and gnawings of an evill conscience for the evill they have done This death shall be their portion after death and follow some wicked men all the dayes of their life A dreadfull sound is in his ears Job 15.21 And sometimes with Cain they think every one that meeteth them will kill them Gen. 4.14 And so God sets Cain's mark upon them fear of heart and trembling of body A fearfull heart and a shaking body is often the portion of men that live in sin Timor cordis et tremor corporis Pareus If ye compare the 2. of Habacuck 10 11 12. with Job 15. ye shall see this for substance that when men live in sin they provoke God either to take away their lives or to make their lives miserable Sometimes God taketh away that which they have ill gotten and driveth them to dwell in desolate cities and houses which no man inhabiteth which are ready to become heaps cursing the stones of the wall and the timber of their houses And if they do leave any thing when they wretchedly dy they leave it with the appurtenances as one wittily said to wit the curse of God to have and to hold to their heirs and children after them And as wicked men abuse this Jewel of great worth life in themselves in their readinesse to destroy it or make it miserable in regard of their bodies and temporall enjoyments so also in regard of their poor souls They live so wickedly so prophanely so disobediently to God and his Word that they provoke God to take away the means of grace from them or to give them up to a mind past feeling and to bring upon them a famine of the Word the greatest of all judgment except a reprobate spirit and mind void of judgment under the Word And Lastly they fall under this reproof and wo that abuse the life of others by oppression when they throw down the right of others and thrust them out of doores to set their own nest on high their Tabernacles are Tabernacles of bribery Job 15.34 and their houses are full of blood which the earth shall not cover Et vae vae vae illis qui causa sunt quod ecclesiae sine ministris et verbo relinquuntur Luther but it shall ly as a record upon the file to be brought forth against them at the last day And some abuse life grossely by murther of which crying sin I think it not needful to speak now To conclude this use Wo to such as endeavour to drive a way from poore people the word of God and Ministers therof they are guilty of abusing life in regard of others in a very high measure the blood of poore souls that dy and perish for want thereof will be required at their hands and also at the hands of such wretched formalists clawbacks of the Ministry as do not do their utmost in sincerity for the salvation of poor soules We now come to an other Use Is it so that life is an attribute of God and such a jewell as hath been shewed Vse 3 then it must needs follow that it is a worthy thing to be instruments of preserving life and of saving people from death and destruction Theâ—â—herefore are worthy of honour that have been the preserved of our temporal lives but especially such are worthy of 〈◊〉 honour whom God makes instruments of working and preserving spiriual life As in 1. Tim. 3.1 This is a true saying 1 Tim. 5.17.18 if any man desire the office of a Bishop he desireth a good work or a worthy work And a promise of great reward is made to such as turn many to righteousnesse to wit to shine as the starres for ever and ever Dan 23 1 Pet. 5.4 and when the chief shepheard shall appear such shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away which may be matter of comfort to them in their calling O to preserve men from hell it is a worthy an honourable work to be instruments of converting and bringing souls to the Lord to live with him for ever the life of glory is a work that calls for great respect to the workmen and how they have it let God judge 4. Vse Fourthly We are now come to a Use of exhortation that we be all carefull of life of our own life and of the life one of another of bodily life and of the life of the soule for such a life and death too there is as may be gathered out of Mat. 10.28 And fear not them which kill the body and are not able to kill the soule but rather fear him which is able to destroy both body and soule in hell ye see mention there of killing and destroying the soule as well as the body Now in the prosecution of this use of exhortation I shall lay before you some motives and considerations As first Gods example who hath Provided many good things for the preservation of life as Food Raiment Physick and shall we be carelesse of that which God hath been so careful about This cannot but be construed high contempt of this jewell of Life But now let us be like God who hath so provided for the preservation of life so let us for the lives of our selves and others And for the life of the soul what a deal of pains and trouble hath God and his Son Jesus been at to redeem it from Hell and Death God about this sent his only Son into the World to dy a most shamefull and painfull death He hath suffered many of his choice and eminent servants to endure exquisite torments that souls might be saved from death And therefore let this prevaile let us be herein like unto God do all that we can to preserve life and to save souls Let us be rich in good works of this nature that is in saving life and give comfort to those that have none For otherwise we shall not shew our selves to be like to God And the cry of the dying will enter into his eares Secondly consider the necessity of this work of saving life The body without life stinketh now God may have glory by its living The dead go downe to the pit of silence The grave cannot praise thee saith Hezekiah death cannot celebrate thee They that go downe into the pit cannot hope for thy truth The living the living he shall praise thee Isa 38.18.19 If we do not what we can to preserve life we do as it were bereave God of that honour which he might have in our life and in the lives of others We have a proverb make much of your selves good folks be scarce This hath some place here if it could be thought and spoken with holy gravity and seriousnes and in the fear of the Lord. Ye that fear God make much of your selves and one another do what ye can to preserve life and to make your own and each others life comfortable that God may have the more glory by
quite spoild p. 132. l. 30. Perazin marg habet p. 144. l. 28. intuitive p. 147. l. 9. dependency p. 151. l. 18. one would p. 152.23 unworthy OF THE LIFE OF GOD Heb 3.12 Take heed Brethren lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbeliefe in departing from the living God IT hath pleased God in whose hands is our breath The first communicable attribute of God and life and all our wayes to put it into my mind to spend this Evening houre in giving out some glimpses of his hidden self as he shall be pleased to enable me Attributa dividuntur in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Scharpius curâ—â— Theol 185 This peece of the Lords day therefore is destinated to a discourse of the Attributes of God which are either incommunicable or communicable My purpose is not at least not yet to meddle with the incommunicable Attributes of God but only with those that are communicable to the Creature I shall premise some General things First that these communicable Attributes are such as of which something anological is to be found in Creatures I do not mean that those Attributes of God are themselves communicated to other things but that the like effects are beheld in Creatures 2ly That these Attributes called communicable do make out unto us the Divine Essence from effects workings of God 3ly Essentiam divinam a posteriorâ— That all these following Attributes are to be accounted as the highest incommunicable Attributes are to be true of God most simply infinitely eternally incomprehensibly and immutably And not as in Creatures accidents diverse finite Ad nostrum tautum captum Deus haec nomina diversa sibi â—ribuit imperfect and mutable God is one most simple and infinite Essence The first that I shall speak of is of the Attribute of life which seems to be the first in order This is communicated to the sons of Men with other creatures not only the knowledg thereof and of the other Attributes communicable for so the incommunicable ones also are imparted to the sons of Men to be known and considered by them But the being of them at least analogically as hath been already shewed But that I may not preach without a Text let us make way to the words read unto you and so find out as God shall be pleased to assist the mind of the Spirit in them and so come to that one word in which this first attribute of life is held forth Know therefore that the Author of this profound Epistle having set before the eyes of these Hebrews or Jews to whom he writes the obstinacy of their Fathers doth now make application of it to them that were now alive in this Verse read unto you Which I may call a prohibitive proposition or dehortation or conclusion of the Argument formerly handled As if he should say your Fathers hardned their hearts of old and provoked God to their own destruction take heed therefore that ye do not do so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to your destruction also The word take heed or see or beware is often used in Scripture as Ephes 5.15 See then that ye walk circumspectly Collos 2.8 Beware lest any man spoile you through Philosophie Though the word do hold forth an act of the eye which is in the head yet the Apostle means the circumspection of the heart The thing or matter which he would have them take heed of is an evil heart of unbeliefe An evill heart of unbeleefe the fountaine of all evill which is indeed the fountain of all evil And then the heart is said to be evil when it hath in it unbelief unbelief in the heart makes the heart to be an evil heart What 's the reason men refuse to hear Gods Word to obey his will and in stead thereof malitiously oppose him Is is it not because they do not believe him Do not men I meane wicked men make God a lyar in all that he saith Let God say what he will whether by promises or threats yet they shew that they do not beleeve any thing of it they esteeme it as the song of fools And among all the Truths which the Spirit holds forth what is so sweet as this that God sent his Son into the world to save Mankind And now then what is the reason men be not saved by him more I mean then be because they do not beleeve the testimony that God gave of his Son At your leisure you may read 1 John 5 10 11 12 verses There ye may see life and salvation is to be had by Christ and indeed no other way and men have it not because they receive not the offer He that beleeveth and is Baptized shall be saved Now if men would beleeve they should be saved So that Faith is that divine Grace that doth submit to the command of Beleeving What Faith is and doth give glory to God As the Virgin Mary did when she was told she should have a Child she submitteed to it Luke 1.38 And Mary said behold the Handmaide of the Lord be it unto me according to thy word So saith God I did send my Son to dye for you and he hath been crucified for you and I am well-pleased with his all-sufficient sacrifice for you Why do ye not make application of it to your own souls surely it is an evil heart of unbeleefe which is the mother of all mischief and wickedness And here by the way ye see that a heart possest with unbeleef is an evil heart and this is that that causeth us to depart from the living God and therefore the Author of this Epistle doth earnestly warn these Hebrews to fly from unbeleefe But how can it be said that unbeleevers depart from the living God seeing they were ever from God a far off strangers Quest and aliens to the Common-wealth of Israel is it not as if I should say such a man departed from the Town who was never in it For answer hereunto I say first that all Creatures Answ as creatures are present with God For without him they cannot subsist in him they live and moove and have their being In quo etiam omnia qua non vivunt vita suâ—t Lessiac Even all things are life in him that have no life in themselves And secondly because in this sence no man can depart from the living God you must know that every man by nature is bound to serve God and to praise God and to give credit to what God saith Moral duties lye upon all men and the breach of Gods Law is sin And the Lord will pour out his vengeance upon the Nations that have not known him and upon the Families that have not called on his name And so to neglect or omit what God requires is to depart from God to depart from a command of God is to depart from God performances of two sortâ— There are two
inoffenssively managed For much of trouble comes by my differing in judgment from some whose lives I cannot tax and although they do mine yet if hear-say and jealousies did not too much prevaile and men would take up no more for truth then what is proved I would stand higher in the hearts of some I am confident then now I do But for the greater part of mine enemies which are to me yet far less grievouâ— they are the prophane and ungodly which are enemies to all such as truly fear God If it should be the will of my gracious Father to call me out of this mortal life as things now stand with me and concerning me I should not dye esteemed nor much regarded by such as have been my great friends formerly and shall by me still be numbred among the best of men It is not my lot alone to be lesse beloved of such as were best loved of me God will stain the pride of flesh Nos quoque florâ—imus I make of that Distich written to famous Bishop Jewel Olim discipulus mihi parve Juelle fuisti Nunc ero discipulus te renuente tenus T is pretty for all that to see how gravely some young men born since the Lord put me in the Ministry first do carry themselves Surely the British British Priests mentioned by Bede would be ready to think and say of them as the old Eremite had taught them concerning Austin the Monk sent over by the Pope to reduce the Clergy of England to the Romish yoke But I hope the Lord will keep me from a discontented spirit and envious eye Though I am low and under many afflictions yet blessed be God that it goeth so well with his people for the generality as it doth and with the publicke The consideration of that I trust will quiet my grumbling soule and swallow up my private afflictions which are many have been of so long continuance and are like to continue so long as any limb or part of Antichrist though but his little toe remaineth But come what will my mercies are will be more then my afflictions yet I wish mine advanced once I durst call them brethren would not be too rigid beyond rule Arbitrary power hath not stood long in any let laws be observed towards us as we are Commoners and Christs rules as we are Christians and Brethren and then some others as well as I that have shared in the common afflictions of Gods people and the common wealth and have been in the number of instruments made use of by God in the day of Iacobs trouble shal finde fairer dealing then we doe It is not meant that the earth should cover our blood or you wink at our sinnes but that you would not make your selves wiser then known wholsome Laws nor more righteous in matters of religious concernment then the perfect rule of Christians the Scriptures of God doe require and warrant you in I confesse it was very grievous to me that had been so tost from post to pillar in the time of the Prelacy put into Star-chamber and High-Commission at one time A Petition delivered to the Kings own hand against me with twenty four terrible Articles annexed importing Faction Heresie Witchcraft Rebellion and treason Articles in the consistory at Exeter at the same time under a suit of pretended slander for reproving an atheistical wretch by that name of Atheist at the same time Purssevants or messengers one upon the back of another no lesse then five at several times Now when the Lord had given his people rest and advanced some to places of power to be dealt withall more illegally and irregularly then in those sad times before hinted But I confesse it was by such as either then were in their Coats or under the Schoolmasters Ferula or dawbing with untempered morter and serving the times if they were then come into the world in employments How doest thou my Brother and Haile Master cannot choose but run in my minde when I consider how one Cringed to me and after thanked me for my pains I took upon an occasion c. and yet secretly had an information of above twelve years age to make me Odious O my God lay it not to his charge And although I have not so great a portion in wealth or honour as many once far below me have attained unto yet I acknowledge God is afore-hand with â—e aboundantly I have swimmed through a sea of mercies and shall not that Ocean swallow a few discourteous dealings This God whom I here hold forth under such glorious attributes as the Scripture gives him is my God and was my iminently godly Fathers God even while he lived and I have great cause to say he is already my childrens God and I trust will be the God of not onely them but their children also even so Amen This Treatise comes under many disadvantages unto the view of the reader Notes taken of what was publickly preached onely over-looked by me the looked and over-seen Author in nothing more in a manner then in suffering such notes to be made publick in such a queasy stomached age delivered by me unworthy creature as God gave in Badly written out for the Presse which hath caused mistakes of one word for another very often besides mispointings and mistakes of letters which I much weigh not because such faults are as easily amended as espied I my selfe at my home many scores of miles whiles it was printing so that I could not view the sheets as they came out of the Presse what shall I say Infaelix habitum temporis hujus habet it comes forth in an habit sutable to the Authors present condition I am contented to be a sufferer in Printing as well as in Preaching And yet I am of an opinion some will get some good and may make use of this rough-hewed untrimed piece There was great calling upon me for it by many that heard it before I could be perswaded to give it a let-passe And now that it is abroad God grant that no spirit of prejudice against the Authors person may hinder the profiting any reader hereof It is a subject I confesse some have written of already which yet I saw not all at least untill mine was finished And I perceive I have rambled in a method of mine own being very apt to step aside to speake with any God sends my spirit unto in my preaching as the reader will quickly perceive But 't is as ' t is Quod factum est infectum fieri nequis Charge not on me the mistaken words or sentences the mispointings and faults in Orthography which abound but correct with thy Pen or cover with thy candid ingenuity what thou findest amisse As for such as are ready to deprave the labours of others though they cannot or will not produce better of their own I wish them better spirits without paying so dear for their follys as I have for mine And so I commend this Treatise
end this particular and to proceed to some other properties of the life of God I say God is life and all things in God are life to wit that life which is God himself Neither are vital substance and vital operation in him distinguished Secondly God hath life compleat every way compleat nothing is wanting to his life There is no defect In this Attribute as in others he is essentially what he is and infinitely and indeed incomprehensibly Because Thirdly he hath life of him self not only the life of operation for that creatures have of themselves and living men do live themselves We live and move c though in God yet WE live I say we have of our selves a life of operation both in nature and grace when the principle of life in either state is once bestowed but God hath the very nature of life in himself For as the Father hath life in himself so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself Joh 5.26 God is what he is of himself Neither fourthly is there any end propounded to God by another he worketh all things as of himself so for himself It is not my salvation that God aims at although he save me but his own glory He made all things for himself even the wicked to perish in the day of evil Prov 16.4 A gracious soul worketh for God And God worketh for himself in him not for him God liveth to himself propoundeth himself unto himself in all his vital operations Fifthly every thing understood is life in God things that have no life are life in him He is a super-vital Essence and a super-essential life He is his own vital operation The life of God is present with all Creatures to continue their being these very pillars that bear up this house of meeting although dead in them selves are life in God He is the super-essential of existences even of all From his wisedom which is his life by attribution flows love which also is his life and by these two Attributes are al other things made and formed in his wisdom all things live So some read that place in John 1.3 the latter part Quod factum est in ipso vita erat and the beginning of the 4th That which was made was life in him All things have in themselves a quoddam esse intrinsecal to themselves but this in things created hath a beginning and is mutable neither doth it give life to existences that live not But besides this esse which they obtain in themselves they have in the mind and wisdom of God a certain extrinsecal esse Sapientia Dei est omnium intelligibilium esse vita lux Lessius de perfec Div page 51 as it were infused everlasting and immutable For to understand in God is a certain esse of intelligibles by which as in a certain breathing world they do exist shine and live I might tel you many things which are as true as glorious of this life of God But this is not for every hearer to understand And it is usual for people to speak evil of the things they understand not Sixthly the life of God doth infinitely transcend the life of Creatures even of Men and Angels because by his nature he is infinitely more excellent as I wil make appear unto you in two particulars First if al living things Angels men Beasts fowls fishes and every other creature that hath life and all those lives that since Adam have been in all these kinds of creatures were brought together and put into one life yet this life compared with the life of God would be but as a picture or image of a man is in comparison of a man Secondly if al Creatures that are in the world or ever were could exist together if God should but draw back the beam of his influence presently they would vanish to nothing neither would any footstep of them remaine For in God it is that we live moove and have our being and there is not the lest worm in the earth that liveth but there is an influence that goeth out from God to continue it's life Yea all existences have their continuance from this Life of God Seventhly To conclude what life is in God is best to be known by negation and ablation of all that can be said of Life in the Creature As for instance if yee should ask of me how God doth live I should thus answer he doth not live like plants or sensitive Creatures he doth not live like Men or Angels but he liveth a Life far transcending all Creature-life I am not able to shew you better how God doth live then by teaching you how God doth not live As when I say God is a living God I mean he liveth and moveth of himself from an inward principle of life and so you take my meaning And when I say God is good yee presently run to the definition of goodness touching the Creature But yet these words are too short to set out either the Attribute of life or of goodness When I say God is great as Psal 1â—5 3 David saith great is the Lord and greatly to be praised This word great wil set forth the greatness of a man or of any other thing that hath dimensions But yet this word great is not great enough to set forth the nature of God There are four as it were parts of greatness latitude longitude sublimity and profundity which are attributed to God and in their manner may be considered in God Although by the ordinary rules in the Mathematicks we make but three dimensions to wit making sublimity and profundity one in that one word altitude But because the Apostle Paul Ephes 3.18 guided by the spirit of God speaking of the fulnes of God maketh foure dimensions as it were so many parts of the grreatnes of God I say I wil a little consider how far these words relating to the word great wil set out as part thereof the greatnes of God or the nature of God upon account of greatness Once David saith God is great and he praiseth God for or in consideration of his greatnes What then may be this greatnes of God I answer First the essence of God is great in regard of latitude for he is immense Secondly he is great in regard of longitude for he is eternal 3ly He is great in regard of sublimity for he is most high 4ly He is great in regard of profundity for he is incomprehensible Or if we take the word great as sometimes it is used for one of great power dominion and authority here also we have some help from the four dimensions of the Apostle Paul to under stand something of God the Lord is great in regard of latitude for all things serve him from the highest Angel to the least and lowest worm He is great in regard of Longitude for of his Kingdom there is an eternal duration He is great in regard of
may appear many Do by what followeth 1. Such as violently rush upon dangers that they might avoid to the destruction of their owne life we read of Christ that when the Jews took up stones to cast at him he hid himselfe Joh. 8.59 Luk. 4.29 30. and went out of the temple c. John 8.59 And when as Nazareth they brought him to the brow of the hill whereon their city was built that they might cast him down headlong he passing through the midest of them went his way They abuse life therfore which run upon dangers wilfully and rashly 2. Such also abuse life this jewell as by imoderat eating and drinking and surffetting do shorten their daies As some have dyed in their Cups a fearfull signe and brand of Gods wrath and displeasure against their sin 3. Such as by intemperate courses and satisfying libidinous desires Capell wast their radical moysture and thereby shorten life It is noted by some that David was bed rid in or about the age that his Father begat him This is a giving of our years to the cruel and our honour unto others And it consumeth the flesh and the body Prov. 5.9 10 11. First the giving of a mans honour to another Secondly their years unto the cruell Thirdly their wealth to strangers Fourthly the bringing of sorrow and mourning upon themselves at last And lastly the consumption of the flesh and body of such intemperate ones And thou mourn at last when thy flesh and thy body are consumed Fourthly When men give themselves to ungodly courses whereby they bring themselves into the hand of the Magistrate and are cut off by his sword as many ye know come to hanging by their wickednesse And such shall at last be araigned for Murther because they did that which did tend to the destruction of their own lives 5. Such wicked men abuse life as travaile with pain all their dayes Job 15.20 To wit men of an unquiet and restlesse spirits The Originall word for a wicked man signifieth an unquiet motion unquiet is his name and unquietnesse is his both practise and portion alwayes are some raising stirs and acting Tragedies He travelleth with pain he is in pain as a woman in travell and whereas women that have hardest labour are but in travell many dayes some wicked men are in travell all their dayes painfull throws daily to bring forth mischief which causeth death O what an abuse of life is this Cannot men be contented to go to eternal pain in Hell but they must keep killing of themselves all the day long before they come there Such have wo sorrow contentions babling wounds without cause black and blew eyes A contentious man never wants wo. Sixthly this is an abuse for life when men from a cursed principle of Idolatry or Superstition shall abuse their bodies and macerate their flesh As the children of Israel sacrificed their children to Moloch in the Valey of Benhinnom and as seduced Papists whip and lash themselves like fools as they are to whom God will say who required this at your hands We read of Baals Priests that they cut themselves with Knives and Lancers till the bloodgushed out upon them c. 18.18 This is the effect of erronious seduced Consciences We have read strange stories of Eremites and Anchorites Of one I have read that chose rather to be burnt than to save his life out of Conscience of his Religion As in the West-Indians they will rather sacrifice their Children to their Hoggery Abamacho the Devill indeed rather then seem to be irreligious O what sorrows have men brought on themselves and miseries yea murthers upon others from erronious Consciences Hence such woful doings of late in England Scotland and Ireland no consideration being had of the worth of life 7. Wicked men abuse life by their own active malice And that diverse wayes First by entrapping themselves in those snares which they prepared for others As Haman built a Gallows for Mordecai and was hanged upon it himself Hest 7.10 Many out of malice dig pits for others and fall into them themselves Notable for this Writes the Psalmist Psalm 7.15 16. He made a pit and digged it and is fallen into the ditch which he made His mischief shall return upon his own head and his violent dealing shall come down upon his own pate So that many times none are greater enemies to any others whom they most malice then such malicious persons are to their own selves Secondly when mens malice makes them to weary and tyre out themselves to do mischief we read of some Jer. 9.5 That did weary themselves to commit iniquity and we know many that do even spend themselves out to nothing to wreack their malice upon others especially upon such as are godly and Religious Wicked men are often cruell in over burdening themselves The way of malice is often found to be a wearisome and destroying way to the actors themselves The Author of that History The travels of the old Patriarchs Kings and Prophets when he comes to write the motions of Antiochus Epiphanes who was a great King but of a most malicious spirit against the people of God He observes that in pursuance of his bloody designs he had run more hazzards and taken more tedious journeys to satisfie his malice and reach his ambitious ends then any of the Saints had done upon any command or service of God Upon which consideration he makes this excellent conclusion That wicked men take more pains to go to Hell and eternall destruction then godly men do in the way to eternal life and salvation 8. Wicked men abuse their life by their over earnestnesse to avoid those troubles which they meet withall in their life their earnestnesse to avoid trouble tumbles them into it A godly man is described eating the labour of his hands Psal 128.2 That is the very work which he doth feeds him and before he hath any reward for his work he findes a reward in his work On the other side the labour of a wicked man eats him The labour of his hand and the labour of his head eat him out Isa 27.13 Thou art wearied in the multitude of thy counsels The Prophet speaks there of the endeavour of the Caldeans to be rid of those evils which are threatned to come upon them and in chapter 57.10 of the same prophesie the Jews are said to be wearied in the greatnesse of their way 9. Upon their disappointment of their hopes wicked men do as it were kill themselves with grief when they cannot attain their end as they do kill themselves with labour and sinfull care to attain their end They use to hang between hope and fear while they are at work but when they see they tumble and cannot come at what they would have they fall into the Gulf of despaire and anguish of spirit And also somtimes in Gods judgment are afflicted with a fiercer pain then either of these even with the gripes
the mind and a delight in ignorance Want of subjection and conformity in the will and rebellion withall Want of holines in the affections and pronesse to evill An aiming at a mans self in all actions or rather the disease of the soule is satisfied A fullfilling the desires of the flesh Ephes 2. verse 3. Let us fasten here a litle A blind mind an ignorant soule is not subject to the law of God neither indeed can be Rom. 8.7 And therefore though God forbid men of this frame to love the world yet they will love it still they have no heart no stomack to God and his wayes This is the frame of the spirit of an unholy man And therefore they that are such make not God the end of their thoughts word or actions No nor indeed themselves as creatures such is the blindnes of their mind and perversnes of their spirits Sicke soules must be humour'd or else they are quite undone they think although in truth it fares with such as with men and women that have sick bodies that use to long for that which will prove their bane Their lust make them fooles They have no understanding the eies of their mind are put out They fashion themselves according to their lust in their ignorance They are as blind as beetles They are like a man that is sick of a feaver that must have could drink and other things which his disease cals for though it kill him These will rather dy then yield to God and hug that snake in their bosome which will sting them to death at last And thus ye see what unholines is T is true gracious men may slip they may be overtaken in a fault but it doth cost them deare If Peter deny Christ he will weep bitterly If David step aside as he did in the matter of Vriah he will water his couch with his tears and make his bed to swim But as for these poor unholy souls their case is sad and dismal Never tell me say some of holines and exactnes I will not no I will not I will dy rather What holines is Such we read of in Jeremy As for the words that thou speakest we will not do And again Let us not give heed to any of his words Well Sirs sith there are among you such as will not heare us speak of God to you Yet we will not cease to speake to God for you And now let us see what holines is Three things in the soule It is indeed the restoring of all these defects which I have spoken of to you But before I go any further in that matter let me shew you three things in the soule First the substance thereof Secondly the faculties or powers of the soule Thirdly the qualities of these faculties Ye have a fit resemblance of these in an instrument of musick there is the instrument the strings the harmony Now ye must know when Adam fell the substance of his soul was the same afterward that it was before The devils have the same substance in hell that they had when they were in heaven Neither are the faculties of the soule lost by the fall but only the good qualities are defaced that which we call the image of God As first for the understanding knowledge Collos 3 10. And have put on the new man Saith the Apostle there Which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him where we may easily gather that holy souls are knowing souls understanding what was lost is found again And then secondly for the will and affections Ephes 4.24 And that ye put on the new man which after God is created in righteousnes and true holinesse knowledge is opposed to ignorance an ignorant person is an ungodly person And holinesse and righteous to concupiscences and the lusts of the old man To which if yee add one thing to wit sincerity and truth and an aiming at Gods glory then ye have the body of holinesse So now ye see that an holy frame of the soul standeth in the absence of the contrary evill and a positive quality and habit of goodnes Some set it forth thus Holinesse respecteth God immediately and is contained in the duties of the first Table Righteousnes respecteth man and the creatures and compriseth the duties enjoyned in the second Table Truth respects the manner how both the former are to be practised These make a perfect harmony in all the faculties of the soule and are that created holinesse which is communicated from God as first to Adam in his creation so since to all regenerated ones A seventh motive to move us to labour for holines Be exhorted I say again to get holiness and let me adde one consideration more to stir you up to labour for holinesse viz. That the most holy men are the least fearing men Paul was of great courage he had much holinesse 1 Thess 2.10 Ye are witnesses and God also how holily and justly and unblamably we behave our selves among you that believe Therefore when the Viper leapt upon his hand he feared not Polluted souls are full of fear Saul was afraid of David because the Lord was with him and was departed from Saul 1 Sam. 13.12 And Herod feared John knowing that he was a just man and an holy Mark 6.20 Magnas vires habet pietas Godlinesse hath great strength The righteous also shall hold on his way and he that hath clean hands shall be stronger and stronger Job 17.9 so Prov. 28.1 The righteous is bold as a Lyon Nehemiah was an holy man and would not fly Should such a man as I flee saith he Nehemiah 6.11 If God be sanctified by us he will be a sanctuary to us If Fortitude were of such high account among Heathens when it was but a virtue what esteem should it have as a grace Do but get holinesse and ye need not fear of ten thousands of people that have set themselves against you round about as David did not Psalm 3. v. 6. Though 40. men binde themselves with an oath against a holy man yet they can do him no harm If Nebuchadnezzar theaten the fiery furnace to the 3 Saints in Daniel yet they will behold An Deus est in mundo pro nihilo Card. borrom Silentiarius Si Deus mei curam non habet quid vivo Daniel 3. from the 13. verse to the 19th A holy man need not fear any thing Holinesse will carry a man through the world He that knows himself to be one of Gods holy ones May bid defiance to all fears and dangers whatsoever Holinesse arms a man with armour of proof against all fears What said a Cardinal being told of great danger is God in the world for nothing And another if God have not care of me why do I live And now Christians arm your selves against fears by holinesse fears of the world fears of death which God knows how soon may seize upon us God will
the wonderfull goodnes which God hath communicated to Angels in general as Angels is beyond our apprehension They are glorious intellectual creatures they come not by their knowledge of truthes as we do admirable shares have they in the generall goodnes of God to that speciall kind of creature And for the soules of men first as men I mean The possession of that master piece is a most rich possession no Jewell so pretious It is a divine sparke capable of the devine nature and fitter to be a sanctuary and temple for God to dwell in then to be so basely used as it is by most men They are eternal beings â parte post O let me breake out I can go no further yet untill I have a litle wept over the soules of men that best jewell of which men make so little account both of their owne and others What indignity is this to abuse this good and glorious gift of Gods goodnes that must live for ever either in blisse or torment Alas upon what poor termes do men hazard that the nature and worth whereof is beyond mans reach to comprehend O how cruell are men to the soules of one another Do ye so vilifie that which God breathed into man and set his owne image upon and gave so great a price for and valves above all the world besides But no wonder men are so careles of or rather cruell unto the soules of others that are so cruell to their owne soules giving them a way in a manner for nothing of this humour are not onely the scum of people but many of the more eminent sort quarelling and brawling against the good means of grace appointed for the salvation of their poore soules And imploying all their wit and strength and parts and time and friends to maintain and defend their fleshly lusts which warre against the soule O how do the most forget their soules to satisfie their lusts Is it not the busines of the world to satisfie their lusts and to remove by proud violence or close fraud whatsoever standeth in their way And yet to put colours and pretences upon their soule murthering practices to delude the world and themselves Besides other goodnesses are there communicated to the humane nature to men as men from a good God Which should not be slighted much lesse abused seeing God out of his goodnes hath given them unto us O how many things have we given to us to make our life comfortable And therefore by the way we should be thankfull and demeane and carry our selves so at this large table which God hath given us that it might not be a snare unto us as it is usually to ungodly men who make the goodnes of God an occasion to sin and being Waxt fat with Jesurun kicke and forsake God which made them and lightly esteem the work of their salvation O t is sad that the good of strength should be an occasion of many sins somtimes of murthers And the good of wealth the occasion of pride oppression and many outrages And the good of knowledge puffe them up that have it and often be abused to fight with it against the trueth of God and his wayes and worship Thus do many turne the goodnes and blessings of God as they are in themselves into evill and make them so many curses And therefore wittily saith one wicked men may have much wealth but they have no goods But what 's all these in comparison of that goodnes which is vouchsafed to the elect Angels and to elect men of both which sorts of creatures Christ is the head and Saviour to keepe the one in the goodnes of their created estate which some of them kept not The Angels which kept not their first estate Jude ver 6. And to bring the other backe unto that goodnes which they had lost And with this goodnes Angels are a part of the mysticall body of Christ and Christ is the head of Angells elect as well as of elect men My Beloved in the Lord Jesus Here are goodnesses indeed For as no evill that can be fall the sonnes of men is like unto that to be without Christ So no goodnes comparable to this of being in the number of them that are redeemed by Christ Jesus What will pride profit or what will the pomp of riches avail when ye must lose your soul And suppose besides your riches ye have art and learning so had Aristotle Suppose ye had great wisdome so had Achitophel Suppose kingdoms whose kingdoms were like those of the Assyrians Grecians Persians and Romanes Suppose great knowledge in Divinitie so have the very devils The Devill is a great divine Suppose morall honesty So had the Pharisies Yet there must be another righteousnes to bring us to God Math. 5.20 For I say unto you that except your righteousnes shall exceed the righteousnesse of the Scribes and Pharisies ye shall in no case enter into the kingdome of heaven Vse 1 Now we are next to make use of this attribute of God And First from this glorious display of goodnes in God to creatures in general to men and Angels to more noble creatures yet as creatures simply considered more specially And to elect Angels and men singularly as they are members of the mysticall body of Christ We may learne this and let it ever remaine with you that hurtfull dispositions and micheivous natures must needs be displeasing to God For such a disposition and frame of spirit is contrary unto Gods disposition and contraries never accord well as we see in this present world God ye have heard is good to all creatures his goodnes descendeth even to the feeding of yong ravens he takes care for oxen and doth good to his very enemies He causeth his sunne to rise on the evill and on the good and sendeth raine on the just and on the unjust And surely if God be such a good God as ye see he is Then it must needs be that evill natures and mischievous spirits and cruell dispositions must be odious to him As fire and water can never agree but one must overcome the other so will there be alwaies a quarelling between God and hurting men untill one be overcome which I trow ye all suppose cannot be God Let all oppressiors and troublesome men know that there is an everlasting enmity between God and them O these fell natures make men like unto the Devill who like a roaring lion goeth about seeking whom he may devoure 1 Pet. 5.8 He is called Abaddon and Apollyon Rev. 9.12 That is a destroyer The Hebrew word Tobb in my text I told you was reade in the vulgar Latine Svavis that is sweete Sowre froward spirits are contrary to Gods sweetenes We read of such Prov. 2.12.13.14 15. To deliver thee from the way of the evill man from the man that speaketh froward things Who leave the pathes of righteousnes to walke in the waies of darknes who rejoice to do evill and delight in
all of you be sweete be usefull Fathers and Mâ—sters be not like Tyrants and Bedlams in your houses Provoke not your children to wrath Do not strike like mad-men ye care not how nor whom Do good well that ye may be like your father which is in heaven And this if you do and will approve your selves to be good folkes ye must take notice of two things under this first direction which every good man must abhorre to take delight in For the contrary declare and plainly denominate men to be evill First ye must not take delight in sinfull practises and courses either your owne or others This was that which was laid to the charge of the Gentiles Rom. 1.32 Who knowing the judgement of God that they which commit such things are worthy of death not only do the same but have pleasure in them that do them T is but a folly to talke of becomming good men if ye will take delight in sinfull courses and in wicked mens company keepe not company ye that are under convictions at least with pot-companions T is no safety saith one to be neere those that are under the curse of God O take heed of these coolers they will quickly take an order with your beginings they will quench your smoaking flax quickly Ye had more need go to such as will be as bellows to blow up your begun fire Secondly Ye must abhorre to take delight in others troubles or sorrowes This is a sure signe of a wicked man of one unlike unto this Good God Such a one was malicious wicked Haman Because Mordecai would not bow to him he did break out into such wrath and so swel in his toadish pride as that he would be revenged upon all the people of God But for his labour was hang'd upon a gallows which he had built to have Mordecai hangd upon it The debts of cruelty and mercy are never left unsatisfied Raleigh Hist of the World And this is a most wicked disposition in any body to delight in the sorrows of any especially if it be of the servants and people of God Ye may reade how this vile man pleads to destroy thousands without pitty or mercy Ester 3 8.9 So Moses brings in the enemies of Israel speaking Exod. 15.9 The enemy said I will pursue I will overtake I will divide the spoil my lust shall be satisfied upon them I will draw my sword my hand shall destroy them This is that will make a man like unto the Devill of hell If ye love to satisfie your lusts here in the miseries and sorrows of others it will be just with God to satisfie his holy desire upon you hereafter for ever 2. Thes 1.6 Seing it is a righteous thing with God to recompence tribulation to them that trouble you So much for the first direction in this third Use viz. to make our study to be good Secondly Ye make labour to be cured of and so lay aside froward dispositions which are contrary to that sweet spirit which maketh us like unto God Suâ—◠〈…〉 are spoken of 2 Sam. 23.67 they are like thorns pricking scraching things And there also ye may see what will become of such They shall be utterly burnt with fire in the same place O Therefore let this doing of good be thought upon And according to these two directions let us set about the practising of it Motives to do good And the more to blow up the fire in you into a holy flame Consider these Ensuing Motives First that it is commanded of God to do good to all men Gal. 6.10 yea to take opportunitie for so doing as may be gathered out of that place And Rom. 12.9.10 Let love be without dissimulation abhor that which is evill and cleave to that which is good Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love in honour preferring one another And yet more ver 20.21 Therefore if thine enemies hunger feede him if he thirst give him drinke for in so doing thou shalt heape coales of fire on his head Be not over come of evill but overcome evill with good And cap. 16.19 saith the Apostle there I would have you wise unto that which is good and simple concerning evill And 1 Thes 5.15 See that none render evill for evill unto any man but ever follow that which is good both among your selves and to all men Secondly Consider the excellency of this property to be of a sweete disposition and of a beneficiall conversation It is that which makes a difference betweene God and the Devill God is good to all Psalme 145.9 And the Devil doth good to none His name is Abaddon and Apollyon that is Destroyer Rev. 9.11 Thirdly God will reward all good folks both in themselves and in their posterity Their seede shall be blessed Psalm 37.26 Fourthly The contrary to doing of good is abundantly threatened to be punished Their seed that are wicked shall be cut off Psalm 37.28 and in the 38. verse But the transgressors shall be destroyed together the end of the wicked shall be cut off Fifthly And lastly to move you and encourage you to labour for this sweete temper of spirit that ye may be full of goodnes consider that goodnes is to be had it is a communicable attribute It doth not so abide in God as not to be communicated unto his creatures that are capable of this great gift and gracious property as men which are reasonable creatures are And so I come to the Second proposition which the last Motive doth cast me upon viz. That Goodnes is a communicable attribute The second Doctrine or Proposition For First it is a branch of that uprightnes in which God made man mentioned Ecclesiastes 7.29 This was that which Adam lost in his fall This is that image of God spoken of Gen. Reason 1 1.27 So God created man in his owne image in the image of God created he him Man was created and had communicated unto him by God a good frame of spirit to be usefull and helpfull to all And this Adam lost though he kept his naturall goodnes of being and we all still keepe and retaine the goodnes of our kind We are all perfect in our kind But for this goodnes of usefullnes both Adam and the fallen Angles lost it Yet was it once communicated as ye see which is enough to serve our purpose that it is communicable Reason 2 But yet further As God communicated it at first so also he doth now againe daily restore it in the work of regeneration when that is wrought this among other fruits of the spirit groweth on that stock and is numbered among the fruits of the spirit Gal. 5.22.23 But the fruit of the spirit is love joy peace long-suffring gentlenes goodnes c. The word there used for goodnes is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is the word immediately forgoing and is translated gentlenes which yet is very often translated
goodnes too It is as it were goodnesse Object A sweete and gentle frame of spirit and usefullnesse and also a good conversation It may be objected that the rich man Luke 16.25 Is upbraided for receiving 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his good things a word of the same theme and nature with that which is made here to be a fruit of the spirit To which I say there are divers sorts and acceptations of goodnesses in God himselfe by attribution Ans which is only for our sakes for his nature is most simple and we may not wonder if words be diversly taken about the creatures which are of several particular dispositions and qualities Doubtles that forementioned rich man would never have beene hit in the teeth for having this goodnesse which is a fruit of the spirit But it was for some other goodnesse There is three sorts of good or goodnes Spiritual Civill Corporall He was farre enough from having that which was spiritually good And but litle had he of that which was civilly or morally good But his time and strength was laid out for these things that were good for the body and as some use them scarce good for that Yet the things of this life are called by that name good or goods or goodnesse In reference to the common opinion of the world In regard that they have an entitative goodnesse they are the good creatures of God these he made and he made all things good as hath beene said upon the second Attribute And yet againe they have not only a goodnes of entitie but a goodnes of use in them the Lord had made them very suteable to the needs relations affairs and businesses of this life This is that goodnes wicked and worldly people have much of and this is that which is meant in that place of Luke We may likewise in the third place reason from a command that such a goodnesse there is to be had and therefore it is communicable And that it is commanded it is evident Gal. 6.10 And as we have therefore opportunitie let us do good unto all men c. Yea we are expresly commanded to do good to them that are our enemies to do good to them that hate us Math. 5.44 These precepts would not have beene if goodnes had not beene to be had among men As for those common places objected First out of Math. 19.16.17 Where Christ blameth the young man for calling of him good upon this ground that there is none good but one that is God And then that in Ecclesiastes 7.20 Where the preacher saith That there is not a just man upon the earth that doth good and sinneth not I answer that understand the places of what kind of goodnes ye will it must alway have this helpe for the making out of the sence of them that there is none absolutly good none perfectly good none compleately good but God Yet be there some that have attained unto some good degree of goodnes in regard whereof they may have the title of good men And if people would use the meanes and lay aside those impediments that hinder them from doing good they might do a great deale more and be more usefull and beneficial whereas now the most are rather like Divels then men one unto another And alas even in a manner the best but unprofitable servants that shall be cast into outer darkenes I speak of unregenerate men and so would be understood Now the first use that we are to make of this truth is to Vse 1 teach us that there is no fault in God That men be so bad and mischievous at best so unprofitable generally It is their owne naughty and corrupt heart and that cursed selfe-love and secret atheisme and distrust of God and want of the image of Christ that makes many such unprofitable pernicious persons that do so much hurt in their generation And therfore let the fault be laid where it is and the sadle be put upon the right horse as we say and let us not charge a good and gracious God with our froward and crooked natures as too many are apt to do Men might chuse whether they would be such as it were pricking and galling thornes one to another God is good and would make men good too if men were willing Why do ye not strive against the evill of your heart and labour to roote it out And here we may note a sad effect of Gods bounty upon many that take liberty as it were by grant to be mischeivous to others because they have more of these outward good things then others As if God had delight to provide bellows to blow up unruly lusts Hosea 13.6 According to their pasture so were they filled they were filled and their heart was exalted therfore have they forgotten me O when the heart of men is once lifted up with the creature they are very neere the Divells fall and frame of spirit Then men thinke they are out of the reach of contradiction and controlement and no wickednes so grosse no mischeif so great which they will make any bones of committing They cannot looke a jot beyond the service of their devilish spirits and hellish lusts The righteous shall be sold for silver and the poore for a paire of shoes Amos 2.6 O that this evill disposition were not to be found so generally among us as it is If it were the blessed will of God When God puts in good things into mens hands The Devill is at hand to put wickednes into their hearts Well neighbours this is one warning more it will not be lost altogether Looke how many teachers ye have had so many condemners will ye have if ye will not consider and amend Vse 2 Secondly we learne hence that such as desire to be good are in great possibilitie to have their hearts desire and to attaine to this disposition this sweete temper and frame of grace which bringeth forth such sweete fruits of usefullnes and helpfulnes If ye be desirous to be good I can assure you God is Why saith God agreed a match you and I are of one mind I stand with my communicable goodnes to bestow it A cleane heart a right spirit a loving temper will ye have this O sirs if ye be willing what a comfort is this If ye be sensible of your barrenes uselesnes and unprofitablenes of your selfe-love and destrust of God and feare that ye shall want the usuall causes of the former malady of the sowrenesse of your nature up presently to anger and revenge God he giveth more grace he giveth all grace and this of benignity is a lovely one If we then humble our selves under the want of this disposition and under our unprofitablenes and yet more under our gunpowder-like dispositions set on fire upon the least provocation I say if we be humble before the Lord and seeke unto him to be like him in goodnes and sweetenes and readines to help all We shall
to provocations ye cannot provoke God as ye do men Marke friends Though the Scripture say 1 Cor. 10.22 Do we provoke the Lord to jealousie and the word be used in many places of provoking God yet the Lord is never provoked properly as provocation can hang upon him For provocation argues mutation but God is alwaies the same Gods spirit cannot be brought to a distemper by all the wickednesses in the world All the blasphemy posible of men and Devils cannot raise a storme in the breast of God Fury is not in him And when God is said to be provoked to be angry to be furious and the like these things are spoken of God by way of allusion to men as it is in assertions of Gods eies hands and eares and the like not that God hath either passion or affection soule or limbe or member or body In allusion I say to men For as provoked men to revenge affronts wrongs and injuries So when God findes men in sinne though he be of a calme spirit and a good God Yet he causeth sorrows to fall on the wicked and unto all eternitie shall workers of iniquitie be tormented Yet this will be true for ever that God is good to all though men be damned What is this kindnes to send people to hell We may say to God is this thy kindnesse to thy creature Quest I answer It doth not belong to the goodnes of God which I am now speaking of to send people to hell Ans but it is an act of justice proceeding from his holines and puritie But it hath no smell in God of passion or anger or revenge or ill-will to the creature All which things are farre from Gods essence who is immutable perfection and with whom is no variableness neither shadow of during James 1.17 Reas 3 Thirdly God must needs be infinitely good because he neither carketh or careth for himselfe as vain men do who thereby are hindered from doing good to others O say they we may give so long that we may lake our selves I say God is under no such feare sith he is an ocean of goodnes and perfection and omnipotent and wanteth no sufficency Gen. 17.1 I am God alsufficient Saith he to Abraham And Fourthly it cannot stand with the alsufficiency of Gods essence to have it and not to dispence it He is alsufficient Reas 4 every way as well in goodnes as in power aswell in readines to do good as in abilitie I say Gods alsufficiency sets him a work to put himselfe out for the good of the creature above all that we can aske or think He is kind unto the unthankefull and to the evill Luke 6.35 He endureth with much long suffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction Rom. 9.22 Surely then for the first Use no man alive hath cause to complaine of God as if he wanted a good disposition Vse T is true there is much murmuring against God in the world under the title of fortune when affliction sicknesse poverty is upon people But for remedy we should know that sinne is the cause of all evill Do away thy sinne and God will quickly do away the evill thou liest under Blessings must needs come upon us and overtake us if we shall harken unto the voice of the Lord our God Deut. 28. verses 1.2 c. And curses for the contrary ver 15. c. It is impossible God should take displeasure against any without a cause The Lord is righteous in all his waies Ps 145.17 And we should for further remedy in the second place rather admire goodnes in our worst condition sith the attribute of justice and power must take place too Lamen 3.22 It is of the Lords mercies that we are not consumed because his compassions faile not Soules conflict p. 425. In the worst time saith Dr. Sibs there is a presence of God with his children When we are at the lowest yet it is a mercy that we are not consumed we are never so ill but it might be worse with us whatsoever is lesse then hell is undeserved Thirdly We are to know that if we be Saints those evills that befall us which seem to crosse this Doctrine of the infinitenesse of Gods goodnes do very much establish it For affliction befal the Saints from the depth of goodnes in God Not only upon such an ordinary account as we reade Psalmes 119.67 Before I was afflicted I went astray but now have I kept thy word Wherin two notable uses are expressed of afflictons to wit to reduce the Saints from their straying and to make them more exact in their conversation But I say further ver 75. I know Lord that thy judgments are right and that thou in faithfullnes hast aflicted me From faithfulnes that no good thing shall be withheld that may make us eminently hapy here hereafter In great goodnes was Joseph so afflicted and Job and Daniel cast into the Lyans den that they might be prepared for great honours and employments and also great discoveries of God It is much and sweete to an afflicted soule to see a token of the Lords love upon him and a signe of his being received into Sonship Heb. 12.6 For whom the Lord loveth he chastneth and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth But more to see faithfulnes power in great deliverances out of great straites out of the Lions den out of the Whales belly to carry through the red Sea rather then to leave to Pharaohs pride and crueltie But yet I have a great deale more to say of the wonderfull goodnes of God to some choise ones whom he fiteth in the furnace of great sorrows for great employments and enjoyments of himselfe in the creature here even in this life Vse 2 For the next use heere is a good ground of encouragement for all sinners and distressed souls to come to God For the Lord is good And if ye cannot tell what to say I will teach you a prayer which David taught me Psalme 17.7 Show thy marvellous loving kindnes O thou that savest by thy right hand them which put their trust in thee from those that rise up against them Ye may have much comfort in the consideration of Gods abundant goodnes whether it be that our sinns be very great or our sorrows even as it were hellish God gives much good with much goodnes to his people He gives all with all his heart he makes every step to them in blood and yet in delight parts withall to enrich them Lockier or our condition never so obscure great sinners hath God received great sorrows hath God removed and beggars from the dunghell hath God advanced And for such as have tasted the blood of Christ in their meat and drink and weare cloathes died therein and have all their salvations and comforts swiming to them on the streames of the blood of God Let them say that the Lord is good to the lowest Saint affliction is but the pulling
of the rop without to make the bell to speake within but to some it is a setting them in the highest steeples as bells themselves to be heard a far ringing the various changes of an unchangeable God Let me heape up exhortations and so end this point and subject 1. Come away taste and see that the Lord is good Ps 34.8 Ye honour God much and ye shall be blessed that come unto him 2. Run to this infinite goodnes in all destresses Ad omnes etiam ad impios Cum Dei bonitas praecipue sit erga membra ecclesiae ergo et nos domesticos fidei praecipue beneficijs prosequantur Harplus 201. fly to this present helpe in the needfull time of trouble 3. Be like unto God and take heed of the doer of the unprofitable servant Math. 25.30 Much more take heed of being found among pernicious ones that delight to do mischeife which shall â—e torne in pieces when there shall be none to deliver Ps 50.22 And 4. imitate God in the extent of his goodnes I meane so farre as creatures can attaine Do good to all even to those that have no goodnes in them even to your enemies And lastly as the goodnes of God is especially to his Israel Psal 73.1 Truly God is good to Israel c. So let us especially prosecute with our goodnesses and helps the houshold of faith and above all we must be mindfull to do good to the soule and so much be spoken of the attribute of goodnes or benignitie The Mercy of God Psalme 100.5 His Mercy is Everlasting OUt of this verse I have already spoken of the forgoing words for the Lord is good And have discoursed of Gods usefull goodnes one propertie of God which is used as a reason why he is worthy of praise There are three in this verse Suavis est Deus quia suavis facilis miseretur quia miseretur promittit liberationem quia verax implet promissa Bellar in hunc Psalme so joyned that one floweth from the other The Lord is to be honoured and his name to be well spoken of for he is good and because he is good he is ready to shew mercy from time to time and hath promised to be mercifull and because he is true in his promises therefore he will performe his promises of mercy which he hath made Now having finished the property of goodnes I come to this of mercy And in handling of it shall insist upon the same three particulars first propounded Viz. First That mercy as hath beene said of the rest is an attribute of God Secondly That it is a communicable attribute of God Thirdly That God in it as in all his attributes is infinite and incomprehensible To begin with the first of these propositions Mercy ye see is attributed to God not only here but in many other places of Scripture Psal 86.5 For thou Lord art good and ready to forgive and plenteous in mercy unto all them that call upon thee Psalme 106.1 For his mercy endureth for ever Psalme 118.1 The same words Psalm 136. ye have it Sixe and twenty times And the same expression is in Jer. 33.11 in that prophetical promise of the joyfull estate of the Church And one place out of the new Testament Ephes 2.4 But God which is rich in mercy c. Mercy ye see is an attribute of God But what is mercy For Answer hereunto it will be requisite What mercy is in man that before I speake of it as it is in God I should first of all shew you what it is in men In man therefore know mercy is a vertue inciting the will to give succour to anothers misery and to indeavour to drive it away In men that which is commonly reputed mercy may be a vice so it may fall out For such acts as are counted mercifull do not alwaies proceed from the same principle in all that it doth in some which are called mercifull men For there are some which give almes as the Pharisies did to be seene of men out of vaine glory and ostentations which is no vertue but a vice Or if that which is naturally a worke of mercy be done upon any other dishonest ground whatsoever or to any other unlawfull end it then appertaines to that vice by whose affection it is commanded and takes the malignitie of that sinne whether lust or errour that sets this inclination on worke to succour the miserable But when the end is honest the worke is commanded by that vertue which hath regard to the honesty of it whether it be one vertue or another VVhether it be the love of God or love of the bretheren or encouragement of the godly or if it be only a pitifull disposition to the creature which is the ground thereof The end will much denominate the action and refer it to that errour or vice from whence such a supposed act of mercy had its first rise Some that are Romish recusants are seemingly very mercifull to the poore perhaps it may be to draw such to their religion As some Heretiques are kind and curteous to draw others to the embracing of their opinions So many likewise seem to be very forward to do good when it may be to serve their lusts of coveteousnesse pride and wantonnesse Such actions as these cannot be called mercifull or good but must be referred to that vice which is the ground of them If one should tempt a poore man to steale upon consideration of his poverty or perswade one that is sick to go to Charmers or white Witches for the recovering of health these actions could not be mercifull but rather must be referred to the head of cruelty to the poore soules of such persons so tempted so perswaded and advised But because it pleaseth the spirit of God in Scripture to use termes and words promiscuously sometimes in predications both of God and men Whether mercy be in men a distinct vertue from goodnesse and love and even about the attribute of goodnes lately handled and this of mercy now in hand one word doth signifie either thing mercy sometimes being used for goodnes and goodnes put to signifie mercy it will be worth our inquiry a little to see what the difference is between these two vertues and also that of love which is often taken to be the same with goodnes and mercy As to make this appeare to be so I remember a passage in Dr. Sibs his soule conflict Page 446. touching love goodnes and mercy in God which I will relate It is good to see blessings as they issue from grace and mercy it much commends any blessing to see the love and favour of God in it In those words ye see he puts a difference betweene blessings which I take to be the same with good things bestowed and mercy and grace and the love and favour of God and yet all these foure last words are used for one and the same thing which in so
experienced an artist is to be taken notice of As if mercy and love were one and the same thing And yet in many places of Scripture we find goodnes mercy taken in the same sense mercy and love somtimes distinguished for satisfaction herein and clearing of this difficultie we must know that if we restraine the word mercy to his proper signification according to the etymon of the word the definition of the vertue to wit to rid one out of a notable distress or misery from an aflicted compassionate heart towards him then mercy hath a narrower object then goodnes or love But yet because usually such workes as we call workes of mercy proceed from the affection of love and that love which we call the love of good will towards our neighbour doth in a sort wholly live in workes of mercy for the love of complacency is of another nature I say for this cause love mercy and goodnes are sometimes used to signifie one and the same readines to do good to all or help any and to be of a loving deportment Howsoever therefore there may be use of destinctions sometimes to wit when we speake particularly of them as vertues in men or graces in saints or attributes in God yet in ordinary popular discourse they come all to one and so are used by the Holy Ghost oftentimes in Scripture in passages both concerning God and also men But that nothing may be left unsaid to give full satisfaction I will give you distinct definitions of these three goodnes or benignity love of goodwill and mercy as they are attributed to God and found in men Goodnes is the will of God whereby he is inclined to do good to creatures and the effects thereof Love is the will of God approving what in his creatures is good and agreeable to his holy mind and manifestâ—d by sundry effects thereof Mercy is the will of God whereby he is inclined to succour such as are in misery and the manifestation of it in acts accordingly In men goodnes or benignitie is a disposition and indeavour to make the lives of creatures comfortable Amore nihil est aliud quaÌ„ bonum velle amata by affording all that may any way conduce thereunto And love is a certaine propension of the appetite concupiscible unto what is accounted good and fit for him that loveth and a manifestation of good will and friendship upon occasion both in word and deede to such objects And mercy said Philosophers is a sicknes of mind conceived from the misery of another stirring up to shew pity and compassion and to succour such a one But lastly in saints these come to be graces and so acceptable to God being fruits of the spirit tending to God and having respect to him So we are full of goodnes towards the bodies and soules of others communicating what we have for their good and benefitt Shewing love for Gods sake in both word and deed even to them that wrong us and abuse us And having bowels of mercy towards all that be in misery and being ready to do any thing for their succour Now of all these three vertues in men graces in Saints attributes of God What mercy is in God Miseri cordia est voluntas Dei qua ad succurrendum miseris propensus Sharpius The mercy of God some call the propertie or attribute of his nature inclining him to relieve the misery of his creature some the essenee of God shewing mercy Sclator on the 117. Psalme Ira dicitur esse in Deo non ut turbidus motus animi sed simplex voluntas ad ultionem we are to speake of mercy now as it is to him attributed One thing is very necessary to be premised in this discourse to wit that mercy in God is not as it is defin'd by Philosophers as hath beene before hinted A sicknes of mind conceived from the misery of another For sadnes and afliction of mind cannot be in God though in Scripture there are such metaphors used But mercy in God is his very essence whereby he is infinitely disposed to helpe succour and comfort such as be in any miserable condition Those expressions in Scripture In their afflictions he was afflicted And mine heart is turned within me my repentings are kindled together Are borrowed Phrases As from the turning of the bowells in men at the fight of an object of pitty And yet in men this is not mercy it selfe but a companion of pitty Yet because by it our mercy is made known we call it by the name of mercy We call rowling of bowells mercy and mercy rowling of bowells which yet is but a companion of it and that in men only and not in God Mercy may be without it and in God allwaies is because God hath no bowels to be turned God is one most simple essence and hath no qualities And therefore when we say God is merciful we speak of him metaphorically as when we say God is angry Anger is a turbulency of spirit but there is no such thing in God The effects of that which is called anger in God are often put for angâ—r as when we see the punishment and scourges on the backes of wicked men we conclude that God is angry There is no real difference between his essence and attributes save only in our manner of conceiving Sclater In like manner when we see the rod taken of and cast into the fire which is an effect of mercy we say God is mercifull But mercy in God signifiâ—th two things First an inclination in his heavenly Majesty to shew mercy Secondly the effects of his supposed affection which is his helping of the miserable creature or a making out of God to such as have need of helpe and pitty The affection of mercy in men is knowne by that griefe that accompanies it Tanquam à nobis notiori vertus ipsa nomen traxit but such a companion of mercy cannot be in God O mercy is a glorious attribute of God he is a very sea of mercy he is never dry Amongst men he that is fullest of pitty is but a drop of it Their pitty falls infinitly short of what is in God And this mercy of God is either generall to all his creatures or speciall unto mankind or more speciall and peculiar that whereby he is said to be mercifull to his elect unto eternall life and freedom from the wrath to come Let us view the generall mercy of God to all his creatures Three things present themselves to be looked upon First the raising up of all creatures out of nothing Gen. 1.1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth Secondly The extension of tender mercies of providence towards all creatures wraped up in misery of which see Psalme 145.9 The Lord is good to all and his tender mercies are over all his workes His mercy is over and upon all his workes as the warmth of the hen
which he hath brought us Thirdly The good which thereupon we do expect Fourthly The meanes whereby this is effected We were enemies unworthy of the lest mercy and liable to everlasting sorrowes But are advanced to union unto and communion with Christ Not to a moderate or mean estate of hapines of humanes or angelical happines natural But to be the sons of God the sons of the eternal King the heires of God and Coheires of Christ consorts of divine glory partakers of all divine good things with him we are made one with Christ not in conceit or imagination only for this conjunction is in truth a reall conjunction The prayer of Christ is John 17.22 That all beleevers may be one with him as he is one with the Father viz. by one and the same spirit dwelling in Christ and in all members of Christ 1 Iohn 3.24 And hereby we know that he abideth in us by the spirit which he hath given us Perkins on the third to the Galatians Page 265. saith All the Saints in heaven and all beleevers upon earth having one and the same spirit of Christ dwelling in them are all one in Christ Not as if Christ and Saints were not destinct persons or as if the properties of the Godhead or qualities of his manhood were transformed into us or as if we were only by a bare consent as freinds are one or as if Christ and all the Saints were one substance I say none of these waies are we one with Christ But as all the Members of the body naturall have one soule So have all the Saints with Christ their head owne spirit And this comes to passe on Gods part by mercifull donation and on our part by faithfull reception Thus we see how we are one with Christ and so by consequence do possesse Christ and injoy him and his benefits partly in this life and fully in the life to come So that from our adoption we looke for such good so great joy so much glory as eie hath not seene nor eare heard neither hath entred into the heart of man O what a gulfe of distance is there betweene that estate from which we are taken 1 Cor. 2.9 and that whereunto we are brought And the meanes whereby all this commeth to passe ye have heard already is the sonne of man For first one man is taken to be Gods naturall son the fullnes of the God-head being substantially united to him By this man Christ Jesus God adopteth and maketh his sonnes Eodem spiritu vivunt nimirum membra Christi quo Deus ipse quo Christus filius Dei naturalis vivit et si hic spiritus diverso modo istis communicetur personis enim divinis communicator per identitatem idque vel immediata necessitate ut patri vel per aeternam generationem aut spirationem ut filio spiritui sancto huminitati verò Christi perhypostalicam vnionem nobis per quandam extensionem qua mediante dono gratiae justificantis incipit esse noster spiritus nostra vita nos inhabitans ornans movens ergens omnes vitales functiones Deo platentes in nobis excitans edens Less all those which are engrafted in to this trunke or stoke by the spirit of faith for as many as are led by the spirit of God they are the sonnes of God Rom. 81.4 This previledge is given to them that receive Christ to them that believe in his name to become the Sonnes of God John 1.12 And according to this priviledge of Adoption are we and all our weake endeavors looked upon esteemed O behold what manner of love the father hath bestowed upon us that we should be called the Sonnes of God 1 John 3.1 Seventhly We have the benefit of all Christs merits All that Christ ever did or suffered is made over to us and we presented in him without blame in the sight of God From mercy it is so ordred and brought about that Christ did the work but we receive the wages Christ bore the Crosse but we weare the Crown Beloved we have the benefit of all Christs merits So that what Christ merited we are said to merit by meanes of our union that we have with him We are alwaies hereby in a capacity of pardon as often as we sinne and by true repentance turne unto God What Prince was ever so mercifull as to be in readinesse to pardon such as capitally offend or commit high treason every day But our God of his mercy is ready every minuit to pardon the sinnes of his people For if any man sin we have an advocate with the Father c. 1 John 2.1 Here is a most rich treasury here are merits that can never be Drawne out It is impossible so many sinnes should ever be committed as might be beyond the riches and worth of them Yet we must know that the worth of them is not drunke up by us Quicquid recipitur recipitur ad modum recipientis for we are not able so to receive them to our use as they are in Christ For not in the like measure is the spirit received by all that are justified Although each Saint hath the whole spirit yet not in an equall manner and measure And so although each Saint hath whole Christ made over to him withall his merits yet there is not one that hath sins enough to take him up holy by appropriation or to make a full proprotion between their misery and his merits but still there will be overflowings of the blood of Christ Eightly Mercy causeth the powering out of the spirit of grace By vertue of our union we do of his fullnes receive Joh. 1.16 and grace for grace So that as a litle child is answerable in every part to the tallest and stoutest man so the little measure of graces in the weakest Saints have a conformitie to the graces that are in Christ though the difference in regard of degrees be exceeding great There is wisdome patience meekenes c. Which God gives out and adornes his chosen ones withall Never did a Queene present her selfe so beautiful in the eyes of the greatest Monarck as the Church the Spouse of Christ is rendred lovely in the eyes of God Salomon Song cap. 7.1 c. How beautifull are thy feet with shoes O Princes Daughter Ye may at leasure read when ye please the rest But such as are proud scornfull passionate intemperate covetous c. It is impossible God should take pleasure or delight in them O how beautifull is the spirits work upon the soule a soft heart an obedient will and the gifts of saving and sanctifying grace A man in the state of nature saith one is like a pond full of toads a man in the state of grace is a paradise of God Beautifull in Gods eies is a gratious soule from top to toe O ye that wallow in the mire and dirt and filth of sinne do ye thinke God
can take pleasure in such as ye be But Gods people are made comely by the holy Ghost Ninthly From the mercy of God in Christ the people of God come to have the sweetenes of ordinances while others mumble on a brown dry crust or on a chew'd gobbet that hath no sweetnes at all left in it Formall and Carnall Christians have an egge-shell but no yolke an nutshell but no kernell they heare good wordes of God but never tasted that the Lord was gratious and mercifull The Saints upon whom the mercy of God is descended find sweetenes in all religious exercises and holy ordinances They have the sweetenes of prayer preaching reading conference and when they come to break bread with the Church Mendicato hic pane vivamus annum hoc pulchrem sacritur in eo quod pascimer pane cū angelis c. Luth. in Ps Burroughs Moses choice Psal 36.7 8. they are made to be in the sweete sence of their neer relation to Jesus Christ they are in the spirit on the Lords day Ordinances are like that sealed booke we read of in the Revelation c. 5.1 Iohn wept because no man was found to open it and read it But for them that are in Christ mercy hath better provided The seales are taken away the booke is opened the nutts are brokened the kernels are to be eaten which are very sweete O t is a blessing and full of sweetenes to be joyned in union and communion with the people of God Though we beg our bread sayes Luther is it not made up with this that we are fed with the bread of angels with eternal life Christ and the Sacraments c. It is certaine the servants of God find such comfort in these prescribed practises that they would not for any good be bereft of them Neither can they possibly free themselves from the guilt of prophanesse that do not highly prize and heartily rejoyce in these things Such as do believe themselves to be members of Christs body must needes desire those ordinances that he hath appointed for the building of it up and do find thriving in grace and comfort in spirit farre beyond any creature comforts Here they meete with rivers of pleasures And thou saith David shall make them drinke of the river of thy pleasure to wit in ordinances Tenthly all particular vouchsafements come to the servants of God as a fruit and effect of mercy Somtimes they have more of this worlds goods then ever they expected and grace with all to use what they have to the glory of God and this makes their enjoyments mercys Many are crying and wishing every where for wealth and riches and outward accomodations but they are not so earnest to have grace to use them to Gods glory which plainly shews they have not what they have in mercy Vouchsafments injoyments longer then they are improved to Gods glory are not blessings mercies Now these common mercies cannot be denied so far as we have a state calling for them grace to use them to the glory of the giver We for our parts have no cause to complain we eat drinke mercies and weare them upon our backe We have mercies above and mercies beneath us mercies round about If we want one kind we have it made up in another Thou shalt have rubish to serve thy turne which God throwes away for he hath given thee gold There is no fear of having too few crusts but of having good teeth to gnaw nourishment out of them In the Eleventh place this is a choise effect of Gods mercy to have communion with God The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and the Love of God and the fellowship of the holy spirit Carolus plus cum Deo quam cum hominibus loquitur Are uprising and down-lying with a gratious soule This is a mercy indeed It is said of Charles the greate that he spake more with God then with men Ah Sirs why should it not be true of us Brethren it concernes us much to look after this fruit of mercy By this mercy we stand in times of temptation and triall A soule high in communion with God may be tempted but will not easily be conquered such a soule will fight it out to the death O this is a choise mercy It is Iacobs ladder where you have Christ sweetly comming downe into the soule and the soule sweetely ascending up to Christ It was a mercy vouchsafed to holy and patient Iob upon the dungil that he knew that his redeemer lived and behold how he conquers the Devill both in blacke and white Communion is a reciprocall exchange betweene Christ and a gratious soule And of this mercy there is a continuall ground in a gratious soule for either I shall be praying for what I want or praising him for what I have by both which I have oppertunity to keepe my acquaintance and hold communion with the Lord my God Communion with God brings all Gods attributes to us for our use upon occasions Great is this mercy vouchsafed to the Saints and servants of God Lastly From this mercifull disposition to lost believing mankind life everlasting comes He hath granted to them a life as long as his owne Now heere I am at a losse Thousands of millions of yeeres as holy writ teacheth us and the spirit maketh us to believe is not time enough in Gods esteem to vouchsafe fullnesse of joy these pleasures must be for evermore O this perpetuity O this eternitie O this life everlasting I conclude then that God is merciful that mercy is an attribute of God Men in desperate conditions may meete with mercy for with the Lord there is mercy What more desperate condition then to be fallen in Adam's I could tell you many things of other miseries and dangers creatures have been in and neere unto and have met with a mercifull God Moses like to be drowned The male Jewish children to be ruined and so by consequence in time the whole nation Cruel bondage upon them all The heads of Gods people on the block by Hamans plot mentioned in Hester The three Saints commonly called the three Children in the fiery furnace Daniel in the Lions Den. The Thief upon the Crosse even as it were droping into hell Yet Gods mercy was seen in saving all these In extremities is the Lord seen Though the blow were as it were in the giving to the whole Church by Haman yet when the people of God made worke upon earth by prayer and humiliation that made worke in heaven and the issue of it quickly came downe And when Christ will be exalted for his mercy he will convert one upon the Gallowes and save a thiefe at the last cast And therefore we may conclude upon this attribute of mercy that it is in God That God is a God of mercy a God full of mercy a God that delights in mercy a God that is ready to shew mercy a God that is never weary