophets or Apostles on earth The first difference is in the effect of our knowledge for from our knowledge and this celestiall light flowes righteousnesse peace and joy in the holy Ghost which the Apostle Paul makes to be the parts of the Kingdome of God and so both in this life and in heaven Rom. 14.17 And unto these three heads may bee referred all things that concerne the glory of eternall life and all these are held with great difference in each degree of eternall life For though we have righteousnesse and peace and joy now in the truth of them yet wee have â—hem not as we shall have them in heaven as will appeare if we consider of them distinctly First for righteousnesse Here it is the greatest burthen of life unto the godly that they are not able to serve God as they desire the imperfections of their gifts the corruption of their natures the daily infirmities that discover themselves in their conversations make life many times more bitter than death would be to them as appeareth by St. Paul Rom. 7. But there all that is imperfect shall be done away there shall be no danger of displeasing God for we shall be made perfect in all parts and degrees of holinesse our nature shall be perfect like the nature of God our members shall never more be servants unto unrighteousnesse and our soules shall exactly resemble God in all perfection of goodnesse and gifts Here the glory of mans inheritance lieth in the goodnesse of things without them there it shall consist principally in an everlasting goodnesse confirmed upon themselves We shall be without spot and wrinkle Eph 5.27 We shall be as he is in holinesse 1 Iohn 3.2 Here is our griefe that our hearts cannot be so filled with the love of God and the godly as they should be there our hearts shall burne with an eternall inflammation of affections towards God and the blessed ones without any interruption or decay we shall never morâ— be troubled with hardnesse of heart discouragement feare distractions inordinate desires and perturbations Yea our holinesse shall be better than Adams in Paradise for he had a power not to sin but we shall have no power at all to sin Yea in relation to Christ it shall be better with us then than it is now for now we are reckoned just men only by the benefit of Christs righteousnesse imputed to us but then we shall be made so perfectly holy by inherent righteousnesse that we shall stand everlastingly righteous before God by the righteousnesse that is in us Imputation shall there cease for ever when Christ hath delivered up the kingdome to God the Father and when faith shall be done away Lastly the difference in this point may further appeare in the freedome of our wills In this life many times our wills are not free to desire to doe the good we should doe and most an end want power to execute what we desire but there shall be all libertie so as we shall never want either desire or power to accomplish what may be for Gods everlasting glory or our owne felicity Secondly for peace there is great difference for first in this life we have but little peace in respect of the miseries of life Sometimes we have but little inward peace our hearts being unquiet with feare or griefe or discouragement or passions or else our consciences are unquiet either because God fights against us to trie us or to humble us or we fight against our selves through ignorance and unbeliefe or distresse for sin Sometimes when our spirits are quiet and there is a truce from inward war we then want out vard peace either men are unreasonable and molest us without cause in our estates or names or else God afflicts us in body with paine and weaknesse or in estate sometimes with easie crosses like small rain sometimes with greater crosses like some fierce storms Now in heaven there shall be an eternall cessation of all miserie there shall be no curse and affliction shall be cast into the Sea Rev. 22.23 Secondly our Sabbaths or dayes of rest which Gâ—d hath consecrated and blessed to us as the chiefe joy of our lives prove many times daies of sorrow affliction because either our bodies are molested with pain or our soules distressed for want of powerfull meanes or for want of abilitie to keepe a Sabbath unto God or for want of joy in our soules but in heaven we shall have an eternall Sabbath not one day in seven but all our dayes rest without labour and solace of heart without any difficultie in our selves or interruption without us God and the Lamb will be an eternall Temple to make our rest for ever glorious Wee shall be freed from all the labours of life and from all paine and difficultie in serving God and our works shall be all easie and full of delight even the praising of God for ever Rev. 14.12 Heb 4.9 Thirdly for joy There is great difference both in the causes and in the measure and in the continuance of it The causes of our joy shall be the highest can befall a