that Christ was meer Man and not God whose will onely is omnipotent Arrius taught that Christ was less than the Father and therefore did not command but onely received the commands of the Father Manicheus taught that Christ had not true but onely imaginary flesh and therefore could neither touch nor be touched Christ confutes all these in these words Be thou clean Here 's the Divinity of Christ men are wont to command actions but to make things to be by commanding them to be is onely divine Gen. 1. Let there be Light and there was Light Let the Earth be created and it was so Immediately his Leprosie was cleansed With a touch of Christs hand and with a word of his mouth he touched him that the cure might not seem to come by chance but that it onely came from himself 2 To shew the mercy and condescention of Christ that did not disdain to touch a leprous person much more in taking Leprosie of sin on him and making us one body him In that this Leprosie was cured immediately there came came no space of time nor no outward mean betwixt the command of Christ and the work of Christ V. 4. And Jesus saith unto him See thou tell no man but go thy way Shew thy self to the Priest and offer the Gift that Moses commanded for a testimony unto them See thou tell no man There are sundry causes why Christ enjoyns him silence 1 Christ did not forbid him to tell it at any time but that he should not tell it till he had shewed himself to the Priests lest the Priests hearing of the cure should maliciously report that the Leper was not truly healed according to the Law Levit. 14. wherein the Priest was to judg of Leprosie and therefore in the Text it follows Go shew thy self to the Priest This Miracle fell out in Galilee Mark 1.39 and the Priests were at Jerusalem the Priests were called out of the City that they might judg of the Disease There were other causes as 1 For modesty sake and to avoid boasting 2 For not speaking forth that in word which spake forth it self in deed in his whole body the Leprosie being removed 3 Because the fit time was not come therefore the Lepers zeal was disorderly in publishing that Christ would have kept silent Mark 1.45 4 Lest hereby Christ should stir up the envy and hatred of the Pharisees against him and so be forced to go from the City not having an opportunity to preach the Gospel Mark 1.45 So that Christ could no more openly enter into the City but was forced to remain in desert places But go thy way shew thy self to the Priest Christ bids him shew himself to the Priest 1 Because the ceremonies were yet in force Now the ceremonial command was that the Leper should show himself to the Priest Levit. 14.2 2 That the healed Leper might test fie his thankfulness to God for so great a benefit by bringing a thank-offering Levit. 14.1 to 9. 3 To draw the Priests either to faith in Christ and repentance for their opposition against him or else that they might be inexcusable hence these words follow for a testimony unto them 4 To get a testimonial of his cure And offer the gift which Moses commanded See what this was Levit. 14.3 4 5 6 7. It was an oblation or thank-offering to God for his cleansing For a testimony unto them As 1 That they might be inexcusable if they would not embrace Christ for the Son of God 2 That the receiving of the gift may be a continual testimony against the Priests that the Leprosie was perfectly healed if they through malice should in time to come go about to deny it they could not say such an one was not cured for whom they had offered a thank-offering to God Christ would have them that were his adversaries to be the first witnesses of his miracles Besides it was that he might be restored to the society of men from whose company he had been severed But that from hence Papists may wire-draw the Law of their confession making Leprosie to be allegorically sins and the Priests the knowers hereof is a vain thing for what Honour those Priests had Christ alone challenges to himself who alone knows spiritual Leprosie and is worthy to whom we should offer the gift of our cleansing Indeed sin is like Leprosie 1 For loathsomness Prov. 13.5 Ezek. 16.5 2 For smell a Leper from such corruption of humors cannot but smell So sinners stink though perhaps not one to another as nasty prisoners in the goal yet to those that come out of the fresh Ayr so though wicked men stink not one to another yet to God and Saints they do Psal 14.3 They are altogether become stinking as the margin renders it 3 For Hereditariness as the Leprosie is conveyed from Father to Son so is original defilement Eph. 2.3 Rom. 5.12 4 For excommunicableness Leprosie separated not onely from divine service but also from society with men so sin lived in separates betwixt God and us and separates from communion of Saints Isa 59.1 2. Matth. 18.15 16 17. 5 For contagion Leprosie was very infectious so is sin 1 Cor. 5.6 A little leaven leavens the whole lump Onely here 's the difference the Leper proclaimed his uncleanness that men might take heed of being infected by him Levit. 13.45 which sinners will not 6 Leprosie creeps from one place to another till the whole body be overspread with it so doth corruption or sin it creeps from the heart to the members of the body and faculties of the soul so that from the crown of the head to the sole of the foot there is nothing but wounds and swellings and putrifying sores Isa 1.6 Though in a tropological sence sin may thus be resembled to Leprosie yet Leprosie properly taken is meant and no Popish inference of Priestly power can thence be deduced Obs No person whatsoever how vile soever by bodily distemper is hereby kept off from worshipping God 2 He that believes that God will do him good must also be convinced of the power of God that God can do him good 3 All cleansing from bodily diseases proceeds from the will of God as the primitive cause thereof I will be thou clean 4 Diseases however in the use of second causes they are hardly cured or incurable yet by the power of God they are and have been healed Immediately his Leprosie departed 5 From these words See thou tell no man Obs Disobedience unto the commands of Christ though upon the most specious pretences cannot excuse it from being a sin 6 Shew thy self to the Priest and offer the gift Obs The external and ceremonial part of worship when and so long as it is instituted by God onght not to be slighted or neglected 7 For a testimony unto them Obs Persons that at present are opposite to Christ and his truth we should use the best means we can to convince them that
the Spirit into the Wilderness So that in the same day he was baptized he began his Fast of forty days He was led of the Spirit 2 His Tentation is set down from the efficient Cause v. 12. the Spirit He was led of the Spirit or driven or cast out by the Spirit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so Mark or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 led away or snatched away These phrases set down the violent impulsion and force of the Spirit in his heart as appears Luke 4.1 Jesus being full of the Holy Ghost returned from Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the Wilderness It was not then Satan that led him but the Spirit of God Whether carried through the air as Elias 2 Kings 2.16 and Ezekiel cap. 3.12 and Philip when he was taken from the Eunuch or whether he went on his feet I leave it in the midst but from the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sursum and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 duco I incline to think he was carried up into the air 3 Whither he was led viz. Into the Wilderness It 's like the great Wilderness where he was with the wilde Beasts yet are not any persons to live in Wildernesses now for Penance for though every action of Christ be for our instruction yet is it not for our imitation What popish Eremite is so carried as Christ was Christ went into the Wilderness to testifie his divine glory in abstinence not onely from flesh but from all manner of meat which hath no place in Eremites he went to be tempted of the Devil and therefore chose the fittest place even a solitary Wilderness We pray that we may not be led into Tentation If there were any such end of an Eremitical or Wilderness Life as Penance yet were it meet to be profest rather among men than beasts that they who have beheld our Fall may behold our Repentance And if the Warrant of a Wilderness Life be fetcht from the Example of Christ it must of necessity be shut up in the space of forty days and forty nights after the end of which forty days Temptation he lived the rest of his life in the society of men To be tempted of the Devil This was the end Christ was led into the Wilderness Christ was thus tempted first that he might be fitted for his Ministry by Tentations for knowledg of Tentations is one great requisite to make an able Teacher 2 To shew with what Weapons a Christian ought to oppose the Temptations of the Devil 3 That he might be succouring and helpfull to us in our Tentations Heb. 2.17 For that he himself hath suffered being tempted he is able to succour them that are tempted 4 To shew that Christ is stronger than Satan in time of Tentation 1 John 4.4 Christians overcome because greater is he that is in them than he that is in the World 5 That we may come unto him with boldness and confidence seeing he was in all the principal points of Tentations tempted as well as we Heb. 4.15 16. He was in all points tempted like unto us let us come therefore unto him with boldness 6 Satan tempted Christ that in overcoming Christ he might hinder the Work of our Redemption by drawing him to sin for the high Priest that was to redeem us was to be holy and harmless and undefiled Heb. 7.26 7 That by his combating with Satan he might obtain victory to us John 14. ult 8 To let young Converts see that after Baptism that is the profession of a sincere and holy life Temptations hang over such 9 To let us see that bare Tentations are not sins unless we give our consent to them Satans Temptations to evil are our crosses and Satan's sins provided we groan under them and oppose them In holy men God works a distaste of Satans Temptations yet may a Saint have as horrid thoughts cast into his heart as the Devil can invent who is indeed the great temptation-master 10 That we by Christ his Example may learn to fight it out with Satan and not to give way like valiant Souldiers that stand and maintain their ground against their Adversary Ephes 6.11 Put on the whole Armour of God that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the Devil Learn we from this seeing Christ was led or driven of the Spirit to his Tentation that we do not rashly cast our selves into Tentations because we know not what weakness we may shew therein V. 2 And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights he was afterwards an hungred When he had fasted forty days Christ his temptation is amplified from the concomitants that accompanied his temptation which was prayer and fasting Because fasting kindles prayer therefore he used fasting as Moses and Elias had communion with the Lord miraculously Exod. 24.18 forty days and forty nights 1 King 19.8 so had Jesus Christ From hence Papists stablish Lent They say Christ his example is a command for us but by this reason all the miracles of Christ should be instead of a command but who can imitate Christ in miracles Moses at the receiving of the Law and Eliah at the restoring of it and Christ the restorer of the new Law fasted forty days apiece but what is this to us The example of Moses and Elias gave no warrant to the Jews to imitate that fast no more doth Christs fast give warrant to us to imitate that 2 There is great difference between Christ his fasts and Papists for Christ fasted but once they yearly Christ abstained from all meat and drink they onely from flesh and that which comes of it Christ abstained from food without need or appetite to it they hunger when they fast Besides in their fasts the Shambles are onely chang'd into Fishmarkets or into Grocers and Comfit-makers shops which are more pampering to the flesh Luke saith that in those forty days Christ did eat nothing Luke 4.2 but they eat every day Now for the fast of Christ it was supernatural For to fast above seven days is death for though sick persons in whom there is abundance of slimy phlegm and their natural heat is weak may live above seven days without meat for they are nourished of the moisture of the body and phlegm which the little heat in their body doth slowly eat up Yet man naturally cannot live without meat seven days because for want of nourishment the natural heat dies As the fire of a Lamp is put out for want of oyl the body also being dried becomes unfit that the soul should inform it besides the bowels as Hippocrates observes wanting chylous moisture growes together and then the man dies For Christ his divine power did keep his body strong without hunger and did likewise suspend the action of natural heat and other contrary qualities weakning one another and in the mean time afforded strength and animal spirits to the head and brain which were necessary to the
cast into hell These words belong to the former command forbidding adulterous looks They are an Objection Who can but love beautiful men and women nature inclines to love that which is beautiful Answ To this Christ answers by an argument from the greater to the less If a Gangrene had infected part of the body you would rather have that infected member cut off then have the whole body hazarded how much more should we do it when the doing thereof will prevent the eternal destruction of soul and body if we could not therefore save our souls otherwise we should be content to pull out our eys but I require no more but that thou turn thy eye from an ensnaring countenance thou oughtest to cut off thy hand but I require no more then that thou keep it off from unchaste touchings We suffer hard things for the saving of our body much more should we suffer hard things for the saving of our souls and so much more because it costs less namely the cutting off of our lusts Such phrases there are Matth 18.8 Mark 10.45 onely there they are applied to every darling sin here they are applied to that sin wherein persons have the least power of resistance Of this Job 23.11 My foot hath held his steps his way have I kept and not declined Job 31.1 I have made a covenant with mine eyes v. 7. No blot hath cleaved to my hands also v. 5. his foot hastened not to deceit the meaning of this precept is that the nourishment of lust is to be avoided lust travelling with a sinfull act Psal 7.14 Jam. 1.14 15. if it be hindered to bring it forth that sinful act becomes abortive and lust it self dies Therefore this command as all other commands that seem to command wickedness or sin ought to be taken figuratively literally this precept were a breach of the sixt command Thou shalt not kill and so it were a cruel command but it is a most gentle Command it had been hard if he had bid us keep company with women behold them and abstain from them Julian taking these sentences literally mockt at Chistian Religion as foolish cruel and vain because it commands to maim our own members He mockt at Christians because no man did it he mock at Christ because no man obeyed him but this Apostate might have seen from the scope that these words were not to be taken literally but figuratively For Christ teacheth this seeing there is so much danger of the eyes that they are as gates to let lust in and out they are to be pluckt away from vanity yea to be pluckt out rather then be offensive to the soul Some of the ancients understood by right hand kindred and friends any dear thing which draws from God but here is meant all occasions of lust taken from the eye in particular such was that curiosity of looking into the Ark of God 1 Sam. 6.19 Means to pluck out the abuse of the eye and to cut off the hand 1 Mortifie our earthly members Though corruption be in you let it be like a dead carkass 1 God works habitual or inward mortification not onely by raising up those that are dead in sin but by stirring up the affections of the soul to a desire of raising and then crucifying sinfull affections or lusts in us 2 For outward actual mortification that is our work hereby we resist temptations and keep in inordinate affections These sinful affections are call'd members as corruption is called a body Rom. 6.6 and because it puts forth its power in all the members of the body and as our natural members perform our natural actions so our corruption uses these sinfull affections as instruments to fulfil the desires thereof 2 Look upon every allowed lust as that which severs betwixt God and us Esa 59.1 we are eagerly affected against those who endeavour to sever betwixt us and our dearest friends 3 Look upon your old man as crucified with Christ Rom. 6.6 4 Get renovation in the imagination for want whereof there are so many filthy lustings in the eye and listnings in the ear 5 Look upon these as those which will destroy the soul as in the text V. 30. It hath been said Whosoever shall put away his wife let him give her a writing of Divorcement But I say unto you whosoever shall put away his wife saving for the cause of fornication eauseth her to commit adultery and whosoever shall marry her that is divorced committeth adultery Christ further clears the seventh Commandement asserting that this command is broken if a man shall put away his wife except for fornication the Law allowed divorce in divers cases but Christ onely in the case of fornication It hath been said 1 By Moses from divine inspiration not upon his own private fancie for the commandements and statutes which Moses taught them the Lord commanded him for to teach them Deut. 6.1 for he that would not determine in a matter of inheritance as in the case of the daughters of Zelophehad without first asking God in a matter of greater moment would not do any thing without Gods command and though Christ Matth. 19.8 ascribes divorce unto Moses yet those things which came from God are ascribed to Moses Matth. 8.4 Mark 1.44.7.10 Luke 5.14 Now this divorce was made for some kind of filthiness as for leprosie scolding c. Deut. 24. 1 For it was scarcely used in case of fornication for if the wickedness of fornication appeared the adulteress was stoned Levit. 20.10 and if she were suspected she was purged with the waters of jealousie Numb 5.27 and God dispensing with the Jews for to put away their wives for sundry causes they did not sin herein in my opinion Ob. But Mat. 19.8 Mose because of the hardness of your hearts suffered you to put away your wives therefore it was onely a permission Answ This their hardness was the cause why God granted the Jews liberty herein lest the Jews should kill their wives whom they could not put away yet this grant did make their putting away lawful because God for the hardness of the Jews did dispense with them in the law of matrimony by this putting away of wives God typified the putting away of the Jews and the betrothing of the Gentiles Whosoever shall put away his wife For onely the husband by the Jewish law might put away the wife The Pharisees corrupted this law of divorce the original law was Deut. 24.1 That if a man hated his wife for some filthiness giving her a bill of divorce he might put her away but might never take her any more after he had put her away Now the Scribes and Pharisees depraving this law the Jews for every small matter put away their wives showing the seventh Commandement was not violated if they gave them a bill of divorce hence Christ reprehends this interpretation Now the form of this putting away as the Lawyers tell was Tuas res tibi habeto tuas
nor in that which is to come therefore some sins are forgiven in the world to come Answ Mark expounds it that such a one hath never forgiveness Mark 3.29 Matthew to aggravate the sin against the holy Ghost uses a Periphrasis as if we should speak of a sick man he can sleep neither day nor night that is never or as if we should say the grace of faith can never be bought with mony neither in this life nor in the life to come that is never For that place 1 Pet. 3.18 19 20. Being put to death in the flesh but quickned by the Spirit by which also he went to preach to the spirits in prison which sometimes were disobedient when once the long suffering of God waited in the dayes of Noah therefore say some the Gospel was preached in the world to come for forgiveness there is a misunderstanding of three things in this text 1 the Word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by which they understood the soul of Christ as by flesh his body the body they held to dye but the soul to remain alive in which soul say they he went and preached but by the flesh of Christ is meant his humanity according to this he is said to be put to death but by his spirit is meant his divinity Joh. 4.23 By the power of this spirit and divinity he was raised from the dead 2 Cor. 13.4 A second word misunderstood is this to the Spirits in prison Where the Word are is to be understood or the word being they understood were or had been which words are referred to those men that in the time of Noah were unbelievers and were then in the world now in Peters time their souls were in Hell for by the prison is meant Hell Rev. 20.7 There they are kept to the day of judgement The third word which almost deceived all was the word Going or went which they understood of his going out of the world into Hell when it was meant of his going out of Heaven into the world and speaking then by his spirit in the ministry of Noah to these rebells that were now in Hell in Saint Peters time Now that no sins are forgiven in the world to come appears 1 Because in this life onely are tenders of grace 2 Cor. 6.2 Behold now is the accepted time now is the day of salvation When the master of the house hath shut to the door of this life and ye stand without and knock and say Lord Lord Christ will say Depart from me I know you not Luk. 13.25 The gate of grace was wholly shut unto the foolish Virgins Matth. 25.11 2 The time betwixt this and death is the time for repentance patience and constancy and after death is the present receiving of the crown Rev. 2.10 Be thou faithful unto death and I will give thee a crown of life The godly lamented Stephen at his death but never prayed for him Col. 1.14 9 The grievousness of that prison whereinto unpardoned sins will cast us 1 We are afraid to be cast into a stinking prison for debt yet may there be hope one way or other to get out by satisfaction or compounding or the creditours pity but none of these can befall thee if thou dyest in thy sins and be cast into that prison thou canst not come out by satisfaction because that is of force onely by Christ his satisfaction in this life Act. 13.39 40. Col. 1.13 14. nor yet by composition for thou must lye there till thou hast paid the utmost farthing Luk. 12.59 nor by the creditours mercy because after death the wicked shall have judgement without mercy Jam. 2.13 2 There will be no running away from this prison because the prisoner is bound hand and foot Matth. 22.13 Bind him hand and foot and take him away and cast him into outer darkness Kept in everlasting chains Jude 6. Psal 49. Like sheep that are driven into the fold so are they driven into Hell ver 14. Luk. 16.26 3 In other prisons we have friends come to visit us but here not onely friends 2 Thess 1.9 but also all other comforts shall be removed yea the damned shall be deprived of the presence of God If the deprivement of the sight of God by faith be so grievous how grievous will the deprivation of the beatifical sight in glory be 4 The perpetuity of it to be condemn'd to perpetual imprisonment and that in some loathsom dungeon is terrible yet death may set us free thence but from the prison of Hell there 's no getting out The worm never dyes nor the fire never goes out Mark 9.44 45 46 47 48. It s five times set down the fire that never shall be quenched which are not idle repetitions but to ascertain us of the perpetuity of the torment If the damned had hope after some millions of years to have their torments ended it were something but the burnings are everlasting Isai 33.14 Isai 30.33 the Worm everlasting Isai 66.24 the Fire everlasting Revel 20.10 the contempt everlasting Dan. 12.2 Object But by what right will God punish temporary faults with eternal punishments Answ 1. Sin is committed against an infinite Majesty and so deserves infinite punishment now because man is a finite creature and cannot suffer for it at once therefore he must suffer for it successively to all eternity 2 Because in unpardoned sinners so dying there 's a wicked habit that should they live ever they would sin ever the sinner sins in his eternity and God punishes in his eternity 3 Punishment is to be measured not by length of time the offence is in committing but by the greatness of the offence Murder and Adultery are soon committed shall the Offender be no longer punished than the offence is committing 4 As we are to look upon the perpetuity of this Prison so upon the darkness of it Jude 6. the rebellious Angels are reserved under darkness chains of darkness 2 Peter 2.4 to the wicked the mist of darkness is reserved for ever 2 Peter 2.17 Light is most comfortable but in Hell there 's fire without light 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quasi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because the damned see not 10 Together with pardon come all other blessings Ezek. 36.25 26 27. I will sprinkle clean water what more the cleansing from filthiness a new heart the putting of the Spirit within us writing the Law in the heart Power over sin follows pardon of sin Rom. 7.15.8.2 yea all good things here Rom. 8.32 and glorification in Heaven hereafter Whom he justified them he gloried Rom. 8.30 11 True happiness consists in forgiveness of sins the World counts them happy that have great Estates that have the Princes ear but the Lord tells us those are happy that have sins pardoned Psalm 32.1 Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven and whose sin is covered I am covered under the shadow of the wings of Christ and live secure under the most broad heaven of
Fall Hence the Devil prevail'd against Eve Gen. 3.5 When David grew proud of his Multitude of Subjects he was left to fall to numbring them 2 Sam. 24. When we fall to admire our selves whether parts or graces we are near a Fall 14 Set against the motions that come from corruptions and the suggestion that comes from Satan severally and apart before they joyn their forces together and that you may do this take the temptation in the beginning United Enemies become more hard to resist 15 Be well informed in the methods and devices of sin and Satan 2 Cor. 2.11 The Devil methodizes his temptations when he came to the first Adam Gen. 3. first he comes to the Woman not to the Man next he tells her by eating the forbidden Fruit she should be as God next breeds a jealousie that God meant not so well to her as he and next by the desirableness to the eye and taste he tempts her to eat thereof And as he hath methods so hath he devices he is like a crafty man that with a Plum or a Counter will cozen a childe of all he hath And so hath corruption devices this is a little sin thou must do this or else thou canst not live in the World First corruption drew Peter into a place of temptation into the high Priests Hall then to deny Christ corruption drew David to sloth then to wanton gazings then to carnal lustings then to Adultery and then to Murder Had corruption tempted David to Murder at first he would have trembled at it Besides our corruptions are like Touch-wood and Tinder that presently takes fire 16 Strive to get a distaste of temptations they seldom or never prevail against a soul that distastes them so long as the soul distastes them the will is averse unto them and where the will is averse they can do us no hurt As Christ said to Satan Get thee behind me Satan Matth. 16. so let us Distasted Meats and Drinks are seldom received no more will temptations when distasted 17 Put on Christian Armour even the whole Armour of God why we wrastle not onely against flesh and bloud but against principalities and powers Ephes 6.11 as 1 The Girdle of Truth that is a sincere purpose of heart in opposition to hypocrisie which as a girdle bindes our cloaths to us which else the winde would blow about so sincerity holds together our graces which else would be carried away in time of temptation Luke 8. â—3 Unsound men in time of temptation fall away 2 The breast plate of righteousness that is of a holy conversation this hath three branches 1 For time past a testimony of conscience excusing us that our conversation hath not been in fleshly wisdom but godly sincerity 2 Cor. 1 12. 2 For time to come a purpose to avoid all evil and do that which is good Psal 119.106 Act. 11.23 3 For time present an humiliation in respect of daily wants when Satan tempts us to sin we being covered with this breast plate his temptations fall down Though there be armour for the breast yet is there none for the back run-aways that fly from the cause of Christ and duty are cut down by Satan and wicked men 3 Get your feet shod with the preparation of the Gospel that is get an intention to confess Gods truth notwith standing sufferings this is called a preparation of the Gospel because by it a Christian is prepared to repell all temptations to the denial of Christ Now because sufferings are to our souls as stones thorns and gravel are to our naked feet let the affections of our souls be shod with this preparation as leg-harness is useful in war where the enemy sticks stubs of iron or iron harrows in the way so is this intention of confession of Christ needful as part of our armour where Satan in our way to heaven sets so many pricks and crosses as reproaches persecutions loss of goods liberty and life 4 The shield of faith that is a lively faith trusting on God for justification sanctification and earthly things Psal 84.11 Also faith eying threatnings promises and commandments this is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a door or gate It 's a long broad shield like a door which was to cover the whole body from pushes darts and arrows such must our faith be against all temptations this raised up to Jesus Christ and acted aright against the tempter is like a cordial to a fainting soul 5 The helmet of salvation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it covers the head all about now when the head is well fenced we fear not arrows nor darts Such is Christian hope to the soul when Satan shall tempt thee to discouragement and tells thee thy sins are unpardonable because so great and many and tells thee it will never be otherwise then at present it is and tempts thee to wish thy self dead and tells thee thou art cast out of Gods sight and that thou shalt never overcome this lust nor get out of this desertion nor be delivered from this temptation all that I do will but further my damnation I have no mind any longer to use the means against all these hopeless hartless voyces raise up thy hope in God hope for day though at present it be midnight 6 Get the sword of the Spirit the Word of God which as an armory hath all sorts of weapons in it Were we to go where enemies were we would not go without our sword onely think not to out-brave Satan by saying a piece of Scripture in an hartless manner but produce it believingly 18 If temptations be violent conferre with some Christian friend wise and faithful and able to retain a secret both from their wives and others and discover to them that which perplexes your conscience and such a person will be ready to discover to you the same or like temptations and this is meant by confessing our faults one to another Jam 5.16 Onely if we can have ease from God we need not confess our temptations to men God sometimes speaks by a poor brother 19 Make good your ground against the tempter you must be able to stand against the wiles of the Devil and having done all to stand Eph. 6.11 13. As soldiers stand orderly in the fight and neither run forth to danger nor retire cowardly so do ye Cowards in battle are most commonly cut off and there will be no mercy in Satan if he overcome nothing less then the blood of your souls will serve him in order to this resistance beg help of the spirit who infuses good motions and excites the soul therewith as Satan doth to evil But deliver us from evil That is from the evil of the temptations which the Devil World or flesh worketh against us Hence observe 1 That deliverance from evil ariseth not from our own power or might but from the Lord 2 Cor. 1.10 2 Our own weakness we are not able to
deliver our selves in temptation but Gods grace is sufficient for us 2 Cor. 12.9 10. For his strength is made perfect in our weakness 3 To learn watchfulness against Satans temptations and against all temptations 1 Cor. 16.13 Watch ye stand fast in the faith quit you like men be strong 4 See the providence bridling tempters and temptations that though they come never so violently upon us they cannot prevail further then God permits for Satans temptations see Luk. 22.30 31. Satan hath desired to have you that he may sift you but I have prayed for thee Job 1.12 Rev. 2.10 And as Gods providence bridles Satans temptations so doth it the temptations of wicked men 1 Cor. 10.13 5 We do not onely pray against Satan who is the great artificer of temptations and is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the wicked one 1 Joh. 2. 1 Joh. 5. but also against every thing that may either draw us to sin or hinders us from godliness Satan is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the great Burgomaster of Hell 6 We are here taught that we are not yet in that estate wherein we shall be free from all temptations it will be the happiness of Heaven that we shall neither have Devil nor lust to combat with 7 That God would temper all temptations according to the strength we receive either by increasing our strength or lessening the force of the temptation Rev. 3.10 I will keep thee from the hour of temptation 2 Pet. 2.9 The Lord knowes how to deliver the godly in time of temptation for want of which assistance unsound men in time of temptation fall away Luke 8.13 8 See who are most apt to be tempted even Gods children who call him Father The devil hath carnal men sure and so never tempts them Luke 11.21 When a strong man armed keepeth his palace his goods are in peace 9 See what a filthy nature we have which is ready to betray us to every temptation If God withdraw his grace we are presently ready to fall as the staffe doth when it is forsaken of the hand that held it We see it in Gods children Sampson David Solomon Hezekiah Peter Noah Lot Nay they forsaken of God not onely fall into sin but lye in it how much more wicked men 10 That as we desire to be delivered by God from the evil of temptation so it should be our care not to run into provocations and occasions Joseph Gen. 39.10 though Potiphars wife tempted him from day to day yet he hearkened not to lye by or to be with her so not to go into houses hanted with the devil upon any pretence of the strength of our faith This is as if we should go within the reach of a Lion or mad Dog Remember the sons of Sceva Acts 19.14 16. who going in the devils reach without a call the devil both tore off their cloaths and wounded their bodies and therefore if godly people shall be invited to pray in such a place let them know they have no call to it 11 We desire not onely to be delivered from evils of wicked things but that even good things as riches strength health beauty friends may not become a snare to us For thine is the Kingdome the power and the glory for ever and ever These words are the conclusion not expressed by Luke It contains three motives or encouragements to come to God in prayer as 1 Thine is the Kingdome that is all Kingdomes are thine the Kingdome of providence or government of the world the Kingdome of grace and glory as if it were said Thou O Lord hast all Kingdomes in thy own hand and therefore thou art able to give all good things to thy subjects whether grace or glory even all things necessary for soul and body and to deliver them from all evils and to bring them to eternal redemption Under the name of Kingdome is meant the power of right Now the Kingdomes are Gods 1 Proprietarily that none can lay claim to it in this manner but himself also efficiently Psal 95.3 4. 2 Derivatively or hereditarily so the Kingdoms of the world are given to carnal men Dan. 4.25 and the Kingdomes of grace and glory to Saints so Satan is called the Prince of the power of the ayr Eph. 2.2 because devils are suffered there to rule and tempt and to speak to our spirits but yet with subordination to the Lords providence The power Here 's another argument to strengthen our faith in prayer as his fatherly affection on the one hand so his kingly power on the other may assure us that he is both willing and able to grant our requests There is such power in God that there is nothing too hard for him thou hast not onely potestas or authority of all things as a King but thou hast power that is a working power thou alone canst grant us these things and no other can grant them thou hindering them therefore we come to thee for them Also saying Thine is the power we learn that his power is not derived from any other the power of creation is thine and the power of sustentation of all things Heb. 1.3 and in particular the power whereby he sustains his Church 1 Chr. 29.11 12. Thine O Lord is the greatness and power thou raignest over all and in thy hand is power The power of God is seen in these things 1 In making Heaven and Earth Psalm 124.8 2 In that he made it without matter Man cannot work without matter God made the World of no matter that doth appear Heb. 11.3 3 In making them so easily even by the word of his mouth Gen. 1. 4 This power in God is seen in raising up the Body of Christ and the bodies of Saints which rose with him and the bodies of Saints which shall arise John 5.28 Ephes 1. 5 In bringing over a soul to believe Ephes 1.19 God inclines our wills whither he willeth having them more in his power than we our selves A man may sit under Ordinances all his life and not be converted if this power put not forth it self This power in God is twofold 1 Absolute and that is twofold 1 Independent in that none hath power to call him to account Job 33.13 He giveth not account of any of his matters None hath power to ask him why he makes one crooked another straight why he calls one and passes by another why he gifts one and not another why one is a King and another a Slave this power is authority 2 Infinite and unlimited whereby God is able to do more than he doth he never so puts forth his power but he could put it forth further if he pleased Matth. 9. God is able of stones to raise up children to Abraham he hath made a World and could make more if he pleased Matth. 26.55 Thinkest thou not that I could have prayed to my Father and he would have given me more than twelve Legions of Angels 2 There is an actual
run from one Master to another For all the Babylonians had Gates of Brass and Bars of Iron to defend their Treasures yet says the Lord to Cyrus I will break in pieces these Gates and cut asunder these Bars and I will give thee the Treasures of darkness and hidden riches of secret places Isai 45.2 3. If your treasure be in Silver and Gold Thieves may spoil them if in Garments Moths may eat them if in Ships Sea may swallow them if in Cattel Rot may seize them if in Buildings and Furniture Fire may burn them if in Lands War may dispossess them when a War comes if you fall not on the right side your Lands are gone besides crackt Titles Inundations of Waters spoil some men of their Lands Job saith of goods in the general that they flow away in the day of Gods wrath Job 20.28 3 From the inability of earthly things as 1 They cannot bring us sundry goods not pardon to the soul nor health to the body nor a good nights rest not a good repute in the hearts of good men they cannot redeem a soul nor give to God a ransom for it Psalm 49.7 A man may gain the whole world and yet lose his soul Matth. 16.26 2 There are many evils they cannot remove Earthly treasure can neither drive away diseases from the body nor disquiet from the conscience nor can they secure against poverty as appears in Adoni-bezek and other Princes who have come to poverty before they died yea when not sanctified earthly treasures drown the soul in perdition as the Ship when it 's overladen sinks unless unburdened of some of its lading 3 Use Exhortation to lay up treasure in Heaven Consider 1 The excellency of the object As it 's a mans misery to have his treasure here below to be like Eels mudling in mud so it 's the souls happiness to mount up to have his treasure in Heaven as the Sun draws up the vapours so should the glorious things of Heaven draw up our hearts We should be like those fishes that having fins swim above the water Amor meus pondus meum illuc feror quocunque feror My love is my weight thither I am carried where ever I am carried 2 The unchangeableness of it neither Moth nor Rust corrupts it Grace is incorruptible the hidden man of the heart is incorruptible 1 Peter 3.4 and so is the Kingdom of Heaven 1 Peter 1.4 and so much more is God himself Heb. 1.12 They shall wax old as doth a Garment but thou art the same 3 The eternal wofulness to be mistaken in the chief treasures Persons reflect upon their folly when they have been cheated to think they have had treasure from Witches and it hath proved nothing but Leaves and Chips what will it be then to be mistaken in this treasure yet it 's the misery of all worldly men See Psalm 4.6 Who will shew us any good 4 The exceeding happiness of having God for our treasure When Friends fails life fails he knows where to go for comfort and he being our treasure can make up all our wants V. 20. For where your treasure is there will your heart be also Heart is taken 1 For the desire of the heart Deut. 24.25 The hireling sets his heart upon his hire that is his desire 2 Heart is taken for the affections of the heart as love joy delight and so here Psalm 57.1 3 Heart is taken for the light of the understanding and consent of the will Joel 2.12 Turn to me with all your heart that is not onely that you understand what is your duty but that you consent to give your wills to me 4 For the devices of the heart Isai 32.6 the Prophet saith A wicked mans heart worketh wickedness that is the devices of the heart are for it 5 For the thoughts of the heart Psalm 139.23 Try me and know my heart search me and know my thoughts Sampson told Dalilah all his heart that is all his thoughts Judges 16.17 Psalm 45.1 My heart is inditing a good matter that is the thoughts of my heart are inditing 6 Heart is taken for the purposes of the heart 1 Kings 8.17 It was in the heart of my father David to build a house for the Name of God that is it was in the purposes of my heart The meaning is if God and Christ be our Treasure then our desires yea the whole stream of affections will be for him as our love joy yea our understandings to conceive and our wills to make choice of him as the chiefest good yea the contrivances of the heart will run Heaven-ward yea the thoughts of the heart will be often with God and the purposes of the heart always with him But if the World or some darling lust be our chief Treasure the stream of the will and affections devices thoughts and purposes will go after that V. 22 23. The light of the body is the eye if thine eye be single thy whole body shall be full of light But if thine eye be evil thy whole body shall be full of darkness If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness how great is that darkness The words are an Allegory Quest What is meant by the light of the body Answ Some by eye understand the light of reason and by the body all the actions of the body then the sense will be that we should not in a blinde course follow onely our sense but act according to right reason Others by eye understand a sincere intention eying God and singling out God from all other objects if that be right the whole body will be full of light but if thy intention be hypocritical and wicked thy whole body shall be full of darkness Others by eye understand an enlightened understanding Look as the body is guided by the eye so are all the actions of the soul by an enlightened understanding but where the understanding is vicious all a mans practise is corrupt a corrupt understanding is as a false Looking-glass If the minde be blinded with earthly things as Gold Silver treasures c. to think them the chief good then will men think that to be lawfull which is unlawfull and that to be profitable which is hurtfull Others by eye understand the judgment and by the body understand the minde if this Light be dark blinde affections and unbridled passions and corrupt actions must needs follow such a judgment I take it the two last are here meant where the understanding is enlightened to discern aright of heavenly treasure that it 's the onely precious and incorruptible treasure and the judgment determines and gives sentence herein there follows an holy and heavenly conversation but where the understanding is clouded and the judgment misguided all our actions are full of darkness We should have no less care to have a clear discerning understanding and judgment than to have our natural eys kept clear for as we cannot go without stumbling if we
say The Lord and the light of his countenance is onely the true good 5 Earthly things cannot make us happy but God can That God can make the soul happy appears Psalm 16.11 In his presence is fulness of joy Psalm 17.15 I shall be satisfied when I awake with thy likeness Psalm 30.5 In his favour is life Acts 2.28 Thou wilt make me full of joy with thy countenance Now fulness of joy must needs procure satisfaction Now earthly things cannot make us happy 1 They cannot free us from misery Belshazzar Dan. 5.6 for all he had wealth and honour in abundance yet seeing the hand-writing he was startled his knees smote one against another When the rich mans Barns could not hold his Corn the Devils carried his soul to Hell So the rich man Luke 16. who lived like a Gentleman yet died and went to Hell and for temporal evils there are some evils earthly things cannot turn away as War trouble of conscience suppose they turn away some evils what avails it to have one evil turned away and another as bad lying upon us 2 Earthly things are not proportionable nothing fits the ear but sounds nothing fits the smell but odours nothing is proportionable and fit for the soul save God Hence God to Abraham Gen. 15.1 I am thy exceeding great reward Men that have the most of earthly things God puts sometimes a secret disproportion betwixt them and their estates that they have no comfort therein 3 They are not everlasting nothing can be called happiness which is not everlasting Now earthly things are like a flock of birds in your backside which on a suddain take wing Pro. 23.4 5. Crowns and scepters are not for ever Prov. 27.24 Riches are not for ever and the crown doth not endure to every generation Adonibezek Belshazzar and many others have lost their kingdoms he that rides the multitude rides a skittish horse that knows not how soon it may fling him The world passeth away and the lusts thereof 1 Joh. 2.17 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the word is like a swift flowing river That all earthly things are perishing food Joh. 6.27 appears in Hamans honour Jobs riches and Aegypts pleasures called onely pleasures for a season Heb. 11.25 and such are all your pleasures and delightful acts any of you have had in uncleanness revenge and drunkenness for not onely the world passes away but the lusts thereof 1 John 1.17 2 Reprehension of the inordinate love men have to the world seen 1 In their exceeding joy in the having of them and their exceeding sorrow in the loss of them Laban when he saw the bracelets and ear-rings Eleazar had put on Rebekkahs arme saith he to a stranger he never saw before Come in thou blessed of the Lord Gen. 24.30 31. Job did not thus rejoyce in his goods cap. 31.25 thus to rejoyce is to rejoyce in a thing of nought Amos. 6.13 like Jonas in a gourd We have a command for remisseness of joy herein 1 Cor. 7.30 31. These excessive joys procure excessive sorrows Jobs wife having lost her goods falls to rating her husband for his uprightness and provokes him to curse God 2 In that they can rejoyce to see their children worldly to see them inclined to any other vice they are grieved at it not for this 3 In their eager pursuit of earthly things How eager was Balaam for the rewards of divination for Balaks gold such were those wicked teachers Jude ver 11. who ran greedily after the error of Balaam now what is this wealth men so run after What is gold and silver but white and red earth called thick clay Hab. 2.6 What are Diamonds but the beams of the sun as some think inclosed in a piece of earth What are Margarites but the excrements of shell-fishes What is purple but the blood of a fish of that name called purple What is silk but onely the spinnings and webs of wormes Bern. Balaam had a denial from God to curse the people of God yet the desire of gold so transported him that he would make one essay more to see whether he might curse Israel Numb 22.10 11 12. compared with ver 18 19 20. 4 In their penurious pinching and scraping as the Emper Vespasian who made a gain of urine hence came the proverb sweet is the smell of gain that comes from any thing Some call such men cuminoprestas that is such as will not give a whole cummin seed but divide it in two These persons basely withhold from themselves and families There is a man saith Solomon that wanteth nothing for his soul of all that he desireth yet God giveth him not power to eat thereof Eccles 6.2 How much more do such withhold from good uses The Lord hath need of their asse but they will not let him go Matth. 21.3 The poor want their dues Prov. 3.27 but they are like unfaithful stewards that keep the servants wages in their hands 5 In their multitudes of imployments above the reach of 1 their capacity no man in the world his parts never so large is able to go through that business which some one man of meaner parts hath and retain communion with God how then can he of mean parts retain his communion Every mans soul is like a vessel which being once full is able to hold no more 2 Above the reach of their time as Pharaohs seven lean kine did eat up the fat so their time for worldly imployments eats up the time due for Gods service As he is a lover of pleasures more then a lover of God who suffers pastimes to devour his time for holy duties so he is a worldling who suffers worldly imployments ordinarily and usually to hinder him from religious exercises Such were the old world and the Sodomites Luk. 17.27 28. They did eat and drink they married and were given in marriage they bought they sold they builded they planted Why are not all these things lawful Yes but when mens hearts are swallowed up of these when men follow these with the exclusion of religious duties as they did the preaching of Noah and Lot then they become unlawful and forerunners of great hardness and destruction 3 Above the reach of Christian liberty The utmost of Christian liberty is that we provide for us and ours in reference to an everlasting life having our hearts remiss and loose to earthly things 1 Cor. 7.29 30. 6 In their sollicitous cares for living one saith what shall I do when I am old another saith husband what shall I and my five children do when you are dead what shall I do in a dear year and from hence to be set on work to provide excessively some have but one child or two yet are they as full of carking as if they had twenty nay some have never a child yet are they more scraping and more full of carking cares then many that have a charge 3 Use To diswade us from inordinate love of earthly things Grounds
not that therefore the Apostle excludes the teaching of man for then why would Christ send out his Apostles and the seventy Disciples and why doth he establish a Ministry in his Church one essential property whereof is that he must be apt to teach yea doth not Christ bid us pray to the Lord of the Harvest for such Labourers Christ also shews us that from the Lords teaching as a principal cause the Ministry of man becomes effectual 1 Cor. 3.7 There are many other fruits of false Prophets as the soothing and flattering of Princes 1 Kings 18.6 compared with v. 1â— The mingling of Truth and Errour together or at least truth and corrupt affections from which the Apostle clears himself 2 Cor. 2.17 There are many other notes of false Prophets which by a frequent reading of the Scriptures and begging of the Spirit we may attain to know V. 16. Ye shall know them by their Fruits Do men gather Grapes of Thorns or Figs of Thistles Look as of Thorn-trees men do not gather Grapes nor of Thistles men do not gather Figgs so from false Prophets there is no good and sweet fruit gathered but the harsh and corrupt fruit of Errour and Heresie V. 17. Even so every good Tree bringeth forth good Fruit but a corrupt Tree bringeth forth corrupt Fruit. Christ here comes to confirm unto us further that men do not gather good fruits from bad trees and makes a reddition to the former Proposition laid down interrogatively By good and bad Trees in general the state of the regenerate and unregenerate man may be understood Matth. 12.33 Carnal men cannot please God Rom. 8.8 Abel's person was first respected then his offering Gen. 4.4 In particular Christ means the Prophets when good they bring forth good fruit when corrupt they bring forth corrupt fruit when good they handle the Word of God uprightly 2 Cor. 2.17.4.2 when corrupt they handle Gods Word deceitfully Ephes 4.14 Such false Prophets are not known by the leaves or flowers of an outward profession but by their fruits V. 18. A good Tree cannot bring forth evil Fruit neither can a corrupt Tree bring forth good Fruit. Christ amplifies what he had delivered shewing that a good will from the habit of grace in the soul brings forth good things ordinarily and usually and an evil will from the habit of sin in the soul brings evil things But Christ means first the man must be changed that his works may be changed But who is found good of the Lord seeing Christ died for sinners therefore he found us all bad Trees but gave us power to believe on his Name Aug. de Verb. Domini Serm. 12. But if we carry it to Teachers we must understand it so far as he is a good Teacher for even good Teachers have been mistaken in some things they cannot bring forth corrupt Doctrine nor can a corrupt Teacher so far as he is corrupt bring forth good Doctrine It 's usual that the actions of the body are sutable to the qualities of the minde Matth. 12.34 35. A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth that which is evil If we understand it of men we must understand it of men as in their natural estate But as a Tree when it is transplanted brings forth good fruit though naturally without transplantation it could not so when persons are transplanted out of their natural estate into Christ they bring forth good fruits John 15.4 5. though in their natural state they could not If we carry it to Teachers as Christ means both then the meaning is if these Prophets were true lovers of godliness as they would seem to be they would not usually commit such things as are directly contrary to godliness as they do V. 19. Every Tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewen down and cast into the fire V. 20. Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them Here 's the punishment of false Prophets The words are a similitude taken from an Husbandman and are denounced against all Hypocrites in general who have the leaves of profession but want the power of godliness and in particular against hypocritical false Prophets John 15.6 If a man abide not in me he is cast forth as a Branch that is withered and men gather them and cast them into the fire and they are burned as the Husbandman casts fruitless Branches into the fire so will Christ cast such as bring not forth good fruit into the fire of Hell See Matth. 3.10 In particular false Prophets bring upon themselves swift destruction Their judgment lingers not and their damnation slumbers not 2 Peter 2 1 3. Is hewen down and cast into the fire They are now at present hewen dow by the threatnings of God and shall hereafter be thrown into Hell Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them Christ here concludes thus q. d. seeing men usually teach things suitable to their manners and practises by such kinde of corrupt Teachings you may suspect these Prophets before they instill or drop in their opinions into you for such as the Masters are such will they make the Scholars such as the Tree is such will the Fruits be V. 21. Not every one that saith unto me Lord Lord shall enter into the Kingdom of Heaven but he that doth the will of my Father which is in Heaven Christ from reprehending false Prophets comes to reprehend all hypocritical Formalists whether teachers or hearers who pretend the faith and doctrine of Christ in a great shew of holiness but deny it in their works They prophesied in the Name of Christ and wrought miracles but did not do Christ his will In the words two things 1 An exclusion of hypocritical Formalists or formal Hypocrites out of Gods Kingdom Not every one that saith Lord Lord c. A name without a thing is nothing It 's as an ornament in the clay or a jewel in the mire 2 A reception of those who have a sincere purpose to obey God But he that doth the will of my Father To do the will of God is 1 To believe on Christ John 6.40 This is the will of the Father that every one that sees the Son and believes on him should have everlasting life 2 To declare our faith by a sanctified course of obedience 1 Thess 4.4 This is the will of God even our sanctification 3 To have a purpose for all Gods commands without excepting of any Psal 119.6 106. Col. 1.10.4.12 Heb. 13.20 21. But he that doth the will of my Father which is in heaven and consequently my will for I and my Father are one Joh. 14.7 and the Father is in the Son and the Son in the Father but Christ as he is man for modesty sake names the will of the Father and not his own From the words thus opened observe Obs 1 That in the visible Church there
up and they are cast into the lake of fire Rev. 20.14 15. Qu. Whether there be material fire in hell Answ It seems to me there is or that which is full as terrible or more terrible This fire of hell is often mentioned as Matth. 5.22 Who shall say Thou fool shall be in danger of hell fire Matth. 13.40 At the day of judgement the tares are burnt in the fire Into this fire offending members are cast Matth. 18.18 19. To this everlasting fire the goats are adjudged Matth. 25.41 In this fire those that worship the Beast are tormented Rev. 14.10 and the Sodomites at present suffer the vengeance of eternal fire Jude 7. Yea into this fire are cast every unfruitfull branch which brings not forth fruit he is hewen down at present and shall be cast into the fire hereafter Matth. 3.10 Yea every man that lives and dies out of Christ is cast into this fire John 15.6 If a man abide not in me he is cast forth as a branch that is withered and men gather them and cast them into the fire and they are burned Now for hell fire it 's 1 Unquenchable Isai 30.33 Tophet is prepared of old yea for the King it is prepared he hath made it deep and large the pile thereof is fire and much wood the breath of the Lord like a stream of brimstone doth kindle it Mark 9.43 44 to v. 49. It 's five times mentioned that the fire is not quenched that we may not look upon it as an idle repetition but a thing much to be noted by us In this fire the rich man was tormented Luke 16.24 2 It 's most terrible We reade of terrible fires as that which came upon Sodome that which came upon the two hundred and fifty Numb 16.35 the fires that destroyed the two fifties and their companies 2 Kin. 1.10 12. but no fire terrible as this if it be a terrible thing to see a Martyr to be burnt how terrible is it how terrible should it be to see millions of souls going into this unquenchable fire 3 It 's universal both in soul and body Obj. But if it be material fire how can it not be quencht seeing that material fire we see in a while spends it self Answ Do we not finde Exo. 3.2 3. that the bush burned but was not consumed Though all clothes wax old yet in the wilderness by Gods power their clothes waxed not old so God can by his power keep the fire of hell unquenchable See Isai 30.33 Whereas some say If there be material fire how can the souls of men be tormented therewith being that bodily things cannot work upon spirits Answ This is to draw things to the scantling of our reason besides we see bodily tortures in this life work upon the spirits in the same bodies and why not in hell can the power of God make the fire to afflict the soul Besides till the day of judgement there is a never dying worm At the re-union of soul and body it 's no difficulty to conceive how the wicked shall be tormented in endless fire It is not safe to leave the plain letter of the Scripture to allegorize and whether the opinion of metaphorical fire in hell hath not been an introduction of that opinion of the Quakers viz. That there is no other hell but what is within us I leave to your consideration and so by contraries no other heaven V. 29 Are not two Sparrowes sold for a farthing and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your father V. 30 But the very hairs of your head are all numbred V. 31. Fear not therefore ye are of more value then many Sparrowes Christ had shown sundry dangers to which his Disciples would be exposed the last mentioned was killing of their bodies to which Christ gives consolations as 1 They could not kill their souls 2 That there is a providence that reaches to the smallest creatures even to the Sparrowes much more will it reach to them If it reach to the hairs of their head then will it reach to their lives much more Are not two Sparrowes sold for a farthing Luke 12.6 saith are not five sold for two farthings as if one were of no price And one of them shall not fall on the ground Epicures deny the providence of God Aristotle shuts it up in the heaven so do the wicked Job 22 13 14. look upon God as walking in the circuit of heaven and that he cannot judge through the dark cloud Some have thought this providence hath been employed about universal things but not about particulars some have thought it hath been employed about men but not about beasts because of that saying 1 Cor. 9.9 Doth God take care of Oxen which must be understood comparatively for God takes care of man as of one of the creatures next to himself the beasts are cared for as appointed for the use of man And that this providence reaches not onely to kindes but to individuals we see in the Text in that one of them falls not to the ground without God Shall not fall on the ground That is shall be shot or perish The birds live and flye in the ayr when they dye any way they fall to the earth Without your father That is without the will decree providence and appointment of your Father God hath fore-appointed all men in a certain bound when they should be born when they should dye by what name they should be called and what office they should use and after we are born he offers those things present that so we may use them Luth. Tom. 3.268 Christ argues from the less viz. If God have such care of Sparrowes how much care will he have of you Seeing he is your father not the father of Sparrowes therefore he will not suffer you to be kill'd by persecutors unless it be to reward you with an everlasting happy crown for the good of others there 's nothing without his prescience and providence can happen unto you therefore do not you fear the rage of persecutors Besides you are redeemed with my blood which Sparrowes are not The very hairs of your head are all numbred You that are not onely common men but in covenant with me and some of you publishers of my truth A hair is taken for the smallest thing 1 Sam. 14.45 The people told Saul when he would have put Jonathan to death there shall not an hair of his head fall to the ground that is he shall not have the least hurt Luk. 21.18 Acts 27.34 Paul encouraging the passengers in fear of death to eat tells them there shall not an hair fall from the head of any of them that is not the least personal hurt Obs There is not onely a general providence in the world but a special providence God hath to every individual creature This providence is 1 Ordinary when God governs the world and all things in it according to the order and
decree of God which he hath published for the nourishing the creatures Now Christ herein doth not answer to that which the devil kept silent which was the devil desired to know whether he were the Son of God or no but onely to what he spake which was to command that these stones should be made bread So that first Gods promises are not to be measured by the want of bodily things for God is able to make a new meat for us to live upon 2 When second causes are wanting we must not depart from the faith of a promise to be helped by a miracle but we must live upon that word for God will rather work a miracle then fail of a promise Every word That is every divine command whether general or special wherein there is an express or silent command of necessary things Moses to stir up the Jews to obedience of the Law tells them God would give them things that were needfull either by ordinary means or by extraordinary as he had done when he fed them with Manna which Christ applies to himself when the devil lyingly would make him believe that he should perish if he turned not stones into bread V. 5. Then the devil taketh him up into the holy City and setteth him on a Pinacle of the Temple V. 6. And saith unto him If thou be the Son of God cast thy thy self down for it is written He shall give his Angels charge concerning thee and in their hands they shall bear thee up lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone Here is the second temptation wherewith the devil assaulteth Christ Then the devil taketh him and setteth him on a Pinacle of the Temple It 's questioned whether the matter were onely in vision Answ It was a real rapture of the body of Christ through the permission of God neither was this any disparagement to Christ for that the devil carried him through the ayr and set him upon a Pinacle neither is this any wonder that Christ should suffer himself to be so used seeing he suffered himself to be crucified of the Jews Now though the devil did so take Christ that he might be seen of all yet Christ as Aquinas observs did so invisibly act the devil not knowing it that he could be beheld of no man either by hindering the sight of his body or the sight of their eys Yet was the devil notably mockt for he thought if Christ were the Son of God he would not suffer himself to be taken up by him and carried through the ayr and thence he should know whether he were the Son of God or no but Christ concealing his Godhead suffered his body to be taken up by the devil and so frustrated the devils expectation and left him still in doubt Into the holy City He means Jerusalem called the holy City Matth. 27.53 the beloved City Revel 20.9 the City Jerusalem called Gods holy Mountain Dan. 9.16 the City of the great King Matth. 5.35 the City of God and Mountain of holiness Psal 48.1 And setteth him on a Pinacle of the Temple A Pinacle is the top of a building with a sharp point yet hath it some breadth upon it wherein a man may stand Others think the Temple to be plain with a battlement and so all their houses were commanded to be made Deut. 22.8 Thence Satan tempted Christ to throw down himself as if he should say Show by this miraculous fall to all that thou remainest not hurt that thou art the Son of God and so all the people will acknowledge thee for the Messias We see the devil hath no power to compell no not in the height of his temptation If thou be the Son of God cast thy self down A true voice of the devil The voice of God is to all believers as Paul speaks to the Jaylor Do thy self no harm but satan says cast thy self down All temptations of self-destruction come from satan Against these let us reason 1 We must not kill another much less our selves 2 We read not that Saints but wicked men to have kild themselves as Judas Saul Achitophel For Jonah and Sampson they did it by private motion or else prophetically they knew the minde of God And as Jonah was a Prophet so Sampson was like a good Captain that had rather die then his enemies prevail Some examples are heroical some Moral Heroical examples are which do not agree with laws An heroical man breaks the rule but doth not leave behinde him an example Luth. in Gen. 29. such was Sampson and Jonah in Heroical actions An example is of no force unless it be like in all things 3 Take heed of Satans reasons As its likely Satan brought this reason to Christ Thou dependest upon the providence of God in thy greatest hunger and want now depend upon the same providence in bearing thee up if thou fall down from the pinacle So Satan comes to many souls Make away thy self it s soon done the pain is quickly past thou art like to lie in anguish all thy life the longer thou lives the more will the score of thy sins be and thy torments in hell more If it be once done it will appear to be Gods decree and I hope thou wilt not be against the accomplishment of that if thou live longer thou wilt increase thy sins and make away thy self at last Do not then reason with Satan but pass easily from his suggestions by diversion of thoughts also slight them they oftener as some think go away by slighting then by force As its most safe to pass by a barking Dog and to contemn him so one way of overcoming is to despise Satans suggestions and not to dispute long with them so will they fall of themselves the more you rowl them in your minde the more vehement are they besides Satan can bear nothing worse then contempt Luth. Tom. 3.376 4 Labour to draw good out of such hellish suggestions and so Satan will be weary of such tempting as to spend the time with less sin with them then without them 5 Consider God will require blood at the hand of man Gen. 9.5 not onely at the hand of him that slays his brother but at the hand of a man self now if God require it what a wofull condition art thou in seeing if God enter into judgement for one sin with us we are undone 6 As souldiers are not to leave their station without the command of their Officers no more are we to go out of the body when we please Hierom speaks in the person of Blesella that kild her self I will not receive those souls which have gone out of the body against my will Job and the Apostles who were still under persecutions never thought to shorten their troubles this way and therefore though some heathens lookt on life as a banquet from which they might rise full and then go away or as a play which a man may leave when he list yet
ought we not to go from life till God call us Hence Simeon asks leave to die Luk. 2.29 Lord let thy servant to depart in peace and Paul I desire to be dissolved Phil. 1.23 the prisoner must not go out till the prison door be open 7 Thou doest not onely murder thy body but hereby thou murderest thy soul which is the most heynous murder 8 Remove outward accidents as knives going near rivers wells c. if inclined to this unless when thou art in thy due calling as if thy journey lye by sea or thou must have a knife to eat thy meat here fight it out by faith that thou mayst not give place to the devil for if a person so tempted be called to go over a bridge over any great river when it is in the compass of his calling let him not fear but fight it out by faith and go on his way that he may not do service to the devil 9 Walk close with God and by degrees the temptation wil vanish thou believing and repenting After the Jaylor believed we read nothing of his former temptation to destroy himself 10 Be much in prayer that God would bridle the tempter lay open the violence and uncessancy of his temptations 11 Take heed of dispondency of spirit as to think that none of Gods children were ever in your condition for the same afflictions are accomplished among the brethren that are in the world 1 Pet. 5.8 12 Use constant resistance and distaste of his temptation Jam. 4.7 Resist the devil and he will flee from you it 's not onely a command but a promise 13 Set faith on work to quench his fiery darts Eph. 6.16 1 Pet. 5.8 Your adversary the devil goes about as a roring Lion seeking whom he may devour whom resist stedfast in the faith Let faith be acted as upon Christ for pardon so upon the power of God that he is able to keep you and upon the promise of God that he will keep you and not suffer you to be tempted above what you are able For it is written He shall give his Angels charge concerning thee We may see Satans malice and craft in abusing Scripture to take away if possible Christs life Christ thus strove with him to warn us to take heed lest by a deceitful pretence or allegation of Scripture we fall into Satans snares Nor must we think worse of Scripture because Satan abuses it no more then we do of meat and drink because Drunkards and Gluttons abuse it And in their hands they shall bear thee up lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone The Angels have no hands unless when they assume bodies by hands he means the help of the Angels as if he should say the help of the Angels in every danger and fall will be so present that thou seems to be carried in their hands Onely Satans deceit is to be noted that in citing Psal 91.11 he leaves out these words To keep thee in all thy wayes that is in the ways of thy calling And Satan applies it to actions done without our calling without command without necessity meerly of presumption Some understand the Angels protection to be from casual evils which we not knowing come upon us but we may rather extend it to all evils that come upon us in the compass of our callings V. 7. Jesus said unto him It is written again Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God Christ shews that Satans strange Interpretation of this Scripture was contrary to other Scriptures Where we see a Rule in interpreting Scriptures so to interpret them that one part may not jar with another Again That is on the contrary in opposition to thy depravement Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God As if Christ should say We are so to hope for help from God in time of Dangers that we do not tempt God 1 To tempt God is to require an Experiment of his Power other than he hath appointed So Psalm 78.18 the Israelites when God gave them Manna to nourish them they not content herewith tempted God by asking Meat for their Lusts 2 To tempt God is to impose a Law upon the Creator and to alter his Appointment when God shall give us such means to maintain and preserve us and we will seek for other 3 To tempt God is when out of presumption or without necessity we seek the experiment of his power wisdom goodness and truth Exod. 17.2 compared with v. 7. they tempted the Lord saying Is the Lord amongst us or not The Israelites had a Promise that God would be present with them in the Wilderness but now when they wanted Water in their thirst they cry out If God do not now give us Water to drink we will not believe he is in the midst of us 4 When we cast our selves into dangers and neglect ordinary means Mal. 3.15 They that tempt God are even delivered 5 When we sin boldly against a manifest Command and yet think the Promises belong unto us so those who walked in the imagination of their own evil hearts adding drunkenness to thirst promised themselves peace Deut. 29.19 20. Num. 14 22. 6 By pressing indifferent things as necessary Acts 15.10 11. They tempted God by pressing Circumcision as necessary to Salvation which was onely an indifferent thing when the Lord had appointed the righteousness and grace of Christ the way of Salvation 7 By desiring a needless Miracle so the Jews would have Christ shew a sign that they may believe on him as Moses gave their fathers Manna in the Wilderness John 6.30 Christ had given them a sufficient sign herein but that would not content them they had seen Christ feed five thousand men with five Barley Loaves and two Fishes yet must they have a sign Divers of these ways if not all the Devil tempts Christ as to work a needless Miracle to throw himself headlong that the Angels might take him up in their hands to cast himself down when there were steps to go down In sum Christ lets Satan see the Promises of God are so to be taken and applied that we do not tempt God V. 8. Again the Devil taketh him into an exceeding high Mountain and sheweth him all the Kingdoms of the World and the glory of them Here is the third Tentation Satan brings to Christ which is the presentment unto him the glory of the World with which Christ's senses were so delighted that no Lust or inordinate affection was in his heart Satan shewed him all the Kingdoms of the World and the glory of them in a moment of time Luke 4.5 Satan shewed unto Christ the multitude of Nations the excellency of Cities the riches attendance and glory of Princes Courts that so Christ seeing them might desire them and desiring them might fall down and worship him Sheweth him all the Kingdoms of the World Some think Satan shewed them by pointing at them with his finger and that Satan told Christ by
with a Convent or Meeting it is every Assembly of men that meet together whether for judgment or for counsel or for holy things After the word Convent or Meeting or Synagogue for they are all one came to be transferr'd and brought to those places where these Meetings were Luke 7.5 He hath loved our Nation and built us a Synagogue as the word Church in continuance of time came to be transferr'd to the place where the Church met The Christian Assembly is called by the name of Synagogue in the Greek James 2.2 For the distinction betwixt Teaching and Preaching both which Christ uses 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Teaching may have respect to the opening prophetical Scriptures for the same Greek word is used by Luke when Christ opened the Prophesie of the sixty first of Esay Luke 4.15 16 17. Preaching is the gathering Doctrines and Observations from the Word with an application of them by reprehension Exhortation Instruction and Consolation Now Christ preached thus in the Synagogues partly to take advantage of a Concourse of People and partly that his Doctrine might come to the test being not preached in a corner but before judicious Hearers John 18.20 Jesus said I spake openly to the World I ever taught in the Synagogue and in the Temple whither the Jews always resort and in secret have I said nothing There was of these Synagogues almost in every great City as at Antioch Acts 15.22 at Corinth Acts 18.8 c. which Jews that traded about Merchandise and out of a zeal to gain Proselytes set up whom Heathens did not hinder there to profess their faith nor Christ disdain to go into them though some of them had been defiled by the Samaritan mixtures whose Religion was jumbled with superstitions 1 Kings 17.33 Learn we from Christ's example to seek for lost souls Ezek. 34.4 Healing all manner of sickness and all manner of disease among the people By sickness called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he means an habituated rooted disease by weakness he means want of strength weariness languishing which are the predictions of a disease This distinction is 1 Cor. 11.30 Many are weak and sick among you now Christ healed all weaknesses and sicknesses 1 To gain authority to his Doctrine not heard of before in the World 2 To fulfill Prophesies as Isai 35.5 3 That being healed in their Bodies they might seek to him for their Souls 4 To prove himself to be the Christ Matth. 11.2 when John's Disciples ask Art thou he that should come or shall we look for another Christ answers Go tell John what you see the blinde receive their sight the lame walk the Lepers are cleansed Christ could have done other Miracles as Moses did Exod. 4.4.6.9 but he chuses such Miracles as were usefull and beneficial to men the more to affect them he heals their diseases and weaknesses and this not by Plaisters and Medicines after the manner of Physicians but by the Word of his Power and all this to strengthen our weak faith V. 24. And his fame went through all Syria and they brought unto him all sick People that were taken with divers Diseases and torments and those which were possessed with Devils and those which were lunatick and that had the Palsey and he healed them We have the effects that followed his Preaching and Miracles 1 His fame went through all Syria that is the fame of his Miracles and Doctrine God makes glory and praise to accompany worthy and renowned actions as the shadow accompanies the body let us not then pursue our own glory Through all Syria Syria lies upon the Mediterranean on the West on the East bounded by Euphrates on the North bounded by Cilicia and Armenia on the South by the Desarts of Arabia and Egypt And they brought unto him all sick People That they might see his power extended to all sorts of Diseases he heals all the sick in particular he heals 1 Torments that is racking Diseases that so torment the sick as if they were upon the Rack as Malefactors are to confess their wickedness and their Confederates 2 Possessed with Devils in whom the Devil had such a power to cause them to mischieve themselves and others 3 Lunatick these were such as the Moon had an influence upon especially at the full at which time they dote or are mad The Moon hath an influence over them that have a moist and weak Brain in the new Moon and full Moon it increases and mingles the Humours to wit Phlegm and Melancholy and troubles the Brain so that some are carried to dotage others to madness others to the falling sickness and with these evils the Devil sometimes gets in and by stirring up the Humours of black and yellow choler sorely afflicts the sick so that sometimes he drives them to despair sometimes to murder themselves 4 Palseys A Palsey is a Convulsion of the Sinews that a man that hath it is not able to move And he healed them Without requiring faith of them for he had not yet shewn his power and many of them coming from far had little faith in him afterwards when he had shewen many Miracles among them he required faith of the sick 1 We may learn from these Multitudes from the necessities of our wants and weaknesses to seek after Christ 2 How great soever our Diseases be to be confident there is power enough in Christ to heal us V. 25. And there followed him great Multitudes of People from Galilee and from Decapolis and from Jerusalem and from Judea and from beyond Jordan Here is the last effect of Christ's healing to wit Multitudes followed him When Christ will let forth his power he can make Multitudes follow him Some followed him for heavenly things some to be healed of their diseases some out of curiosity some out of envy to carp at him In these times some follow Christ because of profit some for honor some from examples some for their relations sake few out of sincere love as resolving to suffer with him but as soon as Christ and his Cross come together they leave him as the stony ground Matth. 13.21 The people of God are not multitudes but a people redeemed from tongues and people nations and languages Revel 5.9 If we follow Christ because multitudes follow him we shall as easily leave him when multitudes forsake him Usually multitudes are corrupt young and old compassed Lot's house Gen. 19.4 in the old world all flesh had corrupted their ways Gen. 6. Multitudes worshipped the golden Image Nebucadnezzâ—r had set up From Decapolis In English from ten Cities the name of these ten Cities according to Brocard and Adricomius are Tiberias Sephet Asar Cedes Caesarea Philippi Capernaum Bethsaida Chorazin Bethsan or Scytopolis and Jotapata where Josephus was Governour fighting against the Romans and Titus From Juâ—ea and from Hierusalem That is not onely from the City of Jerusalem but from the Countrey lying thereabouts And from beyond Jordan
shoes Matth. 3.14 Luke 3.22 4 Spiritual conviction that the spirit let us see our worthlesseness Rev. 3.17 q.d. thou art but thou knowest it not that thou art poor and blinde and naked Joh. 16.10 he shall convince of sin so that as the sun gives a light whereby we behold as the gloriousnes of the sun so the loathsomness of the dunghil so the spirit convinces of our own vileness and his own fulness 5 Present to your selves abasing considerations as What was I before I had mercy how unprofitably spent I my time what will these glorious things of the world be in time to come wherein we are apt to be conceited when heaven and earth shall be on fire since we were called how have we discredited our profession how barren and watchless are we how short are we of that we might have been 6 Believe the promises made to souls poor in spirit I will look to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit Esa 66.2 Yea dwell with him and revive him Esa 57.15 yea Christ came to preach glad tidings of the gospel to such Luk. 4.18 Matth. 11.3 Rev. 2.9 I know thy poverty but thou art rich God will feed such souls with grace and comfort Zach. 11.7 Luke 1.53 yea God will be a strength to such in their distress Esa 25.4 Psal 69.33 7 Look upon thy own wants and weakness the more thou seest them the more wilt thou trust in God Zeph. 3.12 From heaven did the Lord behold the earth to hear the groaning of the prisoner Psalm 102.19 20. I am poor and sorrowfull let thy salvation set me up on high Psalm 69.29 For theirs is the Kingdome of heaven That is both kingdome of grace Esai 61.1 For the poor have the Gospel preached to them Mat. 11.3 but especially the kingdome of glory is meant Luke 12.32 Matth. 25.34 though such persons are beggarly in their own feeling being sensible of their lack of faith love joy hope yet have they an interest in the riches of grace and glory We may apply this to comfort the poor in spirit who are full of miseries inward and outward The worlds proverb is Blessed are the rich because theirs is the kingdome of the earth but Christ pronounceth Blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the kingdome of heaven V. 4. Blessed are they that mourn for they shall be comforted By mourning Christ means such mourning as is for offending God whether it be by sighs groans or an inward grief of heart such persons though they may seem miserable in the eys of the world yet are they blessed 1 God is wont to make comforts to abound according to their sorrows 2 Cor. 7.6 God comforts them that are cast down and this proportionable to our sorrows 2 Cor. 1.5 7. 2 God is wont to bottle all their tears and sorrows Psa 56.8 Psalm 55. Consider how I mourn in my complaint 3 There 's a time coming when God will turn the mourning of Saints into dancing and their sackcloth into gladness Psalm 30.11 John 16 20. Ye shall weep and lament but your sorrow shall be turned into joy There is not onely a fountain of justification set open for such mourners now but a state of glorification hereafter Zach. 12.10 11 12 13 compared with Chapter 13.1 Hence see 1 The mistake of the world who think happiness to be placed in delights and pleasures and shun those things which may procure any sorrow or cross as confession of persecuted truths against this Christ saith Mourners shall be comforted 2 It 's consolation for distressed consciences If thou canst truly mourn for thy transgressions thou shalt be comforted Let what ever distress come upon an afflicted heart yet if thou canst mourn for offending God thou shalt be comforted 3. It 's consolation to persons who have afflicted estates in this world there 's a day coming when comfort shall come provided that with mourning for thy miseries thou specially mourns for thy sin Luke 16.25 Now he is comforted and thou art tormented Though thy comfort come not yet yet in Gods time it shall come They are not blessed who mourn for the loss of their wealth or death of their friends but they who mourn for offending God 4 In all our confessions and professed humiliations see that you do not declare them onely historically but mourn for them Psalm 38.17 I will declare mine iniquities and will be sory for my sin When thou prayes let thy heart mourn in prayer Psalm 55.2 When thou speaks of sin speak mournfully of it Now to move us hereto consider 1 God hath the joy of the Holy Ghost in store for mourners Esa 61.1 2 3. The spirit of the Lord is upon me to give the oyl of joy for the spirit of mourning and heaviness Saints seldome finde such comfortable revivings as when they are most mournful 2 This mourning is more comfortable then the lowd laughters of the world Properties of Mourning 1 Let it be continued that length of time may not wear it out length of time eats out worldly griefs 2 Universal That King that was sory for his consent to Daniels death Dan. 6.14 was not sory for his denial of the truth in refusing to venture all in a good cause Herod was sory for Johns death but could rejoyce in Herodias 3 After conversion as well as before It 's a vain opinion to think we need not sorrow after conversion and that a Christians state is altogether a state of joy Joy and sorrow may stand together in the soul but not about one and the same object joy in God and sorrow for sin 4 Let thy mourning be not onely in regard of the damning power of sin but principally in regard of the contrariety thereof to the nature of God and to the nature of him that loves thee Luke 7.38 compared with v. 48. Mary having a sense of Gods love weeps bitterly and washes Christs feet with her tears 5 Let it be joyned with faith First Christ looks upon the soul and gives some testimony of his love to it and then the soul looks on Christ with a sad heart Matth. 26.75 Christ first lookt on Peter then he went out and wept bitterly It s the nature of faith to apply the wounds and sorrows of Christ unto it self Esa 53.5 thence follows mourning Zach. 12.10 6 This mourning for sin is the greatest hence resembled to the mourning for an onely son when dead Zach. 12.11 to the drawing of water 1 Sam. 7.6 as if it had been in buckets The ground whereof is because they apprehend sin as the greatest of evils 1 Because it is the cause of all evils Deut. 28. 2 It keeps off the greatest good 3 It cannot be purged away but with the greatest price even Christs bloud 4 There 's more evil in sin then in any thing hence followes 1 A resolution not to meddle with sin as Jehoshaphat when he had smarted by joyning with Ahab in sending out a
than he that is in the World Isai 43.1 2 When thou goes through fire and water the Lord will be with thee Rom 8.37 We are more than Conquerours How We are sure of Victory before we fight 1 Cor 10.13 5 There 's a day coming when God will reckon with all Persecutours Psalm 9.12 When he maketh inquisition for Bloud he remembereth them God will inquire who slew Hooper Bradford c. who articled against such and such who brought them before Ecclesiastical Courts High-Commissions Committees Assizes Sessions Psalm 12.5 For the sighing of the Prisoner will I arise 2 Thess 1.6 6 A great deal of good comes to Christians by suffering Persecution 1 Hereby affections come to be loosened from the World and to be fastened upon God Psalm 142.4 5 2 Christians formerly loosened one from another come now to be fastened The Children of one Father that fall out among themselves are soon united against a common Enemy 3 Persecutions tend to the furtherance of the Gospel Phil 1.12 1 By propagation or spreading of the truth Upon Stephen his Persecution many of the Brethren preached the Word of God far and near Acts 11.19 and the hand of the Lord was with them v. 21 to convert many 2 By confirmation of those who are weak in faith Phil 1.12 Many of the Brethren in the Lord waxing confident by my bonds are much more bold to speak the Word without fear 3 Hereby the World sees that God hath Worshippers who do not cleave unto him for worldly advantage Whiles for the hope of Israel they are bound with Chains Acts 28.20 and will not accept of Deliverance out of most painfull sufferings in hope of a better Resurrection Heb 11.35 7 Consider the cause for which thou sufferest set down 1 By the goodness of it Acts 5.41 Rejoycing they were counted worthy to suffer shame for his Name Rom 8.36 For thy sake we are killed all the day long Revel 1.9 John was in the Isle of Patmos for the Word of God and for the testimony of Jesus Christ This cause is more worth than thousands of my Life 2 By the clearness It is not wrapt up in consequences and must have Sophisters to fetch it out but it 's clear Dan 3.16 the three Children said O Nebuchadnezzar we are not carefull to answer thee in this O King as if he should say We desire no clearer cause to lose our Bloud in It 's a comfort in suffering clearly to see our way 3 By the fewness of Witnesses and multitudes of Adversaries 2 Tim 1.15 4.16 when Paul came to witness before Nero all those of Asia forsook him at his first Answer 8 Consider the wofull condition that will befall Persecutours 1 Their strokes and malice falls on Christ Zach 2.8 He that toucheth you toucheth the Apple of mine Eye Acts 9.6 Saul Saul why persecutest thou me 2 They have extreme horrour of conscience Jer 20.2 3 Pashur was a Persecutour he smote Jeremiah and put him in the Stocks and God threatens to make him a terrour to himself and to all his friends Zedekiah who smote Micaiah 2 Kings 22.24 in a day of trouble goes from chamber to chamber to hide himself Herod was tormented with John's death 3 Such persons as persecute have upon them at present an evident token of perdition as you that suffer persecution have of salvation Phil 1.28 4 The people of God every where are imploring God against Persecutors Luke 18.7 Shall not God avenge his own clect that cry unto him daily I tell you he will avenge them and that right speedily Herod might have lived long had it not been that the Church was imploring God against him Acts 12.5 Lam 5.59 60 61 c. 5 Persecutors come to fearfull ends Acts 12.23 Herod was eaten up of worms Jezabel thrown out of a window and eaten up of dogs why She slew the Prophets of God Revel 6.9 10 11. 6 They are branded with infamy to posterity 2 Ti. 4.14 Alexander the Coppersmith did me much evil and greatly withstood my words Elimas Acts 13.10 there 's present information given among the godly who persecute 7 All godly men rejoice at the downfall of persecutors the Jews teasted when Haman was hanged When the wicked perish there is shouting Prov. 11.10 Let not this joy be out of personal hatred but because justice is glorified the Church delivered and Satans kingdome weakned 9 Submit to the providence of God in all persecutions and look to it for 1 If the hairs of our heads are noted by God much more our lives Matth. 10.29 30. 2 Persecutours cannot touch the soul Matth. 10.28 3 Our times Eberties estates are not in the hands of persecutors but in Gods hand Psal 31.13 14 15.83.4.5 Revel 2.10 for it is God gives us our cup to drink John 18.11 as mastiff dogs fall upon men when their chain is unloosed so do wicked men upon Saints when God unlooses his cham of providence 4 As in active obedience we labour that what we do may please God so in passive obedience endeavour that what God doth may please us 2 Sam. 15.25 26. Behold here I am let him do to me as seemeth him good Mark 14.36 Take away this cup from me nevertheless not my will but thine be done 1 Sam. 3.17 It is the Lord let him do what seems him good 5 In all persecutions and sufferings commit thy soul to God desire him to take care of that so Christ Luke 23.46 Father into thy hands I commit my spirit so Stephen Acts 7.59 As in times of extremity we commit our jewels into the hands of trusty friends when houses are on fire and there are combustions men have principal respects to their jewels and gold oh that I could save that The worst persecutors can do is to take away life when the body dies it 's like the setting of the Sun which in short time rises again Therefore in all persecutions commit your soul to God in well-doing 1 Pet. 4.19 as into the hands of a father We reade of many deceits in Scripture but we never reade of a father that beguiled his childe We must also commit our bodies and goods to God but we must be at a point with these if God will have them but we must not be so with our souls 6 Beware of indirect means of escaping that persecution which providence casts thee into In particular beware of cowardliness compliancy to great friends and kindred base shisting tricks and distinctions gluedness of heart to earthly things 2 Tim. 4.16 Imitate Antipas who held the faith though sure to die for it Revel 2.13 7 Consider that all second causes are onely instruments in the hand of God The wicked are called Gods sword Psalm 17.13 the staff in their hand is Gods indignation Esai 10.5 6. Who gave Jacob to the spoil and Israel to the robbers did not the Lord Esai 42.24 25. 2 Samuel 16.12 2 Use Consolation In sufferings and persecutions you have a kingdome
sight of men by these rules of qualification are abominable Esai 1.13.66.3 Luke 16.15 2 Cor. 10.18 Moreover the good works done by regenerate men are not the causes of justification but the effects and consequents thereof Non praecedunt justificandum sed sequuntur justificatum They do not go before the person to be justified but follow him that is justified 2 Exhort To perform good works looking to all these circumstances therefore let us have these ends 1 To be profitable to men Titus 3.8 He that believes in God must be carefull to maintain good works these things are good and profitable to men he means honest Trades and Imployments to minister to their own and others needs 2 To testifie the truth of our faith James 2.14 15. Shew me thy faith by thy works also v. 16 17. As Abraham's sacrificing his onely son testified his faith and Rahabs receiving the Spies with the hazard of her life 3 To shew forth our thankfulness to God Rom. 12.1 q. d. Shew forth your thankfulness to God by yielding the members of your body as well as the faculties of your soul to his service 4 To be paterns and examples of holy life to others 1 Tim. 4.12 Be thou an example of the believers Titus 2.7 In all things shew thy self a patern of good works 1 Peter 3.1 they that at present did not obey the Word may without the Word be won by the good conversation of their Wives 5 To add fruits that may be acknowledged in the day of account Matth. 10.41 42. Heb. 6.10 Gal. 6.9 1 Cor. 15.58 2 Peter 1.10 11. Phil. 4.17 Paul did not desire a Gift from the Philippians but Fruit that might abound to their account Glorifie your Father in Heaven This is the second end of Christians shining light that the beholders may glorifie God that is 1 By declaring him to be glorious who hath such servants and worshippers I mean declaring him glorious among men 2 Thess 1.12 2 By ascribing all glory to his Name for working his servants hearts from their natural defilement to such an holy estate Rom. 11.36 Of him and from him and to him are all things to whom be glory for ever 1 Peter 2.12 The converted Gentiles seeing the holy Lives of Christians glorifie God in the day of visitation Psalm 86.9 10. When Paul was converted from persecuting Truth to preaching it they glorified God that saw and heard it Gal. 1.22 23. In Heaven God is set forth from the place he is in viz. Heaven 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Heavens that is not onely in the Heaven of the Blessed which is called that Heaven of Heavens that most blessed Countrey which is looked for by Saints Heb. 11.10 But in all other Heavens where he is by his omnipresence as he is in the Heaven of the Blessed by his special presence Yet is he not included in any place before there was any Creation he sufficed to himself without any place V. 17 Think not that I am come to destroy the Law or the Prophets I am not come to destroy but to fulfill The third part of the Chapter In which 1 A correction of an erroneous conception as if Christ came to destroy the Law or the Prophets I came not to destroy them 2 A right information wherefore he came viz. To fulfill the Law and Prophets not to destroy it 3 Here is the unchangeableness of the Law set down v. 18 19. 4 Here is an explanation of some Commandments depraved by the false Glosses of the Pharisees v. 21 22. to the end of the Chapter Think not that I am come to destroy the Law or the Prophets Some thought that because Christ preached Repentance after a new manner of way and Faith also and did not press the Sacrifices and Ceremonies of the Temple-worship that he came to destroy the Law to this Christ saith The Doctrine of the Gospel doth not oppose the Law or the Prophets Think not that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets In the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies to oppose the Law John 10.35 The Scripture cannot 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be broken or opposed John 5.18 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not onely because he opposed the Sabbath John 7.23 If a man receive Circumcision on the Sabbath that the Law of Moses 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may not be broken or destroyed For which the Apostle uses 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 3. ult 2 That the word destroy is taken for oppose appears by v. 19. where doing and teaching is opposed to breaking or rather to opposing And therefore whereas the Jews cry out against the Apostles as going against the Profession of their Master know the Apostles would have never mentioned these words of Christ if their Doctrine had differed from his we cannot think that those grave men that were so constant in the defence of their Doctrine not onely not to have written things contrary one to another but things contrary to themselves therefore we must inquire how their sayings may agree Hence know there 's a twofold Law 1 Natural which is everlasting and common to all this is right reason This makes men good out of love of virtue 2 Civil this looks onely to outward innocency and doth not look to the minde as the Law of Nature doth This is peculiar to every Nation and changeable this restrains men from evil for fear of punishment Because of transgressions the Law was added Gal. 3.19 that is the Law written in Tables was added to that Law writ in the heart so that 1 Tim. 1.9 The Law is not made for a righteous man So then the Law of Moses had certain things brought from the Law of Nature and certain things proper to that People and applied to those Times Justin against Triph. saith some things are universally and by nature everlasting goods which they that performed had common praise with Christians But some things were added because of the Peoples hardness of heart and by reason of occasions of Times and places may be added therefore as before the Law of Moses was given true Faith working by Love was that which God lookt after so in the Law of Moses God would have himself loved with all the heart would have the heart circumcised c. but all this was properly translated from the Law of Nature and was not properly a part of the Civil Law but the scope and mark at which the Civil Law aimed But to fulfill the Law So that the scope of the Law was to make men good as by the fear of God and love of God and love of one another Matth. 22.38 39 40. these are called the greatest Commands on which depends the Law and the Prophets So loving of our Neighbour is the fulfilling of the Law Rom. 13.8 Gal. 5.14 and James says If ye fulfill the royal Law according to the Scriptures Thou shalt love thy Neighbour as thy self ye shall do well this fulfilling of the Law
a will a desire and endeavour to love our enemies Rom. 7.18 God looks upon it as done when also we are troubled for the uncharitableness of our hearts v. 14. and cry to God against these risings 2 When God inables us in some good measure to do them good to feed them in their hunger Rom. 12.19 to humble our selves for them in their sickness Psal 35.11 12 13 14. David sought God by fasting and prayer for them that scoft at him Use to apply this it serves for reprehension of those who hate their enemies You say how do you know it Answ by thy unpeaceable speeches Josephs brethren hated him and could not speak peaceably unto him Gen. 37.4 2 By thy afflicting thine enemies with secret whisperings open slanders and false reports Prov. 26.28 A lying tongue hateth those that are afflicted by it 3 By thy unkind carriage when thou shalt passe by them in such offices of courtesie as they show to other neighbours 1 King 1.26 2 Exhortation to love your enemies naturally we hate them Tit. 3.3 Show your love to them 1 by not purposing to revenge your selves and by purposing not to revenge your selves Prov. 24.29 Say not I will do to him as he hath done to me 2 Desire not God to avenge your cause so Stephen Acts 7.59 3 By being sorrowful when any evill befalls thine enemy Psal 35.12 13. When Davids enemies were sick he humbled himself with fasting David was really sorrowful for Sauls death and declared it by putting to death him that slew him Prov. 24.17 18. Rejoyce not when thine enemy falleth nor let not thine heart be glad when he stumbleth why so 1 Least the Lord see it and it displease him 2 It will cause the Lord to turn away his wrath from him 4 By striving to forget the wrongs done by your enemies If we strive not to forget them we shall hardly forgive them 5 By striving to be at peace with him that is thy utterest enemy Rom. 12.18 If it be possible live peaceably with all Let him see that thou art not of an implacable spirit but ready to meet him on any reasonable terms 6 By looking on it as a cross when any man is so implacable that he will not be at peace with thee Ps 120.5 6 7. I am for peace but when I speak thereof they are for war woe is me that I am constrained to dwell with such persons 7 By thy willingness to do thy enemie good when it lies in thy power Exod. 23.4 5. If thou see the Ox or the Asse of thy enemie going a stray thou art to bring him home again or if he lye under his burthen thou shalt surely help him As God also spares his enemies in his long suffering and does them good in his providence not to strengthen them in wickedness but to lead them to repentance so ought we and as he puts his hook in their noses to bridle their malice so may we Motives to this duty 1 Vengeance belongs to God Gen. 50.15 19. who will revenge thy wrongs far more sharply then thou wouldest have him Psal 94.1 Into whose hands its a fearful thing to fall Heb. 10.31 He that doth wrong shall receive for the wrong that he hath done Col. 3.25 2 Consider what an enemy thou wast to God when he cast his love upon thee for all he was the party offended and stood no need of thee yet he sought unto thee Col. 1.21 1 Joh. 4.10 11 12. thou reasonest thou canst live without thy enemy so could God without thee thou saiest he hath done thee many wrongs so hast thou done to God 3 Either thy Enemie repents of the wrong done to thee or not if he do not repent of it God will punish him more sore then thou wouldest have him punished if he do repent of it what Christian spirit is there that will not pardon it This kept Christ from rendring reviling for reviling 1 Pet. 2.23 why he committed his cause to God who judgeth righteously It was the praise of Solomon that he desired not to have the life of his enemies 1 Chron. 1.11 4 Thou never suffers any wrong but God is first offended and more offended then thou art and takes thy wrong more heinously then thou thy self therefore revenge not thy self hear not that suggestion that it argues good mettal to be quick of touch 5 This is the way to overcome him Rom. 12.18 as contraries do overcome one another when they draw them into their own similitude when we are drawn by provocations to rage as wicked men do then they overcome us but when we refrain from revenge we overcome them as David did Saul 2 Sam. 24. Daven in Col. 3.13 Bless them that curse you Christ comes in three particulars to show our love to enemies which is 1 by blessing them that curse us so Paul 1 Cor. 4.12 being reviled we bless By blessing he means a speaking to him with kind words when he speaks cursed words to thee do thou speak kind words to him We pray for you and for all other men that are enemies to us that repenting with us you may not blaspheme and reproach him who for his works and miracles done in his name was without blame even Jesus Christ and believing on him may be saved at his glorious coming and may not be condemned of him to fire Just Mar. cont Triph. p. 196. Do good to them that hate you Second particular wherein to show our love to enemies viz. in doing them good Rom. 12.20 Elisha 2 King 6. ver 20. when his enemies were smit with blindness he prayes God would give them sight also ver 22. when the king of Israel would have smote them Elisha would not consent thereto but bids that bread and water be set before them and yet they were such as came to take away his life Do good then to their souls by endeavouring to bring them to repentance also to their bodies if you give alms to a company of poor people not to exclude two or three because they have hurt thee so lend to them also do good to their posterity Pray for them that despitefully use you The third particular is to pray for enemies when they are cursing thee pray God to forgive them when they are pained in their bodies pray God to ease them when decayed in their Estates pray God to supply them when they are damning their souls pray God to save them thus David to his enemies Psalm 35.13 and Stephen Acts 7.59 and Christ Luke 23.34 When thy Enemy by tale-carryings underminings disgracefull speeches uncharitable censures and slanderous accusations strives to work thee out of the affections of the godly or of those who may do thee good do thou pray for them not that they may have success in their wickedness but that they may acknowledg their evils and be pardoned This is the excellency of a Christian to do things above nature to pardon spitefull persons such prayers are not
of a sinner that feels not his sins because he doth not understand nor will the thing that he prays for Luth. Tom. 4.380 9 Fear repulse for thy careless cold and slothfull calling upon God and this will quicken up thy attention in the duty Fear is a very wakefull affection as being conversant about danger hence in our service we are bid to bring fear Psalm 2.11 Psalm 5.7 10 Get love to God this makes the soul follow hard after God Psalm 63.8 Quest Whether do distractions in Prayer nullifie the acceptation of it Answ There are two sorts of distracted Petitioners 1 Unregenerate men who voluntarily usually and contentedly admit roving thoughts in duty Prov 5.14 I was almost in all evil in the midst of the congregation and assembly Ezek. 33.31 These despise their ways and shall die Prov. 19.16 2 Regenerate men who groan under these distractions Rom. 7.15 16. these do not nullifie the fruit of Prayer to them regenerate men herein make usually resistance it matters not whence they come whether from Satan or corruption as it is a thing very difficult if possible to distinguish them provided we resist them and mourn under them they are not imputed to us Yet may even Saints sometimes pray so carelesly drowsily and distractedly that they may lose the comfort of this or that particular Prayer as when the distraction arises from sloth and carelesness But if the distraction arise from Satan bodily distemper or pain God is very pitifull in this case as a father to his childe Psalm 103.14 Quest Whether may not the Devil and corruption distract the soul in Prayer sometimes with unseasonable good motions I mean such motions as are for the matter good but not good at that time Answ Yes we see it in that Pithonesse Act. 16.16 17 when Paul and his company were going to prayer she cries out these men are the servants of the most high God which shew unto us the way of salvation this was a good motion but injected by Satan that his lyes might be believed and the Saints disturbed in prayer Zach. 3.1 Satan by these motions intends diversion or turning away the soul from what the soul is upon but motions that tend to further intention in the duty attentness and further inlargement are of God The spirit moves not to draw us out of the way but to put us into it and being in it to move us to keep on Rom. 8.14 15. Esa 30.21 These motions of Satan are like misplaced words and letters in a Printers press which spoil the sence 10 Let thy prayer be full prayer is a powring forth of the heart before God Psal 62.8 1 Sam. 1.15 yea we are to powr them out as water before the face of the Lord Lam. 2.19 It may be thou powrest out thy prayer like tarre out of a tarre box half sticking by the sides but when thou prayes thou must powr out all before God provided there be time and no hindrance powr out all thy wants be humbled for all thy evils when thou givest thanks remember all Gods benefits Psal 10â— 2 Many men make quick dispatch because they are eager to be about their business hence they gallop over their prayers but thy prayer must have its full growth that is when convenient time affords we must powr out supplications confessing our sins petitions desiring pardon healing and new dispositions of heart intercessions to turn away judgements from others and thanksgiving for benefits on our selves and others 1 Tim. 2.1 11 Pray with frequency It s bad when the soul contents it self with seldome approaches to God If David Psal 55.17 and Daniel cap 6.10 could finde time to pray three times a day what shame for us who come so seldom before the Lord sometimes David praised God seven times a day Psal 119.164 Anna continued in prayer night and day Luk. 2.37 12 With assurance of obtaining whatsoever things ye desire when you pray believe that you receive them and ye shall have them Mark 11.24 Matth. 7.7 ask and ye shall have Matth. 21.22 Doubt not of your prayer but know when the word is gone out of your mouth your prayer is writ in the eyes of God so that that shall be done which is desired or its expedient not to be done The Lord is like a most bountiful king that signes all petitions with a fiat quod petitur Oratio sinelaude dei est thuribulum sine prunis Luth. Tom. 4.124 let that be done which is desired 13 Joyn praise with prayer Phil. 4.6 In every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your request be made known unto God Prayers are the seeds of prayses when we have sown we may look to reap what we receive as a a fruit of our prayer is more sweet then what we receive of common providence Praise is that imployment we shall have in heaven when prayer shall be no more mean time joyn we them together whiles we are here on earth and so much more in that we have but a drop of affliction and a sea of benefits 14 Break through all hindrances and use all furtherances as 1 hindrance is multitudes of business what business so great almost but should give way to this 2 Brokenness in expressions why God hears sighs 3 Dumbness and barrenness if this come from unacquaintance with God be humbled for thy coldness and by stirring thou mayest get warmth if dumbness come from overwhelming temptations it 's no otherwise with thee then it was with Asaph Psal 77.3 4. Green wood with long blowing will be made dry and take fire so motion in prayer fits for the duty 4 Our own unworthiness Who acknowledged his own unworthiness more then Daniel Dan. 9.7 8. However thou art unworthy yet must thou pray for God hears thee not for thy own worth but of his meer mercy 5 Prayer will take up much of our time to this I say remember the comfort that will redound to the conscience in time so spent We think not long of the time spent in the refreshment of our bodies why should we think long in the time spent in refreshing of our souls of four and twenty hours can we not afford God one or two who took more time in prayer then David and Daniel and who did prosper better Time spent in this brings a blessing on our affairs 6 That many do well enough that never pray as those do that use to pray to this know they onely receive temporal things as the shining of the sun and the falling of rain Matth. 5.44 45. But the Saints receive the Spirit in prayer Luk. 11.13 Neither can prayerless men be sure to have earthly things when they want them nor to hold them when they have them Job 21.15 16. What profit is there that we should pray unto him seeing we have earthly things ver 16. Lo their good is not in their hand 7 Because the soul hath lately been in passion of anger
condemn all forms seeing we read of sundry in Scripture as Psal 102. v. 1 c. Esai 63.15 to the end of cap. 64. ult Numb 6.24 Yet to use a form doth argue thou art a very babe who go by a form because they cannot go alone and to use a form when thou art able to powr out thine own heart more and better then any form can teach thee is to to offer to the Lord a corrupt thing when thou hast a male in thy flock Thou art a very babe till thou art able to express thy wants in conceived prayer what man is there that is sensible of his wants that cannot declare them to man and canst thou not declare them to God Christ hath given us this breviary of prayer as a looking-glass to see our wants Himself never used it nor could he in truth say Forgive us our trespasses seeing himself had none We never read the Apostles used this prayer but onely framed their petitions according to it Acts 1.24 Matth. 26.39 We ought then to look upon this as a pattern without which we might have wandred in our requests often asking things hurtful for us we ought then hence to draw the matter of our prayers This form or patern is usually divided into three pâ—rts 1 A Preface Our Father which art in Heaven 2 Petitions which are six or according to some of the Ancients seven 3 The Conclusion For thine is the Kingdom c. 1 The Preface Our Father which art in Heaven We call him Father 1 To shew that we are not to look upon him as a Tyrant or a Stranger that knows us not or as an hard Master but as a Father 2 To embolden us to come unto him 3 To shew his readiness to do you good Luke 11.13 If evil fathers will do good to their children will not our Father do good to his children 4 To shew that we believe our Election and Adoption 5 Assurance of his readiness and willingness to help us whereas formerly we durst not lift up our eys to Heaven Luke 15.18 Our 1 This word Our teacheth that however we believe for our selves yet Charity teacheth us to pray for others 2 To denote unto us a Communion of Saints how that they are so joyned together as if the want of one were the want of all 1 Cor. 12.26 If one member suffer all the members suffer with it 3 That we may not disdain the meanest Christian from being our Brother in Christ if God have adopted him for his Ephes 4.5 yet may a Christian in private say My Father Matth 26.39.27.46 4 To keep us from arrogating to our selves above others remembring we are of the company of sons On earth some Saints have more noble fathers than others but to the Father in Heaven all Believers are alike related 5 To encourage the weak that they may believe that God is no less their Father than the Father of Peter Paul c. 6 That we should not onely pray for our own necessities but also for the necessities of others James 5.16 applying in private Prayer that common Fatherhood to our selves And this Father we call upon we may look upon some times personally Ephes 3.14 1 Cor. 8.6 sometimes essentially for Father Son and Spirit so Christ is called the everlasting Father Isai 9.6 7 To teach us mutual sympathy 1 Cor. 12.26 If one member suffer all the members suffer with it Heb. 13.3 8 To teach us unity and agreement with our Brethren as members of the same body hence before we bring our gift we are to agree with our Brother Matth. 5.24 Which art in Heaven 1 To shew that how ever earthly parents have a good will to help their children yet want power yet our Father being in Heaven and being the God of all might hath power to do for us above all that we can ask or think Ephes 3.20 Psalm 115.3 2 To take away erroneous conceptions of God wherein carnal men are ready to think of him like earthly parents 3 To denote unto us his special presence he hath in Heaven there his power wisdom goodness do most shine forth and from thence are manifested to us Psalm 19.1 The Heavens declare the glory of God 4 That when we come before him we should come with reverence and lifting up of heart Lam. 3.41 Let us lift up our hearts with our hands to God in the Heavens where God is not circumscriptively as the body of man bounded by such a place nor definitively as the Angels but repletively filling all place for the Heaven of Heavens is not able to contain him 1 Kings 8.27 5 To shew to us that though God be every where Psalm 139.7 8 9. Whither shall I flee from thy presence If I ascend up into Heaven thou art there if I make my bed in Hell behold thou art there if in the uttermost parts of the Sea thou art there Amos 9.1 2 3. yet he is said to dwell in the Heavens Psalm 2.4 Hear from Heaven thy dwelling place 1 Kings 8.30 there his majesty and glory most shines forth Psalm 112.5.123.1 yet doth he dwell in humble and holy hearts Isai 57.15 1 Cor. 3.16 As the soul of man which is wholly in the whole and in every part yet is said to be in the head or heart more than elsewhere because there more than elsewhere it exerciseth his power and effects so though God be essentially every where and in all places wholly yet he works not grace and gifts equally in all parts but he works in Heaven more than in Earth in the godly more than the wicked and in one of his children more than in another in the Saints in Heaven 〈◊〉 than in the Saints on Earth and in the humane nature of Christ more than in any creature Hallowed be thy Name This is the first Petition and Christ his meaning is 1 That Gods glory be every where magnified it 's put in the first place because Gods glory must be preferred before all things Prov. 16.4 The Lord hath made all things for himself Thus must every one do that calls God Father So that if our credit or profit come in competition therewith we are willing to renounce not onely them but every thing else for the Lord. 2 That the Name of God which is God himself be magnified The Name of God is not so many Letters but God himself Holy and reverend is his Name Psalm 111.9 It was the speech of the men of Bethshemesh Who is able to stand before this holy Lord God 1 Sam. 6.20 God is glorious in holiness Exod. 15.11 The Trinity is said to be holy Isai 6.3 Holy holy holy Lord God of Hosts The Father is holy John 17.11 The Son holy Luke 1.35 Acts 4.27 The Spirit is holy Ephes 4.30 Grieve not the holy Spirit of God God is not onely holy but holiness in the very abstract Amos 4.2 The Lord hath sworn by his holiness that is by himself Saints are holy
our pains and care is nothing unless God give a blessing Psal 127.1 2. 6 To bridle our immoderate covetousness 7 That we should not take that which is anothers but that which is our own either left us or got with honest labour Psal 128.2 8 To acknowledge our own beggery and want Psal 104.27 28. Acts 14.17 and that what we have becomes ours by Gods gift Jam. 1.17 9 To put us in minde of our frailty in that every day we are a new to beg for bread Obj. But I am rich what need I ask daily bread A. The greatest heaps you have without Gods blessing will not profit Deut. 8.3 Man doth not live by bread onely but by Gods word In vain put we meat into our stomacks unless God give meat power to nourish and the stomack ability to digest 10 In that we are onely to pray for bread we are to learn contentment in any little that the Lord shall send Phil. 4.12.13 and not greedily to pray for wanton abundance Onely know that this bread is to be measured according to mens several callings and charges as if a man be a publike person a Magistrate or Preacher a beggerly maintenance makes their callings contemptible so where there is great charge of children there is need of more and the reason why abundance is not to be prayed for is because in abundance we are apt to forget God Deut. 8.12 13 14. See it in Hezekiah 2 Chron. 32.26 David 2 Sam. 24.1 1 Tim. 6.17 In respect of our proneness to abuse plenty a competency is the safest estate to pass through this world 11 It denoteth to us that we must pray every day for the good things we want if God give us good things this day for to morrow let us to morrow pray for supplies for the 3d. day Give us He saith not me but us 1 To show that we must not onely regard our selves in our estates but be also mindful of others many covetous persons instead of praying for a supply of their brethrens wants cry give me all give them none 2 We are hereby taught so to use our portion that others may have part with us God makes rich men Stewards for the poor Eat the fat and drink the sweet and send portions for them for whom nothing is prepared Neh. 8.10 Stewards receive sometimes the wages of the whole family not to keep them but to distribute them Job 31.17 Job did not eat his morsels himself alone but the fatherless did eat with him also v. 19. And forgive us our trespasses By trespasses Christ means sins Luk. 11.4 Because sin is the greatest debt Hence no man is without sin contrary to the Pelagians who said righteous men pray for pardon of sin for others not for themselves or if they said so for themselves it was not in truth but out of humility and modesty but to say that which is false is not humility but Hypocrisie Now we see there 's none so holy but needs pardon and pardon of sins from Christs advocation and intercession is a continued act in God This word Forgive is a metaphor taken from creditours who upon occasion forgive debts And though God in the new covenant forgive our sins Heb. 8.12 and hath promised so to do yet would he not deliver us from eternal death but upon these terms that whiles we are in this life we should humbly acknowledge before God our sins past and persevere in asking pardon for them The Lords prayer teaches us that we are daily sinners and alwayes sin and that our whole life is a repentance Luth. Tom. 1.301 Under sins Christ means original and actual sins Obj. But these are all forgiven to Gods children Rom. 8.1 There 's no condemnation to them that are in Christ Why then should they ask pardon Answ Because there is not a justified person that sins not Psal 130.3.143.2 Enter not into judgement with thy servant David committed Adultery and Murther after justification and Peter denyed Christ This petition is put next to the former of begging daily bread that after we have got a natural life we should seek for a life of justification when God pardons our sins we are thus alive as malefactors that have obtained pardon from the Prince are then said to be alive Besides we could not begg pardon of sin if God should not continue our natural life and this petition is joyned to the former to show that all the bread or outward things in the world are no comfort to us if together with them we obtain not pardon of sin In desiring forgivenness we see 1 There must be an acknowledgement of our sins Psal 32.5 I said I will confess my transgressions and thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin David first confessed saying I have sinned and then Nathan saith the Lord hath put away thy sin 2 Sam. 12 13. He that confesses and forsakes shall find mercy Prov. 28.13 1 Joh. 1.8 If we confess our sins he is faithful and just to forgive us them The sick sinner Job 33 26. confesses I have sinned and perverted that which was right and it profited me not then follows ver 58. he will deliver his soul from going into the pit And this according to Christs preaching Mar. 1.15 Repent ye and believe the Gospel To preach remission of sins to faith without repentance is a dangerous doctrine seeing both of them are together in the soul Zach. 12.10 They shall look on the Lord as crucified and mourn and in that day when there is such mourning which alwayes includes confession of sins in it there is a Fountain set open for sin and for uncleanness 1 As to obtain pardon there must be the blood of Christ Heb. 9.22 without shedding of blood there 's no remission and with the blood of Christ the whole Church is purchased Act. 20.28 Rev. 1.5 Rev. 7.14 so must this blood be applyed to every individual soul that hath the power of believing this blood washes white yet must there be washing before whiteness Pardon must be had not onely from bloodshed but from blood sprinkled See Esa 52.15 Ezek. 36.25 Heb. 9.13 14.10.22.12.24 1 Pet. 1.2 Yet as the Spirit must besprinkle thee and apply this blood to thee so must thou by faith wash and besprinkle thy self Rev. 7.14 They have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. God hath fore-appointed Christ to be the propitiation for our sins yet is it not before believing but through faith in his blood Rom. 3.25 Faith is the hand of the soul and the soul by faith puts her hand into Christs blood and so washes off its guilt Zach. 13.1 Christs blood is resembled to a Fountain opened for sin and uncleanness but it s not standing by the Fountain but the washing with the water thereof that will cleanse hence Luk. 7.49 50. Thy faith hath saved thee go in peace 2 To obtain pardon there must be repentance As there is a faith unto
Remission of sins which is spread over me Luth. Tom. 4.76 Now that happiness consists in forgiveness appears thus 1 Sin exposes us to all misery both in this life and hereafter Rom. 3.23 now it 's a happiness to be freed from this misery 2 The blessing cannot come upon us till the curse be removed Gal. 3 1â— 14. now we are not freed from the curse till our sins be forgiven 3 Where God forgives there 's none can condemn Rom. 8.1.33.34 now it must needs be a state of happiness to be free from condemnation 4 Without forgiveness there 's no reconciliation now we can never be happy till God and the soul be reconciled That reconciliation goes with forgiveness appears 2 Cor. 5.19 God was in Christ reconciling the world unto himself not imputing their trespasses unto them 2 Use Triall whether God hath forgiven thy sins 1 There will be then a writing of Gods Law in thy heart because the branches of the new covenant are inseparable Heb. 8.10 12. where God remembers sin no more he so writeth Gods Law in the heart 2 The sealing of the Spirit manifested to Gods people in Prayer Ephes 1.13 After ye believed ye were sealed Every comfortable answer in Prayer doth help to clear up pardon to the soul 3 A thankfull frame of heart in the receipt of this privilege Psalm 103.1 2. Bless the Lord O my soul why who forgiveth all thy sins Hezekiah praises God for this mercy Isai 38.17 Behold for peace I had great bitterness but thou in love to my soul hast delivered me from the pit of corruption for thou hast cast all my sins behinde thy back 1 Tim. 1.13 14 15. 4 With pardon there is a subdument of the reigning power of sin Mic. 7.18 19 Rom. 6.14 Rom. 8.1 2. Jebusites will dwell in the Land whether you will or no onely they are conquered and become tributary Josh 17.11 12. 5 Pardon of sin is accompanied with sanctifying grace as the Lord took Joshua's filthy garments off so he gave him change of raiment Josh 3.3 4. Ezek. 16.9 10 11. There 's ever a love goes to the Lord. Luke 7.47 speaking of Mary Magdalen he saith Her sins which are many are forgiven her for she loved much Her love was not the cause of remission but a declarative sign thereof the Pharisee findes fault with Christ for suffering a sinner to be so familiar with him Christ answers She is no sinner he proves it because her sins were forgiven her but how proves he that why she loved much And as it is accompanied with the grace of love so with the grace of fear Jer. 32.40 6 Repentance and Forgiveness goes together Luke 24.47 Acts 2.38 39. Acts 3.19 Acts 5.31 Therefore whatsoever evidences Repentance evidences Forgiveness 7 Pardon of sin is accompanied with sovereign love to God 1 John 4.19 We love him because he first loved us and for the degree see Matth. 10.37 so Mary Magdalen Luke 7.38 compared with v. 47. Love is in true Faith as the Fruit in the Root 8 Peace of Conscience is an evidence Rom. 5.1 being justified by Faith we have Peace with God I mean such a Peace as arises after trouble or deliverance from danger and frees the soul from slavish fears 9 A desire of more and more assurance This is an Argument that we have tasted the sweetness of Pardon in some measure There are three things proper to Saints they think they can never be humbled enough nor thankfull enough nor assured of Gods love enough Hence David after Nathan had come to him and assured him of pardon prays Psalm 51.8 Make me to hear joy and gladness that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoyce and not being satisfied herewith v. 12. he prays Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation Onely if the evidence of the Spirit shew not it self always in the same measure we must have recourse to those Evidences God gives sometimes knowing that these Evidences which come from the Spirit as a cause and the fruits of sanctification as effects are occasional refreshings for the soul in its way to Heaven but not daily food for the soul to feed upon Feasting is not for every day except the Feast of a good Conscience that the Conscience witnesses we live not in the omission of a known duty nor in the commission of a known iniquity 10 We know it by these three witnesses the blood of Christ pacifying the conscience 1 Joh. 5.9 the witness of water altering our natures and the testimony of the Spirit saying I am thy salvation thy sins are pardoned such testimonies ought to be carefully kept even as a malefactor carefully keeps a pardon under seal which he means to produce for his life at the next assizes between the Lord and a true believer there is as it were a mutual contract Faith sets to its feat that God is true in that he promiseth Joh. 3 3â— And God by his Spirit seals unto the believer that he shall be undoubtedly brought to the salvation he hath belâ—â—â—ed 11 When thou canst produce some promise that doth discharge 〈◊〉 which the Spirit â—â—th made over to thy soul as that Esa 43.25 Joh. 3.16 It s not bare remembring promises is so comfortable as those promises made over to thy soul wherein thy soul rests and received comfort If a man have paid his debts he is able to produce his acquittance that they are paid When we have such promises so made over to produce they are as it were acquittances under hand and seal Suppose that without the in-come of the Spirit in the promise thou shouldest believe which I doubt of yet through the in-come of the Spirit in the promise thou mayest know that thou dost believe As the pipes of a conduit convey water hither and thither so doth the Spirit in the promise believed convey grace and comfort into our hearts Yet some think that when God gives a particular promise it is not to measure our condition by but to uphold the soul in the condition of desertion or temptation Hence though Hezekiah had a particular word for deliverance the three children had not 3 Use to believe the forgiveness of sins and labour after assurance thereof Wherefore came Christ into the world Wherefore hath he carried our nature into heaven and there appears for us Why hath he given us his oath Heb. 6. Why hath he given us the signes of the Covenant Why have we so many commands to believing and so many reproofs of unbelief Why have we besides the sealing of the promise with the bloud of the testator the sealing with the spirit of promise as a pledge a pawn and an earnest but onely to urge us to believe Though we will not believe a mans word or bond yet upon sufficient pawn we will deal though the man be but weak and shall we not trust God for that for which we have so good a pawn as his Spirit And in order to this thy
feet Now he succours us 1 by letting the soul see that what the soul is assaulted with is nothing else but a temptation 2 By bringing in some promise to stay the soul as Gen. 3.15 The seed of the woman shall break the Serpents head this is as an anchor and cable in a storme Heb. 6.18 19. 3 By rebuking the tempter Zach. 3.2 The Lord rebuke thee O Satan yea the Lord rebuke thee 4 Comforting the tempted making over some Scripture to stay the soul against the temptation 1 Pet. 5.8 5 By causing the temptation to grow less and less till it be quite gone as in temptations of blasphemy self-murther c. in the children of God 3 Set faith on work to believe that Angels nor principalities cannot sever you from Christ Rom. 8.38 4 Make resistance Jam. 4.6 Resist the Devil and he will flye Were we in a city besieged and knew that relief were near at hand who would not stand it out Satan besieges but our God hath promised to be a present help in trouble 5 Beware in time of temptation of concluding against your souls as if you were not the Lords because tempted who more holy then Christ yet who more tempted Peter tempted Luk. 22.30 Paul tempted 2 Cor. 12.7 Yea these afflictions of temptations are accomplished among all Saints 1 Pet. 5.8 Satan lets many wicked men go without temptation because he hath them sure 6 Make no preparations for temptation neither by running your selves into harmes way nor into wicked company as Peter did in the High Priests Hall nor in time of Satanical temptations to go into places or conditions wherein you may give advantage to the tempter either by being solitary idle or ill imployed Many persons by not acting their graces as faith in the promises and hope in the thing promised give way to temptations 7 Be not discouraged with the length of the temptation for this Satan doth to weary poor souls he shoots his darts again and again hoping in the end to weary us As we see in Christ tempted three several times and yet when all came to all Satan left him not altogether but onely for a season Matth. 4.10 Every temptation is an affliction Gal. 4.14 And in affliction we ought to be humbled but not to be discouraged how long soever it remain upon us Never say My strength and my hope is perished from the Lord. 8 Keep in the compass of your callings for want of this Peter was tempted by a silly maid We may look for protection in the wayes of our calling Psal 91 â—1 Not out of those wayes but in them have the Angels charge to keep us Whereas it is said 1 Joh 5.18 A godly man keepeth himself and the wicked one toucheth him not it s meant either when he is in holy wayes or if he then touch him it is not to a prevailing 9 Consider what Satan by himself and his instruments aimes at in temptations which is the surprizing of our faith when Satan combated so with Job what did he aime at was it Jobs goods nay it was to make an onset on Jobs faith The like he did with Christ Mat. 4. First Satan tempts us to break Gods commands and then tempts the soul to unbelief as if there were no pardon for such a sinner Satan knows if he can overcome our faith he hath taken our armour from us 1 Pet. 5.8 Eph. 6. Hence sometimes he draws souls away from the means of faith if he cannot prevail so far then to question the truth of what is spoken if he cannot prevail to this then he strives to bring souls to put off promises as belonging to others and not to themselves and to take all comfortable places of Scripture from us in an hour of temptation Remember not onely Satan is resisted by our stedfastness in the faith 1 Peter 5.8 but also Christ hath prayed that the Faith of Believers fail not Luke 22.30 31. Faith is that piece of Armour which before all others we should hold Ephes 6.16 Above all taking the Shield of Faith by this Shield we shall hold out against all temptations arising from imperfection of obedience the weight and number of our sins the want of outward things c. Satans temptations are compared to fiery or poysonous Darts whose Poyson lies burning in the flesh till they have destroyed a man if they be not cured even so do Satans temptations as we see in Judas Matth. 27.5 To keep off these Darts we must have a Shield and as they are fiery the Shield of Faith in Christ drawing strength against them from Christ his Death Resurrection and Intercession 10 Labour to discern a temptation to be a temptation and that it is not the true state of thy soul which Satan tells thee he will tell thee thou hast no grace because thy grace doth not grow to a hundred-fold that thy Prayers are not heard because they are not every time evidenced to be heard that thy faith fails because thou hast sometimes intermitted the acts thereof though the habit remain sometimes he pretends to release thee from all thy troubles Satan does as Fowlers who in Frost and Snow shew Meat to the Birds that they may come to their own destruction So Satan endeavours to bring souls out of poverty by injustice and deceit out of trouble of conscience by self-murder out of Prison by denying the Truth or deceitfull distinguishing thereof When a tempted soul can see no way of escape let him shut his eys and answer nothing but commend his cause to God 11 Complain to God against them and pray for patience and power against them If you cannot pray away the suggestion yet strive to pray away the consent and delight Condemned men make not suit to the Jailour but to the Judg so in temptation go not to Satan but to the Lord in whose hand is the entrance the continuance and the issue of the temptation When Satan and his messenger came against Paul he besought the Lord thrice 2 Cor. 12.7 12 Take heed of security sometimes Lusts tempt when we are secure as Lot to drunkenness when gone from Sodom So doth Satan when the Husbandmen slept the Enemy sowed Tares As in civil affairs nothing more exposeth a State to danger than security as we see in the affairs of divers States and Cities so nothing more exposeth the soul to danger than security Security hath overcome them whom the opposition of temptation could not overcome Our whole life is a temptation till we come in Heaven therefore be not secure Travellers are in continual danger to fall into the hands of Thieves therefore not secure so should we While Noah David Peter have through security been so overcome let us fear always Prov. 28.13 Blessed is the man that feareth always It 's yet a day of Battel not of Victory we are yet at Sea not in the Haven 13 Take heed of spiritual pride which is ordinarily cured with a spiritual
fine houses pleasant gardens and costly apparrel hath the late cloud of war overshadowed Esa 23.9 The Lord hath stained the pride of all glory and brought into contempt all the honourable of the earth But could Satan give the glory he pretends yet should you have it upon exceeding hard terms He said to Christ Fall down and worship me and all shall be thine 4 As the Lines meet in the centre and the beams of the Sun in a burning-glass so let your scattered affections meet in God Solomon having let his affections go out to pleasures mirth wine buildings vineyards gardens pools of water possessions of cattel treasures of gold and silver musick c. Eccles 2.1 2 3 4 5 6 7. came to see the vanity and to centre himself in the fear of God and keeping his commandments Eccles 12.1 5 Consider the things of the world which are sutable to others God can make them disproportionable to thee Ahab had a Kingdom but could take no comfort in it but was sick for one poor Vineyard Haman had wealth honour and the favour of the Prince in abundance yet the want of a cringe from Mordecai a small matter one would think made all bitter If inferiour causes can bring forth contrary effects as the Sun can soften Wax and harden Clay cannot the highest cause much more produce it Many have vast Estates but an unequal yoke-fellow or the reproach of some sin they have committed or a guilty conscience takes away the comforts of them 6 Consider it 's a Christians duty always to have a disposition to leave all for Christ Luke 14.26 Now how can we perform this duty if our hearts be set upon the World Thou sayest thou canst not leave thy stately dwelling and accommodations thou dost in effect say I cannot be a Christian Paul saith Gal. 6.14 God forbid that I should rejoyce save in the Cross of Christ 7 Be convinced of the vanity in all earthly things Practise often follows conviction there 's a mask upon riches pleasures honours which is false opinion which must be pulled off How was Achan cozened with a Wedg of Gold and Gehezi with two Talents of Silver The Labours of worldly men are not unfitly by some resembled to the sports of children their buildings to the houses children make of cards and trenchers their gathering wealth to the others gathering sticks their immoderate sorrow in the loss of them to the cry of children when their houses are cast down Whether it be a thing more to be laughed at or pitied I shall not determine to see man that hath an eternal soul and eternal objects to look at upon the terms of highest necessity his eternal weal or wo to spend the strength of his spirit upon earthly vanities We count them mad men who leaving serious things are disposed to play with pins and straws such are worldly men The Prophet said He saw an end of all perfections Psalm 119.96 May we not say the same we have seen an end of all perfection of beauty save of Gods image Holiness of all perfection of pedegree save spiritual adoption of all perfection of wealth save of riches laid up in Heaven of all perfection of buildings save of that City whose Builder and Maker is God of all perfections of joy save the joy of a good conscience which is a continual feast 8 Beware of being deluded by worldly pretences as 1 the hardness of the times in hard times let us be less worldly then should we open our hands freely 2 The greatness of their charge true we are to provide for our charge else we are worse then Infidels but thou provides for thy self being loath to part with any thing till death put thy children in possession whether thou wilt or not nay if God take half their charge away they are not more lib eral 3 The great necessities of the Church a faire pretence if true but consider what hast thou done for the Church do not thy proportions come short not onely of others but also of thy own ability we read of some who parted with all for the Church but they were not men of this temper Acts 4.34 35. 9 Be much in prayer that God would cure thy worldly frame of heart say Lord I can savour nothing but oxen and farms If any man speak a word of any heavenly discourse it 's unsavory I have a heart just like the Inn at Bethlehem room enough for others none for thee Be large in thy confessions say Lord this is a sin that makes me sometimes neglect duties of religion and commonly chop them off that makes me so many times in a week go to bed prayerless and abroad in the morning prayerless This sin hath oft exposed me to lying over-reaching for which I doubt I have not made full restitution my own interest hath made me seek the ruine of the whole this hath made me take a bribe in my office to sell justice in my magistracy cheat in my weights and measures flatter in my ministry sell things unlawful to be sold as the Christians in Tertulian's time sold images to the heathens As a Land-lord I have rackt my Tenants grinding their faces because I knew they must have my farms as a labourer I have extorted because I knew they could not get another As a servant I have cozened my Master now and then of a penny as a Master I have griped my Workmen making them take so much in commodity at a racking price because I knew thy were tied to my Work these confessions when they are feeling and not historical will much take off the heart from the World 10 Set your affections in Heaven when a man is upon an high Pinacle things below seem very small so get your spirits up on high and the things below will seem small The Christians in Justin Martyr's time in his Epistle to Diognetus inhabited their own countreys as strangers they had all things common with others as Citizens but suffered all things as strangers every strange countrey is their countrey and every countrey is strange to them they live in the earth but have their conversation in heaven That which is the soul in the body that are Christians in the World the soul is dispersed through all the members of the body and Christians are dispersed through the Cities of the World the soul dwells in the body but is not of the body so Christians dwell in the World but are not of the World Then are our affections in Heaven when the soul is longing after the presence of God the soul is not so much there where it lives as where it loves The soul looking upon better things than the World can easily bid adieu unto the World It was a Christian speech of a certain Bishop mentioned by Augustine that when the Gothes had taken the City and spoil he said I am not sorry for my Gold and Silver thou knowest where my treasure is 11 Believe the
of time thou hast lived in them Hosea 8.3 4 Upon what small temptations thou hast committed them 5 That thou hast been instrumental to carry persons to Hell by thine evils Acts 26.11 6 That thou hast caused persons to turn away from the way of truth by thine evils 2 Peter 2.1 2. and caused them to turn to evil by thy example as Jeroboam who made Israel to sin 7 The sore punishments God hath inflicted upon persons for committing such sins as thou hast been guilty of 1 Cor. 10.7 8 9 10 11. Quest But how must we cast out this beam Answ 1 Believe that there 's pardon for great sins in Christ and bathe thy soul in Christ's bloud Do as they that were stung with fiery Serpents John 3.14 1 John 1.7 2 Repent and turn to God with all thy heart Joel 2.12 Let thy repentance appear in the three parts of it 1 Confession 1 John 1.8 2 Humiliation Jerem. 13.17 18. 3 Reformation Hosea 14.2 Take away all iniquity Prov. 28.13 And then thou shalt see clearly to cast out the Mote out of thy Brothers eye See who is to be admonished even a Brother Lev. 19.18 Matth. 18.15 16 17. 1 Cor. 5.11 2 Thess 3.6 whether he be of our own or of another Church if our Brothers Ox or Ass straying are to be brought home by us Deut. 22.1 2 3 4. much more himself yet may others that are not Brethren be reproved because reproof is a kinde of spiritual alms that ought to be given to all as well as bodily alms where there 's hope of amending V. 6. Give not that which is holy to Dogs neither cast ye your Pearls before Swine lest they trample them under their feet and turn again and rend you Clemens Alexandrinus mentions that among the Chaldees Egyptians and Hebrews their Professours were wont to deliver their Precepts in Proverbs and so doth Christ as before so here and elsewhere it is a demonstrative kinde of teaching practised by Solomon Eccles 12.10 In the words two things 1 A Precept Give not that which is holy to Dogs 2 The Reasons 1 Lest they trample them under their feet 2 Lest they turn again and rend you 1 The Precept Give not that which is holy to Dogs Some by Dogs understand Unbelievers as if the Word Baptism and Supper should not be given to them For Baptism and the Supper it appears they ought not to be given as being not converting Ordinances but signs and declaratives of conversion already wrought Were they converting Ordinances they should actively effectively and operatively produce the grace of Regeneration and after a physical manner work upon the soul whereas they work onely in by and through the understanding and therefore must be administred on those believers that have understanding to receive them but for the Word it being Gods means to bring persons from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to Gods Kingdom Acts 18.26 it ought to be offered to all Therefore by Dogs is meant the stubborn and professed Enemies of the Gospel who having formerly been convinced of the truth of it are now apostatized and cease not to rail and persecute that truth Acts 19.9 when divers spake evil of the way of God before the multitude Paul departed from them Others more pertinently restrain that which is holy to admonition whereof he had spoke this ought not to be given to Dogs and Swine of which Prov. 9.8 Reprove not a Scorner lest he hate thee reprove a wise man and he will love thee Prov. 23.9 Speak not in the ears of a fool for he will despise the wisdom of thy words onely we must not forbear the duty of admonition to them that it may do some good to upon this pretence as if they were Dogs or Hogs when we perceive no such thing by them for our hearts are but too backward to perform this duty because we see it so unwelcome to most men By dogs Christ means contradictors and blasphemers against admonition whether publickly in the ministry of the Word as the Jews of Antioch did Acts 13.46 who hereby adjudged themselves unworthy of everlasting life and the Apostles upon their contradiction turned to the Gentiles See Matth. 10.14 15. so did Paul in the like case Act. 19.9 depart into the school of Tyrannus upon the contradiction the Jews made against his doctrine Such were those circumcision teachers whom Paul calls dogs Phil. 3.2 Beware of dogs and perhaps those Rev. 22.15 without are dogs are here meant and also Christ means private admonition Prov. 23.9 When persons shall rage against it the Lord provides for the safety of his servants least for their good will they be rent in pieces by the ungodly By holy things and pearls then Christ means publick and private admonition they are called holy because the persons that give it are holy and because the subject matter even the admonition is holy and because of the end which is the sanctification of souls They are called Pearls for their preciousness and excellency Psal 141.5 Admonition is compared to an excellent Oyl By hogs Christ means they do not contradict but by the uncleanness of their lives they show their contempt of your admonitions It s one thing to tread holy admonitions under our feet as hogs do and those that wallow in their sins and another thing to bite and rend him that reaches holy admonitions to us as dogs do such an one was Crescens the Cynick Philosopher from whom Justin Martyr expected his death As Christ would not have publick and private admonition to be given for their sake so would he not have it altogether kept silent for their sake Of this sort of dogs are many who stir up not onely Magistrates but the common people against the professors of truth because the truth such hold forth is contrary to their profit and praise as we see in Christ and the Apostles The reasons of this are 1 The unprofitableness and unworthiness Your labour will be spent in vain they will trample these precious things under their feet Things that are slighted and counted nothing worth are trod in the mire as pearles c. to them that know not their worth 2 Your own safety they will turn again and rend you they will prepare fire sword prisons and banishment against you and therefore as no man will meddle with a mad Dog for fear he be bit by him so should we beware of such Dogs There are some wicked men though they be not cured yet are they curable to these admonitions may be given but some are incurable to whom they are not to be given And though we are to give a reason of the hope in us to every man yet is it onely to them that ask a reason thereof which Hogs and Dogs do not So that as in the former Verse Christ showes who and what kinde the reprovers should be such as were free from beams or gross evils so here in this
cross of Christ should be made of none effect Besides the wit of man hides the power of the Word and he that receives the Word upon eloquent enticement will be drawn to leave it when he hears greater eloquence perswading thereto It 's the misery of the times that Aristotle the deluder of wits should in most Universities be heeded rather then Christ the Prophet of his Church 5 Christ came home to the Consciences of men and so Paul We commend our selves to every mans conscience as in the sight of God He speaks with authority that speaks to the conscience Know ye not the unrighteous shall not inherit the Kingdome of God 1 Cor. 6.9 Matth. 23.33 O generation of vipers how can ye escape the damnation of hell 6 Christ came with authority not onely as an interpreter of the Law of God but as being himself a Law-giver come from heaven John 3.11 We speak that we do know and testifie that we have seen Also v. 31 32. He that cometh from heaven is above all and what he hath seen and heard that he testifieth 7 Christ came with authority in the convincing of souls for sin It 's one great work of the Spirit of Christ Joh. 16.10 Hence Micah 3.8 I am full of power by the Spirit of the Lord and of judgement and of might to declare unto Jacob his transgression and to Israel his sin Hence he spares neither Prince Prophet or Priest v. 9 10 11 12. The Word should come as a thunder-clap to the heart of the sinner Act. 8.21 Peter to Magus I perceive thou art in the gall of bitterness and bond of iniquity ye have been the betrayers and murderers of the Son of God Acts 2.36 As Nazianzen Orat 20. said of Basil His word was like thunder his life like lightning 8 He taught with authority in preaching to the life as a picture is well drawn when it s drawn as to life so a preacher must preach as to life to preach of heaven hell death and judgement as if they were before us to preach out the wrath of God that the sinner may apprehend it as a burning fire to set forth the ugliness of sin that it may appear as black as hell to set forth the particular excellencies of Christ that the soul may say Whither is thy beloved gone that we may seek him with thee To set forth the terribleness of judgement that the sinner may be afraid to live one hour in such a condition as he would be afraid to dye in 9 In not sparing persons of the greatest quality as Herod Pilate the High Priests Lawyers Scribes and therefore Christ denounces woe upon woe upon them Woe unto you Pharisees woe unto you Scribes woe unto you Lawyers Luk. 11.42 43 44 46 47 50 51 52. Nor did he fear the faces of the Mighty Jer 1.10 17 18 19. 10 He taught with authority not onely in pressing powerful doctrine but also did move upon their hearts by the working of his Spirit that their hearts were all on fire in hearing of him Luk. 24.32 Did not our hearts burn within us while he opened to us the Scriptures So Paul 1 Cor. 2.4 11 Christ taught vvith authority because himself vvas deeply affected vvith the things vvhich he taught It is not a thundring voice nor vehement enforcements from natural strength that proves povverfulness of doctrine but it much tends to authority both in prayer and preaching that the heart of the preacher be first vvrought upon either in private betvvixt God and his soul or in publick affections in the preacher beget affections in the hearer and after an unperceiveable manner dravv them over So Christ vvhen he preached to multitudes sometimes he put on bovvels of pity Mat. 9.37 sometimes grief and vveeping Luk. 19.41 compared vvith ver 48. Joh. 11.35 38. compared vvith ver 45. 12 Christ taught vvith authority because he knevv none could charge sin upon him so shall a teacher that lives a blameless conversation and knovvs that no man can charge evil upon him he hath authority in his doctrine but if he be covetous or proud or vain he looses that authorative povver vvhich God hath given him in the hearts of hearers Titus 2.15 Rebuke with all authority let no man despise thee q. d. if thou doest any thing unvvorthy to render thy self despicable thy authority vvill be lost 13 By a vehement pressing and urging the commands upon the consciences of men vvithall denouncing threats against the ungodly as Mat. 7.26 27. Luk. 6.21 to ver 27. so should a preacher press the commands upon persons I command you in the name of the Lord Jesus that you be not proud passionate greedy after the world So John Baptist Matth. 3.8 9 10. Now the ax is laid to the root of the tree bring forth fruit else you vvill be throvvn into the fire Use See a duty in faithful preachers 1 To teach vvith authority remembring vvhose Embassadours they are Matth. 28.18 2 Cor. 5.20 2 To maintain the authority vvhich the Lord hath given unto them 2 Cor. 10.8 maintain it both by life and doctrine by preaching povverfully and living holily Hovv povverfull vvas the Apostle Paul in his preaching See Gal. 1.6 7 8 9 10. 3 To the Brethren to obey that Word that comes with authority to their consciences Heb. 13.17 Obey them that have the rule over you c. And not as the Scribes Whose teaching was either traditionary as the washing of pots and cups and hands building the tombs of Prophets making broad phylacteries but for things tending to mortification they spake not at all or very superficially or their teaching was formal When they spake of the love of God and other duties they spake of them without zeal and feeling and therefore they were not like to affect others when themselves were not first affected The Orator that moves his hearers must first be moved himself Or their teaching was hypocritical binding heavy burthens upon others they themselves not touching them with one of their fingers Or their teaching was in generals and confounded Contrarily Christ 1 For matter he teaches weighty points as concerning true blessedness and the qualifications of them that mean to attain it concerning a holy life free from scandal concerning love to enemies alms prayer fasting placing treasure in heaven 2 For manner Christ speaks with fervency and affection fire begets fire the burning affection in Christ which he had in speaking makes the hearts of his Disciples burn in hearing Luke 24.32 3 For method Christ speaks distinctly first to one point and then to another whereas they confounded what they spake Method is the mother of memory 4 Christ in his doctrine was impartial he spared none Many speak truth to the common people suffering all things not to them whom they fear will persecute them to whom especially it is to be spoken He that looks upon mens persons will be terrified with the show of titles and dignities 5 He preached
out of indignation Psal 35.16.37.12 so shall the damned out of indignation against God for their torments Quest Whether in hell there is weeping Answ It seems not 1 Because the fire of hell will presently dry up those tears 2 Because to these tears that are to endure for ever infinite rivers would not suffice by weeping Christ means sighs sobs and howlings 2 Quest Whether in hell there is gnashing of teeth Answ Yes for this arises from the extream bitterness of punishment as appears in those who are upon the rack who gnash their teeth for pain V. 13. And Jesus said unto the Centurion Go thy way and as thou hast believed so be it unto thee and his servant was healed in the self same hour Here 's a third effect which is the healing the Centurions servant Go thy way That is return glad home to thy house Christ doth not bid him change his calling but go his way as granting what was desired As thou hast believed so be it unto thee We may see why Gods hand is sometimes straitned towards us it s meerly for unbelief As thou hast believed that though I were absent I could heal thy servant with a Word of my mouth so let him be cured His servant was healed the same hour A testimony of Christs omnipotence and that he was God V. 14. And when Jesus was come into Peters house he saw his wives mother laid and sick of a Fever V. 15. And he touched her hand and the Fever left her and she arose and ministred to them In the words three things 1 The patients sickness Peters wives Mother was sick of a Fever 2 The Physicians cure Amplified 1 From the manner of his healing which was he touched her hand 2 From the issue of it the Fever left her 3 The evidence or manifestation thereof viz. She arose and ministred to them 4 The effect which followed thereupon which was the inhabitants thereabouts brought unto him many that were possessed with devils and he cast out the devils and healed the sick v. 16. 5 The end or final cause which was the fulfilling the Prophesie of Esaias which saith That himself took our infirmities and bare our sicknesses Jesus came into Peters house That is the house whereinto Peter and Andrew were wont to betake themselves as often as they were at Capernaum Mark 1.29 hence called the house of Simon and Andrew It 's likely it was Peters wives mothers house seeing Peter and Andrew lived at Bethsaida before they followed Christ Joh. 1.44 and this was about half an hours journey from Capernaum Saw his wives mother sick of a fever A fever is an excessive bounding of praeternatural heat partaking of the nature of fire kindled in the heart and diffused through the veins and arteries into the whole body hence called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that signifies fire as Febris a fervendo There are divers effects of it as 1 It 's repugnant to natural heat 2 It takes away the temperature of the humours 3 It stirs up thirst 4 It vitiates the taste 5 It deforms the body 6 It will not let a man rest nor be quiet which way soever he turns 7 It s usually known by the pulse and urine 8 One fever sometimes turns into another some have applied these to the burning fevers of the minde but because a fever properly taken is meant I shall not so apply it And he touched her hand and the fever left her That is he came and took her by the hand and lifted her up as Mark sets it down c. 1.31 Where Physicians heal feverish persons are not presently rais'd up but Christ presently raises her up Christ hath several ways of healing before he healed with bare touching here with the touching of lifting up She arose and ministred to them Making them a Supper Thankfulness well becomes persons that receive benefits from Christ when Christ once touches our hands let us be doing In this unthankful age let us be provoked to thankfulness not one of ten are scarcely so qualified Luke 17.15 16 17 18. She doth not onely arise as a sick person may but ministers in a serviceable way as a sound man or woman doth she makes ready meat and looks to provide what was needfull brings in and carries out I might observe how Peter was maried seeing his wives mother was sick 1 Tim. 3.2 James and John had wives 1 Cor. 9.5 V. 16. When the even was come they brought unto him many that were possessed with devils and he cast out the spirits with his word and healed all that were sick Here is the effect that followed upon Christ his curing Peters wives mother There were in Christ his time many possessed with devils that the power of Christ might be seen in healing of them he cured them by laying his hands on them Luke 4.40 Now if you ask what these persons that were possessed with devils were Answ It was in likelihood no other but madness John 10.20 He hath a devil and is mad so that these persons laboured not of simple dotage but of raving madness So also lunatick persons that had the falling sickness monethly afflicting them Matth. 17.15 Have mercy on my son because he is lunatick for oft times he falleth into the fire compared with v. 18. Jesus rebuked the devil and it departed out of him so it appears this lunatick man was a daemoniak See Luke 9.39 Speaking of the same Lunatick person he saith lo a spirit taketh him and it teareth him that he fometh also v. 42. The devil threw him down and tare him and Jesus rebuked the unclean spirit and healed the childe Besides it 's strange how these Daemoniaks should abound in Jury when we hear of none such in other nations These the Heathens called Larvati q.d. Larvis acti moved or affrighted with devils also Cerriti quasi Cereriti smitten of Ceres who was the goddess of Corn in plain English a drunken man who was mad drunk or lion drunk and therefore when Menechmus in Plautus feigns himself mad the Physician who was sent to cure him asks whether he were larvatus or cerritus And so Justin Martyr 2. Apol. ad Antonin counts Daemoniaks and mad men all one See Medes works vol. 1. pag. 83 84. where sundry other authorities together with these are cited Healed all that were sick That they being cured in their bodies might seek unto him for their souls We see he healed all that were sick none excepted if they came to him also all sorts of diseases as Leprosie Palsey Bloody flux c. Now Christ did this to prove himself to be the Messias Matth. 11.4.5 Go shew John what ye see and hear the Blinde receive their sight the Lame walk the Lepers are cleansed and though the Apostles wrought strange cures on the bodies of men Acts 19.11 12. so that diseases departed from the sick by their aprons and handkercheifs 1 Yet Christ cured diseases by
James 1.10 3 Rest content in thy condition so Christ here and Paul 1 Cor. 4.11 Phil. 4.13 If at any time we are taken by poverty let us rest contentedly therein living in abundance take heed ye fall not by proud boasting and living in want take heed ye be not supplanted with sorrow of heart one and the same countenance appearing Just Mart. ad Zenam p. 391. V. 21. And another of his disciples said unto him Lord suffer me first to go and bury my Father V. 22. But Jesus said unto him follow me and let the dead bury their dead Suffer me first Here is another of Christ his Disciples who would follow Christ but it must be when his father was dead Christ here shows that nothing should be put before the observation of his commands as being a matter of eternal concernment nor must we use delay herein See Exod. 22.29 Psal 119.60 Nor must we preferre service to relations as probably this man might pretend to serve his Father while he lived or to bury him now dead for some think his Father was now dead and Christ comes to him at this time to comfort him in the want of that relation However Christ called him to follow him Luke 9.59 and he makes this excuse some think his father was old and it would not be long first before he were dead It was a moderate request to go and perform the last office of love but Christ knew others could do it and then matters of salvation are to be preferred before matters of comliness and decency But Jesus said unto him Follow me That is let thy love be so to thy relations that if Christ call thee thou mayest leave all for him Matth. 4.22 Matth 10.37 The end why he followed Christ was â—o preach the Gospel Luk. 9.60 And let the dead bury their dead By dead in the former place he means those who are dead in sins Eph. 2.1 5. Eph. 5.14 1 Tim. 5.6 Bury their dead Christ doth not condemn burying their dead friends who if godly are buried in hope of a comfortable resurrection but hereby tells us that whatsoever hinders us from a right course savours nothing but death and that the unbelieving Jews who were dead in sins might serve to bury this man when he was dead he had some brethren or kindred who might do it also Obs When God calls us to do duty we must not use delayes Gen. 22.2 3. Many sinners are like him that cryed a little more slumber Prov. 6.6 7 8 9 10. To day if ye will hear his voice harden not your hearts Heb. 3.7 8 13. Prov. 27.1 2 Service to relations is not to be preferred before service to Christ 3 Every unbelieving man is no other then a dead man Joh. 5.24 Rom. 5.6 Not like the man that fell among the thieves dangerously wounded but quite dead dead we are by the sin of our first parents not onely temporally Rom. 5.12 but spiritually as unable to do spiritual actions as dead men are to do the actions of living men Col. 2.13 As in natural death there is a separation of the soul from the body so in spiritual death there is a separation of God from the soul For the seat of this spiritual death It is in the understanding John 1.4 5. Eph. 5.14 It is in the will Rom. 6.13 It 's in the conscience Heb. 9.14 It 's in the affections Obj. But if men be naturally dead why do you preach to them Answ 1 The word spoken is a mean to bring them to life Joh. 5.24 When the Spirit of Christ accompanies it the ministry of the word is appointed to turn persons from darkness to light Acts 26.18 2 Though men be naturally dead yet 1 Are they not without reason to consider what is spoken and upon what grounds 2 Though they be dead yet they may offer themselves to the means Obj. But there are some inward workings in the hearts of natural men as sence of sin fear of punishment thoughts of deliverance wishes for heaven therefore they are not dead Answ These and much more may be in natural men yet are they dead As in the generation of man there are many fore-going dispositions which go before the induction of the form so there are many fore-going actions preceding spiritual regeneration as we see in those converts Acts 2.36 37 38. Obj. Man hath some reliques of knowledge how then is he dead Answ Every knowledge doth not suppose life but that onely which affects the heart with affiance and love John 17.3 The devils know much remaining devils still Besides mans natural knowledge makes him inexcusable not salvable Obj. Natural men have many excellent virtues in them therefore they are not dead Answ As the evil actions of good men redound not to their persons to make their persons evil so the good actions of evil men redound not to their persons to make them righteous Good works do not make a good man but a good man makes or does good works evil works do not make an evil man but an evil man makes evil works So that it behoves the person always to be good before all good works and good works come from a good person Luth. Tom. 1 Cat. fol. 469. Their vertues are like pictures without life There are many natural men fine Schollers and Gentlemen too good to go to hell yet not good enough to go to heaven for they being in the flesh cannot please God because they are not good trees they cannot bring forth good fruit all their virtues are like flowers upon a dead mans carkasse that may adorn it and keep off the stink thereof but cannot give life thereto As in the flesh of a beast some part of it is sold at a great price other of it is cast away or little regarded yet all is flesh so some works of the natural man are abhominable and some are commendable but all are but flesh There are several sorts of madnesse some light and foolish some more sober and solemn yet all is but madness so in spiritual madness the lives of some natural men are sober grave serious the lives of others are wilde and ranting yet all are dead and mad Obj. Natural men are not dead because they have some signes of Gods image in them Answ There 's a twofold image 1 Natural standing in immortality immateriality mentioned Gen. 9.6 He that sheds mans blood by man shall his blood be shed for in the image of God made he him 2 A supernatural image consisting in righteousness and holiness Col. 3.10 You have put on the new man which is created in knowledge after the image of him that created him The former image may be in natural men not the latter Use Try two things 1 Whether thou art dead 2 Whether thou art alive Tryalls of a man dead 1 When he lives in sin Rom. 6.2 How shall we that are dead to sin live any longer therein 1 Joh. 3.6 He that abides in
him sins not that is lives not in a purpose of sin Prov. 19.16 He that despises his way shall dye 1 Tim. 5.6 Shee that lives in pleasure is dead Luk. 15. ult 2 Want of feeling A man may be alive and want all other sences as seeing hearing smelling tasting but if once he loose his feeling he is dead so when a man shall be past feeling of sin Eph. 4.19 or past feeling of the miseries of a Christian he is a dead man 1 Cor. 12.26 3 Separation from the living As when persons shall voluntarily separate themselves from Churches Jude 19. These be they who separate themselves sensual having not the spirit or when Churches shall separate men whom they judge to live in sin from their Communion 4 Stiffness and wilfulness in sin Jer. 44.16 The Word which thou hast commanded in the name of the Lord we will not do Joh. 8.44 The works of your father the devil ye will do as dead bodies are unbendable so are dead hearts Luk. 19.27 We will not have this man reign over us 5 Dead men move not so when thou hast not spiritual motion towards spiritual duties in the compass of thy calling as to prayer to do good to poor Saints to promoting the glory of God to gain others to the faith by thy holy example art not thou dead They which live live not unto themselves Rom. 14.7 8. 6 When men are loathsome A dead body how adorned soever is loathsome yea though our nearest friend Abraham when Sarah was dead said Bury her out of my sight Gen. 23.4 so are all dead men to God Prov. 13.5 so are they to Gods people so far as they are renewed 7 When a soul is pluckt up by the roots Jude 12. Twice dead pluckt up by the roots not onely dead in the state of Gentilisme but of Christianity so that he is severed from the root Christ Joh. 15.5 and so can do nothing no more then a tree pluckt up by the roots nor can bring forth any fruit Many men are not onely pluckt up from the power of religion but also from the very profession 2 Tryal whether thou hast spiritual life in thee 1 Love to the means which maintain it 1 Pet. 2.2 As new borne babes desire the milk of the word As young ones by natural instinct run to the teats of their dams every life loves that which maintains it the natural life loves meat and drink and Apparel the sinful life loves that which maintains it so doth the spiritual life 2 Life is seen by breathing so if thou be spiritually alive thou wilt breathe after God Psal 42.1 2.28.1.63.1.143.7 3 By contending as we contend to the utmost for saving temporal life so for preservation of spiritual life the soul will contend to the utmost It will let lusts go friends go enjoyments and country go As the body endeavours to expel poyson or hurtful things by vomit so Saints sometimes shame themselves even by confessing not onely to God but to men some lust that holds in combat 4 Groaning under deadness and complaining against it Psal 119.25 37 50 93. This very sensibleness of deadness helps to prove life 5 Where life is there will be a conveyance of a life of sanctification whereby the soul will be quickned up to all the wayes of God Rom. 6.13 together with the life of justification which is nothing else but the obtaining of a pardon Rom. 5.18 a Prince may pardon a malefactor but he cannot put a principle of love and fidelity in him but Christ conveyes a principle of love Luk. 7.47 and holiness 6 It stayes upon a promise Psal 119.49 50. Joh. 6.37 Heb. 7.25 Yet grace growing sometimes unperceivably as in young converts who have been bred religiously See Mark 4.26 27. We must not be too strict to limit young converts in their professions to a right judging of the work of grace either to the time of their conversion to declare that or to the promise that sustained them in the hour of conversion Promises in the hour of conversion made over to the solu are rather supports against temptation then absolute sole measures to judge of spiritual life as the trials sine qua non as if the soul not remembring the promise that first staid him were to be put by as an unconverted person what if from preaching in general promises the soul came to see the worth of Christ and to close with him with a disposition to part with all for him whether lust or enjoyment is not this enough Yet where there are promises made over to the soul in the hour of conversion which the soul well remembers and wherein it found the sense of Gods love in pardon it tends so much the more to manifest spiritual life which if they were truly so made over and were not delusions they were accompanied with the forenamed disposition of parting with all lusts and enjoyments for Christ 7 Condescention in indifferent things with an unmovable resolution in the things of God you will not bate any thing of the peace of your consciences for any mans pleasure If they take away goods liberty let it go but if they go about to take away our faith here we are to give way to none Means to spiritual life 1 Get union with Christ the members must needs be alive being united to a living head 1 Joh. 5.12 Christ is a head over his Church by way of provision and dominion but this is most comfortable that he is a head by way of union He that will work well let him begin not from working but from beliving What makes a person gâ—ood but faith or evil but unbelief Luth. Tom. 1. Fol. 469. The Angels are united to Christ by knowledge and love but we by faith and the Spirit that member is a dead member that draws not quickning from the head As the sea fills all vessels yet is not emptied thereby so doth Christ fill all in all Eph. 1.22 Yet hath not he less 2 Set faith on work to draw life from Christ Christ is compared to a garment but to have benefit by him we must ut him on by believing Rom. 13.14 to bread but to have nourishment by him we must feed on him by faith John 6.50 51 53 54. As we cannot have the strength of Bread unless we eat the substance of it so in this case And as the soul by virtue of sight doth joyn it self with the body of the Sun though the Sun be in Heaven and we be on Earth so the eye of faith enlightened by the Spirit doth joyn it self with Christ though he be in Heaven and the believer on earth and from him draws influence John 1.17.4.10.7.38 39. And as there are degrees of light from the Sun according to the clearness or dimness of the eye that beholds it so there are degrees of union with Christ and inhabitation according to the clearness or dimness of the eye of faith 3 Hear the
voice of the Son of God John 5.25 The dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God and they that hear shall live This is not bare hearing of Christ preached but hearing the voice of the Spirit speaking to us as to Lydia Zacheus Lazarus c. Quest But how shall I know my faith draws any quickening from Christ or that the Lord speaks to my soul Answ 1 Repentance and displicense against sin goes with it Zach. 12.10 compared with chap. 13.1 when they look upon the Lord by an eye of faith they then mourn and then a fountain is set open 2 Thy faith will draw healing as well as pardon Mich. 7.18 19. Rom. 6.14 where ungodliness is turned from the soul that soul is turned from ungodliness Is 59.20 compared with Rom. 11.26 Act. 3.26 3 Thy faith will bring quiet and peace Luk. 7.50 Rom. 5.1 Rom. 15.13 from the true knowledge of escaping danger which is not like the peace of the world who are secure because they know not their danger It was not amiss said of one that this peace of believers is as if a milstone or Talent of lead were taken off from a mans neck which must be understood of the first coming of it to a soul formerly perplext with guilt and horror 4 By the present nimbleness we have in Gods ways since believing which we had not before Rom. 6.13 5 By the reflexion of love back again to Christ Gal. 5.4 Faith worketh by love Luke 7.47 To whom much is forgiven as it is to every believing soul the same loveth much Motives to live a spiritual Life 1 The perpetuity of it John 4.10 14.6.27 How precious would our natural Life be would it last for ever As it 's impossible for Leaven mingled with Paste to be severed from it because it hath changed the nature of the Paste so it 's impossible for Christians to be pluckt from Christ because the Leaven in them is Christ so imbodied that it is one Body one Lump Luth. Tom. 4.341 2 The certainty of it Some cannot be convinced there is any such Life if the soul lives another life when the body is laid aside why not in the body 3 The excellency of it it 's the life that God and Angels live which must needs be the best of lives 4 All the actions thou dost in thy profession of Christianity are meer counterfeits without it meer painted Duties There 's difference betwixt painted fire and true fire thou hast a picture of zeal of prayer of love but for want of life what are they 5 God hath no delight in any service that is done with a dead heart Prov. 15.8 Were there a dead stinking carkase in presence would we delight in it No more doth God in a dead carkase of duties See Isai 66.3 6 All the service of God will be tiresome and wearisome which is offered to God with a dead heart Mal. 1.13 The carnal worshippers snuffed and cried O! what a weariness is it Amos 8.4 5. 7 We cannot tell whether we shall stand among Sheep or Goats whether we be elect or reprobate till we have this life in us 8 No living thing can abide that which is dead The bruits startle at a dead carrion our dearest friends we put them from us when once they are dead and will God smell any savour of rest to thy dead services 9 The many calls you have thereto both motions from the Spirit Cant. 5.2 Open to me my love Revel 3.20 If any man will open to me I will come and sup with him Should a Physician tell you such a Disease were growing on your body you would thank him and make use of it do so in this case 10 All our motions in Religion are meerly artificial without this spiritual life as in Joas so long as Jehoiada lived and Jehu when Jonadab lookt upon his zeal both of them seemed to be forward and many others when buoy'd up with praise and benefits of profit pleasure c. so Sichem in receiving Circumcision so many men do many things from conviction of natural conscience fear of Hell shame among men expectation of death which are like wheels set a moving by a spring which when the spring is down the motion ceaseth 11 The satisfaction and contentment that is in this life Paul had this life and little else yet in all conditions was content Phil. 4.13 It must needs be so because God a proportionable object to the soul comes in Prov. 3.17 All her ways are peace not some but all that is they end in inward and everlasting peace V. 23. And when he was entred into a Ship his Disciples followed him V. 24. And behold there arose a great Tempest in the Sea insomuch that the Ship was covered with waves but he was asleep Here 's a third occurrence in Christs journey over the Lake of Genezareth that a storm arose this Lake is called a Sea for the greatness of it This storm came 1 To shew forth the power of Christ in asswaging it who hereby shewed himself Lord of windes and storms 2 To awaken the Disciples of Christ who though not bodily asleep yet might be too secure Secure persons are much awakened in a storm at sea Psalm 107.26 3 That thereby Christ might take occasion to reprove their unbelief 4 That the Disciples and Passengers might from his commanding the storm the more believe in him This storm may allusively point out the storms in the hearts of Believers and in the Churches which it is our wisdom by casting out any thing that hazards the Ship or helps on the storm as Jonahs Mariners did whether lust or enjoyment Storms commonly arise against Christ and his Disciples the Devil and World are the Sea that stirs up these Tempests And as the Ship here was covered with waves so it 's the end of the Devil and World to sink the Church But he was asleep 1 By reason of his labour in preaching and journey he slept 2 To shew forth the truth of his humane nature Some think the Devil stirred up this storm hoping thereby to drown Christ and his Disciples as he had destroyed Jobs children but Satan hath no power save what is given to him though his will was full enough for such a mischief Yet though he slept in his humane nature he was awake in his Deity that the Disciples being in danger might cry unto him more fervently and be helped V. 25. And his Disciples came to him and awoke him saying Lord save us we perish Here was the weakness of their faith to think that they could be drowned having Christ with them Mark hath it Carest thou not that we perish Luke hath it Master Master we perish It 's true danger stirs up fear but to have overmuch fear having a good God and a gracious Christ argues weakness of faith yet it 's commendable in them that they go to Christ in their distress Psalm 56.3 What time I am affraid I
I will arise and will go to my father c. Wicked men think of leaving their formality revenge but are never better they think of hell but consider not it will be their portion 5 It 's no good pulse of soul when the heart is presently tired with good thoughts but never weary with worldly thoughts Rom. 8.5 4 Exh. Rid thy heart of evil thoughts Thou canst not abide a spot upon thy apparel because man beholds it and wilt thou indure spots upon thy heart which God sees I know we cannot keep evil thoughts out of the heart but let them not be quiet there The Mariner cannot hinder water from leaking into the ship yet he may so pump it out that it shall not drown the ship Prov. 30.32 If thou hast thought evil lay thy hand upon thy mouth 6 Grounds of this Exhortation 1 Thoughts must one day be laid open 1 Cor. 4.5 God will make manifest the counsels of the heart Eccl. 12.14 Rom. 2.16 Luke 12.2 2 Holy men will not suffer wicked thoughts to have a quiet lodging in the heart Matth. 5.8 hence called pure in heart because still they labour to purifie themselves 3 Wicked thoughts if not repented of will bring destruction Acts 8.21 Pray God if perhaps the thoughts of thy heart may be forgiven thee for as yet thou art in the gall of bitterness Phil. 3.19 Whose end is destruction who minde earthly things Esai 59.7 4 Wicked thoughts besides their own pollution Intus existens prohihet alienum will keep out good thoughts Pr. 1.22 23. Whiles the scorner loved scorning and the simple one simplicity they could not hear the Lords exhortation saying Turn you at my reproof 5 Evil thoughts allowed or permitted will bring forth evil words Matth. 12.35 An evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth evil things yea and evil actions Hamans cruelty against the Church was first an evil thought Esth 3.5 6 Thou art not yet washed in the blood of Christ if thou suffers vain and wicked thoughts to lodg within thee Jer. 4.14 7 Remedies against wicked thoughts 1 Get thy heart washed in the bloud of Christ that it may be enabled to think good thoughts Acts 15.9 purifying your hearts by faith till the heart be washed evil thoughts come from it Matth. 15.19 2 Be perswaded of Gods knowing thy heart Psal 139.1 2. O Lord thou hast searched me and known me thou understandest my thought afar off Heb. 4.13 All things are anatomized before the eyes of him with whom we have to do Psal 90.8.94.11 Job 31.1 4. 3 Get Gods fear in your hearts this grace is clean Psa 19.9 By this grace Joseph kept himself from filthiness of flesh and spirit Gen. 39.10 and so David Psal 119.11 Thy testimonies have I hid in my heart that I might not sin against thee fearing the Lord and thinking on his Name are joyned together Mal. 3.16 4 Inure your heart to holy meditation and pray God to help herein Psal 45.1 My heart is inditing of a good matter and forasmuch as the heart will hardly come to this duty pray that the meditation of your hearts may be ever acceptable Psal 19.14 5 Apply the command against wicked thoughts It 's one property of the word that it doth not onely cast down reasonings and every high thing that exalts it self against the knowledge of God but also brings into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ though by thought here I judge the purpose of the heart to be meant seeing not the holiest man living hath every individual thought brought to the obedience of Christ 2 Cor. 10.4 5. however it remains a Truth that the application of the command helps against wicked thoughts Psal 119.113 I hate vain thoughts but I love thy Law Against unclean thoughts apply Matth. 5.28 He that looks upon a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery already in his heart against proud thoughts apply Prov. 16.5.21.4.28.15 6 Use watchfulness against them Deut. 15.9 Beware that there be not a thought in thy wicked heart saying The year of release is at hand and thou give not to thy poor Brother 7 Study good thoughts Phil. 4.8 Whatsoever things are pure holy and of good report think on these things Psal 48.9 Motives to look to the thoughts 1 Thoughts are the declaratives of the soul as the Sun Fire Honey Gold shew by their effects what they are so doth the heart shew what it is by the thoughts When the thoughts are worldly proud and revengefull it argues the heart is such Rom. 8.5 They that are after the flesh minde the things of the flesh The thoughts are the immediate acts of the heart Mark 7.21 From within out of the heart of man proceed evil thoughts We do not judg of a Fountain by the Waters that run from it many Miles off but by the Water that flows immediately therefrom 2 Thoughts are the souls servants as the Centurion said to his Servant Go and he goeth Matth. 8.8 So bid your thoughts think upon grace or sin they will do it Send them a hundred Mile off they will go send them into Heaven they will go and talk with God and Christ by faith and with your selves by reflexion 3 Thoughts are the symptomes of the soul As we know the state of the body by the symptomes so may we know the soul Col. 3.1 2. If ye be risen with Christ seek things above set your affections on things above Rom. 8.5 They that are after the flesh do savour the things of the flesh c. 4 The thoughts are the acts of the soul 1 They are the freest acts a man sometimes speaks not as he would works not as he would but he always thinks as he will now if you would judg of a man judg of him by what he doth freely and not by compulsion Peter though he denied Christ he denied him not in heart therefore the heart shews what it is by the thoughts 2 Thoughts are the continued acts of the soul We are not always praying and reading but we are always thinking that is thy God thou art always thinking on 3 The univocal acts of the heart The univocal act of light is to enlighten the univocal act of a dead carrion is stink so the univocal act of the heart are thoughts if they be proud and unclean so is the heart 5 Thoughts are Gods tribute Prov. 23.26 My son give me thy heart If thy neighbour come for fire thou canst not give it him if thou takest away the heart thereof so thou canst not give God thy heart and withhold thy thoughts 6 Thoughts are a mans companions A man will be carefull what companions he hath you never go out nor in but your companions go along with you nay they will accompany you to another World 7 The Law of Retaliation calls for our thoughts to be for God because he hath so many thoughts toward us Psalm 40.5 Thy thoughts
which are to us ward they cannot be reckoned up they are more than can be numbered Psalm 139.17 How precious are thy thoughts O God unto me How great is the sum of them Every hour yea every minute God think of us let us then be often thinking of him saying with David Whom have I in Heaven but thee and there is none on Earth I desire in comparison of thee Psalm 73.25 saying as a certain holy man who when he was bid to have his thoughts in Heaven answered I am there already 8 If thou forgets to think on God thy soul will be in a withering condition Job 8.11 12 13 14. 3 Use Consolation to Saints 1 When condemned by men Job 16 19. My Witness is in Heaven and my Record on high 2 When we have upright intentions to bring about things for God but cannot at present effect them If there be a willing minde it is accepted 2 Cor. 8.12 3 In all acts of uprightness 1 Chron. 29.17 Thou triest the heart and hast pleasure in uprightness that is in upright intentions when we sigh to him he knows our sighs and groans Psalm 12.5 Rom. 8.26 this comforted Peter John 21.17 that the Lord knew his thoughts were affectionately set for Christ Thou knowest all things thou knowest that I love thee 4 Terrour to all wicked men who allow wicked thoughts in them God knows how thou smothers thine own conscience and goest against it what thoughts of denying Christ and temporizing are in thee what tricks thou hast to keep off conviction what heartlesness in duty what rovings in prayer Thou wouldst be ashamed if a man saw the wickedness of thy thoughts how much more when God beholds them Nay the Lord sees thy thoughts afar off even before thou thinkest them Exod. 3.19 He knew Pharaohs thoughts that he would not let the people go he sees thou hast an intention to deny him if a temptation come Mark 14.30 This night before the Cock crow twice thou shalt deny me thrice So the Lord knew Hazaels thoughts 2 Kings 8.12 which was to rip up women with childe He knew Israel would go a whoring from God when Moses and Joshua were dead And doth he not then know thy present wicked thoughts Psalm 50.21 Thou thoughtest that I was such an one as thy self but I will reprove thee and set them in order before thee or catalogize them as I take it some renders the word He sees God is not in all thy thoughts Psal 10.4 Yea he knows thy unclean and revengefull thoughts which are abomination to him Prov. 15 26. And though thou diggest deep to hide thy counsell from the Lord yet shalt not thou be able Isai 29.15 V. 5. And whether is easier to say Thy sins be forgiven thee or to say Arise and walk Christ brings a second argument to prove he had power to forgive sins viz. Because he was able to do that which in the opinion of the Pharisees was more hard therefore he had power to do that which was more easie It was more to forgive sin then to heal a disease but because the healing of a disease was visible and the forgiveness of sins was invisible therefore healing the Palsey-man seemed to the Pharisees to be the more difficult work yet is forgiveness of sin the harder work 1 Because no disease is contrary to the nature of God but sin is 2 Healing a Palsey is a natural work but forgiveness of sins is a supernatural work Christ applies his speech to their capacity who being meer natural men were moved with outward signes more then with the spiritual power of Christ So Christ reasons John 5.28 Christ proves the effectual power of his voice to quicken dead souls because the same voice of Christ shall at the day of resurrection be able to quicken dead bodies Besides this miraculous healing was a signe to confirm the other that he had power to forgive sins V. 6. But that yee may know the son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins then saith he to the sick of the Palsey Arise take up thy Bed and walk V. 7. And he arose and departed to his house Christ here positively proves that he had power on earth to forgive sins because miraculously by a word of his mouth he causes the Palsey man to walk so that he arose and departed to his house immediately Power on earth to forgive sins That is authoritatively Preachers forgive onely declaratively as Nathan to David 2 Sam. 12.7 The Lord hath put away thy iniquity John 20.23 Then saith he to the sick of the Palsey Arise take up thy Bed and walk That so this cure Christ wrought might appear to be a perfect cure Christ bids the Palsey man 1 Arise 2 Take up his Bed and carry it on his shoulders 3 Walk V. 8. But when the multitude saw it they marvelled and glorified God which had given such power unto men Multitude saw it they marvelled Here 's the effect of this miracle all saving the Pharisees who had accused Christ of blasphemy wondered at the miracle and so broke forth in praising God They wondered at it having never seen any such example of such a thing in former times The tendency of their wonder and praises was that persons with more confidence should submit themselves to the doctrine of Christ whiles they believed he was able to pardon their sins V. 9. As Jesus passed from thence he saw a man named Matthew sitting at the receipt of custome and he said unto him Follow me And he arose and followed him We have in this story 1 Christ calling Matthew v. 9. 2 Matthew his yielding obedience to the call of Christ v. 9. 3 We have Matthews thankfulness in making Christ a Feast v. 10. Amplified from the Guests that were there with Christ they were Publicans and sinners v. 10. 4 Here 's a question moved by the Pharisees hereupon which was why Christ would eat with Publicans and sinners v. 11. 5 Here 's Christ his answer to this charge 1 Apologetical that he conversed with them as a Physician to heal them not as one that practised like wickedness with them 2 Reprehensory taxing the proud conceitedness of the Pharisees who thought themselves whole and that they had no need of the Physician 3 Defensory v. 13. Go and learn what that meaneth I will have mercy and not sacrifice as if he should say That ye see me do is a work of mercy and charity in calling sinners from their sins to repentance that they may be saved therefore I doing what God commands your calumnies are not to be regarded Saw a man named Matthew sitting at the receipt of custom Christ passing from thence towards the Sea Mar. 2.13 saw a man This was that Matthew who penn'd this Book in the Hebrew tongue supposed to be him whom Mark and Luke call Levi and the circumstances of the History tend much thereto yet doth not Matthew at any time call himself Levi nor
this nothing for the worshipping the reliques of Saints for it was not the touching the garment of Christ but her faith that made her whole V. 22. But Jesus turned him about and when he saw her he said Daughter be of good comfort thy faith hath made thee whole and the woman was whole from that hour Luke adds some body hath touched me for I perceive that virtue is gone out of me as if a man perceived when blood goes out of his veins Quest Why would not Christ have this miracle kept secret Answ 1 To free the woman from scruple who was troubled in her conscience as if she had stole her health 2 To propound her faith for imitation 3 To prove his God-head by his omniscience 4 To strengthen Jairus his faith whose daughter he was about to raise from death 5 That she might know that she was healed not from the touching of his garment but from Christ himself who knowingly and wittingly healed her hence Christ saith virtue is not gone out of my garment but out of me Christ doth not give his Spirit to old raggs and clouts had the virtue been in the garment it would have had the same effect on others that touched it Christ was touched by her Faith Many follow Christ that onely press him but they onely touch him that lay hold on him by Faith and know that Christ doth not as Princes cast their alms they know not to whom 6 That the woman might come forth as a witness Probably they would not have believed Christs testimony of himself but her confession must needs prevail with them Daughter be of good comfort thy faith hath made thee whole Christ helps the weakness of her Faith Unless her trembling had been faulty Christ would not have raised her up She comes to Christ trembling Mark 5.33 Luk. 8.47 knowing what was done in her and tells him all the truth Persons that do things privily are wont to tremble fearing least they be found out so this woman Now Christ encourages her signifying withall that it was not her touching his garment but her perswasion of his divine power that conduced to her healing Yet doth not every faith touch Christ but that onely which is saving Now as she got healing so we remission of sins by such a faith in Christ and as she went away in peace hereby so by faith in Christ we have peace Rom. 5.1.15.13 Thy Faith hath made thee whole My power hath done it efficiently I perceive virtue is gone out of me thy Faith hath done it instrumentally not by way of merit nor as if the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 credere or the act of believing did it but by way of apprehension receiving my grace and favour Poor believers though they come trembling to Christ yet they go from him comforted and supported so true is that promise Joh. 6.37 he calls her daughter as being by him begotten to a new life so when Christ forgave the Palsey-man he called him Son Matth. 9.2 V. 23. And when Jesus came into the Rulers house and saw the minstrels and people making a noise V. 24. He said unto them Give place for the maid is not dead but sleepeth Jesus came into the Rulers house Christ goes from healing the woman with the bloody issue into the Rulers house where is seen both his wisdom in deferring to help the Rulers daughter till his daughter was dead and also his goodness in helping the Rulers Faith by this miracle on the woman 2 In raysing up his Faith Fear not onely believe so Mark. He saw the minstrels and people making a noise Who were hired at the Funeral to sing some sorrowful song containing the virtues of the deceased and to stir up mourning and tears from friends and neighbours there were both men mourners Eccles 12. and women mourners Jer. 9.17 The heathens thought this a mean to appease the infernal Spirits Ambros in Luc. 8. also Marcellinus lib. 19. writes they mourned seven dayes the Men and Women singing sad funeral songs but for piping at funerals it was more late Not as if mourning for the dead were unlawful for Abraham mourned for Sarah Gen. 23.3 also Gen. 50.10 Josephs house mourned for Jacob with a great and fore lamentation and himself made a mourning for his Father seven dayes the Egyptians mourned for Jacob threescore and ten dayes ver 3. Israel mourned thirty dayes for Aaron There were great lamentations made for Josiah Zach. 12.13 Bos bovem requirit non ego te frater Amb. One ox lows for another and shall not we bewail one another We are bid to go to the house of mourning Eccles 7.1 Bewail the burning the Lord hath kindled Levit. 10.6 Stephen was mourned for Act. 8.2 but mourning becomes sinful 1 When it is excessive Matth. 2.15 Rachel weeping for her children and would not be comforted 2 When it is hopeless 1 Thess 4.13 Sorrow not as others that have no hope 3 When it is feigned As in these hired mourners The mourners go about the streets Eccles 12. Many pretend to mourn for those of whose death they are glad 4 When it is heathenish Levit. 19.28 Deut. 14.1 the heathens thought these to be funeral dues to the dead He said unto them give place 1 Because of the troublesome noyse they made 2 Because they were no fit witnesses of the miracle The maid is not dead but sleepeth 1 Because death to the Godly is as a sleep for after sleep we arise refreshed so in the resurrection 2 Because in respect of God dead men are as if they were asleep so Lazarus is said to sleep Joh. 11.11 All godly souls live to him 3 She was not absolutely dead as the multitude thought as if she could not be brought back again to life but onely for a while 4 Though death and sleep are distinguished yet are they near one to another for death seems a continual sleep and sleep seems a short death Let us not fear death for God can as easily raise up men from death as men that are asleep from their sleep 4 She is not dead in respect of her soul which is the better part Eccles 12.7 the Spirit returns to God 5 In respect of Christ his omnipotent power death it self was to him but as a sleep because he knew he could as easily raise her to life as any man could awaken a person asleep yea more easily for sometimes we call three or four times to a man in sleep though yet she might be dead to others Hence he saith Talitha Cumi i.e. Damosel arise But sleepeth The death of the godly is as a sleep Steven fell asleep Act. 7.60 Sundry of the Corinthians 1 Cor. 11.30 Lazarus Joh. 11.11 David fell asleep and saw corruption Act. 13.36 Christ is the first fruits of them that slept 1 Cor. 15.20 Death is resembled to a sleep 1 Because of refreshment we have thereby as the body is refreshed after sleep so shall we be in the
resurrection after we have slept the sleep of death 2 In sleep there is such a binding of the sences that the body seems to be liveless so that it neither moves nor regards any object that is before it nor any relation that is next unto it Quest But seeing Christ saith that the maid slept whether do the souls sleep in the bodies till the resurrection or are they annihilated till that time Answ They are not annihilated being they act intellectually and the souls being absent from the body are present with the Lord 2 Cor 5.1 2. They that dye in the Lord are pronounced blessed from henceforth the word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from the moment of their departure Rev. 14.13 Now all blessedness consists in action which is contrary to annihilation 2 They do not sleep if so why would Paul have desired to be dissolved and to be with Christ Phil. 1.23 why doth Paul say we would not be unclothed but clothed upon that mortality might be swallowed up of life 2 Cor. 5.4 As the souls of the wicked are at present tormented so the souls of the godly are at present in bliss Jude 7. The souls of the Sodomites in Judes time were suffering the vengeance of eternal fire So the rich man Luke 16.24 saith I am tormented in this flame Not I may be or shall be but am at present Besides the souls under the Altar cry How long Lord Rev. 6.9 Therefore though Saints have not a personal blessedness before the day of judgement yet have they a blessedness of soul the receiving whereof doth not exclude ful personal blessedness at the coming of Christ but is an earnest peny thereof as we see in the thief who was admitted the same day he suffered not into an earthly paradise which by the flood was dissolved but into a Paradise of glory whereinto Paul was taken up 2 Cor. 12.2 compared with v. 4. That which ver 2. he calls the third heaven ver 4. he calls Paradise And they laughed him to scorn Being carnal and not considering the power of Christ they laughed him to scorne as thinking it absurd and impossible that Christ should restore her to life Christ rejecting them takes three Disciples to witness this miracle Luk. 8.51 for they were not worthy to see that they did not believe V. 25. But when the people were put forth he went in and took her by the hand and the maid arose Mark hath it Talitha cumi Damosel I say to thee Arise Talitha cumi Christ did not use these Syriack words to be used by way of inchantment as some have done supposing by the repetition of these and such like they could do wonders but that the power of Christs words in raising up the dead might be made manifest In that he uses the words I say to thee Mark 5.41 He puts a difference bewixt those who raised up others to life by his power as Peter did Dorcas and himself who raised this Damosel up by his own word and power q.d. I the Lord of life and death command thee who though thou art dead as to nature yet thou sleeps as to me I command thee that thou arise and stand up The learned say Cumi is a Syriack word which signifies to stand which is the posture of men in health in opposition to lying which is the posture of sick men Took her by the hand Luke adds he said Maid arise such a voice after to Lazarus Lazarus come forth The voyce was from his humane nature the power from his divinity It was the omnipotent Word of God and of the man Christ Luke adds that her Spirit came again and she arose cap. 8.55 straightway the immortal soul of man is separable from the body so Eliah stretched himself upon the child and said I pray thee O Lord let this childs soul come into him again 1 King 17.21 in death the body returns to dust and the Spirit to God who gave it Eccles 12.7 now when God permits a soul to return to its body it 's quickned and rises again as we see in Ezekiels dry bones cap. 37.7 Mark cap. 5.42 adds that her Parents were astonished with a great astonishment as such suddain sights are wont to do Luke cap. 8.56 adds He charged them that they should tell no man what was done not that he would hinder persons from believing on him through the fame thereof but to stop the rage of the Pharisees against him who were sorely provoked by his miracles 2 To teach us from his example to shun all desire of vain glory seeing he would have so great a work concealed 3 That the ruler and his wife might not be proud of this priviledge And the maid arose Mark adds Christ commanded to set meat before her cap. 5.53 to shew not onely that she was alive but also was well and in health V. 26. And the fame hereof went abroad into all that Land Lest any man should think the Miracle was feigned Christ adds The fame hereof went abroad into all that Land The whole Countrey were witnesses and doubtless praised the work as a new unheard of thing and consequently acknowledged Christ as the Messias There were three Christ raised from death this Maid the Widows so n of Naim and Lazarus V. 27. And when Jesus departed thence two blinde men followed him crying and saying Thou Son of David have mercy on us In this History three-things 1 The Petition of two blinde men set down 1 From their following Christ and crying unto him in the way v. 27. 2 From their following him to the house v. 28. 2 We have Christ his grant amplified 1 From the antecedent Question Believe ye that I am able to do this together with the blinde mens Answer They said unto him Yea Lord. 2 From the present cure v. 29. Then touched he their eys saying According to your faith be it unto you 3 From the following effect v. 30. Their eys were opened 4 From the Injunction Christ lays on them v. 30. Jesus straitly charged them saying See that no man know it 3 The unthankfulness and disobedience of the blinde men They when they were departed spread abroad his fame in all that Countrey Two blinde men These whether from the reports of his Miracles or whether from the Prophesie of the Messiah Isai 35.5 The eys of the blinde shall be opened desire Christ to restore their sight The loss of sight is a great loss 1 Sight is the largest of senses whereas the ear onely takes in sounds the smelling takes in odours but the eye takes in not onely quantities and motions but colour and figure The eye is not satisfied with seeing Eccles 1.8 2 Sight is the most comfortable sense There are many glorious objects in Heaven and Earth but little content should we have had we not sight to behold them Hence to behold the glorious objects of Heaven the eys shall be raised up so that we shall see our Redeemer
never so seen in Israel v. 34. 2 The Pharisees blasphemed saying He casteth out devils through the Prince of the devils A dumb man That is deaf and dumb for they that are deaf from their birth are wont to be dumb for they that cannot hear cannot learn words to express themselves There were many persons would not believe there were any devils as Sadduces and others for the conviction of these when they shall see ignorant men possessed to speak strange languages they never learned as Greek and Latine they may see there are devils This cure amongst the rest hath a Behold put upon it It 's probable that this man was not dumb from his birth but made dumb by the devil because when the devil was cast out the dumb spake Now if you ask why God would suffer the devil to possess men It is to let us see the power that the devil hath in possessed men for look as when he possesses the body he makes one blinde another deaf and dumb and bindes a third that they cannot move themselves as he did that daughter of Abraham Luke 13.16 for eighteen years together so Satan when he reigns in the hearts of natural men he makes them blinde dumb deaf and senseless to all spiritual things V. 33. And when the devil was cast out the dumb spake and the multitudes marvelled saying It was never so seen in Israel God hath given us our tongues to sound forth his praises and means whereby we may edifie one another hence those Satan cannot draw to blasphemy railing filthy speaking he lays snares for to make them dumb as it 's like he did this poor man Christ doth not require faith of this possessed man as he did of the blinde men because he was dumb and deaf and being deaf he could neither hear nor answer but Christ upon the intreaty of those who brought him healed him Christ requires of us onely acording to the means he gives Devil was cast out For the manner of the casting out of the devil the Text is silent it 's like Christ commanded the devil to come out of him Multitudes marvelled saying It was never so seen in Israel Hyperbole for Christ had done greater miracles from which the multitude did not derogate 1 But the scope of the present wonderment was to stir up one another to look on him as the Messiah Wonder was the beginning of Philosophy Propter admirari coeperunt homines Philosophari here wonder was the beginning of salvation 2 To extol Christ above any of the old Prophets as Elias Isaias Jeremy c. none of whom had done so many and so great miracles Christ spent a whole day in doing miracles Christ did not lay staff upon the sick nor cover them with his garment but cured them with his Word V. 34. But the Pharisees said He casteth out devils through the Prince of the devils Look as the Sun Moon and Stars according to the variety of the subject have variety of influences the Sun softens wax hardens clay they beget one thing and corrupt another so the Sermons and Miracles of Christ which stir'd up admiration and reverence in the multitude in the Pharisees stir up opposition and blasphemy One cause brings forth diversity of effect as the Word 2 Cor. 2.15 and also the Supper 1 Cor. 11.29 The Pharisees said He casteth out devils Here was their blasphemy not far from the sin against the holy Ghost if not the very same out of malice to ascribe that to the devil which was done by the finger of God Men that are maliciously affected will calumniate the most glorious works of God yea and speak against Preachers and their Sermons and expositions how godly soever Through the Prince of the devils The Prince of the devils is the same that is called the Prince of this world John 12.31 As there is an order among the good Angels so is there among the devils Eph. 6.12 Thus did the Pharisees blaspheme Matth. 12.24 Luke 11.15 against whom Christ sufficiently disputes That if Satan cast out Satan how can then his Kingdome stand Now this Prince of the devils is the same that elsewhere is called Beelzebub the god of Flies an idol of the Ekronites V. 35. And Jesus went about all the Cities and Villages teaching in the Synagogues and preaching the Gospel of the Kingdome and healing every sickness and every disease among the people We have four things considerable to the end of this Chapter 1 The mercifull and charitable affection of Christ in that he went about all the Cities and Villages preaching the Gospel and healing their diseases therein showing mercy to their souls and bodies v. 35. 2 The motive that moved him thereto which was his compassion or his yerning bowels v. 36. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is the word Compassion is the feeling of another mans passion 3 The object of this compassion it was forlorn souls who were as sheep without a Shepherd For though they had Annas and Caiphas and many others Priests Scribes and Pharisees who boasted themselves to be Pastors yet Christ did not acknowledge them so to be 4 The remedy Christ propounds for relieving these famished souls which was that Christ speaks unto his Disciples and in them to all other Christians who were potent with God to pray to the Lord of the Harvest to send forth labourers Two grounds Christ gives for our so praying 1 The greatness of the harvest multitudes of hearers not yet converted and many converted persons who stand need of building up 2 The fewness of labourers that is of such who were able and willing to work in Gods Vineyard Jesus went about all the Cities Here 's Christ his unweariedness in doing the Lords work It appears they had Synagogues both in Cities and Villages John 18.20 Jesus said I spoke openly to the world I ever taught in the Synagogue and in the Temple whither the Jews always resort and in secret have I said nothing Now Christ went up and down to preach among them Where people have any desire after means of grace some help should be afforded to them Acts 16. When Paul in a Vision saw a man of Macedonia saying Come over and help us Paul gathered that he had a call to go thither Moreover because the Apostles and Christ could not go every where they vvent onely to the Cities and Villages that from thence the Gospel might be scattered up and down in the Country And Villages For even the souls of persons in Villages ought to be precious such was Cenchrea a Village and Haven near to Corinth Many Preachers thrust together in Cities for outward accommodations yea even there vvhere their Ministry is loathed vvhiles many poor breathing souls in the Villages are hunger starved There may be a temptation upon Teachers herein who are heartless in preaching unless they have a numerous auditory to hear vve may desire to preach to many because vvhere there are many in likelihood some vvil be
gained yet not to preach onely to many for vvhere the Gospel comes but now and then people are apt to receive it vvith more relish as in fishing so in preaching in fresh vvaters vvhere the net is cast seldome there is now and then the greatest draught of fish so where the Gospel comes but seldome persons often highly esteem it vvhiles the commonness of Manna begets a loathing of it Besides poor people in Villages have not so much proud arguments against the Gospel as those who live in Cities have Let no man think himself too good to preach in Villages considering the Lord Christ hath gone before herein and considering the vvorth of a soul Christ vvas both a Catechist of and a Preacher to poor Country people Peter and John preached in the Villages of the Samaritans Acts 8.25 Preaching the Gospel of the Kingdome So called because the subject matter of it is to hold forth the Kingdome of Grace and Glory 2 Because it holds forth the means thereunto See Matth. 4.23 Mark 4.11 Col. 4.11 Healing every sickness and every disease There 's a distinction betwixt sickness and disease Sickness is any distempered inequality of humours whereby the body is more or less disabled from its proper service Disease is some malady that affects us in one kinde as fever consumption Christ healed all these 1 That persons might see his divine power while no sickness nor disease was too hard for him 2 That having their bodily maladies cured they might seek to him for their souls V. 36. But when he saw the multitudes he was moved with compassion to them because they fainted and were scattered abroad as sheep having no Shepherd Moved with compassion Though they had Pharisees and Lawyers yet they studied their own profit not the good of the flock eating the fat and clothing themselves with the wool but did not feed the flock the diseases did they not strengthen nor heal that which was sick nor binde up that which was broken nor bring again that which was driven away Ezek. 34.2 3 4. They put on a pretence of Religion for gain sake and were distracted into miserable parties They profest themselves to be guides of the blinde the light of them that were in darkness the instructors of the foolish Rom. 2.17 18 19. but they were not so for they corrupted the Law and were partial therein making void Gods commands by their traditions Now Christ considering all this was moved with compassion towards these poor people whose condition was sad having none to break the bread of life unto them Their sad condition is seen 1 In what danger is the City when it hath no Seer the body when it hath no eye It 's not enough for children to have a loaf of bread by them but some must divide it unto them 2 Because of natural ignorance Man naturally is like a sheep gone astray Isai 53.6 which brings not it self home unless it be sought Luke 15.4 the Eunuch could not understand without some guide Acts 8.30 3 The flock is in danger to be torn by Wolves Acts 20.29 Use 1. Be exhorted from Christs example to have compassion to the souls of men Grounds hereof 1 The preciousness of the soul more worth then a world because a world cannot redeem it A mans soul is himself Luke 9.26 What should it profit a man to gain the whole world and lose himself If thou losest thy soul thou losest thy self We have 2 hands eys ears if we lose one we have another but we have but one soul lose thy soul thou loseth thy self Our bowels yern to see a boat or ship full of passengers on sinking how much more to see a soul sinking into the pit of hell We weep and sympathize with them who are in bodily affliction Job 30.25 Did not I weep for him who was in affliction And shall we not sympathize with soul-miseries instances of yerning affections to the souls of men Samuel for Saul 1 Sam. 16.1 Jeremy for the King Queen c. Jer. 13.17 Paul spoke of sundry Professors weeping Phil. 3.18 Of whom I have told you often and now tell you weeping Christ wept over Jerusalem for their omission of a day of grace Luke 19.41 2 Consider what a loss the loss of one soul is It 's a remediless loss therefore such a love of soul we should have upon us that if any pains or study would save a soul if any cost or travel would do it if denying a mans credit profit ease or pleasure if stooping and laying our hands under the feet of souls would do it if prayers and tears and sweating our selves to death would do it if sacrificing our lives to stinking prisons howling wildernesses and burning flames would do it we should not think any thing too much to the saving of one soul 3 It 's the highest degree of alms We all yern towards perishing bodies let us also to perishing souls yea it 's such an alms as every one can give as Peter and John said Silver and gold have I none but such as I have give I thee Because they fainted As the bodies of men faint when nourishment is withdrawn so also do souls And were scattered abroad as sheep having no Shepherd As sheep expose themselves to the prey of Wolves and wilde beasts and cannot bring themselves home unless the Shepherd gather them home Psal 119.176 I have gone astray like a sheep seek thy servant so it is with men by nature God must seek them and bring them back yea he must keep them in with his Shepherds crook and defend them Now this poor multitude had not such Shepherds but such as onely sought themselves and not the good of the sheep V. 37. Then saith he unto his Disciples The harvest truly is plenteous but the labourers are few V. 38. Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest that he would send forth labourers into his harvest The harvest truly is plenteous By harvest he means multitudes of people who were ready to receive the Gospel Joh. 4.35 The fields are white ready to harvest They were ready to receive the doctrine of salvation and so to be brought into the barne of the Church Christ hereby inflames the minds of the Disciples to go out to preach Herein are two arguments 1 The good success former Prophets and teachers had that their doctrine took root and grew up to a harvest 2 From the easiness of the work it was in a great measure made ready to their hand being come to a harvest As Corn perishes if it have none to gather it so people of good affections if they have none to build them up The labourers are few Obs 1 The office of a preacher is to be a labourer 1 Thess 5.12 13. Know them which labour among you and are over you in the Lord 1 Tim. 5.1 Hence a minister is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 under-rowers of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 under and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
be exposed in case they preacht what he bade them v. 26 27 28. To this are three consolations 1 They are able onely to kill their bodies not their souls 2 There is a providence of God vvhich reaches to the smallest creatures even to the sparrows and the hairs of their head much more to their lives v. 29 30 31. 3 From the promise made to them who confess Christ notwithstanding threats of death and the threatnings made to them that deny Christ upon hope of saving their lives v 32 33. 6 The sixth danger is divisions and variance betwixt near relations for the sake of Christ v. 34 35 36. The consolation is that those who think Christ better then their relations and will take up other crosses for him Christ vvill think such vvorthy of him and vvhat they lose for his sake they shall save eternally v. 37 38 39. 7 The seventh danger is fear of not receiving that no man vvould receive Christians to house or harbour being persons exposed to so many dangers To this Christ gives three comforts 1 That in receiving Christians the persons so receiving receive him and his father v. 40. 2 That whosoever shall receive Prophet or righteous man because they are such shall receive a suitable reward v. 41. 3 That the smallest favour done to a Disciple of Christ shall not be forgotten if it were but a cup of cold vvater vvhere a man is able to do no more v. 42. Behold I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves No creature less able to defend it self then a sheep Such are Christians Wolves are subtle and cruel so among the Jews were Pharisees among the Gentiles Philosophers and Tyrants among the Christians Hereticks if one vvolf vvere enough to destroy a vvhole flock how much danger vvhere there are many herds of Wolves Christ sends not forth his Disciples as lions but as sheep that his power may be seen in overcoming and in turning wolves into sheep Behold I send you forth As of old I sent Eliah and Elisha to Jezebel and Ahab Isaias to Manasses and was present with them to defend them so will I be with you As Absalom said to his servants 2 Sam. 13.28 so saith Christ Remember you are in my service As sheep in the midst of Wolves 1 As sheep for innocency Isa 53.7 8. 2 As sheep for gentleness and meekness handle a sheep never so roughly yet it will be gentle 3 For patience a sheep is ready to suffer all wrongs Act. 8.32 4 As sheep for profitableness nothing in a sheep but is useful so should Christians be profitable in their conversings in their examples c. 5 For nakedness and inability to defend themselves In the midst of Wolves That is liable to innumerable dangers If any man would paint out the Church let him pourtray a deformed and poor maid sitting in a wood in the midst of Lions and Wolves Luth. in Psal 129. So that a Christian must still carry his life in his hand Shall Merchants hazard their lives for a little gain venturing through many storms and shall not we hazard our lives for Christ Now Christ exposes his sheep to so many dangers 1 To try their patience and obedience Psal 44.22 2 To crown their conquests Rev. 2.17 Rev. 3.11 3 To conforme the members to the head John 15.19 20. 4 That they may see his shepherdly care of them Whence are the sheep safe amidst Wolves Is it from the kind disposition of the Wolfe Nay but from the shepherds eye so from Gods shepherdly care we are safe among multitudes of wicked men Psal 23.4 Be wise as serpents That is wisdome in taking heed of the vvolves of the vvorld must be mingled with innocency that we be not afraid to do our duty in vvitnessing the truth For now and then many prudent men become treacherous to Christ and his truth As serpents when they see any danger carefully decline it so must not believers rashly expose themselves to danger Now the doves though exposed to dangers offer themselves securely to the snares of men so Christ would not have Christians through fear to be hindered in their course So that Christians must be wise as serpents 1 In shunning snares 2 In defending their head though all their body be wounded so should we defend our head Christ and resist unto blood 3 As a serpent is very quick of sight so should a Christian be to spy dangers 4 As a serpent stops her ears against the voice of charmers Psal 58.4 5. whether with her tail or something else so should Christians stop their ears against the charms of mens favours earthly greatness worldly wealth and the temptations of the devil and flesh and heretical spirits Let our vvisdome be seen 1 In suspicion of snares as the Wise men Matth. 2.12 2 In shunning of them as Joseph vvho vvas afraid of Herods snares and carried the young babe into Egypt Matth. 2.20 21 22. 3 In a bold profession of truth Luk. 13.31 32. Some bade Christ depart for Herod vvould kill him saith he Go tell that fox I do cures to day and to morrow Joseph of Arimathea did vvisely assert his profession of Christ and went boldly to beg the body of Jesus Matth. 27.58 Simple as doves That is take heed of fleshly wisedome and Jesuitical equivocations that in no vvise to shun dangers ye violate the peace of your consciences Rom. 16.19 I would have you wise unto that which is good but simple concerning evil Phil. 2.15 Blameless and harmless as the sons of God without rebuke Eph. 5.14 15. Though it be in your power to do harm to your persecutors yet do it not do not revenge your selves Simplicity without wisedome may easily be deceived and wisedome is dangerous if it be not tempered with simplicity therefore they are to be conjoyned according to that Distich If they be serpents for to circumvent us We must be serpents too or else repent us But with our wisedome joyn we innocence Like harmless doves not trusting each pretence The word simple is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a horn and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 privative that is without horns or revenge Others derive it of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to mingle and fo privative and so it signifies to be without mixture of deceit This is seen 1 In sincere and plain-hearted confessions without any deceitful equivocations Joh. 9.29 We see it in the blinde man when his parents cunningly evaded he plainly stood to Christ 2 In a meek carriage If men revile us and render us odious let us not think to quench wrath by wrath Rom. 12.20 Be not overcome of evil but overcome evil with good V. 17. But beware of men for they will deliver you up to the Councils and they will scourge you in the Synagogues Here 's a second danger Beware of men 1 Of insnaring men who by subtle and perplexed questions shall lay snares for you to
at present believe and it seems to be covered yet shall it be known to the World in a little time But I see no absurdity why both these may not be meant so that the words are a consolation to them both under their reproaches and revilings of Beelzebub c. and under the small beginnings of the Gospel that what was now hid should be revealed and though their Doctrine were at present reproached yet time should discover it to be Gods truth V. 27. What I tell you in darkness that speak ye in light and what ye hear in the ear that preach ye upon the house tops The meaning is whatsoever Doctrine ye have heard of me either in this Sermon preached unto you or whatsoever Doctrine at any other time I have or shall declare unto you in secret do you publish the same openly for that Christ means by house tops having respect to the Jewish buildings which were flat upon the house tops with battlements Deut. 22.8 Gods truth is not to ly smothering in our own breasts but we are to declare it to others Rom. 10.10 Psal 40.9 10. With the heart man believes unto righteousness and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation The World will not endure to have their deeds reproved hence they come not to the light Joh. 3.21 They say to the Seers See not and to the Prophets Prophesie not prophesie unto us smooth things Isai 30.10 Get ye out of the way turn aside out of the path v. 11. yet must the Preachers and Disciples of Christ speak and not hold their peace Isai 58.1 Hosea 4.1 Hosea 8.1 yea the whole counsel of God which is plain unto Teachers they are bound upon pain of avoiding guilt of soul bloud to declare unto the people Acts 20.26 27. so far as it shall be absolutely needfull to their salvation We may also see the excellency of the Gospel that when preached it will abide the Light which no other Doctrine is able to do As these Disciples were commanded to publish the Mysteries Christ declared to them viz. the calling of the Gentiles the end of the Jewish Ceremonies the fulness of Redemption in Christ the new Covenant c. so are other Preachers bound in like manner to publish what the Lord shall reveal to them out of his Word as to take up Christs Cross daily to repent of their sins V. 28. And fear not them which kill the body but are not able to kill the soul but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in Hell Here is the fifth danger whereto they should be exposed if they preached what he bad them to wit that they would be in danger to be put to death To this Christ answers Fear not them which kill the body In the words two parts 1 A forbidding of false fear Fear not them which kill the body backt with a Reason because they are not able to kill the soul 2 An Exhortation to true fear of God but rather fear him which is backt with a Motive because he is able to destroy soul and body in Hell Fear not them which kill the body The sum of Christs speech is that we should not fear the loss of this perishing Life in respect of an everlasting Life and that they have no true fear of God in them who for fear of Tyrants do suffer themselves to be brought from the Confession of the Faith As if that Christ should say You have immortal souls which are not at the will of Tyrants but of God 1 Sam. 2.6 The Lord killeth and the Lord healeth he woundeth and maketh alive Whence is it that we are affrighted with terrours of men and deny the Faith or blushingly confess it or dissemble it but because our bodies are preferred before our eternal souls and whereas we think to escape death hereby shall we not incur a sorer death hereby even an everlasting death Is 66.24 Christ herein speaks to Christians that they should not thus fear Lu. 12.4 5. I say unto you my friends be not affraid of them which kill the body and though men may think this is no point of Friendship to let Christians suffer yet is it an high privilege to be called to suffer Phil. 1.29 To you it is given not onely to believe but to suffer So that experienced Christians have rejoyced herein Acts 5.41.16.25 Learn we to contemn our Lives in the cause of God so did Queen Hester cap. 4.16 If I perish I perish The three children Dan. 3.28 yielded their bodies that they might not worship nor serve any other God except their own God so Paul in sundry places Acts 20.24.21.13 2 Cor. 4.10 11. Phil. 1.20 2 Tim. 4.6 Rev. 12.11 17. It must needs be grievous for two such dear friends as soul and body to part but when we consider it is for the Lord why do we fear when for fear of being killed we shall not preach and witness Christ his truth we may look for every such denial to be cast into hell We may observe 1 That after this perishing life is past there remains another 2 The truth of God cannot be fully witnessed without peril of life 3 The disposing of that life to come is onely in the power of God not in the power of Pope Obj. But must we not fear Magistrates parents c Answ Yes but not when God and they come in competition Acts 5.29 The cruelty of Magistrates and parents can onely extend unto the body But are not able to kill the soul Whence see 1 That the soul and body are separable one from another 2 That the soul dies not with the body But rather fear him which is able to destroy soul and body in hell Here is a remedy against slavish fear even to have Gods fear in us We more feared the Pope with his Purgatory then God with his hell and we more trusted in the absolution of the Pope from Purgatory then in the true absolution of God from hell Luth. Tom. 4.334 This word rather is not a comparative but an adversative we should not fear man at all when he comes in competition with God So Victorian the Pro-Consul of Carthage being sollicited to Arrianism by the Embassadors of King Hunnerick answered thus Being assured of God and my Lord Christ I tell you what you may tell the King let him burn me let him drive me to the beasts let him torment me with all kinde of torments If I consent in vain am I baptized in the Catholick Church whom the tyrant afterward tortured with exceeding great tortures Victor Uticens l. 3. Wandal Persecut So the Prophet Isai 51.12 Who art thou that thou shouldest be afraid of a man that shall dye and the son of man which shall be made as grass and forgettest the Lord thy maker Moreover you know how afraid you are to offend a man which can hang you so that you fear the wrath of a King as you do the roaring of
a Lion Prov. 20.2 how much more should you fear the wrath of God In Augustine's time they went to the Idol Temple for fear as they said of offending some person greater then themselvs to whom Augustine said Do'st thou fear to offend a greater and do'st thou not fear to offend God De verb. Dom. ser 6. Moreover know that the Lord being Lord both of soul and body will not be contented with bodily service without the Spirit as many think who present themselves at any worships nor with the service of the Spirit without the body as some Nicodemites have thoughts but he will be glorified both with body and Spirit which are his 1 Cor. 6.20 3 Things 1 It 's our duty to fear God 2 The fear of God where it is in the soul it eats out the slavish fear of men 3 God is able to destroy soul and body in hell fire 1 Obs It 's our duty to fear God 1 Because Gods fear is a special mean to empty us of slavish fear of men Ex. 1.17 The Mid-wives feared God and did not as the King of Egypt commanded them but saved the men children alive Isai 8.12 13. Fear ye not their fear nor be afraid but sanctifie the Lord himself and let him be your fear and let him be your dread 2 Because he is able to cast the soul and body into hell fire if we fear men more then him Yet as Luther saith many fear the Pope and his Purgatory rather then Christ and his hell so many fear the Magistrates prisons more then the eternal prison of hell 3 Did we fear God we needed not slavishly to fear any neither man nor devil See it in those worthies Dan. 3.16 17. Use 1 See the wofull condition of those who are without Gods fear in three particulars 1 This is a note of a wicked man Rom. 3.18 The transgression of the wicked saith within my heart that there is no fear of God before his eyes Wicked men Jude 12. are said to feed themselves without fear When Jobs friends would prove him wicked they bring this that he cast off fear Job 15.4 2 God rejects the prayer of such as fear him not Prov. 28.24 Then shall they call upon me but I will not answer why for that they did not chuse the fear of the Lord. Hence Nehemiah cap. 1.11 prays That God would hearken to the prayer of thy servant and servants that desire to fear thy name and contrarily he fullfils the desires of them that fear him Psal 145.19 3 If we fear not God we shall be in a continual fear of men and so consequently in a continual snare Prov. 29.25 The fear of man bringeth a snare so without this fear we shall be in fear of devils 2 Information 1 Let us enquire concerning it wherein consider 1 The kinde 2 What it is 3 The causes of it 4 The degrees of it 1 The kindes 1 Servile which is in slaves Luk. 1.74 2 Filial Hos 3.5 Q. What is filial fear A. When we stand in such an awe of God that upon setled deliberation we will chuse affliction rather then iniquity Job 36.21 a fiery furnace rather then worship a golden Image Dan. 3.16 17. and withall have an holy jealousie that in all our carriage and conversation we may not sin against God from the apprehension not onely that God is a just Judge but also a gracious father Hos 3.5 2 The causes of this fear are two 1 The love of God Whatsoever we love we fear lest any thing should rob us of that which we love A man loves his goods hence he fears lest plunder suretiships storms should take it away A man loves his life he fears lest diseases take it away A holy man loves God hence he fears lest any sin should rob him of his God He that calls God father endeavours to spend the time of his sojourning in fear 1 Pet. 1.17 2 The greatness of his strength Why doth a subject fear a Prince or a Dog fear a Lion Because they know they are far above them in power and strength We fear not things that are no stronger then our selves so why do we fear God Because of the infinite power and strength God hath above us hence Israel feared Goliath and the Philistims Sampson 3 The power of any creature is feared when it can do us good or hurt Isai 41.23 Do good and do evil that we may be dismayed and behold it together So we fear God because he can do us good and hurt and no creature without him can do it for creatures are meer vials through which God empties himself What power is like Gods that is able to cast soul and body into hell therefore the Text bids us fear him 4 The degrees of this fear In some men it is more then in others It was the praise of Hananiah that he was a faithfull man and feared God above many Neh. 7.2 There may be two men both conscientiously fearfull of sin yet one of them may have a greater fear of God then the other 2 Use for information Learn to see the necessity of Gods fear See it in six particulars 1 It 's the best preservative against sin Psal 119.11 Thy testimonies have I hid in my heart that I might not sin against thee Prov. 16.6 By the fear of the Lord men depart from evil Prov. 14.16 A wise man feareth and departeth from evil Prov. 3.7 By this it was that Joseph was preserved from Potiphars wife Gen. 39.10 and as it prevents other sins so in particular it prevents 1 scandalous sins Neh. 5.9 Ought we not to walk in the fear of the Lord because of the heathen who are round about us Hence Psalm 19.9 The fear of the Lord is said to be clean from the cleansing effect which it hath in the soul 2 As Gods fear prevents scandalous sins so doth it prevent secret sins Neh. 5.15 Nehemiah durst not extort of the poor Jews as the former governours had don because of the fear of God Job was of the same minde Job 31.1 2 3 23 24. 2 Gods fear will make a man faithfull in the calling wherein God hath set him if a Magistrate Jehosaphat speaks to the Judges he sends forth Thus take heed what ye do for ye judge not for man but for the Lord wherefore let now the fear of the Lord be upon you 2 Chron. 19.5 6. also he saith vers 9. Thus shall ye do in the fear of the Lord faithfully as if he should say ye can never be faithfull in your Magistracy without Gods fear hence this is one yea a principall qualification in a Magistrate that he be a man fearing God Exod. 18.11 Gen. 42.18 the Apostle propounds this as a remedy against eye-service in servants Col. 3.22 Servants obey in all things your Masters not with eye-service as men-pleasers but in singleness of heart fearing God David giving forth the duty of a Prince saith he that ruleth over men
18. We see it in Devils who believe and tremble Matth. 8.29 Contrarily filial fear hath quiet of heart joyned with it The heart is never in so good a temper as when it is most fearfull of sin Acts 9.31 The Churches walking in the fear of the Lord walked also in the comfort of the Holy Ghost Mal. 4.2 Unto you that fear my Name shall the Sun of Righteousness appear 4 Those that have slavish fear would fain be rid of it 1 Kings 22.26 Zedekiah goes from chamber to chamber to hide himself the wicked in fear of Gods judgment call to mountains and hills to hide themselves Revel 6.16 Contrarily Saints would still have the fear of God continue upon them nay if they finde it decaying they complain Isai 63.17 Lord why hast thou hardened my heart from thy fear 5 Slavish fear is from 1 The sting of a guilty conscience Deut. 28.65 66. The Lord shall give thee a trembling heart and thou shalt fear day and night Saul 1 Sam. 13.7 when he was near the battle all the people followed him trembling Hypocrites in Sion looking on God as devouring fire fearfulness surprized them Isai 33.15 Paul preaching to Faelix of righteousness temperance and judgement to come he living an unrighteous and an intemperate life trembled to think of the judgement to come and was so stung with it that he was driven to make Paul leave off his preaching 2 From the expectation of future wrath Heb. 10.27 they have a certain fearfull looking for of judgement and fiery indignation Contrarily filial fear 1 Ariseth from faith Heb. 11.7 By faith Noah was moved with fear Isai 50.10 Or 2 From godly sorrow 2 Cor. 7.11 Fear was one effect that godly sorrow wrought in the repenting Corinthians the soul having felt much inward sorrow for the evils it hath done is affraid to do the like evils again 3 From love to God we are affraid to offend those whom we love an husband fears to offend his wife a good childe fears to offend his father so the soul that loves God fears to offend him Motives to this Godly fear 1 Gods fear is a perpetual duty Some duties are but for a time and then at an end but this is perpetual Prov. 23.17 Be thou in the fear of the Lord all the day long Yea We are to pass the time of our sojourning here in fear 1 Pet 1.17 Psal 19.9 The fear of the Lord endureth for ever Hence this duty is practised by glorified Saints who in heaven know evil as well as good but by the fear of God in them their wills are eternally determined to the choice of good 2 It 's a principal duty lying upon Saints above all people in the world Psal 34 11. Fear the Lord ye his Saints for God is wont to punish them more sorely then other men in this world when they sin against him Exod. 23.21 Provoke him not for he will not pardon your iniquities Deut. 32.19 Amos 3.2 As men that have more to lose then others are affraid to offend Princes so the Saints that have more to lose then the rest of the world should be affraid to offend the King of heaven they may in case they sin lose Gods face Isai 50.10 the peace of their consciences and be smitten with temporal strokes 1 Cor. 11.32 3 It 's an honourable Character to be a man fearing God 1 Kings 18.12 It 's said of Obadiah That he feared the Lord from his youth Job 1.1 Job was a man fearing God and eschewing evil Hananiah Neh. 7.2 Cornelius feared God and all his house feared God Yea a woman that feareth the Lord she shall be praised Prov. 31.30 4 The children of God have found much comfort in this grace Neh. 1.11 Let thine ear be attentive to thy servants that desire to fear thy Name Yea when they finde no other grace in their hearts but this grace yet are they commanded to stay their hearts herein Isai 50 10. Contrarily they have been much troubled if they have found either a want or a decay of this grace 5 Gods fear as at other times so especially in evil times is a principal treasure to good men Isai 33.6 The fear of the Lord is his treasure The meaning of the place is from Gods fear arises all prosperity to supply us as out of a treasure arises money to supply our needs 6 Gods fear is the most watchfull affection as being conversant about danger How often would temptations captivate us were it not for this in-dwelling grace in Saints Jer. 32.40 This grace doth as it were stand Centry for the soul Psal 119.11 7 The attributes wherein God stands related to us 1 His power and justice Job 37.23 24. He is excellent in power and judgement and plenty of justice men do therefore fear him 2 The pitifull affection or disposition God bears to them that fear him Psal 103.13 As a father pities his children so the Lord pitieth them that fear him Psal 147.11 The Lord taketh pleasure in them that fear him in what ever Nation such Saints be God being no respecter of persons they are accepted of God with a favourable respect Acts 10.35 8 The relations wherein we stand ingaged to the Lord 1 Of servants If earthly servants must have a fear of their masters according to the flesh Eph. 6.5 ought not we to the Lord Hence the Lord expostulates Mal. 1.6 If I be a master where is my fear 2 Of children What dutifull child stands not in fear of offending his father Heb. 12.9 We gave earthly parents reverence shall we not much rather be in subjection to the Father of Spirits and live 9 Gods fear sweetens a low condition Prov. 15.16 Better is a little with the fear of the Lord then great revenues and trouble therewith that is then great revenues got with a wounded and troubled conscience Psal 37.16 10 Such men as fear God are blessed Prov. 28.14 Blessed is the man that feareth alwayes They are often blessed in this world especially when a delight in Gods law is joyned therewith Psal 112.1 Blessed is the man that feareth the Lord his seed shall be mighty upon earth wealth and riches shall be in his house c. Also in the world to come they are blessed Rev. 11.19 When the time comes that the dead shall be judged there is a reward to be given to all that fear Gods Name both small and great Come we to the second thing viz. The true fear of God where it is eats out the fear of men we see it in Moses parents Moses himself in the Mid-wives Exod. 1.19 in Shadrach Meshech and Abednego Psal 27.1 3 The third point is God is able to destroy soul and body in hell This is called the second death Rev. 20.6 called a double destruction Jer. 17.18 The bodies of all that are in the graves shall come forth John 5.28 They that have done evil to the resurrection of damnation death and grave gives them
in against thee are non-suted Rom. 8.33 Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods elect When God would comfort his people wherewith doth he comfort them he tells them their iniquities are pardoned Esa 40.22 Obj. But my Sins are many my guilts haynous how can I take comfort Answ 1 God was in Christ Reconciling the world unto himself not imputing their trespasses unto them and delivered from the curse all that believe on him John 3.36 1 Thess 1.10 2 We must look on Christs death as able to drown Mountains as Mole-hills All the fiery stingings how great soever were taken away when they lookt on the Brazen Serpent John 3.14 15. God did not onely save just Abraham Isaac and Jacob but unrighteous Thamar Reuben Simeon Levi that no man should presume of his righteousness or wisdom nor that any man should be discouraged because of his sins Luth. in Gen. 38. 3 The Fountain of Christs Bloud is set open for all bleeding and believing souls Zach. 12.10 compared with cap. 13.1 In that day they believe and repent the Fountain is open 4 All hand-writings of Ordinances of what kinde soever that might testifie a believers guilt is taken away as to the accusatory and damnatory power thereof Col. 2.14 If the Jews rejoyced at the revoking Ahazuerus sentence let us much more at this 5 All the power of Hell is led in triumph by Christ to the faith of the believer Col. 2.15 Having spoiled principalities and powers he made a shew of them openly viz. to the faith of the believer triumphing over them on the Cross 6 In his Redemption Christ had in his eye all the sins that should fall out to the end of the world and he paid not onely for sins that were at present but for those which should come after though one sin be committed to day another to morrow and another the third day yet the travel of Christs soul gave the Father full satisfaction Isai 53.11 Object Could I believe or repent I could take comfort but alas I cannot saith many a poor soul Answ All the promises of remission of sins are belonging and so consequently to be tendered unto those who believe and repent not to believing without repenting nor to repenting without believing Luke 24.47 Mark 1.15 Acts 20.21 Paul preached Repentance towards God and Faith towards our Lord Jesus Christ but the promises are to be tendered to both together Thus we comfort the afflicted Brother It 's impossible thou shouldest be so righteous in this life that thou shouldest feel no sin and that thy body should be clear without spots as the Sun but thou hast yet spots are in thee yet art thou holy but thou sayest How can I be holy seeing I have and feel sin That thou feelest sin and acknowledges it give thanks to God despair not It 's a step to health when the sick person acknowledges his Disease But how shall I be delivered from my sin run to Christ the Physician who heals the broken in heart thy reason being sacrificed believe in him Luth. Tom. 4.76 2 Mourning under unbelief and impenitency and hardness of heart doth usually argue there is some measure of these graces in thy soul for whence could a soul mourn for the want of these graces but because it hath some measure of these already those that mourn under wants and hunger and thirst for supplies are under the promise of blessedness John 7.37 If any man thirst let him come unto me and drink 2 Every thirsting soul is invited to Christ Revel 22.17 Let him that is a thirst come and whosoever will let him come and take of the water of life freely 3 Cast thy thy self upon Christ resolving if thou perishest thou wilt perish in his arms Job 13.15 2 Use Righteous persons may draw comfort from the righteousness of uprightness though not by way of satisfaction yet by way of evidence 1 Chron. 29.9 The People rejoyced because they offered willingly because with perfect heart they offered willingly 2 Cor. 1.12 Our rejoycing is the testimony of our conscience Doing judgment is accompanied with joy Prov. 21.15 Men persecute for righteousness Matth. 5.10 Devils rage at it but Saints must walk in it Luke 1.75 Those Heb. 11. first wrought Righteousness then obtained promises v. 35. In the name of a righteous man Not because he is a kinsman or friend or because we hope to receive like for like or shall get some gain thereby or ingratiate our self thereby unto some men we would be in favour with but as before he had spoken because he was a Prophet so here because he is a righteous man Gal. 6.10 We should principally look to the moving cause that moveth us to do good to Gods Saints even because we see Christ in them though all other considerations were taken away as of neighbourhood meekness love to us Shall receive a righteous mans Reward That is they shall not onely receive the examples of those holy men they receive and their edifying speeches usually holy either for matter or manner of speaking and sometimes their powerfull prayers for them but they shall also receive the same reward of eternal glory which the righteous man himself shall receive for the just shall live by faith Heb. 2.4 V. 42. And whosoever shall give to drink unto one of these little ones a cup of cold water onely in the name of a Disciple verily I say unto you he shall in no wise lose his Reward Here 's a third ground against fear of not being received which the Disciples and other Christians might expect for the cause of Christ to wit that the smallest kindness done to any of Christs little ones shall not go without a reward Whosoever shall give to drink unto one of these little ones a cup of cold water That is being able to give no more for if we can give a cup of wine and shall put the matter off with a cup of water Christ will think this but cold entertainment The meanness of the benefit shall not make the kindness less respected with Christ 2 Cor. 8.12 If there be first a willing minde it is accepted according to that a man hath He names cold water as Augustine supposes lest any man should excuse himself that he wanted fire or a vessel to heat it By little ones Christ means those who are base and vile in their own eys from the sense of their Infirmities and despised by the proud men of the world Against offending and despising these little ones Christ warns Matth. 18.6 1 Saying It were better a man had a Mill-stone hanged about his neck and he be cast into the Sea as the Jews were wont to punish some Malefactours than offend such little ones 2 The Angels of these little ones do always behold the face of God therefore take heed how ye despise them God dignifies them with attendance of Angels therefore do not ye despise them If not despise them then must you
art no better then an hypocrite If we live but in one sin though every man that lives in one lives in more we manifest a plain contempt of God yea we set up a god to our selves When David pronounces a blessing to an upright man Psal 119.1 he tells us who is such v. 2. They seek God with the whole heart and v. 3. They do no iniquity So long as a man picks and chuses Gods commands and obeys them with such and such reservations let such a man know he is no better then an hypocrite If there be any uprightness in thee thou wilt be stirr'd up at thy own lye as well as at an other mans oath Unsound men never close with all duties nor part with all sins but still retain some darling sin which tends to their profit or credit or pleasure yea the duties they do are caused by some outward principle Even as heat that is natural is durable but adventitious heat is soon gone as in water meat boyled or rosted So outward principles setting hypocrites awork as shame of the world fear of hell c. they do many things but the cause being taken away the effect ceases 6 A compliant turning of themselves according to times and places So Achitophel in Davids Court would be very devout but when there was a rebellion he would be first in it Psal 55.12 13. Hypocrites when they are in good company and good families can frame themselves thereto and they can game talk wantonly speak against goodness when they are elsewhere A true Christian findes it harder to be good in some places and companies then in others and the devil when he hath the opportunity of time place and company will press more hard upon a childe of God to do evil also to put him back from goodness when time place and company stand cross to goodness yea sometimes temptations of fear or hope may shake a Christian in his obedience yet his desires so hang to the Lord that he is not at rest till he have returned to his first husband and to his former obedience Yea he hath not a complying principle of hypocrisie to sute his practice to times and places Joash was an unsound man and when he came in bad company he came to be like like them 2 Chron. 24.17 but a sincere soul resolves to follow duty though all the world should be against it Upright men they apprehend the Lord every where present hence they labour to walk before him When its a thing God would have him do he doth not consult with flesh and blood whether he had best to do it Gal. 1.15 but doth it without consultment of flesh and blood Still an upright man is thinking what will God have me do If Gods word bid him do a thing he doth it though not without some hanging back of the flesh but unsound men still think whether will this tend to their credit and profit with these two are their souls carried like a Coach with the horses to comply to all times places and companie 7 When a soul hath onely some good fits and moods of goodness Hos 6.4 Thy righteousness is like the morning dew which hath a fit of coming and then goes away Balaam had such a fit Numb 23.10 Let me dye the death of the righteous So Pharaoh sent for Moses and Aaron in haste to pray for him Exod. 10.16 So those hypocrites Psal 78.34 35. When he slew them then they sought him and enquired early after God nevertheless they did but flatter with their mouth Such were Jonah's mariners as some think Jon. 1.5 and John's hearers who rejoyced in John's doctrine for a season So Saul in a fit he cries out Thou art more righteous then I my son David Some when the Lord afflicts them with the death of relations and other crosses have a fit of godly sorrow as that Scribe Matth. 8.20 That this may not be mistaken take four cautions 1 That a man may have intermissions wherein his grace zeal and heavenly mindedness may not appear in that measure that sometimes it hath appeared and yet be sincere as Asa c. 2 A soul may have declensions and decaies in grace and yet not serve God by fits as in the Angel of Ephesus and to keep the soul in that height of consistence whereto perhaps at present it is wrought is not possible because the lifting up of the soul depends upon the spirits breathing who is a free agent 3 A Saint may be more godly at some time then at another and yet not serve God by fits as the Husbandman labours all the year but specially in seed-time and harvest A believer may constantly follow the Lord yet sometimes be more in heaven taken up with Moses into the Mount 4 The deeplier a soul is in distress the more earnestly should he seek God and yet this is no serving God by fits So Jonah in the Whales belly Jon. 2.7 and those Isai 26.17 and it 's said of hypocrites They cry not when God bindes them Job 36.13 But this I call a serving God by fits and moods when all a mans religion is onely for a fit So long as such a Magistrate favours it and when he falls off they fall off as when Rehoboam forsook the Lord all Israel forsook the Law of the Lord with him 2 Chron. 12.1 So to have a fit of reformation so long as Gods hand is upon us after when his hand is taken away to be as bad as we were Psal 78.34 35 36. As there 's difference betwixt a well set colour in a persons face and a colour that arises from blushing so there 's difference betwixt fits and states of godliness Hypocrites have fits but not states Suddain heats and suddain colds argue an unhealthfull temperature in the body so doth it in the Spirit some are mightily lifted up at a Sermon by and by as presently cold Jehu hot against Baal cold against the Calves By the equality of pulse we judge of the body let us do so of the soul not by what it is in a fit A man may have a fit of crying Hosanna and next day cry Crucifie Our obedience should be like the fire of the Sanctuary that never went out 8 When a man willingly winks against light and will not see that which is either contrary to his lusts or may expose him to sufferings loath to read such Books hear such Preachers or meditate of such Scriptures as may inform him of such sins as he is loath to part with or to do such duties as he is unwilling to do Rom. 1.18 They with-hold the truth in unrighteousness Joh. 3.21 These are said not to come to the light lest their deeds should be discovered Matth. 13.15 They have closed up their eys 2 Pet. 3.5 They are willingly ignorant Isai 30.10 They say to the seers See not Contrarily sincere men have their hearts open to know the whole minde of God Acts 10.33 1 Sam. 3.17