may bee here noted and that concerns the priuiledge of weak Christians viz that they are esteemed of God and not depriued of his fauour or care for them because they are weak 1. Parents loue their little children as well as their elder children so doth God 2. Parents prouide meanes to bring vp their little children so doth God They shall haue sincere milk to make them growe 3. Parents prouide such as shall tend their children and little ones so doth God hee hath committed them to the charge of Christ so as the least grace in them shall be preserued though it were but like a bruised reed or the smoking week of a candle Math. 11. 4. Parents beare with the naturall weaknes of their children without lessning their fondnes to them so doth God with infinite indulgence Psalm 103. 5. Parents will not endure it to let them be wronged or hurt and much more wo shall be vnto them that offend one of Gods little ones Math. 18. 6. Parents prouide portions inheritances for their little children so doth GOD acknowledge them for his heires yea heires with Christ his eldest son Rom. 8.17 A fift point that may be noted from hence is that onely conuerted Christians can desire the sincere milk of the word with true affection wicked men can no more affectionately desire the word than a dead childe or no childe can do the breast Quest. But haue wicked men no desire after the word Ans. They may haue but onely it is for the most part in two cases First when they desire to hear the word onely for mens wittes or eloquence or the like carnall ends and so they desire not the sincere milk of the word Secondly in the case of a temporary faith where the delight and desire after the word is not constant like the appetite of a childe to the breast for they wil fall away in the time of temptation and all their desires proue but as the morning deaw Desire the sincere milk of the word Hitherto of the first reason taken from the consideration of their present estate and need of the word The second reason is taken from the consideration of the nature of the word which they should desire It is sincere pure there is no deceit no mixture in it And it is milk it is wonderfull apt for nourishment Ther are two things then heer said of the word in praise of it First that it is milk secondly that it is sincere Milk This is a metaphor Sometimes by milk is meant a man that is godly cast into affliction by which God strains all the moats of corruption from him while his heart is poured out like milk with grief and fear Thus Iob saith of himself GOD had strained him out like milk Iob 10. verse 10. Sometimes by milk is meant the rudiments of religion the principles and grounds of Catechism and so it differeth from strong meat so it is taken Heb. 5.12 1. Cor. 3.2 Sometimes it signifieth the word of God in generall which is giuen to the Church for nourishment of their soules to eternall life and so it is taken heer as in Esay 55.1 the word is called both milk and wine and water and in other places hony It is hony for the sweetnes of it It is wine for the power it hath to reuiue and refresh the spirit of man and make his heart glad It is water for cooling and quenching of his spirituall thirst and it is milk for nourishment It doth more for nursing vp mans soule than the milk of the breast can for the bodies of infants The consideration whereof should work in vs the desire to which the Apostle heer exhorteth and withall wee should bring with vs faith to beleeue that Gods word shall turn to our nourishment Shall wee trust nature for the goodnes of milk and shall we not trust God for the efficacy of his word when hee tels vs it will nourish like milk And the rather should wee make our recourse with gladnes to the word because it is so cheap a food wee may buy this milk without money that is without merits onely if wee will hear our soules shall liue Esay 55.2.4 yea let vs for euer be thankfull to God for his word in this respect Was it so great a blessing that GOD brought the Israelites to a land that flowed with milk and hony for their bodies for the greatnes of which blessing God doth so often put them in minde of it How great then is the maruellous goodnes of God that hath made vs to liue in these times of the Gospell when the Land flowes with this spirituall milk and hony Let vs labour to bee thankfull and bring forth fruits worthy the bounty of God leâ—t the Lord send the men of the East to dwell in these palaces and to eat our milk and we be cast out as it was said in the Letter Ezech. 25.4 Oh that wee could see our happinesse in these daies of saluation This is that milk of the Gentiles prophecied of which wee enjoy and suck now from the breasts of Kings liuing vnder christian Magistrates that command the preaching of this sincere word of God Esay 60.16 Sincere The word may be said to bee sincere in two respects First in it self secondly in effect In it self it is sincere because it is without error without sinne and there is no deceit in it at all Pro. 8.7.8 Psalm 19.8.9 and because it hath no composition in it but is the very pure word of God as it came from God himself at first There is not a word in it but it was written by men inspired immediatly by the holy Ghost 2. Pet. 1. vlt. And as it is in it self so it is by effect It makes men sincere It makes crooked things straight It purgeth out hypocrisie and all leauen out of the mindes and hearts of men It both teacheth and worketh in the godly a spirit without guile Psalm 19.8.9 The Vse may be both for Instruction and Reproof For Instruction both to the people and to Ministers To the people and so men should heer learn First to loue the word and long after it for this very reason because it is so pure and sincere so void of harm or danger so did Dauid Psalm 119.146 Secondly when we finde our natures crooked and corrupt and deceitfull and tending to hypocrisie we should bring our hearts to the word to be mended For this you see is a property of the word It will make men sincere Psal. 19.8.9 and 119. Iohn 17.20 and as any men haue more betaken themselues to the word the more sincere they haue alwaies growne Thirdly to receiue the word with full assurance wee may trust vpon it it cannot deceiue vs what wee finde for comfort or directions in Scripture we may build vpon it Neuer man was disappointed of his expectation that trusted vpon the word of God but in God they haue euer praised his word 2. Pet.
the laying of the foundation of the earth Now it is euident that those two things hee did of himself of nothing without any means Lastly that place in Hebr. 12.9 is most cleer The words are these Wee haue had the fathers of our flesh which chastised vs and we reuerenced them how much more should wee bee subiect to the Father of our spirits and liue Where is a manifest antithesis between the flesh and the Spirit and the fathers of our flesh and God the Father of our spirit wee had our flesh from our parents and our spirit from God I might adde the reason taken from the manner of giuing of the soule of Christ for he was made in all things like to vs sin onely excepted Now it is euident that Christ's soule was not begot by carnall propagation and therefore it was created of God Obiect Now against this is strongly obiected that if the soule be created immediately of God then it is created either pure or sinfull if pure then how is it that the soule is guilty of originall sinne if impure then how can it be auoided but that God must be the Author of sin Answer This reason draue diuerse of the Fathers in the time of Hierome especially the Western Fathers to beleeue that the soule was propagated from the parents and Saint Augustine is doubtfull which opinion to take to the inconueniences of each opinion seemed so great But other Diuines answer this obiection in this manner First that the soule is created of God pure but ioined to a body conceiued in sinne which is no iniustice in God because hee deliuers the soule but into such an estate as man had cast himself into by his owne wilfull sinne bringing this corruption not onely vpon himself but vpon all his posterity who fell in him Hee by agreement with GOD being as the common sort of mankinde was with him to stand or fall in that generall respect Nor may it be doubted but that the body may work vpon the soule as we see by experience when the body is full of cholerick humours it inclines the soule to anger and so when the body is burdened with melancholy humours it euidently makes sadnes euen in the very minde c. Another answer may be this God creates the soule pure but yet that soule is guilty of owing though not of dooing debendi though not agendi it is charged with the debt of Adam as children may be charged with their fathers debts Now this is one part of originall sinne As for the other of corrupt inclination it is to answer modestly if we say we vnderstand not being assured of two things The one that God is the Father of spirits and the other that all men are infected with sinne from the womb Both are to bee beleeued though in this life we cannot explicate it and what hurt is it if wee bee ignorant how sinne entred into our natures seeing it concerns vs to knowe it is there and to learn how to get our natures recouered Obiection 2. Other liuing creatures beget the like to themselues both in body and in soule too and therefore by this doctrine men should bee more vnable and vnperfect than any liuing creature For if hee doo begette but onely the body he doth not beget one in specie like to himself Answer Though GOD create the soule yet it followes not but that it may bee truely said that man begets a man and that hee is not more vnperfect in generation than any other creature for First the Virgin Mary did bear Christ man in her womb and Christ man is said to bee of the seed of the Virgin and yet his soule was created of God as hath been shewed before Secondly though there bee some dissimilitude in the generation of man and of a beast yet it doth not follow that man is more vnperfect As for instance The beast begettes his young and brings him forth strong couered with a hide able to feed himselfe presently full of leaping and other actions But man brings foorth an Infant weak crying naked vnable to feede it selfe What is man therefore more vnperfect No. For the perfection of generation doth not consist of these things or in these things For heere man excels all other liuing creatures in the world in generation because hee is Gods instrument for the begetting of a body fit to be vnited to such a soule God also doth heereby commend the generation of man and dignify it that hee is pleased so to work in mans generation as he doth not in any other creature vouchsafing to giue vnto mans generation such an admirable soule to his body For therefore was the creation of the first man more excellent then the creation of other creatures because God hauing framed his body of the dust of the earth did infuse such a soule into him Obiect It is a peeuish obiection that some make thus If God create the soule in all men then when any is born of Adulterie God should cooperate with the adulterer and so be either the Author or the approuer of the sin that will giue the soule to such a wicked generation Solut. Some answer thus that God is not the author or approuer because out of euill he onely workes good for his owne glory Others answer That God onely cooperates with the action not with the sinne of the action or the euill of the action or the euill which is in the will of the agents But the best answer is theirs that answer by a similitude thus The earth hath receiued her nature and vigour from God to nourish and bring foorth the seed that is cast into it without difference whether the seed bee lawfully taken out of the barne or stolne by fraud The stolne graine doth not cease to growe in the earth nor is it to bee expected that nature should cast out such seed and yet the earth doth not iustifie the action of him that stole the grain so is it with God that works according to the grounds of nature and his owne decree and prouidence He is not to be blamed for the euill of the action when he works according to the rules of nature and will glorifie himselfe by raising a frame of good out of that which by men was ill done Obiect 4. Wee see that children resemble the vertues or vices of their parents and therefore as from the bodies of their parents they receiue a likenes to them in body so is it that from their soules they receiue this similitude of their vertues or vices Solut. Experience shewes that this is not alwaies true For many children haue no resemblance in them of their parents qualities Secondly where this is true it is not because their soules are deriued from the soules of their parents but they haue it from the bodies of their parents For the soule after suffers from the sympathy with the body as by reason of certaine humours in the bodies of parents that incite
must beseech the Lord to quicken them Psal. 119.37 and to inlarge their hearts verse 32. especially to giue them vnderstanding verse 34. and to open their eies to see the wonderfull things of his law verse 18. Thirdly they must chuse an effectuall Ministery to liue vnder it such as is executed with power and demonstration to the conscience 2. Cor. 4.2 Fourthly they must remember the Sabbath day and that they doo when they empty their heads and hearts of all cares of life which might choak the word diligently dooing their owne works on the six daies and finishing them that they may bee free for the Lords work on the seuenth day The cares of life choke the word Matthew 13. Fiftly they must conuerse much if it be possible with affectionate Christians For as iron sharpneth iron so doth the exemplary affection of the tender-hearted whet-on the dull spirits of others Sixtly they must purge often They must bee frequent in the duties of humiliation by solemn fasting and praier and sound confession striuing when they feel fulnesse to growe vpon them to disburden their hearts and to quicken their spirits more forcibly to the loue of Gods name and word Quest. But what must such doo as haue gotten some affections to the word that they neyther lose them nor be vnprofitable in them Ans. They must look to diuerse things First they must hate vain thoughts take heed of those secret vanities of imagination and that delightfull contemplation of euill in the minde Psalm 119.113 Secondly they must try all things and keep that which is good They must hear with judgement and make speciall account of such parcels of doctrine as do most fit their particular needs labouring by all means that such truths run not out 1. Thes. 5.21 Thirdly they must take heed of itching eares For where mens desires are still carried after new men they are in great danger of fulnesse or of declining and which is worse of being carried about with diuerse doctrines and at length to be a prey to deceitfull mockers Fourthly they must preserue by all means the fear and trembling at Gods presence and humiliation of minde For so long as wee can dread the presence of God in his ordinances we are in no danger of losing our loue to the word Psalm 119.120 Lastly in Esay 55.1.2.3 wee may note diuerse things that GOD requires in such as haue the same thirst 1. They must come to means 2. They must buy and bargain with God by praier and vows 3. They must eat that is they must apply it to themselues 4. They must bee instructed against merit in themselues and bring faith to beleeue success though they deserue it not they must buy without money 5. They must harken diligently 6. They must eat that which is good that is they must apply effectually that doctrine they feel to haue life in it 7. Their soules must delight in fatnes that is they must be specially thankfull and cheerfull when God doth enliue his promises and sweeten his words to their tastes 8. They must after all this incline their ear and come to God They must make conscience to striue against dulnes and distractions and seek God in his word still or els their affections may decay and then if they doe this they shall liue and enioy the sure mercies of Dauid by a perpetuall couenant Question But what shall such godly persons as are afflicted with melancholy do in this case of affections Answer They must attend these things First they must be perswaded to see the disease in the body which extends the oppression of it to the very affections Secondly they must remember times that are past and iudge of their estate by what it was before Thirdly they may be infallibly assured that they are in a right way because they desire to liue vprightly and to forsake the corruptions that are in the world Fourthly they must know that it is a greater glory in faith to beleeue now when they feele not then to beleeue when the hart abounded with ioy Fiftly They may iudge of their affection to the word by their preparation before they com and by their only liking of such as loue the word and by their constant frequenting of it and by their sorrow for their dulnes and vnprofitablenes Hitherto of the duty to which hee exhorteth The motiues follow and they are fowre First ye are new borne babes Secondly the word is sincere milk Thirdly ye may thereby growe Fourthly ye haue tasted the sweetnes of the bounty of God in his word already The first reason tels what they are The second what the word is The third what they shall be The fourth what the word hath been As new borne babes These words are taken in diuers senses For properly they signify infants while they are tender and vnweaned from the breast Sometimes they signify vnable men and such as haue no fitnes for their callings so Isai. 3.4 Sometimes they signify such as be weake in faith and in the gifts of the spirit whether they be newly regenerated or lying in sinne 1. Cor. 3.1 Heb. 5.13 and so it is taken heer And so the words are a reason to induce them to an affectionate desire after the word Inasmuch as they are so weak they can no better liue without the word then the child in nature can liue without milk Diuers things may be from hence noted First that grace is wrought in Christians by degrees Christ is reuealed in vs by foure degrees First as a child or little babe new formed and borne Secondly as a yong man in more strength and vigour and comeliness and actiueness Thirdly as a father or old man settled with long experience these three are in this life and mentioned 1. Ioh. 2.14 Now the fourth is when Christ shall appear in vs as the Antient of daies like God himself in a maruelous glorious resemblance of the holiness and properties of God And this shall bee in another world The vse should bee both for thankfulnes if Christ bee formed in vs to any degree and to incite our industry in all the meanes appointed of God seeing wee receiue gifts by degrees and not all at once Secondly that true grace may stand with many weaknesses A childe doth truly liue and yet it is very ignorant infirm weyward fit for little or no imploiment such may Christians be for a time such were the very disciples of Christ for a time such were the Corinthians 1. Cor. 3.1 and the Hebrewes Heb. 5.13 The vse should bee to restraine censuring of others because of their infirmities to haue no grace at all Whereas we should rather bear with them and beleeue all things Rom. 15.2 1. Cor. 13.5 And besides those that are distressed in minde should comfort them selues with this they may bee full of weaknesses and very vnprofitable and yet haue the true life of Christ in them Thirdly that the most
come This would put all other proiects frō the world or the Diuell or the flesh because there can bee nothing in any degree comparable vnto the vnsearchable riches is to be had by Christ. Oh the preferment of a true Christian if he had studied the premises soundly If we could effectually think vpon the fauour of God the pardon of all sinnes the inhabitation of the H. Ghost the gifts of the Spirit and all other sorts of spiritual blessings if there were nothing else to bee had by Christ what can be equal in value to that immortall inheritance reserued for vs in heauen Thirdly we should much thinke of the dignity of the person of Christ of whom it is true that when God brought out his first begotten Sonne hee said Let all the Angels of heauen worship him As also of his transcendent preferment to be carried vp to heauen and there sit at the right hand of the Maiesty on high a King of all Kings euen such a King as all the Kings of the earth must cast downe their Crownes at his feet It is vnspeakeable stupidity that keepes vs from being fired with these things Fourthly we should often contemplate of our interest in Christ and the assurance that he is of God giuen to vs All things are ours because Christ is ours as the Apostle Paul speakes Question But how should we shew that wee do account Christ as deare and precious Answere I answere by diuers things First By longing for his comming againe to vs mourning for our owne absence from him Then wee did indeed soundly shew our loue to Christ when we did feel our hearts affectionately moued with a vehement desire after him It is a dull loue of Christ that can bee content with his absence Secondly while we are heer in this world we may shew the high account wee make of Christ by ioying in him that is by taking comfort in the means of his presence or in the thoughts of his loue to vs when wee can preferre our entertainment in the House of Christ aboue our greatest ioyes on earth Thirdly when in our conuersation we can be contented to shun all the baits of the world and Satan and in respect of Christ contemn all those sensuall pleasures profits or honours that intice vs to make shipwrack of faith and a good conscience Then wee loue Christ indeed when our credits friends riches yea life it self is not dear vnto vs for Christs sake and the Gospell Fourthly when wee can renounce our owne righteousnes and praises and seek onely to bee found clothed with his righteousnes Fiftly we signifie our respect of Christ by the very respect we shew to the members of Christ. He loues Christ with all his heart that loues and entertains Christians as the only excellent people of the world Hitherto of that part of the testimony which concerns Christ the other part that concernes Christians follows He that beleeueth on him shall not be confounded In which words the happinesse of the Christian which beleeueth in Christ is expressed There are many points of doctrine may bee obserued out of these words as First in generall it is faith that makes the difference among men before God men are iudged of before GOD by their faith or vnbelief GOD to finde out a worthy man doth not ask what money or land or birth or offices he hath but what faith he hath Gal. 5.6 Hee is rich and happy that beleeueth and he is miserable that beleeueth not whatsoeuer his outward estate be Which should cause vs more soundly to inform our selues and not to bee lifted vp in our selues for any outward things nor to be deiected if our faith prosper and it should be a great comfort to poor Christians in all their wants if the LORD haue made them rich in faith He is a great rich man that hath a strong faith And therefore also wee should learn to iudge of men not according to the flesh or these outward things but euer acknowledge more honour to a faithfull Christian than to any rich wicked man And it is a great signe of our owne vprightnes of heart when we can iudge of Christians as GOD iudgeth and without dissimulation account them the onely excellent Ones Secondly in particular we may heer obserue the necessity of faith in respect both of the fauour of God and the merits of Christ we cannot please God though we bee in Sion without beleeuing Heb. 11.6 and without faith wee see heer we are not built vpon the foundation and so haue no part as yet in Christ. And therefore we should euery one be throughly awakened to examine our selues whether we haue this precious faith or no 2. Cor. 13.5 and to keep our owne soules with so much attendance heerupon as to be sure the Tempter deceiue vs not in our faith 1. Thes. 3.4 And heer especially take heed that thou dash not thy soule vpon the rock either of ignorance or presumption of ignorance as many doo that to this day knowe not what a true faith is of presumption as many doo that entertain without all ground from Gods promises a hope to be saued which they call a strong faith in Christ and yet liue in their sinnes without repentance and heer neuer taste of the sweetnes of spirituall things nor shew the affections of godlinesse in God's seruice Thirdly note that he saith He that beleeueth indefinitely meaning any of what nature or condition or state of life soeuer And therefore when this Text is quoted Rom. 10.11 and 9.33 he saith in stead of He that Whosoeuer beleeueth which sheweth vs plainly that in matter of faith God is no accepter of persons No man can say hee is exempted A poor man a Gentile a Barbarian an vnlearned man a seruant c. may beleeue as well as the rich learned free c. There is no exception against any calling of life or any sex Faith will make any one a childe of GOD and a member of Christ. The seuerall sorts of men are all one in Christ Iesus Gal. 3.26 28. This is the large extent of God's loue to the world that whosoeuer beleeueth should be saued Iohn 3.16 Mark 16. The proclamation is to all that are athirst they may be possest of those treasures of gold without money Esay 55. Which should much embolden vs to go vnto God with a true heart in the assurance of faith Heb. 10.22 And withall it should cause vs to cast out of our hearts all the wauerings and doubts of vnbelief arising from our owne condition in vnworthinesse Fourthly wee may hence note that faith in Christ was euer required in all sorts of men It was required of them in the Prophet Esay's time and it is still heer required in the Apostles time Thus Paul Heb. 11. shewes that faith was the character of the Godly in all Ages before the Floud and after the Floud before the Law and after the Law and he proues it by an
respects there is and in some respects there is not It is true that in respect of the ignorance yet vpon godly men in this life they may say as it is in Iob 19.8 God hath set darknes in our paths and fenced vp our waies or Iob 37.19 Teach vs what wee shall say vnto him for we cannot order ourselues because of darknes sometimes in their afflictions they may say as aforesaid But yet not withstanding there is great difference betweene the state of the godly and the state of the wicked for First the godly are deliuered from vtter darknes altogether Secondly for their darknes in this life it is true they may bee subiect to such darknes as cloudes may make or an Eclipse but the night is cleane passed with them Rom. 13.12 Thirdly though they haue darknes yet they are not vnder the power of darknes Col. 1.13 He that beleeueth cannot abide in darknes but is getting out as one made free and set at liberty Fourthly their darknes is not a grosse and palpable darknes they can see their way and are all taught of God It is no darknes can hinder their saluation Fiftly though their afflictions may increase vpon them yet God will not forsake them but wil shew them great lights the Lord wil be light vnto them for comfort for the present and will send them the light of deliuerance in due time Sixtly they haue their Patent drawn sealed and deliuered them wherby they are appointed to enioy vnspeakeable light and an absolute freedome from all darknes They are children of light and are borne to singular priuiledges in that respect the time will come when there shall be no ignorance no affliction no discomfort any more Thus of their misery and so of the estate from which they are called Now followeth to bee considered their happines to which they are called exprest by the metaphoricall tearme of light and commended by the Epitheton of maruelous Light Light is either vncreated or created The vncreated light is the shining essence of God infinitely aboue the shining light of the Sunne Thus God is light and dwels in that vnapprochable light 1. Iohn 1.6 1. Tim. 6.16 The created light is that which is made and begotten by God whence he is called The Father of lights Iam. 1.17 and this created light is either naturall or spirituall Naturall is the light of the Sunne in the firmament The spirituall light since the fall was all collected and seated in Christ. As God gathered the light of the two first daies and placed it in the body of the Sunne as the originall vessell of light so did the Lord collect and gather the light together after man had falne and placed it in Christ that hee as the Sun of righteousnes might bee the fountaine of light vnto the spirituall world And thus Christ is said to be light Iohn 8.12 the light of the world that lighteneth euery man that commeth into the world Ioh. 1.9 The beams of this light in Christ are diffused all abroad vpon men and so the light communicated from Christ is either temporall or eternall Temporall light is either the blessing of God in Christ making the outward estates of God's seruants glorious and prosperous Iob 29.3 Hest. 8.16 Or else it is that light that shines vpon the soules of men which must bee distinguished according to the instruments of conuaying or receiuing it The instrument of conuaying it is outwardly the Law and the Gospell and inwardly the Spirit of Christ. The instrument of receiuing it in respect of the general will of God is the vnderstanding or in respect of the promise of grace it is faith The Law is a light Pro. 6.23 of the light of the Gospell 2. Tim. 1.10 2. Cor. 4.6 Knowledge is light Acts 26.18 and of the light of faith Iohn 8.12 Eternall light is the light of heauen where the inheritance of the Saints lieth Col. 1.12 Reuelat. 18.19 It is the spiritual light vpon the soules of men the light of knowledge and faith is heer specially meant which is conuayed and increased by the Gospell Doct. The point then hence is cleer that God's seruants in comparison of their former condition are brought into great light The spirituall light shineth vpon euery one that is to bee conuerted Acts 26.18 God hath promised light to euery penitent sinner Iob 33.28 30. Esay 42.16 And Christ was giuen to bee the light both of Iewes and Gentiles Esay 42.7 and 49.6 Hence it is that Christians are said to be the children of light Luke 16.18 Iohn 12.36 yea light it selfe Eph. 5.6 the lights of the world Phil. 2.15 And thus they are so by reason of the light of Iesus Christ shining in their harts through the knowledge and belief of the Gospell All the world is like vnto Aegypt smitten with darknes and the Godly are like the children of Israel in Goshen Vse The vse may bee first for instruction to the Godly since they are called to such light by Christ they should 1. Beleeue in the light since they see now what they do they should establish their hearts in the first place in the assurance of God's loue since his shining fauour sheweth it selfe in the Gospell 2. They should doo the works that belong to the light they may now see what to doo and therefore ought not to be idle but to work while they haue the light 1. Iohn 2.8 And to that end they should daily come to the light that it may bee manifest that their works are wrought in God Iohn 3.21 And they should now abound in all goodnes and iustice or righteousnes truth Eph. 5.8 9. prouing what that acceptable will of God is verse 10. 3. They should therefore cast away the works of darknes and haue no fellowship with the children of the night but rather reprooue them Eph. 5 7. to 14. For what fellowshippe between light and darknes 2. Cor. 6.17 4. They should in all difficulties and ignorances pray to God to shew forth his light and truth seeing they are called to light Psalm 43.3 Vse 2. Secondly godly men should hence be comforted and that in diuers respects First though they may haue many distresses in their estates yet light is risen to their soules though they may for a season suffer some eclipse of their comfort yet light is sowne for the righteous and ioy for the vpright in heart Psal. 97.11 And the more they should bee glad of their portion in light when they behold the daily ruines of vngodly men The light of the righteous reioiceth when the lamp of the wicked is put out Pro. 13.9 In 2. Cor. 4.4 6. there are three reasons of consolations assigned First the light we haue should comfort vs if we consider how many men haue their mindes blinded by the god of this world and of those many of them great wise and learned men Secondly if we consider what darknes we haue liued in God
is not the life of man That is apparant in scripture when a difference is put betwene the soule and life as what soule shall be blessed in life So 2 Sam. 11.11 By thy life and the life of thy soule The soule then is a substance of it self put within vs by God distinct from the body this may bee euidently proued First God after hee had made the body is said to breath into it the breath of liues to note that his soule was a substance distinct of it selfe Secondly because it can subsist without the body as is apparant in the soule of Abraham Lazarus and Diues Luke 16. And of the soule of the thiefe on the crosse it is said This day thou shalt bee with mee in Paradise Thirdly God is said to haue formed the Spirit in the midst of man so it is a substance of it selfe Note hee saith in him not of him Fourthly those words of Dauid Christ proue it Into thy hands I commit my spirit the body being committed to the earth there remained a substance deliuered to God Fiftly that place of Ecclesiastes Chapter 12. is most plaine The body returnes to dust and the Spirit to God that gaue it Therefore there is in man a Spirit which returnes to GOD. Sixtly Paul desires to be dissolued and to bee with Christ so there was a substance which should enioy the presence of Christ Phil. 1.23 The second thing to bee proued is that the soule is incorporeal It is ioyned to the body but it is no body it informeth the matter of man which is his body but it is without matter it self It is immateriall It is wholy a spiritual substance It is not a bodily substance no not a most subtil or pure body but altogether incorporeall This is a high doctrine and shewes the soule to bee an admirable kind of substance Now that the soule is void of matter and is no bodily substance may bee plainely proued though not easily explicated First it is expresly said to be a Spirit now Spirits are not flesh and bones or any like bodily substance Psa. 31.6 Eccle. 12.7 and Zach. 12.1 It is reckned one of the wonders of Gods creation that hee made in man a spirit Secondly the soule is after the Image of God and hath imprinted vpon it the similitude of the goodnes wisdome and holines of God Now it were not like God if it were a body nor were it capeable of such habits which can bee stamped vpon meere naturall or bodily things Thirdly the soule performeth those actions which depend not vpon the body and are done without bodily instruments for it vnderstandeth and willeth Fourthly if the soule were a body then it must be corpus animatum or inanimatum but to say it is without life is sense-lesse because it enlyues and animates the body and to say it is animatum enlyued it self it must then bee so by some other body All which the same questions will bee asked and so run into an infinite The third thing is that the soule is inuisible this shewes the transcendencie of the nature of it and experience in all men proues this for who euer saw a soule Ob. The soule of Diues in hell saw the soule of Abraham and Lazarus and Iohn saw the soules of those that suffred for the testimony of Iesus Reu. 20.4 Sol. These soules were seen by the eies of vnderstanding not by the bodily eies The fourth thing to bee prooued is that the soule is immortall it cannot die when it is once kindled it will neuer go out or be extinct as the Sadduces wickedly imagined and some Atheists still think the contrary This is a point necessary to bee knowne as for the truth it self so for the vse of it in our liues for to doubt of immortality makes vs miserable and to beleeue the soules are mortall makes men Epicures Let vs eat and drink for to morrow wee shall die But to bee fully assured of an estate after life makes a man carefull to auoid sinne lest his soule liue for euer miserably and to serue God that hee may liue for euer happily Now things may be said to be immortall two waies either absolutely and in their owne nature and so God onely is immortall or else they are so by the wil and pleasure of God and not by their owne nature and so the soules of men and so the Angels are immortall There haue been two sorts of men that haue denied the immortality of the soule The one were the Sadduces among the Iewes who held that in death the soule of man is vtterly extinct as the soule of a beast The other were certain Arabians of whom Eusebius and S. Augustine make mention who said that the soule died with the body and so remained dead till the day of Iudgement and then they reuiued with the resurrection of the body Now against the first fort may bee produced many reasons as also euident Scriptures The reasons are such as these 1. The prouidence and iustice of God prooueth the immortality of the soule For heer in this life good men haue not all their happinesse and euill men liue in prosperity so there must be another life where iustice must be done 2. Religion confirms this for to what end were Religion and seruing of God if the soule died like the soule of the beast seeing in this life the most godly are outwardly in great misery many times For if Paul say If the dead rise not then of all men are wee most miserable it will hold much more strange if the soule liue not at all after death 3. The wisdome of God proues it for else man were not in better case than the beast yea in some cases worse For man from his infancy to his death is liable to many diseases subiect to cares and griefs which the beast is free from yea this addes to man's miserie that hee knowes hee must die which the beast doth not Now shall man that was counted like God bee thought to haue no better end than the beast that did exalt himself so much in the glory of his beginning 4. The conscience of malefactors prooues this who fear a iudgement after this life and an estate of misery 5. The nature of the soule proues it for it is simple and void of all contrariety and accidents and causes of corruption or putrefaction and is besides the Image of GOD. Now no mortall thing can bee the image of that which is immortall These reasons make it exceeding probable But I am of their mindes that think it may be beleeued by faith but not be proued by reason The Scripture therefore only makes this point cleer such as these First our Sauiour proues it out of the Word of God saying I am the God of Abraham Isaac and Iacob c. Secondly it is most plain Mat. 10.28 Thirdly eternall life is euery where promised to them that beleeue Fourthly such places
as intreat of the resurrection last Iudgement and the glory of heauen proue it Now for the other sort that confesse the life of the Soule after the last Iudgement but deny that the Soule liues after death till then there are diuers Scriptures against their opinion As First the former Scriptures The Soule cannot be killed at all Math. 10. And God was presently the God of Abraham as then liuing and for eternal life it is not said He shal haue but He hath eternall life that beleeueth Secondly Christ said to the theefe This day thou shalt be with me in Paradise not at the last day Thirdly Rom. 8.38 Death cannot separate vs from God in Christ as it would if the Soule were dead or a-sleepe and did not enioy God Fourthly the dead that die in the Lord are forthwith blessed Reuel 14.14 Fiftly the soules of Abraham and Lazarus were in ioy and aliue after death so was the soule of Diues in hell Sixtly Iohn saw vnder the Altar the soules of them that were slaine for the testimony of Iesus and they cried with a loud voice O Lord how long c. Reuel 6. Seuenthly the soules of the wicked die not but are kept in prison and are now in prison too 1. Pet. 3.19 Before I leaue this point of the immortalitie of the soule it is profitable briefly to answere certaine obiections which may bee brought out of some words in the Scriptures as Ob. 1. The Soule that sinneth shall die Ezeth 18. Therfore it seems the soule is mortall or at least for sin it must die and the rather because it was threatned in Paradise That day that thou eatest therof thou shalt die the death Sol. The Scriptures euidently shewe that since the fall and sinne yet the Soule doth not die as the places before alleaged proue But the answere is that this death threatned or inflicted is not the destruction of the being of the Soule but the depriuing of it of the grace and fauour and presence of God Ob. 2. Eccles. 3. It is said that there is one end of the man and of the beast As dieth the one so dieth the other Sol. These are not the words of Salomon but of the Epicure who is here as in other places of that booke brought in declaring his minde of things For Salomon himselfe concludeth euidently that the Soule returneth vnto God that gaue it as in the last Chapter The other obiections are the obiections of the dreamers that is of such as imagine that the Soule lieth a-sleepe till the day of Iudgement and perceiues nothing and is without operation which is to say it is dead seeing life is nothing else but the continuall motion and action of the Soule Ob. 1. It is said that man when he dies that he sleepeth as Christ said that Lazarus He sleepeth and Stephen slept in the Lord Iohn 11. Act â—7 Sol. Other Scriptures adde another word viz. in the graue or in the dust Iob 7.21 and Psalme 78. sleeping in their graues but it is euident that the Soule cannot sleepe in the graue but the body onely And Stephen deliuered his Spirit to Christ. Ob. 2. Paul saith that if the body rise not we are of all men most miserable That it seemes cannoâ— be true if the Soule enioy blessednesse without the body Sol. The immortalitie of the Soule and the resurrection of the body are conioyned For the Soule without the body can be for euer because it is the forme of the body though God for the time do by his power and grace prouide for the Soule in glory yet it is not at full happinesse till it be ioyned to the body againe For without the body it hath no vse of vegetation or sences but onely of reason But for the Argument of the Apostle it holds good of that part of man which is in question which is the body of man For the bodies of Godly men are more miserable then other men kept vnder and exposed to many restraints and paines eyther by mortification or persecution which the bodies of wicked men are not exposed vnto Ob. 3. It is said of the spirit of Princes that it returneth to his Earth and in the day of death his thoughts perish So the Soule thinkes of nothing after death till the day of iudgement Sol. The place is corruptly alleaged two waies One in the Words the other in the Sence for the text doth not say That his Spirit returneth to his earth but thus his Spirit returneth viz. out of his body to God and he not it returneth to the earth viz. in respect of his body for the other these words his thoughts perish must not be vnderstood of his vnderstanding after death but of his proiects while hee liued For men are exhorted not to trust in Princes For they may die and then all their promises and proiects will bee of no vse and come to nothing Obiect 4. It is said that the dead cannot praise God Psal. 88. and 1 13. and 30. Sol. That the soules of the godly in heauen doe praise God is manifest Reuel 5.11 13.14 and 19.1 Now the Scriptures cannot bee contrary one to another and therefore the places in the Psalmes must not bee taken simply but onely in some respect The dead doe praise God but not as the liâ—ing did in their liues their praises cannot prouoke other men to beleeue in God or serue him as in this life they might Thus of the immortality of the soule The next thing to bee inquired after is about the originall of the soule and about this point in seueral ages diuers men haue breathed diuers and strange conceits erring because they knew not or regarded not the Scriptures First some conceiued so highly of the soule as to think it was no creature but vncreated and eternall without beginning but this must needes bee false 1. Because then the soule should bee God and infinite too For God onely is vncreated 2. Because then the soule had vnderstanding and thoughts and willed from eternity whereas till it was in our bodies it did not work and to imagine it should bee as a dead lump all that while is monstrously absurd Secondly others haue conceiued that when men die their soules goe into the bodies of other men that be borne and so our soules heeretofore were the soules of some men that bee dead This was the opinion of diuers of the Philosophers and it is apparant that diuers of the Iewes were infected with it for about Christ they said some that hee was Elias some that he was Ieremias and some one of the Prophets and some Iohn Baptist. Now they saw that his body was not theirs and therefore they thought that his soule was the soule of some of them Now this opinion cannot bee true 1. Because no Scripture giues any notice of it For in that place the conceit of the Iewes is told with dislike 2. Because the soules that were deliuered out of the miseries
of this life should be brought from their blessednes into misery againe which in most absurd Thirdly Others haue imagined that the Angels should beget our soules as our parents beget our bodies But this is extremely absurd 1. Because then our soules should bee in the Image of Angels whereas they were made in the Image of God 2. Because this was an heresy long since condemned and with hatred cast out of the Church Fourthly many Diuines both of antient and modern Writers haue declared themselues to be of the minde that the soule comes from the parents by generation per traducem and that the parents doo beget the whole man which consists of soule as well as body Now though it bee true that this opinion hath had and still hath great patrones and that it may not be denied but that it is defended with maruellous great appearance of reason and truth yet it is reiected and hath been by the greater part of sound Diuines and by reasons vnanswerable for if the soule come from the parents then it must come either from the body of the parents or from their soules Now it is apparant it cannot come from their bodies 1. Because a bodily substance cannot beget a spirituall substance because it cannot deriue from it self that which it hath not 2. Because the soule must consist of the foure elements of which the body is compounded but it is apparant there are no bodily humours in the soule for it is not hot nor cold nor moist nor dry 3. Because nothing that is mortall can beget a thing that is immortall such as the soule hath been proued to be Nor can the soule come from the soule of the parents First because if it did either the whole soule was deriued of the parents or but a part of it If the whole soule was deriued then the parents should die nor can a part of the soule bee deriueed because the soule is indiuisible there can be no partition in an essence which is simple and vncompounded Secondly wee knowe that the Angels produce not Angels nor can the soules of men produce soules because they are spirits as the Angels are Nor can the soule come from the whole man First because it is euident by experience that after the parents haue done the work of generation the first matter lies diuers daies in the womb in which the parts of the body are secretly formed before it haue life or a liuing and quickning soule which is an euident demonstration that from the parents comes nothing but the bodily substance which is fashioned by degrees to be a meet Tabernacle for the soule afterwards to bee infused into Secondly because if the parents did propagate the soule they must propagate such a soule as at that time they had which cannot bee for then godly parents should deriue a soule to their children which at the least in part was regenerate But this is euidently against all Scripture all confessing that the childe is born infected with originall sin Thirdly because it is contrary to the Scriptures which acknowledge that the soule was formed by God himself which was true both of our first parent Adam Gen. 2.7 and of the soules of all his posterity which are expresly said to bee made by GOD Esay 57. verse 16. Lastly it remains then that the soules come from God Now if the soules come from God then it must needs bee as GOD is the materiall cause or as he is the efficient cause It is true that some haue imagined that the soule of man was made of the substance of God because it is said GOD breathed into man the breath of life Gen. 2.7 as if hee infused into him somewhat from himself as a part of his diuine substance And the Apostle Paul saith Acts 17.18 We are the Progeny of God and Saint Peter saith We partake of the diuine Nature 2. Pet. 1.4 Now this opinion cannot bee true and was worthily condemned by the Fathers as hereticall for Then man should bee God For whatsoeuer God begets from himself is God and therefore we say Christ is God Then some part of God's nature should bee infected with sinne and ignorance and be damned in hell too which is wonderfull blasphemous to beleeue Now for the places alleaged That in Genes 2. must be vnderstood figuratiuely for God hath not properly breath but he meaneth that God after a wonderfull manner did infuse the soule into the body And for the place in the Acts we are said to be the progeny of God not in regard of substance but in respect of resemblance in gifts with which man's nature is adorned And for the place in Peter we are said to partake of the diuine nature in the same sense namely as we are qualified with gifts as wisdome goodnes holinesse in some kinde of likenes of God It remains then that we are of God effectually because God hath created our soules and formed them in vs. This then is the truth that God doth create the particular soule of euery man and inhere it to the body when it is formed and distinguished in the parts thereof This may bee proued diuersly First it is cleer it was so done with the soule of Adam for his body was already framed and then his soule breathed into him Now if the soule of Eue and of all others had another manner of beginning than the creation of GOD it would haue been mentioned in the Scriptures but that is no where mentioned Secondly Moses cals God the God of the spirits of all flesh Numb 16.22 and 27.16 Thirdly Dauid saith The Lord fashioneth the hearts of all men alike Psalm 33.15 It is GOD's work then to create the heart Fourthly Salomon saith Eccles. 12.7 The body returns to the dust and the soule to GOD that gaue it in the dissolution of all things they return to the first causes and matter As the body may be proued originally to bee of the earth because it returns to dust so must the soule bee of God because it returns to God which is said to haue giuen it Fiftly the Prophet Esay vseth this phrase concerning God and in his name The soules which I haue made Esay 57.16 Doo you ask how the soule comes into the body The Lord answers I made it Sixtly the Prophet Ezechiel shewing how man becoms a liuing creature speaks thus Thus saith the Lord to these bones I will cause a spirit to enter into them and they shall liue Ezech. 37.5 Seuenthly the words of the Prophet Zacharie are yet more cleer Thus saith the Lord The Lord which spreads out the heauens and foundeth the earth and formed the spirit of man in him Out of these words it may be proued that God created the soule of euery man and that it is his onely work For first he saith expresly God formed the spirit in man Secondly this work of God is compared to two other works viz. the spreading out of the heauens and
things in it I answer two things First that the sense can receiue onely the images of a few things that is only of such things as haue colour sound tast smell or touchable qualities but the minde can beget the images of all things Secondly that those images in the senses are dull and dark and confused in comparison of the likenes of things in the minde 12. In that he hath a will in choosing or refusing things good or euill that cannot bee compelled The liberty of the will is inseparable to it in what it chooseth or refuseth for it implies a contradiction that the will should be cōstraind 13. In that it hath in it that diuine thing which we call conscience which is giuen to the soule as a guardian as it were to attend it from God the effects whereof are admirable in vs for it testifies to our actions it accuseth or excuseth it comforts when wee haue well done aboue all outward comforts and it terrifieth and scourgeth the soule with vnexpressible afflictions many times for sin it is a Iudge witnes and executioner many times in vs. Now if the soule bee thus admirable in any estate for all these things are true of the reasonable soule euen in the estate of corruption then how excellent was the estate of man in respect of his soule before the Fall and how doth it excell in the godly who haue their soules enlightned with the light of faith and garnished with sauing graces but especially how shall it exceed in glory when it shall bee presented before God in the Kingdome of heauen So that as the whole man made in God's Image is as it were the visible God in this great world so the soule is as it were a little God in the lesser world which is the body of man And thus much of the faculties of the soule Now the end of al this follows The Lord made the soul endowed it with so excellēt a being so admirable faculties that so the Lord might in this visible world haue a creature that would know him and serue him rightly The creatures without sense are Gods workman-ship but discerne nothing of God or themselues or other things The creatures with sense discern other things by sense but know nothing of God Now God made man as the abridgement of all hee had made and gaue him this soule of purpose that hee might discerne God aright and serue and worship and praise him Vse 1. The consideration of the excellency of the soule and of the end why it was created should stirre vs vp to make conscience of the seruice and knowledge of God It is as if wee had neuer beene if wee answer not this end Wee should bee fired to the obseruation and praise of God and of his loue to man And withall it should make vs wonderfull carefull of our soules since wee see they are such excellent creatures Our soule is more worth then all this visible world besides Especially it should fire vs to a care of things that concerne the blessed Immortality of our soules wee should bee forced to all possible care of all such things as might bee prouision for the eternall well-being of our soules And in particular the excellency of the soule should disswade vs from fleshly lusts and all inward impurity by which the soule is defiled or wounded Hitherto of the description of the soule The war against the soule is now to be considered of Concerning which I propound these things to bee handled First who are the combatants Secondly by what waies and means the soule is assaulted and opposed Thirdly why God would suffer the soule to bee thus assaulted Fourthly what reason Christians haue to bee carefull of themselues and prouide against this warre Fiftly by what meanes wee must resist and defend the soule Sixtly what hope there is of victory Seuenthly how many waies wee may obtaine victory Eightthly by what signes we may knowe that wee are not ouercome And then the vse of the whole For the first there are foure kinds of warre waged against the soule as it is encountered by foure sorts of aduersaries For both God and the world and he diuell and the flesh warre against the soule of man briefely of the three first God warres against the soule either in earnest and in deed or in show and appearance and not as an aduersary in deed In earnest God fights against the soule by the threatnings and rebukes of his Word when hee smites and beates men downe by the word of his mouth Esay 11. and also by torments of conscience powred out vpon the wicked men and so hee fought against Cain and Iudas Sometimes God is but a putatiue aduersarie and doth but seeme to fight against them and so hee warreth against his owne seruants either by outward crosses or by disertion or by feare and terrour and thus hee fought against Iob And in this case God is like a Captaine trayning his souldiers or like a Fencer teaching his scholler to fight The world wars against the soule two waies by the inticements of profits pleasures honours euill counsell or example and by persecution either of the tongue or hand The diuell warres against the soule by euill doctrine or temptations or illusions But none of these three are principally intended heere it is the flesh that maketh warre against the soule that is heere meant By the flesh is meant the corruption that is in the nature of man called the old man and the Lawe of the members By the soule is heere meant the spirit or regenerate man the new man the grace of Christ in the soule Thus of the first point who are the combatants the flesh is the assaylant the Spirit the defendant For the second point the flesh incounters and warres against the soule diuerse waies and by strange kindes of fights as 1. By mists of ignorance it casts mists before the eies of the soule that it might bee blinded for there is a manifest combate between the naturall vnderstanding and the regenerate minde carnall reason and sauing knowledge often fight it out within a man 2. By doubtings and distractions and so the flesh casts out such questions as these as so many darts into the soule Whether there bee a God or the Scripture be the Word of GOD Whether Christ be the Sonne of God and our Mediator Whether it be the true Church wee are in or whether our sinnes be forgiuen or wee bee in the state of grace whether there shall bee any resurrection or heauen or hell or immortall Being of the soule Against all these the soule is driuen to make often defenses and driues them out with hard conflicts 3. By rebellious deniall of obedience to the law of the minde exalting it self against the obedience enjoyned by Christ to the soule Rom. 7. 2. Cor. 10. and casting out resolutions of deniall thoughts that say they ought not or wil not obey 4. By hindring the work
bee spoken of with neuer so great wisdome and power of words yet these sots haue one senslesse obiection or other in respect of which they reiect all they heare and being led by their sensuality or their carnall reason Pro. 23.9 1. Cor. 1. 2. goe no further but in these cases thinke they are in their owne conceit wiser then any man that can giue a better reaâ—on and proofe Secondly they discouer it by senslesnesse and incorrigiblenesse when they are pursued by the hand of God many times round about Ier. 5.3 4. Though God should seeme to bring all to the first Chaos yet they vnderstand not you cannot beat into their heads the hatred of their sinnes or the cares of a better life Ier. 22.20 21 22. Isaiah 42.27 This Apathy is onely in mad-men and fooles Pro. 17.10 and 27.22 Thirdly they discouer it by their continuall intertainment of the innumerable enormities of their thoughts which arising from their heart in the darke they play withall with as much earnestnesse and attendance as if they were some needfull and profitable things This customary daily intertainment of vaine thoughts is a signe of a spirituall Sot Rom. 1.21 Fourthly they discouer it by their continuall grasping at shadowes that is their doting vpon earthly things with strange cares and paines and iollity without any sound endeauour to prouide for their soules and eternall saluation Psalm 49.10 Luke 12.16 to 21. Ier. 17.11 Fiftly some of them discouer their sottishnesse by following the seruice of idols which they worship in stead of the liuing God this is called brutishnes Deut. 32.6 16 17. Esay 44.19 20. O what a number of these sots are there in the world if the worshippers of idols of Romish and Paganish idols were summed vp Sixtly others discouer it by making cleane the outside of the cup and platter but neuer regard the filthinesse of the inside such are they that are onely carefull of the shew of their actions before men while their inside is full of rauening wickednes These our Sauiour cals fools or sots because hee that made that which is without made that which is within also Luke 11.39 40. Seuenthly some of them discouer themselues by suffering themselues to be buffetted and abused and yet are content to be vsed so still and such are they that will suffer themselues to bee abused by false teachers so they bee of their owne humour though they deuoure them in their estates and bring them into bondage in their mindes though they take of them and exalt themselues insolently among them 2. Cor. 11.19 20. Eightthly they discouer it by building the hopes of the saluation of their soules vpon most vain and insufficient grounds they build on the sands they trust vpon an vniuersall mercy of God and the example of the most and vpon the bare vse of God's Ordinances without any power of faith or practice in their hearts or liues and therefore in time of tribulations their hope is as the giuing vp of the ghost all is ruined and their soules are desolate Mat. 7.26 They will be at no pains to be assured of their saluation and Religion but goe on without any particular regard of their owne way to heauen Pro. 14.8 A spirituall fool then is discouered first by his mindlesnesse secondly by his vncapablenesse and contempt of heauenly doctrine thirdly by his incorrigiblenesse fourthly by the vanity of his thoughts fiftly by his dotages about earthly things sixtly by his idolatry seuenthly by his hypocriticall tricks eightthly by suffering the iniuries of false teachers and lastly by the vaine grounds of his hope and faith The spirituall mad-man followes to bee described and so these sorts of men following are conuicted of madnes in the Scripture First the Atheist hee is a man void of reason that denies principles and such a one is hee that saith in his heart There is no God as hee that denies the prouidence of God Psalm 14.1 and 94.8 Secondly the swearer the fools or madde-men blaspheme God's Name Psalm 74.18 He were a mad-man that would daily rail at the King to his face and such are blasphemers Thirdly the persecuter The Apostle speaking of men that resist the truth as Iannes and Iambres resisted Moses saith that Their madnes shall bee manifested to all men so that he particularly calls resisting of the truth madnes 2. Tim. 3.9 Fourthly the idle person He is a mad-man that will eat his owne flesh but such a one is the slothfull person because hee brings pouerty vpon himself like an armed man or else destroies the health of his body by his lazinesse or brings misery vpon his wife and children or because his soule is eaten vp with rust and the canker of his negligence Eccles 4.5 Fiftly the wilfull offender Hee is a mad-man that when hee heares of some eminent danger yet will not auoide it such a one is euery grosse offender that hearing of the iudgements God wil bring vpon him for such sinnes or perceiuing that the wrath of God is broken out vpon others for the like offences yet will madly goe on without feare The prudent man feareth and departeth from euil but hee is a foole or mad-man that rageth and is confident Prou. 14.16 Ierem. 5.21 22. Sixtly the senslesse prater Wee discerne him to bee a mad-man that talking continually phalters in his words and vtters sentences that are vnperfect without sense or coherence such persons in religion are those prating fooles Salomon speakes of that are full of words and void of sound iudgement as the legs of the lame are not equall so is a parable in a fools mouth As you discern a lame man by this that his legs are one longer then another so you may discouer a spirituall mad-man by his discourse about the high points of religion for his words agree not together his sentences are senslesse and vnequall A foole hath no delight to get sound vnderstanding in these things and yet is wonderfull forward to vtter his minde though he discouer nothing but his ignorance and folly Pro. 18.2 26.7 Seuenthly the Epicure or voluptuous person he is a mad-man that is neuer merry but when hee hath done some mischief and such are all they that make a sport of sinne Prou. 10.23 14.9 15.22 Eightthly the railer He is a mad-man that will go vp and down a Town or a City and set fire on the houses of other men as he goes and therfore is the railer called a fool because in his lips there is a burning fire hee deuoures the reputation of good men euery where where hee comes The Apostle Iames calls it The fire of hell Iames 3. Prou. 16.27 Iude 10. And thus he is a mad man that hateth other men for dooing good as the Pharises did Christ for healing on the Sabbath-day for which they were said to be mad Luke 6.11 Ninthly the Apostate or backslider in Religion thus the Galatians were bewitched with madnes that had
Conscience is such an Arbiter betweene God and vs that sometimes it speakes for God against vs and sometimes for vs to God But that wee may bee more distinctly informed about Conscience I therefore come to the second point which is to consider what Conscience can doe or how it is imployed in vs and Conscience is imployed both for GOD and for man which work I will consider first apart and then ioyntly For God then Conscience works diuersely and hath many offices vnder God and for God for it is Gods speciall spy set in the hart of man to watch him and his Intelligencer Notary to set down what man hath done It is God's hand-writing the Law of God written in our hearts or rather worketh by the help of that body of the Law written by the finger of God vpon the Tables of mens hearts It is a co-witnes with God Rom 9.1 It is also Gods Lieutenant and a great Commander placed within vs that seuerely requires homage and seruice to be done to God and especially diuerts man from ill directing him in the carefull manner of seruing of God For God will not accept any seruice that Conscience doth not order 2. Tim. 1.3 It is a taster for GOD in point of doctrine of Religion For all doctrines must bee brought to the Conscience to bee tried whether they bee of God or no 2. Cor. 4.2 And finally it makes a man endure griefe and suffer wrong for God and his glory as this Text imports For man Conscience is many waies imployed as first it is imployed in viewing and surueying the things of man especially the hidden things of man and heer the power of Conscience is wonderfull For other creatures may see the things without them but haue no power to see the things within them onely man hee hath a knowledge reflexed The eye of a man too can see other things but without a glasse it cannot see it self But now Conscience can discern it self and the whole actions of man and so it differs from Science or the knowledge of the minde for to knowe other things is science but to knowe our selues is Conscience The soule then by Conscience knowes it self it views the thoughts memory affections of the soule and can tell what we think desire loue feare hate c. Secondly in matters of Religion Conscience is specially imployed for instance both in the Word and the Sacraments For the Word the mystery of faith euen all the grounds of Religion they are laid vp and are in the keeping of Conscience 1. Tim. 3.9 And in Baptisme whereas God makes a couenant with vs and likewise requires a restipulation or promise on our part Conscience is heerin imployed and without Conscience God will do nothing in the businesse It was the forme in the Primitiue Times that the party which was to bee baptized was to bee examined before God whether hee did beleeue the question was Credis Doost thou beleeue And he was to answer Credo I doo beleeue Now this answer God would not take vnlesse the conscience would say that hee did beleeue as he said this is the answer A good conscience is mentioned 1. Pet. 3.21 Again a good conscience serues in all the offices of our life or affairs euen in all things to be a witnes if we do that which conscience thinks well to comfort vs and if we doo that which conscience thinks ill to discourage vs Rom. 2.15 and 9.1 Yea conscience is the guide of our liues We are heer pilgrims and strangers farre from our home and in iourney continually now GOD hath set consciences in vs to bee our guides that in all things we are to doo we may be directed and encouraged by conscience taking the direction and warrant of conscience as a speciall ground of our actions so as to do contrary to what conscience bids vs is a sinne for it doth not onely witnes about what is past but it directs vs about what is to come as now to be done But the principall work of Conscience whether we respect God or man is To keep Court in the heart of man There is in man Forum Conscientiae a Court of Conscience a secret Tribunall is set vp in the heart of man and therein sits Conscience and arraigneth accuseth bringeth witnesse sentenceth and doth execution Now concerning the iudgement of Conscience keeping an Assise in the heart of man two things are to be considered First the law by which Conscience iudgeth secondly the manner of the proceeding in iudgement For the first Conscience iudgeth of the actions of men by vertue of certain principles as I said before which it findeth in the vnderstanding gathered either from the Law of Nature or from experience of God's prouidence or from the Scriptures Now the manner how it proceeds in iudgement is in form of reasoning as I said before for in the minde the Conscience findes as it were a Book of Law written which is in the keeping of the faculty they call it in schools Synteresis from hence the Conscience takes the ground of reasoning and from the memory it takes euidence of the fact or state of the man that is arraigned and then by it self it iudiciously concludes and passeth Sentence and so it proceeds whether it condemn or absolue In the Iudgement of condemnation it proceeds thus First it cites or calls for the soule to be tried then it accuseth in this form out of the body of the law kept in the minde it takes the conclusion it means to work vpon and then vseth the memory to testifie of the fact as for instance Euery murderer is an offender thou art a murderer therefore thou art proued to bee an offender Then comes the Sentence in the same order Hee that commits murder without repentance shall be damned thou committest murder without repentance and therefore art a damned creature So likewise it proceeds in absoluing For euidence it proceeds thus He that hath such and such marks as godly sorrow the loue or fear of God c. hee is a childe of God but thou hast these marks therfore thou art a childe of God and then it goeth to Sentence Hee that is the childe of God shall bee saued but thou art prooued to bee the childe of God therefore thou shalt be saued Nor doth it rest in the Sentence but immediately doth it selfe begin the execution for laying hould vpon the guilty person it presently buffets him and terrifies him and pricks him at the very heart and gnawes him many times with vnspeakeable torments and tortures And so contrariwise in the Sentence of absolution it proceeds with comfort settleth and quieteth the hart of the Absolued and many times makes it able with ioy to stand vndanted against all the powers of hell and the world of which more afterwards when I come to intreat of the sorts of Conscience Obserue by the way the difference between the Court of Conscience within vs and mens Courts of
that loue not the Lord Iesus 1. Pet. 1.9 2. Cor. 16.22 Fiftly we should therefore eare the Passeouer with sowre hearbs we should remember his grieuous suffrings with harty affection and melting of soule before the Lord when wee come before him to celebrate the memory of his Passion in the Sacrament Sixtly we should no more stagger or wauer in faith but with all peace and ioy in beleeuing rest vpon the propitiation made by Christ for our sins we should therefore confidently beleeue the pardon of all our sinnes because hee hath borne our iniquities If any man sinne wee haue an Aduocate with the father Iesus Christ the righteous and he is the propitiation for our sins Seuenthly wee should neuer more bee afraid of death and hell for our debt being paied by the surety the hand-writing that was against vs is now cancelled Col. 2.15 and there is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Iesus Romanes 8.1 Heb. 2.14 Eightthly wee should not be so much troubled to bee vniustly traduced seeing Christ beyond all example suffered most vnspeakeable ignominie bearing the imputation of the sinnes of all the Elect. Ninthly seeing hee hath beene made in the similitude of sinfull flesh and suffered for sinne in the flesh wee should striue to bee made the righteousnes of God in him and as hee hath borne our sinnes so should wee striue to beare his vertues Who his owne selfe It is emphaticall that the Apostle saith Hee bare our sinnes his owne selfe For there bee two things which are heere imported First that hee had no partners there were none with him Hee bare all himselfe Esay 59.16 Hee trod the wine-presse alone Esay 63.3 5. And therefore it is a vile dishonour to Christ to ascribe any part of satisfaction to our selues or to any Saint or Angel Secondly it imports that therefore his suffering is of infinit valew in that he bare all his owne selfe in person who was God and man Then it will follow that he hath made a sufficient propitiation for all the world 2. Ioh. 2.1 2. In his body Quest. Why did he not suffer in his soule Ans. Yes for so saith the Scripture Hee made his soule a sacrifice for sinne Esay 53.10 and the Sonne of man came to giue his soule a ransome for many Math. 20.28 Marke 10.45 This was shadowed out by the Holocaust or whole burnt-offering for it noted that the whole man should suffer So in the Sacrament the breaking of the bread is not referred so properly to his body for there was not a bone broken of him saith the holy text but fitly to his soule which was broken with sorrowes and heauines for our sakes So that by the body he meanes synechdochically whole Christ but yet the body is named because That was the outward sacrifice that was offered for our sinnes on the tree Christ then bare our sinnes in his body What may wee learne from thence First wee see a manifest difference betwixt Christs Priesthood and theirs in the Law For they offered the bodies of beasts or fowles but Christ offered his owne body Secondly wee may take comfort in the assurance that hee is the Sauiour of our bodies as well as our soules Thirdly Seeing such grieuous things befell the body of Christ why seeke wee so much ease for our bodies why pamper wee our flesh so and why are we so impatient in the paines of our bodies and remember not what Christ suffered in his body Fourthly we should therefore esteem his body to bee a precious body aboue all bodies â—â—eing it was laid downe as a price for our sinnes yea wee should long to see that glorious body of his that wee might admire it and adore it and embrace it and in the meane time loue and delight in the Lords Supper that exhibiteth the body of Christ spiritually vnto vs reioycing in such meetings aboue the ioy of all carnall people before any other things Fiftly wee should therefore take heed of sinning against our bodies but make conscience to serue God both in body and Spirit and say with Dauid Christ Lord a body thou hast giuen me for I come to doe thy will Sixtly what cursed monsters are swearers that teare 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 somtimes a staffe Mat. 26.47 sometimes a pair of stocks Acts 16.24 sometimes a tree growing Reuel 2.11 vsually wood 1. Corinthians 3.12 Heere a Gallowes made of wood Christ bare our sinnes on the tree because hee did in a speciall manner suffer bitter extremities on the tree which hee suffered as our Suretie and for our sinnes for First to die on a tree was by a speciall Law of God made a curse and so is euery one that hangs on a tree Gal. 3.13 Secondly he was debarred of the benefit of ordinary naturall comforts For he liued in paine 3 hours in the darke and had not the light of the sun Thirdly in that darknes he was put to the most fearefull conflict with the diuels which at that time did with their vtmost fury assault him and fight against him Colos. 3.25 Fourthly he endured most grieuous paines and toâ—ments of body and the effusion of his most precious blood Fiftly hee was reckoned amongst the wicked in his death and therefore hanged betweene two malefactors Esay 53.9 Sixtly hee was reuiled by the base multitude and mocked and derided by the chiefe Priests and Scribes Math. 27.39 to 45. Seuenthly God his father powred out vpon him the fearefull viols of his wrath in withdrawing for a time the sense of his fauour Math. 27.46 Eightthly his whole body was offered vp on the tree as a Sacrifice for the sinnes of the world and the substance of all the sacrifices in the Law Vses We haue therefore cause to reioyce in the crosse of Christ aboue all things For on the tre hee freed vs from the curses of the Law and purchased for vs 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 waies of inflicting death vpon the godly so as now they may with comfort in a good cause or after repentance for their faults euen suffer that death on a tree with ioy And wee should the more praise God for his fauour if he suffer any of vs to die of any other more easie or more honourable death And then wee may againe see the hatefulnesse of sinne in that God punishing our sinnes in the person of his owne Sonne doth not omit the very circumstances of abasement his iustice exacting not onely death but that painefull 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 vs are when wee
to the very ends of the earth Micah 5.4 For he was not onely to raise vp the Tribes of Israel but to be a light to the Gentiles and giueth saluation to the ends of the earth Esay 49.6 Fourthly because he is great in skill and power in skill because though he haue such great flocks yet he knowes all his sheep particularly and calls them all by their names Iohn 10.3 And so hee knowes all their wants and diseases too and all the waies to help and cure them In power because hee hath a mighty Arme Esay 40.10 11. And hee stands and friends them in the strength of Iehoua and in the Maiesty of the Name of the Lord his God Micah 5.4 And besides hee shewes it in his ability to driue away from his flocks euen those hurtfull beasts that other shepheards cannot resist If a Lion or the hungry Lion roar after his prey hee will not care for the voice of a multitude of shepheards called out against him saith the Prophet Esay 31.4 yet this Shepheard alone with his voice can make the fiercest Lion leaue his prey and runne away He can make the Diuels flee and restrain the rage of cruell Tyrants Fiftly because he is a Prince aswell as a Shepheard Other shepheards are vsually no more than ordinary men but he is a great Prince and therefore must needs be a great Shepheard Ezech. 34.23 Sixtly because he is the Arch-Shepheard the Prince of shepheards He vnder whose authority all other shepheards are and to whom they must giue accounts 1. Pet. 5.4 Thus of the attributes giuen to this Shepheard The happinesse of those that liue vnder the gouernment of such a Shepheard followes First he will feed them as a shepheard doth his flock they that wait vpon the Lord shall bee fed Psalm 37.3 And thus chiefly hee will feed their soules they shall grow and eat and finde pasture Iohn 10.9 He will feed them with knowledge and vnderstanding Ier. 3.15 and with such food as will breed life and life in more abundance Iohn 10.10 They shall neither hunger nor thirst He that hath mercy on them shall lead them by the Springs of water he shall guide them those Springs of water are his Ordinances Esay 49.10 and their pasture is fat pasture Ezech. 34.14 The chief feeding-place is his holy Hill the Temple and Sanctuary and â—hat shall bee a blessing to his floâ—â— there shall bee showres of blessings in their seasons Ezech. 34.26 He doth not feede in the fields and Desarts but with a more excellent feeding he feeds them in his garden in the very beds of spices euery doctrine being as a seuerall spice and the whole summe together as a bed of spices Cant. 6.2 3. The Prophet Dauid seems to resemble powerfull and florishing doctrine to greene pastures and the secret and sweet comforts of the Sacraments to still waters Psalme 23.2 Secondly he will tend and keepe them so as 1. The wilde beasts shall not teare them Tyrants Hereticks diâ—â—ls shall not make a pray of them Ezecâ— 34.25 so as they should dwell safe though they were in the wildernes and sleepe in the woods Ezech. 34.25 28. Though they walke thorow the valley of death they neede not feare Psalme 23.4 2. Hee will iudge the Ramms and the Goats that push at them that is hee will reuenge the wrongs are done vnto them by such as liue in the same churches with them that reproch or oppose them Ezech. 34.17 c. 3. The Sun shall not smite them Esay 49.10 that is the wrath and anger of God shall not afflict their spirits but they shall lie downe in great rest and tranquillity of conscience Ezech. 34.13 4. If they fall into diseases he will giue them such medicines as shall refresh their soules Psal. 23.3 5. They shall want nothing Psal. 23.1 6. None of them shall bee lacking hee will keepe all that are giuen to him no man shall take them out of his hands Iohn 10.29 Ierem. â—3 4 7. Hee will order them not by force and cruelty but by iudgements Ezech. 34.16 shewing a due respect of the seuerall ages and conditionâ— of his sheepe Esay 40.11 8. Hee will goe in and out before them himselfe and they shall follow him and he will leade them in the paths of righteousnes Iohn 10.4 Psal. 23.3 9. Hee will doe more for them then any Shepheard did for his flock hee will make them liue euer he will giue them eternall life Ioh. 10.29 10. Lastly all this is the more comfortable because hee hath tied himselfe by couenant for his sheepe to doe all this for them Ezech. 34.25 Vse The vse should be for instruction and so both to Ministers and to the people First to Ministers They should heer learn to be wonderfull carefull of the finding feeding of the flocks committed to their charge seeing Christ ordinarily and externally doth administer this work by their seruice If they bee not carefull they dishonour as much as lieth in them the office of Christ The feeding which vnder Christ on Gods holy hil they should prouide for the people is the chiefe blessing of the life of a penitent sinner Iohn 21. 1. Pet. 5.2 Secondly to the people The people that are good should hence learne 1. To pray to CHRIST to shewe them where hee feedes that they may bee directed to the fertill pastures of some powerfull Ministery 2. To trust vpon Christ for all things necessary for their soules Since God hath appointed him as the Shepheard of our soules wee should glorify his office by beleeuing in him and relying vpon him neuer sheepe had a better shepheard and therefore wee neede not feare any more nor bee dismaied Psalme 37.3 Ierem. 23.4 3. Our hearts should bee set vpon the house of Christ and vpon his Word as the food of our soules wee should run to Church with great willingnes and appetite as the sheepe doe to their foddering places 4. When wee finde good pasture and safe feeding wee should be wonderfull thankfull and seeke all his praise with ioyfull hearts Psal. 79. vlt. and 100. 5. Wee should submit our selues to the Ministers of the assemblies whose words are like goades and like nailes fastened because they are giuen by this our Shepherd Eccles. 12.11 6. If the spirituall Assyrian break into the Church of Christ we should remember that if seuen Shepheards and eight principall men bee raysed vp against him he shal be driuen away Mich. 5.5 But withall wee must take heede and looke to it that wee be right sheepe of his pasture For there are multitudes in the flocks of Christ that hee will not feede hee takes no care of them but saith of them That that will die let it dye And as a shepheard separateth the goates from the sheepe so will Christ separate a world of wicked vngodly men from the good though they now be often folded together in one assembly It is the poore of the flock onely that