would haue beene glad if his purpose might haue beene confirmed by the Lords mouth And as it fareth with the sicke patient who affecting some meate hurtfull asketh the Physitian whether he may eate it or no who hauing the regiment of their bodies and knowing their disease telleth them no in no wise yet so strong is their appetite that they wil take it and onely would haue bene glad if the Physitian would haue approoued it So men will come to know the nature of sinne which being described to be vgly in it selfe yet seeming beautifull and gainefull in their affection they will stil embrace it shewing themselues to haue descended of that young man spoken of Matth. 19.16 who would needs bee questioning with Christ how he might goe to heauen and when he touched him in his wealth which he made his god as that he must fell all it is said hee went away sorrowfull for hee had great possessions Secondly obserue heere the order the spirit vseth placing iust dealing after sober liuing as if it were impossible to looke for true dealing where sobrietie went not before and therefore we hauing gone beyond the proportion of our old fathers and exceeding that sobrietie which was the auncient renowmed vertue of this age and nation iustice and iust dealing cannot haue her due course but the cloth must needs be stretched to maintaine our superfluities so as that of Ioel 1.4 fitteth for this What the Canker-worme hath left the Grashopper hath deuoured what the Grashopper hath left the Catterpiller hath deuoured c. So wee by the same proportion may saie in these daies That which purchasing which enlargeth it selfe like hel hath left that sumptuous building hath deuoured what this hath left magnificent furniture hath deuoured what this hath left pride of life hath deuoured and what this hath left ambition hath wasted for great men must be bribed and then poore men must needes be racked And therefore it is certaine if reformation beginne not at our selues that wee can pull downe whatsoeuer exalteth it selfe aboue the compasse of modestie comelinesse and sobrietie wee shall expect little trueth and iustice to others Thirdly obserue what this is commandeth vs to deale iustly it is not the law in terrour of death but the Gospell euen because the Lord doth purpose to saue vs by this grace so as it is a suite commended vnto vs by such a speciall token of the price of saluation as wee cannot chuse but performe it with great care vnlesse we will shew our selues greatly vnthankfull and prooue our hearts to be more then flintie Ieremie conuinceth Ierem. 35.14 the obstinacie of the Iewes by the example of the Rechabites who refused to drinke wine offred and set before them because their father Ionadab had so commanded them Heereupon saith the Lord Iuda I haue warned thee often but thou wouldst not incline thine eare nor obey me Of which example we must make this vse Rechah spake to his children but once the Lord hath spoken to vs often to liue religiously he was but the father of the flesh God is the father of our spirits his commandement was hard and his yoke heauy to forbeare the vse of lawfull things and necessarie as not onely to forbeare wine but they must neither sow nor plant and yet they kept it the Lords commaundement is that wee surfeit not with the cares of this life and that wee deale honestly with our brethren Rechah promised them but to liue long on earth our Father for our obedience hath promised vs eternall life so as both hee that commaundeth is higher and the reward that is giuen is greater Now followeth the third thing that is to be embraced and that is a godly life for it were absurd to be precise toward men and to deale wickedly with God and all is abominable if our religion toward God exceed not our righteousnes toward men To know what godlinesse is shall bee best discerned by the contrarie and vngodlinesse is three-fold first the worship of a false God secondly the worship of a true God falsly as the Iewes that executed the Lord Iesus and Paul that persecuted the Church of Iesus they did thinke they did God great good seruice thirdly such as worship the true God in a true seruice outwardly but with an vnzealous heart like Iudas that followed Christ and yet betraied him 2. Tim. 4.10 and like Domas that forsooke Paul and embraced the world yet did hee not returne to his idols againe and in truth there is no difference betweene these two last for it is all one to serue him fantastically as did the Pharisees as to serue him coldly as did the Laodiceans but now godlinesse is opposite to all these and is a true seruice of a true God in a true religion with a true heart And this is soone discerned by our affections for if we can tremble at the word preached and be possessed with the spirit of feare at the least offence and sinne which we can commit because we know that the maiestie of God is displeased and the spirit of God grieued and if from this feare doth spring sorow and from this sorow care of recouering our fall againe and when wee are cured can resolue and strengthen our selues in patience to goe vnder the yoke of afflictions and vnder the wheele of death for the truths sake we may assure our selues our paths are straight and that in our iourney toward God our feet be shod with the preparation of the Gospell of peace not any way to be distracted with cares nor distrustfull with the troubles of this life Hence obserue that none are to be commended for their sobrietie and honestie vnlesse also they be religions which is proued thus None are honest but they that be cleane in heart no mans heart is cleane that is not purified in conscience and none are purified in conscience without faith and none haue faith that are not zealous and religious toward God for faith striueth by praier with God Thou wilt say loue is the fulfilling of the law but this loue toward our brethren implieth and of necessitie presupposeth a loue of God which constraineth vs to loue man for no more then a man can loue God and hate his brother no more can he hate God and loue his brother and if he loue God in this is euer included a loue and zeale toward his glorie Againe if we take the loue of our brethren to be that Paul speaketh of 1. Tim. 1.5 it is then agreed for then it is loue from a pure heart a good conscience and a faith vnfained which being grounded on Christ is the foundation roote and well head of all honestie and iust dealing Lastly obserue hence that the godlinesse here spoken of must haue two properties for first it must not be hidden in the heart but fruitfull and visible to the eie that the world may see it secondly we may not deferre our godlinesse but it must be
giuen vp Rom. 1.24 to serue their owne lusts that profited not by that one light of nature whereby they were constrained to acknowledge a superiour power that made that excellent frame of heauen and earth If the Pharisees were thus sharpely charged and reprooued for not amending their liues at these few sermons of one Iohn Baptist much more may wee feare lest wee be swallowed vp of present destruction that haue had so many sounds of the Lords trumpets and yet haue not retired from our owne waies that after so much dressing and pruning and lopping haue brought foorth nothing but briers that haue deuoured so many full yeares of peace and yeeres of preaching and plentie and yet continue leane and ilfauoured in the course of our liues for now at the time of the Gospel as we see heere beginneth iudgement Secondly learne how faithfully Iohn executed and performed his ministery which stood in two parts as was foretold by Malachy chap. 4. to preach mercie and iudgement both which he performed in this one sermon Heere the Iesuits take occasion to say that we should dehort men from euill for feare of hell and exhort them to doe well in hope of heauen We say with Paul who is our patterne and forerunner that we haue weapons for all those that shall despaire after the obedience of Gods Saints fulfilled but we preach not onely to worke well in hope of heauen for as we are seruants we deserue nothing but as children wee are receiued to an inheritance bought for vs before we were so we striue not that men should keepe themselues from sin onely for feare of hell for the Lord will neuer account of such a soule as will doe nothing but for feare of the whip for hee loueth a free giuer and hateth constrained subiection and it is not the horror of damnation but the commemoration of the Lords mercie shewed toward vs in giuing his owne Sonne to so ignominious a death to ransome vs from that curse wee had incurred This is that containes vs within the bounds of obedience for if the heart bloud of the Lord Iesus will not make thy heart to relent and thy hands to tremble to put them forth to wickednesse then art thou in a desperate case Shall the feare of the gibber or the ghastly shew of death make one that was a traitor and now pardoned and aduanced vnto high place by the meere mercie of his Soueraigne shall this make him afraid to commit treason againe and nothing else nay the grace of his Prince shall rest alwaies before his eies and shall most forcibly perswade him to perseuere in his loialtie For this is the most effectuall of all others to mooue vs in the bowels of the mercies of Christ to keepe our selues cleane and washed because wee are already purified in his bloud and not for feare of falling into the pit againe Thirdly note that if any man will escape and auoide damnation he must of necessitie liue wel for he must be a tree bringing foorth good fruit Where first consider what is good fruit which is implied in the text it cannot bee good except the tree be good as Christ saith If the casting out of a diuell be a good worke why am not I a good man Matt. 12.28 Ioh. 7.21 So as first the person must be accepted before the worke be accepted and no person can please without faith that purifieth the heart and there is no such heart where religion dependeth not vpon the true worship of the law of God and by consequent there is no good faith where the heart is not cleansed by the spirit of God Since then a man must first be good before he can doe good it is impossible that anie man erronious in religion should produce a good worke Externall righteousnesse and the morall vertues of the Papists is a vizard that bleares manie mens eies and wee say that they are honest as well may we say it of them that hanged vp the Lord Iesus thinking he had spoken blasphemie because being but a poore wretch to see to he challenged himselfe to be the Sonne of God and in this doing they thought they had done God an excellent peece of seruice And for Paul before his conuersion who could except against his life nay as he testifieth of himselfe Philip. 3. â— hee walked according to all the ordinances the law prescribed yet after hee was called he accounted all his morall righteousnesse but as the excrement of a dogge And if religion do not distinguish betweene men the heathen shall condemne both vs and them who by the meere instinct of nature liued in the hatred of grosse sinnes and walked soberly without exception and yet are they already damned For first we must be good by grace and being adopted into Christ then we doe good and of all the trees of the forest as Ezec. 15.3 there is none but is better then the vine if it beare not grapes for the oake is good for timber and euerie tree may serue for some good vse but the farments of the vine if it be not clustered is fit for nothing but for the fire The Papists are good as okes to build monasteries and to set vp houses and places of religion but an vnfaithfull and vnfruitfull Protestant and Professor is good for nothing being but a rotten bough or branch of a fruitlesse and barren vine but to be burned So that to iudge a worke to be good it must bee good both quo ad fontem quo ad finem proceeding from an honest heart and driuing to a right end the glory of God to whom I owe honor Further to come to the true knowledge of good fruit let vs know what bad fruit is which is double first sinnes in substance such as are contrarie to the expresse commandement of God as adulterie is absolutely a sinne in Dauid as wel as in any other secondly sinnes by circumstance as giuing of almes Matt. 23.5 onely when the trumpet sounds to be seene of men or to come into the sanctuarie with a purpose to pray and presently to returne to his vomit againe for the Lord abhorreth what himselfe commandeth Esay 66. if it be not doâ—â— with that heart he commandeth The sacrifice of a sheepe is 〈◊〉 his sight as the bloud of a man not that he hateth the action but the hypocrisie in the action which staineth the whole a Hagg. 2.13 if an vncleane person touch the holy flesh the flesh it selfe is vncleane but holie flesh maketh not other flesh holy which was not so before Further obserue where it is said Euery tree that bringeth 〈◊〉 foorth good fruit shall be hewne downe that it is not enough not to doe euill but it is damnable not to do good for he doth not say the tree that brings foorth no fruit but that brings not forth good fruit For it is not enough for Zacheus Luk. 19 after his conuersion to be no poller or robber of
he thrust his sickle into the haruest Howbeit this order of proceeding against knowne and infamous sinners as to thrust snarling dogs out of the Church to cast the acornes among swine is not to be done by euery priuate man but by the church and congregation and if they admit any such the fault lieth in them not in those that ioyne with them for the children may take their appointed foode though some snarling and snatching curres and bastards stand by And where it is said in another place by this Apostle Eate not with him it is not meant of the Communion at the Lords table but that wee must haue no familiaritie with him not take delight in his companie Further out of the reason giuen why they were not in the flesh namely because the spirit of God was in them we gather that a man may be sure of his saluation and this is the whole drift of S. Paul in this Chapter to secure the elect of the euerlasting loue of God in his Sonne sensiblie felt in themselues for hee beginneth with this generall ground of their comfort That there is no condemnation to them that are in Christ then must they needs be saued But now all the question is who they be that are ingrafted into Christ for proofe hereof he descendeth to examine the particular course of their life which is visibly seene to all but particularly and best knowne to ones selfe this is if they walke in the spirit by a religious kinde of conuersation and their way in this is discerned by their life in the spirit that is by their ioy and comfort in godlinesse and this spirituall life is seene by not gratifying the flesh in the lustes and desires thereof and this crossing and correcting of the flesh in the pride of her lusts is seene by crucifying and killing of it with the affections thereof that is not onely beating and pressing it downe but stifling and braining of it altogether and this violence to the flesh is performed by them that haue suffered with Christ in the flesh that is that haue not listened or giuen eare to the pleasures of sinne but haue Heb. 12.1 cast away that presseth downe and the corruption that hangeth so fast on and this is done by them 1. Pet. 4.1 that cease from sinne that is that slip into it vnawares as a bird into a snare and such bee they as bestow the rest of their time after the will of God and his will being our worke we cannot but please him pleasing him it is his pleasure Lu. 12 32. to giue vs a kingdome Besides we may know whether we haue the spirit of God in vs or no as appeareth 1. Cor. 2.11.12 No man knoweth the things of man saue the spirit of a man euen so the things of God knoweth no man but the spirit of God which we haue receaued that we might know the things are giuen to vs of God which proueth that as we know our owne thoughts or words so the spirit of God in vs maketh knowen the wil of God to vs as far as is needful to be reuealed if we then know the will of God we may assure our selues we know his spirit to be in vs for his wil is not known without his spirit this spirit teaching truth but the spirit of the world broching error And 1. Io. 4.13 hereby know we that we dwel in Christ and he in vs because he hath giuen vs of his spirit which prooueth that though we know not what maner of thing the spirit is because it is inuisible and secret yet we may know we haue it by the fruits of a sanctified life after this maner speaketh Paul 2. Corint 13.5 Know yee not that Christ is in you except you be reprobates And yet the Papists would haue all reprobates counting it presumption to say we haue the spirit It is true if any presume he hath it when his life is not answerable to it he is deceaued and abused by presumption but if wee walke and trade in the spirit by a holy conuersation we may be sure we haue it for that is the argument of the Apostle that our sanctification is an vndoubted testimonie and an assured certaintie that Christ dwelleth in vs for there being but two spirits that rule in the hearts of all men the one the spirit of the world the other the spirit of God why should not our course be as prophane as others and our carriage runne after the flesh aswell as theirs if the mightier and stronger that is the spirit of Christ did not possesse our soules Yet say they No man can secure himselfe he shall be saued But as we may be sure of the spirit so may we likewise be of the riches that it bringeth which is saluation for it cannot hide so great a treasure from vs it being as an earnest pennie giuen vs that perfecteth the purchase of our inheritance in heauen for as we may trace a Hare in the snow by her footeing and come to the forme where shee sits euen so by those holy steppes that wee tread and by those spirituall bounds wherein we keepe our thoughts and our affections we may well and certainely perceaue that the spirit leades vs to the seate of God Besides this spirit of God within vs keepeth not his fruit and comfort secret to himselfe but discouereth it to vs and beareth witnesse to our spirits that we are the chosen of God and the spirit of man knowes what is in man whether his heart be filled with hypocrisie or with sinceritie with humilitie or with pride with true zeale or with counterfait that howsoeuer wee may bleare the sight of men by our dissembling yet we carrie our owne eies downe to our heart that see by what false waights we measure our fruits to God that is our religion and our righteousnesse to men that is our conuersation so as we haue a double euidence of our saluation the one backing and strengthening the other which is set foorth 1. Ioh. 5.8 There be three which beare record in earth the spirit and the water and the bloud and these three agree in one and where water is there hath bloud gone before for these two goe together as they came foorth of Christs side together Ioh. 19.34 repentance being the leader and remission of sinnes following after bloud washing away our guiltinesse and water the vncleannesse of our liues and the spirit of Christ sealing vp these things in our hearts that as by the sealing of the conueiance the purchase in law is made perfect so by the setling of our consciences in an vpright course toward God our saluation in Christ is made perfect and sure euen to vs. Yet say they wee cannot assure our selues wee shall thus continue for we haue examples of many that haue begun in the spirit and haue ended in the flesh that haue seemed fruitfull for a while and haue beene barren euer after that
to reprooue vs no more which is the next steppe to damnation or else our conscience will pursue and follow vs with Hue and Crie as not to leaue vs till wee bee taken for resistance and withstanding of our conscience is a cloud not easily ouerblowen a fire not easily to be quenched and an inditement hardly to be trauersed but our sinnes shall stare vs on the face and crie for vengeance Now if our conscience bee brought asleepe by our custome in sinne either we shall die in this benummednesse and dulnesse of heart a most fearefull signe of reprobation and after death it shall weepe it fill in hell or else if the Lord do shew vs mercy after the sense and feeling of sinne so long discontinued he doth it as it were by the burning feuer of desperation for that is the cure of a Lethargy and doth so presse vs downe vnder the weight and burden of sinne as that horror shall be without and terror within yea wee shall seeme to be cast into the deepe of deepes and euery small sinne shall seeme accompanied with the huge hammer of the Lords wrath to bruise vs in peeces Further obserue as the Lords spirit alone cannot bring vs that heauenly security and blessed assurance of our eternall peace we hope for nor our owne spirits alone cannot do it so it must be the testimonie of both these concurring and meeting together For some are merely morall without religion thinking by a ciuill cariage of themselues to winne the sight of God others haue either a true zeale of a false religion as Paul had before his conuersion Rom. 7.9.10 or else they may be religious in shew hauing a counterfeit zeale of a true religion as the Laodiceans had Reuel 3.15 and yet both these thinke in their conscience they shall be saued when in truth they are as farre from the thing it selfe as they are neere to the conceit of it Another sort there is that deceiue themselues most grossely â—â—â—ken of Prouerb 30.11 There is a generation pure in their owne eies and yet they are not washed from their filthinesse that is from their open and enormous sins So as besides the opinion we must haue of our selues that we stand in Gods fauour wee must shew the seale of the Lord that is his spirit or else there is no sound ioy or any comfortable security that we shall be saued 1. Iohn 5.10 And for our actions euery of which must haue the allowance of our conscience wee must marke that a good intent will not make a good action for they that condemned Christ did it because he made himselfe equall with God Iohn 19.7 Iohn 5.18 which was expresly against the law written and therefore thought they had in this done God high and honorable seruice but Christ crieth Luk. 23.34 Father forgiue them they know not what they doe So Peter when Christ foretelleth of his death had an earnest desire to aduise his master to spare himselfe and therefore Mat. 16.22 he tooke Christ aside rebuked him but Christ vers 23. looking backe with an angry countenance bids him get him behind Sathan as being onely worldly wise and not vnderstanding the things that are of God So as we must know to the performance of a good worke the allowance of the heart and the warrant of the word of God must go together Verse 17. If we be children we are also heires euen the heires of God and heires annexed with Christ if so be that we suffer with him that we may also be glorified with him This is inferred by direct consequent to that that went before as vers 13. where the Apostle exhorting to reformation of life doth it by a double contrary so as they insue and follow one another thus They that mortifie the deeds of the flesh are led by the spirit by being thus directed by the spirit they are assured that they are the sons of God by being his sons that they shall haue an inheritance therfore they that liue a holy life must needs be saued And because it might be ouestionable how this title of being Gods children is giuen vnto vs he hath resolued it befoâ—â— vers 15. by a double argument because the Lord in the Goâ—pell doth offer vs such grace as we may come freely and boldly to him as to a father and we stand not now in that terror that was in the deliuery of the Law but we are freed from that bondage The second argument was vers 16. because the spirit doth seale this euidence vnto vs that as our heart doth know what is in vs so doth the spirit also and this spirit doth witnesse that we are children and being children then we be heires which is the scope the Apostle driueth at in this 17. verse When the Apostle saith We are heiâ—â—s of God he setteth down what manner of inheritance it is that we shall haue heereafter not an earthly but a kingdome and a possession of eternity as that the Lord will neuer leaue vs till he hath lifted vs vp to that celestiall place where Christ himselfe sitteth Psal 84.10 It had been great fauor if we might haue been as Dauid speaketh but doore-keepers in the kingdome of heauen nay it might well haue satisfied vs if only our sinnes had beene pardoned or if we had been but the Lords friends or of his acquaintance so as any way hee would haue respected vs considering our rebellion but besides all this to be restored to our former honour nay to haue greater priuiledge then euer Adam had in his first integrity and to be aduanced to the Lords owne throne if all the hearts of men were one heart the full measure of this ioy and the depth of this the Lords loue could not once enter in nor be conceiued And fellow-heires with Christ This is to set forth the certaintie of the place of our inheritance God hath life for he is the fountaine of it but he dwelleth in fire Esay 33.14 and in a place not to be attained vnto therefore the Apostle setteth downe heere heâ—â— we come to it namely in Christ as it is 1. Iohn 5.11 God hath giuen vs eternall life and that life is in the Sonne and by his mediation is conueied to vs. Secondly in that we are fellow-heires with Christ note the excellency of the Lords fauour not only to giue vs life and to place vs with Angels but euen with his owne Sonne Whereby we see that his eare was open to the praier of Christ which he made â—â—ttle before his agony Iohn 17.20 I pray saith he for all that thou hast giuen me that thou wouldest Father 〈◊〉 them with the same loue thou louest me and crowne thâ—â—â— with 〈…〉 glory thou crownest me 〈◊〉 of this ariseth two comfortable priuiledges which the â—â—â—t haâ—e first if wee be heires with Christ in heauen much more are we heires of the transitory blessings of this life and being heires with him wee haue
him but answereth him with one onelie word of detestation Auoid Sathan For the blasphemous may not bee reasoned with if they should it would make them but burst foorth into greater outrage against the peareles and matchlesse wisedome of God giuing vs likewise by this answer secretly to vnderstand that whosoeuer goeth about to withdraw vs from God is of the diuell so likewise are they that seeke by reason to disswade vs from the shame of the crosse Therefore Mat. 16.23 when Christ indeuoured to preuent the ignominy should come vpon the crosse and to make his disciples and the rest vnuanquishable when it should come it is said there Peter tooke him aside and vsed reasons to disswade him from such 〈◊〉 comfortable speeches whereupon Christ not mildly but sharply being displeased with this carnall excoption of his bids him 〈◊〉 Sathan that is as a great enemy to him and others And so whensouer flesh and bloud shal take exception against the mystery of godlinesse it is thus sharply to bee reproued Heereupon Rom. 3.31 exceptions being taken that the law serued to no vse because Christs obedience had absolutely purchased our pardon the Apostle in like wisdome of the spirit of God answereth not onely by a simple deniall but by a deniall with a detestatioâ—â— God forbid as that it is blasphemy to be of such opinion And sometime to this phrase the Apostle addeth more as Rom. 3.8 not replying one word but onely saith their damnation is iust rather setting before them their cursed end then conuincing them by reason for as Salomon saith A foole may not bee answered in his folly Out of the second answer which Christ maketh for our instruction and satisfaction obserue that God must haue both all outward and inward worship so as it is impious to thinke a man can keepe his soule for God when hee humbleth his bodie to strange gods and in this hee doth withdraw his reuerencâ— from his owne religion either through feare or profanenâ—â—â—â— reaching foorth part of the worship to another But wee must know God will haue both and in creating both hee challengeth both besides that of them both hee hath made but one man which cannot be diuided but goeth together For we are not baptised in our bodies onely but in our soules out soules only were not redeemed neither shall they onely bee saâ—ed but the whole man If the bodie then be the Lords both by creation and by redemption let vs giue testimony of his worship in both otherwise it is as if a woman should protest she loued her husband at the heart and in her soule and yet should prostitute her bodie to vncleannesse but wee are espoused and maried to the Lord therefore let vs keepe both for him vnspotted Lastly out of the diuels argument let vs learne to feare and serue the Lord for if gifts may draw on worship as he pretendeth by his proffer to Christ then hath the Lord offered farre more largely for vs I will giue thee saith he eternall life and it is no aduantage to winne the world and to take the diuels offer and after to lose our soules But let vs set God on our right hand in him we liue in him wee haue our being it is hee that feedeth vs with naturall and supernaturall things and blessings godlinesse hauing the promises of this life and of the life to come 1. Tim. 4.8 hee will make vs heires of the earth the world standing for our sakes we shall be heires of heauen Ioh. 1â— 2 Christ hauing prepared places for vs in his fathers house yea fellow heires with his owne Sonne tasting of no other loue Ioh. 17.24 nor feeling any other glory then his Sonne hath and therefore in the iudgement of the diuell hee shall worthily bee damned that refuseth so large an offer at Gods hand who giueth and neuer vpbraideth pardoneth and neuer reperteth Then the diuell left him c. This is the third part namely the issue and euent of the temptations had and sustained by Christ set downe in two things first that when the diuell could not ouercome him he left him secondly that the Angels attended and ministred For the first by this vnderstand that as Christ was tempted for vs and in our flesh ouercame for vs in his person so wee haue good and comfortable security that vsing the same meanes hee did according as we shall be enabled and through the grace of the same spirit wee also shall ouercome the Prince of darknesse for wee must not thinke our selues freed from these assaults the life of a Christian being a warfare the world the campe the first registring and inrolling of vs being in baptisme where we tooke a vow to be true to the Lord Iesus Christ is our victorious Captaine our enemies are the world without vs the flesh within vs as accessaries and the diuell as principall besides temptations on both hands Now the power we haue to repell these is the sword of the spirit the word of God the schoole where we learne this defence is the Church of God where we finde weapons both offensiue and defensiue a shield of faith to defend our selues and a sword of the word to offend the enemy And this may bee our comfort his rage will haue an end and his malice shall not preuaile but as Saint Iames saith If we resist him Iames 4.7 he will flie from vs that is he will hasten as fast away as he came fiercely toward vs for heere is promised victory to all that striue infeare For the second generally we note how it pleased God by wisdome and dispensation to dispose of the exinanition as I may so tearme it or the impairing and abasing of Christ while he was in the flesh that in the midst of the greatest ignominy and reproch yet he bore some marke and badge of his notable and diuine power whereby by the eies of faith hee might bee discerned to be the Sonne of God His basenesse appeareth in this that he liued in the wildernesse he was assaulted of the diuell he had no company but beasts hee was hungry and had no food but stones Sathan was busie with him to make him tempt his Father and in all this there was nothing but ignominy and extreame basenesse But after all this there breaketh foorth like the Sunne through the clouds a matter which maketh him knowen and discerned to be more then a man that the Angels come to doe him seruice And thus did it euer fall our that hee was neuer brought so low nor so neare the ground but there did at last shine forth an impregnable worke of his diuinity hee was borne in a stable his Cradle was a Manger there was lodging in the Inne but none for Mary Mat. 22. yet was there then a starre in the heauens to signifie to the Wise-men the birth of this noble personage hee was baptised by Iohn his seruant Mat 3.15.16 but a voice was heard from
grace of God the second is the matter of instruction and this is to be considered two waies first by shewing what things we are to forbeare which is twofold first vngodlinesse in respect of religion secondly worldly lusts as furtherers to prophannesse Secondly by shewing what things we must incline vnto which be three first sobrietie of life secondly to liue righteously toward men for the duties of the second table thirdly to liue religeouslie in respect of the worship of God Last in verse 13 there is propounded an effectuall meanes whereby we may be the better affected and more earnestly prouoked 〈◊〉 follow this counsell which is an expectation or hoping for of a more excellent glorie which shall be giuen at the appearing of the Lord Iesus for hardly can a man throughly mortifie himselfe vnlesse he propound to himselfe a more excellent reward in the life to come For the first that is the grace of God which is the teacher this that is so called heere may be iudged and resolued to be the Gospell or the doctrine of the Gospell by the end of the tenth verse that yee may saith the Apostle adorne the doctrine of the Gospell which is called grace by the effect it worketh in the hearts of men namely because it bringeth vs to the grace of Christ through the remission of our sinnes in his precious bloud And therefore Paul Rom. 1.16 calleth the Gospell the power of God vnto saluation to euery one that beleeueth whatsoeuer he bee Iew or Grecian and Eph. 1.13 sheweth how that by trusting and beleeuing in the word of truth the Gospel of our saluation we are sealed with the holie spirit of promise And 2. Thes 2.10 the reason is giuen why men are reiected and cast from Christ because they receiue not the loue of the truth that they might be saued For as S. Peter saith 1. Pet. 4.17.18 Where shall the vngodly and the sinner appeare and what shall be the and of them that obey not the Gospell Secondly this grace of God doth perswade vs thus to liue as is heere prescribed by this token that it bringeth saluation so as obserue he doth not say simply The grace of God hath appeared and teacheth vs c. but that grace which bringeth saluation doth beseech and teach vs to reforme our liues because saluation is already purchased Euen so Christ and his forerunner Iohn Baptist Matt. 3.2 preached amendement of life for remission of sinnes because the kingdome of God was at hand that is the Gospell so called because none shall enter into that kingdome that hath not first entered into the kingdome of grace So Paul when he had folded and enwrapped all vnder sinne and had taught the points of our predestination Rom. 9.10 in the 12. chapter and 1. verse he beseecheth them by the bowels of the Lord Iesus to be renewed in their mindes and reformed in their liues And Rom. 6.12 he exhorteth them that sinne may not raigne nor haue dominion ouer them because they are called to the grace of the Gospell to bee iustified in the blood of Christ So Peter 1. Pet. 1.17 from our redemption draweth an exhortation to new life If saith he yee call God father passe your time in feare and Paul 1. Cor. 6.20 exhorteth to glorifie God in our members because we are his and not our owne being bought with a great price So as this is the most effectuall persawsion that can bee â— Cor. 7. â— because we are alreadie washed to keepe ourselues cleane Further obserue that the Gospell being brought in heere not simply perswading vs to purity cleannesse of life but as bringing saluation with it that as all benefites may perswade so there bee three sorts of benefites especially that may perswade most of which saluation is the greatest The first kind of benefite to perswade by is deliuerance from some great extremity the second is an aduancement from a base estate to some high dignity the third is a benefite that ioyneth both these together and this is most forcible How farre the first of these may preuaile Dauid sheweth 1. King 1.29 who when hee would assure Barsheba his wife that Salomon should succeed him in his kingdome to giue the best security he could he protested As the Lord liueth that hath deliuered my soule from aduersity thy sonne Salomon shall raigne after me as if he should say as hee was to bee thankfull and obedient to the Lord for these his deliuerances so he would pledge and gage this to her vpon the certainety of Salomons succession For the second sort when from a base condition a man is aduanced to some speciall preferment and how this preuaileth appeareth in Ioseph Gen. 39.8.9 who by the force of this argument beateth backe the assaults of his Ladie and Mistresse for he bearing in minde the speciall benefites of his master towards him reasoneth thus I Ioseph by my masters fauour am now the greatest in all his house being at first a bond-man there is nothing but he hath committed to my charge onely thee hath he reserued to him selfe how is it possible then I should commit such a villany to so kinde and bountifull a master making his owne aduancement as a bulwarke to driue backe the siege of his mistresse incontinency thereby euen to stoppe her mouth by appealing to her owne conscience that weighing how his master had dealt with him there could bee no excuse for him if hee should commit such a villany For the third wherein both these concurre what heart can bee so vngratefull as not to bee perswaded to yeeld obedience to him that hath performed both these If a man committing some criminall offence and when the stroke was euen ready to be giuen in that very instant of his anguished minde as for death it selfe so for so shamefull a death the King should send him a pardon and after aduance him to some honorable office therby to grace him for his former indignitie and to cleare him of his former blemish if this man should haue any suite recommended to him from his King which sute should carry with it some remembrance of his deliuerance were it possible for that man but to execute this commandement and to further this suite with great loyaltie Surely hee could not but doe it Let vs see then how farre the Gospell may preuaile with vs since it hath brought saluation which implieth and presupposeth that there was damnation before for wee were the heires of Sathan without Christ without light wrapped in the chaines of darknesse ordained not to the execution of the gibbet but to bee iudged after the passing of a few daâ—es in trouble and vanity to be tormented eternally with the damned from this hath the Gospell brought vs therefore when we are tempted to sinne we should say vnto our selues As the Lord liueth that hath deliuered my soule from death I will not doe it and haue this suite commended vnto thee not to wallow in the
wel-head or to bee good without God for where there is no zeale there is no faith where no faith no conscience where no conscience no loue and shewing our loue not for conscience we may for our charitie go to the diuel for a man must first be good before he can doe good and good he cannot be without God 1. Sam. 6.17 The workes such a man doth may bee perhaps like the Emeraulds of the Philistims varnished ouer with gold that is make a faire shew in the sight of men but if they proceed no further that is to haue the testimonie of the spirit that they bee wrought by his hand they are most abominable before the face of God Wilt thou set a face as if thou wroughtest well because thou wilt not take the penaltie of an obligation and yet thou wilt prosecute a matter against a preacher for a superstitious ceremonious beggerly element What good worke is this to speake well of all men and yet at euerie word to wound to bloud to heart the holy one of Israel What is it not to hurt thy neighbour to be a friend to thy friend and yet to be an enemie to the friend of God What great worke is it not to beate false witnesse and yet priuily to suggest against him thou darest not reproue to his face So as vnlesse our doing of good arise from religion wee may easily straine at a gnat and swallow a Camel heare Iohn Baptist gladly for a time Mat. 6.20 and chop off his head afterward as Herod did Matth. 14.10 Now as for moralists and such as transforme themselues according to the times they are as Iude 13. tearmeth them the raging waues of the sea foaming out their owne â—â—me as the wind serueth and like the wandring starres of the â—â—â—ament vnconstant and vnsteddy void of faith for sides must be firma non ambulatoria we must haue a standing not a walking faith and as without faith they cannot please God so except they please God they shall not be saued She tooke them and sent them away Where learne it is not enough for vs not to hurt a man that professeth religion but wee must doe him good euen as this harlot wrought not enough in receiuing the spies and then to haue left them to their owne hazard but as in obedience she did receiue them so in faith she must safely send them away Yea we are bound by praier by purse by person by credit by countenance to releeue them not onely to thinke well of them and to like them so farre must we be from vexing them For if Obadiah 1. King 18.4 had onely hid the Prophets of God and had not fed them it bad beene but halfe a good worke Heereupon is it that in the last day in the sentence of the reprobate shall neuer be mentioned what euill they haue done as that they haue bitten by this vsury or polluted their bodies by that whoredome but there shall be recited onely the good they did not as Mat. 25.41 for not clothing the naked for not visiting the sicke for not releeuing the poore brethren for Rahab must not onely conceale and hide the spies but shee must send them away safe And if the sentence of iudgement drawne in this forme cannot affect vs let vs further know that though euill is the absence of good yet good is not the absence of euill for Rahabs worke is but lame if she doe but harbour them and if she doe not finish it by letting them foorth it shall neuer bee registred as a worke of faith For looke Iudg. 5.23 Cursed be Meroz that came not to helpe the Lord against be mighty not because he did persecute the Lord or did him any hurt but because he helped him not And wee see Rahab vpon this least knowledge of God â—entred her life to saue them Besides we shall read in the Gospell that the greatest torment of the glutton is Luk. 16.25 that he gaue Laâ—aruâ— no water not that hee was an extortioner or that hee spurned the poore man from his doore By all which examples we are taught that where religion is oppâ—â—sted by all meanes and in all things we can to releeue the Gospell for the good we haue omitted and the euill we haue committed shall come to iudgement Lastly marke the words Rahab the harlot which reprochfull speech must not bee referred to the present state of her conuersion but to her former conuersation as if hee should say Rahab that once had beene a whore for none truly conuerted can remaine in their former sinne but if hee doe after his conuersion fall into some grosse sinne as Dauid did in killing Vriah 2. Sam. 11.17 the Lord will scourge him as hee did Dauid And to bee raised vp of the Lord after such a relapse must not bee by slubbering vp our repentance but we must so be humbled as to feele drinesse in our bones with griefe as Dauid did Psal 32.4 And we shall neuer receiue comfort vntill wee haue soundly and seriously repented Whereupon we gather that the Lord regardeth not what sinnes we haue committed before our regeneration so that after our conuersion we walke worthy of our calling for many that were whores and wicked were conuerted As Luk. 7.37 she that washed Iesus feete with the teares of her eyes and heart and wiped them with the haire of her head had beene a whore but wee read not that after that she was any more so So Zaccheus Luk 19.5 was an extortioner before Christ called him from the tree but we reade not that he euer tooke peny vsury after And Mat. 20.20 such bee inuited to the supper as bee patched and lame to expresse our spirituall beggery but after we are come thither wee must haue the wedding garment of a good conscience For Saul was a persecutor of the Church before hee was called Act. 9.2 but wee nerer reade that he was so after his conuersion For if we continue in a sinne looke what followeth euen in this life 1. Cor. 5.11 If any that is a professor be a whore-monger eate not with him that is forbeare thy priuate familiarity with him so then being conuerted wee must shew our repentance from those sinnes wherein before we were fallen as the repentance from vsury is liberality the repentance from pride is bumility from whoredome chastity for repentance is the leauing of thy sinne and the cleauing to the contrary vertue and it is no repentance to leaue thy sinne when it must or hath left thee as vpon thy death bed to reâ—eâ—â— thee of thy vsurie when thou canst take no more or in thy age to repent thee of thy lecherie when thou canst satisfie it no more but to repent from thy sinne is as 1. Peter 4.1 to suffer in the flesh to suffer in the flesh is to cease from sinne and to cease from sinne is not onely to leaue thy sinne but to spend the rest of thy time